GEOGRAPHY                                                                                                         

1. Is Indian Ocean helping Atlantic currents?                                                         

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE                                                                         

1. SC to get permanent Constitution bench                                                           

2. Draft rules to regulate social media ready: Government                                    

3. Wawe Summit 2019                                                                                           

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS                                                                      

1. India, Mongolia to explore space together                                                         

ECONOMY                                                                                                              

1. SEBI sets up panel to suggest norms for social stock exchanges                   

2. DSCI, MeitY and Google India join hands for 'Digital Payment Abhiyan'         

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY                                                                

1. New blockbuster wheat from IARI                                                                   

GEOGRAPHY

Is Indian Ocean helping Atlantic currents?

GS PAPER - 01 GEOGRAPHY - Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.

Context :

• A new study suggests a link between Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and the Indian Ocean.

 Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) :

• Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) — which is sometimes referred to as the “Atlantic conveyor belt” — is one of the Earth’s largest water circulation systems where ocean currents move warm, salty water from the tropics to regions further north, such as western Europe and sends colder water south.

How AMOC operates?

•  As warm water flows northwards in the Atlantic, it cools, while evaporation increases its salt content.

•  Low temperature and high salt content increases the density of the water, causing it to sink deep into the ocean.

• The cold, dense water deep below slowly spreads southward.

• Eventually, it gets pulled back to the surface and warms again, and the circulation is complete.

• This continual mixing of the oceans and the distribution of heat and energy around the planet contributes to the global climate.

• Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current (AMOC) ensures the oceans are continually mixed, and heat and energy are distributed around Earth.

Key Highlights  of the study :

• While greenhouse warming caused by human activity is heating up the Indian oceans, it is likely to boost a key system of currents in the Atlantic Ocean, that plays a key role in determining the weather across the world

• For thousands of years, AMOC has remained stable, but since the past 15 years, it has been weakening — a development that could have dramatic consequences for Europe and other parts of the Atlantic rim, according to the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

•  Warming in the Indian Ocean generates additional precipitation, which, in turn, draws more air from other parts of the world, including the Atlantic.

• With so much precipitation in the Indian Ocean, there will be less precipitation in the Atlantic Ocean.

• Lesser precipitation leads to higher salinity in the waters of the tropical portion of the Atlantic — because there won’t be as much rainwater to dilute it.

• This saltier water in the Atlantic, as it comes north via AMOC, will get cold much quicker than usual and sink faster.

• The above process would act as a jump start for AMOC, intensifying the circulation.

• But if other tropical ocean’s warming, especially the Pacific's, catches up with the Indian Ocean, the advantage of intensification for AMOC may stop.

• Moreover, it isn't clear whether the slowdown of AMOC is caused by global warming alone or it is a short-term anomaly related to natural ocean variability.

• Slow down of AMOC had taken place 15,000 to 17,000 years ago which caused harsh winters in Europe, with more storms or a drier Sahel in Africa due to the downward shift of the tropical rain belt.

• Alternating oceanic system patterns like ENSO also affects rainfall distribution in the tropics and can have a strong influence on weather in other parts of the world.

                                                                                         Source :- Indian Express ; Down To Earth

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

SC to get permanent Constitution bench

GS PAPER - 02 POLITY - Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Context :

• The Supreme Court is set to get a permanent Constitution Bench to hear and decide cases involving Constitutional questions.

• However, setting up a permanent Constitution bench might require an amendment to the Supreme Court Rules.

Existing Practice :

• when a division bench of the Supreme Court refers a matter to Constitution bench, the Chief Justice of India constitutes a bench of five judges taking into account the factors like pendency of cases, engagement of judges in other cases etc.

Constitution Bench : 

• Constitution bench is the name given to the benches of the Supreme Court of India which consist of at least five judges of the court.

• These judges sit to decide on a case involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution of India or for the purpose of hearing any reference made by the President of India under Article 143.

• The provision of constitution bench has been mandated under Article 145 (3) of the Constitution of India.

                                                                                                                                          Source :- Times of India

Draft rules to regulate social media ready: Government

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential;

Context :

• The Centre informed the Madras High Court that deliberations on the Draft Information Technology [Intermediaries Guidelines (Amendment)] Rules, 2018, which mandate social media companies to cooperate with the police in cracking cybercrimes, had been completed.

Background :

More in the news:

• The Madras High Court has held that social media companies cannot escape liability for the damage done to society through fake news or rumours spread through their platforms, and said they need to be held accountable for such misuse by users.

Draft Information Technology [Intermediaries Guidelines (Amendment)] Rules, 2018 :

• The aim of the draft rules is to make social media and internet companies, that have over 50 lakh users more accountable for the content on their platforms.

• The rules says that online intermediaries with more than 50 lakh users will be required to have a registered entity in India under the Companies Act.

• The online intermediaries should also appoint in India, a nodal person of contact for 24X7 coordination with law enforcement agencies and ensure compliance with their orders.

• They should provide information or assistance within 72 hours when asked by any government agency for reasons of State security, cyber security, investigation, detection, prosecution or prevention of offenses.

• The social media intermediaries should publish rules, privacy policy to stop users from engaging in online material which is paedophilic, pornographic, hateful, racially and ethnically objectionable.

• The intermediary should deploy technology based automated tools for identifying and removing or disabling public access to unlawful information or contents.

• The intermediary should report cybersecurity incidents with the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team.

• On their website,the intermediary should also publish the name of the Grievance Officer and his contact details and the mechanism by which users or any victim who suffers can notify their complaints against such usage.

                                                                                                                                                 Source :- The Hindu

Wawe Summit 2019

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE  - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

• Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched several initiatives of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)

  • It includes Facilitation through Margadarshan and Margadarshak, Model Curriculum for Diploma Courses, Waste Management Accelerator for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs (WAWE Summit 2019) and 360-degree Feedback of Faculty.

Key Initiatives :

• Margadarshan :

• Margadarshak :

• Model Curriculum for Diploma Courses :

• Salient features of Model Curriculum for Diploma Courses in Engineering & Technology are as follows:

• Waste Management Accelerator for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs (WAWE Summit 2019):

  • The summit will be the largest gathering of young women students who will promote entrepreneurship in waste management and provide alternatives to single-use plastic carry bags.

  • The summit is jointly organized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Institute of Waste Management(IIWM) at Jaipur.

  • The theme of the summit is: “Make your own bag – empowering women to take up income generation activity and entrepreneurship in waste management, through making a business out of this record-creating concept.”

• 360-degree Feedback of Faculty :

                                                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

India, Mongolia to explore space together

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

• Recently, the Mongolian President visited India. During the visit both the countries emphasized not only the expansion of strategic partnerships but also the conversion of a strategic relationship into the spiritual brotherhood.

India - Mongolia Relationship :

• The two countries have signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on Space Cooperation and Disaster Management that will provide a new dimension to the India-Mongolia strategic partnership.

• The space cooperation would allow peaceful exploration of outer space and include remote sensing and weather forecasting services for both the countries.

• The two countries also took stock of the Cyber Security Training Centre project which is to be established in Mongolia with Indian support.

• The two countries have also decided to expand the scope of India and Mongolia regular military exercises named “Nomadic Elephant” and “Khaan Quest”.

• Further,the year 2020 will also mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Mongolia.

                                                                                                                                                        Source :- The Hindu

ECONOMY

SEBI sets up panel to suggest norms for social stock exchanges

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY  - Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

• Sebi set up an expert panel to make recommendations on setting up so-called social stock exchanges in the country.

Working Group :

• The working group has been constituted under the chairmanship of Ishaat Hussain,Director,SBI Foundation.

• The group shall examine and make recommendations with respect to possible structures and mechanisms, within the securities market domain to facilitate the raising of funds by social enterprises and voluntary organizations.

Background :

• In Budget 2019,Finance Minister had proposed a social stock exchange for social enterprises and voluntary organisations working for social welfare to help them raise capital through debt, equity and mutual fund.           

                                                                                                                      Source :- Business Standard

DSCI, MeitY and Google India join hands for 'Digital Payment Abhiyan'

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - growth, development and employment.; Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

Context :

• Nasscom's Data Security Council of India (DSCI) on Thursday said it has collaborated with the electronics and IT ministry (MeitY) and Google India to launch a nationwide awareness campaign 'Digital Payment Abhiyan'.

Digital Payment Abhiyan :

• The campaign aims at increasing awareness about cashless payment, educate end-users on the benefits of making digital payments, online financial security and urge them to adopt security and safety best practices.

• The pan-India campaign has crafted in seven languages -- Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi --

  • And  it will engage with users and make them aware of the dos and don'ts for different payment channels including UPI, wallets, cards as well as netbanking and mobile banking.

                                                                                                            Source :- Economic Times

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

New blockbuster wheat from IARI

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY - bio-technology

Context :

• Recently, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has released a new variety of wheat named Pusa Yashasvi.

            Pusa Yashasvi :

• Pusa Yashasvi is also called as HD-3226.

• It has higher genetic yield potential as compared to other varieties of wheat.

• Pusa Yashasvi has a higher content of zinc, protein, and gluten which will contribute to the strength and elasticity of the dough.

• The best feature of this variety of wheat is that it is highly resistant against all major rust diseases such as yellow rust among others.

                                                                                                                                 Source :- Indian Express

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