Society 

Why are PwDs worried about DPDP rules? - The Hindu

With the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) looking to wrap up public consultations on the draft Rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, disability rights activists are trying to get a key provision of the Act amended or dropped, pointing out that it infantilises Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), negates their decision-making capabilities, and comes from a misunderstood notion of how guardianship works for PwDs.

Draft Rules under DPDP Act, 2023 – Consent Provisions for PwDs

• Objective: Balancing individual data protection with lawful processing.
• Obligation: Mandate verifiable consent from a legal guardian for processing data of children and persons with disabilities (PwDs).
• Section 9(1): Data fiduciaries must obtain consent from the parent (for children) or lawful guardian (for PwDs) before processing personal data.
• Definition Inclusion: Under Section 2(j)(ii), a "lawful guardian" is included within the data principal for PwDs.
• Rule 10 (Governing Consent): Requires due diligence to verify that a guardian is appointed by a court, designated authority, or local committee.
• PwDs: Individuals with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments hindering full societal participation.
• Categories: People with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, or severe multiple disabilities.
• Concerns: Detailed illustrations for obtaining consent from parents are provided, but similar guidance for guardians of PwDs is missing.

Guardianship for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)

• RPWD Act, 2016: Provides for limited guardianship, offering support in specific legal decisions when a PwD's capacity is insufficient.
• NT Act, 1999: Mandates full guardianship for individuals with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, or intellectual disability.
• Differences Between the Laws:
  • NT Act: Uses "decision-making capacity" as a criterion, though its definition is vague, conflicting with UNCRPD principles.
  • RPWD Act: Aligns with the UNCRPD by framing guardianship as support to help PwDs exercise their decision-making rights.
• Nature of Guardianship: Not mandatory; varies based on the type and severity of disability and legal framework.

Conflict in Guardianship Provisions for PwDs

• Legal Discrepancies: Guardians appointed under the NT Act conflict with UNCRPD principles, undermining PwD autonomy.
• Restricted access: The law fails to consider gender and disability together, (e.g., a PwD woman may need consent to buy sanitary napkins online).
• Criticism from Activists: Inclusion of “physical impairment” in definitions creates confusion, as there is no provision for legal guardianship for those with solely physical disabilities.

Concerns Raised 

• Guardian Responsibilities: Uncertainty about the legal obligations and penal consequences for guardians consenting on behalf of PwDs.
• Data Processing Challenges: Platforms must ask if a user is a PwD and has a legal guardian, potentially collecting unnecessary disability data.
• Conflict with UNCRPD: Issues in implementing the consent clause when guardianship laws conflict with UNCRPD principles.
• Digital Accessibility Issues: Major digital platforms (e.g., Paytm, Swiggy, etc) have low accessibility scores, further restricting PwDs’ digital rights.
• Potential Guardian Misuse: Risk that guardians might act in their own interest rather than supporting the PwD.

Polity 

Delimitation & the South - Indian Express

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that southern states would not lose “even a single seat” after delimitation, addressing long-held apprehensions of states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala about losing representation in Parliament if delimitation was to be carried out based on latest population data.

Delimitation

• Purpose: Adjusts parliamentary and assembly seats based on Census data to ensure equal population distribution.
• Pre-1976 Practice: Delimitation occurred after every Census (1951, 1961, 1971).
• 42nd Amendment (1976): Froze total Parliamentary and Assembly seats till the 2001 Census to encourage family planning in high-growth states.
• 2001 Delimitation: Altered constituency boundaries but retained the same number of seats due to opposition from southern states.
• Fear of Reduced Representation: Southern states worry that delimitation will decrease their Parliamentary seats and political influence.

Delimitation and Population Data

• Seat Allocation: Depends on the base average population decided by the Delimitation Commission.
• History: In 1977, each MP represented 10.11 lakh people on average. Maintaining this would increase Lok Sabha strength to nearly 1,400.
• Projected Impact (Based on 10.11 Lakh Average):
  • UP (incl. Uttarakhand): Seats may rise from 85 to 250.
  • Bihar (incl. Jharkhand): Seats may increase from 25 to 82.
  • Tamil Nadu: May increase from 39 to 76.
  • Kerala: May increase from 20 to 36.
• Parliament Constraint: With only 888 seats, this formula is unlikely.

Alternative Scenarios:

• 20 Lakh Per Constituency: Total 707 seats; Tamil Nadu sees no change, Kerala loses 2, UP gets 126, Bihar 85.
• 15 Lakh Per Constituency: Total 942 seats; Tamil Nadu (52), Kerala (24), UP (168), Bihar (114).
• Southern Disadvantage: Lower population growth results in fewer seat gains compared to northern states.

World Affairs 

How Trump's 'Gold Card' US visa could work, what concerns it raises - Indian Express

President Donald Trump has announced a visa program called “Gold Card” for foreign investors seeking permanent residency in the United States, and ultimately American citizenship.

EB-5 vs Gold Card

Likely Benefits to the US

• Attracts high-net-worth individuals, boosting investments in real estate, luxury markets, and businesses.
• Simplifies residency process, reducing fraud risks seen in the EB-5 program.

Concerns

• Perceived as selling American citizenship, prioritizing wealth over merit.
• Potential risks of money laundering and undue foreign influence.
• Lack of job-creating investment may lead to passive residency.
• Raises ethical and legal questions about the sale of US citizenship.

Indians and Gold Card

• Only 631 Indians obtained EB-5 Green Cards in 2023.
• High cost ($5 million) may deter Indian applicants compared to the $1 million EB-5 investment requirement.

Economy 

IREDA shareholders give nod to ₹5,000-crore fund-raise plan via QIP of equity shares - The Hindu 

Shareholders of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) have approved the company’s proposal to raise up to ₹5,000 crore through Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) of equity shares in one or multiple tranches.

Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP)

• Definition: A capital-raising method where public listed companies issue equity shares/convertible securities exclusively to Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs).
• Eligible Investors: Includes mutual funds, venture capital funds, pension funds, and other institutional investors.
• Purpose: Helps companies raise funds without regulatory paperwork, making it a faster and cost-effective alternative to IPOs and FPOs.
• Significance: Common in India and Southeast Asia, ensures minimal management control dilution.
• Introduction in India:
  • Reason: Indian companies previously relied on foreign markets due to domestic fundraising complexities.
  • SEBI Initiative (2006): Introduced QIP to simplify domestic capital-raising and reduce dependence on ADRs, GDRs, and FCCBs.

SWAYATT initiative on GeM celebrates 6 years of transformative impact - PIB

Government e Marketplace (GeM) commemorated six years of Startups, Women & Youth Advantage through eTransactions (SWAYATT) initiative at its New Delhi headquarter (HQ) recently. 

SWAYATT Initiative

• Launch: 19th February 2019.
• Objective: Boost participation of women-led enterprises and youth in public procurement.
• Scope: Enhances ease of doing business and connects startups, women entrepreneurs, MSEs, SHGs, and youth (especially from backward sections) to government procurement.
• Foundation: Based on social inclusion, a core principle of GeM.

Government e-Marketplace (GeM)

• Established: 2016 as India’s National Procurement Portal.
• Purpose: Online platform for government ministries, departments, and PSUs to procure goods and services.
• Development: Created by Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) with National e-Governance Division (MeitY) support.
• Features: Paperless, cashless, system-driven procurement with minimal human intervention.

Environment 

Leatherback Sea Turtle  - The Hindu

• About: Largest turtle in the world.
• Unique features: Lacks scales and a hard shell; named for its tough, rubbery skin.
• Evolution: Exists in its current form since the dinosaur era.
• Migration: Highly migratory, traveling over 10,000 miles annually.
• Diving ability: Can dive up to 4,000 feet, deeper than most marine mammals.
• Thermoregulation: Maintains core body temperature in cold depths.
• Distribution: Found in all oceans except the Arctic and Antarctic; nests on tropical/subtropical beaches.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I

WHY GHARIALS ARE ENDANGERED, HOW MP HAS LED CONSERVATION EFFORTS - Indian Express

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister recently released 10 gharials, a critically endangered species, into the Chambal river at the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary in Morena.

Gharials

• Species: Gavialis gangeticus; a long-snouted, fish-eating crocodilian.
• Naming: 'Gharial' derives from Hindi ghara (pot), referencing the bulbous snout tip of adult males.
• Significance: Regarded as sacred; depicted as the divine mount of goddess Ganga.
• Adaptations: Slender snout with interlocking sharp teeth for catching fish.

• Size: Males: 3–6 m; Females: 2.6–4.5 m.

• Breeding: Mating occurs in November–January.
• Nesting: Females nest communally on sandbanks, sandbars, and islands during receding river levels (March–May) and provide initial care for hatchlings.
• Ecological Role: Contribute to river ecosystems by cleaning up carrion.
• Threats:
  • Overhunting for skins, trophies, eggs, and traditional medicine.
  • Habitat loss due to dams, irrigation canals, siltation, river course changes, and embankments.
  • Sand mining, pollution, and fishing impacting survival.
  • Gill nets causing high mortality, even in protected areas.
• Captive Breeding (1975-1982): 16 breeding centers and 5 sanctuaries established.

Key Refuges:

• India: National Chambal Sanctuary, Katerniaghat Sanctuary, Son River Sanctuary, Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary.
• Nepal: Chitwan National Park.

• Current Measures:
  • Hatchling rearing & release into rivers.
  • Monitoring & threat management (e.g., sand mining control).
  • Community involvement in habitat preservation.
  • Stronger river protection & sandbank restoration.

Sci and Tech 

What to know about NASA's new space telescope - Indian Express

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is tentatively scheduled to launch its new megaphone-shaped space telescope soon aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

SPHEREx

• Purpose: Will map the universe using optical and infrared light.
• Infrared Importance: Reveals distant space, star formation, and galactic structures.
• Challenge: Human eyes cannot see infrared; requires specialized telescopes.

Comparison with Other Telescopes

• James Webb Space Telescope (JWST): Specializes in infrared, focuses on localized regions.
• Hubble Space Telescope: Specializes in optical light.
• SPHEREx: Will scan the entire sky every six months, detecting 102 infrared colours—a first in history.

SPHEREx and Cosmic Inflation

• Objective: Measure cosmic inflation, a rapid expansion of the universe 14 billion years ago.
• Significance: Explains the universe’s flatness on large scales.
• Method: Uses spectroscopic images to map 450 million galaxies in 3D across time.
• Impact: Helps astronomers test different inflation theories using statistical analysis.

SPHEREx and Biogenic Molecules

• Objective: Identify water- and life-forming molecules (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen) in the Milky Way.
• Location: These molecules are frozen in icy particles in the coldest regions of the galaxy.
• Significance: Helps understand how these molecules traveled to Earth, enabling life.
• Method: Conducts a complete census of icy biogenic molecules in the Milky Way and nearby systems.
• Impact: Determines conditions necessary for biogenic molecule formation in space.