Social 

Electronic monitoring of prisoners: arguments for and against - Indian Express

Earlier, President released a report titled “Prisons in India: Mapping Prison Manuals and Measures for Reformation and Decongestion”. The report suggests a variety of measures to address overcrowding in prisons, including a section titled “Electronic Tracking of Prisoners”.

Current Situation

• Overcrowded Prisons:
  • India’s prisons have a 131.4% occupancy rate (December 2022).
  • Total inmates: 5,73,220; Capacity: 4,36,266.
• Undertrial Prisoners: 75.8% of inmates are undertrials.

Cost Comparison

• Current Expenditure: Odisha spends ₹1 lakh annually per undertrial prisoner.
• Electronic Tracking (E-Carceration) Cost: ₹10,000–₹15,000 per tracker.

Challenges 

• Overrepresentation: In India, SC, ST, and OBC communities form 68.4% of prison populations, similar to the US context of racial bias in incarceration.
• Stigma: Visible devices (ankle/bracelet) lead to social stigma, isolation, and stress.
• Financial Burden: In India, the government may bear costs, unlike the US, where monitored individuals pay $3–$35 daily and $100–$200 in setup charges.
• Mental Health Concerns: Stigma, isolation, and constant monitoring exacerbate depression and anxiety.

India’s ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ plan - The Hindu

The Union Cabinet approved the Indian government’s ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ (ONOS) scheme recently. The ONOS promises to provide equitable access to scholarly journals in all public institutions.

Challenges of Commercial Publishing

• Dominance of Western Publishers: Excessive subscription fees, delays in publishing & resistance to innovation.
• Exploitation in the System: Researchers produce knowledge and peer review without compensation. Publishers earn over 30%, highlighting systemic exploitation.
• Open Access (OA) Concerns: High Article Processing Charges (APCs) burden researchers. Prominent OA journals require Indian researchers to pay APCs, as ONOS does not cover these costs.

World Affairs 

INDIA AND CAMBODIA COMMENCES INAUGURAL JOINT TABLE TOP EXERCISE CINBAX IN PUNE - PIB 

The 1st edition of Joint Table Top Exercise, CINBAX, between the Indian Army and the Cambodian Army commenced at Foreign Training Node, Pune.

Exercise CINBAX

• Objective: Joint Counter-Terrorism (CT) operations.
• Focus:
  • Establishing Joint Training Task Force for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance.
  • Operations planning in CT environments.
• Phases:
  • Phase-I: Preparation and orientation for CT operations in UN peacekeeping missions.
  • Phase-II: Conduct of Table Top exercises.
  • Phase-III: Finalisation of plans, summing up, and practical training through situational discussions and tactical exercises.
• Indigenous Showcase: Display of Indian-origin weapons and equipment to promote ‘Atmanirbharta’ in defence production.

Economy 

ESTABLISHMENT OF URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FUND - PIB 

Government has set up the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) through use of priority sector lending shortfall for creating urban infrastructure in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF)

• Creation: Established using priority sector lending shortfalls.
• Objective: Supports urban infrastructure development in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
• Coverage: Includes 459 tier-2 and 580 tier-3 cities.
• Implemented By: Public/State agencies, municipal corporations, and urban local bodies.
• Focus Areas:
  • Sewerage and solid waste management.
  • Water supply and sanitation.
  • Construction/improvement of drains and stormwater drains.
• Managing Authority: National Housing Bank.
• Corpus: Initial fund size of ₹10,000 crore.
• Model: Based on the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).
• Repayment Terms:
  • Principal repayable in five equal annual instalments within seven years, including a two-year moratorium.
  • Quarterly interest payments.
• State Participation:
  • Leverage Resources: States encouraged to use 15th Finance Commission grants and existing schemes.
  • Adoption: States to adopt appropriate user charges for accessing UIDF.

‘Vadhavan port will be a game changer for India’ - The Hindu

The Vadhavan greenfield port, which is under construction near Dahanu in Maharashtra, will double India’s container trade from the current levels upon completion. 

Vadhavan Port

• Location: Vadhavan, Palghar District, Maharashtra.
• Type: All-weather Greenfield deep draft major port.
• Timeline: Scheduled completion by 2034.
• Executing Body: Vadhavan Port Project Limited (VPPL).

• Shareholding: 74% Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), 26% Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).

• Project Cost: ₹76,220 crore, including land acquisition.

• Terminals and Berths:
  • Nine container terminals (1,000 meters each).
  • Four multipurpose berths (including coastal berth).
  • Four liquid cargo berths, one Ro-Ro berth, and one Coast Guard berth.

• Capacity and Trade Impact
  • Handling Capacity: 298 MMT per annum, including 23.2 million TEUs of container capacity.
  • Trade Facilitation: Supports EXIM trade through IMEEC and INSTC corridors.
  • Global Significance: Expected to be among the top 10 ports worldwide.

Environment

How land degradation is threatening Earth's capacity to sustain humanity - Indian Express

A million sq km of land is getting degraded each year, with an estimated 15 million sq km already impacted — more than the entire continent of Antarctica — by land degradation, the report titled Stepping back from the precipice: Transforming land management to stay within planetary boundaries said. The analysis has been carried out by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Land Degradation

• UNCCD Definition: Reduction or loss of biological/economic productivity of rainfed and irrigated croplands, rangelands, pastures, forests, and woodlands due to combined pressures like poor land use and management practices.
• Adverse Impacts
  • Food Security: Reduces quality and quantity of food production, increasing malnutrition risks.
  • Health: Spreads water- and food-borne diseases due to poor hygiene and lack of clean water.
  • Respiratory Diseases: Soil erosion contributes to respiratory problems.
  • On Marine and Freshwater Systems: Eroded soil with fertilizers and pesticides pollutes water bodies, harming aquatic life and dependent communities.
  • Carbon Release: Degraded land releases soil carbon and nitrous oxide, increasing global warming.
  • Declining Carbon Absorption: Land ecosystems’ capacity to absorb human-caused CO₂ reduced by 20% in the last decade.

Causes of Land Degradation

• Chemical Inputs: Excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers, and water diversion.
• Irrigation: Unsustainable practices deplete freshwater resources.
• Climate Change: 
• Land degradation contributes to and is exacerbated by climate change.
• Rapid Urbanisation: Intensifies habitat destruction, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

Areas Worst Affected by Land Degradation

• Global Hotspots: South Asia, northern China, high Plains and California (United States) & mediterranean.
• Disproportionate Impact on Low-Income Countries:
  • Concentration: Impacts are severe in tropical and arid regions.
  • Resilience: Poorer countries have limited capacity to manage and mitigate land degradation.

Red-breasted Flycatcher: The Hindu 

• Scientific Name: Ficedula parva.

• Appearance:

• Males: Reddish-orange throat extending to the upper breast.

• Females: Overall brown.

• Breeding Grounds: Deciduous mixed forests of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (spring to summer).

• Winter Habitat: South Asia, including forests, woodlands, orchards, parks, and roadside trees (September to March).

• Presence in India: Peninsular regions during October to March.

• Feeding: Occasionally feeds on figs like banyan and peepal in urban gardens.

• IUCN: Least Concern.