From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Indus Waters Treaty, Ravi River
Mains level: Reconsideration of IWT
Why in the News?
India has completed the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project, halting the flow of water from the Ravi river into Pakistan after 45 years of waiting.
Under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, India possesses exclusive rights to the waters of the Ravi river, enabling it to utilize the resource for local agricultural purposes.
What are the Potential Benefits for India of stopping Ravi River Water to Pakistan?
Water Security: Retaining Ravi river water can enhance water security for Indian regions. The Jammu and Kashmir region will now benefit from the 1,150 cusecs of water that was previously allocated to Pakistan.
Agricultural Productivity: By ensuring access to Ravi river water, India can support increased agricultural productivity and efficiency, promoting sustainable farming practices and boosting food security
Economic Opportunities: Retaining control over Ravi river water can lead to the creation of new job opportunities, additional revenue streams from commercial activities along the riverbanks, and improved habitat quality supporting biodiversity
Urban Development: Halting the flow of Ravi river water to Pakistan can facilitate the development of sustainable urban areas along the riverbanks, contributing to planned urban housing and economic growth in India.
India can implement modern waste management systems, promote recycling industries, and adopt circular economies for sustainable water usage and protection of ecosystems.
Health Benefits: India can ensure cleaner drinking water sources, reducing health risks associated with contaminated water and enhancing public health outcomes.
About Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project
It is located on the Ravi River, in Punjab’s Pathankot district, near the border of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
Project Evolution:
The foundation stone of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project was laid by then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1995.
In 2016, the government started to optimize water resources from the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers for Indian farmers, leading to renewed efforts to complete the project.
Finally, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab signed an agreement in 2018 to resume work on the Shahpur-Kandi dam project, which had been hanging fire for the last 40 years.
Project Capacity:
The project comprises a 5 m high concrete gravity dam, a 7.7 km long hydel channel, two head regulators, and two powerhouses.
It is expected to generate up to 206MW of electricity and provide irrigation to Punjab (5,000 Ha) and Jammu and Kashmir (32,173 Ha).
Indus Waters Treaty
The Indus Waters Treaty is an agreement between India and Pakistan, mediated by the World Bank in 1960.
The treaty allocates the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India.
However, the treaty permits limited usage of the Eastern Rivers by Pakistan and vice versa.
The treaty created the Permanent Indus Commission, comprising one representative from each nation, to facilitate communication and dispute resolution.
The treaty facilitated the construction of dams, link canals, barrages, and tube wells, providing water to Pakistan as per its previous entitlement.
The treaty came into effect due to the partition in 1947, leading to the division of the water systems.
After the expiry of the temporary Standstill Agreement of 1947, India started holding back water from canals flowing towards Pakistan.
The Inter-Dominion Accord of May 4, 1948, mandated India to supply water to Pakistani areas of the basin in exchange for yearly payments.
Try this PYQ from CSP 2021:
d) Sutlej
Q. Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations. (UPSC 2016)
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: All India Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (CES)
Mains level: Read the attached story
Why in the News?
Recently, the government has disclosed the broad findings of the All India Household Consumption Expenditure Survey conducted between August 2022 and July 2023.
About All India Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (CES):
The CES is a quinquennial (recurring every five years) survey conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO).
It is designed to collect information on the consumption spending patterns of households across the country, both urban and rural.
The data gathered in this exercise reveals the average expenditure on goods (food and non-food) and services.
It helps generate estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) as well as the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes.
Key Findings of the recent Survey:
Rise in Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure:
Urban: Witnessed a 33.5% increase to ₹3,510.
Rural: Marked a 40.42% surge to ₹2,008 since 2011-12.
Shift in Spending Pattern:
Food Expenditure: Decreased from 52.9% to 46.4% in rural households and from 42.6% to 39.2% in urban households since 2011-12.
Implications: Potential impact on retail inflation calculations due to reduced weightage of food prices.
Inclusion of Social Welfare Benefits:
Separate calculation for items received through schemes like PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana.
Items Included: Computers, mobile phones, bicycles, and clothing.
Adjusted Monthly Per Capita Expenditure:
Rural: ₹2,054;
Urban: ₹3,544 (excluding free education and healthcare sops).
Rural-Urban Dynamics: B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of Niti Aayog, highlights that India’s growth story is “broad-based,” with rural incomes and expenditures outpacing those in urban areas.
Narrowing Divide: The urban-rural consumption gap has decreased from 91% in 2004-05 to 71% in 2022-23, indicating diminishing inequality.
Shifts in Consumption Patterns:
Food Expenditure: Rural households’ spending on food has fallen below 50% of their total expenditure for the first time. Lower spending on staples like pulses and cereals is accompanied by increased expenditure on consumer durables and services.
Income Growth: Rising expenditures on items such as TVs, fridges, and mobile phones suggest improved incomes and evolving lifestyles.
Changing Poverty Metrics:
Poverty Estimates: Based on MPCE averages, poverty levels are projected to be below 5%, according to Mr. Subrahmanyam. Informal estimates indicate a decline in poverty, with destitution nearly eradicated due to various welfare schemes.
Inclusive Growth: Government initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat and free education have contributed to lifting millions out of poverty, reflecting a multi-dimensional approach to poverty alleviation.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Circumstellar Discs
Mains level: Read the attached story
Introduction
The formation of planets within protostellar discs, swirling reservoirs of gas and dust, remains a captivating field in astrophysics.
Recent advancements in computer simulations have unveiled the unexpected flattened shapes of nascent gas planets within these discs, providing critical understanding of planetary genesis.
What are Circumstellar Discs?
Protoplanetary Discs: These discs, comprised of dust, gas, and other celestial objects, orbit newly formed stars and serve as the birthplace of planets.
Composition and Evolution: Initially predominantly gas, protoplanetary discs evolve, hosting various materials including asteroids, comets, and planets.
Findings: Hubble Space Telescope offers detailed views of these regions, aiding astronomers in studying planet formation dynamics.
Distinctive Shape of Protoplanets
Unique Structure: Protoplanets exhibit oblate spheroid shapes, highly flattened, resembling discs with up to 90% flattening.
Growth Dynamics: Gas accumulation primarily occurs through poles rather than equators, impacting observed properties and interpretation of observations.
Formation Mechanisms
Core Accretion vs. Disc Instability: These two prominent theories offer models for planet formation, emphasizing diverse mechanisms contributing to planetary systems’ complexity.
Role of Disc Instability: This mechanism, explaining rapid gas giant formation, aligns with observations of certain exoplanetary systems, highlighting the interplay of formation processes.
Challenges in Observation
Limited Detection: Observing nascent protoplanets within these discs poses challenges, with only a few detected to date, such as within the PDS 70 system.
Temporal Constraints: The short duration of planetary formation phases necessitates precise timing for observational opportunities.
Insights from Simulations
Computational Studies: High-resolution simulations elucidate thermal conditions influencing gas protoplanet properties within the discs, offering invaluable insights into their formation.
Resolution and Analysis: These simulations, computationally demanding, trace protoplanet evolution from condensation to provide a deeper understanding.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Large Language Models (LLMs), GPT, Deep Learning
Mains level: NA
Introduction
The introduction of generative AI, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has sparked widespread discussions about artificial intelligence, allowing computers to learn, think, and communicate.
At the heart of this technology lies Large Language Models (LLMs), empowering computers to understand and generate human-like text.
What is an LLM?
LLMs, according to Google, are large language models capable of solving common language problems through extensive training.
These models are trained on large datasets and can handle various language-related tasks across different areas.
Key Features of LLMs
Large: LLMs are trained on vast amounts of data and have many parameters, which determine their abilities.
General Purpose: They can tackle a wide range of language tasks, regardless of specific topics or resource limitations.
Types of LLMs
Architecture: LLMs come in different types, each suited for specific language tasks.
Training Data: They can be trained in various ways, including on specific topics or for multilingual understanding.
Size and Availability: LLMs differ in size and availability, with some being freely accessible and others proprietary.
How LLMs Work?
LLMs use deep learning techniques, like artificial neural networks, to predict the next word or sequence based on previous inputs.
Similar to how a baby learns language through exposure, LLMs analyze patterns in data to make predictions.
Applications of LLMs
LLMs are used for text generation, conversation, translation, and summarization, among other tasks.
They are vital for content creation, marketing, and virtual assistance.
Advantages offered
Versatility: LLMs can handle various tasks due to their general language understanding.
Generalization: They can apply patterns learned from data to new problems, even with limited information.
Continuous Improvement: LLMs get better with more data and parameters, ensuring ongoing development.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Blanets, Black Holes
Mains level: NA
Introduction
In Christopher Nolan’s 2014 sci-fi masterpiece Interstellar, three planets (aside from Earth) captivate viewers with their extreme environments.
Surprisingly, these worlds, technically termed Blanets, may not be purely fictional and could exist in reality.
What are Blanets?
Formation Theory: In 2019, Japanese scientists proposed a theory suggesting that planets could form within massive dust and gas clouds surrounding supermassive black holes.
Unique Characteristics: Blanets, unlike Earth, are not expected to resemble habitable worlds due to their formation near black holes.
Surrounding Environment: Black holes are encircled by colossal discs of gas and dust, influenced by the black hole’s gravitational pull and heating effects.
Galactic Presence: Nearly every galaxy is believed to harbor a supermassive black hole at its center, acting as a gravitational nucleus around which stars organize.
Formation Process
Similar Mechanism: Planets near young stars form from the collision and aggregation of dust and gas particles in swirling disks. A comparable process could occur near supermassive black holes.
Blanet Characteristics: Blanets are anticipated to be approximately 3,000 times larger than Earth and must orbit the black hole at a distance of about 100 trillionkm to avoid gravitational disruption during their formation.
Implications and Speculations
Extreme Environments: Blanets represent worlds of extremes, vastly different from habitable planets like Earth.
Scientific Inquiry: The study of blanets offers insights into the dynamic interactions between black holes and their surrounding environments, pushing the boundaries of astrophysical understanding.
Role: TPAPs facilitate UPI-based transactions by providing compliant applications to end-users, ensuring adherence to security protocols and regulatory standards.
Infrastructure: They leverage NPCI’s UPI framework and collaborate with payment service providers (PSPs) and banks to enable seamless transactions.
Implications of TPAP Approval
Operational Continuity: TPAP approval is vital for Paytm to sustain UPI-based transactions, ensuring uninterrupted service for customers.
Migration Process: If approved, Paytm’s ‘@paytm’ handles will transition seamlessly to designated banks to prevent service disruptions, with OCL prohibited from adding new users until successful migration.
Risk Mitigation: RBI mandates certification of multiple banks as PSPs to manage high-volume UPI transactions, minimizing risk and enhancing system resilience.
Recent Developments
PPBL Closure: Following RBI’s directive to shut Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL) operations by March 15, 2024, Paytm’s existing TPAP registration for UPI transactions faces uncertainty.
RBI Intervention: In response to PPBL’s impending closure, RBI has tasked NPCI with evaluating OCL’s request to maintain TPAP status, crucial for Paytm’s UPI operations continuity.
Current Landscape
Presently, 22 NPCI-approved third-party UPI apps, including Google Pay, PhonePe, and Whatsapp, facilitate peer-to-peer transactions via UPI IDs.
RBI’s directive underscores the regulatory focus on maintaining stability and security in India’s digital payments ecosystem.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Hanooman, GPT, LLMs
Mains level: Not Much
Introduction
The BharatGPT group, comprising IIT Bombay and the Department of Science and Technology, is set to launch its first ChatGPT-like service named Hanooman next month.
Large Language Models (LLMs)
LLMs utilize deep learning methodologies to process extensive text data, enabling them to grasp linguistic nuances and semantic relationships.
These models are trained on vast datasets like Wikipedia and OpenWebText, allowing them to comprehend and generate natural language by discerning patterns and meanings from the provided text.
About Hanooman
Multilingual Capability: Hanooman is a series of large language models (LLMs) proficient in 11 Indian languages initially, with plans to expand to over 20 languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi.
Functionality: Beyond a mere chatbot, Hanooman serves as a multimodal AI tool, capable of generating text, speech, videos, and more across various domains such as healthcare, governance, financial services, and education.
Customized Versions: One notable variant, VizzhyGPT, tailored for healthcare applications, showcases Hanooman’s versatility in fine-tuning AI models to specific sectors.
Scale: The size of these AI models ranges from 1.5 billion to an impressive 40 billion parameters, reflecting their robustness and complexity.
Challenges and Considerations
Quality of Datasets: Concerns regarding the quality of datasets in Indian languages, emphasizing the prevalence of synthetic datasets derived from translations, may lead to inaccuracies or distortions.
Competition: Alongside BharatGPT, several startups like Sarvam and Krutrim, supported by prominent VC investors such as Lightspeed Venture Partners are developing AI models tailored for India, indicating a burgeoning ecosystem in this domain.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Banihal-Sangaldan Railway Line
Mains level: Read the attached story
Introduction
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Banihal-Sangaldan section, connecting Baramulla in North Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu.
The inaugural also marked the flagging off of Jammu and Kashmir’s first electric train from Sangaldan to Srinagar and Baramulla.
About Banihal-Sangaldan Railway Line
Route: Over 90% of the 48-km railway line between Banihal to Sangaldan passes through tunnels in the mountainous Ramban district, including the country’s longest 12.77-km tunnel (T-50), with 16 bridges.
Safety Measures: Three escape tunnels totaling 30.1 km ensure passenger safety during emergencies.
Significance of the Railway Section
Alternative Travel Route: The railway provides an alternative route between Jammu and Kashmir when National Highway-44 is closed due to landslides.
Boost to Tourism and Economy: Opening up remote areas for tourism and economic activities, such as the nearby Gool Valley and hot water springs, previously inaccessible due to poor road connectivity.
History of Railways in Jammu and Kashmir
British Era: The first railway line between Jammu and Sialkot was built in 1897.
Modernization: The extension of the railway network began in 1983 with the Jammu-Udhampur line, followed by the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railwayline project approved in 1995.
Challenges and Innovations: Seismic activity and challenging terrain necessitated innovative approaches like the Himalayan Tunneling Method.
Expansion of the Network
Ongoing Work: Completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line, with 209 km out of 272 km commissioned.
Upcoming Milestone: Valley’s connection to the Indian railways network expected by May this year.
Remarkable Infrastructure: Notably, a 63 km stretch in Reasi district features the world’s highest single arch railway bridge over the Chenab riverbed.
Benefits of the Railway Section
Reduced Travel Time: The train journey between Srinagar and Jammu is expected to be shortened to three to three-and-a-half hours.
Economic Impact: Facilitates transport of goods like apples, dry fruits, and handicrafts, boosting local economies.
Cargo Terminals: Four cargo terminals will be established between Banihal and Baramulla, streamlining logistics and trade.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Sudarshan Setu
Mains level: NA
Introduction
Prime Minister inaugurated ‘Sudarshan Setu’, the country’s longest cable-stayed bridge, connecting Beyt Dwarka Island to mainland Okha in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district.
About Sudarshan Setu
Length: Sudarshan Setu spans 2.32 km, making it India’s longest cable-stayed bridge.
Location: Situated in the Gulf of Kutch, it links mainland Gujarat with Bet Dwarka island off the Okha coast in Devbhumi Dwarka.
Technical Details
Cable-Stayed Design: The bridge is Gujarat’s longest cable-stayed bridge, featuring a total length of 4,772 meters. Unlike shorter cable-stayed bridges in the state, Sudarshan Setu’s 900-meter cable-stayed section sets it apart.
Purpose: Designed to provide all-weather road connectivity to Bet Dwarka, it serves as a crucial link for the island’s residents and visitors.
Navigation Section: Supported by 32 piers, the bridge features seven cable-stayed spans facilitating the movement of fishing boats to and from Dalda Bandar harbour.
Significance of Bet Dwarka
Religious Hub: Bet Dwarka is renowned as a major pilgrimage and religious tourism destination, housing the revered Shree Dwarkadhish Mukhya Mandir and numerous Hindu temples.
Economic Activities: Fishing and tourism are the primary economic activities on the island, attracting thousands of pilgrims and tourists annually.
