20 October 2022

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

1 – UNSC: GS II – International Relations:

Context:

• China once again turned down requests from India and the US to include terrorists with ties to Pakistan to the 1267 list of terrorist organisations that the UN Security Council updates. Washington and New Delhi jointly added Talha Saeed and Shahid Mehmood, the deputy leader of the Falah I Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), a front organisation for the Lashkar e Toiba (LeT), to the wanted list. Son of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed is Talha Saeed. After learning that the two men are purportedly wanted for supporting the LeT/Jamaat ud Dawa, the group believed to be responsible for the 26 Tuesday and Wednesday at the UNSC, China swiftly implemented a suspension.
• One of the UN bodies tasked with preserving world peace and security is the Security Council (UNSC). The United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia are the Security Council’s five permanent members.

Function and current applicability of the UNSC:

• One of the six major United Nations committees tasked with preserving world peace and security is the Security Council (UNSC).
• It is crucial for the support of any amendments to the United Nations Charter as well as the admission of new members.

Among its capabilities are:

• the beginning of operations to maintain peace.
• the implementation of global sanctions.
• Military action is permitted by Security Council resolutions.

Issues faced by UNSC:

• The current issues in Gaza, Syria, or Ukraine have not been mentioned.
• Since so many countries abused the platform for their own gain, it was unable to develop a reputation as a trustworthy and legitimate organisation.
• It has not condemned terrorism with the vigour that it ought to have.

Permanent Membership in the UNSC for India:

• Power concentration: The UN speaks for all of humanity. Because there are just 5 regular participants in this enormous group, power has been concentrated.
• A new circumstance Ambassadors for the post-World War II era are currently Security Council members. It is in conflict with how this is causing the global power structure to shift. Reforms are necessary.
• Emergence of new powers: To aid in the effective running of councils, the UNSC was initially granted a number of major powers. India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan are becoming more involved in response to calls for reforms to the UN Security Council from major economies and developing global powers.
• Absence of Representation: Among the council’s permanent members, neither South America nor Africa are represented.
• Consequences: The economy may be negatively impacted significantly by the Security Council’s capacity to pass legally binding resolutions authorising the use of force and the imposition of international sanctions.

Source The Hindu

2 – Web3 Ecosystem: GS III – Science and Technology:

Context:

• According to Nasscom, more than 450 active start-ups in India’s Web3 ecosystem have secured $1.3 billion in funding as of April.
• In a study by Nasscom and Hashed Emergent, it was found that India had the potential to become one of the world’s fastest-growing Web3 markets while the market for the technology was still in its infancy due to its growing economy, demographic dividend, and exponential adoption of emerging technologies across sectors.

What is it? – Web3:

• Blockchain will fuel the services of Web3, the next iteration of the Internet.
• Experts predict that Web3 will change how we use the internet.
• According to some business analysts, Web3 may even be able to break the world’s monopolistic hold on a small number of digital enterprises.
• Users will manage Web3, a decentralised online ecosystem driven by blockchain, rather than any centralised power.

How will Web 3.0 be used?

• The majority of architects and builders will participate in this new economy, employ state-of-the-art machinery, and launch their own businesses.
• Web3 supports a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). Web3 will enable users to control their own data management on a fair, decentralised internet.
• It would also free people from the fundamentally flawed paradigm of user-generated data monetization based on adverts, which has come to characterise the current digital economy, as well as the exorbitant rents sought by the huge platforms.

What issues do they relate to?

• Because Web3 is still in its very early phases, it is still unknown if it will become popular in the same way that Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 did.
• Web3 worries both academics and technology specialists because, in their opinion, it does not address the problems it purports to.
• The Web 3.0 movement is still in its early stages in India. The blockchain platform’s scalability and durability are disputed issues.

What steps should we take?

• Web 3.0 offensive strategy Underestimating the developer fervour, generational vigour, and VC funding entering Web3 would be stupid.
• This momentum will drive the Web away from its present avatar and toward a new paradigm.
• Due to the general lack of interest in Web 2.0, the leading digital platforms—social media, ride-hailing, e-commerce, and search—have taken over our surrounds. All of these platforms adhere to western standards.
• Web 3.0 must now be actively affected on a global scale.

Source The Hindu

3 – Rustom 2 UAV: GS III – Science and Technology:

Context:

• Defense authorities predict that the indigenous medium altitude long endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) currently being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will complete all client testing by August 2023. The Rustom UAV is also being used as a weapon in a different mission.

About:

• It is is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV.
• The military can perform operations for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance using this multi-mission UAV.
• It can also be applied to unmanned armed combat.
• It can fly up to 22,000 feet in the air and has an endurance of more than 20 hours.
• Payloads for missions needing electrical and signal intelligence may be transported using it.
• It can travel at a top speed of 280 km/h.
• With Rustom 2, missions can be flown either manually or automatically.
• The military’s ground control centre can react rapidly because to its data link, which DEAL (Defence Electronics Application Laboratory), built.

Source The Hindu

4 – Swadesh Darshan Scheme: GS II – Government Policies and Interventions:

Context:

• Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, and Gwalior are a few of the regions that will be promoted as part of India’s new domestic tourism policy, which emphasises destination tourism rather than theme-based tourist circuits. This initiative will be implemented across the country in 15 different states.
• The act is being presented as a part of the first phase of “Swadesh Darshan 2,” which will start in January.

Objective:

• to design a cross-country route network based on a theme.
• A comprehensive set of high tourist value, competitiveness, and sustainability criteria will be the cornerstones of the development of these tourism routes.

The following characteristics of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme:

• Using as much of the voluntary funding for corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes at central public sector and corporate organisations is the idea’s main objective. Each component of the project that qualifies for funding is supported centrally.
• Using PMC’s thorough project reports, funding for each project will be determined, with variations depending on the state (Programme Management Consultant).
• A National Steering Committee (NSC), whose chairman will be the minister in charge of M/O Tourism, will direct the mission objectives and programme vision.
• In order to improve recognised pilgrimage sites holistically, the Ministry of Tourism launched the “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD)” in 2014–15.
• Previously known as PRASAD, the program’s name was changed to “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)” in October 2017.
• The respective State/Union Territory Government shall use the specified organisations to carry out the goals stated in this strategy.
• The Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments in accordance with its policy to promote travel to specific regions. The public-funded elements of the initiative will receive the appropriate financing from the federal government. Additionally, it aims to incorporate corporate social responsibility (CSR) and public-private partnerships (PPP) to boost the project’s sustainability (PPP).

Source The Hindu