Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic Syndrome, Nehru Archives, Decline in African Elephant Populations

(General Studies II – Polity section – Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers & Privileges and Issues Arising out of these.)

• The impending delimitation exercise in India, set to occur after the freeze lapses in 2026, raises significant challenges to the nation’s federal structure, with potential consequences for Lok Sabha representation and the political influence of various states.

Understanding Delimitation and Its Implications –

Delimitation involves redrawing the boundaries and reallocating seats of parliamentary constituencies based on population data. As per Article 82 of the Indian Constitution, this process is mandated after each Census to ensure equitable representation. However, disparities in population growth rates between states have led to concerns about fair representation.

Historical Context –

In 1976, under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the delimitation process was suspended for 25 years to prevent penalizing states that had successfully implemented population control measures. This suspension was extended for another 25 years in 2001 during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure. The freeze is set to lapse in 2026, prompting discussions on whether to proceed with delimitation.

Contentions Surrounding Delimitation –

1. Population Disparities: States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal have achieved Total Fertility Rates (TFR) below the replacement level of 2.1, while states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have TFRs above this threshold. Implementing delimitation based on current populations could reduce the parliamentary representation of states with lower TFRs, despite their effective population control efforts.
2. Economic Contributions vs. Representation: States like Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu contribute significantly to India’s GDP and tax revenues but receive a smaller proportion of central funds. A delimitation exercise that increases seats for less economically developed states could exacerbate this imbalance, leading to perceptions of unfair resource distribution.
3. Linguistic and Cultural Concerns: India’s federal structure is built on linguistic and cultural diversity. Delimitation that disproportionately increases representation for Hindi-speaking states could lead to fears of cultural dominance, undermining the pluralistic fabric of the nation.

Possible Solutions –

1. Extend the Freeze: Continue the suspension of delimitation for another 25 years, allowing states to achieve more uniform population growth rates and maintaining the current balance of representation.
2. Permanent Seat Allocation: Fix the number of seats per state permanently, decoupling representation from population changes to preserve the existing federal equilibrium.
3. Balanced Delimitation with Decentralization: Proceed with delimitation but accompany it with a reallocation of powers, transferring subjects from the Union List to the State List and abolishing the Concurrent List. This approach would enhance state autonomy, offsetting potential imbalances in representation.
4. Adjust Seat Numbers Within States: Maintain the current inter-state seat distribution but increase the total number of seats within each state to reflect population growth, ensuring adequate representation without altering the federal balance.

• The Kerala Fisheries Department launched a sea ranching project as a follow-up to the artificial reef initiative to replenish marine fishery resources and promote sustainable fishing practices off the Vizhinjam coast.
• Sea Ranching/ Ocean Ranching releases fingerlings raised in controlled environments to replenish oceanic and lacustrine ecosystems.
• Varied species, including oysters, mussels, carp, trout, and tilapia, are grown in hatcheries and released into natural water to mature in their native habitats.
• Pompanos (Trachinotus blochii) and cobia (Motha) fingerlings at 10 designated locations along the Thiruvananthapuram coast.
• Funded under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with ₹3 crore sanctioned by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).

Artificial Reefs

• As per FAO, Artificial reefs are engineering technology interventions used to rehabilitate and/or improve natural habitats, increase productivity and manage aquatic resources including habitat enhancement.
• Similar to natural reefs, artificial reefs are used for aggregating fish and provide a home for fish to live and grow, reducing wave damage on coasts.
• Provide a firm substrate for marine life such as corals, algae and plankton to attach to and grow.
• Artificial reef structures restrict bottom trawling in the near shore areas.

Dig Deeper:  Read about the National Fisheries Development Board.

• Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a global health concern fuelled by lifestyle changes and globalisation.
• It begins slowly with a gradual rise in body weight and waist circumference that soon escalates into obesity, setting off a chain reaction in the body.
• Major organs such as the heart, the kidneys, the liver and blood vessels bear the brunt with Diabetes, Hypertension, Fatty Liver etc.
• The impact on major organs, leads to premature deaths, a shift towards non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• National statistics indicate 16.1% diabetes prevalence and 40.3% obesity (NFHS 2019-21)
• Rising prevalence of NCDs threatens SDG goals to reduce NCD deaths by one-third by 2030.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Global Burden of Disease Report.

• The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued guidelines to address false advertising and deceptive practices in the coaching sector, aiming to protect students and ensure transparency.
• These guidelines apply to coaching centres, endorsers, and others involved in promotional activities.
• Advertisement Regulation: Prohibits false claims-
• About courses, fees, faculty qualifications, success rates, and job assurances.
• Guaranteed admissions, selections, or promotions.
• Misrepresentation of infrastructure or resources is not allowed.
• Truthful Representation: Advertisements must accurately depict the services offered.

• Student Consent: Use of students’ names, photos, or testimonials requires post-success written consent.
• Transparency Requirements: Advertisements must disclose accurate course details, fees, ranks, and funding clarity. Prominent display of disclaimers.
• No False Urgency: Restricts tactics like implying limited seats or exaggerated demand.
• Fair Contracts: Prohibits unfair agreements and misleading guarantees for students.
• National Consumer Helpline Integration: Coaching centres must partner with NCH to address grievances effectively.
• Accountability for Endorsers: Endorsers must verify claims they promote or face accountability for misleading endorsements.
• Enforcement and Penalties: Violations treated under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Penalties are imposed on offenders to ensure compliance.

Dig Deeper: Read important provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

• The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF) is set to launch a comprehensive multimedia digital archive titled the “Nehru Archive”, marking the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
• The archive aims to make Nehru’s contributions accessible to future generations.

Key Content of the Archive:

• All 100 volumes of The Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Letters to Chief Ministers (1947-1964), Speeches from 1917 to 1964.
• Books Published by Nehru like:
• Letters from a Father to His Daughter (1929)
• Glimpses of World History (1934)
• An Autobiography (1936).
• The Unity of India (1941).
• The Discovery of India (1946).
• A Bunch of Old Letters (1958).

Also, lesser-known writings and speeches. Material from global archives and writings by contemporaries.

• It will provide a comprehensive, open-ended, and dynamic resource for researchers and the public, modelled on international repositories like the Wilson Center in the U.S.

Dig Deeper:  Read about the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Report.

• India and the U.S. are set to hold the inaugural India-US Indian Ocean Dialogue aimed at strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The dialogue is focused on enhancing security, technological collaboration, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region.
• India-U.S. cooperation in the Indo-Pacific dates back to January 2015 with the “Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region” issued during a high-profile U.S. presidential visit
• The Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) Intersessional meeting will enhance bilateral cooperation on technological innovation and production.
• The Quad (India, Australia, Japan, and the U.S.) plays a significant role in the region, including initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness.

Dig Deeper:  Read about the strategic relationship between India and the US also associated agreements and dialogues.

• British writer Samantha Harvey won the 2024 Booker Prize for her novel Orbital, written during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
• The novel explores life aboard the International Space Station, with outstanding ‘intensity of attention to the precious and precarious world’.
• Orbital is Harvey’s fifth novel and focuses on a single day aboard the International Space Station.
• The Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards, celebrating exceptional works of fiction worldwide established in 1969.
• It is to recognize outstanding fiction, often showcasing innovative storytelling and literary excellence.
• Originally for Commonwealth countries, Ireland, and Zimbabwe; expanded in 2014 to include any English-language novel published in the UK or Ireland.
• Man Booker International Prize: Introduced in 2005, awarded biennially until 2015, then annually from 2016. Celebrates the best works of fiction translated into English, shared equally between the author and translator.

Dig Deeper: Be aware of awards of international and national importance.

• African elephants, the largest land mammals known for their intelligence and social behaviour, are facing a severe population decline due to poaching and habitat loss, threatening their survival.
• The Savannah elephant population fell by about 70% on average at surveyed sites.
• The forest elephant population dropped by about 90% on average.
• Significant losses, particularly in regions like Mali, Chad, and Nigeria, due to high poaching pressure and limited protection.
• In Southern Africa populations increased at 42% of surveyed sites, particularly in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, due to effective conservation management.

Dig Deeper:  Compare conservation efforts of African and Asian Elephants.

• The Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, erupted recently, emitting ash clouds up to 10 km high.
• Stratovolcano, known for its conical shape and explosive eruptions.
• The twin peaks share a volcanic base but are distinct in their activity and geological history.
• The volcano is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a tectonically active region with frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
• It has experienced periodic eruptions, often producing ash plumes and pyroclastic flows.

Dig Deeper:  Locate on the map various active volcanic eruptions across the Pacific Ring of Fire.