30 January 2025 : Daily Current Affairs
1. Retinal diseases: RNA therapeutics show promise but is India ready?
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 7)
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Gene Therapy Breakthroughs
- In 2017, the U.S. FDA approved the first gene therapy for blindness caused by RPE65 gene mutations.
- Over 50 clinical trials are exploring gene therapies for IRDs, but awareness in India remains low.
Inherited Retinal Diseases (IRDs) and Their Impact |
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RNA-Based Therapies: A Safer Alternative
- RNA-based therapies, like antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), offer temporary, precise treatments without altering DNA.
- ASOs have successfully treated diseases like spinal muscular atrophy and are now being tested for retinal conditions.
- Advanced RNA-editing techniques, such as ADAR enzymes and suppressor tRNAs, can correct genetic mutations and restore retinal function.
Precision Medicine in India
- Precision medicine tailors treatments to genetic makeup, lifestyle, and other factors.
- India lacks large-scale studies to map IRD mutations, essential for developing targeted therapies.
- Genetic mutations vary across India’s diverse population, requiring extensive research.
Barriers and Solutions
- Challenges include low awareness, limited genetic counselling, insufficient funding, and poor diagnostic access in rural areas.
- Collaboration between research institutions, like CSIR-IGIB and L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, has led to precision therapy development.
- Partnerships between global and local pharmaceutical companies can improve treatment accessibility.
Conclusion
- RNA-based therapies offer hope for treating IRDs in India.
- Prioritizing genetic research, raising awareness, and fostering collaborations are crucial to making these treatments accessible and effective for patients.Â
Practice Question:Â Examine the potential of RNA-based therapies in treating diseases. Discuss the challenges and strategies for advancing precision medicine in India. (250 Words /15 marks) |
2. How can the Budget arrest growth decline?
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 10)
Topic: GS3 – Indian Economy |
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Current Economic Situation
- India’s GDP growth rate is lower than expected, despite increased government capital expenditure.
- The Economic Survey highlighted concerns about sluggish private consumption and investment.
- Major economic shocks, such as demonetization, GST implementation, and COVID-19 lockdowns, have contributed to the slowdown.
Three Phases of Post-Reform Growth
- 1991-2004: Initial phase of economic reforms with moderate growth.
- 2004-2011: High growth with poverty reduction, increased state intervention, and welfare schemes.
- 2011-2023: Economic slowdown, particularly after 2019, with weak private consumption and investment.
Reasons for High Growth (2004-2011)
- During this phase, the share of consumption of the richest 20% declined, while the bottom 80% saw an increase in consumption.
- Government policies played a key role in boosting demand among lower-income groups.
- Increased spending on social welfare programs had a strong income and employment multiplier effect.
- Schemes like NREGA ensured job creation and wage growth, particularly in rural areas.
- Investment in agriculture and rural development further strengthened the economy.
Capital vs. Revenue Expenditure |
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Government’s Response to Slowdown
- The government has primarily focused on capital expenditure to revive growth.
- Despite corporate tax cuts from 30% to 22% in 2019, private investment has not increased.
- Weak demand and low capacity utilization prevent companies from investing further.
- The expectation that capex would attract private investment has not materialized.
Proposed Solutions
- The government should increase revenue expenditure to boost demand and employment.
- Focus should shift to labour-intensive capital projects rather than capital-intensive ones.
- Fiscal expenditure as a share of GDP needs to rise to sustain economic recovery.
- A balance between capital and revenue expenditure is essential for long-term growth.
Conclusion
- The upcoming budget will indicate whether the government prioritizes market-friendly policies or social welfare.
- A policy shift toward increasing revenue spending could help reverse the economic slowdown and improve living conditions.
PYQ: Distinguish between capital budget and revenue budget. Explain the components of both these Budgets. (150 words/10m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2021) |
Practice Question: Examine the role of fiscal policy in addressing India’s economic slowdown. How can a shift towards revenue expenditure boost demand and employment? (250 Words /15 marks) |
3. Only a radical policy shift can lift farmers from widespread distress
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 13)
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Budget Cuts and Agrarian Distress
- The last Union Budget reduced food subsidy by ₹7,082 crore and fertilizer subsidy by ₹24,894 crore.
- Allocations for agriculture fell from 5.44% in 2019 to 3.15% in 2024, despite 1,00,474 farmer suicides between 2015 and 2022.
- India ranks 105th out of 127 countries on the Global Hunger Index 2024, highlighting severe agrarian distress.
Controversial Farm Policy and Protests
- The draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM) reintroduces pro-corporate provisions from the repealed farm laws.
- Farmers nationwide are protesting against NPFAM, demanding its withdrawal.
Key Demands for Farmers
- Statutory Minimum Support Price (MSP):
- Farmers demand MSP at C2+50% (1.5 times production cost), as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.
- Non-implementation of MSP has led to indebtedness, suicides, and distressed land sales.
- Reduction in Production Costs:
- Rising costs of fertilizers, seeds, diesel, and electricity must be reduced.
- The government should regulate corporate input producers and support public sector firms.
- Comprehensive Loan Waiver:
- A one-time loan waiver for farmers and agricultural workers is essential to prevent suicides.
- The government has waived ₹14.46 lakh crore of corporate loans in the last decade.
- Crop Insurance and Climate Change:
- A new, farmer-friendly crop insurance scheme is needed to replace the flawed PMFBY.
- Climate change-induced droughts, floods, and unseasonal rains require robust insurance coverage.
- Investment in Irrigation and Power:
- Public investment in irrigation and power must increase to reduce costs and ensure steady supply.
- Completing stalled irrigation projects can boost yields and employment.
- Expansion of MGNREGA:
- MGNREGA work-days should increase to 200, with wages raised to ₹600.
- The scheme is a lifeline for rural workers and boosts purchasing power.
Funding Solutions
- Impose wealth and inheritance taxes on billionaires, whose numbers doubled from 109 in 2014 to 200 in 2025.
- Restore corporate tax rates to generate ₹1.45 lakh crore annually.
- Increase direct taxes on the rich while reducing indirect taxes and curbing tax evasion.
Conclusion
- Addressing agrarian distress requires MSP implementation, reduced production costs, loan waivers, better insurance, and increased public investment.
- Funding can come from taxing the wealthy and restoring corporate taxes.Â
PYQ:Q.1 What are the main bottlenecks in the upstream and downstream process of marketing of agricultural products in India? (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2022)Â Q.2 What are the main constraints in transport and marketing of agricultural produce in India? (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2020)Â |
Practice Question: Analyze the causes of India’s agrarian distress and suggest measures to address the challenges faced by farmers, focusing on MSP, loan waivers, and public investment. (250 Words /15 marks) |
4. China’s Fusion Breakthrough: A Giant Leap Toward Unlimited Clean Energy
(Source – Indian Express, Section – Explained – Page No. – 13)
Topic: GS3 – Science & Technology |
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Analysis of the news:
Tokamak
- The tokamak is an experimental machine designed to harness the energy of fusion.
- Inside a tokamak, the energy produced through the fusion of atoms is absorbed as heat in the walls of the vessel.
- Like a conventional power plant, a fusion power plant uses this heat to produce steam and then electricity by way of turbines and generators.
Breakthrough in Fusion Technology
- China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) reactor achieved a significant milestone by maintaining plasma confinement for over 1,000 seconds, surpassing its previous record of 400 seconds.Â
- While the reactor did not produce electricity or achieve fusion, this steady-state plasma confinement is a critical step toward realizing fusion energy.Â
- Fusion, the process powering stars, requires extreme temperatures (millions of degrees Celsius) to create plasma, which must be contained using strong magnetic fields.Â
- The EAST reactor’s success demonstrates progress in managing this delicate process, though commercial reactors will need to sustain these conditions for hours or days.
Fusion Energy: Potential and Challenges
- Fusion energy promises a revolutionary solution to global energy and climate crises.Â
- It produces vast amounts of energy with minimal environmental impact—no greenhouse gas emissions or long-lived nuclear waste.Â
- Fusion uses abundant fuels like deuterium and tritium, making it a sustainable option.Â
- However, despite over 70 years of research, practical fusion reactors remain elusive.Â
- Optimistic projections suggest commercial viability by 2050, but current energy transition plans do not yet account for fusion due to its developmental uncertainties.
Recent Global Advancements
- Recent breakthroughs have reignited optimism. In 2021, the UK’s JET laboratory produced 12 MW of fusion energy for five seconds.Â
- In 2022, a US reactor achieved a net energy gain, a critical milestone. Innovations like MIT’s new materials for reactor durability and China’s laser-ignited fusion research further highlight progress.Â
- Private investment in fusion has surged, with $6.2 billion raised in 2023 alone.Â
- Companies like Helion and Commonwealth Fusion Systems aim to deliver commercial fusion power by the late 2020s and early 2030s.
ITER: A Global Collaboration
- The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), under construction in France, represents the largest fusion project, involving over 30 countries, including India.Â
- Slated to begin deuterium-tritium reactions by 2039, ITER aims to produce 500 MW of fusion power.Â
- While it won’t generate electricity, its success could catalyze the development of commercial fusion reactors.Â
- Experts believe a 15-year timeline for commercial fusion energy, though ambitious, is achievable.
Conclusion
- China’s EAST reactor breakthrough underscores the growing momentum in fusion research.Â
- While challenges remain, advancements in plasma confinement, energy output, and international collaboration are bringing the dream of clean, limitless fusion energy closer to reality.Â
- Fusion’s potential to transform global energy systems and combat climate change makes it a critical area of scientific and technological investment.
Practice Question: Discuss the significance of recent advancements in nuclear fusion technology, particularly in light of China’s EAST reactor breakthrough. How can fusion energy contribute to global energy security and climate change mitigation? (150 Words /10 marks) |
5. Travel of magnetic pole from Canada to Siberia, disallows deeper dive of particles
(Source – https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2097391®=3&lang=1 )
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Movement of Earth’s north magnetic pole:
- Charged particles, like protons and electrons, create the Northern lights and are influenced by the Earth’s magnetic field.
- Scientists studied how this shift in the magnetic pole changed the altitude of these particles over time.
- In 1900, the magnetic field near Canada was stronger, and particles stayed at higher altitudes.
- By 2020, as the pole moved toward Siberia, the magnetic field in that region grew stronger, causing particles to reach altitudes that were 400 to 1200 kilometers higher.
- This shift affects satellites that orbit near the poles, as charged particles can cause drag, a force that slows them down.
- The particles can also heat the atmosphere, changing its density and affecting the paths of satellites.
- The change in the Earth’s magnetic field is important for understanding space weather and protecting our satellites from possible damage.
- By studying these changes, scientists can better predict space weather and safeguard technology in space.
Reason for movement of earth’s north magnetic pole: |
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Prelims Facts
1. A Cretaceous drama of croc against flying reptile
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 7)
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Species in News: Cryodrakon Boreas
- About 76 million years ago, a young Cryodrakon boreas, one of the largest flying creatures in history, was likely ambushed by a crocodilian while drinking water.
- Cryodrakon boreas was a species of pterosaur, a flying reptile that lived during the Cretaceous Period, about 76 million years ago.
- It was discovered in Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada.
- The name Cryodrakon boreas means “Cold Dragon of the North” in Greek.
- It was one of the largest flying creatures in history, with adult wingspans reaching 10 metres and standing as tall as a giraffe.
- Juveniles had a smaller wingspan of about 2 metres.
- It had a long neck, a large toothless beak, and a short tail.
- Scientists believe it was carnivorous, but its exact feeding strategy is debated.
2. ISRO’s 100th launch lifts NavIC satellite into orbit
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 1)
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More o the news:
- The rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 6.23 a.m.
- The mission placed the NVS-02 satellite into the intended orbit.
- The NVS-02 is part of India’s NavIC system, which provides navigation services to India and surrounding areas.
- NavIC offers two services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) with 20-meter accuracy and Restricted Service (RS) for secure communications.
- This mission marks a milestone, with ISRO having launched 548 satellites and lifted 120 tonnes of payload.
- The NVS series strengthens India’s satellite navigation capabilities and supports applications like train tracking and vessel navigation.
3. Govt approves Rs 16,300-cr National Critical Minerals Mission
(Source – Indian Express, Section – Economy- Page No. – 15)
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Analysis of the news:
National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) Approved
- The mission aims to reduce India’s dependence on imports and secure a stable supply of these essential resources, which are vital for industries like renewable energy, electronics, and defense.
Comprehensive Value Chain Approach
- The NCMM will cover the entire value chain, from exploration and mining to processing and recycling.Â
- It focuses on intensifying domestic and offshore exploration, streamlining regulatory approvals for mining projects, and offering financial incentives for exploration.Â
- The mission also emphasizes recovering critical minerals from overburden, tailings, and end-of-life products, promoting sustainable resource utilization.
Global Engagement and Stockpiling
- The mission encourages Indian public and private sector companies to acquire critical mineral assets abroad and strengthen trade ties with resource-rich nations.Â
- Additionally, it proposes the development of a domestic stockpile of critical minerals to ensure supply security and mitigate global market volatility.
Strategic Importance
- Critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles, and advanced electronics.Â
- By securing these resources, the NCMM aims to support India’s energy transition, industrial growth, and strategic autonomy.Â
- The mission aligns with global trends, as countries increasingly focus on securing critical mineral supplies to drive economic and technological advancement.
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