World / Sun, 16 Jun 2024 The Indian Express

UPSC Key | Smart Cities Mission, data protection rules, EV batteries and more

— After the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the deadline for all 100 cities was fixed to June 2023 in 2021. An extension for those cities that still need to complete their projects beyond June 30 was being considered, they said. — What are the challenges associated with the implementation of the Smart Cities Mission? This process can take place even when batteries are at rest but the EV is exposed to direct sunlight. — In response to challenges associated with high ambient temperatures, the regulatory ecosystem is also catching up with advanced standards for EV battery testing.

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Govt & Politics

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development.

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government Policies & Interventions, Welfare Schemes, Infrastructure.

What’s the ongoing story- With 15 days to go till the Mission deadline of June 30, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry is considering extending the Smart Cities Mission to allow the cities to complete the ongoing projects, which account for around 10% of the total projects, The Indian Express has learnt.

Prerequisites:

— What is a smart city?

— What is the Smart Cities Mission?

(Thought Process: Know about the objective of the mission, nodal ministry, and pillars of the mission)

Key takeaways:

— Launched in 2015, the Smart Cities Mission covers 100 cities that were selected through various rounds of competitions held from January 2016 to June 2018. The selected cities had five years from their selection to complete the proposed projects, meaning the original deadlines were from 2021 to 2023.

— After the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the deadline for all 100 cities was fixed to June 2023 in 2021. In May last year, the Ministry again extended the deadline, this time to June 30, 2024.

— As of this week, around 10% of the projects worth around Rs 15,000 crore were pending, sources said. An extension for those cities that still need to complete their projects beyond June 30 was being considered, they said.

For Your Information:

— The Smart Cities Mission was launched on June 25, 2015 and was projected as one aimed at transforming the process of urban development in the country. Among its strategic components is ‘area-based development’, which includes city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) and city extension (greenfield development), plus a pan-city initiative in which ‘smart solutions’ are applied covering larger parts of the city.

— Key focus areas of the scheme include construction of walkways, pedestrian crossings, cycling tracks, efficient waste-management systems, integrated traffic management and assessment.

Points to Ponder:

— What is an integrated command and control centre?

— What are the challenges associated with the implementation of the Smart Cities Mission?

— What measures should be taken to strengthen the smart city mission?

Post Read Question:

With a brief background of the quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programme’. (UPSC CSE 2016)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Some Smart Cities Mission projects to miss June 30 deadline, states must take over, , panel told

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Economic development.

What’s the ongoing story- A tourism safety force with powers to arrest and impose fines for ‘touting’, a ‘sustainability’ fee for tourism enterprises and incentives for sustainable tourism — these are among some of the changes proposed in a draft tourism bill that the state government plans to introduce in the monsoon session of the state legislative assembly next month.

Prerequisites:

— What is the status of India’s tourism sector?

— What is sustainable tourism?

Key takeaways:

— Called ‘The Goa Tourism Promotion, Management and Regulation Bill, 2024’, the stated aim of the proposed law, drafted by the state’s department of tourism, is to consolidate and amend the laws applicable to tourism and to “protect, preserve and retain the natural and cultural heritage of the state to ensure that it remains a destination of choice for tourists”.

— The proposed draft Bill seeks to repeal two existing legislations that govern state tourism — The Goa, Daman and Diu Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982 and The Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act, 2001.

— The new draft Bill empowers the tourism department, through the ambit of “tourism safety force”, to work in close coordination with the police to curb touting and harassment of tourists, officials said.

— The Goa Police already have a specialised “Tourist Police” unit. Set up in 1990, the objective of the unit is ensuring safety and security of tourists at tourist spots.

— The Bill also has proposed a “tourism development and sustainability” fee on all the tourism enterprises in the state and incentives for encouraging adoption of sustainable tourism such as waiver of registration or renewal fee for complying with the applicable standards or codes of practice, scheme for grant or capital subsidy for adoption of sustainable technology and practices.

Points to Ponder:

— What is the importance of the tourism sector in India?

— What are the various challenges associated with India’s tourism sector?

— What are the various initiatives taken by the government concerning tourism in India?

Post Read Question:

The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are reaching the limits of their ecological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate. (UPSC CSE 2015)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Goa can become tourism capital of India: Nitin Gadkari

Front Page

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: GS-II: International relations

What’s the ongoing story- A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that India continues to encourage a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, New Delhi sent a senior official to Switzerland for the two-day Summit on Peace in Ukraine that began Saturday.

Prerequisites:

— Know in brief about the Russia-Ukraine War.

— What is NATO?

— Map work: Location of Ukraine, Russia, Switzerland, and other important places in the news concerning the ongoing Ukraine-Russia War.

Key takeaways:

— Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, who reached Burgenstock in central Switzerland, will be participating in discussions at the conference being hosted by Switzerland President Viola Amherd.

— The summit began a day after G7 leaders agreed in Italy to engineer a $50-billion loan to help Ukraine in its fight for survival. Interest earned on profits from Russia’s frozen central bank assets would be used as collateral and the money could reach Kyiv before the end of the year.

— In her statement Saturday at the start of the summit, President Amherd underlined “nuclear safety, food security and the humanitarian dimension” as the three topics of discussion.

— The Russia-Ukraine war, which began on February 24, 2022, is in its third year now, with no end in sight.

— About 100 delegations are attending the summit, including 57 heads of state and government from around the world. While Russia is not part of the summit, US President Joe Biden, who attended the G7 summit in Italy, has sent Vice President Kamala Harris.

— On the eve of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would end the war only if Kyiv agreed to drop its NATO ambitions and hand over four provinces claimed by Moscow – demands Kyiv swiftly rejected as tantamount to surrender.

— India has maintained a diplomatic balancing act between Russia and Ukraine. While India has not explicitly condemned the Russian invasion, it has called for an international probe into the Bucha massacre and expressed concern over nuclear threats issued by Russian leaders. At the UNSC, India has taken a nuanced position and abstained from voting against Russia on several resolutions.

For Your Information:

— The summit organisers have presented three agenda items: nuclear safety, humanitarian assistance, the exchange of prisoners, and food security, which has been disrupted at times due to impeded shipments in the Black Sea. With some of the least controversial issues, the list is well short of the proposals laid out by Zelenskyy in a 10-point formula in 2022.

Points to Ponder:

— What was the Bucha massacre?

— What is India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war?

— What is the backdrop of the peace summit planned in Switzerland., and what conditions have the two countries put forth?

Post Read Question:

Consider the following countries: (UPSC CSE 2023)

1. Bulgaria

2. Czech Republic

3. Hungary

4. Latvia

5. Lithuania

6. Romania

How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with Ukraine?

(a) Only two

(b) Only three

(d) Only five

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Explained: The planned summit for ‘lasting peace’ in Ukraine

NEW IN OUR LIST | UPSC Essays Simplified: Ideation and Brainstorming of the topics – the second step

The Second Page

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: GS-II: International relations

What’s the ongoing story- A delegation from Pakistan, along with a World Bank-appointed neutral expert, is arriving in J&K next week to discuss and examine hydroelectric projects in the UT.

Prerequisites:

— What is the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)?

— What are the Kishanganga and Ratle Hydroelectric Projects?

— Read about the Indus River water system.

Key takeaways:

— The neutral expert will examine the Ratle Hydroelectric Project in Chenab Valley, and the Kishanganga Power House in Bandipore’s Gurez.

— Pakistan has been raising objections to the construction of the hydroelectric power projects in J&K, saying the water discharge to the country would be reduced because of them.

— In 2015, Pakistan approached the World Bank and requested it to appoint a neutral expert to examine the two power plants after the two countries failed to reach an agreement.

— However, Pakistan later withdrew its request for a neutral expert and instead asked for the court of arbitration to adjudicate over the dispute.

— The World Bank appointed both the neutral expert and as well as the court of arbitration.

For Your Information:

— The components of the Indus Water Treaty were fairly simple. The three western rivers (Jhelum, Chenab and Indus) were allocated to Pakistan while India was given control over the three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej). While India could use the western rivers for consumption purpose, restrictions were placed on building of storage systems. The treaty states that aside of certain specific cases, no storage and irrigation systems can be built by India on the western rivers.

Map showing the Indus water system that is crucial for both Pakistan and Northern India. (Express Graphic) Map showing the Indus water system that is crucial for both Pakistan and Northern India. (Express Graphic)

Points to Ponder:

— What is the history of the dispute over the hydroelectric projects between India and Pakistan?

— What is the dispute redressal mechanism laid down under the Indus Water Treaty?

— What are the implementation issues associated with the Indus Water Treaty?

— What are the areas of cooperation and conflict between India and Pakistan?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus directly. Among the following, which one is such a river that joins the Indus direct? (UPSC CSE 2021)

(a) Chenab

(b) Jhelum

(d) Sutlej

Mains

Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations. (UPSC CSE 2016)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

What is Indus Water Treaty: All you need to know about India, Pakistan water dispute

Economy

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Polity and Governance

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Awareness in the fields of IT and Computers.

What’s the ongoing story- The Centre is in an “advanced stage” of finalising the much awaited, and crucial, data protection rules and will soon release the subordinate legislation for public consultation, a top IT Ministry official said. The rules are crucial to operationalise the Digital Personal Data Act, which was passed by Parliament last year.

Prerequisites:

— What is the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023?

— What is IndiaAI Mission?

Key takeaways:

— Last year, Parliament passed the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 after several previous iterations of the bill went through a number of deliberations over the span of over half a decade.

— However, while the law has been passed, it is yet to be enacted. At least 25 rules to operationalise the law are also yet to see the light of day. The law has been controversial, over its relatively easy norms for the private sector and major exemptions it offers to the government and its agencies.

— The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 has also addressed two key long-standing demands of the industry – by allowing relaxations around the age of consent for children, and by significantly easing cross-border data flows.

— Just before the elections, the previous Union Cabinet had also cleared the Rs 10,000 crore IndiaAI Mission would also need to be operationalised. Under the scheme, the government will allocate funds towards subsidising private companies looking to set up AI computing capacity in the country, among other things. While still a blueprint, the approval could spur investments in this sector — with private companies setting up data centres in the country, and allowing startups access so they can test and build their generative AI models.

Points to Ponder:

— What are the laws related to data governance in India?

— What are the challenges with regard to data governance in India?

— What data protection laws are there in other countries?

— What measures should be taken to ensure data privacy and cyber security?

Post Read Question:

‘Right to Privacy’ is protected under which Article of the Constitution of India? (UPSC CSE 2021)

(a) Article 15

(b) Article 19

(d) Article 29

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Digital Personal Data Protection Act: The speedbumps ahead

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Science and Technology (Current issues of national importance)

Mains Examination: GS-III: Science and Technology

What’s the ongoing story- With mercury in northern India soaring above 50 degrees celsius in recent weeks, electric vehicle (EV) owners have reasons to worry about the impact of extreme heat on their lithium-ion batteries, which function optimally at ambient temperatures up to 35 degrees celsius.

Prerequisites:

— What are Lithium-ion batteries?

— Lithium-ion batteries-how do they work?

— Why electric vehicle (EV) is the need of the hour?

Key takeaways:

— In sweltering Indian summers, elevated temperatures can increase fire risk and reduce range in the short-term, and cause accelerated degradation, reducing longevity over the long run.

— Although evolving battery standards mandate EV batteries to be equipped with battery management systems (BMS), experts argue for further development of standards, stricter enforcement, and more realistic claims regarding battery longevity to effectively mitigate risks and enhance the value proposition for EV owners. Policymakers are also of the view that localisation of battery manufacturing will be an important step in that direction.

— EVs are designed to withstand extreme temperatures; however, with parts of northern and central India facing severe heat waves, high temperatures may affect EV battery efficiency, decreasing the overall capacity.

— When exposed to high heat, the flow of ions in a battery gets accelerated, which in turn causes unwanted chemical reactions that age the battery prematurely. This process can take place even when batteries are at rest but the EV is exposed to direct sunlight. In extreme cases, exposure to high temperatures can also lead to thermal runaway, which can cause fires.

— In addition to affecting batteries at the electrochemical level, high temperatures also create heat pockets in battery packs. Usually, densely populated battery packs in electric two-wheelers are more prone to heat-related issues compared to three- and four-wheelers, which offer options for more efficient liquid cooling systems.

— To mitigate the impact of high temperatures on battery performance, EV manufacturers use air- and water-based cooling systems to offset the increase in ambient temperature.

— In response to challenges associated with high ambient temperatures, the regulatory ecosystem is also catching up with advanced standards for EV battery testing.

— Still, battery experts and industry representatives argue that the testing ecosystem needs to be developed further. Firstly, there is still a lot of grey area in the scope and application of testing standards. Then, the number of testing agencies also needs to be ramped up in line with the growth in demand for EVs. Moreover, it is necessary to ensure that the batteries being tested are also ones that are placed in the market.

— According to some, one way to ensure optimal battery performance in Indian summers is to design and manufacture batteries in India.

Points to Ponder:

— What is the impact of extreme heat on EV batteries?

— What measures should be taken to ensure better efficiency of EV batteries?

— What are the challenges associated with the EV industry in India?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government with regard to the EV?

Post Read Question:

With reference to Lithium-ion batteries, consider the following statements:

1. It uses aqueous electrolyte solutions.

2. The energy density of lithium-ion batteries is nearly ten times that of nickel-cadmium batteries.

3. It does not undergo corrosion as lithium is a non-reactive metal.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(d) None

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

The problem with battery electric vehicles

Explained: Breakthrough in battery tech

The World

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of international importance

Mains Examination: GS II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

What’s the ongoing story- World leaders gathered at a Swiss mountain resort on Saturday to try to build support for Ukraine’s peace proposals at a summit skipped by US President Joe Biden, shunned by China and dismissed as a waste of time by Moscow.

Prerequisites:

— What is the current status of the war between Russia and Ukraine?

— Map work: Location of Ukraine and Russia and important places in the news in the Ukraine-Russia region.

Key takeaways:

— More than 90 countries will take part, but China’s absence in particular has dimmed hopes the summit would show Russia as globally isolated, while recent military reverses have put Kyiv on the back foot. The war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas has also diverted the world’s attention from Ukraine.

— The talks are expected to focus on broader concerns triggered by the war, such as food and nuclear security, and a draft of the final declaration identifies Russia as the aggressor, sources said.

— Zelenskyy has accused Beijing of helping Moscow undermine the gathering, an accusation China’s Foreign Ministry denied.

Points to Ponder:

— What is the 10-point “peace formula”?

— What has been India’s stand on the Ukraine-Russia conflict?

— What has been China’s stand on the Ukraine-Russia conflict? How can it affect India-Russia relations?

Post Read Question:

Consider the following countries:

1. Poland

2. China

3. Georgia

4. Germany

How many of the above countries border Russia?