Sept 5th 2024 Current Affairs

Index:

1. Eye on China, PM says India for Development, Not Expansionism

CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet has recently approved seven significant schemes for the agriculture sector, with a total outlay of ₹14,235.30 crore. Here’s a brief overview of these schemes:

Scheme

Details

1. Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM):

o Outlay: ₹2,817 crore

o Objective: Create a consolidated database linking various agricultural platforms and databases.

2. Crop Science for Food and Nutritional Security:

o Outlay: ₹3,979 crore

o Objective:

§ Prepare farms for climate resilience.

§ Enhance food security by 2047.

3. Sustainable Livestock Health and Production:

o Outlay: ₹1,702 crore

o Objective:

§ Increase income from livestock and dairy by improving livestock health and production.

4. Sustainable Development of Horticulture:

o Outlay: ₹1,129.30 crore

o Objective:

§ Promote horticultural crops, including tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate crops.

§ Focus on root, tuber, bulbous, and arid crops, as well as vegetable, floriculture, and mushroom crops.

5. Agricultural Education and Research:

o Outlay: ₹2,291 crore

o Objective:

§ Strengthen agricultural education, management, and social sciences.

§ Prepare agriculture students and researchers to address current and future challenges.

6. Krishi Vigyan Kendras:

o Outlay: ₹1,202 crore

o Objective:

§ Strengthen the network of Krishi Vigyan Kendras to provide improved support and resources to farmers.

7. Natural Resource Management:

o Outlay: ₹1,115 crore

o Objective: Enhance the management of natural resources to support sustainable agricultural practices.

2. Exemption of Export-Led Green Hydrogen Projects from Solar Shortlist to Cut Costs

Key Highlights:

· MNRE’s Initiative:

o The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) exempts export-oriented green hydrogen projects from the solar module shortlist.

o This aims to reduce costs to the level of grey hydrogen, which is produced from natural gas and is more carbon-intensive.

· Exemption for Green Hydrogen Projects:

o Applies to projects set up in special economic zones (SEZs) or export-oriented units (EOUs) by 2030.

o The exemption was granted in May 2024 from the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), which mandates sourcing solar modules from domestic manufacturers.

· Importance of Cost Reduction:

o Cost reduction is crucial to make green hydrogen competitive globally.

o India is focusing on reducing the cost of green hydrogen production, making it viable for large-scale exports.

o Solar and renewable energy are critical for hydrogen electrolysis.

· India’s Ambitious Targets:

o India aims to produce 5 million metric tons (MMT) of green hydrogen per year by 2030, with 7.5 MMT of projects already announced.

o This transition is supported by India’s Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme, with an allocation of ₹17,490 crore for investments and incentives.

· Support to Domestic Manufacturers:

o MNRE supports domestic solar manufacturers by balancing exemptions to avoid negative impacts on local production.

o Green hydrogen projects are exempt from environmental clearance and transmission charges for 25 years from commissioning.

· Additional Measures:

o ₹400 crore allocated for R&D projects related to green hydrogen, with over 400 proposals received.

o MNRE has introduced 100 recommendations on hydrogen standards, which include 73 specific standards related to electrolyser manufacturing and fuel quality.

3. Climate Change Makes ‘Last Chance Tourism’ to Glaciers More Popular, Riskier

Key Highlights:

Emerging Trend – ‘Last Chance Tourism’:
- Tourists are increasingly visiting glaciers and ice caves that are rapidly disappearing due to climate change.
- This type of tourism is referred to as “last chance tourism” as people rush to see these natural wonders before they vanish.

Risks Involved:
- As glaciers melt and become unstable, the risks for tourists are growing.
- Ice caves, formed from receding glaciers, pose dangers such as collapsing ice, landslides, and dangerous moraines (the collection of rock and soil left behind by a moving glacier).
- Recent accidents, including one in Iceland where a tourist was killed by a collapsing ice arch, highlight these increasing risks.

Impact of Climate Change:
- Climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers, creating more hazardous environments in areas popular with tourists, such as Iceland and Alaska.
- Glaciers are receding faster, leading to new and unpredictable terrain.

Tourist Economy and Safety:
- Countries like Iceland, which rely on glacier tourism, have benefited economically but are now facing challenges related to safety and sustainability.
- Authorities and tour operators are re-evaluating glacier safety protocols and reviewing tourism guidelines.
- There is a growing emphasis on safety measures, including insulating ice caves and reinforcing glacier surfaces.

Research and Forecasting:
- Scientists, like Johan Theodórsson from the University of Iceland, are studying the impact of climate change on glaciers and how these changing landscapes can affect tourism.

With glaciers becoming less stable, scientists suggest careful monitoring and emergency planning for tourist safety in these regions.

4. Latest ILO Study Links AI to Dip in Labour Income

Key Highlights:

ILO Report Findings:
- The International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) report, “World Employment and Social Outlook: September 2024 Update,” highlights the stagnation of labour income and rising inequality globally.
- A major reason for the dip in labour income is attributed to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technological innovations.

Impact of Technological Innovations:
- The study analyzed the effects of technological advancements over the past two decades in 36 countries.
- While innovations have boosted productivity and output, they have also reduced the share of labour income.

Warning on AI and Automation:
- Automation-driven technological progress could further worsen the income gap unless governments enact strong policies.
- There is a need for policy intervention to counter the adverse impacts on wages and income distribution.

Global Labour Income Decline:
- From 2019 to 2022, global labour income share fell by 6 percentage points and has remained flat.
- The study points to the COVID-19 pandemic as a key factor for 40% of the reduction in labour income share during 2020–2022.

Slow Progress on SDGs:
- The report highlights slow progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, particularly on income equality.
Call for Policy Action:
- The ILO calls for policies that promote equitable distribution of economic gains, such as ensuring freedom of association, strengthening collective bargaining, and improving labour administration.

It emphasizes the need for a broader distribution of the benefits of technological progress to mitigate inequalities.

5. Satellite-Based Highway Toll Collection: How Will It Work?

Key Highlights:

GIS-Based Toll Plaza Monitoring:
- The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has developed Geographic Information System (GIS) software for real-time monitoring of congestion at toll plazas.
- Commuters can check lane-specific congestion levels to ensure smoother traffic flow.

Pilot Testing:
- The software will be tested at 100 toll plazas identified based on congestion feedback from the National Highway Helpline (1033).

Monitoring Features:
- Provides the name and location of toll plazas, queue lengths in meters, wait times, and vehicle speeds.
Generates comparative traffic condition reports (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly).

Satellite-Based Tolling System:
- MoRTH is developing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based tolling system.
- This new system will implement distance-based tolling, where users pay only for the stretch of highway traveled.
- It will work alongside the current FASTag system, with both models operating simultaneously during the transition phase.

How Satellite-Based Tolling Works:
- The toll system receives pings (distance and time stamps) from onboard vehicle units, facilitating automatic debit.
- Removes the need for boom barriers at toll plazas.

Convenience for Users:
- Expected to make toll payments faster and smoother, reducing delays caused by the current FASTag system.
- The current FASTag system, launched in 2015 and mandatory since February 2021, uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and accounts for 98% of toll payments as of March 2024.