Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS)

·         The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have signed an agreement to design and conduct a series of experiments that will eventually be integrated into India’s planned space station — Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) — expected to be operational between 2028 and 2035. 

·        Experiments include studying the effects of weightlessness on muscle atrophy, identifying types of algae that could serve as nutrients or food preservatives, investigating algae-based methods for producing jet fuel, and examining radiation’s effects on astronaut health. 

Key points:

·        The ISRO-DBT collaboration is part of the DBT’s 2023 BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) policy, which promotes bio-manufacturing with an eye toward building India’s bio-economy, expected to reach $300 billion by 2030. 

·        The agreement emphasizes advancing space-based bio-manufacturing, health research, regenerative medicine, and biotechnology for waste management, which will also support Indian startups in this emerging field. 

·        This initiative aims to drive innovation in human health, pharmaceuticals, biotherapeutics, and bio-based technologies.

How will the space station benefit India?

·        A national space-based facility such as the Bharatiya Antariksh Station will boost microgravity based scientific research & technology development activities. However, it also entails substantial technical, financial, and logistical challenges.

·        Microgravity Experiments: A space station would allow India to conduct scientific experiments in a microgravity environment, enabling potential breakthroughs in materials science, biology, and medicine. 

·        For example, studies on the International Space Station (ISS) have shown that certain plants, such as Chinese cabbage, develop differently in space, providing insights for agriculture and food sustainability.

·        Innovation: The design, construction, and operation of a space station drive technological advancements in life support, robotics, space habitats, and other high-tech areas essential for sustained space missions.

·        Leadership and Prestige: Owning and operating a space station would elevate India’s position as a leader in space exploration, fostering international partnerships and enhancing its global reputation. It would also open opportunities for Indian companies in satellite manufacturing, servicing, and the broader aerospace sector.

·        Human Spaceflight Experience: Building on experience from the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, a space station would allow Indian astronauts to engage in long-duration missions, gaining valuable experience and contributing to further crewed missions.

Challenges in building and operating space stations

·        Design and Engineering: The complex engineering required to ensure a safe and sustainable structure in space poses substantial challenges. Space stations must withstand harsh conditions, from cosmic radiation to micrometeoroids, while providing a stable environment for scientific research.

·        Life Support Systems: Reliable life support systems for air, water, and waste management are crucial for long-term space missions. Such systems must be designed to function autonomously over extended periods, which requires highly dependable technology and redundancy.

·        Affordability for India: Building a national space station demands significant financial investment. The International Space Station (ISS), a collaborative project among multiple nations, has cost over %150 billion. A smaller, national station could cost between $10-30 billion. 

·        Comparatively, ISRO’s budget for 2024-25 is around $1.95 billion, far less than NASA’s annual budget of $25 billion. The cost of building and maintaining such a facility could strain India’s resources, as seen with the former Soviet Union’s abandonment of the Mir space station due to unsustainable operational costs.

·        Space Race and International Collaboration: While international partnerships could offer technical and financial assistance, they also entail challenges due to competition in space technology, particularly with established space powers like the United States, Russia, and China.

·        Crew Health and Safety: The health and safety of astronauts are critical in prolonged space missions. Microgravity affects the human body in various ways, such as bone density loss (up to 1 per cent per month) and increased intracranial pressure, which can impact vision. Psychological stress from isolation and confinement also poses a challenge.

·        Supply Chain Management: Maintaining a space station requires frequent resupply missions for essentials like food, equipment, and scientific samples. Without a fleet of reusable rockets, as seen in programs like SpaceX’s Falcon 9, ISRO would face logistical difficulties in ensuring consistent resupply, which is vital for a fully functioning station.

 Brazil not to join China’s BRI

• Brazil has decided against joining China’s multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), becoming the second country after India in the BRICS bloc not to endorse the mega project.
• Brazil, headed by President Lula da Silva, will not join the BRI and instead seek alternative ways to collaborate with Chinese investors, Celso Amorim, special presidential adviser for international affairs.
• Brazil stands apart from many of its South American neighbours by not participating in China’s BRI. Despite previous administrations expressing some openness to Chinese investments, Brazil has not signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the BRI. 
• As of December 2023, approximately 150 countries have engaged with the initiative, with Brazil and India notable exceptions among developing nations, especially considering their shared BRICS membership.

Why India opposes BRI?

• India has been more explicit in its rejection of the BRI, citing three main concerns:
• Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity: India has raised issues related to the BRI corridor’s implications for sovereignty, particularly concerning projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
• Debt Trap Diplomacy: India is wary of the BRI pushing smaller economies into unsustainable debt situations and environmental risks.
• Transparency Concerns: India’s decision reflects skepticism about the BRI’s broader geopolitical motivations and a lack of transparency in its operations.

What is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)?

• China’s President Xi Jinping launched multi-billion dollar BRI in 2013 to undertake big infrastructure projects in the world which in turn would also enhance Beijing’s global influence. 
• It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes.
• China has become a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions, it leads the world in total volume of trade in goods, and it is a major destination for global investment and a leading country in outbound investment.
• As a collaborative endeavour, the BRI has been welcomed by the international community both as a public good and a cooperation platform, President Jinping, who has aggressively promoted the BRI, said in a report he presented to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last month.
• The BRI is seen as an attempt by China to further its influence abroad with infrastructure projects funded by Chinese investments all over the world.
• The $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which connects Gwadar Port in Balochistan with Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of Xi’s ambitious BRI.
• The 3,000-km long CPEC is a collection of infrastructure and other projects under construction throughout Pakistan since 2013.

The land-based Silk Road Economic Belt envisions six key corridors for development:

• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
• New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor
• China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor
• China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor
• China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor.
• China-Myanmar Economic Corridor

Delimitation angle of the Census

• The Centre, it seems, is finally preparing to conduct the Census which it could not carry out in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 
• This Census is linked to two other important outcomes — the delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies, which has been on hold for the last five decades, and the implementation of women’s reservation in Parliament.

2021 census

• The year 2021 marked the first time India’s Census missed its decadal schedule since it was first carried out in 1881.
• But the pandemic was very much over by 2022, and that could have enabled the start of the Census process in 2023 or 2024.
• However, a Census completed by 2026, or earlier, might not allow for an immediate delimitation.

The delimitation angle

• Delimitation, a Constitutional mandate, is supposed to happen after every Census.
• The process adjusts the number of constituencies of Parliament and state Assemblies in accordance with the latest population figures, to ensure that the number of people represented by any Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly is roughly the same.
• However, this exercise has been suspended since 1976 due to a lack of political consensus.
• If the standard logic of delimitation were to be followed, the wide divergence in population growth trends in various states would mean that some would see the number of Parliamentary constituencies reduce, while others would see an increase.
• Southern states have argued that this would amount to punishing them for successfully meeting population control objectives.
• A delimitation exercise in 2002, following the 2001 Census, involved only the redrawing of existing boundaries of constituencies, and not a change in the number of constituencies.
• As of now, delimitation is suspended till at least 2026. The 84th Constitutional Amendment of 2001 said that the next delimitation can be held only based on the Census conducted after 2026.
• Therefore, even if the 2021 Census had been held on time, or in 2023 or 2024, delimitation could have been done only after the 2031 Census.
• If the Census, which takes two years to complete, begins next year, delimitation can theoretically happen immediately thereafter.

Caste Census demand

• There is also an expectation that the next Census may collect caste data as well to eliminate the need for a separate caste census, which has been demanded by some political parties in recent years.
• The collection of caste data in the Census would not be unprecedented. Some information related to caste was obtained until the 1941 Census and the practice was discontinued only in independent India.
• In some earlier years, information on caste or sect of people belonging to all religions was obtained in the Census. In other years, only the caste data of Hindus was collected.
• The practice was discontinued from the 1951 Census onwards, and only data on Scheduled Castes or Tribes has been collected since then.

India, Germany hold 7th Inter-Governmental Consultations

·        Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz co-chaired the seventh round of Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) in New Delhi. 

·        It was Scholz’s third visit to India as Chancellor. Both leaders appreciated the renewed momentum in bilateral engagement across government, industry, civil society and academia that has played an instrumental role in advancing and deepening the ‘Strategic Partnership’ between India and Germany.

·        Under the motto ‘Growing Together with Innovation, Mobility and Sustainability’, the 7th IGC placed particular emphasis on technology and innovation, labour and talent, migration and mobility, climate action, green and sustainable development as well as economic, defence and strategic cooperation.

What is the purpose of IGC?

·        • Since May 2000, India and Germany have had a ‘Strategic Partnership’ which has been further strengthened with the launch of Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) in 2011 at the level of Heads of Government. The IGC framework allows for a comprehensive review of cooperation and identification of new areas of engagement at the Cabinet level. India is among a select group of countries with which Germany has such a dialogue mechanism. 

·        As the third and fifth largest economies in the world respectively, Germany and India share a robust economic and developmental partnership. Besides strong economic ties, both countries have a shared interest in upholding democratic values, the rules-based international order, and multilateralism as well as the reform of multilateral institutions. 

Highlights of 7th IGC:

·        i) India-Germany Innovation and Technology Partnership Roadmap: The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation in Scientific Research and Technological Development which institutionalized the framework of Indo-German cooperation in Science & Technology, research and innovation. Both leaders expressed their appreciation on the successful 50 years of long standing collaboration in science and technology between the two countries and reaffirmed their support to expand it further through launching the ‘India-Germany Innovation and Technology Partnership Roadmap’ which will serve as a guideline to the public and private sectors and research institutions of the two countries to take forward our cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, startups, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies, climate risk and sustainable resource management, climate change adaptation as well as agro ecology Both leaders further identified space and space technologies as an important and promising area for future prosperity, development, and possible cooperation.

·        ii) Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters (MLAT): With a view to ensuring closer collaboration to prevent, suppress, investigate and prosecute criminals, including crime related to terrorism, India and Germany concluded the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters (MLAT). Both leaders agreed that the India-Germany MLAT is an important milestone in strengthening security cooperation between the two countries that will enable sharing of information and evidence, mutual capacity building and sharing of best practices between the two countries.

·        iii) Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information: Both sides concluded the Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information thereby creating a legal framework for cooperation and collaboration between Indian and German entities and providing guidance on how classified information should be handled, protected and transmitted.

·        iv) Green Urban Mobility Partnership: Signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to renew and further elevate the partnership in accordance with a shared vision to promoting in India sustainable urban mobility for all, recognising the importance of green and sustainable urbanisation for inclusive social and economic development and the strong results of the Green Urban Mobility Partnership since its establishment in 2019.

·        v) Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP): Both governments aim to substantially enhance bilateral, trilateral and multilateral cooperation in climate action and sustainable development. Both sides acknowledged the progress achieved thus far under the Indo-German Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP).

·        During the 6th IGC, both governments had announced the GSDP, which serves as an umbrella for bilateral formats and joint initiatives in this field. This partnership, guided by shared commitments, seeks to accelerate the implementation of the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. 

·        vi) MoU on Disaster Mitigation: In furthering cooperation in the field of research in disaster mitigation, tsunami warnings, coastal hazards, early warning systems, disaster risk reduction and oceanography, polar sciences, biology and biogeochemistry, geophysics and geology, both governments welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam - Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum, and between National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) and AlfredWegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI).

ISRO’s analogue space mission kicks off at Leh

·        ISRO said its analogue space mission has taken off at Leh in Ladakh, where it will simulate life in an interplanetary habitat as India prepares to send a human to the Moon.

·        The initiative is a collaborative effort of ISRO, its Human Spaceflight Centre, AAKA Space Studio, University of Ladakh, IIT Bombay, and supported by Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.

·        The month-long mission, kicked off mid-October, comes in the wake of India’s plans to set up lunar habitats, which could provide a base to launch inter-planetary missions.

Key points: 

·        This mission aims to simulate interplanetary habitat conditions, helping scientists explore the feasibility of establishing a sustainable base station beyond Earth. 

·        Ladakh’s extreme isolation, dry climate, and barren, high-altitude terrain make it ideal for simulating conditions similar to Mars and the Moon. 

·        The environment presents an opportunity for researchers to gather critical data that will support India’s Gaganyaan program and future missions.

·        The analog missions are field tests conducted in remote Earth environments to simulate extreme space conditions, allowing researchers to study human and robotic response to space-like challenges.

·        Such tests are crucial for evaluating technologies, habitats, communication systems, and other equipment necessary for extraterrestrial operations. 

·        Additionally, these missions provide insights into behavioral dynamics under isolation, confinement, and team-driven settings — conditions essential for deep-space missions.

·        With test sites around the world that mimic harsh space conditions, from deserts to volcanic landscapes, analog missions are invaluable in preparing for future deep-space journeys.

Why Ladakh was chosen for space habitat testing?

·        AAKA Space Studio selected Ladakh as an ideal location for testing space habitats due to its unique environmental conditions that closely resemble those of Mars and the Moon.

·        Extreme Temperature Variations: Ladakh experiences significant diurnal temperature shifts, ranging from 15°C during the day to -10°C at night. These variations simulate the thermal challenges of extraterrestrial environments, making it an ideal site to test the habitat’s thermal insulation capabilities.

·        High Altitude and Low Oxygen Levels: At over 3,500 meters above sea level, Ladakh has oxygen levels only 40 per cent of those at sea level. This low-pressure, low-oxygen setting allows researchers to evaluate life support systems under conditions similar to those on Mars, where sustaining human life requires specialised equipment.

·        Soil Composition Similarity: The region’s sandy, rocky soil closely resembles Martian and lunar regolith, providing a realistic environment for studying rover mobility and in-situ resource utilisation, which involves using local materials for construction and survival.

Justice K. S. Puttaswamy passes away.

·        Former Karnataka High Court judge Justice K.S. Puttaswamy, who played a pivotal role in declaration of right to privacy as a fundamental right from the Supreme Court in 2017, passed away recently.

·        Justice Puttaswamy was the lead petitioner who had moved the Supreme  Court in 2012 challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar scheme as being violative of the privacy right.

·        The Aadhaar scheme subsequently received legislative sanction.

·        In a landmark verdict in August 2017, a nine-judge bench through an unanimous verdict declared the right to privacy a fundamental right under Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.

·        It had underlined privacy to be “the constitutional core of human dignity”.

Who was Justice Puttaswamy?

He started his career as an advocate in January 1952 and became the Karnataka High Court judge on November 28, 1977. 

·        After retiring in 1986, Justice Puttaswamy continued to contribute to public service as the first vice-chairman of the Bengaluru bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal and as chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Commission.

·        In 2012, at the age of 86, he became one of the first litigants to challenge the Aadhaar scheme, which was initially launched by the UPA government. 

·        His challenge prompted the Supreme Court to consider whether citizens have a fundamental right to privacy under the Constitution of India. 

·        This inquiry led to the historic August 2017 decision in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India, where a nine-judge bench unanimously recognised the right to privacy as a fundamental right.

What is Right to Privacy?

·        The Right to Privacy is a fundamental aspect of individual freedom, encompassing the right to make personal choices without interference. 

·        Privacy is recognised as essential for the dignity and autonomy of individuals.

·        In the landmark case of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India (2017), the Supreme Court of India articulated the significance of the right to privacy. 

The Court declared that:

·        The Right to Privacy is a fundamental and inalienable right that is intrinsic to every individual.

·        It covers all personal information about an individual and the choices they make regarding their personal life.

The right to privacy is protected under:

·        Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. 

·        Part III of the Constitution, which enshrines various freedoms. 

Restrictions on the Right to Privacy

·        The Supreme Court outlined specific criteria under which the Right to Privacy can be restricted by State action:

·        Legislative Mandate: The State action must be backed by a law enacted by the legislature. 

·        Legitimate State Purpose: The action must serve a legitimate objective, such as public interest or national security. 

·        Proportionality: The restriction must be proportionate. This means: 

·        The action should be necessary for achieving the intended purpose. It must be the least intrusive means available to accomplish the goal. 

Konark wheel replicas installed at Rashtrapati Bhavan

• Four sandstone replicas of the Konark wheel have been installed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre and the Amrit Udyan.
• Installation of the Konark wheel replicas aims to showcase and promote the country’s rich heritage to visitors.
• This initiative is part of several steps being taken to introduce traditional cultural and historical elements in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Key facts about Konark Sun Temple:

• The Konark Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the culmination of Odisha temple architecture. It stands as a magnificent testament to Kalinga architecture, blending artistic brilliance with a divine narrative.
• Built by King Narasimhadeva in the 13th century, the entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses and 12 pairs of wheels, carrying the Sun god across the heavens.
• On the north and south sides are 24 carved wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, as well as symbolic motifs referring to the cycle of the seasons and the months.
• Its scale, refinement and conception represent the strength and stability of the Ganga Empire as well as the value systems of the historic milieu. 
• Its aesthetic and visually overwhelming sculptural narratives are today an invaluable window into the religious, political, social and secular life of the people of that period. 
• Konark is also known as Konaditya. The name Konark is derived from the words “kona” meaning corner and “arka” meaning the Sun. Konark is also known as Arkakshetra.
• The temple was used as a navigational point by European sailors. They referred to it as the ‘Black Pagoda’ due to its dark colour.

PARAKH RASHTRIYA SARVEKSHAN 

• The National Achievement Survey (NAS) to assess students’ learning progress will be held under a new name – PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024
• The assessment is conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to evaluate school students'' learning achievements across India.
• The survey will involve assessing a sample of students from government, government aided and private schools through multiple choice questions (MCQ) across various subjects.
• The assessment has been conducted every three years since 2001. The 2021 survey assessed students in classes 3, 5, 8 and 10. The 2021 survey involved 34,01,158 students across 1.18 lakh schools in 720 districts.
• The 2021 survey was performed during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a decline in achievement levels from 2017. For example, In Class 3, all states and UTs had an overall score lower than the national average reported in 2017. In Class 5, only Punjab and Rajasthan achieved overall marks higher than the 2017 national average.

Key Objectives of the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024

• Assessing students from class 3, 6, and 9 to evaluate their understanding in language, mathematics, science, and social science.
• Providing report cards at national, state and district levels to help stakeholders to understand educational outcomes.
• Aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to define educational strategy, ensuring that the survey reflects the new educational structure.
• Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH) was set up in 2023 as the National Assessment Centre, to organize the achievement surveys in schools across India.

STATUS OF THE WORLD''S TREES REPORT

•  India is included in the Steering Committee of the Asset Recovery Interagency Network-Asia Pacific (ARIN-AP).
• It is an informal cooperative network of experts and practitioners to track and seize criminal assets across borders in the Asia-Pacific region. 
• It was officially launched at the inaugural meeting held in Seoul, South Korea in November 2013.
• It is a part of a larger framework called Global CARIN (Camden Assets Recovery Inter-Agency Network), which includes over 100 jurisdictions worldwide. 

• It has 28 member countries and 9 observers, and it focuses on combating cross-border financial crimes including money laundering, corruption and asset recovery. 
• The Secretariat is located in South Korea.

India’s Role and Its Significance

• India, through the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has joined ARIN-AP''s Steering Committee. It influences the network''s decisions and operations. 
• By joining the committee, India will play an active role in shaping the strategies, sharing best practices and Improving regional cooperation on asset recovery. 
• India to assume ARIN-AP’s Presidency in 2026, this opportunity will provide India a leadership role, and also provide a stronger influence over regional policies on asset recovery. 
• India to host the ARIN-AP Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2026, it will be an opportunity to highlight progress in combating economic crimes and strengthen its position as a global player in financial law enforcement. 

How ARIN-AP Works?

• It is structured to promote easy communication and data sharing among its members. It worked through contact points in each jurisdiction which allow informal information exchange on criminal activities and assets.
• It speeds up the asset recovery process by allowing agencies to track assets, both removable and immovable, without waiting for formal legal agreements. For example, if India needs to track assets linked to an economic crime in another member country, the ED can request information informally through the network before Initiating formal actions through bilateral or multilateral treaties.

TN Govt notifies heatwave as state-specific disaster. 

•  The Tamil Nadu government has recently declared heatwaves as a state-specific disaster, signaling the seriousness of the situation. 
• This declaration allows for financial relief for those affected, compensation for families of victims, and the implementation of interim measures to manage heat-related crises, funded by the State Disaster Response Fund.

What are heatwaves?

• A heatwave is defined as a prolonged period of abnormally high temperatures occurring during the summer months in India, typically between March and June, and in rare cases extending into July.

IMD criteria for defining heatwaves

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has established specific criteria to classify heatwaves based on different parameters, which are summarized as follows:

1) Based on Maximum Temperature:

• Plains: At least 40°C or more.
• Hilly Regions: At least 30°C or more.
• Coastal Areas: At least 37°C or more.

2) Based on Departure from Normal Maximum Temperature:

• When the normal maximum temperature of a station is less than or equal to 40°C:
• Heatwave: Departure from normal is 5°C to 6°C.
• Severe Heatwave: Departure from normal is above 7°C.
• When the normal maximum temperature of a station is more than 40°C:
• Heatwave: Departure from normal is 4°C to 5°C.
• Severe Heatwave: Departure from normal is 6°C or more.

3) Based on Actual Maximum Temperature:

• Heatwave: Actual maximum temperature is above 45°C.
• Severe Heatwave: Actual maximum temperature is above 47°C.

4) Declaration Criteria:

• The above conditions must be met in at least two stations within a meteorological sub-division. 
• The conditions must persist for at least two consecutive days. 
• The World Meteorological Organisation announced that 2023 was the hottest year recorded, reflecting the increasing frequency of heatwaves attributed to anthropogenic climate change, as detailed in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change''s Sixth Assessment Report. 
• India has been experiencing the adverse effects of intense heatwaves, with historical data showing significant mortality linked to heat exposure:
• 1998: Severe heatwave with record temperatures. 
• 2003: Estimated over 3,000 deaths in Andhra Pradesh. 
• 2010: Approximately 1,300 deaths in Ahmedabad due to heat. 
• 2024: A heatwave resulted in temperatures exceeding 50.5°C in Rajasthan, with reported deaths and heat-related illnesses. 

What is wet bulb temperature?

• Wet bulb temperature is crucial for understanding heat stress. It represents the lowest temperature a surface can reach through evaporation. Exceeding a wet bulb temperature of 35°C for extended periods can result in hyperthermia, making it vital for understanding the risks in humid climates like India.

Union Home Ministry has issued an alert against illegal payment gateways 

• The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Union Home Ministry has issued an alert against illegal payment gateways created using mule bank accounts by transnational organised cyber criminals facilitating money laundering as a service.
• Digital payments are transactions that occur via digital or online modes. This means both the payer and the payee use electronic mediums to exchange money.
•  The meaning of digital payment is equivalent to an electronic payment. Digital payments use a digital device or platform to move money between payment accounts. They can be partially, primarily, or fully digital.

Payment Gateway?

• A payment gateway is a merchant service provided by an e-commerce application service provider that authorizes credit card or direct payment processing for e-businesses, online retailers, bricks and clicks, or traditional brick and mortar.
• The payment gateway may be provided by a bank to its customers but can be provided by a specialised financial service provider as a separate service, such as a payment service provider.

Types of Digital Payments In India:

• Banking Card: Indians widely use banking cards, debit/credit cards, or prepaid cards as an alternative to cash payments. In 1981, the Andhra Bank launched the first credit card in India.
• Unstructured Supplementary Service Data(USSD): The unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) was launched for those sections of India’s population which do not have access to proper banking and internet facilities.
• Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS): The Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) is a bank-led model for digital payments initiated to leverage the presence and reach of Aadhar. Under this system, customers can use their Aadhaar-linked accounts to transfer money between two Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI): The UPI is a payment system that culminates numerous bank accounts into a single application, allowing money transfers between parties. Compared to NEFT (national electronic funds transfer), RTGS (real-time gross settlement), and IMPS (immediate payment service), the UPI is considered a well-defined and standardised process across banks.
• Mobile Wallets: Mobile wallets are a type of wallet where you can carry cash in a digital format. Often, customers link their bank accounts or banking cards to their wallets to facilitate secure digital transactions.

Digital Payment Examples:

• Mobile payment apps: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Paypal and Samsung Pay
• Digital cards: Credit, debit, or prepaid cards issued to a customer’s mobile or digital wallet
• National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) FASTag: This interoperable solution uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to allow individuals to make toll payments while their vehicle is in motion.
• Contactless payments: Credit, debit, or prepaid cards with near-field communication (NFC) technology, or mobile wallets that use magnetic security transmission (MST) technology as qualified as contactless payments.
• Bank transfers: Direct transfers, also known as ACH transfers, are usually inexpensive or free and take one to three business days to execute.
• Biometric payments: Mobile apps and other digital payment agents use biometric verification to authenticate transactions. For example, smartphones can send information with a payment request that includes biometric information.