April 10th Current Affairs

1.NanoSniffer

IN NEWS:

Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ today launched NanoSniffer, the world’s first Microsensor based Explosive Trace Detector (ETD) developed by NanoSniff Technologies, an IIT Bombay incubated startup.

KEY POINTS:

• Nanosniffer is world’s first Explosive Trace Detector using microsensor technology.
• It uses MEMS system. MEMS is Micro-Electromechanical System.
• NanoSniffer is a 100% Made in India product in terms of research, development & manufacturing.
• Home-grown Explosive trace detector device (ETD) – NanoSniffer can detect explosives in less than 10 seconds.
• It detects all classes of military, conventional and homemade explosives.
• NanoSniffer gives visible & audible alerts with sunlight-readable color display.
• NanoSniffer provides trace detection of nano-gram quantity of explosives & delivers result in seconds
• The core technology of NanoSniffer is protected by patents in the U.S. & Europe.
• This affordable device will reduce our dependency on imported explosive trace detector devices.
• NanoSniffer has successfully passed Pune based DRDO’s High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) testing and has also been tested by the country’s elite counter-terror force National Security Guard (NSG).
• The device is priced at Rs 10 lakhs. This is one-third of the price of existing devices.

Patents in India

• Several technology patents as that of NanoSniffer must come up in India. In India only one in 300 papers is patented. On the other hand, in the US, one in five research paper is patented. To change this scenario, more academic institution backed incubation centres should be set up.
• Incubation Centre is designed to grow new and small businesses by supporting them through early stages of development and change.

Explosive Trace Detection

• The Explosive Trace Detection is the technology used to detect explosives of small magnitude.
• The three main characteristics of Explosive Trace Detection are sensitivity, light weight, and size. The sensitivity or detection limit is the lowest amount of explosive matter a detector can detect. The NanoSniffer can detect even nano quantities of explosives.

SOURCE :PIB

2. India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership in Water Sector

IN NEWS:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held a virtual summit with his Netherlands counterpart Mark Rutte.
• The leaders agreed to diversify the ties in trade and economy between the countries.
• They also agreed to expand their relations in smart cities, agriculture, science and technology, healthcare, and space.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• A fast-tracking mechanism is to be set up between the two countries to facilitate bilateral trade and resolve issues of the companies in both countries.
• For the investors in India and Dutch companies, it is to be set up in Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)

Partnership in Water Sector

• During the summit, India and Netherlands launched a strategic partnership on water.
• Under the partnership, the countries agreed to alleviate the joint working group on water to ministerial level.
• It also aimed to broaden bilateral cooperation in new areas of water.

• Under the partnership the countries will focus on water budgeting, converting wastewater to energy and decentralized treatment technologies and cost effective water technologies.

Why did India sign the water sector partnership with the Dutch?

• Netherlands is the world leader in water management. One-fourth of Netherlands lies under sea level.
• Yet, the Dutch have successfully comprehended water related challenges and have tested technologies and solutions in delta management, desalination, flood control.

What is India’s plan?

• Water Security is currently the highest priority of India.
• The Union Government is focusing on promoting water efficiency, water safety and quality.
• This is achieved under initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Namame Gana Mission, and Jal Jeevan Shakti.

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana was launched in 2015. It aims to provide end to end solutions in irrigation supply. The scheme promotes micro irrigation to ensure Per drop more crop.

SOURCE:PIB

3.Online Dispute Reolution book(ODR)

IN NEWS:

NITI Aayog has planned to launch a new first-of-its-kind, Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) handbook in India.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• This new handbook will be launched in association with Agami and Omidyar Network India and with the support of ICICI Bank, Ashoka Innovators for the Public, Trilegal, Dalberg, Dvara, NIPFP.
• The Handbook highlights the need for the businesses to adopt Online Dispute Resolution mechanism.
• According to the handbook, the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is the resolution of disputes outside courts.
• This is mainly used to solve small and medium cases using digital technology.
• The Online Dispute Resolution adopts techniques of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) such as mediation, negotiation, and arbitration.

Benefits of Online Dispute Resolution

• The Alternate Dispute Resolution was brought as an alternative to going to court. However, it has become expensive lately.
• On the other hand, Online Dispute Resolution is inexpensive.
• There are shortages in availability of arbitrator in Alternate Dispute Resolution.
• This is issue is also addressed by Online Dispute Resolution as searching an arbitrator online is simple and quick.

Challenges in Online Dispute Resolution

• Lack of trust among consumers in Online Dispute Resolution.
• Most of the people are new to Digital Ecosystem and are hesitant to adopt a new method.

What is the difference between ODR and ADR?

• ODR is a process that settles disputes outside courts using digital technology.
• It combines the technologies of Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms. However, both ODR and ADR work towards achieving the same goal.

Online Dispute Resolution in India

• The Online Dispute Resolution is in its infancy stage in India.
• With the E-Commerce industry growing in India rapidly, the number of disputes related to online transactions are increasing at faster rate.
• The Department of Consumer Affairs has rolled out Online Consumer Dispute Resolution Platform to address this issue.

SOURCE:MINT

4. CSIR adopts 295 Atal Tinkering Labs

IN NEWS:

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog’s flagship 295 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) were officially adopted today by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) across the country in an ambitious step towards inculcating scientific research and innovation culture among students.

Significance of the adoption

The pandemic has reinforced the importance of scientific and industrial research. Therefore, the partnership will boost Atal Innovation Mission and will push it towards STEM research and innovation collaborations.

The collaboration with CSIR will provide great opportunities for the best young minds in the country to get access to the latest technologies.

Atal Innovation Mission

Atal Innovation Mission was launched in India to promote culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. The Mission has identified seventeen focus areas. They are waste in public spaces and dissuading public littering, decentralized composting, mixing blades for composting, quality of compost, waste management recycling, garbage composition devices, safe transport, instant portable water quality testing, electric mobility, alternate fuel-based transportation, smart mobility, predictive maintenance of rolling stock, fog vision system, prevention of rail failure using emerging technologies, climate smart agriculture, etc.

Atal New India Challenge

Under the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog launched the Atal New India Challenge. The main aim of the challenge is to bring innovations and technologies relevant to the people of India.

SOURCE:PIB

5. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process) Regulations, 2021.

IN NEWS:

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 promulgated on 4th April, 2021 provides for pre-packaged insolvency resolution process (PPIRP) for corporate debtors classified as micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process) Regulations, 2021 (PPIRP Regulations) today to enable operationalisation of PPIRP.

KEY POINTS:

The PPIRP Regulations detail the Forms that stakeholders are required to use, and the manner of carrying out various tasks by them as part of the PPIRP.

These provide details and manner relating to:

1. Eligibility to act as resolution professional, and his terms of appointment;
2. Eligibility of registered valuers and other professionals;
3. Identification and selection of authorised representative;
4. Public announcement and claims of stakeholders;
5. Information memorandum;
6. Meetings of the creditors and committee of creditors;
7. Invitation for resolution plans;
8. Competition between the base resolution plan and the best resolution plan;
9. Evaluation and consideration of resolution plans;
10. Vesting management of corporate debtor with resolution professional;
11. Termination of PPIRP.

SOURCE:PIB

6. RELIGIOUS CONVERSIONS

IN NEWS:

The Supreme Court said that people are free to choose their religion, even as it lashed out at a petition claiming there is mass religious conversion happening “by hook or by crook” across the country.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• The supreme court said that people have a right under the Constitution to profess, practise and propagate religion.
• Article 25 of the Constitution grants Fundamental right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality and health.
• Every person is the final judge of his/her choice of religion or who their life partner should be. Courts cannot sit in judgment of a person’s choice of religion or life partner.
• Religious faith is a part of the fundamental right to privacy.
• The Constitution Bench judgment had earlier upheld inviolability of the right to privacy, equating it with the rights to life, of dignity and liberty.

ARTICLE 25:

Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion

(1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion

(2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law

1. regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice;
2. providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus Explanation I The wearing and carrying of kirpans shall be deemed to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion Explanation II In sub clause (b) of clause reference to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly.

SOURCE:TH

7. FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION OPERATION (FONOP)

IN NEWS:

India has protested the U.S. decision to conduct a patrol in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the western Indian Ocean, rejecting the U.S.’s claim that its domestic maritime law was in violation of international law.

Key Points:

• In a rare and unusual public statement, the U.S. Navy announced that its ship, USS John Paul Jones, had carried out Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) in the Indian EEZ, adding that its operations had “challenged” what the U.S. called India’s “excessive maritime claims”.
• USS John Paul Jones asserted navigational rights and freedoms approximately 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands, inside India’s exclusive economic zone, without requesting India’s prior consent, consistent with international law, the U.S. Navy’s 7th fleet said
• The Government of India’s stated position on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is that the Convention “does not authorise other States to carry out in the EEZ and on the continental shelf, military exercises or manoeuvres, in particular those involving the use of weapons or explosives, without the consent of the coastal state.
• While India ratified UNCLOS in 1995, the U.S. has failed to do it so far.

Important Info:

Freedom of Navigation Operations(FONOP):

• FONOPs are closely linked to the concept of freedom of navigation, and in particular to the enforcement of relevant international law and customs regarding freedom of navigation.
• Freedom of navigation has been thoroughly practised and refined, and ultimately codified and accepted as international law under UNCLOS, in a legal process that was inclusive and consent-based.
• The drafting of UNCLOS was driven in part by states’ concerns that strong national maritime interests could lead to excessive maritime claims over coastal seas, which could threaten freedom of navigation.
• FONOPs are outgrowths of this development of international law, based on sovereign equality and international interdependence.

Significance of FONOPs

• FONOPs are a method of enforcing UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and avoiding these negative outcomes by reinforcing freedom of navigation through practice.
• It is exercised by sailing through all areas of the sea permitted under UNCLOS, and particularly those areas that states have attempted to close off to free navigation as defined under UNCLOS.

SOURCE:TH