Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 13th December 2022

HAKUTO-R Moon Mission: Japan

A Japanese space startup ispace Inc has launched its own private lander M1 to the Moon under its HAKUTO-R mission, from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

• It is Japan’s first-ever lunar mission and the first of its kind by a private company.
• The name HAKUTO-R refers to the white rabbit that Japanese folklore suggests lives on the Moon.
• The M1 lander will deploy two robotic rovers, two-wheeled, orange-sized devices from Japan’s JAXA space agency and a four-wheeled Rover made by the UAE known as the Explorer Rashid, after the Dubai royal family patriarch.
• If the rover Rashid lands successfully, it will be the Arab world’s first Moon mission.
• So far only the Us, Russia and China have managed to put a robot on the lunar surface.
• It will also be carrying an experimental solid-state battery made by NGK Spark Plug Co, a Japanese-based spark plug company
• It is designed in such a way that it will use minimal fuel to save money and leave more room for cargo.
• It is taking a slow, low-energy path to the Moon, flying 1.6 million km (one million miles) from Earth before looping back and making a planned landing by the end of April.

10th Meeting Of The Empowered Task Force (ETF) Of National Mission For Clean Ganga:

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti chaired the 10th meeting of the Empowered Task Force (ETF) of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

• As part of its flagship Namami Gange programme, the Union government has shifted its focus from improving sanitation to conservation, tourism, and economic development of the Ganga river.
• Ministry of Tourism working on a comprehensive plan for development of tourism circuits along Ganga in line with Arth Ganga.
• ‘Arth Ganga’ implies a sustainable development model with a focus on economic activities related to Ganga.
• Exhibitions & Fairs across 75 towns along Ganga River planned as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) undertaking various steps to build organic farming and natural farming corridors along River Ganga
• Eco-agriculture being promoted besides efforts to improve water-use efficiency in Ganga villages by MoA&FW.
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs focusing on mapping of urban drains and management of solid and liquid waste in Ganga towns under SBM 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0
• The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change mulling scaling up of afforestation activities in the Ganga belt and a detailed plan to take ‘Project Dolphin’ forward is also underway.

NMCG:

• It is being implemented by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga also known as the National Ganga Council.
• This mission was established on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act,1860 as a registered society.
• Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as a ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in June 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
• It is being operated under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

World Malaria Report 2022:

The World Malaria Report 2022 was released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Highlights of the Report:

• Deaths came down to 619,000 in 2021 from 625,000 in the first year of the pandemic, it remained higher than the pre-pandemic level of 568,000 deaths in 2019.
• As for Malaria cases, the upward trend continued but at a slower rate — 247 million cases in 2021, compared to 245 million cases in 2020 and 232 million in 2019.
• Among the 11 high-burden countries, five — the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, India, Niger and the United Republic of Tanzania — recorded a decline in deaths.
• But these countries continued to contribute heavily to the global disease burden.
• Insecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) are the key vector control tool used by endemic countries.
• Prevalence of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTP) has remained consistent in 2021 as compared to 2020.
• Hurdles impeding the process of ending Malaria include – mutating parasites which can evade rapid diagnostic tests, increasing drug resistance and the invasion of an urban-adapted mosquitoes, especially in Africa.
• New tools and fundings to deploy them are urgently needed to help defeat malaria.

G20 Development Working Group (DWG):

The 4-day meeting of G20 Development Working Group (DWG) will begin on December 13, 2022 in Mumbai under the India’s Presidency.

• The Development Working Group meetings aims to discuss developmental issues in Developing Countries, Least Developed Countries and Island Countries.
• Its a platform for G-20 member countries to come together and prioritize multilateralism, share solutions that promote growth, remap development plans and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal’s targets.
• In these meetings, sessions on Data For Development, Role of G-20 in Advancing the 2030 Agenda, Infusing New LiFE into Green Development and Accelerating Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals are organised.
• The first G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) meeting will begin on December 12, 2022 in Bengaluru.
• This meeting, which will mark the start of discussions on the Finance Track agenda under the Indian G20 Presidency, will be hosted jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India.
• The discussions during the 3-day meeting will focus on the agenda for the Finance Track under the Indian G20 Presidency.
• This includes reorienting international financial institutions to meet the shared global challenges of the 21st century, financing cities of tomorrow, managing global debt vulnerabilities, advancing financial inclusion and productivity gains, financing for climate action and SDGs.

Justice Dipankar Dutta : Took Oath As a Judge Of The Supreme Court

Justice Dipankar Dutta recently took oath as a judge of the Supreme Court. With the appointment of Justice Dutta, the Supreme Court will have 28 judges out of the strength of 34 judges.

• Article 124(3) of the constitution mentions the following people as eligible to become a Supreme Court (SC) Judge:
  • A High Court (HC) judge who has held that post for 5 years or more.
  • An advocate who has practiced in the HC/SC for 10 years or more.
  • A distinguished Jurist (no judge appointed on this basis till date).
• Article 124(2)says that the President of India Shall appoint the judges after consultation with such number of Judges of the SC/HC as he deems necessary.
• For appointment of any Judge of SC (other than CJI), the CJI must be consulted.

25th Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award (SIES):

Former vice president Venkaiah Naidu has been conferred with the 25th Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award (SIES).

• Other awardees in various categories included the Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan, eminent industrialist Ratan Tata, renowned cardiologist and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valianathan, Scientific Advisor to the Government of India Ajay Sood and famous Harikatha artiste Vishakha Hari.
• The awards were instituted by the South Indian Education Society in 1998 in memory of the late Seer of Kanchi, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati.
• Awards are given in the fields of public leadership, community leadership, science and technology and social thinkers to those who had made outstanding contributions in the above four fields.
• Each award carries a cash prize of Rs.2.5 lakh, a citation, an ornamental lamp and a scroll.

Grey Bellied Wren Babbler:

According to the recent findings of birdwatchers published by Indian BIRDS, a peer-reviewed journal of South Asian ornithology, they recorded a rare and elusive grey­bellied wren babbler.

• Grey bellied wren babbler is a specie of songbird named after the Lisu, the local community.
• This is mostly found in Myanmar with some birds occurring in adjoining China and Thailand.
• IUCN Status: Least Concern
• Habitat: Subtropical moist montane forest.
• Features:
  • Dark edges to its back and crown feathers give it a scaly-looking quality.
  • Forages on ground and in undergrowth, almost always under heavy cover and rarely emerging into the open.

5th Edition Of The Kochi-Muziris Biennale:

The 5th edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale opens on December 12, 2022, displaying works of over 90 artists from across the globe in varied media.

• The Kochi Muziris Biennale was founded in 2011 by Kerala-born, Mumbai-based artists Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu.
• It aims to “create a platform that will introduce contemporary, global visual art theory and practice to India”.
• A biennale is an international large-scale showcase of art that takes place every two years at a particular site, centred around a curatorial theme.
• The theme for 2022: “In Our Views Flow Ink and Fire”.
• One of the most prestigious and oldest biennales in the world is the Venice Biennale, which was established through a resolution by the city council in 1893 to celebrate national artistic talent.
• In 2009, a global Biennale Foundation was established with an “aim to create a platform for dialogue, networking, and knowledge sharing among contemporary art biennials around the world”.
• Biennales often named after the host city, become a reason for local pride, promoting cultural tourism and generating revenue through visitors.

IND-INDO CORPAT Exercise 2022:

The 39th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted

• India and Indonesia have been carrying out CORPATs twice a year since 2002.
• Aim: Keeping the vital part of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) safe and secure for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities.
• CORPATs help build understanding and interoperability between navies, and facilitate institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.
• It helps to enhance the operational synergy by exchange of information for prevention of smuggling, illegal immigration and for conduct of Search and Rescue (SAR) operations at sea.
• As part of Government of India’s vision SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region), Indian Navy has been proactively engaging with countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to enhance maritime security in the region.