UPSC Current Affairs Daily

2021-08-25 09:33:40 Q.)With the reference to Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana(PMUDAY)',consider the following statements.

1. Under the scheme, the Government will legalize all the unauthorised colonies with definite boundaries.

2. Properties in these illegal colonies are generally purchased or sold thrOugh a will, or general power of
attorney (GPA).

3. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is the nodal agency
to execute the ownership rights and had launched a
portal for the purpose. Open / Comment

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2021-08-24 18:50:50 #ENVIRONMENT

■ Rain falls on peak of Greenland ice cap for first time

The summit of Greenland’s huge ice cap has witnessed rainfall for the first time on 14th August.

According to scientists, it is another worrying sign of warming for the ice sheet already melting at an increasing rate.

It was also the latest date in the year scientists had ever recorded above-freezing temperatures at the National Science Foundation's Summit Station.

● Key points:

The US National Snow and Ice Data Center, it was the heaviest rainfall that the ice sheet received since record-keeping began in 1950.

Also, the ice melting rate was seven times more than the daily average that is observed at this time of the year.

Temperatures at the ice cap almost never lift above freezing, but have now done so three times in less than a decade.

That melting event and rain were both caused by air circulation patterns which meant warm, moist air temporarily covered the island.

● Why is Greenland’s melting a cause for worry:

Greenland, which is two-thirds the size of India, already witnessed one of its most severe melting events of the past decade last month, when it lost 8.5 billion tons of surface mass in one day.

As per IPCC’s recent report, the burning of fossil fuels led to Greenland melting in the last 20 years.

The melting from Greenland's ice sheet – the world's second-largest after Antarctica's – has caused around 25% of global sea-level rise seen over the last few decades,

In 2019, the island lost around 532 billion tonnes of ice to the sea, which contributed to the global sea level rising permanently by 1.5 millimeters.

As per an estimate, the Arctic Ocean could witness ice-free summers by 2050 due to extreme climate interventions.

As per an NBC report, if that happens, sea levels could rise by 20 feet, threatening low-lying cities around the world such as Mumbai, New York, and Amsterdam.

● Greenland:

It is the world’s largest island located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans,

It has three-quarters of its surface covered with a permanent ice sheet, which is increasingly coming under threat because of climate change.

Although Greenland remains a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the island’s home-rule government is responsible for most domestic affairs.

SOURCE - THE HINDU Open / Comment

2021-08-24 18:50:38 Open / Comment

2021-08-24 13:26:44 Plant Variety Protection

It refers to the protection granted for plant varieties.
These rights are given to the farmers & breeders to encourage the development of new varieties of plants.
Plant variety protection in India is governed by “The Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001”.

Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers’ Rights (PPVFR) Act, 2001:
PPVFR Act, 2001 has been enacted in India for giving effect to the TRIPS Agreement.
The PPVFR Act retained the main spirit of TRIPS viz., IPRs as an incentive for technological innovation.
However, the Act also had strong provisions to protect farmers’ rights.
The act allows farmers to plant, grow, exchange & sell patent-protected crops, including seeds, & only bars them from selling it as “branded seed”.
It recognised three roles for the farmer: cultivator, breeder & conserver.
As cultivators, farmers were entitled to plant-back rights.
As breeders, farmers were held equivalent to plant breeders.
As conservers, farmers were entitled to rewards from a National Gene Fund.
Objectives of the PPVFR Act
Facilitate an effective system for the protection of plant varieties & the rights of farmers.
Encourage the development of new varieties of plants.
Protect the rights of the farmers in respect of their contribution in conserving plant genetic resources.
Facilitate the growth of the seed industry which will ensure the availability of high quality seeds
Criticism of PPVFR Act, 2001
Discourages research & innovation: PPVFR Act allows farmers to use patented varieties & hence private companies are not keen to bring new technology.
India neither invests in public sector nor respects private & foreign players’ IPR (bad for business). Open / Comment

2021-08-24 13:26:44 Geographical Indications

A GI tag is a legal recognition given primarily to an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts & industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.
GI tag conveys an assurance of quality & distinctiveness of a product, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.
Most commonly, a geographical indication includes the name of the place of origin of the goods.
Once the GI protection is granted, no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products.
It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product.
Geographical Indicators in India are governed by “The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999”.

Difference between a Geographical Indication (GI) & a Trademark?
A trademark is a sign/word/phrase used by an entity to distinguish its goods & services from those of others.
A geographical indication tells consumers that a product is produced in a certain place & has certain characteristics that are due to that place of production.
A trademark gives the entity the right to prevent others from using the trademark.
On the other hand, GI may be used by all producers who make their products in the place designated by a geographical indication.

Trade secrets

Trade secrets are IP rights on confidential information which may be sold or licensed.
The unauthorized acquisition use or disclosure of such secret information by others is regarded as an unfair practice & a violation of the trade secret protection.
There is no specific law. Open / Comment