Daily Current Affairs including static notes - 5 JUNE

CENTRE TO MEASURE ‘GREEN GDP’ OF STATES ( ECONOMY)

Starting this year, the government will begin a five-year exercise to compute district-level data of the country’s environmental diversity and riches, which despite being huge have never been quantified for.

The numbers will eventually be used to calculate every State’s ‘green’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a metric which will help in formulating a range of policy decisions, such as compensation to be paid during land acquisition, calculation of funds required for climate mitigation, and so on.

Scope of the survey

Since it’s the first such a survey being undertaken, a pilot project will be rolled out in this September in 54 districts.

Land will be demarcated into “grids” with about 15-20 grids per district. These will capture the diversity in the State’s geography, farmland, wildlife, and emissions pattern, and will be used to compute a value.

Much of the data required for the inventory would be sourced from datasets that already exist with other government ministries.

What is Green GDP?

The green gross domestic product is an index of economic growth where the environmental consequences of that growth is factored in the conventional GDP of a nation.

In other words Green Gross Domestic Product is the index of the Economic growth of a particular country which enshrines the environmental consequences of the economic growth.

While calculating green GDP the following factors are counted: net natural capital consumption, including resource depletion, environmental degradation, and protective and restorative environmental initiatives, these are then subtracted from traditional GDP.

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PM TO ADDRESS WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY EVENT TOMORROW (ENVRIONMENT)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address an event marking the World Environment Day whose theme this year is combating plastic pollution.

India is the global host nation for the 43rd edition of the event, involving participation of Environment Ministers, representatives from the United Nations, and members from various industry bodies.

WED 2018 will be celebrated across the length and breadth of the country. It will involve all States and Union Territories, districts, local bodies and organizations. Moreover, a week-long environmental awareness campaign and pollution mitigation activities will be planned in Delhi and other parts of the country.

Background

World Environment Day (WED) observed annually on 5 June for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. It was established by United Nations General Assembly to mark opening of United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. The first World Environment Day was observed in 1973 and since then it is being held every year with different themes. WED serves as a flagship campaign for raising awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime.

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TRAI MOOTS NETWORK TO HELP IN DISASTER RELIEF (CONNECTIVITY)

The telecom regulator has recommended that the communication network used in emergency situations like maintenance of law and order, protection of life and property and disaster relief be upgraded to a nationwide broadband-based system to improve coordination and exchange of information.

TRAI’s idea is to set up a next-generation Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) communication networks, funded by the government and created in metros, border districts, disaster-prone areas and sensitive regions such as Jammu & Kashmir and the northeast.

TRAI also recommended that a hybrid model be used to setup this broadband PPDR network, by creating a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Ministry of Home Affairs to plan, coordinate and steer the nationwide network besides implementation and subsequent operation.

Facilities in use now

Currently, relief agencies and emergency services rely on narrow-band digital trunking technology or old analogue systems, which are primarily meant for voice communication in the field.

But despite this it does not meet the evolving needs of the public safety and emergency communication such as access to instant messaging, high-quality images and video, mapping and location services, remote control of robots, and other applications.

Thus the current framework has resulted in fragmented spectrum assignments with inefficient use of precious and prime frequencies.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

TRAI is an independent regulator of telecommunications business in India. It was established in 1997 through Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. TRAI also fixes or revises the tariffs for telecom.

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INDIA SEEKS NEW SECURITY FORUM (IR)

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday Attending the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Foreign Ministers’ meeting expressed India’s willingness to contribute towards enriching intra-BRICS cooperation further.

On the occasion she urged for support from Russia, China, South Africa and Brazil to create a new security forum to counter terrorism and radicalization, which could be realized through an understanding among the National Security Advisors (NSAs) of the member countries of the grouping.

What is the system in place now?

The National Security Advisers of the BRICS member states have a dialogue mechanism to counter radicalisation, terrorism, money laundering and other international crimes as of now.

And through the proposal, it is evident that India is keen on upgrading the dialogue process into a security forum

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IN S-400 DEAL, U.S. IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (IR|DEFENCE)

India’s acquisition of the state-of-the art Russian S-400 ballistic missile shield could come at the cost of getting access to cutting-edge US military technology and equipment.

As the Defence Ministry prepares to present the procurement proposal for the S-400 systems before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), officials are divided on whether New Delhi will push the deal through, considering the US stand on the deal.

What is the deal?

An S-400 ‘Triumf’ long-range air defence missile system is one of the most advanced long-range defence systems in the world.

The S-400 is a complex military system comprising several radars, command post, different types of missiles and launchers that can track several dozen incoming objects simultaneously from hundreds of kilometers away, launch counter-missiles within seconds and shoot them down with great efficiency.

India had signed a defence deal worth nearly Rs 39,000 crore with Russia to purchase five such S-400 ‘Triumf’ air defence systems.

What is the new concern now?

The deal has landed New Delhi right in the middle of global strategic complexities, involving Russia and USA, the two power blocks.

However, some experts are not sure if New Delhi would be able to defy Washington and its possible sanctions and sign up for the deal with Russia.

In recent days, senior U.S. functionaries have made clear their stand on India’s proposal, making clear USA’s disappointment with India’s new military acquisition from Russia.