Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024
26-03-2024
10:56 AM
Overview:
The Union environment ministry recently notified Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024.
Captive Elephants under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972
- Elephants are, according to the provisions of the WPA, a Schedule 1 species, and therefore, be it wild or captive, cannot be captured or traded under any circumstances.
- Section 12 of the Act allows Schedule I animals to be translocated for ‘special purposes’ such as education and scientific research.
- They can also be translocated for population management of wildlife without harming any wild animals and the collection of specimens for recognised zoos/museums.
- Captive elephants, because of their historical role in forest management, timber transport, presence in estates of erstwhile royal families and in temple precincts for religious purposes can be owned and therefore come under a special category. However, strict rules guide the transfer of such elephants.
- Section 40(2) of the WPA prohibits the acquisition, possession, and transfer of a captive elephant without the written permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) of the State.
- The Environment Ministry in 2021 brought in an amendment that allowed the transfer of elephants for ‘religious or any other purposes’.

Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024
- It lays down the procedure to be followed for the transfer of captive elephants within a state or between two states.
- The notification authorises the CWW of states and UTs to permit or reject the transfer of captive elephants.
- The CWW shall permit the inter and intra-State transfers if the owner of the elephant is no longer in a position to maintain it or if the animal will have a better upkeep than in the present circumstances.
- The transfer of captive elephants won’t be permissible unless the genetic profile of the animal has been entered in the electronic monitoring application of the MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change).
- The application for transfer of captive elephants should be made to the deputy conservator of forests (DCF), having jurisdiction over the area where the elephant is registered.
- The DCF will conduct an inquiry and physical verification of the facility where the elephant is presently housed, and also the facility where the elephant is proposed to be housed and obtain a certificate of a veterinary practitioner, and then forward the details to the CWW, who within seven days will accept or reject the transfer.
Q1) What is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)?
It is an international agreement between governments. It aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species. It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of IUCN (The World Conservation Union). It entered into force in July 1975. Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words, they have to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws. The CITES Secretariat is administered by UNEP and is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
Source: What are the new rules for elephant transfers? | Explained
National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)
26-03-2024
10:56 AM
Overview:
The Karnataka government has moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre to release financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the state for drought management.
About National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF)
- It is defined in Section 46 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
- It is a fund managed by the Central Government to meet the expenses for emergency response, relief, and rehabilitation due to any threatening disaster situation or disaster.
- NDRF is constituted to supplement the funds of the State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) in case of a disaster of severe nature, provided adequate funds are not available in SDRF.
- It is placed in the “Public Account” of the GOI under “reserve funds not bearing interest”. Since it is placed in the public accounts, the government does not require parliamentary approval to take money out of this fund.
- Eligibility:
- NDRF guidelines state that natural calamities of cyclones, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloud burst, pest attack, and cold wave and frost considered to be of severe nature by the Government of India (GoI) and requiring expenditures by a state government in excess of the balances available in its own SDRF will qualify for immediate relief assistance from NDRF.
- The NDRF also covers man-made disasters such as terrorist attacks, chemical or biological disasters, or nuclear disasters as notified by the Central Government.
- For availing the NDRF funds, states are required to submit a memorandum indicating the sector-wise damage and need for funds. The Centre, on its part, assesses the damage and grants the additional funds to states.
- The financial assistance from NDRF is for providing immediate relief and is not compensation for loss/damage to properties /crops. In other words, the NDRF amount can be spent only towards meeting the expenses for emergency response, relief, and rehabilitation.
- The NDRF is not used for disaster preparedness, restoration, reconstruction, and mitigation. These activities are funded by other schemes such as the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP), National Flood Management Programme (NFMP), etc.
- Sources of Financing NDRF:
- It is financed through the levy of a cess on certain items, chargeable to excise and customs duty, and approved annually through the Finance Bill.
- The requirement for funds beyond what is available under the NDRF is met through general budgetary resources.
- The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the National Disaster Management Authority takes decisions on the expenses from NDRF.
- The NDRF accounts are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) every year.

Q1) What is the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)?
NDMA is the apex body for Disaster Management in India and is headed by the Prime Minister of India. Setting up of NDMA and the creation of an enabling environment for institutional mechanisms at the State and District levels is mandated by the Disaster Management Act, 2005. NDMA is mandated to lay down the policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management.
Source: Karnataka Approaches Supreme Court Over Funds For Drought Management
What is the Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP)?
26-03-2024
10:56 AM
Overview:
Kerala’s move towards an alternate model for the rollout of smart electricity meters, effectively jettisoning the Centre’s Rs 3 lakh crore smart meters project, comes as a spanner in the works for the Union Government scheme.
What is a Smart Meter?
- A smart meter is used for recording the consumption of electricity, but it also measures voltage levels.
- While traditional meters measure the power consumption of a home or business, smart meters live up to their name and transmit the same information every 15 minutes or hourly to utility providers.
- Since they are connected to the internet, smart meters can communicate information to the consumer about usage and also to the utility provider for monitoring purposes and accurate billing.

About Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP)
- It is an initiative by the government of India to promote the use of smart meters across the country.
- The aim of the SMNP is to improve the billing and collection efficiencies of distribution companies (DISCOMs) operating in the country.
- SMNP aims to replace 25 crore conventional meters with smart meters in India.
- The scheme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).
- EESL is a joint venture of four National Public Sector Enterprises: NTPC Limited, PFC, REC, and POWERGRID, and was set up under the Ministry of Power.
- This roll-out is under the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model, wherein EESL will undertake all the capital and operational expenditure with zero upfront investment from states and utilities.
- EESL recovers the cost of these meters through the monetization of energy savings, resulting from enhanced billing accuracy, avoided meter reading costs, and other efficiencies.
- The smart meters are installed as per guidelines issued by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
- Benefits associated with smart meters:
- For consumers, smart meters can help save on electricity bills by allowing them to track their consumption and make decisions accordingly.
- For utilities, smart meters can improve operational efficiency and help in managing power demand.
- Smart meters are connected through a web-based monitoring system, which will help reduce commercial losses of utilities, enhance revenues, and serve as an important tool in power sector reforms.
Q1) What is the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)?
EESL is promoted by the Ministry of Power, Government of India, as a Joint Venture of four reputed public-sector undertakings NTPC Limited, Power Finance Corporation Limited, REC Limited and POWERGRID Corporation of India Limited. It is registered under the Companies Act, 1956 on 10th December 2009. EESL was formed to create and sustain market access to energy efficient technologies, particularly in public facilities like municipalities, buildings, agriculture, industry etc. and to implement several schemes of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India. EESL is also leading the market-related activities of the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE).
Digital Markets Act
26-03-2024
10:56 AM

Overview:
Apple, Alphabet’s Google and Meta Platforms will be investigated for potential breaches of the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, European antitrust regulators said recently.
About Digital Markets Act (DMA)
- It is the EU’s law to make the markets in the digital sector fairer and more contestable.
- It aims to create a safer internet, empower citizens, enhance consumer protections, and foster higher-quality digital services.
- In order to do so, the DMA establishes a set of clearly defined objective criteria to identify “gatekeepers”.
- Gatekeepers are large digital platforms providing so-called core platform services, such as online search engines, app stores, and messenger services.
- Gatekeepers will have to comply with the do’s (i.e., obligations) and don’ts (i.e., prohibitions) listed in the DMA.
- The DMA is one of the first regulatory tools to comprehensively regulate the gatekeeper power of the largest digital companies.
- Key Measures:
- Tighter restrictions on how digital gatekeepers can use people’s data—users must give their explicit consent for their activities to be tracked for advertising purposes.
- Messaging services and social media platforms teaming up and sharing users. This could mean, for example, Meta-owned WhatsApp users being able to send messages directly to a completely different messaging service, such as Telegram.
- Presenting users with the option to uninstall preloaded applications on devices.
- Gatekeepers are banned from ranking their own products or services higher than others in online searches.
- The DMA complements, but does not change EU competition rules, which continue to apply fully.

Q1) What is the European Union (EU)?
The EU is a political and economic union of 27 member states located primarily in Europe. The EU was established by the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on November 1, 1993. The main goal of the EU is to promote cooperation and integration among its member states in order to enhance economic and political stability in Europe. The EU has its own currency, the Euro, which is used by 19 of the member states. It has a single market where goods, services, and capital can move freely.
Source: Apple, Google, Meta targeted in EU’s first Digital Markets Act probes
Bima Sugam
26-03-2024
10:56 AM

Overview:
Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved the setting up of Bima Sugam.
About Bima Sugam
- It is like an e-commerce platform where insurance companies can sell their products.
- It onboards all the companies that offer life and non-life insurance products under one roof.
- It aims to provide an 'end-to-end' digital journey to all policyholders like from buying insurance policies to renewals to claim settlement to portability to grievance redressal
- This marketplace serves as a one-stop solution for all insurance stakeholders, including customers, insurers, intermediaries and agents, thereby, promoting transparency, efficiency, and collaboration across the entire insurance value chain
- It will be a unified platform, which will be integrated with various govt databases, insurers, intermediaries, insurance repositories, etc., for fetching customer details, providing product information, and buying and servicing Insurance policies.
- Bima Sugam aims to eliminate the paperwork as you can simply have your policy in an electronic format.
- Customers can view all their policies — life, health and non-life insurance — in one single application or window under Bima Sugam.

Q1) What is the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)?
It was set up as a specialized non-banking finance agency for the renewable energy sector. IREDA plays a key role in renewable energy project financing which gives confidence to the financial institutions/banks to lend in the sector.
Cannabis
26-03-2024
10:56 AM

Overview:
Bhang, obtained from the Cannabis sativa plant or true hemp, is popularly consumed on the occasion of Holi across India.
About Cannabis
- It is found mainly in the Indo-Gangetic plains – in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal – along with the Deccan region.
- Cannabis is termed Ganzai in Telugu, Ganja in Tamil, and Bangi in Kannada.
- Three products can be obtained from the plant – fibre, oil, and narcotics.
- Bhang is obtained from the seeds and leaves of the plant, which are reduced to powder. Then, the powder is filtered and prepared for drinking, mixed often with cold, flavoured milk or thandai on Holi.
- Other uses of Cannabis
- Hemp-seed oil is used in varnish industries as a substitute for linseed oil, and in the manufacturing of soft soap. It has many medicinal uses, too.
- As per ICAR, the ash of cannabis is applied on animals’ skin in cases of haematoma, a condition in which blood clots outside of the blood vessels.
- It is cultivated in the Chhota/Bada Bhangal of Kangra and the Karsog area of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh.
- While cultivation for extraction of addictive narcotics is illegal, states allow controlled and regulated cultivation of cannabis for obtaining its fibre and seed for industrial or horticultural purposes.
- Treating paddy seed with bhang is effective in paddy seed germination and this treatment is common in temperate areas of Jammu and Kashmir, where temperature during nursery raising is low.
- The cannabis plants are used for controlling threadworms in paddy nurseries by the farmers of the Solki area of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Cannabis leaves are heated and crushed to make a paste for treating honey bee or wasp sting.

Q1) What are Psychoactive drugs?
These are substances that, when taken in or administered into one's system, affect mental processes, e.g. perception, consciousness, cognition or mood and emotions. Psychoactive drugs belong to a broader category of psychoactive substances that include also alcohol and nicotine.
Source: Beyond Holi and bhang, the many uses of cannabis – from medicine to rope-making
Post-Vaccination Immunity
26-03-2024
10:56 AM
Overview:
In recently published a review of 34 currently licensed vaccines for the duration of their protective immunity, and found that only five vaccines provide long-lasting protection spanning more than 20 years and only three provide lifelong protection.
About Post-vaccination immunity
- It develops in a complex process.
- Process
- In the fundamental immunological mechanism, our lymph nodes first produce the memory B cells that confer long-term protection against a disease.
- These cells ‘memorise’ the antigen the vaccine has delivered.
- When a foreign object like a virus enters the body bearing the same antigen, the B cells will trigger the production of a large number of potent antibodies to destroy it, removing the infection.
- These memory B cells require T cell support, and only vaccines that stimulate T cells can also induce the body to produce them. Further, not all vaccines – including the polysaccharide typhoid and the pneumococcal vaccines – prompt the body to make B cells.
- In some cases, frequent boosters are required to enhance the duration of immunity the cells confer, ranging from six months to a few years.
- Also, vaccines trigger the production of memory B cells to different degrees, plus having memory B cells alone does not guarantee protection.
- Another essential immune cell, called long-lasting plasma cell (LLPC), migrates from the lymph node to the bone marrow and may endure for decades.
- LLPCs are the main immunological factor in vaccine-induced immunity. Every vaccine tries to create long-lasting plasma cells for lifelong protection.
- The measles and rubella vaccines produce these cells in the bone marrow. However, some potent vaccines, such as the mRNA COVID-19 shots, fail to activate these cells in the bone marrow.
- To provide long-term protection, then, vaccines must generate memory B cells and LLPCs in the bone marrow. Different vaccines differ in their ability to produce these cells, explaining the disparity in their durabilities.

Q1) What are Lymph nodes?
A small bean-shaped structure that is part of the body’s immune system. Lymph nodes filter substances that travel through the lymphatic fluid, and they contain lymphocytes (white blood cells) that help the body fight infection and disease. There are hundreds of lymph nodes found throughout the body.
Source: Why do so many contemporary vaccines have low durability? | Explained