Today's Brief 28/06/2024
- M.R Mishra
- Jun 28, 2024
- 7 min read
Bolivia: General Juan Jose Zuniga has been arrested for leading a coup against Bolivian President Luis Arce. The general said he was leading an effort to ‘re-establish democracy’ in the country. However, his attempts failed and he will now face criminal investigations
Bolivia, officially known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in the heart of South America. Here are some key facts about Bolivia:
Geography
Borders: Bolivia shares borders with Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest, and Peru to the west.
Landscape: The country features a diverse landscape, including the Andes Mountains, the Altiplano plateau, the Amazon Basin rainforest, and the vast lowland plains.
Notable Features: Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, and the Uyuni Salt Flats, the largest salt flat in the world, are significant geographical features.
History
Pre-Columbian: Bolivia has a rich history of ancient civilizations, including the Tiwanaku and Inca empires.
Colonial Period: The region was colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century and became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru.
Independence: Bolivia gained independence from Spanish rule in 1825. The country was named after Simón Bolívar, a key figure in the Latin American independence movements.
Politics
Government: Bolivia is a democratic republic with a President serving as both head of state and head of government.
Political Structure: The country is divided into nine departments. The political system includes executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Recent Developments: Bolivia has seen significant political changes in recent years, including the election of Evo Morales in 2006 as the first indigenous president. Morales' tenure was marked by efforts to nationalize natural resources and implement social reforms.
Economy
Natural Resources: Bolivia is rich in natural resources, including natural gas, oil, minerals (such as silver, tin, and lithium), and agriculture (such as soybeans and quinoa).
Economic Challenges: Despite its resources, Bolivia faces challenges such as poverty, infrastructure deficits, and political instability.
Culture
Ethnic Diversity: Bolivia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in South America, with significant indigenous populations (e.g., Quechua, Aymara) as well as people of European, African, and mixed descent.
Languages: Spanish is the official language, but 36 indigenous languages, including Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani, are also recognized.
Traditions: Bolivia is known for its vibrant cultural traditions, festivals (such as the Oruro Carnival), music, dance, and cuisine, which reflect its indigenous heritage and colonial influences.
Environment
Biodiversity: Bolivia is one of the world's most biodiverse countries, with numerous national parks and protected areas.
Environmental Issues: The country faces environmental challenges, including deforestation, mining impacts, and water management issues.
Tourism
Attractions: Major tourist attractions include the historic city of Sucre, the capital La Paz, the ancient ruins of Tiwanaku, and the breathtaking landscapes of the Andes and Amazon Basin.
2.Why govt must create a buffer stock of all main food items?
Inflation, based on the official consumer price index (CPI), stood at 8.69 % for cereals in May, and almost twice as much (17.14%) for pulses.
These rates would probably have been higher, but for the sales from buffer stocks, especially of wheat and chana (chickpea), built by government agencies during surplus production years.
Take wheat. In 2022-23 (April-March), 34.82 lakh tonnes (lt) of the cereal was offloaded from the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) stocks in the open market to boost supplies. Such sales, mainly to flour millers at market prices determined through e-auctions, rose to a record 100.88 lt in the following fiscal. That included 6.73 lt processed into flour and sold under the ‘Bharat Atta’ brand at a maximum retail price of Rs 27.5/kg.
What is Buffer Stock?
Buffer stock refers to a reserve of a commodity, typically agricultural products like grains, that is maintained to stabilize prices, ensure food security, and provide for emergency needs. In India, buffer stocks are primarily managed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and other government agencies. Here’s an overview of buffer stock management in India:
Purpose of Buffer Stock
Price Stabilization: To prevent price volatility and ensure that prices remain within a certain range.
Food Security: To ensure a steady supply of essential commodities during times of shortage, emergencies, or natural disasters.
Support to Farmers: To procure grains at Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their produce.
Key Components of Buffer Stock Management
Procurement:
Minimum Support Price (MSP): The government sets MSPs for various crops. The FCI and state agencies procure grains from farmers at these prices.
Procurement Operations: Major procurement is done during harvest seasons, especially for wheat and rice, which are the primary staples.
Storage:
Warehousing: The procured grains are stored in warehouses managed by the FCI, Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs), and private warehouses.
Storage Capacity: Efforts are made to enhance storage capacity through the construction of new warehouses and the modernization of existing ones.
Distribution:
Public Distribution System (PDS): The grains from buffer stocks are distributed through the PDS to ensure subsidized food supplies to the poor.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY): A specific scheme under the PDS to provide highly subsidized food to the poorest of the poor.
Monitoring and Maintenance:
Quality Control: Regular inspections and quality control measures are undertaken to prevent spoilage and wastage.
Inventory Management: Use of technology and systematic inventory management to keep track of stock levels, movement, and rotation.
Release and Allocation:
Open Market Sales Scheme (OMSS): The government periodically releases stocks into the open market to control prices and prevent shortages.
Emergency Release: During natural calamities or emergencies, buffer stocks are released to ensure food availability.
Challenges and Issues
Storage and Wastage: Inadequate storage facilities and poor maintenance can lead to significant wastage.
Procurement Imbalance: Over-procurement in certain regions and under-procurement in others can create regional imbalances.
Financial Burden: High costs of procurement, storage, and distribution impose a financial burden on the government.
Market Distortions: Large buffer stocks can sometimes distort market prices and affect private traders and farmers.
Recent Initiatives
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): Introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide additional free food grains to the poor.
Infrastructure Development: Ongoing efforts to increase storage capacity and improve infrastructure.
Digitalization: Implementation of technology for better inventory management and transparency in procurement and distribution.
Buffer stock management is crucial for India's food security and economic stability. Continuous improvements in infrastructure, technology, and policies are essential to address the challenges and ensure the effectiveness of the system.
3. Insect Migration: Insect migration is the seasonal movement of insects, particularly by species of dragonflies, butterflies, moths, and some beetles. The distances can vary greatly depending on the species, but in most cases these movements involve large numbers of individuals.
There are three main types of insect migration:
One-way journeys to breed: Adult insects with a lifespan limited to a single season migrate from their breeding site, deposit their eggs, and die. These migratory flights can be very short or very long, but because they are always one-way journeys, they cannot be regarded as true migration in the strictest sense.
Breeding area to feeding area: Insects migrate from a breeding area to a feeding area. In the feeding area, the females develop mature ovaries and then return to lay their eggs in the place from which they came or a similar region.
Breeding areas to hibernation sites: Some insects migrate from breeding areas to hibernation sites to escape harsh weather conditions.
Scientists have recently discovered that painted lady butterflies, a species known for its impressive migratory abilities, can undertake a remarkable journey – a transatlantic flight exceeding 4,200 kilometers from West Africa all the way to the shores of South America.
This unexpected finding came about after researcher Gerard Talavera, from the Botanical Institute of Barcelona, encountered these butterflies in French Guiana, a location far outside their typical range. Intrigued by this observation, Talavera and a team of researchers embarked on a quest to unravel the mystery behind the butterflies' presence in South America.
A few years ago, Gerard Talavera was working in French Guiana, a country in South America. Talavera, a researcher from the Botanical Institute of Barcelona at CSIC, came across something unexpected: painted lady butterflies.
This species isn’t commonly found in South America, and it prompted Talavera to investigate how the butterfly got there. Now, after groundbreaking multidisciplinary research, scientists have figured it out. The butterfly is capable of a stunning transatlantic journey.
4. hijab ban: High Court Supports Hijab Ban at Mumbai College, Declares Dress Code Legal
On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court affirmed a Mumbai college's policy banning hijabs, burqas, and niqabs on its premises, ruling that the dress code does not infringe on students' fundamental rights.
A division bench of Justices AS Chandurkar and Rajesh Patil stated that the dress code aims to maintain discipline, which is part of the college's fundamental right to establish and administer educational institutions.
The court clarified that the dress code applies equally to all students, irrespective of their religion or caste, and rejected the petition filed by nine female students opposing the ban.
The petitioners claimed the ban violated their fundamental rights to religious practice, privacy, and personal choice, describing the college's action as arbitrary and unreasonable.
However, the court concluded there was no breach of Articles 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression) and 25 (freedom to practice religion) of the Constitution.
The high court bench stated,
"The dress code as prescribed cannot be held to violate the petitioners' rights under Article 19(1)(a) and Article 25 of the Constitution of India."
Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution guarantees all Indian citizens the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.
This freedom encompasses the liberty to express oneself through various mediums, including spoken words, written content, artistic creations, and even silence. It protects the right to hold opinions and information, and to share them freely with others.
key points:
Scope: It covers a wide range of expression, including public speeches, publications, films, and even protests.
Not Absolute: Reasonable restrictions can be imposed on this right. These restrictions are outlined in Article 19(2) of the Constitution and are meant to safeguard national security, public order, decency, and other important interests.
5.ABHYAS: is a High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) being developed at ADE. It offers a realistic threat scenario for practice of weapon systems. Abhyas is designed for autonomous flying with the help of an autopilot, under development at ADE.
Abhyas has RCS, Visual and IR augmentation systems required for
weapon practice.
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