Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 18 December 2023 | Download PDF

• Despite record production, global coal demand is expected to fall by 2.3% by 2026.
  • According to the IEA (International Energy Association) analysis, the reduction is due to a shift toward renewable energy and plateauing demand in China.
  • India will continue to be a major driver of coal demand until 2026.
  • In 2023, global coal demand is expected to increase by 1.4%, surpassing 8.5 billion tons.
  • Regional variations: the EU and US forecast a 20% decline in demand, whereas India and China expect an increase.
• Between 2024 and 2026, an El Nino to La Nina change is forecast, which will benefit hydroelectric generation.

Factors contributing to the drop include :  

• • low-cost solar deployment and increased nuclear generation.
  • China, which accounts for more than half of global coal use, predicts a drop in 2024 and a plateau in 2026.
  • Despite the drop, worldwide coal consumption is predicted to surpass 8 billion tons by 2026.
• Coal demand is declining structurally as clean energy alternatives continue to expand.

• • The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Office, and Terms of Office) Bill, 2023 was passed by the Rajya Sabha.
  • The Bill lays out the process for naming the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs).
  • The Election Commission of India (ECI), comprising the CEC and two ECs, is established under Article 324 of the Constitution.
  • The President is authorized under the Constitution to nominate the CEC and ECs, subject to parliamentary approval.
• In response to a PIL, the Supreme Court declared in March 2023 that there is a legislative vacuum regulating the nomination procedure.

• • The Supreme Court proposed a committee-based selection process that would include the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, and Leader of the Opposition. 
• Previously there was no separate committee of selecting the Election Commissioners.

About

• • The proposed law establishes an organized framework with a search and selection committees, but it excludes the CJI from the process.
  • Individuals holding positions comparable to the rank of Secretary to the Government of India shall be appointed as CECs and ECs.
• The Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and a Union Cabinet Minister recommended by the Prime Minister make up the selection committee.

• The mechanism of the Bill differs from worldwide standards, with differences in selection processes in nations such as South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• While the Bill improves the selection process, it is criticized for favouring the existing administration.
• Retaining the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on the selection committee, as indicated by the Supreme Court, might provide more independence.
• The Bill is expected to become law, and unanimous choices by the selection committee may boost public trust in the Election Commission of India (ECI).

• The recent breach of Parliament Security is a major occurrence in the last decade. 
• The assailants were either unemployed or dissatisfied with their current situation. 

About

• • According to a review of employment-related statistics from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), things got worse after the outbreak of Covid.  
  • The percentage of the working-age population employed or actively looking for work is displayed in the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) report.
  • Except for the pandemic years, India’s overall LFPR in FY23 was 39.5%, the lowest level since at least FY17.
• It was 8.7% for women and 66% for males, the lowest percentages since at least FY17. 
• Therefore, even after the epidemic, a growing percentage of Indians in their working years were neither employed nor eager to look for jobs. 

• Bhutan intends to construct a sizable “international city” that would span more than 1,000 square kilometres near its border with Assam.
• The concept was introduced as an “economic corridor connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia via India’s northeastern States” by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan.
• The project includes the first railway line from India to Bhutan, which will run to Gelephu and link to roads and border crossings into West Bengal and Assam.
• The goal of the Gelephu Smart city Project is to adhere to sustainability and environmental regulations while luring top-tier investment from carefully chosen foreign businesses.
• The concept calls for the construction of Bhutan’s second international airport, “zero emission” enterprises, and a “mindfulness city” with an emphasis on tourism and well-being.
• To encourage foreign investment, Gelephu will function as a “Special Administrative Region” governed by distinct legislation.

• Exagamglogene Autotemcel was authorised by the MHRA (U.K.) to treat sickle-cell disease and thalassemia.
• It is one of the first dual-approved CRISPR medicines, having also received FDA (United States) approval for sickle-cell disease.

• • This marks the beginning of a new era for millions of people suffering from genetic blood diseases such as thalassemia and sickle cell Anaemia.
• There are about a million thalassemia sufferers worldwide, with 100,000 requiring blood transfusions. Around 20 million people are affected with sickle cell anaemia.

• • CRISPR technologies of the first generation are in use, with increasing efficacy and efficiency.
• Base-editing, prime editing, and epigenetic impact modification are examples of emerging approaches.

• Verve Therapeutics is experimenting with base editing to treat familial hypercholesterolemia.

• The movie ‘Pratikshya’, produced and directed by Anupam Patnaik, was screened at the Gargi Hall of IIT-Indore in Madhya Pradesh on December 15.
• This is the first time that an Odia film has been screened at an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

About:

• Rosan Bisoi’s short fiction ‘Bapa’ influenced Pratikshya. 
• The film is about a middle-class family’s hopes, despair, and aspirations.
• Notably, Pratikshya won the Best Odia Feature Film Award at this year’s 69th National Film Awards event in New Delhi.

• • The Keonjhar district has transformed into an unofficial open-air elephant safari due to the loss of natural habitat and a scarcity of food, leading elephants to venture into human settlements.
• Herds of 150 elephants are scattered across different areas of the district, having departed from their natural habitats in the jungles.

• Funds allocated under the ‘Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha’ scheme by the state government have been granted to a school that is no longer operational following its consolidation with a neighbouring school in the Pottangi block of Koraput district.
• The project intends to implement steps to improve rural infrastructure in order to expedite village growth and transformation. 
• Rs 5 lakh was sanctioned under the plan to Sitampadu New Primary School in Sitampadu village, Ralegada panchayat, Pottangi block, notwithstanding its closure following merger.

• ‘Unurum’ International Festival was inaugurated at Fakir Mohan university
• ‘Unurum’ is a Mundari word that means ‘identity’. Each community has its unique identity, which is reflected in its folk art, folk culture, and folk literature.

• ‘Unurum’ highlights the preservation of a traditional way of life that is dwindling as a result of globalisation. The event was dubbed ‘Unurum’ in order to acquaint visitors to the tribal people’s lives and culture in a unique way.
• This year’s Unurum festival will feature performances of Odissi, Sri Lankan classical dance, Jhumura, tribal dance, Bengali dance, Mundari, Nepali, Bihu, Bangladeshi folk dance, Sambalpuri, and Chhau.

• Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila secure the mixed doubles title at Odisha Masters 2023.
• Tanisha Crasto-Dhruv Kapila of India faced Singapore’s Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei Han Jessica in the first Final of the day.

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• In the Men’s Singles Final match, Satish Kumar Karunakaran defeated Ayush Shetty 21-18, 19-21, and 21-14 to win the title.

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