Articles Covered:

1. IRCTC launches Ramayana circuit tourist train to boost tourism
2. Cauvery: CWMA desists from issuing direction to Karnataka on water release
3. Delimitation
4. Rajya Sabha passes Bills to include Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of Odisha, A.P. in ST lists
5. Ethanol Blending Program (EBP)
6. India Energy Week 2024: India renews USD 78 bn Qatar LNG deal till 2048 at lower than current rates, set to save USD 6 bn
7. The centrality of natural gas in ties between India and Qatar
8. ABHYAS
9. ‘First’ patient free of cancer: Indigenous CAR-T cell therapy brings treatment cost down from Rs 4 crore to Rs 40 lakh
10. India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves
11. Per capita water availability in the INDIA

IRCTC launches Ramayana circuit tourist train to boost tourism:

IRCTC officials said that such tours are done on special request by groups of tourists, and the costs include train travel, night stay, and travel insurance for passengers

• Ramayana Circuit – The development of Ramayana circuit is basically aimed at developing the places associated with the legends of Lord Rama across the country to facilitate and enhance tourist experience at these locations. The state that is on focus under this circuit is Uttar Pradesh.

Ramayana Circuit is one of the fifteen thematic circuits identified for development under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism. The Ministry has initially identified fifteen destinations including Sitamarhi, Bihar for development under the Ramayana Circuit theme namely Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).

• The projects for development under the scheme are identified in consultation with the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable detailed project reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier.

Cauvery: CWMA desists from issuing direction to Karnataka on water release:

Majority of CWMA members opine that proposal on Mekedatu project should be reverted to CWC for further appraisal

Cauvery river dispute: Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA):

• The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) is a regulatory body established by the Indian government to oversee the equitable distribution and management of the Cauvery River’s waters among the riparian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry.

1. In exercising the powers conferred by section 6A of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act 1956, the Central Government notified the Cauvery Water Management Scheme in 2018, constituting the ‘Cauvery Water Management Authority’ and the ‘Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’(CWRC).
2. The Authority ensures for securing compliance and implementation of the Award of the Tribunal as modified by the Hon’ble Supreme Court:
3. storage, apportionment, regulation and control of Cauvery waters;
4. supervision of the operation of reservoirs and regulation of water releases therefrom with the assistance of the Regulation Committee;
5. regulated release by Karnataka at the inter-state contact point presently identified as Billigundulu gauge and discharge station, located on the common border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
6. CWRC monitors the daily water levels, inflows, and storage position at major reservoirs storing the Cauvery water. It ensures data collection and implementation of the final award.

The Mekedatu Reservoir Project aims to provide water for drinking purposes to Bengaluru city and generate approximately 400 megawatts (MW) of power. In 2018, Tamil Nadu raised objections against the project and approached the Supreme Court. Tamil Nadu opposes any projects in the upper riparian region unless they receive approval from the Supreme Court, ensuring water flow protection to Tamil Nadu.

Delimitation

1. According to the Election Commission, the word ‘delimitation’ is defined as “the act or process of fixing limits/boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body”.
2. In the Indian context, the exercise of redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly Constituencies in a region is known as delimitation.
3. In this process, the number of seats allocated to a particular state/UT in Lok Sabha or in the Legislative Assembly may vary.

For example – Delhi, a union territory with legislative assembly, has 7 Lok Sabha constituencies while in the Legislative Assembly it has 70 constituencies.

• In India, the Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India. The Delimitation Commission is responsible for the delimitation or re-drawing of electoral boundaries for both parliamentary and state assembly constituencies. It determines the boundaries of these constituencies based on the principles of population and territorial distribution.

Constitutional Provisions regarding delimitation in India

1. Article 82and Article 170 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to readjust the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of States respectively, after every census.
2. Accordingly, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Commission Actand an independent high-powered panel known as the Delimitation Commission is constituted to carry out the exercise of delimitation.
3. The Parliament has enacted the Delimitation Commission Acts in 1952, 1962, 1972and 2002 for this purpose.
4. There was no Delimitation Commission Act after the 1981 and 1991 census.
5. The present delimitation of constituencies has been done on the basis of 2001 census data under the provisions of Delimitation Commission Act, 2002.
6. The next Delimitation Commission will be set up after 2026.
7. Further, Article 330and Article 332 of the Constitution provide for re-fixing the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of the states, on the basis of the 2001 census.

Delimitation Commission is a statutory body established by the Parliament under Delimitation Commission Act. Delimitation Commission The Delimitation Commission is a high-powered committee entrusted with the task of drawing and redrawing of boundaries of different constituencies for state assembly and Lok Sabha election. It is appointed by the President and works in collaboration with the Election Commission. The Commission consists of –  A retired or working Supreme Court Judge (chairperson) Election Commissioner Concerned State Election Commissioners The Commission’s orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court. The Commission’s orders are laid before the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies concerned, but they cannot affect any modifications in the orders.

Rajya Sabha passes Bills to include Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of Odisha, A.P. in ST lists:

• Tribal Affairs Minister claims 9 of 75 PVTGs were never added to the ST list explicitly and that this work is only now being done, taking a dig at previous non-NDA governments

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG):

In India, tribal people make up about 8.6% of the overall population. Scheduled Tribes are those communities that are scheduled by Article 342 of the Constitution, according to Article 366(25) of the Constitution. The Scheduled Tribes are tribes or tribal communities, or parts of or groups within these tribes and tribal communities, that have been declared as such by the President by a public announcement, according to Article 342 of the Constitution. Although many tribal tribes have adapted to modern life, there are tribal groups that are more vulnerable. The Dhebar Commission (1973) established the “Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs)” category, which was renamed “Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)” in 2006.

PVTGs are more vulnerable among the tribal groups:

• Due to this factor, more developed and assertive tribal groups take a major chunk of the tribal development funds, because of which PVTGs need more funds directed for their development.
• In this context, in 1975, the Government of India declared 52 tribal groups as PVTGs on the recommendation of Dhebar commission.
• Currently, there are 75 PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes.
• The PVTGs are spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (UT), in the country (2011 census).

Odisha has the highest number (more than 2.5 lakh) of PVTGs:

Characteristics of PVTGs:

1. Population – stagnant/declining
2. Technology – pre-agricultural
3. Literacy Level – extremely low
4. Economy – Subsistence level

Scheduled Tribes in India

• According to the 2011 Census, there are 104 million Scheduled Tribes in the United States, accounting for 8.6% of the total population. These Scheduled Tribes are primarily found in forested and hilly areas around the country.

The essential characteristics of these communities are: –

1. Primitive Traits
2. Geographical isolation
3. Distinct culture
4. Shy of contact with the community at large
5. Economically backward
6. The Plan’s goal of empowering the tribals, like that of the SCs, is being met through a three-pronged strategy of social empowerment, economic empowerment, and social justice.

Ethanol Blending Program (EBP):

1. The EBP is an initiative by the Government of India to promote the use of ethanol, a renewable and environment-friendly fuel, in petrol.
2. The program aims to reduce the import of fuelsfrom other countries, conserve foreign exchange, and increase value addition in the SUGAR INDUSTRY.

The target of 10% ethanol blending set in the ‘Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25’ for Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2021-22 has already been achieved and Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have started selling E20 (20% ethanol blended) petrol across the country.

Further, the NATIONAL POLICY ON BIOFUELS – 2018 targets 20% blending of ethanol in petrol by ESY 2025-26.

• Ethanol is mainly produced from a by-product of the sugar industry, namely molasses, but other raw materials like sugarcane juice, sugar, sugar syrup, and damaged food grains can also be used.
• The Government has taken various steps to facilitate the procurement and supply of ethanol under the EBP, such as fixing remunerative prices, simplifying the procedure, waiving excise duty, and extending financial assistance.
• Due to effective Government policies, the supply of ethanol to OMCs has increased by more than 13 timesin ESY 2022-23 from ESY 2013-14.
• The blending percentage has also increased from 1.53% in ESY 2013-14 to targeted 12% in ESY 2022-23.

India Energy Week 2024: India renews USD 78 bn Qatar LNG deal till 2048 at lower than current rates, set to save USD 6 bn

India is set to host India Energy Week 2024 from February 6-9 in Goa, aiming to address key themes such as energy security, the shift towards sustainable sources, and the exploration of alternate fuels.

• Petronet LNG Ltd, India’s biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) import, in a statement said it has signed a deal to extend the deal to buy 7.5 million tonnes a year of gas for producing electricity, making fertilizer and converting to CNG, with QatarEnergy on the sidelines of India Energy Week here.

The Prime Minister of India inaugurated the IEW 2024 in Goa and the ONGC Sea Survival Centre, and also participated in theVIKISIT BHARAT Viksit Goa 2047 programme.

• India Energy Week 2024 is being held from 6^thto 9^thFebruary in Goa. It is India’s largest and only all-encompassing energy exhibition and conference, bringing together the entire energy value chain, and will catalyse indias energy transition goals.

1. Encouraging, fostering and integrating startups into the energy value chain will be an important focus for IEW 2024.
2. India’s position as theworld’s third largest energy, oil, and Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) consumer, as well as the fourth largest Liquefied natural gas (LNG) importer and refiner, was emphasised at IEW.
3. The event reflects India’s commitment to global cooperation in the energy sector,with a focus on collaboration and knowledge sharing in sustainable energy development.

• ONGC Sea Survival Centre is an Integrated Sea Survival Training Centre to advance the Indian sea survival training ecosystem to global standards.
• It is anticipated to train 10,000-15,000 personnel annually, emphasising simulated exercises in harsh conditions.

The centrality of natural gas in ties between India and Qatar:

Nature of trade relationship between India and Qatar:

1. In the case of India and Qatar, the balance of trade is tilted heavily in the latter’s favour.
2. It is India’s largest source of LNG— gas that has been super cooled to liquid form so that it can be transported by sea.

Gas import dependency:

1. India’s import dependency in natural gas is around 50%, and given the government’s concerted push to increase natural gas consumption, imports are only likely to rise in the coming years.
2. Government-owned Petronet LNG, India’s largest LNG importer, has a long-term contract with Qatar for the import of 8.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG.
3. In addition, Qatari gas has a sizable share in India’s LNG purchases from the spot market.

Demand for natural gas in India:

1. India has set itself an ambitious target to increase the share of natural gas in the primary energy mix to 15% by 2030 from a little more than 6% at present.
2. This is bound to result in a rapid increase in LNG imports over the next few years.
3. Natural gas is seen as a significantly cleaner alternative to conventional petroleum fuels like diesel and petrol, and is usually cheaper than crude oil.
4. For India, which has an import dependency of over 85% in crude, gas is both more affordable and a better transition fuel in the energy transition pathway.

India, Qatar, and LNG

India’s import from Qatar

1. India’s total imports from Qatar in FY2022-23 were valued at $16.81 billion, of which LNG imports alone were worth $8.32 billion.
2. While Indian LNG importers continue to make efforts to diversify sourcing, it could be years before the high reliance on Qatar can be reduced.
3. India’s export to Qatar
4. India’s exports to Qatar were valued at just $1.97 billion in FY2022-23.
5. The major exports include cereals, copper articles, iron and steel articles, vegetables, fruits, spices, and processed food products.

The global LNG market

1. The global LNG market is a seller’s market after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that have disrupted Russian natural gas supplies to Europe.
2. After the war broke out, prices, particularly of LNG spot cargoes, surged globally.
3. Compared with term contracts (such as the one Petronet has with Qatar), the spot LNG market is prone to higher price volatility.
4. In a supply glut, spot prices tend to fall more steeply than term contracts, as pricing in the latter is based on an agreed formula between the buyer and the seller.
5. And when supplies are tight, spot prices tend to rise much more than term contract rates.
6. The extreme price volatility of the past couple of years in global LNG markets has established that term contracts are the more viable option to secure supplies at a reasonable and stable price.
7. This has pushed LNG importers all over the world, including India, to scout for long-term contracts with major suppliers, of whom Qatar is the foremost.
8. Over the past few weeks, Doha has announced 27-year LNG supply deals with French, Dutch, and Italian energy majors.
9. In the preceding months, it had signed long-term contracts to supply LNG to China and Germany.
10. Petronet’s term contract runs out in 2028, and negotiations for an extension are currently under way.
11. India is also looking to sign more long-term LNG contracts.

ABHYAS

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted four flight trials of the high-speed expendable aerial target ‘ABHYAS’ recently.

ABHYAS:

1. It is a high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT).
2. It is designed bythe DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE).
3. ABHYAS offers a realistic threat scenario forthe practice of weapon systems.
4. It is the ideal platform for the validation of Armed Forces equipment slated for induction (only those that require aerial engagement).

Features:

1. It is designed for autonomous flyingwith the help of an autopilot indigenously made by the ADE.
2. It has a radar cross-sectionand a visual and infrared augmentation system required for weapon practice.
3. The target drone has a laptop-based Ground Control Systemwith which the aircraft can be integrated and pre-flight checks, data recording during the flight, replays after the flight and post-flight analysis can be carried out.

Radar stands for “Radio Detection and Ranging.” It is a technology used to detect and track objects, such as aircraft, ships, weather formations, and other physical phenomena. Radar works by emitting electromagnetic waves (radio waves) and then analyzing the reflections or echoes of those waves when they bounce back after hitting an object.

‘First’ patient free of cancer: Indigenous CAR-T cell therapy brings treatment cost down from Rs 4 crore to Rs 40 lakh

• Developed by ImmunoAct, IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Hospital, the therapy has been administered to 15 patients in India. Three of them have successfully achieved cancer remission. Dr Gupta, the first commercial patient to be declared free of cancer,

Months after India’s drug regulator approved the commercial use of CAR-T cell therapy, a pioneering treatment that genetically reprogrammes a patient’s immune system to fight cancer, Gupta, a Delhi-based gastroenterologist, became one of the first patients to access the therapy by paying Rs 42 lakh — a treatment that costs approximately Rs 3-4 crore abroad. Doctors at the Tata Memorial Hospital, where he underwent the procedure, said he is “currently free of cancer cells”, the first commercial patient to achieve that status.

CAR T-cell Therapy:

• The therapy represents a quantum leap in the sophistication of cancer treatment.
• Unlike chemotherapy or immunotherapy, which requires mass-produced injectable or oral medication, CAR T-cell therapies use a patient’s own cells.
• They are modified in the laboratory to activate T-cells, a component of immune cells, to attack tumours.
• These modified cells are then infused back into the patient’s bloodstream after conditioning them to multiply more effectively.
• As of today, CAR T-cell therapy has been approved for leukaemias(cancers arising from the cells that produce white blood cells) and lymphomas(arising from the lymphatic system).

Work:

1. In this therapy, the patient’s blood is drawn to harvest T-cells – immune cellsthat play a major role in destroying tumour cells.
2. Researchers modify these cells in the laboratory so that they express specific proteins on their surface,known as chimeric antigen receptors (CAR): they have an affinity for proteins on the surface of tumour cells.
3. This modification in the cellular structure allows CAR T-cells to effectively bind to the tumour and destroy it.
4. The final step in the tumour’s destruction involves its clearance by the patient’s immune system.
5. In CAR T-cell therapy, the immune system is activated when the modified T-cells are reintroduced into the body, which allows a gradual and sustained tumour kill as these cells multiply.

NexCAR19:

1. It is an indigenously developed CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapy.
2. CD-19 is biomarker for B lymphocytes and can be utilised as a target for leukemia immunotherapies.
3. It is the result of a collaborative effort across a decade between IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre (TMC).

Significance:

• CAR T-cell therapies are even more specific than targeted agents and directly stimulate the patient’s immune system to fight cancer, leading to greater clinical efficacy.
• That’s why they’re referred to as “living drugs.”

Recently, IIT Bombay-incubated company Immuno Adoptive Cell Therapy (ImmunoACT) has received Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSO) marketing authorisation approval of the first Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy product called NexCAR19.

India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves:

• A strategic reserve is the reserve of a commodity or items that is held back from normal use by governments, in pursuance of a particular strategy or to cope with unexpected events.
• Countries keep strategic reserves of crude oil to meet the immediate demand in times of crisis or unexpected events.
• India, the world’s third-largest consumer of crude, depends on imports for more than 85% of its requirement.
• Government of India through Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Ltd. (ISPRL) under Phase–1 has setup Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) at three locations with a capacity of 5.33 MMT (million metric ton) –

1. Vishakhapatnam (1.33 MMT),
2. Mangaluru (1.50 MMT) and
3. Padur (2.5 MMT)

• Taking advantage of low crude oil prices in April-May 2020, the government completely filled these reserves, leading to estimated savings of around Rs 5,000 crore.
• These three SPRs can meet approximately 9.5 days of national demand.

Apart from SPRs, India’s oil marketing companies (OMCs) have storage facilities for crude oil and petroleum products for 64.5 days — which means there is sufficient storage to meet around 74 days of the country’s petroleum demand.

Comparison with other Countries –

• The top three countries in terms of such reserves for crude oil are the US, Chinaand Japan.
• Between them, they have 1500 million barrels. At an average daily global consumption of 95 million barrels a day, that’s roughly 20-odd days of oil.

Phase-2 of SPR Programme

1. Under Phase-2of the programme, government has given in-principle approval for construction of additional SPR facilities at two locations (Chandikhol (4 MMT) and Padur (2.5 MMT)).
2. In the second phase of the programme, the government wants to develop strategic reserves through public-private partnershipsso as to reduce government spending and exploit the commercial potential of the reserves.
3. India has also decided to commercialize its SPRs. As part of this, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) stored about 0.8 million tonnes of crude oil in the Mangaluru strategic reserve.

Per capita water availability in the INDIA

The Government of India has launched Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which aims at providing functional household tap connections to every rural household by 2024 at the service level of 55 litre per capita per day.

• The average annual water availability of any region or country is largely dependent upon hydro- meteorological and geological factors, however, water availability per person is dependent on population of a country. The per capita water availability in the country is reducing due to increase in population. Based on the study titled “Reassessment of Water Availability in India using Space Inputs, 2019” conducted by Central Water Commission, the average annual per capita water availability for year 2021 and 2031 has been assessed as 1486 cubic meter and 1367 cubic meter respectively. Annual per-capita water availability of less than 1700 cubic meter is considered as water stressed condition whereas annual per-capita water availability below 1000 cubic meters is considered as a water scarcity condition.
• ‘Water’ being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and efficient management of water resources which positively impact over the issue of per capita water availability are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Central Government provides technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and programmes.
• Government of India, in partnership with State, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household of the country by 2024.
• Government of India has launched AMRUT 2.0 on 1st October 2021, covering all the statutory towns of the country to ensure universal coverage of water supply & make cities ‘water secure’.
• To ensure optimum utilization of water, Government of India has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) from 2015-16 onwards. Under PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), 99 ongoing major/medium irrigation projects and 7 phases were prioritized during 2016-17, in consultation with States, out of which AIBP works of 58 prioritized projects have been reported to be completed as on date. The extension of PMKSY for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 has been approved by Government of India, with an overall outlay of Rs. 93,068.56 crore.
• The Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) Programme has been brought under PMKSY – Har Khet Ko Pani from 2015-16 onwards. The main objective of taking up CAD works is to enhance utilisation of irrigation potential created and improve agriculture production on a sustainable basis through Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM).
• The Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) has been set up for promotion, regulation and control of efficient use of water in irrigation, industrial and domestic sector. The Bureau will be a facilitator for promotion of improving water use efficiency across various sectors namely irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, industries, etc. in the country.
• “Sahi Fasal” campaign was launched to nudge farmers in the water stressed areas to grow crops which are not water intensive but use water very efficiently; and are economically remunerative; are healthy and nutritious; suited to the agro-climatic-hydro characteristics of the area; and are environmentally friendly.
• The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2022 as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with an objective to conserve water for future. The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” (JSA: CTR) – 2023 campaign, the fourth in the series of JSAs, was launched by Hon’ble President on 04.03.2023 in all districts (rural as well as urban areas) across the country for implementation from 04 March 2023 to 30 November 2023 – the pre-monsoon and monsoon period. The campaign was implemented across the country with the main theme “Source Sustainability for Drinking Water. The focused interventions of the campaign include water conservation and rainwater harvesting enumerating, geo-tagging & making inventory of all water bodies; preparation of scientific plans for water conservation based on it Setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts intensive afforestation and awareness generation.