What’s in Today’s Article?

• About the Report (Key Findings, Significance for India, Recommendations, etc.)
• About FSSAI (Objective, Functions, Composition, etc.)

Overview:

• A report by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi) highlights the disparities in the healthiness of food and beverage (F&B) products sold in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) compared to high-income countries (HICs).
• This brings attention to the importance of labelling packaged food to guide consumers toward healthier choices.

Key Findings of the Report:

• Health Star Rating System:
  • The report analysed over 52,000 products from major brands like Nestle, PepsiCo, Unilever, and others.
  • Products were rated out of 5 stars, with scores above 3.5 considered healthy.
  • Average scores:
    • LMICs: 1.8
    • HICs: 2.3
• Disparities in Nutrition:
• Fewer affordable healthy options in LMICs.
• Micronutrient information was less frequently provided for products in LMICs.
• Historical Patterns:
  • Previous reports revealed similar issues. For instance, Nestlé's baby food in India and African markets contained higher sugar levels compared to European versions, sparking government scrutiny.

Significance for India:

• Health Crisis:
  • Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): India faces a significant burden, with over 10 crore people suffering from diabetes and high obesity rates.
  • Undernutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies: Coexisting challenges due to unhealthy diets and economic disparities.
• Dietary Patterns:
  • Rising consumption of processed foods rich in sugar and fat.
  • Over 56% of India’s disease burden is linked to unhealthy diets (ICMR, 2023).
• Affordability Gap:
  • Over half of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet.
  • Household spending on processed foods is increasing.

Importance of Front-of-Pack Labelling:

• Global Standards:
  • Countries like Chile and Mexico successfully reduced consumption of sugary beverages after mandatory front-of-pack labelling (FOPL).
• India’s Current Efforts:
  • India is part of World Health Assembly resolutions advocating for protecting children from junk food marketing.
  • Policies like the National Multisectoral Action Plan (2017-2022) aimed at tackling NCDs have seen limited success in implementing labeling regulations.
• Challenges:
  • The 2022 Draft Notification for FOPL is yet to make progress.
  • Voluntary efforts by F&B companies have been insufficient.

Recommendations by the Report:

• Mandatory Regulations:
  • Stronger policies for clear labelling of sugar, salt, and fat content on packaging.
• Public Awareness:
  • Campaigns to educate consumers on interpreting nutritional labels.
• Affordable Healthy Options:
  • Incentivizing companies to offer nutritious products at accessible prices for low-income groups.
• Government Action:
  • Strengthening enforcement and adopting global best practices for food labelling.

What is the Indian Nutritional Rating (INR) System?

• The INR system rates the overall nutritional profile for packaged food by assigning it a rating from ½ star (least healthy) to 5 stars (healthiest).
• More stars indicate the food product is better positioned to provide for daily human need of nutrients.
• As per the notification, solid food with a score of more than 25 will be given 0.5 stars, and those with a score less than – (minus)11 will get 5 stars.
• To generate the star-rating logo for the product, food businesses have to submit nutritional profiles of the products concerned on FSSAI’s portal.

FSSAI:

• About
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is a statutory body under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• Objectives:
• To lay down science-based standards for articles of food
• To regulate manufacture, storage, distribution, import and sale of food
• To facilitate safety of food
• Role/Functions of FSSAI:
• Framing of Regulations to lay down the standards/guidelines in relation to articles of food.
• Laying down mechanisms/guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification of food safety management system.
• Collect and collate data regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food, etc.
• Creating an information network across the country so that public receive reliable and objective information about food safety and issues of concern.
• Provide training programmes for persons who are involved or intend to get involved in food businesses.
• Contribute to the development of international technical standards for food, sanitary and phytol-sanitary standards.
• Composition
• The FSSAI comprises of a Chairperson and twenty-two members out of which one – third are to be women.
• The Chairperson of FSSAI is appointed by the Central Government.
• Concerned Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• At State level:
• The FSSAI appoints food safety authorities at the state level.
• The primary responsibility for enforcement is largely with the State Food Safety Commissioners.

Why in News?

Union Home Minister recently emphasised the need to release undertrial prisoners who have spent more than one-third of the maximum prescribed sentence for their accused crimes before Constitution Day (November 26).

This directive aligns with the newly introduced provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Key Features of Section 479 of BNSS
• Steps Taken by the Supreme Court to Ensure the Implementation of Section 479 of BNSS
• India’s Undertrial Population
• Conclusion

Key Features of Section 479 of BNSS:

• About Section 479 of the BNSS: It revises bail norms to address the prolonged detention of undertrial prisoners, particularly first-time offenders.
• General rule for bail:
  • Undertrials accused of non-capital offences (not punishable by death or life imprisonment) are eligible for bail if they have served half of the maximum sentence for the offence.
  • The provision builds on Section 436A of the CrPC, which allowed release after serving half the sentence.
• Relaxed standard for first-time offenders: First-time offenders, defined as individuals without prior convictions, must be released on bond after serving one-third of the maximum prescribed sentence.
• Exceptions: The relaxed provisions are not applicable to cases involving multiple offences or pending investigations for other crimes.

Steps Taken by the Supreme Court to Ensure the Implementation of Section 479 of BNSS:

• Retrospective application: In August 2024, the Court ordered that Section 479 applies retrospectively to cases before the BNSS came into effect on July 1, 2024.
• Implementation measures:
  • Jail superintendents are required to identify eligible prisoners and report to courts for their release.
  • State governments and Union Territories (UTs) were directed to submit detailed affidavits (within two months) on eligible undertrials and their release status.
• Recent developments:
  • As of October 2024, only 19 of the 36 states and UTs complied with the Court’s directives.
  • On November 19, the Court reiterated its directive, prioritising the identification of women undertrials for bail eligibility.

India’s Undertrial Population:

• 
• NCRB’s report: The National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) Prison Statistics India 2022 report highlights the staggering proportion of undertrials in Indian prisons.
• Overall numbers: Out of 5,73,220 inmates, 4,34,302 (75.8%) are undertrials. Women undertrials constitute 18,146 out of 23,772 (76.33%) of incarcerated women.
• Long-term detentions: Around 8.6% of undertrials have been in prison for more than three years as of December 31, 2022.
• Challenges: The report does not detail how many undertrials are first-time offenders, which is crucial for the effective implementation of Section 479.

Conclusion:

• The BNSS and the Supreme Court’s proactive stance underscore a critical attempt to decongest prisons and expedite justice for undertrial prisoners.
• However, consistent implementation and thorough reporting by state governments and jail authorities remain imperative for meaningful reform.

Why in news?

Recently, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi approved a new Central Sector Scheme, PM Vidyalaxmi, which seeks to provide financial support to meritorious students applying for higher education.

Students will now be eligible to get collateral-free, guarantor-free loans from banks and financial institutions to cover the full amount of tuition fees and other expenses related to the course.

What’s in today’s article?

• What is PM Vidyalaxmi?
• How it is different from past schemes?
• Challenges faced by PM Vidyalaxmi

What is PM Vidyalaxmi?

• About
  • It is a new Central Sector initiative aimed at supporting meritorious students financially so they can pursue higher education without economic constraints.
  • This scheme is rooted in the National Education Policy, 2020, which advocates for financial assistance to deserving students across both public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
• Objectives
  • Ensure Financial Inclusion in Education: Enable meritorious students to pursue higher education without financial hurdles.
  • Support Top Educational Institutions: Applicable only to top-quality HEIs as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
  • Provide Transparent and Digital Access: Use a fully digital, transparent, and student-friendly platform for loan processing and management.
• Features
  • Loan Availability:
    • Eligibility: Any student who secures admission to a Quality Higher Education Institution is eligible.
    • Loan Terms: Collateral-free and guarantor-free loans will be offered through banks and financial institutions, covering the full amount of tuition and other course-related expenses.
    • Institutional Coverage: Applies to institutions ranked in the NIRF top 100 (both government and private) and state government HEIs ranked in the 101-200 bracket, as well as all central government institutions.
    • Coverage Scope: In the initial phase, 860 QHEIs qualify, potentially benefiting over 22 lakh students.
  • Credit Guarantee Support:
    • For loans up to ₹7.5 lakhs, a 75% credit guarantee on the outstanding amount is provided, encouraging banks to make education loans accessible to more students.
  • Interest Subsidy:
    • Eligibility: Students with an annual family income of up to ₹8 lakhs and not benefiting from other government scholarships or interest subvention schemes.
    • Subsidy Terms: A 3% interest subvention on loans up to ₹10 lakhs during the moratorium period.
    • Beneficiary Priority: Preference is given to students in government institutions and technical/professional courses.

How it is different from past schemes?

• Expanded Eligibility
  • PM Vidyalaxmi covers middle-income families, unlike previous schemes which were limited to low-income groups, and offers benefits regardless of caste.
• Simplified Loan Process
  • Students can apply through the Vidyalaxmi portal, which links to major public and private banks, simplifies the application process, and facilitates loan tracking.
• Focus on NIRF Rankings
  • Eligibility is restricted to institutions ranked in the top 100 of the NIRF overall, category-specific, or domain-specific lists.
    • For earlier schemes, the eligible institutions needed to be accredited with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and the National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
    • With 820 universities of NAAC and 15,501 colleges, along with 3,348 NBA institutions, the total was about 20,000 institutions.

Challenges faced by PM Vidyalaxmi

• Reduced Institution Coverage
  • Only institutions ranked in NIRF are eligible, significantly lowering the number of qualifying institutions compared to past schemes.
• Performance Stakes
  • With eligibility tied to rankings, students must perform exceptionally well in entrance tests to access loans.
• Exclusion Risks
  • Students in non-NIRF ranked institutions face higher interest rates or loan rejection.
• Institutional Competition
  • Rankings become crucial, incentivizing institutions to seek higher NIRF standings to attract students benefiting from the scheme.

Why in news?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the small Caribbean country of Guyana, the first visit by an Indian PM in 56 years. He received a warm welcome in Guyana as President Irfan Ali broke the protocol to receive PM Modi at the airport.

During this visit, PM Modi also co-chaired the second India-CARICOM Summit alongside Grenada's PM (who is the current Chair of CARICOM) and other CARICOM leaders.

What’s in today’s article?

• CARICOM
• Why PM Modi visited Guyana?
• Key Highlights of the visit

Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

• About
  • CARICOM is a regional organization established in 1973 under the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
  • It aims to promote economic integration, shared foreign policy, and functional cooperation among member states while ensuring the sustainable development of the region.
  • Stretching from The Bahamas in the north to Suriname and Guyana in South America, CARICOM comprises states that are considered developing countries.
  • Except for Belize, in Central America and Guyana and Suriname in South America, all Members and Associate Members are island states.
• Members
  • It is a is a grouping of   twenty-one countries: fifteen Member States and six Associate Members.
• Pillars of Integration:
  • Economic Integration: Focuses on creating a single market and economy through the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
  • Foreign Policy Coordination: Ensures member states speak with one voice on international issues.
  • Human and Social Development: Promotes education, health, youth development, and gender equality across the region.
  • Security Cooperation: Aims to address common challenges like crime, border security, and disaster management.

Why PM Modi visited Guyana?

• Strengthening Historical and Cultural Ties
  • Guyana, home to one of the oldest Indian diasporas, has a population of approximately 3,20,000 people of Indian origin, constituting 43.5% of the country's total population.
• Energy Security and Hydrocarbon Cooperation
  • Guyana is emerging as a global oil hub, expected to surpass Venezuela in oil production by 2026.
  • With massive reserves and rapid GDP growth driven by oil discoveries, Guyana offers India a crucial opportunity to diversify its crude oil imports.
• Expanding Defence Partnerships
  • India has strengthened Guyana’s defence capabilities by supplying Dornier 228 planes and offering a Line of Credit for the purchase of patrol vehicles, radars etc.
    • This marks India’s first-ever defence Line of Credit with a Caribbean nation.
  • Guyana’s growing defence market aligns with India’s strategic and economic interests.
• Enhancing Trade and Economic Cooperation
  • India is partnering with Guyana in diverse sectors, including agriculture, biofuels, IT, and pharmaceuticals. Key contributions include:
    • Building critical infrastructure like the National Cricket Stadium and solar traffic lights.
    • Supporting projects such as regional hospital upgrades, road linkages, and ocean-going vessels.
    • Promoting bilateral trade, which remains low but shows positive growth potential.
• Competing with China’s Influence
• Guyana’s strategic location and rich resources have attracted significant Chinese investments in infrastructure under the Belt and Road Initiative.
• India is countering this influence by committing to infrastructure projects such as a $100 million road project in Georgetown.
• Unlike China, India’s approach focuses on local engagement and long-term partnerships, which are better received by Guyana's population.
• Global South and Strategic Alliances
  • PM Modi’s visit reflects India’s broader strategy to enhance ties with smaller countries as part of its Global South agenda.
  • Guyana’s economic potential, driven by oil wealth, makes it a pivotal partner in this vision.

Key highlights of the visit

• PM Modi conferred with The Order of Excellence of Guyana
  • President of Guyana conferred upon PM Modi the highest national award of Guyana, "The Order of Excellence”​.
    • He became only the fourth foreign leader to be conferred with the highest National award of Guyana.
• Agreements Across Key Sectors
  • India and Guyana signed 10 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to deepen cooperation in various sectors. These include:
    • Health and Pharmaceuticals: Collaboration on regulation and supply of affordable medicines, including to CARICOM countries.
      • India agreed to establish a Jan Ausadhi Kendra in Guyana to improve access to affordable medicines.
    • Hydrocarbons: Cooperation in crude sourcing, natural gas, infrastructure development, and the entire hydrocarbon value chain.
    • Agriculture: Joint activities, R&D, exchange of information and personnel, and food security initiatives.
      • Cooperation in agriculture was also expanded, with India contributing millet seeds to support Guyana’s food security.
    • Digital Transformation: Capacity building, training, exchange of best practices, and public official collaborations.
    • Banking and Payments: Deployment of India’s UPI-like real-time payment system in Guyana.
• Defence and Capacity Building
• India is committed to skill development and capacity building in Guyana, especially in defence.
  • Earlier this year, India had gifted two Dornier aircraft to Guyana.
• PM Modi emphasized cooperation in infrastructure, energy, and food security, highlighting India’s ongoing support for Guyana’s growth.
• Collaboration in New Areas
  • The leaders identified new areas of cooperation, including:
    • Education and Human Capital Development
    • Technology Transfer and Food Processing
    • Ayurvedic Medicine and Vaccine Manufacturing
• Symbolic Initiatives
  • PM participated in the symbolic planting of a sapling under the Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam

Context

• Air pollution is an urgent global concern, especially in regions like northern India, where the winter months bring record-breaking levels of toxic air quality.
• Addressing this crisis requires immediate and long-term strategies grounded in scientific understanding.
• The problem is multi-faceted, exacerbated by weather conditions, human activity, and climate change, and demands innovative, multidisciplinary solutions that prioritise human health and sustainability.

 The Air Quality Crisis in Northern India and the Role of Climatic Conditions

• The Air Quality Crisis in Northern India
  • The severity of air pollution in northern India, particularly in Delhi, is alarming and recent records indicate severe-plus air quality, with PM2.5 levels exceeding 500 µg/m³.
  • For context, an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 400, classified as severe, corresponds to only 250 µg/m³, highlighting the extreme nature of the situation.
  • This crisis unfolded despite a significant reduction in stubble-burning incidents, surprising experts and defying most forecasting models.
  • Analysis of atmospheric conditions revealed the presence of a polluted air blanket at around 500 meters above the surface, descending at night due to cooler temperatures and causing a sharp rise in pollution levels during the day.
  • This phenomenon suggests the intrusion of external pollutants, compounded by local emissions and fossil fuel usage, creating a toxic environment that endangers public health.
• The Role of Climate Change and Weather Patterns
  • The warmest October on record, delayed La Niña onset, and altered wind circulation patterns are contributing to worsening air quality.
  • La Niña, typically associated with improved wind dispersion, has been inconsistent, as evidenced by past winters.
  • These unusual weather phenomena highlight the growing complexity of managing air pollution under changing climatic conditions.

Challenges in Monitoring and Measuring Air Quality

• Inconsistencies in AQI Reporting
  • One major challenge is the disparity between AQI readings reported by official agencies and private entities.
  • While private agencies sometimes report AQI levels exceeding 1,000 or even 1,500, government figures rarely go beyond 500, even when using the same raw data.
  • India’s AQI guidelines rely on breakpoint thresholds that are less stringent than those prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • These breakpoints dictate how pollutant concentrations translate into AQI values and ultimately into public health advisories.
• Gaps in Satellite Monitoring
  • Satellite-based monitoring plays a vital role in tracking pollution sources such as stubble burning. However, current systems have significant limitations.
  • For instance, NASA’s MODIS satellite, a key tool for detecting fire incidents, only passes over affected regions twice daily.
  • Farmers, aware of this limitation, have reportedly adjusted the timing of stubble burning to avoid detection.
  • This has introduced a new layer of complexity to pollution management, as official fire counts may no longer reflect ground realities.
• Lack of Integration Between Monitoring Systems
  • India's air quality monitoring network suffers from fragmentation and inadequate coverage.
  • Ground-based monitoring stations are concentrated in urban centres, leaving vast rural and peri-urban areas underrepresented.
  • This limits the ability to capture a complete picture of regional pollution patterns.
  • Furthermore, the integration between ground-based and satellite-based data remains suboptimal, leading to gaps in understanding pollution sources and their trajectories.
• Transparency and Public Accessibility
  • Another issue lies in the accessibility of air quality data to the public. While government agencies publish AQI data, the methodologies and thresholds used to calculate these figures are not always transparent.
  • This lack of clarity diminishes the credibility of official reports and makes it difficult for individuals and communities to take informed action.
  • Public trust is further eroded when discrepancies between official and private data are not adequately explained.

Necessary Measures Toward a Sustainable and Health-Centric Framework

• Rethinking Pollution Management: The Airshed Approach
  • One critical shift needed in air quality management is moving beyond political or regional boundaries and focusing on airsheds.
  • Airsheds are geographical regions that share the same air circulation patterns, making them more scientifically appropriate for managing pollution sources.
  • For instance, pollution in Delhi often originates in neighbouring states due to shared airsheds.
  • Adopting an airshed approach requires regional cooperation and the creation of joint task forces across states.
  • These task forces could develop shared mitigation strategies, such as coordinated crop residue management to reduce stubble burning or synchronised industrial emission controls.
• Building Technological Independence
  • India has the technological capacity to revolutionise air quality monitoring.
  • Investments in high-resolution satellite systems designed specifically for air quality assessment can make the country self-reliant in pollution tracking.
  • Satellites like INSAT-3D/3DR already have significant potential, but their use in air quality monitoring remains underexplored.
  • A dedicated satellite with advanced sensors for pollutants such as PM2.5, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide could provide real-time data critical for forecasting and managing air quality.
• Integration of Satellite Data with Ground Based Monitoring Systems
  • Integrating the satellite data with ground-based monitoring systems and advanced chemical transport models would improve the accuracy of pollution forecasts.
  • This integration would enable policymakers to anticipate pollution spikes and take pre-emptive measures, such as issuing public health advisories, implementing traffic restrictions, or temporarily shutting down high-emission industries.
• Strengthening Regulatory Frameworks
  • While India’s AQI system reflects local epidemiological studies, its standards are less stringent than global benchmarks like the WHO’s guidelines.
  • Aligning Indian standards with international norms could lead to better health outcomes, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions.
  • Moreover, regulations must be dynamic, adapting to emerging challenges such as changing stubble-burning practices or new sources of industrial emissions.
  • Regularly updating these standards based on scientific evidence would ensure that they remain relevant and effective in mitigating pollution.
• Public Awareness and Community Participation
  • A health-centric framework must involve communities at every level.
  • Public awareness campaigns can educate citizens about the health risks of pollution and encourage behaviours such as carpooling, reducing waste burning, and using public transport.
  • Community participation can also drive grassroots solutions, such as local air quality monitoring networks and citizen-led tree-planting drives.
  • Transparency is critical to fostering public trust and participation.
  • Making air quality data easily accessible and understandable ensures that citizens can hold authorities accountable while taking informed personal actions to reduce exposure.
• Developing Health-Centric Policy Framework
  • A sustainable framework must place human health at the core of all air quality initiatives.
  • This means not only reducing pollutant levels but also improving healthcare systems to address the consequences of air pollution.
  • Strengthening respiratory care infrastructure, providing free or subsidised protective measures such as air purifiers and masks, and expanding research into pollution-related health impacts are vital components of a health-centric strategy.

Conclusion

• The air pollution crisis in northern India exemplifies the interplay of human activity, weather patterns, and climate change.
• Addressing it requires a shift from reactive, short-term measures to proactive, science-based strategies.
• By investing in advanced monitoring systems, developing international cooperation, and adopting stringent health-focused policies, India can lead the way in combating air pollution sustainably.

About High-Altitude Sickness:

• High-altitude sickness, or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), occurs when the body cannot acclimatise to high elevations, typically over 8,000 feet (2,400 metres).
• As altitude increases, the air pressure and oxygen levels decrease, leading to hypoxia — a shortage of oxygen in the body’s tissues.
• Symptoms:
• Early symptoms of AMS include headache, nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
• If left untreated, it can escalate into high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), a life-threatening condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs, or high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), where fluid collects in the brain.
• Both conditions require immediate medical intervention, and descent to lower altitudes is often the only way to prevent fatal outcomes.
• At higher altitudes, the body tries to adjust by increasing the breathing rate, which can cause hyperventilation, and produce more red blood cells to carry oxygen, which thickens the blood and strains the heart.
• In cases of HAPE, fluid accumulation in the lungs exacerbates breathing difficulties, while HACE causes symptoms like confusion, hallucinations, and even coma.
• The primary cause of high-altitude sickness is rapid ascent without allowing the body time to acclimatise. Gradual ascent, which allows the body to adapt to lower oxygen levels, is the best way to prevent high-altitude illnesses. 
• Treatment: The most effective treatment is immediate descent to lower altitudes. Symptoms usually improve significantly with a descent of 300-1,000 metres. Supplemental oxygen or a portable hyperbaric chamber can also help alleviate symptoms of AMS and HACE in emergencies.

About Binar Space Program:

• It is a satellite research program operating out of Curtin University.
• It aims to advance our understanding of the Solar System and lower the barrier for operating in space.
• The program began operations with its first satellite, Binar-1, in September 2021. This was less than a year into solar cycle 25 when solar activity was relatively low.
• In these conditions, the ten-centimetre cube satellite started at an altitude of 420 km and survived a full 364 days in orbit.
• The program’s follow-up mission – Binar-2, 3, and 4 – were three equally sized CubeSats. However, they were expected to last approximately six months owing to the extra surface area from new deployable solar arrays and a forecast increase in solar activity.
• As the Sun kicked into high gear, these three satellites burned up in the atmosphere much sooner than expected.

What is solar activity?

• It includes phenomena such as sunspots, solar flares and solar wind – the stream of charged particles that flows toward Earth.
• This activity is a product of the Sun’s ever-changing magnetic field, and approximately every 11 years, it completely flips. At the midpoint of this cycle, solar activity is at its highest.
• In the last few months, indicators of solar activity were more than one and a half times higher than predictions for this point in the current cycle, labelled solar cycle 25.
• Impacts:
• Higher solar activity means more solar flares and stronger solar wind – resulting in a higher flux of charged particles that can damage or disrupt electrical components on satellites.
• It also means an increase in ionising radiation, resulting in a higher dose for astronauts and pilots, and potential disruptions to long-distance radio communications.
• But for satellites in low Earth orbit, the most consistent effect of solar activity is that the extra energy gets absorbed into the outer atmosphere, causing it to balloon outward.
• As a result, all satellites less than 1,000 km from Earth experience a significant increase in atmospheric drag (This is a force that disrupts their orbit and causes them to fall towards the planet’s surface).
• Notable satellites in this region include the International Space Station and the Starlink constellation. These satellites have thrusters to counteract this effect, but these corrections can be expensive.

What is Space weather?

• Space weather refers to the environmental effects that originate from outside our atmosphere (mostly the Sun). It affects us on Earth in a variety of noticeable and unnoticeable ways.
• Space weather, and solar activity in particular, also creates additional challenges for satellites and satellite operators.

About Cloud seeding:

• Cloud seeding, also known as artificial rain, is a weather modification technique that aims to enhance precipitation by introducing substances into clouds to stimulate rainfall.
• How is it done?
  • The science behind cloud seeding involves dispersing materials such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, or dry ice into clouds to encourage the formation of rain or snow.
  • These particles serve as nuclei for water droplets to form around, potentially leading to increased precipitation.
  • The process can be carried out using aircraft, ground-based generators, or even rockets in some cases.
  • Cloud seeding is done to increase the radius of the cloud droplets so that they will grow bigger and because of gravity, they will come down as rainfall.
• In the context of air pollution, cloud seeding is seen as a potential method to "wash away" particulate matter and other pollutants from the air.
• The theory is that increased rainfall could help settle dust and other airborne particles, temporarily improving air quality.
• Challenges: Suitable atmospheric conditions are necessary for the technique to be effective, including the presence of clouds with sufficient moisture. 

About Army Tactical Missile System:

• It is a conventional surface-to-surface artillery weapon system capable of striking targets well beyond the range of existing Army cannons, rockets, and other missiles.
• It is manufactured by the US defense company Lockheed Martin.
• It is also designated M39 by the US Army, and its Department of Defence (DoD) designation is MGM-140.
• The missile first saw use during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
• This weapon's known operators other than the US are Bahrain, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Features:
  • ATACMS are 24/7, all-weather, surface-to-surface, inertially guided ballistic missiles.
  • Range: It has a range of about 190 miles (305 km).
  • Propulsion:Single-stage, solid propellant.
  • These missiles are fired from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System(HIMARS) and the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) platforms.
  • It has the ability to carry cluster munitions,which destroy a targeted area by releasing hundreds of bomblets instead of a single warhead. 

About Exercise Sanyukt Vimochan:

• It is a multilateral annual joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise.
• The exercise, conducted by the Konark Corps of Southern Command of Indian Army, was conducted at Ahmedabad and Porbandar, Gujarat.
• The inaugural event of the exercise at Ahmedabad featured a Tabletop Exercise, focusing on the theme of 'Cyclone in Coastal Region of Gujarat'. Representatives from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA), Meteorological Department and FICCI attended the event along with Indian Armed Forces officials.
• It is aimed at addressing gaps in interagency integration and cooperation, ensuring a swift and coordinated response to natural disasters.
• It also witnessed a Multi-Agency Capability Demonstration held at Chowpatty Beach at Porbandar on 19 November 24.
  • The Multi-Agency Capability Demonstration featured various agencies practicing coordinated logistics, rapid response and effective disaster management strategies in a simulated cyclone scenario.
• This event highlighted the collaborative efforts of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Airforce, Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force & other Central & State Agencies in addressing natural disasters.
• 15 Senior officials and representatives from Nine Friendly Foreign Countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Indian Ocean Region and Southeast Asia attended the event.
• Significance: It has not only enhanced our national disaster response capabilities but also added valuable contributions to the global dialogue on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.