25 March 2024

• Environment: The UN World Water Development Report 2024 released on World Water Day emphasised that water scarcity now threatens peace in multiple conflict-prone regions.
• Polity: The Election Commission's postal ballot framework received fresh attention as the 2024 election approached; categories of eligible voters were expanded to include essential services workers.
• Economy: IRDAI approved Bima Sugam, an e-commerce platform for insurance that will provide a single portal for life, health and non-life insurance.
• Science: The UN General Assembly adopted the first-ever resolution on AI governance, backed by over 120 states.

GS area: Polity (elections)

The Election Commission notified the list of voters eligible for postal ballots ahead of the 2024 general election. This is the mechanism for absentee voting where the ballot form is sent to the voter and returned by post or courier. Eligible categories:

• Service voters: members of the armed forces, CRPF, BSF and other central forces posted away from their home constituency, and government officials posted abroad.
• Voters on election duty: polling officers and security personnel deployed at polling booths in another constituency.
• Senior citizens (above 80 years) and persons with disabilities: can opt for postal ballot from home.
• Preventive detention: persons detained under laws like the UAPA who cannot access a polling booth.
• Essential services workers (newly added): workers in designated essential services who cannot leave their post on polling day, such as electricity and water supply workers.

Process: ballot forms are delivered to the home; completed forms must be returned within five days; they are stored in special strong rooms until counting day.

Static linkage: Polity (elections, voter rights).

GS area: Economy (insurance), Governance

IRDAI approved Bima Sugam, a centralised insurance e-commerce platform. Key features:

• Single access point: all life, health and non-life insurance products accessible on one platform.
• Electronic policy format: eliminates paperwork; policies stored digitally.
• Claims on one platform: customer can file a claim without visiting the insurer's office.
• Reduced intermediary commissions: lower overhead is intended to reduce premiums.
• Consumer benefits: transparent product comparison, one-click purchase, easy portability.

IRDAI background: the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India was established in 1999, headquartered in Hyderabad, under the Ministry of Finance.

Static linkage: Economy (insurance, fintech), governance.

GS area: International Relations, Science and Technology

The UN General Assembly passed its first resolution on AI in March 2024. Key aspects:

• Non-binding: a General Assembly resolution does not create binding obligations under international law.
• Backed by: over 120 member states. Co-sponsored by the United States.
• Core commitments:
  • AI systems must respect human rights throughout their lifecycle.
  • AI's potential for SDG progress acknowledged.
  • Member states called to refrain from deploying AI that violates international human rights law.
• Not a regulation: the resolution is a political statement. The EU AI Act (a regulation binding in EU law) is legally distinct.

Static linkage: International relations (UN, global governance), science and technology.

GS area: History (modern India)

The 25 March date prompted discussion of Usha Mehta (1920-2000), who established Congress Radio, an underground radio station, during the Quit India Movement of 1942.

• Congress Radio: broadcast from hidden locations across Bombay to counter British censorship of nationalist news. The signal moved frequently to avoid detection.
• Nickname: "Radio-ben" (Radio Sister), given to her by the public.
• Conviction and imprisonment: arrested by British authorities, sentenced to jail and released from Yerawada Jail in March 1946.
• Post-independence honour: awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998, two years before her death.

Static linkage: History (freedom struggle, Quit India Movement).

• FARM programme: the Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management programme under UNEP and the Global Environment Facility covers India, Ecuador, Kenya, Laos, Philippines, Uruguay and Vietnam. Goal: phase out 51,000 tonnes of hazardous pesticides and 20,000 tonnes of agricultural plastic waste.
• Shiva and Shakti star streams: two ancient stellar streams, Shiva and Shakti, were identified using the European Space Agency's Gaia telescope. They merged with the Milky Way approximately 12 billion years ago. The stars formed 12-13 billion years after the Big Bang. Each stream has mass roughly 10 million times that of the Sun.
• Swachh Bharat Mission star ratings: cities receive Garbage-Free City ratings from 1 to 7 stars based on waste collection coverage, processing and land fill management. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs manages the assessment. Door-to-door collection at 100 per cent coverage is a prerequisite for the highest ratings.