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The Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana recently arrived on an official visit to India.

• The President of India congratulated Guyana on assuming the rotating Presidency of CARICOM, as well as this month’s Presidency of the United Nations Security Council. 

Location Of Guyana

• Guyana is located on the northern edge of South America. 
• It is geographically positioned both in the Northern and Western hemispheres of the Earth. 
• Bordering Regions: Guyana is bordered by:
  • East: Suriname
  • West: Venezuela 
  • North: Atlantic Ocean
  • South and Southwest: Brazil Maritime Borders: Guyana shares its maritime borders with Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

Important Points to be Remembered

• Capital: Georgetown 
• Mountains: The Pakaraima Mountains, Kanuku Mountains, and Acarai Mountains. 
  • Highest Point: Mount Roraima (situated in the Pakaraima Mountains, at the tripoint border of Brazil-Guyana-Venezuela) is the highest point in Guyana. 
    • The lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean.
• Waterfall: The Kaieteur Falls (one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world).
  • It is about five times higher than Niagara Falls (Canada). 
• River: The Essequibo River remains the largest in the nation. 

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The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept the repo rates unchanged for the sixth time in a row at 6.5 per cent.

First Bi Monthly Policy 2024: RBI keeps Repo Rate Unchanged

• This is the first bi-monthly policy following the presentation of Interim Budget 2024. 
• The RBI typically conducts six bi-monthly meetings in a financial year, where it decides interest rates, money supply, inflation outlook, and various macroeconomic indicators.

RBI First Bi Monthly Policy 2024 — Key highlights

• Withdrawal of Accommodation: The RBI continued with its policy stance of “withdrawal of accommodation” to ensure inflation is in step with its target of 6%(+/-2) while supporting economic growth.
  • Taking into account this growth-inflation dynamics and the fact that transmission  of the cumulative 250 bps policy rate hike is still underway,
• Inflation Outlook: The RBI has maintained its inflation projection at 5.4% for 2023–2024.
  • CPI inflation is predicted to be 4.5% for the upcoming fiscal year 2024–2025, with Q1 at 5%, Q2 at 4%, Q3 at 4.6%, and Q4 at 4.7%.
• Growth Estimates: Real GDP growth for 2024-25 is projected at 7.0 per cent with Q1 at 7.2 per cent; Q2 at 6.8 percent; Q3 at 7.0 per cent; and Q4 at 6.9 per cent. 
  • According to MPC,  recovery in rabi sowing, sustained profitability in manufacturing and underlying resilience of services will support economic activity in 2024-25.
• Geopolitical Uncertainty: Geopolitical unrest in the Middle East and Red Sea region continue to pose key risks to fledgling global recovery and volatility in international financial markets and commodity prices are key sources of upside risks to inflation. 

News Source: All India Radio

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NITI Aayog and the Netherlands embassy released a report titled ‘LNG as a Transportation Fuel in Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle’ at the India Energy Week 2024.

Liquefied Natural Gas As a Transportation Fuel in Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle Report

• The report was released as the first outcome of the cooperation between NITI Aayog and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the field of energy transition under the Statement of Intent (SoI) partnership since 2020. 
• Focus: To leverage LNG as a fuel source and customise its use in the medium and commercial vehicle segment.
• Target: The report lists strategies  to achieve  a 15% gas share in the primary energy supply and also the goal of Net Zero by 2070. 

Advantage of Using Liquefied Natural Gas As Transport Fuel 

• Reduce oil Import bill:  A  switch to Liquefied Natural Gas from diesel (10 percent of new diesel vehicles switched to LNG by 2032) could result in the reduction in oil import bill by $1.5 billion by the year 2032
• Reduce tank-to-wheel emissions
• Air pollution: The HDV sector alone contributes up to 66 percent of the particulate matter from the road transport sector, therefore switching to Liquefied Natural Gas will improve air pollution in cities.

Challenges In Adoption of LNG As a Transport Fuel in India

• Initial cost: The high initial cost of Liquefied Natural Gas-based vehicles compared to traditional diesel trucks is a significant challenge for the adoption of LNG in the HDV segment with an estimated price difference of around Rs 11-12 lakh posing a barrier for fleet operators.
• Availability of LNG vehicles and plans of OEMs: To bridge the gap between infrastructure development and vehicle scarcity, State Transport Undertakings (STUs) can play a significant role in employing LNG HDVs in its fleet
• Availability of Liquefied Natural Gas retail outlets:  The establishment of LNG refuelling infrastructure is crucial for the successful adoption of LNG as a transportation fuel with a plan to install 50 LNG retail outlets along the Golden Quadrilateral in the pipeline.
• Retro-fitment of LNG trucks: Conversion of  trucks is not a long-term solution as most HDVs stop going to the secondary market once they are over six years old. 
• Financing of LNG trucks:  Financing companies have  different risk perceptions regarding the financing of LNG-based HDVs. 

Suggestions From the Report

• A dedicated agency: To set  up a demand aggregator company for buying Liquefied Natural Gas trucks, similar to Energy Efficiency Services (EESL) in the electric vehicle sector.
• Non fiscal Incentives: Priority lane access can be provided  for LNG vehicles with pilots conducted in major cities and roads.
• Incentives for adoption: Heavy-duty trucks running on LNG can be allowed to enter cities to incentivise alternative fuel adoptions, while diesel trucks can be banned or levied with entry charges. 
  • Example:  Delhi  implements  the environmental compensation charge (ECC) for all diesel heavy-duty trucks.
• Tax incentives: VAT on the sale of Liquefied Natural Gas to heavy-duty vehicles (HDV)  and the retail LNG price needs to be reduced to 5 per cent under the ambit GST bracket, to achieve the required tax rate harmonisation across states, thus effectively bringing down the LNG HDV operating cost.

News Source: PIB

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IRDAI recently released its draft Rural, Social Sector and Motor Third Party Obligations Regulations, 2024.

IRDAI Proposes Obligatory Insurance Coverage in Gram Panchayats Across India

• The regulations proposed  to make insurance coverage obligatory in all gram panchayats across India by the insurance companies 
• To achieve the objective of insurance for all.

Insurance Sector in India: Compliance and Obligations 

• Life Insurance coverage

• • In the first year, there should be a minimum life insurance coverage of  30 per cent in at least 25000  gram panchayats by all life insurers in the country.
  • It increases to  40 percent of lives subject to a minimum of 50,000 gram panchayats and 50 percent of lives subject to a minimum of 75,000 gram panchayats in years 2 and 3 respectively.

• Motor insurance 

  • The obligations are specified for goods-carrying and passenger-carrying vehicles as nearly 50 per cent of the vehicles in these 2 categories are uninsured.
  • Underwriting of claims:  Every general insurer will have to underwrite at least a 20 per cent increase over the total number of goods-carrying and passenger-carrying vehicles compared to last year or 20,000 vehicles under these categories or 10,000 vehicles in each category, whichever is higher.
  • Trade of policies: The insurers can buy/sell the obligations from their surplus till 20 per cent,  however, it will still continue to be the insurer and will be  responsible for servicing the insurance policy and settling claims under it.

• Social Sector Obligation

• • Insurance business pertaining to Government social security schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJY) are eligible for rural and social sector obligations.
  • Beneficiaries of government schemes: BPL cardholders, MNREGA card holders, eShram cardholders, DBT beneficiaries, Ayushman Bharat cardholders, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana beneficiaries, Jan Dhan account holders, beneficiaries of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and PM Viswakarma Yojana would qualify for the social sector obligations.

Insurance Sector in India

• About: India is the ninth-largest life insurance market globally with the  Insurance market  expected to reach US$ 200 billion by 2027, growing at a rate of 32-34% each year.
• Licensing Authority: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
• Stakeholders: India has  57 insurance companies (24 are in the life insurance business (LIC being the only public sector company) while 34 are non-life insurers), and a sole national reinsurer, namely General Insurance Corporation of India.
• Insurance statistics: As per IRDAI,
  • Penetration: It  increased from 2.71 per cent in 2001-02 to 4.2 per cent in 2021-22.
  • Density: It  increased from US $ 11.5 in 2001-02 to $ 91 in the year 2021-22. 
• Standing Committee on Finance recommendation: for the growth of the Insurance Sector in India
  • Composite  licensing: Insurance  companies should be allowed to offer both life and non-life insurance products, including health, motor and term policies.
  • GST: The committee has also proposed a reduction in GST rates from the current level of 18 per cent in the case of health insurance and term policies.

News source: The Indian express

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A committed investment of 6766 crores has been approved under the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for White Goods containing Air Conditioners and LED lights.

PLI Scheme for White Goods: Key Highlights

• 64 Applicants are approved under the project.
• All the  companies who opted for Gestation Period 2021-22 have been commissioned and achieved 234% of their total threshold investment.

PLI Scheme For White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights): 

• Nodal Agency: Ministry of Commerce.
• Tenure: 5 years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2028-29.
• Objective: To create a complete component ecosystem for the Air Conditioners and LED Lights Industry in India and make India an integral part of the global supply chains.
• Target segments: High-value and/ or Low-value intermediaries for production of AC & LED Lights
• Incentives: The scheme will extend an incentive of 4-6% on incremental turnover over base year (2019-20) of goods sold in India and exported to global markets, to eligible companies for a period of 5 years.

News Source: News on AIR

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The Prime Minister addressed the programme marking the 150th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada at Bharat Mandapam and released a commemorative stamp and a coin in his honour.

About Srila Prabhupada

• Srila Prabhupada: Born as Abhay Charan, he was the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement. 
• Mission: To spread the teachings of Bhagavad-gita and the principles of Bhakti Yoga (the path of loving devotion to God), particularly focused on the worship of Lord Krishna. 
• Gaudiya Mission: Srila Prabhupada was the founder of Gaudiya Mission, which played a pivotal role in preserving and spreading the fundamental tenets of Vaishnava faith. 
  • Gaudiya Mission has played a significant role in propagating the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

• Birth of ISKCON: He left India in 1965 to fulfil the order of his spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, to spread the teachings of Krishna consciousness in the Western world. 
• Maha Mantra: ISKCON promotes the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra as a means to attain spiritual enlightenment and happiness. 
• Works: He translated and commented on numerous Vedic texts, including the Bhagavad-gita, Chaitanya Charitamrita, etc. 

News Source: AIR

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The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the PRITHvi VIgyan scheme, a research scheme worth Rs 4,797 crore.

• PRITHvi VIgyan Scheme aims to enhance and sustain research efforts in ocean, atmospheric, and polar sciences.

About PRITHvi VIgyan Scheme

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Tenure: 2021 to 2026
• PRITHvi VIgyan scheme mainly addresses Earth System Sciences’s five components:
  • Atmosphere
  • Cryosphere
  • Biosphere
  • Hydrosphere
  • Geosphere
• PRITHvi VIgyan Scheme Incorporates Following Subschemes Under MOES
  • ACROSS
  • O-SMART
  • PACER
  • SAGE
  • REACHOUT

• Objectives Of PRITHvi VIgyan Scheme

• • To create predictive models that help to predict ocean dangers and weather events. 
  • To investigate polar and marine regions deeply. 

Benefits Of PRITHvi VIgyan Scheme

• Disaster Management: It will help in disaster management of the nation by issuing early warning services for natural disasters like floods, cyclones, heatwaves, and earthquakes. 
• Exploration: It will help in the exploration of the Arctic, Antarctic, and Himalayas and  help in getting valuable insights into these areas.

News Source: Indianexpress

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Recently, the Finance Minister has announced the launch of a new scheme to strengthen deep tech capabilities in the defence sector.

What is Deep Tech?

• Deep tech refers to advanced and groundbreaking technologies that are still in the process of being developed. 
  • These technologies have the potential to bring about significant changes and offer solutions for the future.
• It includes cutting-edge research in areas like Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Material Sciences, Quantum Technologies, Semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, Data Sciences, Robotics, and 3D Printing.

Features of Deep Tech

• Complexity: Deep tech uses complicated technologies and other scientific principles. 
• Time & Scale: Deep technology requires more time than shallow technology development such as mobile apps and websites. The development of AI took decades but still, it is not perfect. 

Benefits of Deep Tech

• Mitigation of global Challenges: Advanced technologies can address global challenges like climate change, hunger, epidemics, energy access, transportation, and cybersecurity.
• Growth of Economy: These technologies can boost productivity, drive economic growth, and create jobs in the future.
• Competitive Edge: Countries with a strong foundation in Technological areas may gain a competitive edge.

Challenges For Deep Tech

• Inadequate Funding: Deep tech projects are very  time-consuming and money-intensive therefore it requires large funding. 
• Complexity of Data: These advanced tech projects use deep learning algorithms that rely on high-quality and complex data. Managing, labelling, and acquiring such data can be very tough. 
• Time constraints: Converting new scientific findings into products that people can buy usually takes more time than regular innovations which require careful planning over a long period of time. 

Impacts of Deep Tech

• Market Disruption: Deep tech can bring radical changes in the market and thus can disrupt existing marketplaces, leading to changes in the economic condition of the economy, society, and lives. 
• Capital: Research and developmental activities, prototyping, validating hypotheses, and technology development  in deep tech require a lot of early-stage funding which will increase the capital expenditure of the economy. 

Indian Government Initiative

• National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP): It aims to include long-term funding opportunities, simplified intellectual property rights, tax incentives, a supportive regulatory framework and collaboration between industry, research centres, and educational institutions.

News Source: Indianexpress

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A recent study reported that Deep learning approaches are important for drug discovery.

Background of Neural Network

• In 1944, artificial neural networks were first proposed by Warren McCullough and Walter Pitts.
• Later, it led to the birth of deep-learning and artificially intelligent systems like ChatGPT.
• Today, deep learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is being used to discover new antibiotics.
• The second wave of deep learning revolutions started in 1990 with advances in algorithms and computational power revitalising neural networks.

What is a Neural Network?

• A neural network, also known as an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is a powerful tool in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), inspired by the structure and function of the human brain.
• Building block: They are fundamental units, consisting of interconnected nodes (artificial neurons) arranged in layers.
• Function: Each node processes information and transmits it to others, mimicking the firing of biological neurons.
• Applications: Diverse talks like image recognition, natural language processing, and speech recognition.

Relations Between Deeper Learning and Antibiotics

• Discovering New Drugs: Deep learning can design new antibiotics from scratch, exploring Chemical Models/ Motifs/ Compounds not easily accessible through traditional methods.
• Repurposing Existing Drugs: Enhancing understanding of specific antibiotic research by providing a broader model for enhancing drug development strategies.
  • Deep learning can identify existing drugs with potential antibacterial activity, accelerating their development into new antibiotics.
• Understanding Resistance Mechanisms: Deep learning can help analyse and predict how bacteria develop resistance to existing antibiotics, guiding the development of new ones that are less susceptible.

How Neural Networks Found Antibiotics?

• Researchers at MIT and Harvard used a type of neural network called a Graph Neural Network (GNN) to analyse a massive database of molecules.
  • The GNN highlighted specific substructures within the molecule that contributed to their antibiotic activity.
• These substructures provided valuable insights into the drug discovery process.
• This explainable artificial intelligence approach allows researchers to not only discover new antibiotics but also understand their core process of work, potentially accelerating the development and optimization of these drugs.

News Source: The Hindu and MIT News   

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Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) will be part of an advanced NISAR phase 2 research project on forest biomass and carbon monitoring using radar data.

KUFOS to Join Research Project Under NASA-ISRO Collaboration Programme

• The collaboration comes after the successful completion of the first phase of the ISRO-NISAR program.
• The second phase of the research project involves the use of advanced radar imaging which provides a detailed view of Earth made available through the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR).

NISAR: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar 

• NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is a joint project between NASA and ISRO.

• • NISAR is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory. It will map the entire Earth in 12 days.
• Aim: To co-develop and launch a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar on an Earth observation satellite.
• Significance: The satellite will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies. It will be used for remote sensing to observe and understand natural processes on Earth.

• Features of NISAR

  • Dual Frequency Radar: NISAR will be the first radar imaging satellite to use two frequencies, L-band (24cm wavelength) and S-band (9cm wavelength), making it able to collect more detailed data on a wider range of Earth’s surface.
  • High Resolution: NISAR will be able to map Earth’s surface with a resolution of up to 5m in L-band and 12m in S-band. This will allow it to see small features to be seen by other radar satellites.
  • Global Coverage: NISAR will be able to map the entire Earth every 12 days.
  • Open Data: All the data collected by NISAR will be freely available to scientists around the world.

• Application of NISAR 

• • Ecosystem Monitoring: NISAR high-resolution data will be used to monitor the health of forests, grasslands, and other ecosystems. The information will be crucial for understanding the impact of climate change.
  • Disaster Preparedness: NISAR maps floodplains, landslides, and other potential hazards. The information will help the community prepare before disaster and develop early warning systems.
  • Water Resource Management: NISAR’s data can be used to map surface water resources, such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands. 
  • Cryosphere Monitoring: NISAR’s data can be used to monitor glaciers, ice sheets, and sea ice. The data can be used to track changes in ice thickness and extent, which is important for understanding the impacts of climate change on sea level rise and global climate patterns.
  • Solid Earth Science: NISAR’s data can be used to study the Earth’s crust and mantle, important for mapping faults, volcanoes, and other geological features. This information is important for understanding the Earth’s tectonic processes and hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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The European Union proposed a new goal for 2040 through its commission, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas net emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels.

New Climate Goal For 2040: European Union

This proposal is an interim step required by the EU Climate Law (2021), which outlines a process to develop a 2040 target within six months of the first Global Stocktake (GST), which concluded at the 28th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC in Dubai in December 2023.

• The 2040 target by the EU outlines a roadmap in line with GST,  stating that coal will be almost completely phased out by 2040, natural gas will rapidly decline in use and oil will be the last to be phased out.

EU Earlier Steps to Mitigate Net Emissions

• Earlier Goal: In September 2020, the EU set a new goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030. 
  • This decision was formalised as the EU’s second Nationally Determined Contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2020.
• EU Climate Law: Following up on this commitment, the EU Climate Law was passed in 2021, which not only included the 55% reduction target but also pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
• Fit For 55: To support these ambitious goals, the European Commission released the “Fit for 55” package in 2021. 
  • This package was a comprehensive set of proposals designed to help the EU reach its 2030 reduction target and pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Criticism 

• Missing reflection of the EU’s historical emissions burden:
  • While the 2030 goal of a 55 per cent reduction would lead to an absolute emission level of 2.16 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent based on 1990 levels, the 90 per cent goal would mean an absolute emission level of 0.48 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent.
  • Climate Action Tracker and the European Union Scientific Advisory Board for Climate Change suggest that the Commission would ideally need a target of 65 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and at least a 95 per cent reduction by 2040 compared to 1990 levels to remain on a 1.5C pathway and to address its fair share.
• Heavy faith in carbon capture & CO2 removal: The dependence on CCUS, which still remains largely unreliable as an effective climate action strategy, is concerning and raises questions about the ambition of the target. 
  • The proposal expects carbon removals to reach up to 400 tonnes of CO2 by 2040, up from 310 tonnes of CO2 removal by 2030 as envisioned in the 2021 plan.
  • According to Climate Action Tracker if this dependence on carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies is removed, the actual reduction will only be about 84 per cent by 2040.
• Concessions for the agricultural sector: Earlier leaked draft of the proposal had strong targets for the agricultural sector – a 30 per cent emissions reduction between 2015 and 2040. 
  • However, the present target is nearly 11 per cent.

Climate-Focused Policies Of EU

The EU has introduced several climate-focused policies alongside the 2040 proposal.

• Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): It was put in place in 2022, aiming to regulate trade to tackle climate change.
  •  It faced criticism from developing nations like India and South Africa, who fear increased costs.
• Green Deal Industrial Plan:  It was also introduced in 2022, and includes initiatives such as the Net Zero Industry Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act. 
  • These initiatives aimed to boost domestic production of green technologies.
• The Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA): This act  was finalised on February 6 and it  has provisions to support the production of renewable energy, energy storage, and electric grids. 
  • There’s a push to expand its scope to include nuclear power, though some groups criticise its support for costly and unreliable technologies like CCUS.

News Source: DownToEarth

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This article is based on the news “lon Musk’s Neuralink is a minefield of scientific and ethical concerns” which was published in the Indian Express. Neuralink has placed an experimental brain device (called Telepathy Chip) in a person in the first human test of the technology.

• Human Experimentation: The company’s PRIME study, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration last year, is testing a brain implant for people with paralysis to control external devices with their thoughts.

About Neuralink Technology

• Neuralink is a neurotechnology company co-founded by Elon Musk with a mission to develop brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). 
  • BCIs use brain activity and brain signals, analysing and translating them into commands to allow users to control external devices. 
  • The initial goal of the so-called brain-computer interface (BCI) is to allow people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.
• Telepathy Chip: It is a surgically implantable chip that records data from individual neurons, transmitting it to a computer for task execution.
• Human Application: To restore ability to control digital devices to quadriplegic individuals through thought and intentions.
  • Quadriplegic: Related to paralysis or loss of function in four limbs.

• Vision Of Neuralink

  • To create a generalised brain interface for medical needs. 
  • Enhance human cognitive abilities in healthy humans. Cognitive abilities are the skills the brain uses to perform everyday tasks like thinking, learning, paying attention etc.
• Concern:  To alter and enhance cognitive abilities in healthy humans, opens up a Pandora’s box of ethical and legal concerns.

Overview of How Neuralink Works

• Implantation: The first step involves surgically implanting a telepathy chip into the brain. 
  • It is about the size of a coin and is designed to be implanted in the skull, with ultra-thin wires going directly into the brain. 
• Brain-computer communication: Once implanted, the chip can record electrical signals generated by neurons in the brain. These signals can be decoded and interpreted by algorithms to understand the brain’s activity patterns.
• Data Processing: The recorded neural signals are processed by algorithms to extract meaningful information about brain activity, such as motor commands or sensory inputs.
• External Communication: The processed neural signals can then be used to control external devices, such as computers or prosthetic limbs, allowing individuals to interact with the outside world using their thoughts.

Protocols Associated With Study

• Inclusion Criteria for Trials: The inclusion criteria specify adult patients with quadriplegia from  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or spinal cord injury without much improvement up to a year post-injury, and those who have an available full-time reliable caregiver. 

• Exclusion Criteria For Trials

  • Individuals who have other implants such as pacemakers or electrodes for deep brain stimulation. 
  • People whose conditions need procedures such as regular MRI scans or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). 
  • Individuals with a history of seizures.

Ethical Concerns Associated With Neuralink Technology

• Data Ownership: The ownership of recorded data and intentions decoded by the device is unclear. This raises crucial questions: 
  • Who retains ownership of this recorded data? 
  • Will Neuralink have data ownership? If yes, what can they technically do with this ownership of “intent to carry out an action” on behalf of a third party?
• Safety Concern: There are disturbing reports of monkeys dying from surgeries and ethical breaches raise concerns about the safety of implantation procedure.
  • The threading of electrodes in the brain will lead to some form of micro-injuries in the brain which may lead to serious neurological conditions such as neurodegeneration in the long term. 
• Concerns Over Testing Practices: A major medical ethics advocacy group, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, has requested the Food and Drug Administration hold Neuralink accountable for violating protocols on biological tests.
  • For example, Reuters reported that over 1,500 animals have died during Neuralink’s testing experience since its beginning in 2018.
• Profit Maximisation vs Business Ethics: There is uncertainty about how Neuralink will navigate the critical issues concerning the safeguarding of patients’ sensitive data. Ensuring that the company prioritises the well-being of trial participants and refrains from exploiting their data for profit remains a concern in this evolving landscape. 
• Equality and Accessibility: The high costs associated with BCIs and related procedures could create a significant socioeconomic divide, limiting access primarily to the wealthy. 
• Creating Super Humans: Technologies that restore cognitive capabilities can further facilitate the developments that enhance human capabilities and cognition leading to concerns including inequality, discrimination, loss of humanity, and potential misuse of enhanced abilities leading to social disruption or conflict. 
  • For example, the US Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA)’s BRAIN initiative aims to improve soldiers’ cognitive capacities.
• Concerns Over Transparency: The trials of the surgically implanted chip are shrouded in secrecy, with limited transparency.
  • Concerns arise regarding the availability and transparency of data to withstand scrutiny from the scientific community.
  • The only information available is through an online brochure, which is characteristically minimalistic. 

Emerging Rights

• Cognitive Liberty: The principle that individuals should have the right to control and make autonomous decisions about their own consciousness, cognition, and mental processes. 
  • This includes the freedom to explore and alter one’s own mind without interference from external forces. 
  • It encompasses the right to pursue modification technologies if desired, as long as it does not harm others.
• Mental Privacy: The protection of individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and mental states from unauthorised access or intrusion. 
  • With advancements in neurotechnology, there is a growing concern about the potential for invasive techniques to read or manipulate neural activity without consent. 
  • Mental privacy rights seek to safeguard the inner workings of the mind, ensuring that individuals have control over who can access their thoughts and feelings.
• Mental Integrity: The protection of individuals’ cognitive functioning and psychological well-being from harm or manipulation. 
  • It involves ensuring that technologies aimed at modifying brain function are safe, ethical, and aligned with individuals’ values and goals. 
  • These rights guard against exploitation in the use of neuromodulation techniques and emphasise the importance of preserving the authenticity and autonomy of individuals’ minds.
• Psychological Continuity: The preservation of individuals’ sense of self, identity, and personal history over time. 
  • As neurotechnologies advance, there are concerns about the potential for interventions that could alter an individual’s subjective experience. 
  • These rights seek to ensure that any changes to mental states do not undermine their fundamental sense of self.

Way Forward 

• Call for Safety, and Ethical Standards: Access to human thought and cognition necessitates robust user privacy protections. Integrated policy making is crucial for user privacy safeguards, ensuring explicit user permissions. 
• Transparent Data Practices: Governments must track how private organisations use brain signal data to ensure that it aligns with national and global consumer privacy and data-collection legislation, such as the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• Emphasis on Deliberation and Ethical Considerations: Thorough evaluation of policies, safety measures, legal frameworks, and ethical dimensions by the international community is important. 
  • Aiming for a future where BCIs enhance human potential while preserving core values is necessary.
• Greater Openness and Transparency: Secrecy erodes trust thus Neuralink and other neurotechnology companies must prioritise openness and transparency to build confidence within the scientific community. 
• Long-term Planning and Legislation: Legislation-backed policies are essential to mitigate the risks of BCIs. The establishment of neuro-rights in law and policy-making, as seen in countries like Chile and Spain, is crucial.  
• Ensuring Equality and Accessibility: Ensure accessibility of BCI technologies to individuals from diverse backgrounds, promoting inclusivity and minimising societal disparities

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This article is based on the news “4 takeaways from Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code Bill: on live-in relationships, bigamy and more” which was published in the All India Radio. Recently, the Uttarakhand government tabled the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) 2024 Bill in the Assembly which makes important changes in areas such as marriage, divorce, and succession.

About Uttarakhand UCC Bill 2024

• Objective: Uttarakhand UCC Bill 2024 proposes a common law on marriage, divorce, inheritance of property and live-in relationships for all citizens, irrespective of their religion. Applicability: It covers matters related to marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption. 
  • Scheduled Tribes have been kept out of the scope of this law.

Provisions of Uttarakhand UCC Bill On Marriage

• Fixed Age: The age of marriage has been fixed at 21 years for boys and 18 years for girls. 
• Prohibits Polygamy: By placing a condition for marriage under Section 4 of the Bill that neither party can have a living spouse at the time of their marriage.
• Compulsory Registration: Regardless of any other existing laws or customs, after the enactment of the Uttarakhand UCC bill, it would be mandatory to register marriages.

Provisions of Uttarakhand UCC Bill On Divorce

• Annul of Voidable Marriages: On grounds like non-consummation, contravention of marriage conditions, force or coercion in obtaining consent, or pregnancy by someone other than the spouse.
• Punishment: Penalties are prescribed for contravention of certain provisions, including imprisonment and fines. 
  • It makes halala, iddat and triple talaq (practices governing marriage and divorce under Muslim personal law) punishable offences. 
    • On breach of the provision, imprisonment of three years or a fine of Rs 1 lakh or both would be charged. 
• Other Significant Points: It regulates the time frame for filing divorce petitions, prohibits dissolution of marriage except as per the UCC, grants the right to remarry after divorce or nullity, and upholds the legitimacy of children from void and voidable marriages. 
  • In case of divorce or domestic dispute, the custody of a child up to 5 years of age will remain with the mother.Provisions of Bill on Inheritance: 
• Biological Children: Illegitimate children, adopted children, children born through surrogacy and children born through assisted reproductive technology are considered to be biological children.
• Rights on Property: Equal property rights for sons and daughters across all classes. Disqualification from Inheritance: It includes murder or remarriage before the death of the person, while disease or deformity would not disqualify an heir unless specified otherwise. 

Provisions of Uttarakhand UCC Bill On Live-In Relationships

• Mandatory Registration: The registration of any live-in relationship within the state’s jurisdiction, regardless of whether the man and woman are residents of Uttarakhand or not. The registration is solely for record purposes. 
• On Termination: Partners can terminate the relationship by submitting a statement. 
• Rights Available: Women deserted by their live-in partners can claim maintenance through the competent court. 
  • Children born out of such relationships are considered legitimate.

Concerns With Uttarakhand UCC Bill

• Infringement of Right of Privacy: In the Indian Constitution, the right to live with dignity and the right to privacy are both recognised as dimensions of Article 21.
  • In the 2017 landmark Puttaswamy ruling, the SC recognised privacy rights. 

• • • It recognised the right to privacy is protected as a fundamental right under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution unless the authority is “satisfied that the larger public interest justifies its disclosure”.
• Exclusion of LGBT Community: The Code applies to residents of the state, but only to those who identify within the binary genders of male and female who are in heterosexual relationships, thus leaving most LGBT persons outside its ambit.

• Concerns around Criminalisation: Uttarakhand UCC Bill relies on criminalisation for enforcement, which is likely to disproportionately impact minority communities, as several religious and customary practices of religious minorities have been outlawed.
• Surveillance Regime: The surveillance regime enabled by the Bill can be misused to harass interfaith and inter-caste couples.
• Unnecessary Registration for Live-in Partners: The Domestic Violence Act already provides relief for live-in relationships, making registration unnecessary.

Conclusion

Uttarakhand’s initiative aligns with the words of K.M. Munshi, who contended that a Uttarakhand UCC bill would not defeat the freedom of religion since the state is empowered to make laws related to religious practices if intended for social reform. 

• The proposed UCC will not affect the reservation of any class, marital rights, customs, etc. It is set to focus on gender equality by introducing provisions that treat men and women equally, especially in matters of inheritance. 

News Source: The Indian Express

To Read more on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), click here

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