Current Affairs (CONSOLIDaTION)

September 2020 (Part – II)

Drishti, 641, First Floor, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi-110009 Phone: 87501 87501, WhatsApp: 92058 85200, IVR: 8010-440-440 Email: [email protected] Contents

Polity and Governance...... 1 z Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020...... 1 z Suspension of Amnesty International Operations in India...... 3 z Federalism and Emerging Challenges...... 3 z No Confidence Resolution against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman...... 5 z Role of Parliamentary Committees...... 6 z Labour Reforms...... 7 z Ethical Code for Electronic Media...... 8 z Adjournment Motion...... 9 z World Bank’s Human Capital Index 2020...... 10 z Vaibhav Summit...... 10 z Free Internet Gadget and Package to Poor Students...... 11 z Country of Origin Rules: CAROTAR 2020...... 12 z Arsenic-affected Habitations Increased...... 13 z Covid-19 Infection in PVTGs...... 14 z Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana...... 15 z Samarth Scheme for Textile Sector...... 16 z MedSpark in Kerala...... 16 z Shuchi Scheme: Karnataka...... 17 z YuWaah Platform...... 18 z O-SMART Scheme...... 18 z Multi-stakeholder Body for Net Neutrality...... 19 z Destination North East Festival...... 20 z World Tourism Day 2020...... 20 z National Medical Commission...... 21 z Lok Adalat...... 21 z Kaushal Se Kal Badlenge: DDU-GKY...... 23 z FAME India Scheme Phase II...... 24 z Arrest Under Official Secrets Act...... 25 z Education Through Radio in Odisha...... 26 z EPFO’s New Facility on UMANG App...... 26 z PMNCH Accountability Breakfast...... 27

Economic Scenario...... 29 z Parliamentary Committee Report on Startups...... 29 z Need for Balanced Loan Restructuring Scheme: RBI Governor...... 30 z Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks...... 31 z Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020...... 32 z Support to Self-Employment Schemes: MSME...... 33 z World Bamboo Day...... 34 z FinCEN and FIU-IND...... 35 z PCA Decision on Retrospective Taxation by India...... 37 z MSP Raised for Rabi Crops...... 38 z Infrastructure Investment Trusts as Fundraiser...... 40 z Report on 2020-21 Kharif Marketing Season: CACP...... 41 z Plastic Parks Scheme...... 42 z Non-utilisation of Cesses & Levies ...... 43 z Domestic Systemically Important Insurers...... 44 z ESG Funds Becoming Popular in India...... 45

International Relations...... 47 z Israel, UAE and Bahrain Abraham Accord...... 47 z Djibouti Code of Conduct...... 48 z Initiatives Launched on G20 EMM...... 50 z BRICS National Security Advisers Meet...... 50 z Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement: USA...... 51 z Japan’s New Prime Minister...... 52 z Gilgit-Baltistan to Become a Pakistani Province...... 53 z 60 Years of Indus Water Treaty...... 54 z Universal Eligibility for World Bank Loan...... 55 z International Day of Peace...... 56 z G4 Foreign Ministers Meeting...... 57 z SAARC and CICA Meetings...... 58 z JIMEX 20 Maritime Exercise...... 59 z Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict...... 60 z Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark...... 62 z Referendum on Free Movement: Switzerland-EU...... 63

Science and Technology...... 65 z Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT)...... 65 z Phosphine on Venus: A Sign of Life...... 66 z Serial Interval and Covid-19...... 67 z Pact for Sputnik V Availability in India...... 67 z Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center...... 68 z Biotech-KISAN Programme...... 68 z Jasmonate Hormone and Rice Productivity...... 69 z India based Neutrino Observatory...... 70 z Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target ...... 71 z New Brucellosis Vaccine by ICAR...... 71 z Modern Grand Solar Minimum...... 72 z NASA’s Artemis Program...... 73 z Science & Technology Indicators, 2019-20...... 74 z Data Sonification: NASA...... 75 z Scrub Typhus...... 76 z UAE’s Moon Mission...... 77 z Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence...... 77

Environment and Ecology...... 79 z Living Planet Report: WWF...... 79 z Morphological Phenotypic Plasticity in Kalinga Frog...... 80 z Phytoplankton Biomass in Bay of Bengal...... 81 z Reversing Global Wildlife Decline...... 82 z Wetlands Conservation...... 83 z Eight Indian Beaches Recommended for Blue Flag...... 85 z Nandankanan Zoological Park: Odisha...... 86 z African Elephant Deaths Due to Cyanobacteria...... 87 z Komodo Dragon...... 88 z EPCA on Early Burning of Crop Residue...... 89 z World Risk Index 2020...... 90 z Pusa Decomposer to Curb Stubble Burning...... 91 z Fridays For Future Movement...... 91 z Whale Mass Strandings...... 92 z China’s Renewed Support for Paris Agreement...... 92 z Leuser Ecosystem...... 93 z Climate Change and Forest Fire Link...... 94 z Sandalwood Spike Disease ...... 96 z Six Mega Projects in Uttarakhand: Namami Gange Mission...... 97 z Campaign to Remove Lantana: Rajasthan ...... 98

History...... 99 z Bhagat Singh’s Birth Anniversary...... 99 z Centenary of Discovery of Harappan Civilization...... 100

Geography...... 101 z Re-measuring Mount Everest...... 101 z Mekedatu Project...... 102 z Increase in Frequency of Medicanes...... 103 z Autumnal Equinox in Northern Hemisphere...... 103

Art & Culture...... 105 z Chendamangalam Saree: Kerala...... 105 z Kakatiya Dynasty...... 105 z Guru Nanak Dev’s 481st Death Anniversary...... 106 z Jnanpith Award...... 106

Social Issues...... 108 z CAG Survey Report on School Toilets ...... 108 z Sale of Loose Cigarettes and Beedis...... 109 z Congo Fever Alert in Maharashtra...... 110

Security...... 112 z Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020...... 112

Miscellaneous...... 114 z Bharati Script...... 114 www.drishtiIAS.com CURRENT AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2020 1 Polity and Governance

Highlights z Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020 z MedSpark in Kerala z Suspension of Amnesty International Operations in India z Shuchi Scheme: Karnataka z Federalism and Emerging Challenges z YuWaah Platform z No Confidence Resolution against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman z O-SMART Scheme z Role of Parliamentary Committees z Multi-stakeholder Body for Net Neutrality z Labour Reforms z Destination North East Festival z Ethical Code for Electronic Media z World Tourism Day 2020 z Adjournment Motion z National Medical Commission z World Bank’s Human Capital Index 2020 z Lok Adalat z Vaibhav Summit z Kaushal Se Kal Badlenge: DDU-GKY z Free Internet Gadget and Package to Poor Students z FAME India Scheme Phase II z Country of Origin Rules: CAROTAR 2020 z Arrest Under Official Secrets Act z Arsenic-affected Habitations Increased z Education Through Radio in Odisha z Covid-19 Infection in PVTGs z EPFO’s New Facility on UMANG App z Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana z PMNCH Accountability Breakfast z Samarth Scheme for Textile Sector

z The FCRA 2010 also bars certain persons to accept Foreign any foreign contribution. These include: election Contribution (Regulation) candidates, editor or publisher of a newspaper, judges, government servants, members of any Amendment Bill, 2020 legislature, and political parties, among others. € Transfer of foreign contribution:The Bill prohibits Why in News the transfer of foreign contribution to any other person. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment z The term ‘person’ under the Bill includes an Bill, 2020 was passed by the Parliament. The Bill amends individual, an association, or a registered the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. company. Key Points z The FCRA 2010 allows transfer of foreign contributions to persons registered to accept ¾ Provisions of the Bill: foreign contributions. € Prohibition to accept foreign contribution: The € Aadhaar for registration:The Bill makes Aadhaar Bill bars public servants from receiving foreign number mandatory for all office bearers, directors contributions. or key functionaries of a person receiving foreign z Public servant includes any person who is in contribution, as an identification document. service or pay of the government, or remunerated z In case of a foreigner, a copy of the passport by the government for the performance of any or the Overseas Citizen of India card for public duty. identification is required.

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€ FCRA account: The Bill states that foreign foreign contributions and facilitating the genuine contribution must be received only in an account non-governmental organisations or associations designated by the bank as FCRA account in such who are working for the welfare of society. branches of the State Bank of India, New Delhi. No ¾ Issues Involved: funds other than the foreign contribution should € The Bill would impact the livelihoods of workers be received or deposited in this account. associated with the small Non-Governmental z The person may open another FCRA account in Organisations (NGOs) and lead to the killing of any scheduled bank of their choice for keeping the entire social sectoras caps on administrative or utilising the received contribution. expenses would make it impossible for even the € Restriction in utilisation of foreign contribution: bigger NGOs to perform. The Bill allows the government to restrict usage of € It will severely impact collaborative research in unutilised foreign contribution. This may be done critical fields in India as organisations receiving if, based on an inquiry the government believes foreign funds will no longer be able to transfer that such person has contravened provisions of them to small NGOs working at the grassroots level. the FCRA. € The government aims to control the NGOs which € Reduction in use of foreign contribution for engage in dubious activities. However, by administrative purposes:The Bill proposes that not failing more than 20% of the total foreign funds received to recognise the diversity of NGOs, which include could be defrayed for administrative expenses. In world-class organisations that are recognised FCRA 2010 the limit was 50%. globally, will crush their competitiveness and creativity. € Surrender of certificate: The Bill allows the central government to permit a person to surrender their € It is also incompatible with international law. registration certificate. z The United Nations Human Rights Council z The government may do so if, post an inquiry, resolution on protecting human rights it is satisfied that such person has not violated defenders says that no law should criminalize any provisions of the FCRA 2010, and the or delegitimize activities in defence of human management of its foreign contribution has rights on account of the origin of funding. been vested in an authority prescribed by the z The Bill also fails to comply with India’s government. international legal obligationsand constitutional ¾ Purpose for Amendment: provisions to respect and protect the rights to € The annual inflow of foreign contribution has freedom of association, expression, and freedom almost doubled between the years 2010 and 2019, of assembly. but many recipients of foreign contributionhave Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010 not utilised the same for the purpose for which they were registered or granted prior permission ¾ Foreign funding of persons in India is regulated under the FCRA 2010. under FCRA act and is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs. z Recently, the Union Home Ministry has suspended licenses of the six (NGOs) who were € Individuals are permitted to accept foreign alleged to have used foreign contributions for contributions without permission of MHA. religious conversion. However, the monetary limit for acceptance of such foreign contributions shall be less than € Many persons were not adhering to statutory Rs. 25,000. compliances such as submission of annual returns ¾ and maintenance of proper accounts. The Act ensures that the recipients of foreign contributions adhere to the stated purpose for € Such a situation could have adversely affected which such contribution has been obtained. the internal security of the country. ¾ Under the Act, organisations are required to register € The new Bill aims to enhance transparency and themselves every five years. accountability in the receipt and utilisation of

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€ The amendments also assume that NGOs that are ¾ Background: In the past five years, the government has receiving foreign funds are guilty unless proven taken action against several foreign donors including otherwise. Compassion International, World Movement for Democracy (WMD), Greenpeace, etc on grounds of Suspension of FCRA violations. ¾ The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Amnesty International Bill, 2020 was passed by the Parliament amending Operations in India Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. Amnesty International Why in News ¾ It is an international Non-Governmental Organisation Amnesty International India has halted its human (NGO) founded in London (UK) in 1961. rights operationsin India due to the freezing of its bank ¾ It seeks to publicize violations by governments and accounts by the Government of India. other entitiesof rights recognized in the Universal ¾ The government has also set up a Central Bureau of Declaration of Human Rights (1948), especially Investigation (CBI)inquiry against Amnesty. freedom of speech and of conscience and the right against torture. Key Points ¾ In 1977, it was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. ¾ Argument by Amnesty: It has alleged that the ¾ AI India is a part of the global human rights movement government has frozen its bank accounts due to spearheaded by Amnesty International. It has its repeated calls for transparency and against the registered office in Bangalore (Karnataka). human rights violationsin the country. € The European Union (EU) has also expressed its concerns against the action of the government Federalism and citing the valued work of Amnesty International Emerging Challenges worldwide. € Recently, Amnesty International (AI) India had Why in News demanded an independent investigation into all allegations of human rights violations by the Recently, several states have complained about the police during the north-east Delhi riots and the growing crisis in Indian federalism. They have argued establishment of the National Commission for about the Ordinances and the Bills brought by the Centre Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir. which encroaches on their area of legislation, which is ¾ Argument by the Government: The government has an assault on the federal structure of the Constitution. accused Amnesty of defying the law of the land. Key Points € India doesn’t allow interference in domestic political ¾ Federal Issues Raised by States: debates by entities funded by foreign donations. This law applies equally to all and it shall apply to € The refusal of the Central government of its legal Amnesty International as well. commitment to compensate for Goods and Services Tax (GST) shortfall on account of lower revenue. € In order to circumvent the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) regulations, z The Centre argued that the lower revenues are Amnesty UK remitted large amounts of money the result of an “act of God” for which it cannot to four entities registered in India, by classifying be held responsible. it as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). z As per the GST Act, states are guaranteed € A significant amount of foreign money was also compensation for any revenue shortfallbelow remitted to Amnesty (India) without approval of 14% growth (base year 2015-16) for the first the Ministry of Home Affairs under FCRA. This five years ending 2022. rerouting of money was in contravention of extant € Centre transgressing into the powers of the state legal provisions. government. E.g

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z The recent Farm Acts which allow farmers „ Cooperative societies come under the State to sell their produce outside the Agricultural list i.e. list 2 of the Seventh Schedule to the Produce Market Committee (APMC) and aim Constitution of India. to promote inter-state trade. However, the Acts ¾ Provisions Related to Federalism: encroach upon the State list. € Nations are described as ‘federal’ or ‘unitary’, „ Many states are exploring the possibilities depending on the way in which governance is of passing legislation underArticle 254(2)of organised. the Constitution, to negate the enforcement z Federalism essentially means both the Centre of passed by the Central three Farm Acts and states have the freedom to operate in their government under Entry 33 of the Concurrent allotted spheres of power, in coordination with List. each other. „ The Article 254(2): z In the unitary system all powers of the 1. It enables a State government to pass Government are centralized in one Government a law, on any subject in the Concurrent that is Central Government. List, that may contradict a Central law, € In the State of West Bengal vs Union of India provided it gets the President’s assent. (1962), the Supreme Court held that the Indian i. In 2014, the Rajasthan government Constitution is not federal. took this Article 254 (2) route to make € However, in S R Bommai vs Union of India (1994), a changes to the central labour laws — the nine-judge Bench of Supreme Court held federalism Factories Act, the Industrial Disputes a part of the basic structure of the Constitution. act, and the Contract Labour Act — which subsequently got the President’s z It stated neither the legislative entries in assent. Seventh Schedule, nor the fiscal control by the Union per se are decisive to conclude the 2. However, the Parliament is not barred Constitution isunitary. The respective legislative from enacting at any time any law with powers of states and Centre are traceable to respect to the same matter including a law Articles 245 to 254. adding to, amending, varying or repealing the law so made by the Legislature of the z The Court has observed that Indian federation State. differs from the USA significantly. „ „ Entry 33 of the Concurrent List mentions Unlike the USA, Indian Parliament has trade and commerce, production, supply and the power to admit new States (Article 2), distribution of domestic and imported products create new States, alter their boundaries of an industry; foodstuffs, including oilseeds and their names, and unite or divide the and oils; cattle fodder; raw cotton and jute. States (Article 3). „ However, if foodstuffs are considered 1. Recently, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) State synonymous with agriculture, then all the was converted into two Union Territories powers of states in respect of agriculture, - J&K and Ladakh. listed so elaborately in the Constitution, z The concurrence of States is not needed for shall become redundant. the formation and unmaking of States and „ The Parliament cannot legislate a law Union Territories. in respect of agricultural produce and z Further, the court noted the existence of several markets under the Seventh Schedule of the provisions of the Constitution that allow the Constitution in normal circumstances because Centre to override the powers of the States agriculture and markets are State subjects. e.g. legislation on a Concurrent List. z The amendment in banking regulations by z Even though the States are sovereign in their bringing cooperative banks under the Reserve prescribed legislative field, and theirexecutive Bank of India (RBI) supervision. power is co-extensive with their legislative

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powers, it is clear that the powers of the States are not coordinated with the Union. No Confidence This is why the Constitution is often described Resolution against Rajya as ‘quasi-federal’. € The Seventh Schedule of the Constitutioncontains Sabha Deputy Chairman three lists that distribute power between the Centre and states (Article 246). Why in News z There are 98 subjects (originally 97) in the Rajya Sabha members of 12 opposition parties moved t, on which Parliament has exclusive Union Lis a no-confidence resolution against Rajya Sabha Deputy power to legislate. Chairman over the passage of two controversial farm z The State List has 59 subjects (originally 66) Bills by the voice vote. on which states alone can legislate. z The Concurrent List has 52 subjects (originally Key Points 47) on which both the Centre and states can ¾ Resolution: legislate. € According to the resolution, the Deputy Chairman „ In case of a conflict, the law made by has violated all the canons of law, procedures, Parliament prevails (Article 254). parliamentary procedures, practices and fair play. nd „ The 42 Amendment Act of 1976 transferred The Deputy Chairman did not allow points of order five subjects to Concurrent List from State List to be raised and did not allow large numbers of i.e education, forests, weights and measures, members of Rajya Sabha, from diverse political protection of wild animals and birds, and parties, to even speak against farm bills. administration of justice; constitution and € This no-confidence resolution is for the removal organisation of all courts except the Supreme of the Deputy Chairman. Court and the High Courts. z It is not the same as the No-Confidence Motion ¾ Mechanism to Solve Dispute: specified in Rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure € The Supreme Court has used two mechanisms to and conduct of Lok Sabha, which can lead to solve the dispute between Centre and states over the resignation of the Council of Ministers. the entry list in Seventh Schedule. The mechanisms z Article 75 of the Constitution specifies that are Doctrine of Pith and Substance and Doctrine the Council of Ministers shall be collectively of Colourable Legislation. responsible to the House of People. € The Doctrine of Pith and Substance says that € Earlier, resolutions were moved the constitutionality of legislation is upheld if it is Some Precedents: largely covered by one list and touches upon the against the first Lok Sabha Speaker G V Mavalankar other list only incidentally. in 1951, Speaker Sardar Hukam Singh in 1966, and Speaker Balram Jakhar in 1987. z The doctrine relates to finding out the true nature of a statute. z All of these resolutions were negated by the House. z Pith denotes the ‘essence of something’ or the ‘true nature’, while substance states the most ¾ Options with the Government: significant or essential part of something. € Suspension of Opposition MPs: In a counter move, € The Doctrine of Colourable Legislation tests the the government is likely to seek the suspension of competence of the legislature against an enacted Opposition MPswho were involved in the unruly law. This doctrine states the fact that what cannot scenes witnessed in the House. be done directly, cannot also be done indirectly. z The government can invoke Rule 256, which z The doctrine restricts the overstretching of deals with the suspension of a member. the constituted power of the legislature in a z The final decision of suspension rests with disguised, covert or indirect manner. the Chairman.

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€ Privilege Motion:The ruling party can also move € Parliament scrutinises legislative proposals (Bills) a privilege motion against some of the Opposition in two ways: MPs. z The first wayis by discussing it on the floor of z A privilege motion is invoked when there is a the two Houses. This is a legislative requirement; breach of parliamentary privileges by a member. all Bills have to be taken up for debate. ¾ Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha: z The second way is by referring a Bill to a € The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Parliamentary Committee. Sabha itself from amongst its members. The post € A Parliamentary Committee means a committee of the Deputy Chairman is not subordinate to the that: Chairman. z Is appointed or elected by the House or € Role of Chairman: The Deputy Chairman performs nominated by the Speaker/ Chairman. the duties of the Chairman’s office with all powers z Works under the direction of the Speaker/ of the post when: Chairman. z The post is vacant. z Presents its report to the House or to the z The Vice-President acts as President or Speaker/Chairman. discharges the functions of the President. z Has a secretariat provided by the Lok Sabha / z The Chairman is absent from the sitting of Rajya Sabha. the House ¾ Purpose of Parliamentary Committees: € Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, while € Since Parliament meets only for 70 to 80 days in presiding over the House, cannot vote in the first a year, there is not enough time to discuss every instance; and can only exercise a casting vote in Bill in detail on the floor of the House. Plusdebate the case of a tie. in the house is mostly political and does not go € Removal: According to Article 90of the Constitution, into the technical details of a legislative proposal. the Deputy Chairman vacates his office in any of € Therefore, it takes care of the legislative infirmity the following three cases: of debate on the floor of the House. However, z If (s)he ceases to be a member of the Rajya referring Bills to parliamentary committees isnot Sabha. mandatory. ¾ z If (s)he resigns by writing to the Chairman. Types of Parliamentary Committees: € z If (s)he is removed by a resolution passed by a India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees. majority of all the then members of the Rajya They can be differentiated on the basis of their work, Sabha. Such a resolution can be moved only their membership and the length of their tenure. after giving14 days’ advance notice. € However, broadly there are two types of Parliamentary Committees–Standing Committees Role of Parliamentary and Ad Hoc Committees. z The Standing Committees are permanent Committees (constituted every year or periodically) and work on a continuous basis. Why in News „ Standing Committees can be classified into the following six categories: Recently, the Government passed two agriculture 1. Financial Committees Bills in Rajya Sabha. However, the Opposition protested against the fact that neither Bill had been scrutinised by 2. Departmental Standing Committees a Parliamentary Committee. 3. Committees to Enquire 4. Committees to Scrutinise and Control Key Points 5. Committees Relating to the Day-to-Day ¾ Parliamentary Committee: Business of the House

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6. House-Keeping Committees or Service orders/services rules and to make them known Committees to the workmen employed. z While the Ad Hoc Committees are temporary z The new provision for standing order will be and cease to exist on completion of the task applicable for every industrial establishment assigned to them. wherein 300 or more than 300 workers are „ They are further subdivided into Inquiry employed or were employed on any day of the Committees and Advisory Committees. preceding twelve months. ¾ Procedure: z It was earlier suggested by the Standing € There are three broad paths by which a Bill can Committee on Labour which also suggested reach a Parliamentary Committee. that the threshold be increased accordingly in the Code itself and the words ‘as may be z The minister introducing the Bill recommends to ’ the House that his Bill be examined by a Select notified by the Appropriate Government be Committee (Committee of one House i.e either removed because reform of labour laws through Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha) of the House or a the executive route is undesirable and should Joint Committee of both Houses. be avoided to the extent possible. z After becoming a law, z The presiding officer of the House can also send orders will not be a Bill to a Parliamentary Committee. dependent on whims and fancies of executives of state governments. z A Bill passed by one House can be sent by the other House to its Select Committee. z Without the need of a standing order in increased industrial establishments due to € The report of the committee is of arecommendatory the raised threshold, the process of hiring and nature. The Committee can also suggest its own firing workers will be more flexible and faster version of the Bill. for employers which would result in increased employment. Labour Reforms € It also introduces new conditions for carrying out a legal strike. The timeperiod for arbitration Why in News proceedings has been included in the conditions Recently, the recent versions of three labour codes for workers before going on a legal strike as against . namely Industrial Relations Code Bill, ,2020 Code on only the time for conciliation at present Social Security Bill, 2020 and Occupational Safety, Health z No person employed in any industrial and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020 have been establishment shall go on strike without a introduced in Lok Sabha. 60-day notice and during the pendency of proceedings before a Tribunal or a National Key Points Industrial Tribunal and sixty days after the ¾ Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020: conclusion of such proceedings. z € It has raised the threshold for the requirement At present, a person employed in a public of a standing order to over 300 workers which utility service cannot go on strike unless they implies that industrial establishments with up give notice for a strike within six weeks before to 300 workers will not be required to furnish a going on strike or within fourteen days of giving standing order. such notice, which the IR Code now proposes to apply for all the industrial establishments. z Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 makes it obligatory for employers € It has also proposed to set up a re-skilling fund for of an industrial establishment where 100 or training of retrenched workers with contribution more workers are employed to clearly define from the employer, of an amount equal to 15 days the conditions of employment and rules of last drawn by the worker. conduct for workmen, by way of standing € Concerns:

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z It will water down the labour rights for workers € It has defined inter-state migrant workersas the in small establishments having less than worker who has come on their own from one 300 workers and would enable companies state and obtained employment in another state, to introduce arbitrary service conditions for earning up to Rs. 18,000 a month. workers. € The proposed definition makes a distinction z It will give tremendous amounts of flexibility from the present definition of only contractual to the employers in terms of hiring and employment. firing, dismissal for alleged misconduct and € It has dropped the earlier provision for temporary retrenchment for economic reasons will be accommodation for workers near the worksites completely possible for all the industrial and has proposed a journey allowance, a lump establishments employing less than 300 workers sum amount of fare to be paid by the employer which is complete demolition of employment for to and fro journey of the worker to their native security. place from the place of their employment. z The new conditions for carrying out a legal strike elongate the legally permissible time frame before the workers can go on a legal Ethical Code strike, making a legal strike near impossible. for Electronic Media z It has expanded to cover all industrial establishments for the required notice period and other conditions for a legal strike even Why in News though the Standing Committee on Labour Recently, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) had recommended against it beyond the public has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to include its ethical utility services like water, electricity, natural code in the Programme Code of the Cable Television gas, telephone and other essential services, as Networks Rules, 1994. . is the case at present ¾ The ethical code is against airing malicious, biased z The mention of ‘other sources’ for funding the and regressive content. re-skilling fund is vague. The reskilling fund is ¾ NBA represents the collective voice of the news arbitrarily framed as the Code has no idea from and current affairs broadcasters in India. It is an where the funds for the same will come apart organisation funded entirely by its members. from employers’ contributions. z These ambiguities are left to the rule-making Key Points processes and the bureaucrats and, further, ¾ Background: there are unclarities over who will reskill the workers and how adequate the funding will be. € A plea was made to stop the telecast of a programme ‘Bindas Bol’ on Sudarshan TV ¾ Social Security Code Bill, 2020: containing objectionable content against the Muslim entries € It proposes a National Social Security Board which into the civil services. shall recommend to the central government for formulating suitable schemes for different sections € The SC held that the content was prima facie of unorganised workers, gig workers and platform “plainly hurtful” to the community and asked workers. the NBA to suggest measures to strengthen the self-regulatory mechanism to prevent or penalise € Also, aggregators employing gig workers will have to contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover airing of communal or derogatory content in the for social security, with the total contribution electronic media. not exceeding 5% of the amount payable by the ¾ Suggestions by NBA: aggregator to gig and platform workers. € All news channels, whether they are NBA members ¾ Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions or not, will have to follow the Programme Code Code Bill, 2020: containing the proposed amendments.

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€ The News Broadcasters Services Authority (NBSA) ¾ Solutions: should be granted recognition as an independent € There is a need to infuse clarity in legislation self-regulatory mechanism to receive and deal by identifying the distinction between merely with complaints which would strengthen News offensive speech and hate speech, and by making Broadcasting Standards Regulations of NBSA. clearer still those categories of exceptional cases z NBSA is an independent body set up by the where the Constitution permits prior restraint. NBA. Its task is to consider and adjudicate upon z Speech that merely causes offence and is no complaints about broadcasts. more than disparaging or unpleasant, should € Submission to the NBSA regulatory mechanism continue to remain shielded. should be made mandatory for granting/renewal z However, the speech that treats communities of uplinking/downlinking permissions by the with disparate concern, by creating in them a government. sense of dread, a sense of exclusion from civic € The orders passed by the NBSA should be made life, should go unprotected. binding and enforceable on the channels and the € Limitation in cases involving the issue of speech penalties should be made stringent. should be restricted to those categories of minorities ¾ Challenges: who are vulnerable and a merely offensive € Indian laws present several complications when statement should not qualify as hate speech. an attempt is made to distinguish permissible € The SC should not be afraid of delineating the speech from hate speech. ambiguities and has to handle the exercise z There is no international legal definition of delicately. A working definition of hate speech hate speech, and the characterisation of what will have to be discovered by interpreting laws in is ‘hateful’ is controversial and disputed. conjunction with the constitutional right to free z Generally, hate speech refers to utterances speech. that incite violence, hatred, or discrimination against people on the basis of their collective Adjournment Motion identity, be it race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexuality. Why in News z It attacks two key tenets of a democratic republic: the guarantee of equal dignity to all and the Recently, an adjournment motion notice has been public good of inclusiveness. moved in the Lok Sabha over the surveillance of key Indian z It is the speech which has reached a level of personalities by a firm linked to the Chinese government. incitement and is beyond advocacy. Key Points € Section 153A and Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which criminalise, respectively, ¾ Adjournment motion is introduced only in the Lok speech that seeks to promote enmity between Sabha to draw the attention of the House to a definite different groups and speech/acts that outrage/s matter of urgent public importance. religious feelings. € It involves an element of censure against the z Both of these are vaguely worded and are government, therefore, Rajya Sabha is not permitted frequently invoked to suppress speech. to make use of this device. z They militate against the permissible grounds ¾ It is regarded as an extraordinary device as it interrupts for limiting free speechenumerated in Article the normal business of the House. It needs the support 19(2) of the Constitution, and, in particular, the of 50 members to be admitted. restrictions allowed on considerations of public ¾ The discussion on this motion shouldlast for not less order and morality. than two hours and thirty minutes. € Just like the substantive hate speech provisions in ¾ However, the right to move a motion for an adjournment the IPC, the Programme Code is also much too of the business of the House is subject to the following vague and is also not applied uniformly. restrictions. It should:

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€ Raise a matter which is definite, factual, urgent € More than 1 billion children have been out of and of public importance. school and could lose out, on average, half a year € Not cover more than one matter. of schooling. € Be restricted to a specific matter of recent € It has created significant disruptions to essential occurrence. health services for women and children, with many children missing out on crucial vaccinations. € Not raise a question of privilege. € It has increased income inequality, its economic € Not revive discussion on a matter that has been impact has been particularly deep for women and discussed in the same session. for the most disadvantaged families, leaving many € Not deal with any matter that isunder adjudication vulnerable to food insecurity and poverty. of court. ¾ India Specific Data: € Not raise any question that can be raised on a € Last year India was ranked 115 out of 157 countries. distinct motion. This year India finds itself at 116th from among 174 countries. However, India’s score increased World Bank’s to 0.49 in 2020 from 0.44 in 2018. Human Capital Index 2020 € Recent Initiatives by India to Strengthen Human Capital: z Why in News Ayushman Bharat Yojana z National Education Policy Recently, the World Bank released the Human Capital z Atmanirbhar Bharat Yojana Index (HCI) report for 2020. The index benchmarks key components of human capital across countries. z TULIP: The Urban Learning Internship Program ¾ India has been ranked at the 116th position in the z Samagra Shiksha HCI 2020. ¾ Other Reports Published by World Bank: € Global Economic Prospects Key Points € Ease of Doing Business ¾ Human Capital: It consists of the knowledge, skills, € World Development Report and health that people accumulate over their lives, enabling them to realize their potential as productive members of society. Vaibhav Summit ¾ Parameters Used in HCI: The HCI 2020 includes health and education data of children for 174 countriesup to Why in News March 2020. Thus providing a pre-pandemic baseline. Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit will € It covers 98% of the world’s population. be inaugurated on 2nd October 2020 - the birth anniversary ¾ Outcome: The HCI 2020 shows that pre-pandemic, of Mahatma Gandhi. most countries had made steady progress in building Key Points human capital of children, with the biggest strides made in low-income countries. ¾ About VAIBHAV Summit: € However, despite this progress, a child born in a € It is a global summit of Overseas and Resident typical country could expect to achieve just 56% Indian scientists and academicians. of their potential human capital, relative to a € Key areas of discussion will include: quantum benchmark of complete education and full health. technologies, artificial intelligence and machine ¾ Pandemic Effect: The pandemic puts at risk the learning, communications technologies, decade’s progress in building human capital, including computational and data sciences and aerospace the improvements in health, survival rates, school technologies among others. enrollment, and reduced stunting. ¾ Objectives:

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€ To bring out the comprehensive roadmap to program exclusively for overseas scientists and leverage the expertise and knowledge of global academicians with emphasis on Non-resident Indian researchers for solving emerging challenges. Indians (NRI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) / € To reflect in-depth on the collaboration and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) to work as adjunct/ cooperation instruments with academia and visiting faculty for a specific period of time in Indian scientists in India. Public funded academic and research institutions. € To create an ecosystem of Knowledge and Innovation in the country through global outreach. Free Internet Gadget ¾ Organisers: The Summit is a joint effort of various and Package to Poor Students Science & Technology (S&T) and Academic organisations,including Department of S&T, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Why in News ¾ Significance: The Delhi High Court has directed both private and € To boost the innovation ecosystem in India, VAIBHAV government schools in Delhi to provide gadgets and will add a new dimension to Atal Innovation Internet packages free of cost to poor students for Mission (AIM). attending online classes. z AIM (NITI Aayog) is Government of India’s Key Points flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. ¾ Ruling: If a school decides to opt for online mode as a medium of instruction, it will have to ensure that € The summit seeks active support and ideation students belonging to the Economically Weaker Section from Indian Diaspora for developing skills of Indian (EWS) and Disadvantaged Group (DG) category also aspirants in alignment with the New Educational have access and are able to avail of the same. Policy. € Private unaided schools will be entitled to claim z NEP 2020 aims to pave the way for transformational reimbursement of reasonable cost for procurement reforms in school and higher education systems of the gadget and Internet package from the in the country. government under Section 12(2) of the Right to € With Indian roots, global outlook and experience, Education (RTE) Act. accomplished scientists, researchers and ¾ Legal Provisions: Intra-class discrimination, especially academicians of Indian descent, around the between the 75% fee-paying students and the 25% world can play a vital part in the “Aatmanirbhar EWS/DG students, upsets the level playing field Bharat” initiative. and creates a digital divide in the classroom which z The initiative is based on 5 pillars- Economy, is violative ofRTE Act, 2009, and Articles 14, 20 and Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography 21 of the Constitution. and Demand. € According to RTE Act, private unaided institutions ¾ Other Government Initiatives involving Overseas Indian: and special category schools shall provide free and € Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)is celebrated on 9th compulsory education to at least 25% children January every year to mark the contribution of belonging to DG/EWS category admitted to class I Overseas Indian community in the development or pre-primary classes. They will also be reimbursed of India. by the government for this. € Know India Program (KIP) is a flagship initiative € Article 14 of the Constitution of India provides for of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for equality before the law or equal protection of the diaspora engagement which familiarizes Indian- laws within the territory of India. origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots € Article 20 of the Constitution of India provides and contemporary India. that no person shall be convicted of any offence € VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research) Faculty except for violation of the law in force at the time Scheme of the Department of S&T is a dedicated of the offence.

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€ Article 21 provides for the protection of life and in order to adequately plan curriculum and teaching personal liberty. It states that no person shall methods that can reach such students. be deprived of his life or personal liberty except ¾ New Education Policy: National Education Policy, according to procedure established by law. 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge ¾ The ruling is aimed at narrowing the Covid-19 superpower” by introducing several changes from pandemic-induced digital divide. the school to college level in the Indian education € According to the recently released UN Report system with special emphasis on digital education. on the Impact of Covid-19 on Children, almost ¾ DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) 24 million children could drop out or not have platform-DIKSHA is the national platform for school access to school next year due to the economic education available for all states and the central impact of Covid-19. government for grades 1 to 12 and was launched in € According to the NSO report on Education, nearly September 2017. 4% of rural households and 23% of urban households € As part of PM eVidya announced under the possessed computers and 24% of the households Atmanirbhar Bharat programme, DIKSHA is the in the country had internet access. ‘one nation; one digital platform’ for school z Among persons of age 15-29 years, only 24% in education in India. rural areas and 56% in urban areas were able ¾ Swayam Prabha TV Channel- To support and reach to operate a computer. those who do not have access to the internet. € According to the Global Education Monitoring ¾ Online MOOC courses- Online Massive Open Online Report, 2020, released by the United Nations Course MOOC courses relating to NIOS (grades 9 to Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 12 of open schooling) are uploaded on SWAYAM (UNESCO), Covid-19 had worsened the inequalities portal; around 92 courses have started and 1.5 crore in education systems worldwide. students are enrolled. z During the height of school closures in April ¾ On Air – Shiksha Vani, DAISY by NIOS for differently- 2020, almost 91% of students around the world abled, e-PathShala- Radio broadcasting is being used were out of school. for children in remote areas who are not online z About 40% of low and lower middle income (especially for grades 1 to 5). countries have not supported learners at risk of exclusion during this crisis, such as the poor, Country of Origin linguistic minorities and learners with disabilities. ¾ Other Judgments on Right to Internet Access Rules: CAROTAR 2020 € The Kerala High Court, in Faheema Shirin vs the State of Kerala case, 2019 declared the right to Why in News Internet access as a fundamental right forming The Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under a part of the right to privacy and the right to Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR 2020), comes education under Article 21 of the Constitution. into force from 21st September 2020. It was notified on st € In the Supreme Court decision in the Anuradha 21 August 2020. Bhasin case (2020), freedom of free speech and ¾ The importers and other stakeholders were given a expression on the Internet was accepted as a 30-day period to familiarise themselves with new fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a) of the provisions. Constitution. Trade, occupation or commerce dependent on the Internet is a fundamental right Key Points under Article 19(1)(g). ¾ Stricter Rules: € Importers will have to ensure that imported goods Government Initiatives meet the prescribed ‘rules of origin’ provisions for ¾ The Centre has directed State Education Departments availing concessional rate of customs duty under to map the online access available to all their students Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

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z Importers have to prove that imported products Key Points have undergone value addition of at least 35% ¾ Increase: India had 1,800 arsenic-affected habitations in the countries of origin. in 2015. This increased to 4,421 habitations as of z Earlier, merely a country of origin certificate, September 2020. issued by a notified agency in the country of € Habitations are the smallest level of settlements export was sufficient to avail the benefits of FTAs. that can have between 10-100 households. z This was exploited in many cases, i.e. the FTA ¾ Regions Affected: Most of the arsenic-affected partner countries have been claiming to have habitations lie in theGanga and Brahmaputra alluvial produced the goods in question without having plains i.e in Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab, and the necessary technological capacity for the Uttar Pradesh(UP). required value addition. € Assam had the highest share of such habitations ¾ Reason Behind the Move: (1,853), followed by West Bengal (1,383). € The investigation into FTA imports in the last few € Jharkhand, which did not have any such habitation years has revealed that the rules of origin, under in 2015, has two now. respective FTAs, were not being followed in the € However, Karnataka which had nine habitations true spirit. in 2015, had none now. € Customs officials suspect that China diverts its ¾ Decrease in Fluoride Habitations: The number of supplies to India through the Association of fluoride affected habitations has significantly come Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) nations, abusing down from 12,727 to 5,485. rules of origin, to illegally take advantage of duty- € Rajasthan had the highest number of such free market access under FTA. habitations (2,956), followed by Bihar (861). z Major imports to India come from five ASEAN ¾ Under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), priority has been countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, given to such quality-affected habitations through Singapore and Vietnam. Community Water Purification Plants (CWPP) to z The ASEAN FTA allows imports of most items at meet drinking and cooking needs until potable water zero or concessional basic customs duty from supply through tap connection is provided. the 10-nation bloc. € JJM was started in 2019 with the aim to provide € Given the latest border standoff between India piped water supply to every household by 2024. and China, the diversion may surge. € Under JJM, up to 2% of the allocation to states/ ¾ Impact: UTs can be utilised forWater Quality Monitoring € The new rules will make the importer to correctly and Surveillance activities (WQM&S). ascertain the country of origin, properly claim the € The WQM&S includes setting up and strengthening concessional duty and assist customs authorities of water quality testing laboratories, surveillance in the smooth clearance of legitimate imports by the community using field test kits (FTKs), under FTAs. awareness generation and educational programmes on water quality, etc. € The domestic industry will be protected from misuse of FTAs. ¾ A new sub-programme under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) viz. National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) was started by the Arsenic-affected Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (now Habitations Increased merged with the Ministry of Jal Shakti) in 2017 to address the urgent need for providing clean drinking water in about 28000 Arsenic and Fluoride affected Why in News habitations. According to recent data shared in the Parliament, € The NWQSM aims to cover all rural populations in the number of arsenic-affected habitations in India has Arsenic/Fluoride affected habitations with clean increased by 145% in the last five years (2015-20). drinking water on a sustainable basis by March 2021.

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€ The NWQSM was launched with an outlay of Tribal Groups (PVTGs) namely Bondas and Didiayis in Rs. 25,000 crore. Odisha contracted Covid-19 and the National Commission ¾ The NRDWP was started in 2009, with a major emphasis for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has sought a report on it on ensuring the sustainability of water availability in from the state government and has termed it a “matter terms of potability, adequacy, convenience, affordability of grave concern”. and equity. ¾ PVTGs from Andaman were also reported to have € NRDWP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with 50:50 contracted Covid-19. fund sharing between the Centre and the States. Key Points Arsenic Poisoning ¾ Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups: ¾ Arsenic is naturally present at high levels in the earth € The classification among tribes was adopted by crust and groundwater of a number of countries. the Government of India (GoI) after the Dhebar It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. Commission (1960-1961) stated that within the ¾ Contaminated water used for drinking, food Scheduled Tribes (STs) there existed an inequality preparation and irrigation of food crops pose the in the rate of development. greatest threat to public health from arsenic. € During the 4th Five Year Plan (1969-74), a sub- ¾ Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking- category was created within STs to identify groups water and food can cause cancer, skin disease, at a lower level of development. This sub-category cardiovascular disease and diabetes. was called “Primitive Tribal Group”, which is now € In early childhood exposure, it has been linked called PVTG. to negative impacts oncognitive development ¾ and increased deaths in young adults. Criteria: ¾ According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) € A PVTG is a GoI classification for tribes based guidelines for drinking water quality (2011), the on their: permissible limit of Arsenic in groundwater is z Relative physical isolation. 0.01 mg per litre. z Stagnant or declining population. ¾ However, in India, the permissible limit in drinking z Low levels of literacy. water has recently been revised from 0.05 mg per z Absence of written language. litre to 0.01 mg per litre. z Pre-agricultural stage of economy, such as ¾ The most important action in affected communities hunting, food gathering, shifting cultivation is the prevention of further exposureto arsenic by and terrace cultivation. the provision of a safe water supply. € 75 tribal groups have been categorized by the Fluoride Toxicity Ministry of Home Affairs as PVTGs. ¾ Excessive fluoride intake usually occurs through € The Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements the the consumption of groundwater naturally rich in scheme of Development of PVTGs, exclusively fluoride, particularly in warm climates where water for them. consumption is greater, or where high-fluoride water ¾ PVTGs in Odisha: is used in food preparation or irrigation of crops. € Out of the 62 tribal groups in Odisha, 13 are ¾ Such exposure may lead to dental fluorosis (tooth recognised as PVTGs which is the highest in the decay) or crippling skeletal fluorosis, which is country. associated with bone deformities. € Odisha has a population of 2.5 lakh belonging to the PVTGs. Covid-19 Infection in PVTGs € Identified PVTGs of the State: Bonda, Birhor, Chuktia, Didayi, Dongaria Kandha, Juang, Kharia, Why in News Kutia Kondh, Lanjia Saora, Lodha, Mankirida, Paudi Recently, six members of two Particularly Vulnerable Bhuyan and Saora.

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¾ Bondas and Didiayis Tribes: These are found in the € An Unconnected Habitation is one with a population Malkangiri district of the state, which shares its border of designated size located at a distance of at least with Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. 500 metres or more (1.5 km of path distance in case € The Bondas, scattered across 32 remote hilltop of Hills) from an All-weather road or a connected villages in the Eastern Ghats, are believed to have Habitation. come to India as part of the first wave of migration € Core Network: It is that minimal Network of roads out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. (routes) that is essential to provide Basic access to € The Didayis, an Austro-Asiatic tribe, live in the essential social and economic services to all eligible immediate neighbourhood of the Bondas. The habitations in the selected areas through at least population of Didayis is 7,250 according to the single all-weather road connectivity. 2011 Census. They live in the Konda Kamberu ¾ Latest Funding Pattern: The fund allocation to states hills of Malkangiri. has been made in subsequent years commensurate with the value of projects sanctioned to states. ¾ Matter of Grave Concern: According to the 2018 newsletter of thePoverty and Human Development € The Union Government bears 90% of the project Monitoring Agency (PHDMA): cost in respect of projects sanctioned under the scheme in North-Eastern and Himalayan States, € Low Health Status: Diseases like upper respiratory whereas for other states the Union Government problem and malaria, gastrointestinal disorders bears 60% of the cost. like acute diarrhoea and intestinal protozoa, micronutrient deficiency, and skin infection are ¾ Construction of Rural Roads: The Rural Roads common among PVTGs. constructed under the PMGSY will be in accordance with the provision of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC). € Reasons: Multiple factors like poverty, illiteracy, lack of safe drinking water, poor sanitary conditions, € IRC is the Apex Body of Highway Engineers in difficult terrain, malnutrition, poor access to the country. maternal and child health care services, superstition, € The IRC was set up in 1934. nonavailability of adequate health care services ¾ PMGSY - Phase I and deforestation. € PMGSY - Phase I was launched in December, 2000 as a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme. Pradhan Mantri € Under the scheme, 1,35,436 habitations were targeted for providing road connectivity and 3.68 Gram Sadak Yojana lakh km. for upgradation of existing rural roads in order to ensure full farm to market connectivity. Why in News ¾ PMGSY - Phase II Recently, the Union Minister of Rural Development € The Government of India subsequently launched provided information on implementation of thePradhan PMGSY-II in 2013 for upgradation of 50,000 Kms Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), in Rajya Sabha. of existing rural road network to improve its overall efficiency. Key Points € While the ongoing PMGSY - I continued, under ¾ Launched on: 25th December, 2000. PMGSY phase II, the roads already built for village connectivity was to be upgraded to enhance rural ¾ Objective: To provide connectivity, by way of an all- infrastructure. weather road to unconnected habitations. € The cost was shared between the centre and the ¾ Eligibility: Unconnected habitations of designated states/UTs. population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-Eastern States, Himalayan States, Deserts and ¾ PMGSY - Phase III Tribal Areas as per 2001 census) in the core network € Phase III was approved by the Cabinet during for uplifting the socio-economic condition of the rural July 2019. population. € It gives priorities to facilities like:

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z Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) € Enable provision of sustainable livelihood either „ GrAMs are retail agricultural markets in close by wage or self employment. proximity to the farm gate, that promote and ¾ 18 State Governments have been allocated a training service a more efficient transaction of the target of 3.6 lakh beneficiaries for conductingtraining farmers’ produce. programmes in traditional and organized sectors. z Higher Secondary Schools and ¾ Industry/industry associations are being empanelled z Hospitals. for undertaking industry oriented entry level skilling programmes in the organized sectors. € Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to consolidate 1,25,000 Km road length in the States. ¾ Other Schemes of the Textile Sector The duration of the scheme is2019-20 to 2024-25. € Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP) ¾ Challenges: € Power-Tex India € Lack of dedicated funds. € Silk Samagra Scheme € Limited involvement of the Panchayati Raj € Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme Institutions. (ATUFS) € Inadequate execution and contracting capacity. € National Handloom Day € Less working season and difficult terrain particularly € Jute ICARE in Hill States. € National Technical Textile Mission € Scarcity of the construction materials. € Security concerns particularly in Left Wing MedSpark in Kerala Extremism (LWE) areas. Why in News Samarth Kerala is set to lay the foundation stone forMedSpark , Scheme for Textile Sector one of the first medical device parks in the country, in Thiruvananthapuram. ¾ Medical devices include surgical equipment, diagnostic Why in News equipment like Cardiac Imaging, CT scans, X-ray, The Ministry of Textiles is implementing the Samarth- Molecular Imaging, MRI and Ultrasound-imaging, Scheme for Capacity Building in the Textiles Sector. life support equipment like ventilator, etc. as well ¾ Samarth Scheme, also known as Scheme for Capacity as implants and disposables. Building in the Textile Sector (SCBTS), was approved € Medical devices, unlike pharmaceuticals, are by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) dependent on a mix of technologies such as in 2017 in order to ensure steady supply of skilled engineering, electronics, material sciences and manpower in the labour-intensive textile sector. information technology(IT).

Key Points Key Points ¾ Objectives: ¾ Established By: € Provide demand driven, placement oriented € Technical Research Centre for Biomedical Devices National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) Programme of the Department of Science and compliant skilling programmes to create jobs in the Technology (DST), Government of India. organized textile and related sectors, covering the € Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences entire value chain of textile, excluding Spinning and Technology (SCTIMST), an autonomous and Weaving. institute of the DST. € Promote skilling and skill upgradation in the € Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation traditional sectors of handlooms, handicrafts, Ltd. (KSIDC) which is the industrial and investment sericulture and jute. promotion agency of the Government of Kerala.

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¾ Fundings: € It will benefit small and medium-sized medical € Funding from the state and central governments devices industries, which dominate the medical will meet the capital expenditure and deficit in devices sector. income against expenses during the initial stages. € It can leverage the existing advantage of Kerala € The business model for the MedSpark is self- in the high-risk medical device manufacture and sustaining in which its operational expenses will develop it into the most sought after destination be generated from its revenue streams. for setting up the medical device industry in India. ¾ Functions: It will focus on the high-risk medical € It is expected that it would provide direct device sector. employment to 1200 people and generate up € It will provide a full range of services for the industry to 4000-5000 jobs through the supporting like research and development support, testing, industries. and evaluation of medical devices. € Create an enabling support system for manufacturing Shuchi Scheme: Karnataka support, technology innovation, and knowledge dissemination. Why in News € High-risk medical device sector deals with the category of high-risk devices which include medical The Karnataka government has not allocated funds implants and extracorporeal devices (mechanical to the Shuchi Scheme (a menstrual hygiene project), in organs used in blood purification). its budget for 2020-21. z For example, pacemakers, coronary stents, ¾ As a result, the distribution of sanitary napkins has artificial heart valves, etc. come to halt under the Scheme, affecting over 17 ¾ Benefits: lakh school and college girls. € These services can be utilised by the medical Key Points device industries located within the MedSpark as well from other parts of India. ¾ The Shuchi Scheme, started in 2013-14, was initially a Centrally-sponsored one. However, the Medical Devices Sector in India Centre asked States to take over the scheme from ¾ The medical devices industry in India is valued at 2015-16. USD 5.2 billion, contributing about4-5% to the USD € The central government has supported the States/ 96.7 billion Indian healthcare industry. UTs through National Health Mission (NHM) in their ¾ Medical devices sector in India is very small in size programme implementation plans for decentralised as compared to the rest of the manufacturing procurement of sanitary napkin packs. industry, though India is one of the top twenty ¾ It is aimed at instilling awareness about menstrual markets for medical devices in the world and is hygiene among adolescent girls. the 4th largest market in Asia after Japan, China, ¾ A national level scheme- Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) of and South Korea. the Union Ministry of Women & Child Development ¾ India’s medical devices industry is poised seeks to empower adolescent girls, so as to enable for significant growth in the next five years and them to take charge of their lives. the market size is expected to reach USD 50 bn € The broad objectives of the Scheme are to improve by 2025. the nutritional, health and development status of ¾ India currently imports 80-90% of medical devices adolescent girls, promote awareness of health, and the vast majority of which are unregulated for hygiene, nutrition and family care, link them to quality and safety. opportunities for learning life skills, going back € The USA, Germany, China, Japan, and Singapore to school, help them gain a better understanding constitute the five largest exporters of high of their social environment and take initiatives technology medical equipment to India. to become productive members of the society.

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YuWaah Platform O-SMART Scheme

Why in News Why in News Recently, the Government has launched YuWaah – a The Ocean Services, Modelling, Applications, multi-stakeholder platformto make young people career Resources and Technology (O-SMART) Scheme was ready. approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2018 and is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. ¾ The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had signed a Key Points ‘Statement of Intent’ to establish Generation Unlimited ¾ It aims at stepping up ocean research and setting up . in India (YuWaah) early warning weather systems. Key Points ¾ It addresses ocean development activities such as services, technology, resources, observations ¾ Generation Unlimited (GenU): and science and provides necessary scientific and € Founded in September 2018, GenU aims to technological background required for implementation transform education, employment and of various aspects of Blue Economy. entrepreneurial outcomes for young people ¾ Objectives: around the world at a global and local level, by € To generate and regularly update information on joining together partners from business and Marine Living Resources and their relationship with governments with the reach and network of the the physical environment in the Indian Exclusive United Nations (UN). Economic Zone (EEZ). rd € It was launched by UNICEF at the 73 session of € To periodically monitor levels of seawater the UN General Assembly. pollutants for health assessment of coastal waters ¾ Objectives of YuWaah: of India, to develop shoreline change maps for € Providing career guidance support to young assessment of coastal erosion due to natural and people through career portal as well as through anthropogenic activities. job-readiness and self-exploration sessions to € To develop a wide range of state-of-the-art ocean make young people career-ready. observation systems for the acquisition of real-time data from the seas around India and to cater to the € Supporting young people by providing entrepre- testing and sea trial activities of . neurship classes with successful entrepreneurs ocean technology and experts. € To generate and disseminate a suite of user- oriented ocean information, advisories, warnings, € Creating linkages with aspirational economic data and data products for the benefit of society. opportunities to connect young people with jobs or self-employment. For this, innovative solutions € To develop high-resolution models for ocean and reanalysis systems. and technology platforms will be engaged to forecast maximize the scale and reach. € To develop algorithms for validation of satellite data for coastal research and to monitor changes € Upskilling young people on 21st century skills, life in the coastal research. skills, digital skills and supporting them through € (CRVs) self-learning, for their productive lives and the Acquisition of Coastal Research Vessels for coastal pollution monitoring, testing of future of work. various underwater components and technology ¾ Significance: demonstration and to support their operation € It will help the youth in contributing towards and maintenance. Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. € To develop technologies to tap the marine € It will give a strong focus to India’s existing policies, bioresources, generate freshwater and ocean energy such as the National Youth Policy, 2014. and develop underwater vehicles and technologies.

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€ Establishment of Ballast water treatment facility. € To provide advice and support to the Department z Ballast Water Discharge by ships is responsible of Telecommunications (DoT) in the monitoring for the introduction of invasive species in the and enforcement of net neutrality principles. oceans by taking water from one port and € To investigate complaints regarding the violation discharging it during the next port call. of net neutrality. € To carry out exploration of Polymetallic Nodules € To help DoT in the maintenance of a repository of (MPN) from water depth of 5500 m in site of reasonable traffic management practices. 75000 sq. km allotted to India byUnited Nations ¾ Stakeholders: in Central Indian Ocean Basin, and to carry out € It could include telecom service providers, Internet investigations ofgas hydrates. service providers, content providers, researchers, z MPN, also called manganese nodules, are rock academic and technical community, civil society concretions formed of concentric layers of iron organisations, and the government. and manganese hydroxides around a core. ¾ Net Neutrality in India: The DoT accepts TRAI’s z MPN contain multiple metals like copper, recommendations in favour of net neutrality which: nickel, cobalt, manganese, iron, lead, zinc, € Bars telcos from discriminatory treatment on the aluminium, silver, gold and platinum etc. in web, based on content, sender, receiver, protocols variable constitutions and are precipitate of or equipment. hot fluids from upwelling hot magma from the deep interior of the oceanic crust. € Penalties for violation of license rules on net neutrality. z Mining for Polymetallic nodules is of strategic importance for India as there are no terrestrial € Includes exceptions for critical services such as sources of these metals in India. remote healthcare diagnostics, self-driving cars, etc. € Exploration ofpolymetallic sulphides near Rodrigues € Exempts content delivery networks, which do not Triple junction (convergence of Central Indian Ridge, use public Internet from open web rules. the Southeast Indian Ridge, and the Southwest € Applies equally to 5G technology as well because Indian Ridge) in 10000 sq. km of area allotted the principles are technology-neutral. to India in International waters by International Seabed Authority. Net Neutrality ¾ Net neutrality has been defined as a principle that € Submission of India’s claim over continental shelf extending beyond the EEZ supported by Internet Service Providers (ISP) also called Internet scientific data, and the Topographic survey of Access Providers (IAP) should enable access to all EEZ of India. content and applications regardless of the source, and without favouring or blocking particular products or websites. Multi-stakeholder ¾ This means when the customers pay an ISP for a Body for Net Neutrality data plan, they should be able to access all content online (news, social media, videos, games, etc.) at the Why in News same broadband speed which they had opted for. ¾ Arguments in Favour: Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India € It democratises the internet space as the telecom (TRAI) has recommended the creation of a multi- provider cannot charge differently for different stakeholder body (MSB) to ensure that Internet access websites and allows everyone on the internet providers adhere to the provisions of net neutrality. to participate in it. ¾ The MSB should be set up as a non-profit entity. € It does not let ISPs to act as “gatekeepers” and Key Points control, filter or block data according to their will without a court order. ¾ Roles and Responsibilities:

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It is responsible for the matters relating to € It provides a level playing fieldto all the big and small companies in the Information Technology the planning, execution and monitoring of (IT) sector and does not let a handful of companies development schemes and projects in the NE control the internet. Region. z North Eastern Council (NEC): It is the nodal € It ensures that all people and websites have agency for the economic and social development equal access to each other, regardless of their of the NE Region which consists of the eight ability to pay hence fosters the principle of States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, freedom of speech. Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and ¾ Arguments Against: Tripura. It was constituted in 1971 by an Act € It will stifle innovation on the internet as it will of Parliament. not be possible to explore consumer choices z NERCORMP: North Eastern Region Community and create content accordingly. Resource Management Project (NERCORMP) € ISPs will not be able to make an investment in is a livelihood and rural development project Broadband services. aimed to transform the lives of the poor and € It will kill competition as every data packet will marginalized tribal families in NE India. It is be treated the same and content providers will a joint developmental initiative of the NEC, not get a chance to advance their data at a better Ministry of DoNER and International Fund for rate by paying the telecom providers. Agricultural Development (IFAD). „ IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy. ¾ 2020 Focus: The Emerging Delightful Destinations. ¾ 2020 Venue: Virtually from 27th to 30th September 2020. € The previous editions of the festival were held in Varanasi, Delhi and Chandigarh.

World Tourism Day 2020 Destination North East Festival Why in News Why in News Every year, 27th September has been celebrated as the World Tourism Day since 1980. It was on this day in The Ministry of Development of North-East Region 1970 when the Statutes of the United Nations World (DoNER) has launched the logo and song for festival Tourism Organization (UNWTO) were adopted which “Destination North East-2020”. are considered a milestone in global tourism. Key Points ¾ The UNWTO is a United Nations specialised agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, ¾ About the Festival: sustainable and universally accessible tourism. € Aim: To bring the rest of India closer to North East (NE) India. Key Points € Four-Day Event: It holds a special presentation ¾ Significance: of art and craft, textiles, ethnic products, tourism € The day highlights the unique role of the tourism promotion etc. of the eight northeastern states. sector in preserving cultural and natural heritage € Organisations Involved: all around the world. It acts as an auxiliary in z Ministry of Development of North-East Region: safeguarding habitat and endangered species.

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€ It addresses the importance of the tourism sector replacing the MCI, which was tainted by corruption in providing jobs and opportunities, mostly for and other problems. women and youth, in rural as well as urban areas. ¾ The NMC will function as thecountry’s top regulator ¾ 2020 Celebrations: of medical education. € Theme for 2020: ‘Tourism and Rural Development’. ¾ It will have four separate autonomous boards for: z The theme encourages the celebration of the € Undergraduate medical education. unique role played by tourism in job creation € Postgraduate medical education. outside of the big cities. € Medical assessment and rating. € Joint Hosts: € Ethics and medical registration. z In the history of 40 years, the official celebration ¾ The common final year Bachelor of Medicine and of the day will not be hosted by a single member Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) examination will now be state of the UNWTO. known as the National Exit Test (NEXT), according to z Nations from theMERCOSUR bloc (Argentina, the new medical education structure under the NMC. Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Chile joining € NEXT will act as licentiate examination to practice as member associate status) will also be the medicine, the criteria for admission to postgraduate joint hosts. medical courses, and also for screening of foreign € Covid-19 Impact: As per the data of the UNWTO, medical graduates. about 100 to 120 million jobs in the tourism ¾ Besides the National Eligibility and Entrance Test industry are at direct risk. (NEET), NEXT will also be applicable to institutes of national importance such as all the All India Institutes of National Medical Commission Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in a bid to ensure a common standard in the medical education sector in the country. Why in News € NEET is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Recently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) ¾ Dr Suresh Chandra Sharma, former head of ENT has replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI), as per (Otorhinolaryngology, the study of diseases of the the gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Health ear, nose, and throat) AIIMS Delhi, has been appointed and Family Welfare. as its chairman for three years. ¾ MCI was established in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1933 with the main function of establishing uniform standards of higher qualifications Lok Adalat in medicine and recognition of medical qualifications in India and abroad. Why in News ¾ The old Act was repealed in 1956 and a new act Recently, a daily wager in Odisha’s Kandhamal district was enacted in its place. The new act was further modified in 1964, 1993 and 2001. has moved the Lok Adalat against the Prime Minister of India but the hearing is yet to begin. Key Points ¾ He allegedly failed to get an Aadhaar card registered ¾ The government dissolved the MCI in 2018 and in his name despite various attempts due to technical replaced it with a Board of Governors (BoG), which glitches in taking his fingerprint. was chaired by a member of NITI Aayog. Key Points ¾ Now, the IMC Act, 1956 stands repealed after the gazette notification, and has been replaced by the ¾ About: National Medical Commission Act that came into € The term ‘Lok Adalat’ means ‘People’s Court’ and existence on 8th August 2019. is based on Gandhian principles. ¾ The change is aimed at bringing in reforms in the € As per the Supreme Court, it is an old form of medical education sector and especially aimed at adjudicating system prevailed in ancient India

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and its validity has not been taken away even in of the case to the Lok Adalat or court is satisfied the modern days too. that the matter can be solved by a Lok Adalat. € It is one of the components of the Alternative z In the case of a pre-litigation dispute, the matter Dispute Resolution (ADR) system and delivers can be referred to the Lok Adalat on receipt of informal, cheap and expeditious justice to the an application from any one of the parties to common people. the dispute. € The first Lok Adalat campwas organised in Gujarat € Matters such as matrimonial/family disputes, in 1982 as a voluntary and conciliatory agency criminal (compoundable offences) cases, land without any statutory backing for its decisions. acquisition cases, labour disputes, workmen’s € In view of its growing popularity over time, it was compensation cases, bank recovery cases, etc. given statutory status under the Legal Services are being taken up in Lok Adalats. Authorities Act, 1987. The Act makes the provisions € However, the Lok Adalat shall have no jurisdiction in relating to the organisation and functioning of the respect of any case or matter relating to an offence Lok Adalats. not compoundable under any law. In other words, ¾ Organisation: the offences which are non-compoundable under € The State/District Legal Services Authority or any law fall outside the purview of the Lok Adalat. the Supreme Court/High Court/Taluk Legal ¾ Powers: Services Committee may organise Lok Adalats at € The Lok Adalat shall have the same powers as are such intervals and places and for exercising such vested in a Civil Court under the Code of Civil jurisdiction and for such areas as it thinks fit. Procedure (1908). € Every Lok Adalat organised for an area shall consist € Further, a Lok Adalat shall have the requisite of such number of serving or retired judicial powers to specify its own procedure for the officers and other persons of the area as may be determination of any dispute coming before it. specified by the agency organising. € All proceedings before a Lok Adalat shall be deemed z Generally, a Lok Adalat consists of a judicial to be judicial proceedings within the meaning officer as the chairman and a lawyer (advocate) of the Indian Penal Code (1860) and every Lok and a social worker as members. Adalat shall be deemed to be a Civil Court for the € National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) along purpose of the Code of Criminal Procedure (1973). with other Legal Services Institutions conducts € An award of a Lok Adalat shall be deemed to Lok Adalats. be a decree of a Civil Court or an order of any z NALSA was constituted under theLegal Services other court. Authorities Act, 1987which came into force on € Every award made by a Lok Adalat shall be final th 9 Nov 1995 to establish a nationwide uniform and binding on all the parties to the dispute. No network for providing free and competent legal appeal shall lie to any court against the award services to the weaker sections of the society. of the Lok Adalat. ¾ Jurisdiction: ¾ Benefits: € A Lok Adalat shall have jurisdiction to determine and € There is no court fee and if court fee is already to arrive at a compromise or settlement between paid the amount will be refunded if the dispute the parties to a disputein respect of: is settled at Lok Adalat. z Any case pending before any court, or € There is procedural flexibility and speedy trial z Any matter which is falling within the jurisdiction of the disputes. There is no strict application of of any court and is not brought before such court. procedural laws while assessing the claim by Lok € Any case pending before the court can be referred Adalat. to the Lok Adalat for settlement if: € The parties to the dispute can directly interact z Parties agree to settle the dispute in the Lok with the judge through their counsel which is Adalat or one of the parties applies for referral not possible in regular courts of law.

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€ The award by the Lok Adalat is binding on the parties and it has the status of a decree of a civil Kaushal Se Kal court and it is non-appealable, which does not Badlenge: DDU-GKY cause the delay in the settlement of disputes finally.

Permanent Lok Adalats Why in News ¾ The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 was amended Recently, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) in 2002 to provide for the establishment of the has celebrated the foundation day of Deen Dayal Permanent Lok Adalats to deal with cases pertaining Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) as like transport, postal, “Kaushal Se Kal Badlenge” on the occasion of Antyodaya to the public utility services th telegraph etc. Diwas (25 September). ¾ Features: Key Points € These have been . set up as permanent bodies ¾ Inaugurations and New Releases: € It shall consist of who is or has been a Chairman € Agripreneurship (entrepreneurship in agriculture) a district judge or additional district judge or has Programme. held judicial office higher in rank than that of z Agripreneurship is defined as generally, the district judge and two other persons having sustainable, community-orientated, directly adequate experience in public utility services. marketed agriculture. € It shall not have jurisdiction in respect of any z Sustainable agriculture denotes a holistic, matter relating to an offence not compoundable systems-oriented approach to farming that under any law. The jurisdiction of the Permanent focuses on the interrelationships of social, Lok Adalats is upto Rs. 1 Crore. economic, and environmental processes. € Before the dispute is brought before any court, € Guidelines regarding Captive Employment under any party to the dispute may make an application DDU-GKY. to the Permanent Lok Adalat for settlement of z Captive employers are businesses which can the dispute. After an application is made to the employ 500 or more in their own organisation Permanent Lok Adalat, no party to that application or one of their subsidiaries and have suitable shall invoke jurisdiction of any court in the same in-house training facilities. dispute. € Guidelines for Promotion of Integrated Farming € It shall formulate the terms of a possible Cluster (IFC). settlement and submit them to the parties for z Integrated Farming is a combined approach their observations and in case the parties reach an aimed at efficient sustainable resource agreement, the Permanent Lok Adalat shall pass management for increased productivity in the an award in terms thereof. In case parties to the cropping system. dispute fail to reach an agreement, the Permanent z It has multiple objectives of sustainability,food Lok Adalat shall decide the dispute on merits. security, farmer’s security and poverty reduction z A major drawback of the Lok Adalats is that by involving livestock, vermicomposting,organic if the parties do not arrive at any compromise farming, etc. or settlement, the case is either returned to € Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for capacity the court of law or the parties are advised to building of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)/ seek a remedy in a court of law. This causes StartUps and providing incubation support in unnecessary delay in the dispensation of justice. rural areas. € Every award made by the Permanent Lok Adalat shall be final and bindingon all the parties thereto and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya shall be by a majority of the persons constituting Grameen Kaushalya Yojana the Permanent Lok Adalat. ¾ MoRD announced it on Antyodaya Diwas in 2014.

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¾ It is a demand-driven placement linked skill training € FAME India is a part of the National Electric initiative working under the National Rural Livelihood Mobility Mission Plan. Main thrust of FAME is to Mission (NRLM). encourage electric vehicles by providing subsidies. ¾ It uses skill training and placement in wage employment € The FAME India Scheme is aimed at incentivising as a tool to diversify income and enable sustained all vehicle segments. upward movement out of poverty. € Two phases of the scheme: ¾ DDU-GKY is uniquely focused on rural youth between z Phase I: started in 2015 and was completed on the ages of 15 and 35 years from poor families. 31st March, 2019 ¾ Achievements: Under DDU-GKY, 10.51 lakh rural z Phase II: started from April, 2019, will be youth have been trained and 6.65 lakh successfully completed by 31st March, 2022 placed so far. € The scheme covers Hybrid & Electric technologies € All stakeholders need to bring more rural youths like Mild Hybrid, Strong Hybrid, Plug in Hybrid & under DDU-GKY, who are interested to become Battery Electric Vehicles. independent and bring a change in society. € Monitoring Authority : Department of Heavy ¾ Significance: Industries, the Ministry of Heavy Industries and € DDU-GKY and integrated farming initiatives for rural Public Enterprises. development across the country are important € Fame India Scheme has four focus Areas: for greater success in skilling and placing the z Technology development rural youth. z Demand Creation € DDU-GKY has played a significant role in the z Pilot Projects context of Aatmanirbhar Bharat through skilling. z Charging Infrastructure Antyodaya Diwas ¾ Objectives of FAME Scheme: ¾ th Every year, 25 September is observed as Antyodaya z Encourage faster adoption ofelectric and hybrid Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit vehicles by way of offering upfront Incentive Deendayal Upadhyaya, one of the great thinkers on purchase of Electric vehicles. and philosophers of the nationalist movement of z Establish a necessary charging Infrastructure the country. for electric vehicles. ¾ The Government of India announced it for the first z To address the issue of environmental pollution time in 2014 along with the Deendayal Antyodaya and fuel security. Yojana. ¾ Salient Features of Phase II: ¾ Antyodaya means “uplifting the poorest of the poor” and the day aims to reach the person in € Emphasis on electrification of the public the last mile. transportation that includes shared transport. € This phase aims to support, through subsidies, approximately 7000 e-Buses, 5 lakh e-3 Wheelers, FAME India Scheme Phase II 55000 e-4 Wheeler Passenger Cars and 10 lakh e-2 Wheelers. Why in News € In 3-Wheel (W) and 4-Wheel (W) segment incentives The Government of India has sanctioned670 Electric will be applicable mainly to vehicles used for public buses in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and transport or registered for commercial purposes. Chandigarh and 241 Charging Stations in Madhya Pradesh, € In the 2-Wheel (W) segment, the focus will be on Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat and Port Blair under Phase-II the private vehicles. of FAME India Scheme. € To encourage advanced technologies, the benefits of incentives will be extended toonly those vehicles Key Points which are fitted with advancedbatteries like aLithium ¾ Background: Ion battery and other new technology batteries.

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€ The scheme proposes for establishment of € The Act XIV was amended and made more stringent charging infrastructure, whereby about 2700 in the form of The Indian Official Secrets Act, 1904, charging stations will be established in metros, during Lord Curzon’s tenure as Viceroy of India. other million plus cities, smart cities and cities of € In 1923, a newer version was notified, the Indian Hilly states across the country so that there will Official Secrets Act (Act No XIX of 1923). be availability of at least one charging station in z It was extended to all matters of secrecy and a grid of 3 km x 3 km. confidentiality in governance in the country. € Establishment of Charging stations are also proposed ¾ Issues Involved: on major highways connecting major city clusters. € Conflict with Right to Information Act: It has often z On such highways, charging stations will be been argued that the OSA is in direct conflict with established on both sides of the road at an the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. interval of about 25 km each. z Section 22 of the RTI Act provides for its primacy vis-a-vis provisions of other laws, including Arrest Under OSA. So if there is any inconsistency in OSA Official Secrets Act with regard to furnishing of information, it will be superseded by the RTI Act. Why in News z However, under Sections 8 and 9 of the RTI Act, the government can refuse information. Recently, Delhi police has arrested a strategic affairs Effectively, if the government classifies a analyst under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923 for document as secret under OSA, that document passing information such as the deployment of Indian can be kept outside the ambit of the RTI Act, troops on the border to Chinese intelligence officers. and the government can invoke Sections 8 or 9. Key Points € Misinterpretation of Breach of National Security: of OSA, which deals with potential breaches ¾ Official Secrets Act: Section 5 of national security, is often misinterpreted. € OSA broadly deals with two aspects — spying or espionage and disclosure of secret information z The Section makes it a punishable offence to of the government. share information that may help an enemy state. z The Section comes in handy for booking z However, the OSA does not define the secret information, the government follows the Manual journalists when they publicise information that of Departmental Security Instructions, 1994 may cause embarrassment to the government for classifying a document as secret. or the armed forces. ¾ z Generally secret information includes any Suggestions Made: official code, password, sketch, plan, model, € In 1971, the Law Commission in its report on article, note, document, or information. ‘Offences Against National Security’, observed € If guilty, a person may get up to 14 years’ that merely because a circular is marked secret or imprisonment, a fine, or both. Both the person confidential, it should not attract the provisions communicating the information and the person of the OSA if the publication thereof is in the receiving the information can be punished under interest of the public and no question of national the OSA. emergency and interest of the State as such arises. ¾ Background: z The Law Commission, however, did not € OSA has its roots in the British colonial era. The recommend any changes to the OSA. Indian Official Secrets Act (Act XIV), 1889 was € In 2006, the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission brought in, with the objective of muzzling the (ARC) recommended that OSA be repealed, and voice of a large number of newspapers that had replaced with a chapter in the National Security come up in several languages, and were opposing Act, 1980 containing provisions relating to official the British policies. secrets.

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z It observed that OSA was unsuitable with the reach students with online classes, mostly through regime of transparency in a democratic society. smartphones. € In 2015, the government had set up a committee z However, out of the 60 lakh students, hardly to look into provisions of the OSA in light of the 22 lakhs were being reached during the RTI Act which submitted its report in June 2017, lockdowns. recommending that OSA be made more transparent € The situation worsened when the lockdown and in line with the RTI Act. was lifted and parents started going to their workplaces taking the only smartphone in the Education family with them. z It led to a further drop of 6 to 7 lakh students Through Radio in Odisha attending virtual classes. € Those who have a sufficient number of smart Why in News devices for students, suffer due to poor network Recently, the state government of Odisha has decided coverage. to reach out to children in remote areas through the radio as online classes fail to reach most students due EPFO’s New to poor mobile connectivity. Facility on UMANG App Key Points ¾ Education Through Radio: Why in News € The state’s School and Mass Education Department Recently, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has launched classroom teaching through All (EPFO) has started a facility on the Unified Mobile India Radio. Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) App € Students from Class I to VIII can learn their lessons which enables members of the Employees’ Pension through 15-minutes of teaching by experienced Scheme (EPS) 1995 to apply online for Scheme Certificates. teachers through radio. ¾ EPS is a social security scheme that was launched in z It has been highlighted that a student can cover 1995 and is provided by EPFO. six pages of his textbook within 15 minutes of ¾ It makes provisions for pensions for the employees a radio programme. in the organised sector after the retirement at the € Although teaching through radio would not be age of 58 years. effective as it could have been in a physical classroom, the dire situation has forced the Key Points for administration to try different methods ¾ Scheme Certificate: reaching students. € It is issued to members who withdraw their ¾ Other Initiatives: Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contribution € Students have been provided with textbooks even but wish to retain their membership with EPFO, though schools in Odisha have been closed since to avail pension benefits on the attainment of th 17 March 2020. retirement age. € Three hours of classroom instruction are also € Members become eligible for pension only if they available through Doordarshan. have been, cumulatively, a member of the EPS, € Since considerable time has been lost due to 1995 for at least 10 years. the closure of schools, school syllabus has been € Upon joining a new job, Scheme Certificate reduced by 30%. ensures that previous pensionable service is ¾ Reasons for the Move: added to pensionable service rendered with the € The schools could not be opened due to Covid-19 new employer thereby, increasing the number of pandemic so the education department tried to pension benefits.

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€ Further, Scheme Certificate is also useful for family ¾ It implements the Employees’ Provident Fund and members to avail family pension, in case of the Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. untimely death of the eligible member. € The Act provides for the institution of provident ¾ Requirements for Online Application: funds for employees in factories and other € For availing the service, an active Universal Account establishments. Number (UAN) and a mobile number registered ¾ It is administered by the Ministry of Labour and with the EPFO is required. Employment. ¾ Benefits: ¾ It is one of the world’s largest social security € The online application will help members avoid organisations in terms of clientele and the volume unnecessary hardship of physically applying for of financial transactions undertaken. it, especially during pandemic times and will also eliminate unnecessary paperwork. PMNCH ¾ Role of EPFO in Current Times: € EPFO was already providing 16 services on the Accountability Breakfast App allowing EPF subscribers to access services during Covid-19 from the comfort of their homes Why in News in a hassle-free manner. The Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare € By successfully bringing state-of-the-art technology participated in the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn to the doorstep of its subscribers, EPFO has and Child Health (PMNCH) ‘Accountability Breakfast’ remained to be a very popular service provider (an annual event) to discuss the issues of maternal and on UMANG App. child health. € With India witnessing massive growth in digital ¾ The event was co-hosted by the White Ribbon Alliance connectivity through mobile phones, EPFO is (WRA) and Every Woman Every Child (EWEC). making more and more services digitally accessible ¾ Theme of the Event: Protecting gains in Reproductive, to members even in remotest locations through Maternal and Child Health from the Covid pandemic. the App. PMNCH UMANG App ¾ The Partnership (PMNCH) is a global health ¾ It is a unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, partnership founded in 2005. multi-lingual, multi-service mobile app. ¾ It is hosted at the World Health Organization in ¾ It is developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Geneva, Switzerland which joins the maternal, (MeitY) and Information Technology National newborn and child health (MNCH) communities (NeGD) to drive mobile e-Governance Division into an alliance. governance under Digital India. ¾ The Accountability Breakfast aims to convert talk ¾ It provides a single platform to citizens for accessing into action for the health and rights of women, ranging from pan India e-Government services children and adolescents. central to local government bodies and other citizen-centric services. The White Ribbon Alliance ¾ Services Provided: Filing income tax, EPFO services, ¾ WRA is a nonpartisan, non-profit and non- Aadhar, Pension, ePathshala, e- Land Records, Crop governmental membership organization that aims Insurance etc. to decrease maternal and newborn death globally. ¾ Founded in 1999 and same year it came to India Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation as WRA India ¾ It is a government organisation that manages ¾ Headquarters: Washington, D.C., USA the provident fund and pension accounts for the workforce engaged in the organized sector ‘Every Woman Every Child’ (EWEC) Movement in India. ¾ It was launched by the United Nations during the

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United Nations Millennium Development Goals z Tuberculosis, chemotherapy, dialysis and Summit in September 2010. healthcare of the elderly, irrespective of the Covid-19 status. ¾ Every Woman Every Child is an unprecedented global movement that mobilizes and intensifies ¾ Reproductive Rights: A woman’s choice during international and national action by governments, maternal care reckoned that maternity care goes the private sector, and civil society to address the much beyond healthcare services, also including major health challenges facing women, children, dignity, privacy, confidentiality, choice and respect and adolescents around the world. for her as well as her baby. € India’s Zero-tolerance approach: For service denial Key Points to pregnant women and their new-born babies. ¾ Indian Government Initiatives during Covid-19 € Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Pandemic: Sex Selection) Act: € At the national level, the Ministry of Health and z PCPNDT Act was enacted in 1994 and amended Family Welfare has issued guidance to the States in 2003 and is an important tool for addressing to ensure that women, children and adolescents sex-selective eliminations. continue to get all the healthcare services even z Objectives: To ban the use of sex selection under severe strain due to Covid pandemic. techniques before or after conception and z Further, the government has included Covid prevent the misuse of a prenatal diagnostic in the medical conditions covered under the technique for sex-selective abortion. Ayushman Bharat – PM JAY insurance package provided by the government. € The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 € The government has tried to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure through its policy of no denial for z The Act provides for termination up to 20 essential services, like- weeks. If an unwanted pregnancy has proceeded z Reproductive Maternal Newborn, Child and beyond 20 weeks, women have to approach a Adolescent Health (RMNCAH): It was launched medical board and courts to seek permission in 2013 to address the major causes of mortality for termination, which is extremely difficult among women and children as well as the and cumbersome. For this a new bill to amend delays in accessing and utilizing health care the MTP Act is under the consideration of the and services. Parliament.

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Economic Scenario

Highlights z Parliamentary Committee Report on Startups z MSP Raised for Rabi Crops z Need for Balanced Loan Restructuring Scheme: RBI Governor z Infrastructure Investment Trusts as Fundraiser z Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks z Report on 2020-21 Kharif Marketing Season: CACP z Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 z Plastic Parks Scheme z Support to Self-Employment Schemes: MSME z Non-utilisation of Cesses & Levies z World Bamboo Day z Domestic Systemically Important Insurers z FinCEN and FIU-IND z ESG Funds Becoming Popular in India z PCA Decision on Retrospective Taxation by India

without being classified asNon-banking Financial Parliamentary Committee Companies (NBFCs) by the Reserve Bank of India Report on Startups (RBI) to expand capital sources for start-ups. € Abo­lition of Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax on Collective Investment Vehicles (CIVs)for at least Why in News the next two years to encourage investment in Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on start-ups and to drive a sharp post-pandemic revival. Finance tabled a report related to startups in Parliament. z At present, LTCG earned by foreign investors in The Government of India has initiated a Startup India private companies attracts taxation at a rate of Scheme in 2016. 10%, in comparison to the domestic venture capital investments which are taxed at 20% Key Points (for LTCG) with an enhanced surcharge of 37%. ¾ Recommendations: € Indian start-ups need to reduce their dependence on China and the USA, so that India becomes self- reliant by having several large domestic growth funds powered by domestic capital. z E.g Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) Fund-of-Funds vehicle should be expanded and fully operationalised to play an investment role. „ A fund-of-funds also known as a multi- manager investment—is a pooled investment fund that invests in other types of funds. z Foreign development finance institutionsmay also be encouraged to participate with local asset management companies to set up fund- of-funds structures. € The companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) should be allowed to invest in start-ups

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z After a two-year period, theSecurities Transaction SIDBI Tax (STT) may be applied to CIVs so that revenue ¾ Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) neutrality is maintained. was set up in 1990. It is a statutory body established z A CIV is any entitythat allows investors to pool under an Act of Parliament. their money and invest the pooled funds, rather ¾ It acts as the principal financial institution for than buying securities directly as individuals. promotion, financing and development of theMicro, It is usually managed by a fund management Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector as company which is paid a fee for doing so. well as for coordination of functions of institutions z Examples of CIV: angel funds, alternate invest- engaged in similar activities. ment funds and investment LLP. ¾ Benefits: A strong start-up ecosystem can propel investment, jobs, and demand creation in the economy. Need for Balanced

Startup India Scheme Loan Restructuring ¾ It is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, Scheme: RBI Governor intended to catalyse startup culture and build a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and Why in News entrepreneurship in India. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor ¾ Since the launch of the initiative in 2016, Startup India has called for a balanced loan restructuring scheme to has rolled out several programs with the objective tackle the Covid-19 related stress. of supporting entrepreneurs, and transforming India into a country of job creators instead of job seekers. Key Points ¾ A startup is an enterprise that is initiated by its ¾ The financial stability of the banking sector needs founders around an idea or a problem with a potential to be kept in mind while providing loan restructuring for significant business opportunity and impact. along with depositors’ interest. Securities Transaction Tax: € There are crores of depositors (small depositors, ¾ It is a tax levied at the time of purchase and sale of middle-class people, retired persons) who depend securities listed on stock exchanges in India. on deposit income while borrowers are only in lakhs. ¾ Both purchaser and seller both need to pay 0.1% € The loan restructuring includes altering the terms of share value as STT. of existing loans, usually to make them more favorable to the borrower. For example, the lender Capital Gain Tax may restructure a loan to receive a lower interest ¾ Any profit or gain that arises from the sale of a rate or monthly payment. ‘capital asset’ is a capital gain. This gain or profit z Restructured loans are most common if the comes under the category of ‘income’. borrower states that he/she can no longer € Land, building, house property, vehicles, patents, afford payments under the old terms. trademarks, leasehold rights, machinery, and ¾ The governor does not want a repeat of the Non- jewellery are a few examples of capital assets. Performing Asset (NPA) surge that happened after ¾ Hence, the capital gain tax will be required to be 2014 with loan restructuring. paid for that amount in the year in which the transfer € The economic measures taken by the RBI in the of the capital asset takes place. This is called the wake of the global financial crisis of 2008-09, led capital gains tax, which can be both short-term or to a surge in bad loans from 2014-15. long-term. ¾ The idea behind loan restructuring was to protect ¾ Long-term Capital Gains Tax: It is a levy on the profits viable businesses that are facing genuine cash flow from the sale of assets held for more than a year. problems. The revival of business will ensure NPA ¾ Short-term Capital Gains Tax: It applies to assets held levels are kept low and also ensure quick economic for a year or less and is taxed as ordinary income. recovery.

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¾ However, the governor cautioned that the economic recovery would be gradual, as the upticks in some Scheme for sectors appear to be levelling off asefforts towards Integrated Textile Parks reopening of the economy are confronted with rising infections. Why in News Background Recently, the Union Minister of Textiles provided ¾ In the recent Monetary Policy report, RBI has allowed information on the implementation of Scheme for banks to restructure loans to reduce the rising stress Integrated Textile Park (SITP), in Rajya Sabha. on incomes and balance sheets of large corporates, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as Key Points well as individuals. ¾ Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks: € A large number of firms that otherwise maintain € It was launched in 2005. a good track record are facing the challenge as € Objectives: their debt burden is becoming disproportionate, relative to their cash flow generation abilities. z To provide the industry with a world-class state of the art infrastructure facilities for setting up ¾ The RBI set up a committee headed by K.V. Kamath their textile units. on restructuring of loans impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. z To attract foreign investors to the domestic textile sector. € The committee was tasked to recommend parame- ters for one-time restructuring of corporate loans. € Features: € The committee recommended five fi­nancial­ ra­ z Under the SITP, infrastructure facilities for setting tios and sec­tor-spe­cific thresholds­ for reso­ ­lu­tion up textile units are developed in aPublic-Private- of Covid-19 related­ stressed as­sets in 26 sec­tors. Partnership (PPP) model. € It also specified that restructured loan tenure z The Government of India grants up to 40% of cannot be extended beyond two years. the project cost. „ However, it grants up to 90% of the project Issues Involved cost for the first two projects (each) in the ¾ The major criticism of the restructuring scheme is North Eastern States, Himachal Pradesh, the select 26 sectors identified by the K V. Kamath Uttarakhand and Union Territories of Jammu committee. However, there are many other sectors and Kashmir and Ladakh. that are eligible for a restructuring scheme. z The government’s support is limited to Rs. 40 € The 26 sectors­ in­clude au­tomo­ biles,­ power, tourism, crore for each textile park. cement,­ chemi­­cals, gems and jew­ellery, lo­gis­tics, z Each Integrated Textile Park (ITP) under the min­ing, manu­ ­factur­ ­ing, real es­tate, and ship­ping scheme would normally have 50 units. The among oth­ers. number of entrepreneurs and the resultant ¾ As per the RBI, only those borrowers which were investments in each ITP could vary from project classified as standard and with arrears less than 30 to project. days as at 1st March 2020 are eligible for restructuring. ¾ Status: ¾ The two year period is also very short for economic € A total of 59 textile parks have been sanctioned recovery. Given the GDP contraction and no second under SITP by the Textiles Ministry out of which economic stimulus by the government in sight, the 22 have been completed. recovery will take longer than two years. € Further, the proposal to set up Mega Textile Parks € In May 2020, the government announced the is at the advanced stage of discussion. ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (or Self-reliant India Mission)’ with an economic stimulus package — z The government is considering a plan to set up worth Rs. 20 lakh crores aimed towards achieving 1,000-acre mega textile parks. the mission. € The slow progress of SITP is attributed to:

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z Delay in obtaining land. by providing infrastructure, capacity building and z Other statutory clearances from state governments. marketing support to all segments of the textile industry. z Slow fund mobilisation by the textile parks. ¾ Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SAMARTH): Skill development scheme covering Significance of Textile Sector the entire value chain of the textile sector, excluding ¾ The sector accounts for 7% of India’s manufacturing spinning and weaving in the organised sector, on pan output, 2% of GDP, 12% of exports and employs India basis. directly and indirectly about 10 crore people. ¾ Power-Tex India. ¾ Owing to the abundant supply of raw material and ¾ Silk Samagra Scheme. labour, India is the: ¾ Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme € Largest producer of cotton, accounting for 25% (ATUFS). of the global output. ¾ National Handloom Day. € World’s second-largest producer of textiles and ¾ Jute ICARE. garments after China. ¾ National Technical Textile Mission. € Second-largest producer of man-made fibresviz. polyester and viscose. Essential Commodities ¾ As per India Brand Equity Foundation, the sector has demonstrated encouraging growth trends in India (Amendment) Bill, 2020 with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% for the last few years wherein it has reached a Why in News size of USD 13 billion. Recently, Parliament has passed the Essential Challenges Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which replaces an Ordinance promulgated in June 2020 and amends ¾ Highly fragmentation and domination by the the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955. unorganized sector. ¾ The introduction of a new tax structure under the Key Points (GST) makes the garments Goods and Service Tax ¾ Features of the Bill: expensive. € Removes commoditieslike cereals, pulses, oilseeds, ¾ Increasing interest rates and labour wages and edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of workers’ salaries. essential commodities. ¾ Faces a lack of access to the latest technology and fails € Aims to remove fears of private investors of to meet the global standards in the highly competitive excessive regulatory interference in their business export market. operations. ¾ The fierce competition from China, Bangladesh and € Ensures that interests of consumers are safeguarded Sri Lanka in the low price garment market. by regulating agricultural foodstuff in situations ¾ Environmental and social issues like child labour and such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise and personal safety. natural calamity. z However, the installed capacity of a value Major Government Initiatives chain participant and the export demand of ¾ Comprehensive Scheme for Development of Knitting an exporter will remain exempted from such and Knitwear Sector: For the development of knitting regulation so as to ensure that investments in and knitwear sector to boost production in the knitting agriculture are not discouraged. and knitwear cluster at Ludhiana, Kolkata and Tirupur. ¾ Background: € The scheme is launched under Power-Tex India. € The ECA 1955 was used to curb inflation by allowing ¾ North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme: the Centre to enable control by state governments For promoting textiles industry in the north-east of trade in a wide variety of commodities.

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€ The states imposed stock limits to restrict the movement of any commodity deemed essential. It Support to Self-Employment helped to discourage hoarding of items, including Schemes: MSME food commodities, such as pulses, edible oils and vegetables. Why in News € However, the Economic Survey 2019-20 highlighted that government intervention under the ECA 1955 The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises often distorted agricultural trade while being (MSME) has announced expansion of and doubling of totally ineffective in curbing inflation. support to beneficiary oriented Self-Employment schemes z Such intervention does enable opportunities aimed at contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. for rent-seeking and harassment. Key Points „ Rent-seeking is a term used by economists to describe unproductive income, including ¾ The government will provide assistance to artisans from corruption. engaged in Pottery Activity and Beekeeping Activity. € Traders tend to buy far less than their usual ¾ Previously, the Ministry of MSME approved a capacity and farmers often suffer huge losses programme for the benefit of artisans involved in during surplus harvests of perishables since large manufacturing of Agarbatti under the Gramodyog stocks held by traders can be outlawed under the Vikas Yojana. ECA 1955 anytime. ¾ Pottery Activity: € This led to farmers being unable to get better € The assistance includes technical knowhow, quality prices due to lack of investment in cold storage, standardization of products, skill-development warehouses, processing and export. to Self Help Groups (SHGs), encouragement to € Also, with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) the successful traditional potter to set up units controlling stocks before, there were less investment under Prime Minister’s Employment Generation and buyers. Programme (PMEGP) scheme, necessary market ¾ Benefits: linkages by tying up with exports and large buying houses etc. € The freedom to produce, hold, move, distribute and supply will lead to harnessing economies of z PMEGP is a credit-linked subsidy scheme which scale and attract private sector/foreign direct promotes self-employment through setting up investment into the agriculture sector. of micro-enterprises. € Investment in cold storages and modernisation € It also includes setting up of clusters in Terracotta, of the food supply chain will increase. Red clay pottery,with new innovative value added € It will create a competitive market environment products to build pottery to crockery/tile making and also prevent wastage of agri-produce that capabilities under the SFURTI scheme. happens due to lack of storage facilities. z The Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of € It will help both farmers and consumers while Traditional Industries (SFURTI) aims to make bringing in price stability. traditional industries more productive and ¾ Issues Involved: competitive by organizing the traditional industries and artisans into clusters. € It will be a highly centralized law and will infringe upon the States’ powers, as they will not be able Terracotta to regulate let say the menace of hoarding, black ¾ Terracotta is a type of ceramic pottery, made by marketing, etc. baking terracotta clay. € The stock limit relaxations under the ECA may ¾ The word “terracotta” comes from the Italian words lead to black marketing and hoarding rather for “baked earth.” than benefiting the producers. This will lead to an ¾ It is often used for making pipes, bricks, and increase in inflation and the monopoly of a few sculptures. individuals over prices of certain goods.

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¾ ¾ Recently, a Terracotta Grinder was launched at Benefits: Varanasi by the Khadi and Village Industries € The program will immediately benefit about 1500 Commission (KVIC). artisans, in providing sustainable employment with ¾ The Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) terracotta has been increased earnings. given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. € Artisans living in rural areas, Self Help Groups ¾ Terracotta Figurines were also made during the and Migrant workers will particularly benefit Indus Valley Civilization. They were either used as from the program. toys or objects of worship and represented birds, € In addition to enhancing employment opportunities dogs, sheep, cattle and monkeys. locally, the programme will also help in capturing € The famous terracotta figure of the Mother the export market in such products. Goddess was discovered in Mohen-jodaro which shows the Mother Goddess as the symbol of World Bamboo Day fertility and prosperity. ¾ Beekeeping Activity: Why in News € It aims to create sustainable employment for World Bamboo Day is celebrated the beekeepers/farmers, help artisans adopt every year on 18th September. & Management practices, scientific Beekeeping ¾ Theme of 2020: Bamboo Now utilize available natural resources; and create awareness about the benefits of beekeeping in Key Points cross pollination. ¾ World Bamboo Day : It was officially established by € It involves distributing tools and equipment to the World Bamboo Organization at the 8th World migrant labourers in the Prime Minister Gareeb Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009. Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan (PMGKRA) districts and ¾ World Bamboo Organization : It was set up at the providing training to the beneficiaries, setting up 1992 International Bamboo Congress in Japan. clusters under the SFURTI Scheme. € It is an international coordinating body for bamboo z PMGKRA empowers and provides livelihood practitioners dedicated to promoting the use of opportunities to thereturnee migrant workers bamboo and bamboo products for the sake of the and rural citizens who have returned to their environment and economy. home states due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown. ¾ Properties of Bamboo: € Recently, the Ministry of MSME flagged off ‘Apiary € Versatile Uses: Bamboo can be used in 1,500 different on Wheels’. ways including as food, a substitute for wood, building and construction material, for handicrafts z ‘Apiary on Wheels’ is a unique concept designed by the KVIC for the easy upkeep and migration and paper. Due to its versatile nature and multiple of Bee Boxes having live Bee colonies. uses, it is also called ‘poor man’s timber’. € € A Beekeeping Development Committee was also Environmental Benefits:It can be planted to reclaim constituted in 2019 under theEconomic Advisory severely degraded sites and wastelands. It is a good Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) to give soil binder owing to its peculiar clump formation recommendations to enhance the contribution of and fibrous root system and hence also plays an the beekeeping sector for achieving the target of important role in soil and water conservation. doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022. z It is the fastest growing canopy, releasing 35% € KVIC also launched a Honey Mission in 2017 under more oxygen than trees and can sequester which it provides awareness, training and ‘Bee 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide from per hectare. Boxes’ along with Bee Colonies to the farmers. € Use in Covid-19 : Bamboo has been a key ingredient z The Honey mission was in line with the ‘Sweet in new antimicrobial soaps and hand mists developed Revolution’, launched in 2016 to promote by scientists from the Philippines to fight the novel beekeeping and associated activities. coronavirus.

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€ Nutraceutical Bamboo Shoot: Bamboo shoots ¾ MSP Hike: Recently, the Central government has have nutraceutical properties, according to experts. revised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor z The term ‘nutraceutical’ is used to describe Forest Produce (MFP). medicinally or nutritionally functional foods. € MFP includes all non-timber forest produce of plant z Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the origin and includes bamboo, canes, fodder, leaves, edible newly sprouted canes of bamboo that waxes, resins and many forms of food including form just under the soil and have a firm, crisp nuts, wild fruits, lac, tusser etc. texture. ¾ National Bamboo Mission: The restructured NBM z Bamboo shoots are emerging as high-value and was launched in 2018-19 for the holistic development safe edibles and are also among the cheapest of the complete value chain of the bamboo sector immunity boosters for increasing the human and is being implemented in a hub (industry) and body’s resistance to viral attacks. spoke model. z The protein content in fresh bamboo shoots can € It supports local artisans through locally grown range between 1.49-4.04%. They also contain bamboo species, which will actualise the goal of 17 amino acids, eight of which are essential for Vocal for Local and help increase the income of the human body. farmers, reducing dependency on imports of raw ¾ Global Market: material. ¾ € The present global market of bamboo shoots is Removal of Bamboo from ‘Tree’ Category: The Indian around 1,700 million USD. Forest Act 1927 was amended in 2017 to remove bamboo for the category of trees. € More than 3 million tonnes of bamboo shoots are consumed across the earth annually. € As a result, anyone can undertake cultivation and business in bamboo and its products without the € According to the International Network for Bamboo need of a felling and transit permission. and Rattan (INBAR), China exports 68% of the world’s bamboo and rattan (a type of Palm fibre) ¾ Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs): 10,000 new products valued at 1,112 million USD. FPOs will be formed in 5 years. z INBAR is a multilateral development organisation, € FPOs engage in providing a range of assistance founded in 1997 which promotes environmentally to farmers like imparting better farm practices, sustainable development using bamboo and collectivisation of input purchases, transportation, rattan. linkage with markets, and better price realisation as they do away with the intermediaries. ¾ Indian Scenario: € According to the National Bamboo Mission, India has the highest area (13.96 million hectares) under FinCEN and FIU-IND bamboo. € It is the second richest country after China in terms Why in News of bamboo diversity with 136 species. Recently, over 2100 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) € The annual production of bamboo in India is 14.6 were filed by banks with the United States Department million tonnes and the bamboo-rattan industry in of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network the country was worth Rs. 28,005 crore in 2017. (FinCEN). € Bamboo shoot production and consumption in India ¾ The FinCEN files identify at least USD 2 trillion in are confined mostly to the north-eastern States. transactions between 1999 and 2017 flagged as possible evidence of money laundering or other Initiatives to Promote Bamboo criminal activityby compliance officers of banks and ¾ Bamboo Clusters: Recently, the Union Minister financial institutions. for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has virtually Key Points inaugurated 22 bamboo clusters in 9 states viz. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, ¾ FinCEN: Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Karnataka. € It was set up in 1990.

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€ It serves as the leading global regulator in the and disseminating information relating to suspect battle against money laundering. financial transactions. € It collects and analyzes information about financial Note: transactions in order to combat domestic and ¾ international money laundering, terrorist financing, Round tripping refers to money that leaves the country through various channels and makes its way and other financial crimes. back into the country often as foreign investment. ¾ Suspicious Activity Report: This mostly involves black money and is allegedly € SAR is a document filed by banks and financial often used for stock price manipulation. institutions to report suspicious activity to the ¾ Money laundering is concealing or disguising the USA FinCEN. identity of illegally obtained proceeds so that they € These are meant to red flag, within 30 days of the appear to have originated from legitimate sources. transaction’s occurrence: criminal funds or any form It is frequently a component of other, much more of dirty money; insider trading; potential money serious, crimes such as drug trafficking, robbery laundering; terror financing; any transaction that or extortion. raises suspicion. ¾ Shell companies are typically corporate entities € These are used to detect crime but cannot be used which do not have any active business operations or as direct evidence to prove legal cases. significant assets in their possession. The government z There are details of banking transactions that views them with suspicion as some of them could give a clear indication ofround-tripping , money be used for money laundering, tax evasion and laundering or dealings with shell-like entities. other illegal activities. € FinCEN shares SARs with law-enforcement ¾ The agency is authorised to obtain: authorities including FBI, US Immigration and € Cash transaction reports (CTRs) Customs. € Suspicious transaction reports (STRs) ¾ Significance: € Cross border wire transfer reports € The FinCEN fileshighlight the dangers correspondent banking pose. ¾ These reports are obtained from private and public sector banks every month. z The term correspondent bank refers to a financial institution that provides services to another ¾ This happens under the Prevention of Money one—usually in another country. Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). z It acts as an intermediary or agent, facilitating ¾ Mandatory: It is mandatory for banks in India to wire transfers, conducting business transactions, furnish a monthly CTR to the FIU on: accepting deposits, and gathering documents € All transactionsover Rs. 10 lakh or its equivalent in on behalf of another bank. foreign currency or a series of integrally connected ¾ For India: transactions that add up to more than Rs.10 lakh € Individuals and companies being probed by Indian or its equivalent in foreign currency. agencies in different cases are part of the SAR ¾ Process: The STRs and CTRs are analysed by FIU. flagged to FinCEN. € Suspicious or doubtful transactions are shared € Like, transactions of Indian entities named in scams with agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, such as the 2G scam, the Agusta-westland scandal, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Tax etc. cases have all been listed with the FinCEN. Authority for the purpose of launching probes to check possible instances of money laundering, tax Indian Scenario evasion and terror financing. ¾ The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) ¾ FIU’s 2017-2018 annual report reveals that it had performs the same functions as FinCEN in the USA. received a record number of 14 lakh STRs following € Under the Finance Ministry, this was set up in demonetization which was three times the number 2004 as the nodal agency for receiving, analyzing of STRs filed in the previous year.

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€ Future Course for India: India has said it would PCA Decision on Retrospective study the order and all its aspects and make a Taxation by India decision on the further course of action including legal remedies before appropriate fora. Why in News z According to the Indian Government, as Vodafone had not paid the initial tax demand and interest Recently, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and penalty on it, the question of India paying at The Hague (Netherlands) has ruled that India’s back the amount does not arise. retrospective imposition of tax liability, as well as interest z India has the option to move to Singapore and penalties on Vodafone Group for a 2007 deal, was a International Arbitration Centre as well. violation of the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with the ¾ Netherlands and the arbitration rules of theUnited Nations Retrospective Taxation: Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). € It allows a country to pass a rule on taxing certain products, items or services and deals and charge Key Points companies from time behind the date on which ¾ About the Case: the law is passed. € In May 2007, the British telecommunication € Countries use this route to correct any anomalies company Vodafone Group had bought a 67% stake in their taxation policies that have, in the past, in a company called Hutchison Whampoa. allowed companies to take advantage of such loopholes. € For this, the Indian government for the first time raised a demand for capital gains and withholding € Retrospective Taxation hurts companies that had tax from Vodafone, under the Income Tax Act of knowingly or unknowingly interpreted the tax 1961. rules differently. € The government argued that Vodafone should € Apart from India, many countries including the have deducted the tax at source before making USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, a payment to Hutchison. Australia and Italy have retrospectively taxed z Capital Gains Tax: It is the tax paid on income that companies. derives from the sale or exchange of an asset, ¾ Bilateral Investment Treaty: such as a stock or property that’s categorized € On 6th November 1995, India and the Netherlands as a capital asset. had signed a BIT for promotion and protection of € In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the investment by companies of each country in the Vodafone Group. other’s jurisdiction. € Later, the Finance Act was amended (2012) € The two countries would ensure that companies giving the Income Tax Department the power to present in each other’s jurisdictions would at all retrospectively tax such deals. times be accorded fair and equitable treatment € Vodafone then initiated arbitration in 2014 invoking and shall enjoy full protection and security in the the Bilateral Investment Treaty signed between territory of the other. India and the Netherlands in 1995. € The BIT between India and the Netherlands expired nd € Ruling: The International Arbitration Tribunalat on 22 September 2016. Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the € Relation to Vodafone Case: Vodafone invoked BIT government’s demand is in breach of fair and as its Dutch unit, Vodafone International Holdings equitable treatment. BV, had bought the Indian business operations of z The government must cease seeking the dues Hutchison Telecommunication International Ltd. from Vodafone. This made it a transaction between aDutch firm z This was a unanimous decision meaning that and an Indian firm. India’s appointed arbitrator also ruled in favour ¾ United Nations Commission on International Trade of Vodafone. Law:

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€ It was established in 1966 as a subsidiary International Arbitration Tribunal body of the United Nations General Assembly ¾ It is an independent non-governmental panel of (UNGA). independent and impartial experts. € It is the core legal body of the United Nations ¾ It generally comprises three members nominated system in the field of international trade law. by the Parties (or appointed by the International € Mandate: To further the progressive harmonisation Arbitration Institution, or by a National Court) on and modernisation of rules on international business the basis of their legal and practical expertise and and reform commercial laws. knowledge, to render a final and binding award. € It adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Permanent Court of Arbitration Commercial Arbitration in 1985 and the UNCITRAL ¾ Established: 1899. Conciliation Rules in 1980. ¾ Headquarter: The Hague, Netherlands. € The UNGA has recommended the use of the said ¾ Purpose: It is an intergovernmental organisation Model Law and Rules in cases where a dispute dedicated to serve the international community arises in the context of international commercial in the field of dispute resolution and to facilitate relations and the parties seek an amicable settlement arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution of that dispute by recourse to conciliation. between States. € India has also incorporated these uniform principles ¾ Structure: The PCA has a three-part organisational of Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the structure consisting of: Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 which has € Administrative Council: To oversee its policies been amended several times. and budgets. z The Act provides for ADR mechanisms like € Members of the Court: A panel of independent arbitration, conciliations, etc. for national and potential arbitrators. international stakeholders. € International Bureau: Its Secretariat, headed Significance by the Secretary-General. ¾ Funding: It has a Financial Assistance Fund which ¾ Vodafone’s win in the arbitration is significant as it aims at helping developing countries meet part of may cause other similarly placed companies to seek the costs involved in international arbitration or other arbitral reliefs. means of dispute settlement offered by the PCA. ¾ India is entangled in more than a dozen such cases against companies over retrospective tax claims and cancellation of contracts. The exchequer MSP Raised for Rabi Crops could end up paying billions of dollars in damages if it loses. Why in News ¾ To reduce future arbitration claims, India has Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs ended such bilateral investment agreements with has marginally increased the Minimum Support Price over 50 countries and is working on a new law to (MSP) of six rabi crops for 2021-22. protect foreign investors by offering relief from ¾ Rabi crops are agricultural crops that are sown in possible policy changes even as it upholds the right winter and harvested in the spring in India. Eg. wheat, to tax them. barley, mustard etc. ¾ The victory of Vodafone at PCA may provide it with some relief as the telecom sector is already facing a Key Points number of issues and challenges. The ruling comes ¾ MSP rates were hiked for wheat, barley, gram, masoor days after the Supreme Court allowed a period of10 dal (lentil), safflower, and rapeseed and mustard. years for telecom companies to clear Adjusted Gross ¾ However, the MSP has seen a lower hike compared Revenue (AGR) related dues, causing heavy financial to 2020-21. The wheat MSP has seen an increase of burden on the telecom sector. just 2.6% — the lowest increase in 11 years.

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¾ The increase in MSP is in line with the principle of procurement and they will be able to force farmers fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the to reduce their rates. All-India weighted average Cost of Production as ¾ The absence of any regulation in non-APMC mandis announced in Union Budget 2018-19. is being seen as a precursor to the withdrawal of the ¾ The increase in MSP comes in the midst of a vehement guarantee of MSP-based procurement. protest by farmers, who fear that new agricultural ¾ These fears gain strength with the experience of marketing reforms will result in the phasing out of States such as Bihar which abolished APMCs in 2006. MSP and public procurement. After the abolition of mandis, farmers in Bihar on average received lower prices compared to the MSP for most crops. € The government procurement also reduced significantlycompared to other states. ¾ Government is relying on the market to realise better prices. However, recent data suggest limitations of market interventionin raising farm gate prices. € For most crops where MSP-led procurement is non-existent, the decline has been sharper. Even cash crops such as cotton have seen a collapse in prices in the absence of government intervention. € With rising input costs, farmers do not see the market providing them remunerative prices. ¾ The farmers also raise concern about the intent of the government to leave the price discovery mechanism on the market. € It has time and again made ad hoc interventions, such as raising import duties on masur and a ban Issues with New Agricultural Reform on onion exports. ¾ The farmers are protesting against the three Bills which includes: Minimum Support Price € Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion ¾ The MSP is the rate at which the government buys and Facilitation) Bill, 2020. grains from farmers. € Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement ¾ Reason behind the idea of MSP is to counter price of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. volatility of agricultural commodities due to the factors like variation in their supply, lack of market € Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. integration and information asymmetry. ¾ In short, the Bills aim to do away with government ¾ interference in agricultural trade by creatingtrading Fixation of MSP:The MSP is fixed for 23 crops based areas free of middlemen and government taxes on the recommendations of the Commission for outside the structure of Agricultural Produce Market Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), Ministry of Committees (APMCs). Agriculture. ¾ Factors taken into consideration for fixing MSP include: € They also aim to remove restrictions on private stock holding of agricultural produce. € Cost of cultivation, ¾ This according to farmers will give preference for € Demand and supply, corporate interests at the cost of farmers’ interests € Price trends in the market, both domestic and and a lack of regulation in these non-APMC mandis international, are cause for concern for farmers. € Inter-crop price parity, € In the new system, companies will benefit astrading € Terms of trade between agriculture and non- rates will not be under pressure of government agriculture,

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€ A minimum of 50% as the margin over cost of ¾ However, the government calculates its MSP based production, and on the A2+FL method. € Likely implications of MSP (inflation) on consumers of that product. Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices ¾ ¾ The CACP also makes visits to states for on-the-spot The CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of assessment of the various constraints that farmers Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, formed in 1965. face in marketing their produce, or even raising the It is a statutory body. productivity levels of their crops. ¾ Currently, the Commission comprises a Chairman, ¾ Based on all these inputs, the CACP then finalizes its Member Secretary, one Member (Official) and two recommendations/reports, which are then submitted Members (Non-Official). to the government. € The non-official members are representatives ¾ The government, in turn, circulates the CACP reports of the farming community and usually have an to state governments and concerned Central Ministries active association with the farming community. for their comments. ¾ It is mandated to recommend Minimum Support ¾ After receiving the feed-back from them, the CCEA Prices (MSPs) to incentivize the cultivators to adopt of the Union government takes a final decision on modern technology, and raise productivity and the level of MSPs and other recommendations made overall grain production. by the CACP. ¾ CACP submits separate reports recommending ¾ Procurement: The Food Corporation of India (FCI), prices for Kharif and Rabi seasons. the nodal central agency of the Government of India, along with other State Agencies undertakes Infrastructure Investment procurement of crops. ¾ MSP Calculation: This MSP is usually estimated based Trusts as Fundraiser on three types of calculation methods. € A2: Under this, MSP is set 50% higher than the Why in News amount farmers spend on farming including Recently, the National Highways Authority of India spending on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and labour. (NHAI) has decided to use Infrastructure Investment € A2+FL: It includes A2 plus an assigned value of Trust(s) (InvIT) as a vehicle for mobilising funds for unpaid family labour. constructing road infrastructure. € C2: Under C2, the estimated land rent and the Key Points cost of interest on the money taken for farming are added on top of A2+FL. ¾ Infrastructure Investment Trusts: ¾ The Central government had set up the National € InvITs are instruments that work like mutual funds. Commission on Farmers (NCF) in 2004 to address the They are designed to pool small sums of money issues of farmers in India including that of calculation from a number of investors to invest in assets that of MSP. give cash flow over a period of time. Part of this cash flow would be distributed as dividend back National Commission on to investors. Farmers: Swaminathan Committee € The minimum investment amount in an InvIT ¾ It was constituted in 2004 by the Union government Initial Public Offering(IPO) is Rs 10 lakh, therefore, with MS Swaminathan as its chairman. InvITs are suitable for high networth individuals, ¾ The main aim of the committee was to come up institutional and non-institutional investors. with a sustainable farming system, make farm z InvITs are listed on exchanges just like stocks commodities cost-competitive and more profitable. — through IPOs. ¾ The commission, in 2006, recommended that MSPs € However, the Indian InvIT market is not yet mature must be at least 50% more than the cost of production and has supported the formation of 10 InvITs till and recommended the C2 method for MSP calculation. date of which only two are listed.

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z The InvITs listed on the stock exchange are IRB z First, the sponsor has to hold a minimum 15% InvIT Fund and India Grid Trust. of the InvIT units with a lock-in period of three € InvITs are regulated by the Securities and Exchange years. Board of India (SEBI) (Infrastructure Investment z Second, InvITs have to distribute 90% of their Trusts) Regulations, 2014. net cash flows to investors. ¾ Structure of InvIT: z Lastly, the InvIT is required to invest a minimum € Like mutual funds, they have a trustee, sponsor(s), of 80% in revenue generating infra assets. investment manager and project manager. z Trustee has the responsibility of inspecting the Report on 2020-21 Kharif performance of an InvIT. Marketing Season: CACP z Sponsor(s) are promoters of the company that set up the InvIT. Why in News z Investment manager is entrusted with the task of supervising the assets and investments of The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices the InvIT. (CACP) has released the latest report for the 2020-21 kharif marketing season. z Project manager is responsible for the execution of the project. Key Points ¾ Need: ¾ Present Scenario: € In October 2017, the Centre had launched € Overflowing Stocks of Foodgrains: The central Bharatmala Pariyojana for the development of pool had 73.85 million tonnes of food grains on 2nd 24,800 km of roads at a total investment of Rs. April, 2020. This is not only the highest-ever stock 5,35,000 crore. available but also over 300% of the strategic and € In order to complete the projects, NHAI needs operation reserve norm of 21.04 million tonnes. adequate funds and one of the options is tomonetise This year’s kharif crop production is also estimated the completed and operational National Highways to be record-high. assets and offer attractive schemes to private players € Failure of Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS): The to invest in construction of National Highways. Union government had decided in April 2019 to sell ¾ Benefit: wheat and rice in the open market via e-auction € At a time when private sector investment in the through OMSS. It aimed to divert extra stock. But economy has declined, fund-raising by NHAI and the government could just sell one-fifth of the spending on infrastructure will not only provide a target of a five-million tonne sale. fillip to the economy, but will alsocrowd-in private € Increase in food business registration: There has sector investment. been a 65% year-on-year jump in registration € NHAI’s InvIT offer, which is expected to come soon, applications for new food businesses, indicating is a way for the government to tap alternative that private players are eager to invest in agri sources of financing to boost public spending in business and the rural economy as a result of the the roads and infrastructure sector. reforms by Agricultural ordinances. € An InvIT also offers the company the leeway to € Traders moving out-of Mandi: As there would fulfil its debt obligations quickly. be no fees on buying outside the Mandi (unlike € InvIT holders also benefit from favourable tax before the agri ordinances), many of the traders norms, including exemption on dividend income would prefer to buy outside. In June to August, and no capital gains tax if InvIT units are held for there was a 20-40% drop in sale volume of non- more than three years. perishables within the mandis. This will adversely ¾ Safeguards for Investors: impact the farmers. € There are certain rules that the InvIT issuers have € Increase in MSP for Rabi Crops: Recently, the to follow designed to safeguard the investor. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs marginally

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increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of (MSP) as it distorts the market and discourages six rabi crops for 2021-22. This is in line with the private sale. principle of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 z More than 95% of paddy farmers in Punjab are times of the All-India weighted average Cost of covered under the government procurement Production as announced in Union Budget 2018-19. system while it is 70% in case of Haryana. In ¾ Challenges: case of other major paddy producing states € Unavailability of Physical Space for Storage: This like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, it is 3.6% and 1.7% can cause foodgrains to perish. respectively. € Reduction in Demand due to More Supply: Release € Reserve Price for open Market Sale of Pulses of high buffer stock in the market, would lead to a and oilseeds: collapse in prices. This, in turn, will lead to farmers z The government should not sell these stocks in again losing on fair price for their bumper harvest. the open market below the MSP, particularly € Farmer’s protest: Recently, there have been during the procurement season as it depresses strong protests from farmers, especially from the market prices and discourages the private sector states of Punjab and Haryana, against three farm to procure directly from farmers. bills passed in the parliament. This has posed a challenge in front of the government to assure Plastic Parks Scheme farmers of routine procurements and fair prices. ¾ Recommendations of CACP Report: Why in News € Excess Stocks need to be urgently liquidated: The Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers has approved z This will help ease storage capacity constraints setting up of 10 Plastic Parks in the country. and save large carrying costs of excessive stocks. ¾ The Parks are being set up in the states of Assam, z Excess rice stocks should be liquidated through Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, increased allocation under the National Food Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh. Security Act and Other Welfare Schemes. ¾ A Plastic Park is an industrial zone devoted to plastic z The government should divert old stocks for enterprises and its allied industries. ethanol production and cattle feed purposes. € Review open-ended procurement policy (OEPP): Key Points z The central government should review OEPP ¾ Background: for rice and wheat. € The share of India in world trade of plastics is z Major policy changes should be introduced in very low. India’s share in the USD 1 trillion global pricing, procurement and use of other crops plastic exports market is about 1%. like oilseeds, pulses, maize nutri-cereals to € The Indian Plastics industry is large but highly encourage farmers to shift to these crops,which fragmented with dominance of tiny, small and have great potential for crop diversification. medium units and thus lacks the capacity to tap € More Procurement from States like UP and Bihar: this opportunity. z Strengthen procurement from states like € The Scheme for setting up of Plastic Parks has been Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and restrict formulated with a view to synergize and consolidate procurement from states like Punjab and Haryana the capacities through cluster development. where substantial groundwater depletion has ¾ Features of the Scheme: occurred and other states that give bonus. € Demand-Driven: Supports setting up of a need z In all those states that impose high fees and based ‘Plastic Parks’ - an ecosystem with requisite incidental charges and pay bonus, procurement state of the art infrastructure and enabling common of rice and wheat should be restricted. facilities to assist the plastic sector move up the z The state governments should discontinue value chain and contribute to the economy more the bonus above the minimum support price effectively.

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€ Major Objectives: z Pollution caused by plastic waste is tormenting z Increase the competitiveness, polymer absorption the environment including aquatic resources capacity and value addition in the domestic necessitating urgent action, that is why the downstream plastic processing industry plastic sector needs better management. through adaptation of modern, research and € A lack of upgrading quality and diversification in development led measurers. the product range. „ In the petrochemical supply chain, the z India has committed to phase out the use of plastics industry can be classified into two single-use plastic by 2022. categories. „ First, the manufacturing of polymers, which Non-utilisation is called ‘upstream’. of Cesses & Levies „ The second one is conversion of processable polymers (plastic raw materials) into useful end products, which are classified as Why in News ‘downstream’. Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of z Achieve environmentally sustainable growth India (CAG) told Parliament that the Centre has only through innovative methods of waste manage- transferred 60% of the proceeds from cess/levies in Fiscal ment, recycling, etc. Year 2018-19 to the relevant Reserve Funds and retained € Funding Pattern: the balance in the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI). z The Central Government provides grant funding Key Points up to 50% of the project cost, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 40 crore per project. ¾ Non-utilisation of Funds: € z The remaining project cost is funded by the The Centre had collected Rs. 2.75 lakh crore from State Government, beneficiary industries and 35 cesses/levies in FY19. However, it has only by loan from financial institutions. transferred Rs. 1.64 lakh crore and retained Rs. 1.1 lakh crore in the CFI. € Implementation: A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) shall complete the setting up of the Plastic Park z Rs. 40,000 crore of GST Compensation Cess was not credited to the related Reserve Fund. in a period of three years from the date of final approval. z Rs. 10,157 crore of the Road and Infrastructure Cess collected was neither transferred to the z The SPV is a distinct legal entityformed by the related Reserve Fund nor utilised for the purpose State Government or its agency. for which the cess was collected. ¾ The Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering z Rs. 2,123 crore of Universal Service levy and and Technology (CIPET) has established a Centre for Rs. 79 crore collected as National Mineral Skilling and Technical Support (CSTS) at Vijayawada in Trust levy was not transferred to the relevant Andhra Pradesh which provides Diploma programmes Reserve Funds. and skill development training programmes in the z Social Welfare Surcharge on Customs amounting field of Plastics Engineering & Technology. to Rs. 8,871 crore was levied but no dedicated € CIPET is a premier government of India institute. fund for the same was envisaged. ¾ Challenges for the Plastic Industry: „ Non-creation/non operation of Reserve € Increased volume of plastic waste. As per reports Funds makes it difficult to ensure that cesses on the status of India, only 60% of this waste gets and levies have been utilised for the specific recycled. purposes intended by the Parliament. z The major challenge is segregation and re- € In addition, Rs. 1,24,399 crore, representing the aggregation of plastic waste streams such as Cess on crude oil collected between 2010-20, packaging waste, including laminated plastic. had not been transferred to the Oil Industry

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Development Board (designated Reserve Fund) Co have been identified asDomestic Systemically Important and was retained in CFI. Insurers (D-SIIs) for 2020-21 by insurance regulator, the ¾ Mechanism of Utilisation: Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India ( ). € Cesses and levies collected are required to be IRDAI first transferred to designated Reserve Funds ¾ The IRDAI would identify D-SIIs on an annual basis and utilised for the specific purposes intended and disclose the names of such insurers for public by Parliament. information. € Funds collected through Central taxes along with cesses and other levies go to the CFI. Key Points z Taxes and surcharges in CFI are parked in a ¾ Requirements for D-SIIs: divisible pool and 42% of the total is given to € The three public sector insurers have been asked States as devolution. to raise the level of corporate governance. € Identify all relevant risks and promote a sound Cess risk management culture. ¾ Cess is a form of tax levied over and above the base tax liability of a taxpayer. € The D-SIIs will also be subjected to enhanced regulatory supervision of the IRDAI. ¾ Cess is resorted to only when there is a need to meet the particular expenditure for public welfare. ¾ Domestic Systemically Important Insurers: ¾ Cess is not a permanent source of revenue for € D-SIIs are perceived as insurers that are ‘too big the government, and it is discontinued when the or too important to fail’ (TBTF). purpose of levying it is fulfilled. € D-SIIs refer to insurers of such size, market importance ¾ It can be levied on both indirect and direct taxes. and domestic and global interconnectedness ¾ Examples: whose distress or failure would cause a significant dislocation in the domestic financial system. € Swachh Bharat Cess: Introduced in 2015, a 0.5% Swachh Bharat cess was imposed to fund a € Thus, the continued functioning of D-SIIs is critical national campaign for clearing the roads, streets for the uninterrupted availability of insurance and the infrastructure of India. services to the national economy. € Infrastructure Cess: Announced in Union Budget ¾ Reasons: 2016, this cess was charged on the production € The insurance sector had grown exponentially in of vehicles. the last 15 years and a few of the insurers have Surcharge a sizable market share and interconnected with ¾ A surcharge is an extra fee, charge, or tax that is other financial institutions as well. added on to the cost of a good or service, beyond € With perception of TBTF and the perceived the initially quoted price. expectation of government support may amplify ¾ It is added to an existing taxand is not included in risk taking, reduce market discipline, create the stated price of the good or service. competitive distortions, and increase the possibility ¾ It is levied for extra services or to defray the cost of distress in future. of increased commodity pricing. ¾ Concerns: € Given the nature of operations and their systemic Domestic Systemically importance, the failure of D-SIIs has the potential to cause significant disruption to the essential Important Insurers services they provide to the policyholders and, in turn, to the overall economic activity of the Why in News country. The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General € These considerations require that D-SIIs should Insurance Corporation of India and the New India Assurance be subjected to additional regulatory measures

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to deal with the systemic risks and moral hazard issues. ESG Funds z Systemic risk is the possibility that an event at Becoming Popular in India the company level could trigger severe instability or collapse in an entire industry or economy. Why in News z Moral hazard is a situation in which one party gets involved in a risky event knowing that it is The ESG funds are increasingly becoming popular in protected against the risk and the other party the mutual fund industry in India. Recently, ICICI will incur the cost. It arises when both the parties Prudential Mutual Fundhas come out with its ESG fund. have incomplete information about each other. ¾ The first ESG mutual fund was launched by the State ¾ Background: Bank of India - SBI Magnum Equity ESG Fund. € In January 2019, IRDAI announced the formation Key Points of a committee on D-SIIs. ¾ ESG Fund: € The constitution of the committee came in the € ESG is a combination of three words i.e. backdrop of the International Association of environment, Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) asking all member social and governance. countries to have a regulatory framework to deal € It is a kind of mutual fund. Its investing is used with Domestic-SIIs. synonymously with sustainable investing or socially responsible investing. z The IAIS is a voluntary membership organization of insurance supervisors from over 200 € Typically, a mutual fund looks for a good stock of a jurisdictions, constituting 97% of the world’s company that has potential earnings, management insurance premiums. It is the international quality, cash flows, the business it operates in, standards-setting body for the insurance sector. competition etc. € However, while selecting a stock for investment, the Domestic Systemically Important Bank ESG fund shortlists companies that score high on ¾ D-SIB means that the bank is too big to fail. According environment, social responsibility and corporate to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), some banks governance, and then looks into financial factors. become systemically important due to their size, € Therefore, the key difference between the ESG cross-jurisdictional activities, complexity and lack funds and other funds is ‘conscience’ i.e the ESG of substitute and interconnection. Banks whose fund focuses on companies with environment- assets exceed 2% of GDP are considered part of friendly practices, ethical business practices and this group. an employee-friendly record. ¾ Presently, the State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, € The fund is regulated by Securities and Exchange and HDFC Bank have been identified as D-SIBs in India. Board of India (SEBI). ¾ Significance: ¾ Reason for Popularity: € Should such a bank fail, there would be significant € Modern investors are re-evaluating traditional disruption to the essential services they provide approaches, and look at the impact their investment to the banking system and the overall economy. has on the planet. Thus, investors have started € The too-big-to-fail tag also indicates that in incorporating ESG factors into investment practices. case of distress, the government is expected to € The United Nations Principles for Responsible support these banks. Investment (UN-PRI) (an international organization) € Due to this perception, these banks enjoy works to promote the incorporation of environmental, certain advantages in funding. It also means social, and corporate governance factors into that these banks have a different set of policy investment decision-making. measures regarding systemic risks and moral ¾ Impact: hazard issues. € As ESG funds gain momentum in India, companies

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will be forced to follow better governance, ethical wealth funds etc. don’t invest in companies that are practices, environment-friendly measures and seen as polluting, don’t follow social responsibility social responsibility. or are tobacco companies. € Companies that do not follow sustainable business z The global tobacco industry profits per year models will find ittough to raise both equity and come to USD 35 billion, however, it causes debt. nearly 6 million annual deaths and investors € Globally, investors like pension funds, sovereign are growing sensitive to such realities.

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International Relations

Highlights z Israel, UAE and Bahrain Abraham Accord z Universal Eligibility for World Bank Loan z Djibouti Code of Conduct z International Day of Peace z Initiatives Launched on G20 EMM z G4 Foreign Ministers Meeting z BRICS National Security Advisers Meet z SAARC and CICA Meetings z Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement: USA z JIMEX 20 Maritime Exercise z Japan’s New Prime Minister z Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict z Gilgit-Baltistan to Become a Pakistani Province z Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark z 60 Years of Indus Water Treaty z Referendum on Free Movement: Switzerland-EU

Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and the Al-Aqsa Israel, UAE and Mosque in Jerusalem. Bahrain Abraham Accord ¾ Reason: Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together reflect their shared concern aboutIran’s rising influence in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Why in News Iran has been critical of both deals. The Abraham Accord between Israel, the United ¾ Significance of the Accord: Arab Emirates and Bahrain is mediated by the USA. It is € The agreement shows how the Arab countries the first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years. are gradually decoupling themselves from the Key Points Palestine question. z Palestine was among former Ottoman territories ¾ Previous Agreements: There were the only two placed under UK administration by the League peace deals between Israel and the Arab States in of Nations in 1922. All of these territories more than a quarter of a century. eventually became fully independent States, € Egypt was the first Arab state to sign a peace deal except Palestine. with Israel in 1979. € Full diplomatic ties will be established between € Jordan signed a peace pact in 1994. Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which ¾ Agreement: will have a positive impact on the entire region. € As per the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain will € The deal buys UAE a lot of goodwill in the US, where establish: its image has been tarnished by its involvement z Embassies and exchange ambassadors. in the Yemen war. z Work together with Israel across a range of sectors, € In South Asia, it will put Pakistan in a bind, whether including tourism, trade, healthcare and security. to follow UAE’s steps (will be seen as giving up € The Abraham Accords also open the door for Islamic cause of Palestine) or not to follow the UAE Muslims around the world to visit the historic sites (since it is already in a feud with the Saudis over in Israel and to peacefully pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque not taking up the Kashmir case, Pakistan cannot in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam. afford another hostile Islamic Country). z In the Islamic tradition, the Kaaba in Mecca € In the upcoming presidential election in the USA, is considered the holiest site, followed by the the accord could help shore up support among

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pro-Israel Christian evangelical voters, an important z It is the world’s largest oil-producing region part of the current President’s political base. accounting for 34% of world production, 45% of ¾ More Deals: crude oil exports and 48% of oil proven reserves. € Other gulf states in the region like Oman could € Diaspora: Indian expatriates have constituted a follow suit and sign similar agreements with Israel substantial share of the regional labour market. € One of the biggest Gulf Arab powers, Saudi Arabia z Remittances from the region constitute a major could follow the suit as well. chunk of total remittances to India. ¾ Concern: ¾ Opportunity for India: € The Palestinians have not embraced the USA’s € Defence and Security: India should use this vision. 86% of Palestinians believe the normalization unexpected opportunity to give itself a bigger role agreement with the UAE serves only Israel’s interests in a region which is its strategic backyard. The first and not their own. step should be to ramp up defence and security relations with the UAE. z There is a possibility that the Palestine quest is further ignored. z Israel is already a very close defence partner. € € Shia-Sunni rifts in the region may get wide and While some work has already happened, India violent. should leverage its economy for a bigger opening in this region. Importantly, India can use its good z Saudi Arabia (Sunni) and Iran (representing Shia) offices to ensure that any future deal on a regional have a long history of enmity. For decades, one security framework gives adequate space to Iran, of the main sources of instability in West Asia has which may be weak but not so weak that it cannot been the cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. be a hugely disruptive power if it so chooses. z The Sunni-Shiite schism may also provoke violence between Muslims in such places as Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia. Djibouti Code of Conduct

Why in News Recently, India has joined the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCOC) as an observer as part of efforts aimed at enhancing maritime security in theIndian Ocean region. Key Points ¾ Djibouti Code of Conduct: € About: It is also known as the Code of Conduct concern- ing the Repression of Piracy and Armed ¾ Indian Interest in West Asia: Robbery against in the € Geopolitical: West Asia occupies an important Ships Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf position in international relations due to its of Aden. geographical location and proximity to continents z It was adopted on 29th January 2009. and countries South Asia, China, Central Asia, z It was established under the International Europe, and Africa. Maritime Organisation (IMO). € Energy: The region is strategically significant due € Objective: To co-operate to the fullest possible to its enormous energy resources, trade route extent in the repression of piracy and armed links to different parts of the world. robbery against ships.

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€ Jeddah Amendment: An amendment to DCOC € India-China: China’s territorial claims in the South was made in 2017 to cover other illicit maritime China Sea, its claim in the East China Sea and activities, includinghuman trafficking and illegal, its rapid advance into the Indian Ocean through unreported and unregulated fishing and to build ambitious strategic and economic initiatives like national and regional capacity to address wider the String of Pearls and Belt-and-Road Initiative maritime security issues, as a basis for sustainable (BRI) may pose a threat to India. development of the maritime sector. z Further, China is modernising its military base € Signatories: It has been signed by 20 countries at Djibouti. including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, z Given India’s stakes in the Indian ocean and rising Maldives, Seychelles, Somalia, the United Republic Indo-China conflicts, it is very significant for of Tanzania, Yemen, Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, India to develop blue-water naval capabilities. Jordan, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sudan and the UAE. India in Indo-Pacific z The member states are located in areas ¾ Shangrila Dialogue: India has internationally adjoining the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the emphasised on including the western Pacific and the east coast of Africa and include island nations Indian Ocean in the concept of Indo-Pacific, like at in the Indian Ocean. Shangrila Dialogue in 2018. € Observers: India, Japan, Norway, the UK and the € In accordance, it also set up an Indo-Pacific division USA. in the Ministry of External Affairs. ¾ Quad: Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) refers to an ad hoc group including Australia, India, Japan, and the USA with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region. € India has signed reciprocal military logistics support agreements with Australia, USA and Japan to increase interoperability with the navies of those countries. ¾ ASEAN: India has emphasised the centrality of ASEAN in its Indo-Pacific framework and India’s Act East policy provides strategic direction to increase its ¾ Significance of India Becoming an Observer cooperation with ASEAN members. € Boosting its Indian Ocean Outreach: As India is ¾ SAGAR: The Indian government introduced the strengthening its position in the Indian Ocean and concept of Security And Growth for All in the Region nearby waters as part of its overall Indo-Pacific (SAGAR) in 2015 as its strategic vision for the Indian policy, this move will help it in increasing its Ocean Region. strategic footprints in Western and Eastern Indian € Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen economic Ocean besides Eastern African coastal states. and security cooperation with its maritime € Blue Economy: The blue economy is one of the neighbours and assist in building its maritime key areas of the Jeddah Amendment. security capabilities. z It refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources ¾ India’s other policies impacting the maritime domain for economic growth, improved livelihoods and include Project Sagarmala, Project Mausam, jobs, and ocean ecosystem health. Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean z India has also focussed on the growth of the Region (IOR), etc. blue economy through its framework of Indian ¾ India has also begun to focus on its strategic partners Ocean Rim Association and DCOC may be in the Western Indian ocean. It has been accepted another step in that direction. as an observer at the Indian Ocean Commission.

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€ It is an innovative action-oriented initiative aimed at creating a global research and development programme to advance research, innovation and capacity building in all facets of coral reef conservation, restoration and adaptation. € It will strengthen ongoing efforts and commitments made to enhance coral reefs conservation and stop their further degradation. z Limiting global average temperature and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase, in line with the Paris Agreement, provides the only chance for the survival of coral reefs globally. ¾ India’s Stand: Initiatives € India intends to take measures to enhance coral Launched on G20 EMM reef conservation under the National Coastal Mission Programme. Why in News z The proposed mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) will address Recently, the G20 Environment Ministers Meeting the impact of climate change on coastal and (EMM) has taken place under the Presidency of the marine ecosystems. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. z It will include all phases of the ¾ Global initiatives to reduce Land Degradation and Integrated Coastal (ICZM) Project. Coral Reef Programme and two documents on Zone Management climate change, related to managing emissions and € India has also put efforts towards achievingland climate change adaptations under the G20 in 2020, degradation neutrality and towards the attainment have been launched. of global goals of climate change mitigation and ¾ G20 EMM, 2019 saw an agreement on adopting a adaptation. new implementation framework for actions to tackle z The Indian government sees schemes such as the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale. the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Key Points Sinchayee Yojana as tools to tackle the problem ¾ Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation: of land degradation. € It aims to strengthen the implementation of existing € India is committed to working with G20 nations for a frameworks to prevent, halt, and reverse land better world and is taking adequate action to meet degradation within G20 member states. the Paris Agreement and its climate commitments. z The Scientific Conceptual Framework for Land € It was emphasised that equity, common but Degradation Neutrality (LDN), developed by differentiated responsibilities, finance and the United Nations Convention to Combat technology partnerships are the key pillars to Desertification (UNCCD), provides a scientific tackle the problem of climate change. foundation for understanding, implementing and monitoring land degradation. BRICS National € Globally, it aims to take into account possible implications on the achievement of Sustainable Security Advisers Meet Development Goals (SDG-13: Climate Action, SDG-14: Life below Water, SDG-15: Life on Land) Why in News and adhere to the principle of doing no harm. Recently, Russia hosted virtual National Security ¾ Global Coral Reef Research and Development Advisers (NSAs) meet of the Brazil-Russia-India-China- Accelerator Platform: South Africa (BRICS) grouping.

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¾ India-China standoff at Ladakh was not discussed € The Russian side criticised the deployment of at the meet. weapons in space by the USA and the use of outer space for military operations. Key Points z It also expressed concern over the escalation ¾ Draft Anti-terrorism Plan: of tensions with the USA in Iran, Venezuela € The group discussed a draft anti-terrorism strategy and Syria. that is expected to be approved at an upcoming z It also proposed the creation of new mechanisms summit. in the field of countering epidemiological threats and to conduct expert consultations on biosafety € The anti-terrorism plan reflects fundamental in the BRICS format. aspects of the BRICS states, such as respect for sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, € Cooperating within the framework of building a adherence to international law and recognition of multi-polar systembased on justice and equality. the United Nation (UN)’s central role in security € Agreed to work on deepening coordinationat key matters. international organisations and forums, especially the United Nations (UN). ¾ Other Discussed Issues: € Challenges and threats to global, regional and national security. € Called for biological security cooperation and Basic Exchange and information and communications technology Cooperation Agreement: USA security. z There was also a proposal to continue work on Why in News a system for countering security threats in the sphere of information. The USA is looking forward to India signing the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial BRICS cooperation (BECA), at the next India-USA 2+2 ministerial ¾ BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s dialogue likely to be held in October, 2020. leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, Key Points India, China, and South Africa. ¾ € In 2001, the British Economist Jim O’Neill coined 2+2 talks: the term BRIC to describe the four emerging € They are a dialogue between two appointed economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. ministers from each country. This meeting aims to discuss issues of strategic and security interests € The grouping was formalised during the first between the two countries. meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers’ in 2006. € Defense and foreign ministers or secretaries meet € South Africa was invited to join BRIC in December with their counterparts from another country. 2010, after which the group adopted the acronym BRICS. € India holds such talks with Japan and Australia, at the foreign secretary and defense secretary level. ¾ The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually € India holds ministerial-level talks only with the among the members, in accordance with the USA. Apart from India, the United States holds such acronym B-R-I-C-S. ministerial dialogues with Australia and Japan also. ¾ During the Sixth BRICS Summit in Fortaleza € The talks were announced in June 2017. The 2+2 (Brazil) in 2014, the leaders signed the Agreement dialogue has replaced the Strategic and Commercial establishing the New Development Bank (NDB Dialogue between the foreign and commerce - Shanghai, China). They also signed the BRICS ministers of the two countries that were held Contingent Reserve Arrangement to provide short- previously. term liquidity support to the members. ¾ BECA:

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€ BECA will allow India to use the geospatial maps concluded, India will have such arrangements with of the USA to get pinpoint military accuracy of all Quad countries. automated hardware systems and weapons such € Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is the as cruise and ballistic missiles. informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, € BECA is an important precursor to India acquiring Japan and Australia with a shared objective to armed unmanned aerial vehicles such as the ensure and support a free, open and prosperous Predator-B from the USA. Predator-B uses spatial Indo-Pacific region. data for accurate strikes on enemy targets. ¾ In increasing military to military interactions, the € BECA is one of the four foundational military USA has also posted a liaison officer at the Navy’s communication agreements between the two Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region countries. The other three being GSOMIA, LEMOA, (IFC-IOR) meant to promote Maritime Domain CISMOA. Awareness (MDA). € Initially, India had reservations to geospatial € The Information Fusion Centre serves countries mapping on the grounds of national security, but that have White Shipping Information Exchange they were later addressed by mutual dialogue and (White-shipping refers to commercial shipping discussion between the two countries. information about the movement of cargo ships) agreements with India. General Security Of Military Information Agreement € MDA is defined by the International Maritime ¾ GSOMIA allows militaries to share the intelligence Organization as the effective understanding of gathered by them. anything associated with the maritime domain ¾ Signed by India in 2002. that could impact the security, safety, economy, ¾ An extension to the GSOMIA, the Industrial Security or environment of a country. Annex (ISA), was signed at the 2+2 dialogue in 2019. ¾ Recently, India posted a liaison officer at the USA ¾ ISA provides a framework for exchange and protection Navy Central Command in Bahrain. of classified military informationbetween the USA and Indian defence industries. Japan’s New Prime Minister Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement ¾ LEMOA allows both countries to have access to each Why in News other’s designated military facilities for refueling Japan recently elected Yoshihide Suga as its new and replenishment. Prime Minister. He belongs to the ruling Liberal Democratic ¾ Signed by India in 2016. Party (LDP) of Japan. Communications and Information Key Points Security Memorandum of Agreement ¾ Political System of Japan: ¾ COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) is the India specific version of CISMOA. € Japan has a multi-party, bicameral, parliamentary, representative democratic constitutional monarchy. ¾ Valid for 10 years, COMCASA aims to provide a legal framework for the transfer of highly sensitive € Constitution:It has a unitary model with supremacy communication security equipment from the of constitution. USA to India that will streamline and facilitate z The Constitution of Japan is the fundamental interoperability between their armed forces. law of Japan, enacted on 3rd May 1947. ¾ Signed by India in 2018. z It is one of the very few democratic Other Maritime Developments constitutions in Between India and the USA the world having ¾ A maritime information agreement is also under fundamental duties, active deliberation between India and the USA. Once apart from India.

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€ Government: The Government of Japan consists ¾ Gilgit-Baltistan is one of the disputed territories of of a legislature, executive and judiciary. India. z The Emperor is the Head of State and the Prime Minister is the Head of Government and the Key Points Head of the Cabinet (executive). ¾ Current Status of Gilgit- z The Emperor holds nominal ceremonial Baltistan: authority. For e.g. The legislature is known € It is an autonomous as the National Diet. Its members are directly region now and with elected by the people. this elevation, it will z The Diet has two houses- upper House of be considered as the th Representativesand lower House of Councillors. 5 province of Pakistan. z The Prime minister is designated by the National z Currently, Pakistan has four provinces namely Diet but only the Emperor has the authority to Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, appoint the Prime Minister. and Sindh. € Feature Borrowed in Indian Constitution:The Indian € Chronology: Constitution derives its “Procedure established by z 1999: Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled that the Law” component from the Japanese constitution. people of Gilgit-Baltistan are Pakistani citizens z The expression occurs in Article 21 (Right to and directed the federal government to start Life and Personal Liberty). appropriate administrative and legislative measures. z It means that law duly enacted by the legislature or the concerned body is valid only if the correct z 2009: The Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment procedure has been followed to the letter. and Self-Governance Order was introduced, whereby the z Hence, the validity of a law that has prescribed a Northern Areas were renamed procedure cannot be questioned on the ground as Gilgit-Baltistan and the region was given that the law is unreasonable, unfair or unjust. province-like status but without representation in Parliament. z It is different from the expression ‘due process of law’ contained in the American Constitution, z 2015: A committee constituted by the federal which not only checks if there is a law to deprive government proposed giving Gilgit-Baltistan the life and personal liberty of a person but the status of a province. also ensures that the law is made fair and just. z 2018: A new order was introduced which z With the Supreme Court pronouncement of transferred all powers of the Gilgit-Baltistan “due process of Law “in the Maneka Gandhi council to its assembly. case (1978), the court asserted the principle ¾ This elevation will lead to adequate representation of reasonableness while deciding a case. It from the province on all constitutional bodies, now means that the procedure must satisfy including the National Assembly and the Senate. certain requisites in the sense of being fair and ¾ The Government will also start working on the reasonable. The procedure cannot be arbitrary, Moqpondass Special Economic Zone (SEZ) under the unfair or unreasonable. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). € SEZs work as an engine for economic growth Gilgit-Baltistan to supported by quality infrastructure complemented by an attractive fiscal package, both at the Centre Become a Pakistani Province and the State level, with the minimum possible regulations. Why in News ¾ Other Developments by China in Pakistan-occupied Recently, Pakistan has decided to elevate Gilgit- Kashmir under CPEC: Baltistan’s status to that of a full-fledged province. € Diamer-Bhasha Dam.

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€ Kohala hydropower Project. to Pakistan and also gave Rs. 83 crore in pounds € Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project. sterling to Pakistan to help build replacement ¾ India’s Stand: canals from the western rivers. € India has held that the Government of Pakistan or its judiciary has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it. € India completely rejects such actions and continued attempts to bring material changes in Pakistan occupied areas of the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir. € While protesting Islamabad’s efforts to bring material change in Pakistan occupied territories, India held that Pakistan should immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation.

z India conceded its upper riparian position on 60 Years of Indus Water Treaty the western rivers for the complete rights on the eastern rivers. Why in News z It was important to get the waters of the ‘eastern rivers’ for the The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between India and Indira Gandhi Canal in Rajasthan (starts from the Harike Barrage, a few kilometers Pakistan marks its 60th anniversary on 19th Sept 2020. below the confluence of the Satluj and Beas Key Points rivers) and the Bhakra Dam (on the Sutlej River in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh) without which ¾ About: both Punjab and Rajasthan would be left dry, € The Indus system comprises the main Indus, Jhelum, severely hampering India’s food production. Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. The basin is mainly € The World Bank, as the third party, played a pivotal shared by India and Pakistan with a small share role in crafting the IWT. for China and Afghanistan. ¾ Pakistan’s Responses: € With the partition of India in 1947, waters of Indus € The Pakistan leadership considers the sharing rivers system were also divided. of the waters with India an unfinished business. € The sharing formula, devised after prolonged € Pakistan is not comfortable with the fact that India negotiations, sliced the Indus system into two got away with the total flow of 33 million acre- halves. The three ‘western rivers’ (Indus, Jhelum feet on the eastern rivers, while it had to share and Chenab) went to Pakistan and the three the waters of western rivers. ‘eastern rivers’ (Sutlej, Ravi and Beas) were € Being a lower riparian state, Pakistan’s scepticism portioned to India. of India allows it to increasingly politicise the z Since Indus flows from India, the country is issue. It maintains high troop levels and alertness allowed to use 20% of its water for irrigation, around the canals on the eastern front, fearing that power generation and transport purposes. India will try to take control of the western rivers. z IWT granted 3.6 million acre-feet (MAF) of ¾ Changing Perspectives in India: “permissible storage capacity” to India on € Every now and then, there is an uproar in India the western rivers but due to poor water for abrogating the IWTas a response to Pakistan’s development projects, 2-3 MAF of water easily cross-border terrorism and tenacity. flows into Pakistan. z Abrogating IWT would require a number of € It seemed equitable but India conceded 80.52% politico-diplomatic and hydrological factors to of the aggregate water flowsin the Indus system be determined and also a political consensus.

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€ Terror attacks in Indian Parliament in 2001, € India has fast-tracked the work on Shahpur Kandi Mumbai in 2008, and the incidents in Uri in 2016 dam project, a second Sutlej-Beas link in Punjab and Pulwama in 2019 could have prompted India, and the Ujh Dam project in Jammu and Kashmir within the Vienna Convention on the Law of to fully utilise the waters of eastern rivers. Treaties, to withdraw from the IWT. However, on each occasion, India chose not to do so. Universal Eligibility z Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, an international agreement governing treaties for World Bank Loan between states that was drafted by the International Law Commission of the United Why in News Nations. Recently, the World Bank has clarified that theUSD z It was adopted in 1969 and entered into force 1 billion loan that it has provided to India in May 2020 in January 1980. to deal with Covid-19 comes with a condition ofuniversal € It is because India respects its signature and values eligibility in procurements. trans-boundary rivers as an important connector in the region in terms of both diplomacy and Key Points economic prosperity. ¾ Clarification: € However, in light of India being hesitant to abrogate € The World Bank would have the right to review the treaty, there have been suggestions to modify it. the procurement documents, inspect all accounts, z Currently, with a new set of hydrological records and other files relating to the project. realities, advanced engineering methods in Compliance to these conditions has been made dam construction and de-siltation, there is an mandatory for the funding. urgent need to modify the treaty. € Following the clarification the Indian Government € Article XII of the IWT says that it “may from time has also asked all its production units and other to time be modified” but carefully notes “by a major establishments to remove preferential duly ratified treaty concluded for that purpose references in tenders and ensure that contractors between the two governments”. explicitly agree to comply with the relevant z Pakistan will see no merit in any modification, provisions of the World Bank’s guidelines. having already got a good deal in 1960. ¾ Impact: z India’s best option, therefore, would be to € This would mean that all preferential market access optimise the provisions of the treaty. policies, shall not be applicable on purchases made € On the developments on western rivers, the while implementing the national project. permissible storage capacity on the western rivers z The preferential market access policiesincludes needs to be urgently utilised. Out of the total Public Procurement (Preference to Make in estimatedcapacity of 11406 MW electricity that , can be harnessed from the three western rivers India) Order Micro Small & Medium Enterprises in Kashmir, only 3034 MW has been tapped so far, (MSME) Policy, certain benefits to start-ups. which also needs to be looked into. € It will be a setback to the Make in India and Atmanirbhar initiative. z Tulbul Navigation project on Jhelum, Ratle and Bagliha hydro projects on Chenab, Bursar ¾ Background: hydroelectric project on one of the tributaries € The World Bank has announced a loan in May of the Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir are few 2020 to prevent, detect and respond to the of the projects to utilise the waters of western threat of coronavirus and strengthen national rivers. health systems. „ Bursar, once completed, will be India’s first € It is pivoted towards migrants, unorganised workers, project on the western rivers to have storage informal sector, and creating an integration of infrastructure. the existing infrastructure of safety nets like the

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Public distribution system, Jan Dhan, Aadhar & ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non- Mobile (JAM trinity). violence and cease-fire. € This loan will be funded and operated in two phases: ¾ Background: The International Day of Peace was z First Phase: An immediate allocation of USD established in 1981 by the United Nations General 750 million for fiscal year 2020. Assembly. „ It will be implemented countrywide through € In 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to designate the Day as a period of non-violence (PMGKY) to benefit vulnerable groups, and cease-fire. particularly migrants and informal workers. ¾ Other: The United Nations (UN) will celebrate its75 th th z Second phase: A USD 250 million second tranche anniversary on 24 October 2020. that will be made available for fiscal year 2021. ¾ Challenges to Global Peace: „ It would deepen the social protection € Global Unrests: Over 25 countries are facing deadly package, whereby additional cash and in- wars today. According to the World Population kind benefits based on local needs will be Review, 8 countries including Afghanistan, Yemen, extended through state governments and Syria, Turkey, Somalia, Iraq, Mexico and Libya portable social protection delivery systems. suffered at least 1,000 deaths each (mainly civilians) through militarised attacks and battles in 2019. World Bank Group € Refugee Crisis: According to the UN Refugee ¾ With 189 member countries, the World Bank Group Agency, 79.5 million were displaced at the end is a unique global partnership which consists of five of 2019, due to armed conflicts, persecution and development institutions. other reasons. ¾ International Bank for Reconstruction and Devel- € Role of Global Powers: The USA, Russia and China opment (IBRD) provides loans, credits, and grants. are required to uphold peace and international ¾ International Development Association (IDA) harmony being the permanent members of the provides low- or no-interest loans to low-income UN Security Council. However, on the contrary, countries. they have been found to fuel instability in order ¾ The International Finance Corporation (IFC) provides to achieve geopolitical hegemony. Examples: investment, advice, and asset management to z The tragedy in Yemen, which the UN has companies and governments. declared as the world’s worst humanitarian ¾ The Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA) insures disaster, is the outcome of indiscriminate lenders and investors against political risk such as war. attacks by the U.S.-backed coalition of Saudi ¾ The International Centre for the Settlement of Arabia and the UAE, whose geopolitical goal is Investment Disputes (ICSID) settles investment- to counterbalance Iran. disputes between investors and countries. z Libya’s descent into chaos is the product of the € India is not a member of ICSID. active involvement of mercenaries and weapons pumped in by Russia and the USA-allied Gulf International Day of Peace Arab monarchies to push back Turkey’s influence. z China’s hegemonic expansionism against its neighbours and its ‘new Cold War’ with the Why in News U.S. have significantly raised risks of military Each year the International Day of Peace is observed clashes in Asia. around the world on 21st September. € Domestic Suppressions: Domestic surveillance ¾ Theme for 2020 : Shaping Peace Together. and repression with the use of technology is being used by countries to suppress dissenting voices. Key Points € New Power Tussle: The conflict and competition ¾ The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has between the powerful countries, like the USA-China declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the New Cold War is also going on, risking global peace.

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€ Pandemic Challenge: Covid-19 has posed a new z The permanent seats shall be elected in the concern that may directly and indirectly affect the following manner: Two from African States; Two global peace through lack of access to resources, from Asian States; One from Latin American and health and education, displacement etc. Caribbean States; One from Western European and Other States. G4 Foreign Ministers Meeting z Non-permanent members shall be elected according to the following pattern: One from African States; One from Asian States; One Why in News from Eastern European States; One from Latin Recently, Foreign Ministers from the Group of 4 (G4), American and Caribbean States. consisting of , participated India, Brazil, Japan and Germany € The UNSC reforms proposed earlier had been in a virtual meeting. opposed by the five permanent members (P5) ¾ G4 is a group of countries that are seeking permanent of UNSC as they demanded veto power for new membership of the United Nations Security Council members as well (Rizali Plan). However, later the (UNSC). new countries decided to forego the veto power for new countries which was accepted by P5 countries Key Points (Rizali Reform Plan). ¾ G4 will seek concrete and time-bound outcomes ¾ Text-Based Negotiations: The G4 will work with during the 75th session of the UN General Assembly. other reform-minded countries and groups to start th th € The UN will celebrate its 75 anniversary on 24 text-based negotiations (TBN) October 2020. € India is a proponent of TBN at the UN. Countries ¾ The Ministers reaffirmed their common resolve to opposed to UNSC reform, including China, are finally take decisive steps towards the early and hesitant to have TBN for intergovernmental that comprehensive reform of the Security Council negotiations on the grounds that the matter is was envisaged by Heads of State and Government in too sensitive for text. the 2005 World Summit. ¾ Concerns over IGN: Two sessions in February and € The 2005 World Summit was held at United Nations March 2020 of Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) Headquarters in New York. on UNSC reform were adjourned due to Covid-19, € All governments expressed strong and unambig- which could have taken place virtually. uous commitment to achieve the Millennium € The countries expressed concern that IGN lacks Development Goals by 2015. the necessary openness and transparency and is € It set up two new bodies, a Peacebuilding Com- constrained by flawed working methods. mission to help countries in transition from war to peace, and a strengthened Human Rights Council. € IGN should also have included a reflection of the Common African Position as enshrined in the ¾ G4 on UNSC Reforms: Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. € Ensuring greater representation for Africa: Africa z The Ezulwini Consensus (2005) is a position needs to be represented in both the permanent on international relations and reform of the and non-permanent categories of UNSC to correct the historical injustice against this continent with United Nations, agreed by the African Union. It regard to its under-representation in the Security calls for a more representative and democratic Council. Security council, in which Africa, like all other world regions, is represented. € Enhanced role of developing countries and of major contributors to the UN: To make UNSC z The Sirte Declaration (1999) was the resolution more legitimate, effective and representative, it adopted to establish the African Union. is needed to increase the number of permanent ¾ Groups Opposed to UNSC Reforms: An informal (from 5 to 11) and non-permanent (from 10 to “coffee club” or Uniting for Consensus Group has 14) seats. opposed UNSC reforms.

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€ Most members of the club are middle-sized states z This was a clear criticism of Pakistanwho has who oppose bigger regional powers grabbing been involved in crossborder terrorism. permanent seats in the UN Security Council. € Pakistan also made a detailed statement on the € While Italy and Spain are opposed to Germany’s resolution of “long-standing disputes”, a veiled bid for UNSC’s permanent membership, Pakistan reference to Jammu and Kashmir and India’s move is opposed to India’s bid. Similarly, Argentina is to withdraw Article 370. against Brazil’s bid and Australia opposes Japan’s. € Background: ¾ India’s Position: India, will commence a two-year z Recently, India said that the degree of seriousness non-permanent term on the UNSC in January, 2021 of each SAARC member-nation in collectively € It has long sought a permanent seat at the Council. fighting theCovid-19 pandemic can be gauged € Four of the five permanent members of the Security by their behaviour. Council – USA, UK, France and Russia support giving „ The statement was in clear reference to India a permanent seat at the Council. Only China Pakistan’s opposition to India’s leadership is opposed to this. in dealing with the crisis in the region. € India is also seeking reforms to democratize the z The National Security Advisor of India had UN, such as UNSC reforms and UN peacekeeping walked off from a virtual meeting of theShanghai reforms. Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in September 2020 after his Pakistani counterpart appeared Intergovernmental Negotiations with a Pakistani version of its map that included ¾ IGN is a group of nation-states working within the Indian territories. United Nations to further reform of the United z In 2019, at the SAARC Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Nations Security Council (UNSC) Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan had ¾ The IGN is composed of several different international boycotted each other’s speeches. organizations, namely: z The Prime Minister of India had also refused to € African Union attend the 19th edition of the SAARC summit, € G4 nations due to be held in Islamabad in 2016, over the issue of Pakistan’s continued support to terror € Uniting for Consensus Group (UfC) groups in light of Uri attacks. € L.69 Group of Developing Countries ¾ Covid-19: All SAARC nations built a common stand € Arab League on the need to cooperate in battling the Covid-19 € Caribbean Community (CARICOM). pandemic. € SAARC initiatives to combat Covid-19: SAARC SAARC and CICA Meetings Covid-19 Information Exchange Platform (COINEX), SAARC Food Bank mechanism, SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund. Why in News € India’s Contribution: India has contributed USD Recently, the Foreign Ministers’ meetings of theSouth 10 million to SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and and manufactured essential drugs, Covid-19 the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building protection and testing kits for countries in the Measures in Asia (CICA) has taken place in a virtual manner. SAARC region (For example, Operation Sanjeevani for the Maldives). Key Points ¾ Relevance of SAARC: SAARC has not been very effective ¾ India-Pakistan Tussle: since 2016 as its biennial summits have not taken € India called the SAARC countries to collectively place since the last one in Kathmandu (Nepal) in 2014. resolve to defeat the scourge of terrorism, including € Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined the forces that nurture, support and encourage to participate in the Islamabad meet planned in an environment of terror and conflict. 2016.

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€ Reasons for a dysfunctional SAARC: z Bilateral issues cannot be discussed in SAARC but since the organisation relies on the principle of unanimity for all major decisions, Pakistan has often vetoed the major initiatives proposed at SAARC. „ For example, SAARC Motor Vehicle Agreement proposed at Kathmandu summit, 2014. z India-Pakistan conflict has undermined SAARC. For India, Pakistan’s use of terror as an instrument of foreign policy has made normal business impossible. z The dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the Durand Line is also a reason. z India’s economic position vis-a-vis other SAARC countries creates an impression of India being a big brother rather than a strategic partner. z SAARC has become almost marginal to the regions’ collective consciousness and other organisations such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) came into the forefront. ¾ CICA Meeting: € India underlined its commitment to a pluralistic cooperative security order in Asia through CICA. It also reaffirmed its support for the Afghan peace JIMEX 20 Maritime Exercise process. ¾ About CICA: Why in News € It is a multi-national forum for enhancing th cooperation towards promoting peace, security The 4 edition of India - Japan Maritime bilateral will be held in the North Arabian Sea from and stability in Asia. exercise JIMEX 26th - 28th September 2020. € The idea of convening the CICA was first proposed by the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Key Points on 5th October 1992, at the 47th Session of the ¾ About JIMEX Exercise: United Nations General Assembly. € JIMEX series of ex- € The First Ministerial Meeting of CICA took place ercises commenced in September 1999. in January 2012 € It consists of 27 member nations from Asia including with special focus Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, on maritime secu- India, etc. rity cooperation. z Japan, Indonesia, USA, etc. are some of the € It is conducted biennially between the Indian Navy Observer Nations. and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). € The Republic of Tajikistan is the CICA Chairman € The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in October for the period 2018-2020. 2018 off Visakhapatnam, India.

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¾ JIMEX 20: € Multi-faceted tactical exercises involving weapon Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict firings, cross deck helicopter operations and complex surface, anti-submarine and air warfare Why in News drills will consolidate coordination developed by Recently, territorial dispute between Armenia and the two navies. Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region has re- € Indigenously built stealth destroyer Chennai, erupted with heavy clashes. Teg Class stealth frigate Tarkash and Fleet Tanker ¾ Armenia and Azerbaijan are part of Transcaucasia or Deepak will represent the Indian Navy. South Caucasia (geographical region in the vicinity € P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft will also of the southern Caucasus Mountains on the border participate in the exercise. of Eastern Europe and Western Asia consisting of ¾ Significance: Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan). € The exercise is taking place in the backdrop of growing concerns over China’s military muscle flexing in the Indian Ocean Region as well as in the Indo-Pacific. € It will be the first military exercise after the two countries signed a landmark agreement (Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement - ACSA), that will allow their militaries to access each other’s bases for logistics support. € India has significantly expanded its deployment in the Indian Ocean Region with a plethora of Key Points warships and submarines following the border row with China. The maritime space around the ¾ Reasons for Dispute: Malacca Strait is critical for China’s supply chain € Territorial: Nagorno-Karabakh region has 95% through sea routes. of the population as ethnically Armenian and is controlled by them but it is internationally z Recently, Indian and Australian navies conducted a passage exercise in the eastern Indian Ocean recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Region (IOR). A passage exercise is normally € Religious: Armenia is Christian majority, while undertaken whenever an opportunity arises, Azerbaijan is Muslim majority country. in contrast to pre-planned maritime drills. € Domestic Politics: The leaders of both the nations have fueled the issue time and again for their z In July 2020, the Indian Navy carried out a military exercise with a USA Navy carrier strike vested political interests. group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft ¾ History of Dispute: carrier USS Nimitz off the coast of Andaman € 1920: Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region and Nicobar Islands. was established within Azerbaijan by the then „ The USS Nimitz is the world’s largest warship. Soviet Union. € „ Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is currently 1988: Nagorno-Karabakh legislature passed a deployed to the Indian Ocean in support of resolution to join Armenia despite the region’s a free and open Indo-Pacific. legal location within Azerbaijan’s borders. € The autonomous region officially ¾ Other Military Exercises between India and Japan: 1991 : declared that it would not join either of the countries after € Annual joint land military exercise named ‘Dharma a referendum which was boycotted by Azerbaijan. Guardian’. War erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over € Joint Air Force exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri’. the region, leaving roughly tens of thousands of € Trilateral Maritime Exercise Malabar with the USA. casualties and hundreds of thousands of refugees.

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€ 1994: Russia mediated a cease-fire which has € For Armenia, close relations with India are vitally remained in place since. important as India provides a counter balance € 2016: In April 2016, the region was particularly to the rival strategic axis between Azerbaijan, tense because of violent fighting between the two Pakistan and Turkey. countries, which was known as the Four Day War. ¾ India-Azerbaijan: India is part of the International € Apart from this, intermittent ceasefire violations North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops have network of ship, rail, and road route for moving freight caused hundreds of deaths in the past decade. between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, ¾ Impact: Central Asia and Europe. € Azerbaijan is a dialogue partner of € Destabilize the Region: Renewed tensions threaten Shanghai to reignite a military conflict between the countries Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which India is and destabilize the South Caucasus region. This a member of. may cause social unrest in the region which is € In 2018, the then Indian External affairs minister had already suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic. visited Baku (Azerbaijan), the first-ever bilateral visit of an Indian External Affairs Minister to Azerbaijan. € Civilian Casualties:In this disputed region, there are hundreds of civilian settlements, residents of € India’s ONGC-Videsh is an investor in Azeri-Chirag- which would be directly impacted and potentially Gunashli (ACG) oil fields and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan displaced if any large-scale war were to break out pipeline. between the two countries z However, Azerbaijan supports Pakistan’s position € Economic Impact: This could also disrupt oil and on the Kashmir issue. gas exports from the region, since Azerbaijan, is a significant oil and gas exporter to Europe and Central Asia. This may even lead to higher oil prices globally. € International Involvement: Russia has closer ties with Armenia while Turkey and USA support Azerbaijan, and Iran has a large Azeri minority, which could escalate a crisis and entangle actors involved. Any military escalation would draw regional powers like Turkey and Russia more deeply into the conflict. z Russia, Israel and many other countries have been supplying Arms to both the countries despite ¾ Pakistan Angle: the arms embargo by the United Nations. € India has supported Armenia while Azerbaijan has been supported by Pakistan. Effect on India € Pakistan was the second country to recognize ¾ India-Armenia: In recent years, Indian-Armenian Azerbaijan’s independence after Turkey. Also, bilateral cooperation has seen rapid growth. Pakistan is the only country that does not recognize € The then Vice-President of India visited Yerevan Armenia as an independent state and fully supports (Armenia) in 2017. Azerbaijan’s position. € Armenia bought the India SWATHI military radar ¾ China Angle: system in March 2020. € China has grown increasingly active in the caucasian € Many Indian students study in Armenian medical region, conducting a number of programs and Universities and in recent years Armenia has signing economic, political and military agreements witnessed an increasing flow of Indian labour with Armenia. Armenia has also agreed to participate migrants. in the Chinese Belt and Road project.

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€ However, China is an ally of its rival Azerbaijan and € It will be a landmark step forward in India’s Armenia is also aware of its support to Pakistan. journey towards becoming a major player in global innovation and further the objectives of the Green Strategic Partnership National Intellectual Property Rights Policy, 2016. ¾ India Denmark Relationship: between India and Denmark € India and Denmark had signed a Joint Commission for Cooperation in February 2009 for cooperation Why in news in politics, economics and commerce, science and India and the Kingdom of Denmark have launched technology, energy, environment, and education. the Green Strategic Partnership for delivering sustainable € They have joint working groups on Shipping; solutions to India. Food, Agriculture and Fisheries; Environment, ¾ The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has also Biotechnology; New and Renewable Energy; and Labour Mobility. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Intellectual Property (IP) Cooperation with Denmark. € Currently, over 140 Danish companies are participating in the Make in India initiative. Key Points € However, the relations got affected due to the non- ¾ Green Strategic Partnership: extradition of the main accused of the Purulia arms drop case (Kim Davy) to India by Danish Officials. € The Partnership will focus on expanding economic ties, green growth, and cooperation on global z Purulia arms drop case, 1995: Unauthorised challenges such as climate change. arms were dropped from an aircraft in Purulia district in the state of West Bengal in India. z Green growth is a term to describe a path of economic growth that uses natural resources z In the recent meeting for Green Strategic in a sustainable manner. Partnership, both sides agreed that concerned officials will work for an early resolution of the € Danish companies with niche technologies and matter. expertise have offered to help India in meeting € India has also invited Denmark to join the supply its air pollution control targets, including in the chain resilience initiative, which is proposed key area of tackling the problem of burning crop between Japan, Australia to diversify supply chains stubble. and reduce dependence on any one nation. € Other key points under the partnership include dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and cooperation Denmark in water efficiency and water loss. ¾ Location: It is an archipelago of more than 400 € The creation of India-Denmark energy parks in islands to the east of the Jutland peninsula in Europe. areas with large numbers of Danish firms and ¾ Flag: an India-Denmark skill institute to train Indian ¾ Capital: Copenhagen manpower has been proposed. ¾ Currency: Danish krone € The Green Strategic Partnership will build on an ¾ People: Mostly inhabited existing Joint Commission for Cooperation and by ethnic Danes. existing joint working groups. ¾ Languages: Danish is ¾ Intellectual Property Cooperation: official. € The MoU aims at increasing IP co-operation ¾ Religions: Catholic Christians, Jews. between the two countries by way of, exchange ¾ Government: The Kingdom of Denmark is a unitary of information and best practices on processes for state. disposal of applications for patents, trademarks, € In addition to Denmark proper, two autonomous industrial designs, and Geographical Indications, territories in the North Atlantic Ocean: Greenland and cooperation in the field of protection of and the Faroe Islands. Traditional Knowledge.

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€ It establishes a sovereign state in the form of a constitutional monarchy, with a representative parliamentary system. € The Danish parliament is unicameral and called the Folketing. ¾ Others: Denmark ranked 1st in Digital Quality of Life 2020, Corruption Perceptions Index 2019, Environmental Performance Index 2020, Global Social Mobility Index 2020. It also ranked in the top 10 in the most powerful passports in 2020 and was one of the most peaceful countries according to the Global Peace Index 2019.

Referendum on Free Movement: Switzerland-EU € If people choose to end the agreement, the Swiss government will have to unilaterally void its free Why in News movement agreement with the EU by invoking a so-called guillotine clause. In a recent referendum, the Swiss people have z This clause would have impacted other bilateral rejected a bid to reduce immigration from the European deals on transport, research and trade with Union (EU). Over five million Swiss voters cast ballots to the EU, disrupting economic activity. decide whether to abandon an agreement with the EU ¾ which allows for the free movement of people across Current Referendum: the country. € The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) initiated it, believing that the agreement has resulted in a ¾ Referendum is a general vote by the electorate on a significant and has single political question which has been referred to strain on the welfare system led to overpopulationin the country. them for a direct decision. z The vote was initially slated to take place in Key Points May but was postponed due to the Covid-19 ¾ Agreement: pandemic. z € Switzerland is not a member of the EU but has a A similar referendum took place in 2014, where series of inter-dependent treaties with Brussels a majority voted in favour of limiting access of (EU Headquarter) which allow it access to Europe’s EU citizens to live and work in Switzerland but free trade area. lawmakers refused to enforce the referendum. € The move, sometimes called , has z 1992-2002: Switzerland negotiated and signed Swexit not been first bilateral agreements with the EU, making very popular among Swiss voters. them interdependent and included the free z A recent survey showed that more than 60% movement of people which was again backed of respondents were against it, while a mere by a vote in 2000. 35% backed it and the remaining 5% were undecided. € It is a member of the EU’s Single Market, which allows people to move and work freely in all 27 € Supporters: EU countries as well as in Switzerland. z The anti-free movement plan would allow z Around 1.4 million out of the 8.2 million people Switzerland to control its borders and select residing in Switzerland are EU citizens and an only the immigrants it wants. average of 5,00,000 Swiss citizens are believed z Swiss citizens will also get preference for jobs to be living in other EU countries at the moment. and benefits in the country.

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€ Opponents: considered alongside four other major nationwide z Scrapping the agreement would severely strain referendums on paternity leave, tax breaks for Swiss-EU relations. child care, the right to hunt wolves and acquisition z It would plunge a healthy economy into recession of around USD 6.5 billion worth of new fighter at an uncertain time anddeprive hundreds of planes by 2030. thousands of Swiss citizens of their freedom € Swiss people are given a direct say in their own to live and work across Europe. affairs under the country’s system of direct ¾ Other Referendums: democracy. They are regularly invited to vote on € The freedom of movement measures were being various issues in national or regional referendums.

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Science and Technology

Highlights z Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT) z New Brucellosis Vaccine by ICAR z Phosphine on Venus: A Sign of Life z Modern Grand Solar Minimum z Serial Interval and Covid-19 z NASA’s Artemis Program z Pact for Sputnik V Availability in India z Science & Technology Indicators, 2019-20 z Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center z Data Sonification: NASA z Biotech-KISAN Programme z Scrub Typhus z Jasmonate Hormone and Rice Productivity z UAE’s Moon Mission z India based Neutrino Observatory z Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence z Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target

¾ A-SAT Missile: Stamp on India’s First Anti € It is an interceptor Satellite Missile (A-SAT) missile that destroys or jams satellites in Why in News space. A customized My Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite € Two types of A-SATs: Missile (A-SAT) launch was released by the Department Kinetic and Non-Kinetic A-SATs. of Posts on the occasion of the Engineers Day. z Kinetic A-SATs, like ballistic missiles, physically strike an object in order to destroy it. Engineers Day z Non-Kinetic A-SATs: A variety of nonphysical ¾ 15th September is observed as Engineer’s Day in India means can be used to disable or destroy a to mark the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam space object. These include frequency jamming, Visvesvaraya (1861-1962), a civil engineer and blinding lasers or cyberattacks. statesman. ¾ He was a pioneer in his field, credited for inventing Mission Shakti the Block System for dams – the automated doors ¾ shut during an overflow. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted India’s first Anti-Satellite ¾ He was appointed Chief Engineer of Mysore State (A-SAT) missile test ‘Mission Shakti’. in 1909, given the status of Diwan of Mysore in 1912, awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955. ¾ It was launched from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on 27th March 2019. ¾ His books, “Reconstructing India” and “Planned Economy of India” were published in 1920 and ¾ The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with 1934, respectively. two solid rocket boosters. ¾ Significance: Key Points € The entire effort was indigenous which demonstrated ¾ My Stamp: It is the brand name for personalized the Nation’s capability to develop such complex sheets of Postage Stamps of India Post. and critical missions. € ‘My Stamp’ was first introduced in India during € With this success, India became the fourth nation the World Philatelic Exhibition, ‘INDIPEX-2011’. in the world to possess such a capability.

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€ In the case of Pakistan, a terrestrial power, the use clouds, with mild temperatures around, 86 degrees of nuclear arsenal can now come at a heavy cost. Fahrenheit, could harbour aerial microbes that € In the case of China, which is a significant space could endure extreme acidity. power, counter-space capabilities of India will € These clouds are around 90% sulphuric acid and provide a critical balancing deterrent. Earth microbes could not survive that acidity.

Phosphine Phosphine on ¾ Phosphine is a phosphorus atom with three hydrogen atoms attached (PH ) and is highly toxic Venus: A Sign of Life 3 to people. ¾ Why in News On rocky planets such as Venus and Earth, phosphine can only be made by life whether humans or Recently, scientists have detected the presence of microbes. phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus, which indicates ¾ Phosphine is made naturally by some species of the possibility of the presence of life forms on Venus. anaerobic bacteria/organisms that live in the oxygen- Key Points starved environments of landfills, marshlands, and even animal guts. ¾ The international scientific team first spotted the € To produce phosphine, Earth bacteria take up phosphine using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope phosphate from minerals or biological material (JCMT) in Hawaii and confirmed itusing the Atacama and add hydrogen. Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope in Chile. ¾ Phosphine also arises non-biologically in certain industrial settings. € JCMT is the largest astronomical telescope in the world designed specifically to operate in the € Used as a chemical weapon during World submillimetre-wavelength region of the spectrum. War I. € € ALMA is currently the largest radio telescope in Phosphine is still manufactured as anagricultural the world. fumigant, is used in the semiconductor industry, and is a by-product of meth labs. ¾ The researchers did not discover actual life forms but noted that, on Earth, phosphine is Venus produced by bacteria thriving in oxygen-starved ¾ Venus is Earth’s closest planetary neighbour and is environments. also known as earth’s twin. ¾ Biosignatures: Scientists have used probes and ¾ Similar in structure but slightly smaller than Earth, telescopes to seek “biosignatures” (indirect signs of it is the second planet from the sun. life) on other planets and moons in the solar system ¾ Early science observations of Venus revealed and beyond. that it is a menace of a world that could kill life in € Phosphine was seen at 20 parts-per-billion in the multiple ways. Venus atmosphere which is a trace concentration. ¾ Venus is wrapped in a thick and toxic atmosphere However, Venus is considered to be hostile to that traps in heat. phosphine as its surface and atmosphere are rich ¾ in oxygen compounds that would rapidly react High Temperature: Surface temperatures reach a with and destroy phosphine. scorching 880 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt lead. € Phosphine acts as a biosignature because it is ¾ known to be produced mainly through biological High Pressure: Highly dense, 65 miles of cloud processes, and not through any naturally occurring and haze, puts atmospheric pressure more than chemical process. 90 times what’s felt on Earth’s surface. ¾ Acid Test: ¾ Also, the planet’s atmosphere is primarily suffocating carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid clouds. € Scientists have suspected that the Venusian high

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€ It is the first Covid-19 vaccineto be approved by Serial Interval and Covid-19 any government for common people. € The Russian vaccine has outrun other Covid-19 Why in News vaccines like Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna and which are still in trials. According to a recent research paper “Serial Interval Pfizer of SARS-CoV-2 was Shortened Over Time by Non- z India’s Covaxin has been approved for human pharmaceutical Interventions”, China was able to contain clinical trials. Covid-19 due to its ability to manage the serial interval. z Another Indian vaccine ZyCoV-D has entered phase I/II of clinical trials. Key Points € It is based on the DNA of a SARS-CoV-2 type ¾ Serial Interval: adenovirus, a common cold virus. € In simple terms, the serial interval is the gap between z It uses the weakened virus to deliver small the onset of Covid-19 symptoms in Person A and parts of a pathogen and stimulate an immune Person B, who is infected by Person A. response. € The serial interval depends on other epidemiological € The Phase 1 and 2 results have shown promise. parameters such as the incubation period and the z The results of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials reproduction rate orR nought. of the vaccine were published in The Lancet, z The incubation period is the time between a demonstrating no serious adverse effects and person’s exposure to the virus and symptom onset. a stable immune response in 100% of the z The reproduction rate is the number of people participants. who will be infected by one infected person. € Phase 3 trials will be conducted in India to meet ¾ Contribution in Controlling Covid-19: the requirements of the Indian regulators. € The serial interval helps to gauge the effectiveness z Sputnik V vaccine could provide a credible option of infection control interventions besides indicating in India’s fight against Covid-19. rising population immunity and forecast future z India has also partnered with the USA for incidence. development of Covid-19 vaccine. € Thus, the more quickly people who contracted ¾ Regulatory Requirements in India: Covid-19 are identified and isolated, the shorter € The approval for a vaccine is given by the Central the serial interval becomes and cuts down Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). opportunities for transmission of the virus. z A vaccine, developed outside India, needs to be tested with late-phase human trials, usually both Pact for Sputnik phase-2 and phase-3, on an Indian population as a part of general requirement. V Availability in India z CDSCO can also give emergency authorisation without late-phase trials, considering the Why in News extraordinary situation. The Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which is ¾ Concerns Regarding the Vaccine: piloting Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, has partnered with € Experts expressed concerns over the safety and the Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to supply efficacy of the vaccine due to its extremely fast 100 million doses of the vaccine. production and lack of published data on the vaccine. Key Points € The late-phase human trials are important because ¾ Sputnik V: the vaccine’s efficacy can differ on different € The Russian vaccine has been named after the population groups. After trials, vaccines are given first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik-I launched to a large number of people, and the risks involved by the Soviet Union. are much higher if trials are not comprehensive.

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€ There are also issues in manufacturing the vaccine € Encourage, promote and handhold the private in India as there is no agreement for its production sector for their participation in the Space Sector. in India. z Currently, there are more than 500 private z Pune-based Serum Institute of India, the world’s companies which partner with the Indian Space largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume, Research Organisation (ISRO) in carrying out has already entered into tie-ups with developers various space activities. to mass-produce their vaccines. Other Indian € Draw up an integrated launch manifest considering companies have also done similar agreements the requirements for ISRO, New Space India Limited but there is none with Russia. (NSIL) and private companies based on priorities and readiness level. Adenovirus Vector Vaccine € Work out a suitable mechanism to offer sharing ¾ In this vaccine, adenovirus is used as a tool to deliver of technology, expertise and facilities on free of genes or vaccine antigens to the target host tissue. cost wherever feasible or at reasonable cost basis ¾ Adenoviruses (ADVs) are DNA viruses ranging from to promote private companies. 70-90 nanometre in size, which induce many illnesses z The government will allow utilising those in humans like cold, respiratory infection etc. infrastructures of ISRO which are otherwise ¾ Adenoviruses are preferred for vaccines because not available elsewhere in India. their DNA is double stranded which makes them € Permit establishment of facilities, within ISRO genetically more stable and the chances of them premises, based on safety norms and feasibility changing after injection are lower. assessment. ¾ However, there are drawbacks of adenovirus vector ¾ The decision of IN-SPACe shall be final and binding on vaccines like pre-existing immunity in humans and all stakeholders including ISRO and private players inflammatory responseswhich may make vaccines will not be required to seek separate permission less effective. from ISRO.

Indian National Biotech-KISAN Programme Space Promotion and Authorization Center Why in News As per the recent information shared by the Union Minister of Science and Technology in Lok Sabha, Biotech- Why in News Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech- Recently, the Government of India has created the KISAN) programme plays an important role in taking Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization innovative biotechnologies to the farmers. Center (IN-SPACe), an independent nodal agency under the Department of Space. Key Points ¾ This move is a part of the reforms announced under ¾ Biotech-KISAN programme is a farmer-centric scheme the economic stimulus packages. for farmers, developed by and with farmers under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science Key Points and Technology. ¾ IN-SPACe is to be established as a single-window ¾ It is a pan-India program, following a hub-and-spoke nodal agency, with its own cadre, which will permit model and stimulatesentrepreneurship and innovation and oversee the activities of private companies. in farmers and empowers women farmers. € This is part of reforms aimed at giving a boost to € It has a unique feature to identify and promote local the private sector participating in space-related farm leadership in both genders. Such leadership activities or using India’s space resources. helps to develop science-based farming besides ¾ Functions: facilitating the transfer of knowledge.

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¾ Aim: To understand the problems of water, soil, seed and market faced by the farmers and provide simple Jasmonate Hormone solutions to them. and Rice Productivity ¾ The Biotech-KISAN hubs are expected to fulfil the technology required to generate agriculture and bio- resource related jobs and better livelihood ensuring Why in News biotechnological benefits to small and marginal farmers. A new study by a team of scientists atNational Institute € Currently, there are a total of eight Biotech-KISAN of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi suggested Hubs in different Agro-climatic Zones. that targeting a specific plant hormone Jasmonate (JA) would help rice plants have greater tolerance to potassium Biotechnology in Agriculture (K) deficiency and improve productivity. ¾ Government supports research institutes, central and state agriculture universities for competitive research Key Points and development and demonstration activities in ¾ Findings: agriculture biotechnology including organic farming. € The overexpression of a gene called OsJAZ9 helped € It has been supported across the country including make rice plants more tolerant of potassium . Aspirational Districts deficiency. € During the last three years, approximately Rs. € There was an enhanced accumulation ofJA-Ile , a 310 crores have been invested in supporting the bioactiveform of the hormone Jasmonate (JA), in use of biotechnology in agriculture. OsJAZ9 overexpressing rice, on potassium deficiency. € The Integrated Human Resource Development z The JA-lle helps in modulating various K Programme under the Department of Biotech- transporters and root system architecture. nology has been implemented to provide bio- technology trained personnel in various fields z JA-Ile contributes to several aspects of plant including agriculture. growth and development and levels increase under stress conditions. ¾ Alternative of Conventional Farming: € The study suggests that targeting research towards € The understanding of genetics and biotechnol- ogy could enable farmers to obtain maximum JA could help achieve both, nutrient-efficient crops yield from their fields and to minimise the use and protection against pests. of fertilisers and chemicals so as to avoid their z JA is often associated with the plant’sdefence harmful effects on the environment. against biotic factors like insects, pests and € Genetically Modified Organisms’ (GMO) use is other pathogens. a possible solution and an alternative path to ¾ Potassium: It is considered a macronutrient for plants conventional farming. and is the most abundant cation within plant cells. z GMOs have made crops more tolerant to € Potassium Deficiency:It affects plants by inhibiting abiotic stresses, reduced reliance on chemical the growth of the roots and the shoots. pesticides, reduced post-harvest losses, z Studies have shown that plants that are increased efficiency of mineral usage by plants deficient in potassium are more susceptible and enhanced nutritional value of food. to salt, drought, chilling and other abiotic and z For example, Bt cotton, Bt Brinjal, etc. biotic stresses. € Genetically Modified Biopesticidesare biologically € Potassium Availability to Plant Roots: Despite based agents used for the control of plant pests. being among the most abundant minerals in the z They can be living organisms (nematodes or micro soil, its availability to plants is limited. - organisms) or naturally occurring substances, z This is because most of the soil potassium such as plant extracts or insect pheromones (about 98%) is inbound forms and its release which can provide resistance to insects without into the soil solution is far slower than the rate the need for chemical insecticides. of its acquisition by the roots.

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¾ Macro and Micro-nutrients Funded by: Dept. of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Dept. of Science and Technology (DST). ¾ Macronutrients are divided into two groups: primary and secondary. ¾ Objectives:INO will observe neutrinos and antineutrinos produced in the atmosphere of the Earth. € Primary macronutrients are those which are needed in the highest concentration. For example, ¾ Features: The project includes: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). € Underground laboratory and associated surface facilities at Bodi West Hills. z In fact, these three primary nutrients are needed in higher concentrations than the € Construction of a magnetized Iron Calorimeter rest of the macronutrients combined. (ICAL) detector for studying neutrinos. € Secondary macronutrients are also required for z When completed, ICAL will have the world’s sustained plant health, but in lower quantities largest magnet. than the primary macronutrients. For example, € Setting up an Inter Institutional Centre for High Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S) Energy Physics (IICHEP) at Madurai. comprise the secondary macronutrients. ¾ Advantages: ¾ Micronutrients are also essential for plant € Will tell us more about the properties of neutrino development and growth but are needed only particles, whose main source is the Sun and the in trace amounts, compared to their macro- Earth’s atmosphere. counterparts. The seven critical micronutrients are: € Will help in developing a model of physics € Boron (B). beyond the so-called Standard Model of Particle € Zinc (Zn). Physics. € Iron (Fe). z The Standard Model of particle physics is the theory describing three of the four known € Manganese (Mn). fundamental forces (the electromagnetic, weak, € Copper (Cu). and strong interactions, and not including the € Molybdenum (Mo). gravitational force) in the universe, as well as € Chlorine (Cl). classifying all known elementary particles i.e. electrons, protons and neutrons. India based € Will have a great impact on diverse fields such as nuclear and particle physics, astrophysics and Neutrino Observatory cosmology, medical imaging etc. ¾ Issues Involved: Why in News € The project was challenged before the National An India based Neutrino Observatory (INO) will be Green Tribunal (NGT) for adversely affecting the set up in Bodi West Hills, in Theni district, Tamil Nadu. ecosystem of Western Ghats. However, it was granted environmental clearance by NGT. Key Points € The villagers in the Pottipuram Panchayat (at ¾ About : INO Project is a multi-institutional effort aimed Bodi West Hills) have been agitating against at building a world-class underground laboratory with the proposed observatory under the banner of a rock cover of approx. 1200 m for non-accelerator Poovulagin Nanbargal (Friends of the earth). based high energy and nuclear physics research in India. Neutrinos ¾ National Neutrino Collaboration Group (NNCG): ¾ It includes more than 50 scientists from about 15 Detected for the first time in 1959, neutrinos are Institutes and Universities in India and is tasked with the second most abundant particles in the world detailing various aspects related to INO activity and (about a billion of them pass through a cubic come up with a proposal for an underground neutrino centimeter of space every second), after photons, laboratory. or the light particle.

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¾ Neutrinos are subatomic fundamental particles, is a key Aeronautical Systems Design Laboratory with no charge and little or zero massthat interacts under DRDO. only via the weak subatomic force and gravity. € It is involved in the design and development of the state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) ¾ Neutrinos are created by various radioactive decays; and Aeronautical Systems and technologies to during a supernova, by cosmic rays striking atoms etc. meet the requirements of the Indian Armed forces. ¾ They are considered mass less according to the ¾ Features: Standard Model of Particle Physics. € It is a drone (UAV) that will be used as a target ¾ However recent experiments indicate that these for various missile systems. charge-neutral fundamental particles have finite but small mass which is unknown. Also, different € It is powered by a small gas turbine engine. species (or flavours ) of neutrinos seem to mix and € Navigation byMicro-electromechanical (MEMS) oscillate into one another as they traverse through systems based Inertial Navigation System (INS) the cosmos. for navigation. ¾ Determination of neutrino masses is one of the z MEMS is a process technology used to create most important open problems in physics today. tiny integrated devices or systems that combine Neutrino Detectors are used to study the details mechanical and electrical components. of the interactions of these particles. z It is lightweight and reliable, consumes less ¾ They pass seamlessly through most objects that come power and is cost-effective. in their way, including human beings, machines or € Programmed for fully autonomous flight. the Earth’s surface, without being noticed. That is the ¾ Uses: As a target for evaluation of various Missile reason why scientists have to go deep underground systems. to set up special detectors in a bid to catch the ¾ Background: This is the second time that the target faint signals of neutrinos in an environment that is vehicle was flight-tested successfully. Thefirst successful relatively free from ‘noise’ and disturbance. test was in May 2019. ¾ Others: Recently, the DRDO successfully flight tested the Abhyas High-speed Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV). Expendable Aerial Target New Brucellosis Why in News Vaccine by ICAR Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted successful flight-tests Why in News of the indigenously-designed Abhyas High-speed Recently, “Brucella abortus S19Δ per vaccine” has Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) in Balasore (Odisha). been developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural ¾ Two demonstrator vehicles of Abhyas cleared all the Research-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (ICAR-IVRI) evaluation parameters for brucellosis prevention in the dairy sector. like 5 km flying altitude, vehicle speed of 0.5 Key Points mach (half the speed of ¾ Brucellosis: It is a bacterial disease caused by various sound), endurance of 30 Brucella species, which mainly infect cattle, swine, minutes etc. goats, sheep and dogs. € It is also known as Malta fever or Mediterranean Key Points fever. ¾ Designed and developed by: Aeronautical Development € Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease and endemic in Establishment (ADE) of DRDO. India causing huge economic losses to the dairy € Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) industry due to:

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z Infertility. Infection to Humans z Abortion. ¾ Brucellosis has infected over 3000 people in China. z Birth of weak offsprings. ¾ Humans generally acquire the disease through: z Reduced productivity. € Direct contact with infected animals. ¾ Old Vaccine: € Eating, drinkingcontaminated animal products, € B. abortus S19 Strain: In India, calf-hood vaccination unpasteurized milk. is practised usinglive attenuated Brucella abortus € Inhaling airborne agents. S19 strain for control of the disease. ¾ The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention € B. abortus S19 strain is a very strong immunogen states that person-to-person transmission of and provides lifelong immunity. brucellosis is “extremely rare” but some symptoms € Drawbacks: may reoccur or never go away. ¾ z Residual virulence to humans and animals. Symptoms include fever, sweats, malaise, anorexia (a psychological disorder in which one eats less due z Not suitable for vaccination in adult animals. to fear of weight gain), headache and muscle pain. z Causes abortion when used in pregnant animals. ¾ Treatment and Prevention: z Interferes with serodiagnosis of clinical infection. € It is usually treated with antibiotics, including ¾ New Vaccine: To overcome some of these drawbacks, a rifampin and doxycycline. modified strain of B. abortus S19 has been developed € Avoiding unpasteurised dairy products and at ICAR-IVRI. The newly developed strain is named taking safety precautions such as wearing rubber as . B. abortus S19Δ per gloves, gowns or aprons, when handling animals € It is developed under the Department of or working in a laboratory can help prevent or Biotechnology (DBT) funded “Brucellosis Network reduce the risk of getting brucellosis. Programme”. € Other preventive measures includecooking meat z The programme aims at studying the properly, vaccinating domestic animals, etc. epidemiological status of Brucella infections in India and to develop novel diagnostics and vaccines. Modern Grand Solar Minimum € In the process of modifying the S19 strain, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure of the organism Why in News was altered through deletion mutation. The magnitude of the Sun’s solar activity is decreasing. z Lipopolysaccharide is the major component of This period of decreased solar activity is known as the the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Modern Grand Solar Minimum that will last from 2020 to 2053. z A deletion mutation occurs when part of a DNA molecule is not copied during DNA replication. Key Points € Vaccine potential of S19Δ per has been evaluated ¾ Measurement of Solar Activity: This is done by in experimental small animal models and also in observing the number of sunspots at any given time. buffalo calves. The number of sunspots is directly proportional to € The vaccine has great demand in India and will be of solar activity. More sunspots mean more solar activity. immense help in the national control programme € Sunspots (some as large as 50,000 km in diameter) on brucellosis. are areas that appear dark on the surface of the € The vaccine has DIVA capability. Sun (photosphere). They appear dark because they z DIVA means “Differentiating Infected from are cooler than other parts of the Sun’s surface. Vaccinated Animals”. These vaccines, also termed € Sunspots are relatively cool because they form as marker vaccines, can differentiate between at areas where magnetic fields are particularly naturally infected and vaccinated animals. strong. These magnetic fields are so strong that

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they keep some of the heat within the Sun from said the decrease in climate crisis would only be reaching the surface. worth as much as three years of carbon dioxide ¾ Decrease in Sunspots: According to the USA’s National growth in the atmosphere. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),71% € According to NASA, the impact of global warming of the Sun had no sunspots in 2020 on 21st September would be six times greaterthan the cooling caused 2020 as compared to 77% on the same day in 2019. by the Grand Solar Minimum. ¾ Possible Reason: € 2020 marks the beginning of the 11th solar cycle. The beginning of a solar cycle is a solar minimum, or when the Sun has the sunspots and thus, least activity. z Solar Cycle is the periodic flipping of the magnetic field of the Sun that occurs every 11 years or so, in which the north and south poles of the Sun change positions. z The middle of the solar cycle is the solar maximum, or when the Sun has the most sunspots. ¾ Maunder Minimum: The last time such an event occurred was during the Maunder Minimum, from 1645 CE to 1710 CE. That period is a part of the Little Ice Age (from 1300 CE to around 1850 CE) when Earth NASA’s Artemis Program went through a series of elongated cold periods. ¾ Impact: Why in News € The surface temperatures on Earth may go down Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space during the Modern Grand Solar Minimum due to Administration (NASA) has published the outline for its a 70% reduction in solar magnetic activity. Artemis program, which plans to send the next man and € Variations in solar irradiance lead to heating of the first woman to the lunar surface by the year 2024. the upper layer of the Earth’s atmosphere and ¾ The last time NASA sent humans to the Moon in influence the transport of solar energy towards 1972, during the Apollo lunar mission. the planet’s surface. € Decreased solar activity has complex impacts on Key Points the abundance of ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere. ¾ Artemis program: € It also affects the climatic cycles of Earthsuch as € With the Artemis program, NASA wishes to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). demonstrate new technologies, capabilities and z NAO is an irregular fluctuation of atmospheric business approaches that will ultimately be needed pressure over the North Atlantic Ocean that has for the future exploration of Mars. a strong effect on winter weather in Europe, € It stands for Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, Greenland, northeastern North America, North and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction Africa, and northern Asia. with the Sun. ¾ Impact on Global Warming: € The program is divided into three parts: € It is possible that the cooling due to the solar z Artemis I is most likely to be launched in 2021 minimum may offset the rising temperatures due and involves an uncrewed flight to test the Space to global warming. Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft. € However, the National Aeronautics and Space z Artemis II will be the first crewed flight test and Administration (NASA) has dismissed this and is targeted for 2023.

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z Artemis III will land astronauts on the Moon’s € Chandrayaan 2: It is India’s second mission to the South Pole in 2024. moon and comprises a fully indigenous Orbiter, ¾ Systems Developed: Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan). € For NASA, going to the moon involves various z The Rover (Pragyan) is housed inside the lander. elements such as: € Chandrayaan-3: It has been recently announced z The exploration ground systems (the structures by the ISRO and will comprise a lander and a rover. on the ground that are required to support the launch). Science & Technology z The SLS and Orion spacecraft. „ NASA’s new rocket called SLS will send Indicators, 2019-20 astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft. z Gateway (the lunar outpost around the Moon). Why in News z Lunar landers (modern human landing systems). According to the latest Science & Technology ¾ NASA and the Moon: Indicators (STI) report for 2019-20, India performs very € The US began trying to put people in space as early dismally in the field science & technology innovation. as 1961. Eight years later, on 20th July 1969, Neil ¾ The STI report is released by the Department of Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the Science and Technology (DST). first humans to step on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission. Key Points € Apart from the purpose of space exploration, ¾ Patent Data: NASA’s endeavour to send Americans to the Moon € Between 2005-06 and 2017-18, a total of 5,10,000 again is to demonstrate American leadership in patent applications were filed in India. However, space and to establish a strategic presence on the nearly three-quarters were filed by foreign entities Moon, while expanding its global economic impact. or individuals. € Apart from the USA, the European Space Agency, € In other words, in these 13 years, just 24% of Japan, China, and India have sent missions to patent claims came from Indians. explore the Moon € Patent filing in India is governed by Patents Act, ¾ ISRO’s Moon Exploration: 1970. Recently, the Office of the Principal Scientific € Chandrayaan 1: Adviser to the Government of India and the DST z It began in 2007 with an agreement between have jointly initiated the formulation of a new India’s space agency Indian Space Research national Science Technology and Innovation Organisation (ISRO) and Russia’s ROSCOSMOS Policy (STIP 2020). for mutual cooperation. z A patent is the granting of aproperty right by „ However, the mission was postponed in a sovereign authority to an inventor. January 2013 and rescheduled to 2016 as z This grant provides the inventor exclusive rights Russia was unable to develop the lander to the patented process, design, or invention on time. for a designated period in exchange for a z Findings: comprehensive disclosure of the invention. „ Confirmedpresence of lunar water. € According to the World Intellectual Property th „ Evidence of lunar caves formed by an ancient Organisation (WIPO), India stands at the 7 lunar lava flow. position on number of patents filed. „ Past tectonic activity was found on the z China tops the list, followed by the USA and lunar surface. Japan. „ The faults and fractures discovered could ¾ Reasons for Dismal Performance: be features of past interior tectonic activity € Poor investment in research and development coupled with meteorite impacts. (R&D) by the government, and the private sector.

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€ The pathetic state of higher education. € The Chandra project has created a celestial concert € Lack of employable personnel, who have neither by translating the same data into sound. Pitch the skills nor the aptitude in a variety of fields. and volume are used to denote the brightness of a celestial object or phenomenon. € Lack of funds and a lack of conducive environment and position for start-ups. z Pitch is related to frequency of sound waves. ¾ Suggestions: Changing the number of vibrations per second changes the pitch. € To spark the innovation in India,research content at major institutions, especially at universities, z Volume, or loudness, is related to the strength, needs to be increased. intensity, pressure, or power of the sound. Bigger/ amplified vibrations result in bigger/ € The national labs can be linked to universitiesto louder sounds. create new knowledge ecosystems. € The data has been collected by NASA’s Chandra € Greater public engagement of the science and X-Ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope and research establishment and attracting more Spitzer Space Telescope. scientistsfrom across the world in India. € Thus far, Project Chandra has released three € Increasing scientific temper among students. examples - the Galactic Centre, Cassiopeia A, and € Strengthening higher educationin India. Pillars of Creation Nebula. € There is a need to increase funding in R&D and to € The Galactic Centre create a conducive environment for innovation. z It is the rotational centre of theMilky Way galaxy. € Participation of the private sector in R&D needs z It comprises a collection of celestial objects — to be increased. „ Neutron and white dwarf stars, „ Clouds of dust and gas, Data Sonification: NASA „ A supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A*(weighs four million times the mass of Why in News the sun). The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s € Cassiopeia A (NASA) Chandra X-Ray Center (CXC) has unveiled a z Located around 11,000 light years away from new ‘sonification’ project that transforms data from Earth in the northern Cassiopeia constellation. astronomical images into audio. z Cassiopeia A is a well-known remnant of a once- massive star that was destroyed by a supernova Key Points explosion around 325 years ago. ¾ Data Sonification: € The Pillars of Creation € It refers to the use of sound values to represent z The iconic Pillars of Creation is located in the real data. centre of the Eagle Nebula (it is a constellation € It is the auditory version of data visualisation. of stars), which is also known as Messier 16. € In NASA’s Chandra (sonification) project, for instance, ¾ Significance of Data Sonification: data is represented using a number of musical notes. € The sonification project was led by the Chandra X-ray € The birth of a star, a cloud of dust or even a black Center in collaboration with NASA’s Universe of hole can be ‘heard’ as a high- or low-pitched sound. Learning Program (UoL), which aims to “incorporate ¾ Process of images into sound translation: NASA science content into the learning environment € Telescopes in space collect digital data, in the form effectively and efficiently for learners of all ages”. of ones and zeroes (binary), before converting € Over the years, NASA has been working towards making them into images. data about space accessible for a larger audience. € The images are visual representations of light and € Sonification projects like this allow audiences radiation of different wavelengths in space, that - including visually-impaired communities - to can’t be seen by the human eye. experience space through data.

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Chandra X-ray Project € A supernova happens where there is a change ¾ The Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched by in the core, or centre, of a star. Space Shuttle Columbia in 1999. Neutron stars ¾ The Chandra X-ray Observatory is part of NASA’s € Neutron stars comprise one of the possible fleet of “Great Observatories” along with the Hubble evolutionary end-points of high mass stars. Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope. € Once the core of the star has completely burned ¾ The “X-ray universe” refers to the universe as observed to iron, energy production stops and the core with telescopes designed to detect X-rays. X-rays rapidly collapses, squeezing electrons and protons are produced in the cosmos when matter is heated together to form neutrons and neutrinos. to millions of degrees. Such temperatures occur € A star supported by neutron degeneracy pressure where high magnetic fields, or extreme gravity, or is known as a ‘neutron star’, which may be seen explosive forces exist in space. as a pulsar if its magnetic field is favourably ¾ The telescope is named after the Nobel Prize- aligned with its spin axis. winning Indian astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. € Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar’s work implied Scrub Typhus that stars more massive than the so-called Chandrasekhar limit would eventually collapse Why in News to become objects so dense that not even light An outbreak of Scrub Typhus (also known as Bush could escape it. Typhus), a bacterial disease, has caused 5 deaths and z Chandrasekhar limit is the theoretical 600 infections in Nagaland’s Noklak district bordering maximum mass a white dwarf star can have Myanmar. and still remain a white dwarf. ¾ The North East Region is also suffering from an outbreak € Although this finding was received with some of diseases like malaria, Japanese encephalitis and skepticism at the time, it went on to form the Covid-19 pandemic. foundation of the theory of black holes, eventually ¾ The cattles have also been affected byAfrican swine earning him a Nobel Prize in physics for 1983. fever. The Hubble Space Telescope ¾ It is one of the largest and most versatile telescopes Key Points in service. ¾ Caused By: Orientia tsutsugamushi ¾ It is a space telescope that was launched into low (Bacteria) Earth orbit (540km above Earth) in 1990. ¾ Spread: Through bites of Larval ¾ Hubble’s four main instruments observe in the Mites of family trombiculid, also near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared spectra. called Chiggers. ¾ Symptoms: Fever, headache, body Black Holes aches, and sometimes rash. ¾ The term ‘black hole’ was coined in the mid-1960s ¾ Occurrence: Rural areas of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, by American Physicist John Archibald Wheeler. China, Japan, India, and northern Australia. ¾ It refers to a point in space where the matter is so ¾ Treatment: Antibiotics. No vaccine available. compressed as to create a gravity field from which even light cannot escape. Typhus ¾ Black-holes were theorized by Albert Einstein in ¾ Typhus is a group of bacterial infectious diseases 1915. that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and Supernova murine typhus. € A supernova is the explosion of a star. It is the € Epidemic typhus is due to Rickettsia prowazekii largest explosion that takes place in space. spread by body lice.

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€ Scrub typhus is due to Orientia tsutsugamushi UAE’s Space Mission spread by chiggers. ¾ In July 2020, the UAE launched a Mars probe named € Murine typhus is due to Rickettsia typhispread Amal (Hope) from Japan, marking the Arab world’s by fleas. first interplanetary mission. ¾ Napoleon’s army was infected with Epidemic Typhus € Amal is set to reach Mars in February 2021, the during his invasion of Russia in 1812 causing it to year UAE will celebrate 50 years of its formation. retreat. € UAE has also set a goal to build a human colony on Mars by 2117. UAE’s Moon Mission z UAE is a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. ¾ In 2019, the UAE sent its first astronaut to the Why in News International Space Station. Recently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon in 2024. Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence Key Points ¾ Name: The rover would be named Rashid afterSheikh Why in News Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, one of the original The Ministry of Electronics and Information founding rulers of the UAE. Technology (MeitY) and NITI Aayog will organize a Mega € Rover is a vehicle for exploring the surface of a Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), RAISE 2020- planet or moon. ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020,’ from ¾ Aim: The rover will explore the surface of the moon October 5-9, 2020. in areas that have not been explored previously by human missions such as NASA’s Apollo. Key Points ¾ Fourth Nation: If successful in 2024, the UAE could ¾ RAISE 2020 is a first of its kind, global meeting of become the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on minds on Artificial Intelligence to drive India’s vision the moon after the USA, the former Soviet Union and roadmap for social transformation, inclusion and and China. empowerment through responsible AI. € India, Israel and Artificial Intelligence Japan have tried ¾ It describes the action of machines accomplishing tasks but failed in land- that have historically required human intelligence. ing a spacecraft ¾ It includes technologies like machine learning, on the moon. pattern recognition, big data, neural networks, self z India has algorithms etc. planned a ¾ Example: Facebook’s list of suggested friends for new moon its users, self-driving cars, etc. mission named Chandrayaan-3. It is likely to be ¾ Concerns: launched in early 2021. It will be a mission repeat of Chandrayaan-2 and will include a Lander and € AI automates processes and reduces human error Rover similar to that of Chandrayaan-2, but will but the principal limitation of AI is that it learns not have an orbiter. from the data. This means any inaccuracies in the data will be reflected in the results. € Artemis is a crewed spaceflight program ofNASA that has the goal of landing “the first woman and € It is important to make AI responsible as it can the next man” on the Moon, specifically at the be misused for various purposes like Deep Fakes, Social Manipulation etc lunar south pole region by 2024. Cybercrimes, .

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¾ This includes using AI in areas like Health, Agriculture, € India can leverage AI for inclusive development, Education, Skilling, Mobility, Fintech, Research, representing the country’s AI‘ for All’ strategy. Inclusive AI, Future of Work , among others. z India has launched National AI Strategy and ¾ The event will witness participation from global National AI Portal and has also started leveraging industry leaders, key opinion makers, Government AI across various sectors such as education, representatives and academia. agriculture, healthcare, e-commerce, finance, ¾ It will also feature some startups working in AI- telecommunications, etc. related fields. € Recently, India joined the ‘Global Partnership on ¾ India in AI: Artificial Intelligence (GPAI)’ as a founding member € Industry analysts predict that AI could add up to to support the responsible and human-centric 957 billion USD to India’s economy by 2035. development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

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Environment and Ecology

Highlights z Living Planet Report: WWF z World Risk Index 2020 z Morphological Phenotypic Plasticity in Kalinga Frog z Pusa Decomposer to Curb Stubble Burning z Phytoplankton Biomass in Bay of Bengal z Fridays For Future Movement z Reversing Global Wildlife Decline z Whale Mass Strandings z Wetlands Conservation z China’s Renewed Support for Paris Agreement z Eight Indian Beaches Recommended for Blue Flag z Leuser Ecosystem z Nandankanan Zoological Park: Odisha z Climate Change and Forest Fire Link z African Elephant Deaths Due to Cyanobacteria z Sandalwood Spike Disease z Komodo Dragon z Six Mega Projects in Uttarakhand: Namami Gange Mission z EPCA on Early Burning of Crop Residue z Campaign to Remove Lantana: Rajasthan

Key Points Living ¾ Methodology: The Report used the Living Planet Index Planet Report: WWF (LPI) to calculate the decline in vertebrate species. € Living Planet Index: It is a measure of the state of Why in News the world’s biological diversity based on population trends of vertebrate species in terrestrial, freshwater According to the Living Planet Report, 2020 released and marine habitats. by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the population of vertebrate species has largely declined in the past € It is released by Institute of Zoology (Zoological half-century. Society of London) ¾ Vertebrates are animals that have backbones or ¾ Findings: vertebral columns. They are also characterized by € It shows an average 68% decline in global vertebrate a muscular system consisting primarily of bilaterally species populations, between 1970 and 2016. In paired masses and a central nervous system partly the Asia Pacific, the decline stands at 45%. enclosed within the backbone. z A 94% decline in the LPI for the tropical subregions of the Americas is the largest fall World Wildlife Fund for Nature observed in any part of the world. ¾ It is the world’s leading conservation organisation € Freshwater species populations have reduced by and works in more than 100 countries. 84% on average since 1970. ¾ It was established in 1961 and is headquartered at z Freshwater species populations are being lost Gland, Switzerland. faster than terrestrial or marine species. According ¾ Its and reduce mission is to conserve nature to the International Union for Conservation of the most pressing threats to the diversity of life Nature (IUCN), almost 1/3rd of freshwater species on Earth. are now threatened with extinction. ¾ It collaborates at every level with people around the z Wildlife populations in freshwater habitats world to develop and deliver innovative solutions suffered a decline of 84%, equivalent to 4% which protect communities, wildlife, and the places per year, particularly in Latin America and the in which they live. Caribbean.

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€ Megafauna, or bigger species in terms of size, are Key Points more vulnerable because they were subjected to ¾ Kalinga Cricket Frog: intense anthropogenic threats and overexploitation. € Scientific Name: z For example, large fish are also heavily impacted Fejervarya kalinga. by dam construction which blocks their migratory routes to spawning and feeding grounds. € It is a recently identified species € Since 1970, Ecological Footprint has exceeded the which was documented in 2018. Earth’s rate of regeneration. € It was thought to be endemic only to the higher- z The human enterprise currently demands 1.56 elevation hill ranges of the Eastern Ghats in Odisha times more than the amount that Earth can and Andhra Pradesh. regenerate. It is like living off 1.56 Earths. € Cricket frogs are ¾ Threats to Biodiversity: indicators of a healthy ecosystem and live in wide habitat ranges in agricultural fields, € Changes in Land and Sea Use, including Habitat Loss streams, swamps and wetlands. and Degradation: This refers to the modification of the environment where a species lives, by ¾ Latest Findings: complete removal, fragmentation or reduction € It has been reported from the central Western in quality of key habitat. Ghats, with the evidence of considerable MPP. € Species Overexploitation:Direct overexploitation € Its physical characteristics are entirely different refers to unsustainable hunting and poaching or from the other known Fejervaraya/Minervarya harvesting. Indirect overexploitation occurs when species from the Western Ghats. non-target species are killed unintentionally. z Fejervarya is a genera of frogs in the family € Pollution:Pollution can directly affect a species by Dicroglossidae found in Asia. making the environment unsuitable for its survival. z Minervarya is a genus of frogs in the family It can also affect a species indirectly, by affecting Dicroglossidae. food availability or reproductive performance. € It was the only genetic analysis that helped prove € Invasive Species and Disease: Invasive species can that physically different-looking frogs from eastern compete with native species for space, food and and western ghats were the same. other resources, can turn out to be a predator for ¾ Morphological Phenotypic Plasticity: native species, or spread diseases that were not previously present in the environment. Humans € Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism also transport new diseases from one area of the to change in response to stimuli or inputs from globe to another. the environment. € The response may or may not be adaptive, and it may € Climate Change: As temperatures changes, some species will need to adapt by shifting their range involve a change in morphology (MPP), physiological to track a suitable climate. The effects of climate state, or behavior, or some combination of these, change on species are often indirect. For example, at any level of organisation, the phenotype being change in migratory patterns of birds. all of the characteristics of an organism other than its genes. Morphological Phenotypic z MPP is the ability of an organism to show drastic morphological (physical features) variations in Plasticity in Kalinga Frog response to natural environmental variations or stimuli. Why in News ¾ Significance of the Discovery: Recently, Indian scientists from the Zoological Survey € The behavioural studies of many anuran (frog or of India, Pune have reported a first-of-its-kind discovery toad) species will help in generating information of morphological phenotypic plasticity (MPP) in the on the selection of breeding sites, courtship Kalinga cricket frog. patterns and ecological adaptations.

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€ The information will not only help to trace the distribution of these species along the peninsular Phytoplankton region of India but could also be used to evaluate Biomass in Bay of Bengal the possible links with other species that were found in the Northeast region. Why in News € In this era of ‘mass extinction of smaller vertebrates’ and ‘rapid climate change’ scenarios, the report A team of scientists from the Indian National Centre is a first-of-its-kind in Indian amphibian research for Ocean Information Services(INCOIS) have discovered history. a way to measure the quantity of chlorophyll-a that ¾ More Research Needed: indicates abundance of phytoplanktons in the Bay of Bengal in real-time. € The study also emphasises that there is an urgent need to address or solve problems related to Key Points taxonomic uncertainties. ¾ Phytoplanktons: They are € Researchers are trying to understand the tiny microscopic floating possibilities of this split between two populations plants found in water due to the Deccan Trap formation (volcanic/ bodies. igneous region). € Study of phytoplankton z Usually, such kind of habitat expansion requires biomass is done by analyzing , a more nuclear gene divergence. chlorophyll-a dominant pigment found in phytoplankton cells. z The currently found differences are not due to just a habitat expansion because there is very € Significance of Phytoplanktons: less genetic divergence. z They contribute more than half of the oxygen in the environment. € Another important question is how this little genetic divergence is leading to such contrasting z They reduce global warming by absorbing morphological adaptations in these two human-induced carbon dioxide. biogeographic zones, the Western and Eastern z They also serve as the base of the ocean food Ghats. chain. z Biogeographic zones are the large distinctive z They are important bioindicators regulating units of similar ecology, biome representation, life in oceans. Their abundance determines the community and species. overall health of the ocean ecosystem. € Also, there is a need for more research on the ¾ Study: The scientists closely tracked the long-term isolation of these two populations due to climate trends of chlorophyll-a in the northwestern Bay of change. Bengal. € It was based on in-situ and satellite data spanning Western and Eastern Ghats over the last 16 years, from Jan 2003 to Dec 2018. ¾ The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats are the € two different biogeographic zones, with unique National Aeronautics and Space Administration histories. (NASA)’s MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), NASA’s VIIRS (Visible Infrared ¾ While the Western Ghats are considered as a Imaging Radiometer Suite) sensor and Indian Space biodiversity hotspot, that is not the case with the Research Organisation (ISRO)’s OCM-2 (Ocean Eastern Ghats. Colour Monitor-2) were used for satellite data. ¾ Geologically, the Western Ghats are ancient, having ¾ Findings: There were two peaks of chlorophyll-a — Gondwanaland relict forests in the south, while the the primary peak occurred during the pre-southwest formation of the Eastern Ghats is recent. monsoon due to the recurrent phytoplankton bloom ¾ Both landscapes have unique ecosystems, with in the coastal water and the secondary peak occurred special microclimates and microhabitats that support during the end of the southwest monsoon, spreading a great number of diversities including amphibians. to far offshore areas.

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¾ Reasons: Along with increase in phytoplanktons, other reasons for peak in chlorophyll-a may be Reversing physical forces such as upwelling, wind-induced Global Wildlife Decline vertical mixing, convective overturn and chemicals from various sources including river runoff. Why in News ¾ Conclusions: Wildlife populations have fallen bymore than two- € Increased Nutrients and More Phytoplanktons: It thirds over the last 50 years, according to a Living Planet reveals that the study area experienced maximum Report 2020 of the World Wildlife Fund. spatial variability during pre-southwest monsoon with salinity, and nutrients, the major controlling Key Points factors for the abundance and distribution of ¾ Findings: phytoplankton. € Related to Biodiversity: € Chances of Eutrophication:Increase in nutrients z There has been a reduction of 68% in the global could tell an overall improved health status of the wildlife population between 1970 and 2016. ecosystems as a whole; at the same time excessive z The highest biodiversity loss due to land use phytoplanktons could be detrimental to ocean change: (1) Europe and Central Asia at 57.9 %; health because of eutrophication. (2) North America at 52.5 %; (3) Latin America z Eutrophication: When a water body becomes and Caribbean at 51.2 %; (4) Africa at 45.9 %; overly enriched with minerals and nutrients (5) Asia at 43%. which induce excessive growth of algae or z The sharpest declines have occurred throughout algal bloom. the world’s rivers and lakes, where freshwater z This process also results in oxygen depletion wildlife has plummeted by 84% since 1970 — of the water body affecting other aquatic about 4% per year. animals. € Related to Land and Oceans: z 75% of the Earth’s ice-free land surface has Chlorophyll already been significantly altered. ¾ Chlorophyll is the major pigment used by plants z Most of the oceans are polluted. for photosynthesis, the process by which light energy is converted to chemical energy through z More than 85% of the area of wetlands has the synthesis of organic compounds. been lost during 1970-2016. ¾ The word chlo- ¾ India’s scenario: rophyll comes € India has 2.4% global land share, about 8% global from two Greek biodiversity and around 16% global population words; Chloros € However, it has lost 12% of its wild mammals, 19% which means amphibians and 3% birds over the last five decades. green and phyl- € India’s ecological footprint per person is less than lon which means 1.6 global hectares (gha) / person (smaller than that leaf. of many large countries). But, its high population ¾ There are four types of chlorophyll: size has made the gross footprint significantly high. € Chlorophyll a, found in all higher plants, algae z Ecological Footprint: It is the amount of the and cyanobacteria. environment necessary to produce the goods and services necessary to support a particular € Chlorophyll b, found in higher plants and green lifestyle. algae. ¾ Factors responsible for this decline: € Chlorophyll c, found in diatoms, dinoflagellates and brown algae; and € Changes in how land is used – from pristine forest to cropland or pasture – rank among the greatest € Chlorophyll d, found only in red algae. threats to biodiversity on land worldwide.

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€ Use and trade of wildlife. Convention on Biological Diversity € Natural habitat loss. ¾ The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a € Degradation and deforestation driven by food legally binding treaty to conserve biodiversity has production processes. been in force since 1993. It has 3 main objectives: ¾ Need for Conservation Efforts: € The conservation of biological diversity. € Because the health of nature is intimately linked € The sustainable use of the components of to the health of humans. biological diversity. € The emergence of new infectious diseases like € The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits Covid-19 tend to be related to the destruction of arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. forests and wilderness. ¾ The targets of the Convention calls for global trends € Healthy ecosystems are the foundation of today’s of terrestrial wildlife to stop declining and start global economies and societies, and the ones we recovering by 2050 or earlier. aspire to build. ¾ India became a party to the Convention in 1994. z As more and more species are drawn towards Major Indian Government Initiatives extinction, the very life support systems on ¾ Wildlife protection Act 1972. which civilisation depends are eroded. ¾ Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act € As per the World Economic Forum, biodiversity 1974. loss is a disturbing threat with few parallels like ¾ Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act 1981. extreme weather events, climate change, severe income inequality etc. ¾ Environment Protection Act 1986. ¾ Biological Diversity Act 2002. Biodiversity ¾ Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers ¾ It refers to all the varieties of life that can be found (recognition of rights) Act 2006. on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) as well as to the communities that they form and the habitats in which they live. Wetlands Conservation ¾ As per the Convention on Biological Diversity (Article 2): Biological Diversity means the variability Why in News among living organisms from all sources including, Rajasthan Government is acting proactively topro - inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic tect the wetland ecosystem of the state with 52 wetlands ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which earmarked for time-bound development. they are part; this includes diversity within species, ¾ In Rajasthan, Sambhar Lake and Keoladeo Ghana between species and of ecosystems. National Parkhave the prestigious tag of ‘Wetland of ¾ It can be understood at three levels: International Importance’, by the Ramsar Convention € Species diversity refers to the variety of on Wetlands. different species (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) such as palm trees, elephants Key Points or bacteria. ¾ Wetlands: Lands transitional between terrestrial € Genetic diversity corresponds to the variety of and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is genes contained in plants, animals, fungi and usually at or near the surface or the land is covered microorganisms. It occurs within a species as by shallow water”. well as between species. ¾ Importance: € Ecosystem diversity refers to all the different € Ecosystem and Biodiversity Support: habitats - or places - that exist, like tropical or z Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems temperate forests, hot and cold deserts, wetlands, that provide the world with nearly two-thirds rivers, mountains, coral reefs, etc. of its fish harvest.

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z Wetlands play an integral role in the ecology € Climate Change: Increased air temperature; shifts of the watershed. The combination of shallow in precipitation; increased frequency of storms, water, high levels of nutrients is ideal for the droughts, and floods; increased atmospheric development of organisms that form the base carbon dioxide concentration; and sea-level rise of the food web and feed many species of fish, could also affect wetlands. amphibians, shellfish and insects. € Dredging and Sand Mining: That is the removal of z Wetlands’ microbes, plants and wildlife are part material from a wetland or river bed. Dredging of of global cycles for water, nitrogen and sulphur. streams lowers the surrounding water table and Wetlands store carbon within their plant dries up adjacent wetlands. communities and soil( carbon sequestration) € Introduced Species: Indian wetlands are threatened instead of releasing it to the atmosphere as by exotic introduced plant species such as water carbon dioxide. hyacinth and Salvinia. They clog waterways and z They provide habitat for animals and plants compete with native vegetation. and many contain a wide diversity of life, ¾ Global Conservation Efforts: supporting plants and animals that are found € Ramsar Convention: nowhere else. z It came into force in 1975 and is one of the oldest z They are also an important source of groundwater inter-governmental accords for preserving the recharge. ecological character of wetlands. € Human Dependence: More than one billion people z Its mission is “the conservation and wise use of depend on them for a living. all wetlands through local and national actions z Wetlands are a vital source for food, raw and international cooperation, as a contribution materials, genetic resources for medicines, towards achieving sustainable development and hydropower. throughout the world”. z Many wetlands are areas of natural beauty and z India has 37 Ramsar Sites which are the Wetlands promote tourism and many are important to of International importance. aboriginal people. € Montreux Record: z Also, they help in controlling the floods. z Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on ¾ Threats to Wetlands: the List of Wetlands of International Importance € Urbanisation: Wetlands near urban centres are where changes in ecological character have under increasing developmental pressure for occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur residential, industrial and commercial facilities. as a result of technological developments, Urban wetlands are essential for preserving public pollution or other human interference. water supplies. z Wetlands of India that are in Montreux Record: Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak € Agriculture: Vast stretches of wetlands have been converted to paddy fields. Construction of a large Lake (Manipur). number of reservoirs, canals and dams to provide „ Chilka Lake (Odisha) was placed in the record for irrigation significantly altered the hydrology of but was later removed from it. the associated wetlands. ¾ Conservation Efforts by India: € Pollution: Wetlands act as natural water filters. € National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems However, they can only clean up the fertilizers (NPCA): and pesticides from agricultural runoff but not z NPCA is a single conservation programme for mercury from industrial sources and other types both wetlands and lakes. of pollution. z It is a centrally sponsored scheme, currently z There is growing concern about the effect of being implemented by the Union Ministry industrial pollution on drinking water supplies of Environment and Forests and Climate and the biological diversity of wetlands. Change.

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„ It was formulated in 2015 by merging of the ¾ Restoring Land: Efforts to restore degraded land National Lake Conservation Plan and the are also required. Such as farmland that’s becoming National Wetlands Conservation Programme. unproductive as a result of soil erosion. z NPCA seeks to promote better synergy and € This could return 8% of the world’s land to nature avoid overlap of administrative functions. by 2050. € Wetlands (Conservation and Management) ¾ Afforestation:This can help not only in arresting soil Rules, 2017: erosion but also expansion of desertification along z Nodal authority: As per the Wetlands Rules, with avenues for biodiversity replenishment. the Wetlands Authority within a state is the nodal authority for all wetland-specific Eight Indian Beaches authorities in a state/UT for the enforcement of the rules. Recommended for Blue Flag z Prohibited Activities: „ Setting up any industry and expansion of Why in News existing industries, On the occasion of International Coastal Clean-Up „ Dumping solid waste or discharge of Day, for the first time eight beaches of India are recom- untreated wastes and effluents from mended for the coveted International eco-label, theBlue industries and any human settlements, and flag certification. „ Encroachment or conversion for non- Key Points wetlands uses. ¾ The eight beaches are: z Integrated Management Plan: The guidelines recommend that the state/UT administration € Shivrajpur in Gujarat, prepare a plan for the management of each € Ghoghla in Daman & Diu, notified wetland by the respective governments. € Kasarkod and Padubidri beach in Karnataka, z Penalties: Undertaking any prohibited or € Kappad in Kerala, regulated activities beyond the thresholds € Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh, (defined by the state/UT administration) in € Golden beach of Odisha and the wetlands or its zone of influence, will be € Radhanagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar. deemed violations under the Wetlands Rules. ¾ Violation of the Rules will attract penalties as Blue Flag Certification: per the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. € Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world. Areas of Action € The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised ¾ Conservation Reserves: There must be renewed voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, ambition from the world’s governments to establish and sustainable boating tourism operators. large-scale conservation areas, placed in the most € In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of valuable hotspots for biodiversity worldwide, such stringent environmental, educational, safety, and as small islands with species found nowhere else. accessibility criteria must be met and maintained. ¾ Habitat restoration and conservation efforts need to € The Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas be targeted where they are needed most – for species is run by the international, non-governmental, and habitats on the verge of extinction. non-profit organisation FEE (the Foundation for ¾ Food Production: Need is to transform our food Environmental Education). systems to produce more on less land. z FEE was established in France in 1985. € If every farmer on Earth used the best available € On the lines of Blue Flag certification, India has farming practices, only half of the total area of also launched its own eco-label BEAMS. cropland would be needed to feed the world. ¾ BEAMS

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€ BEAMS (Beach Environment & Aesthetics Man- ¾ Implementation: agement Services) has been launched under ICZM € It is a World Bank assisted project and is being (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) project. implemented by the Union Ministry of Environment, € This is launched by the Society of Integrated Coastal Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Management (SICOM) and the Union Ministry of € The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Management (NCSCM), Chennai, is providing € The objectives of BEAMS program is to: scientific and technical inputs. z Abate pollution in coastal waters, z Promote sustainable development of beach Nandankanan facilities, Zoological Park: Odisha z Protect & conserve coastal ecosystems & natural resources, Why in News z Strive and maintain high standards of cleanliness, z Hygiene & safety for beachgoers in accordance Recently, death of two sloth bears has been reported with coastal environment & regulations. from the Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar (Odisha). Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Key Points ¾ ICZM Plan is a process for the management of the coast using an integrated approach, regarding all ¾ Nandankanan Zoological Park: aspects of the coastal zone, including geographical € It is 15 kms from Odisha’s capital, Bhubaneswar. and political boundaries, in an attempt to achieve It was inaugurated in 1960. sustainability. € First zoo in the country to become a member of the € The concept of ICZM was born in 1992 during the World Association of Zoos & Aquariums (WAZA). Earth Summit of Rio de Janeiro. z WAZA is the global alliance of regional € The specifics regarding ICZM is set out in the associations, national federations, zoos proceedings of the summit within Agenda 21. and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals and their habitats Society of Integrated Coastal Management around the world.. ¾ SICOM has been established under the aegis of € It is recognized as a leading zoo for the breeding the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate of the Indian pangolin and white tiger. Change. ¾ Sloth Bears: ¾ It has a vision for a vibrant, healthy and resilient € Scientific Name: coastal and marine environment for the continuous Melursus ursinus and enhanced outflow of benefits to the country and the coastal community. € Habitat: Also called honey bear, ¾ SICOM is the national project management unit of Hindi bhalu, it is India in strategic planning, management, execution, a forest-dwelling monitoring and successful implementation of the member of the ICZMP-Phase-I. family Ursidae (comprises 8 species of bears) that International Coastal Clean-Up Day inhabits tropical or subtropical regions of India ¾ It has been celebrated across 100 countries since and Sri Lanka. 1986. € Protection Status: ¾ The day is marked each year on the third Saturday z ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List. of September as an initiative of the Washington- z Appendix I in CITES listing. based Ocean Conservancy, a volunteer effort for z Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection ocean health. Act, 1972.

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€ Threats: Habitat loss, poaching for body parts and € Not all of them produce toxins but scientists say are sometimes captured for use in performances toxic ones are occurring more frequently as climate or hunted because of their aggressive behavior change drives up global temperatures. and destruction of crops. ¾ Climate Change and Algal Bloom: An algal bloom ¾ Himalayan Black Bear: is a rapid increase in the population of algae or € Scientific Name: Ursus cyanobacteria in an aquatic system. thibetenus € Habitat: Also called Asiatic black bear, it inhabits mountainous and heavily forested areas across southern and eastern Asia. € Protection Status: z ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List. z Appendix I in CITES listing. z Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. € Threats: Illegal hunting for body parts, specifically the gallbladder, paws and skiing poses the main threat, together with habitat loss caused by logging, expansion of human settlements and roads.

African Elephant € Rising Water Temperature: Deaths Due to Cyanobacteria z Toxic blue-green algae thrive in warm, slow- moving water. Why in News z Warmer water due to climate change might favour harmful algae. Neuro-toxins in water produced by cyanobacteria killed more than 300 African elephants in the Okavango „ Warmer temperatures prevent water from Delta region, Botswana (a country in Southern Africa). mixing, allowing algae to grow thicker and faster. ¾ Neuro-toxins are substances that damage, destroy, or impair the functioning of neural tissue. € Changes in Salinity: z Climate change might lead to more droughts, Key Points which make freshwater saltier. This can cause ¾ Cyanobacteria: marine algae to invade freshwater ecosystems. € Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are € Higher Carbon-dioxide Levels: microscopic organisms found naturally in soils and z Algae need carbon dioxide to survive. Higher all types of water. levels of carbon dioxide in the air and water can € These single-celled organisms (bacteria) live in lead to the rapid growth of algae, especially toxic fresh, brackish (combined salt and freshwater), blue-green algae that can float to the surface and marine water. of the water. € These organisms use sunlight to make their own € Changes in Rainfall: food. z Climate change might affect rainfall patterns, € In warm, nutrient-rich (high in phosphorus and leading to alternating periods of drought and nitrogen) environments, cyanobacteria can intense storms. This can cause more nutrient runoff multiply quickly. into water bodies, feeding more algal blooms.

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African Elephant leopard, hyena, antelopes, meerkats, as well as many birds species and reptiles. ¾ It is the largest animal walking the Earth. ¾ Indigenous People: It is also home to the tribes like ¾ Their herds wander through 37 countries in Africa. San people (Bushmen), Tswana, Kgalakgadi, and ¾ Conservation Status: Herero people. € IUCN Red List: Vulnerable. ¾ Okavango Delta: It is one of the world’s largest inland € CITES: Appendix II (in Botswana, Namibia, South deltas, which spans about 15,000 square kilometres Africa and Zimbabwe) and has a relatively flat topography. z Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade Komodo Dragon must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival. Why in News € The World Elephant Day is celebrated on 12th A recent study conducted by Australian universities August every year to spread awareness for the has found out that the conservation and protection of the largest mammal Komodo dragon could become in the next few decades due to . on land. extinct climate change ¾ In February 2019, the government of Australia officially z The day was launched in 2012 to bring attention declared the first known extinction of a mammal to the urgent plight of Asian and African (Bramble Cay melomys) as a result of human-induced elephants. climate change. ¾ Subspecies: The Savanna (or bush) elephant and the Forest elephant. Key Points € Savanna elephants are larger than forest elephants ¾ Scientific Name: Vara- and their tusks curve outwards. nus komodoensis. € Forest elephants are uniquely adapted to the forest ¾ Komodo dragons are habitat of the Congo Basin, but are in sharp decline the largest and heaviest due to poaching for the internationalivory trade. lizards on Earth. They have long, flat heads with rounded snouts, scaly skin, Botswana bowed legs, and huge, muscular tails. ¾ It is a landlocked ¾ Komodo dragons can eat almost anything, including country of southern invertebrates, birds, and mammals like deer, pigs, and Africa. even large water buffalo. ¾ Botswana is mostly ¾ They have venom glands loaded with toxins which flat with a few hills, have been shown to secrete anticoagulants. most of its highest € An anticoagulant is a compound which prevents points located along the victim’s blood from clotting, causing it to the south-east sec- bleed to death. tion of the country € The venom lowers blood pressure, causes massive (the eastern edge of bleeding, and induces shock. the Kalahari Basin). ¾ Habitat: ¾ The semi-arid Kalahari Desert covers about 70% of € Komodo dragons have thrived in the harsh climate Botswana’s surface. of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands for millions € While Kalahari does receive about 500 millimetres of years. They prefer the islands’ tropical forests in the wettest parts per annum, the Kalahari is but can be found across the islands. considered a desert because it has a vast surface € Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage area covered with sand. site, is situated in the Island of Komodo (eastern ¾ Biodiversity: It is home to plants and animals, mostly Indonesia) and is the only habitat for this lizard different types of acacia trees, animals like lion, cheetah, species.

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€ Similarly, in Haryana, of the total 7 million tonnes, 1.24 million tonnes of stubble were burnt.

Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority ¾ EPCA was constituted under section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the National Capital Region in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated January 1998. ¾ It has the power to take action suo-moto, or on the basis of complaints made by any individual, representative body or organization functioning in ¾ Threats: the field of environment. € Anthropogenic factors. ¾ It takes all necessary steps for controlling vehicular € Small size of population, less prey and higher pollution, ensuring compliance of fuel quality inbreeding factors. standards, monitoring and coordinating action for € Climate change is likely to cause a sharp decline in traffic planning and management. the availability of habitat, reducing their populations INSAT even further. ¾ The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is a ¾ Conservation: constellation of operational communication satellites € IUCN Status: Vulnerable. placed in Geo-stationary orbit. € CITES: Appendix I. (The commercial trading of live ¾ Established in 1983 with commissioning of INSAT-1B. specimens or any parts, dead or alive of Komodo ¾ The constellation of INSAT System consists of is prohibited.) operational satellites, namely – INSAT-3A, 3C, 3D, € In August 2019, the Indonesian government 4A, 4B, 4CR, 3DR. ordered the relocation of the residents of the Island of Komodo in a bid to conserve Komodo SAFAR dragons and the Komodo National Park. ¾ The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) is a national initiative introduced by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) EPCA on Early to measure the air quality of a metropolitan city, Burning of Crop Residue by measuring the overall pollution level and the location-specific air quality of the city. Why in News ¾ The system is indigenously developed by the Indian Pune The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) raised concerns and is operationalized by theIndia Meteorological about early burning of crop residue in Punjab and Haryana. Department (IMD). Key Findings Stubble Burning ¾ According to a SAFAR (System of Air Quality and ¾ It is a traditional practice in Punjab and Haryana Weather Forecasting and Research) under the Central to clean off the rice chaff to prepare the fields for government estimate which uses theINSAT-3 , 3D and winter sowing. the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ¾ It begins around October and peaks in November, (NASA) satellite, the fire counts have increased from coinciding with the withdrawal of southwest monsoon. zero to 42 in a few days. ¾ The pollutants and the Particulate Matter (PM) from ¾ In 2019, about 9.8 million tonnes of the total estimated the chaff, along with other sources of pollution in Delhi, crop residue of 20 million tonnes were burnt in Punjab. makes winter air quality worse in Delhi and proximity.

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€ Reasons: € Released annually since 2011, it indicates which z Increase in Rice Acreage: Subsidies and assured countries are in the greatest need to strengthen procurement of rice have led to a rise in the measures for coping with and adapting to extreme rice acreage. natural events. z Delayed sowing of paddy to late June to € Among continents, Oceania is at the highest risk, discourage groundwater extraction as per the followed by Africa and the Americas. Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act 2009. ¾ Oceania: z This led to a delayed harvesting, stubble burning € Small island states, especially in the South coincides perfectly with the withdrawal of Pacific and the Caribbean, are disproportionately southwest monsoon. represented among high-risk countries. z Technology: Increased and modernised farm mechanisation extract the rice grains only and leave large quantities of rice stubble behind. Earlier, this excess crop was used by farmers for cooking, as hay to keep their animals warm or even as extra insulation for homes. z High Silica Content: Rice straw is considered useless as fodder in the case of non-basmati rice, because of its high silica content. € Effects: z The stubble burning emits large amounts of € They are at a toxic pollutants in the atmosphere which contain high exposure to extreme natural events which include the rise in sea level as a harmful gases like methane (CH ), Carbon 4 result of global warming. Monoxide (CO), Volatile organic compound (VOC) and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic € The small island states have limited financial hydrocarbons. resources and have made small contributions to climate change, but are affected the most by z The burning of wheat straw reduces the soil its consequence fertility, besides polluting the environment. ¾ Africa: z Additionally, the heat generated by stubble burning penetrates into the soil, leading to the € It has been identified as a hotspot of vulnerability. loss of moisture and useful microbes. More than two-thirds of the most vulnerable countries in the world are located on the continent. z The size of semiarid regions in Africa is expected World Risk Index 2020 to increase, with over half of Africa’s land area vulnerable to desertification. Why in News ¾ South Asia and India: According to the World Risk Index (WRI) 2020, India € India has ranked 89th among 181 countries is ‘poorly prepared’ to deal with ‘climate reality’, due to on the WRI 2020 and is fourth-most-at-risk in which it is vulnerable to extreme natural disasters. South Asia, after Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Key Points € Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives have fared ¾ World Risk Index: better than India in their abilities to cope with € It is calculated on a country-by-country basis, extreme disasters. India also lags behind these through the multiplication of exposure and three neighbours in terms of lack of adaptive vulnerability and describes the disaster risk for capacities or the preparedness to deal with various countries and regions. extreme events.

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Pusa Decomposer Fridays For to Curb Stubble Burning Future Movement

Why in News Why in News Recently, the scientists have developed a bio- Recently, students and youth under the banner of decomposer technique called ‘PUSA Decomposers’ for Fridays For Future (FFF) have protested outside the converting crop stubble into compost. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change ¾ Delhi and many other North Indian States are covered (MoEFCC) demanding scrapping of Draft Environment with smoke during winters due to stubble burning in Impact Assessment, 2020 and the government to act the neighbouring States by the farmers. against the climate crisis.

Key Points Key Points ¾ PUSA Decomposers: ¾ Fridays For Future: € The decomposers are in the form of capsules € It is a dynamic global student movement pushing made by extracting fungi strains that help the for immediate action on climate change through paddy straw to decompose at a much faster rate active campaigning and advocacy. than usual. € It was inspired by Swedish environmentalist z The fungi helps to produce the essential enzymes Greta Thunberg, who sat in protest in front of the for the degradation process. Swedish parliament for three weeks in 2018 to draw attention to the climate emergency. ¾ Time to Decompose: z She was recently awarded the Right Livelihood € It takes around 20 days for the degradation process , also known as to be completed. Award-2019 Sweden’s alternative Nobel Prize. z Under usual circumstances, shredded and € It was chosen as watered paddy straw, which is mixed with soil, Champion of the Earth award for inspiration and action because of its role in takes at least 45 days to decompose. highlighting the devastating effects of climate z It does not give enough time for farmers to change. prepare fields for the wheat crop on time. ¾ Goals: ¾ Benefits: € To put moral pressure on policy-makers. € The decomposer improves the fertility € To make them listen to scientists. and productivity of the soil as the stubble works as manure and compost for the crops and € To take action to limit global warming. lesser fertiliser consumption is required in the ¾ Demand: future. € Keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 °C z The soil loses its richness due to stubble burning compared to pre-industrial levels (also the aim and it also destroys the useful bacteria and of the Paris climate deal). fungi in the soil, apart from causing harm to € Ensure climate justice and equity. the environment. € Listen to the best science currently available to € It is an efficient and effective, cheaper, deal with the climate crisis. doable and practical technique to stop stubble ¾ Demand for Delhi: The demand for Delhi includes saving burning. the Aravallis, improved sewage management plants to € It is an eco-friendly and environmentally useful prevent pollution of the Yamuna, public participation technology and will contribute to achieve Swachh in policy-making and better environmental education Bharat Mission. in schools.

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Champions of the Earth Award € Another reason could be panic from being trapped by a predator such as killer whales or sharks. ¾ It is the United Nations flagship global environmental award. It was established by the UN Environment € Another possibility is that whales might be drawn Programme in 2005 to celebrate outstanding figures to land by prey-rich currents. whose actions have had a transformative positive € Some scientists believe that sonar signals and impact on the environment. other man-made loud underwater noises may ¾ The awards recognise persons who are working to contribute to beaching events. protect the earth for the next generation. ¾ Protection: Scientists and workers try to drag the whales away from the shore and guide them back into the water. Whale Mass Strandings ¾ Long-finned pilot whales: € Scientific Name: Why in News Globicephala melas Over 450 long-finned pilot whales have died in € These are one of Australia’s largest recorded mass-stranding event. The two species of pilot whales were beached at a remote beach in Tasmania’s whale, along with west coast. short-finned pilot whales. € These prefer deep temperate to subpolar oceanic waters, but they have been known to occur in coastal waters in some areas. € They have been documented near the Antarctic sea ice and associated with the colder Benguela and Humboldt Currents, which may extend their normal range. € Protection Status: z CITES: Appendix II z IUCN: Least Concern

Key Points China’s Renewed ¾ Beaching/Stranding Events: € Beaching refers to the phenomenon of dolphins Support for Paris Agreement and whales stranding themselves on beaches. € There are around 2,000 strandings each year Why in News worldwide, with most resulting in the death of Recently, China has renewed its support for the Paris the animal. Agreement at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, € Whales strand themselves on beaches either while calling for a ‘green focus’ as the world recovers singularly or in groups. While individual strandings from the Covid-19 crisis. are mostly attributed to injury or sickness, it is not clear why exactly whales beach themselves Key Points in groups. ¾ China is the world’s biggest polluter and accounts ¾ Possible Reasons behind Whale Mass Strandings: for a quarter of the planet’s greenhouse gas (GHG) € Some whales follow schooling fish or other prey emissions. into shallow waters, which causes the whales to ¾ It now aims to reach carbon-dioxide emissions peak become disoriented, as a result of which they get before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before stranded. 2060.

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¾ In addition to its embrace of global emissions-busting € The INDCs were recognised under the agreement, deals, China already feeds nearly 15% of its energy but are not legally binding. demands with non-fossil fuels and its installation of € India also reaffirmed its INDCs commitments renewable energy stands at 30% of the world total. to meeting the goals under the Agreement in ¾ However, global experts have highlighted that there order to combat climate change. are massive investments continuing within China and overseas in coal and other fossil fuels. € China currently has 135 gigawatts of coal-power Leuser Ecosystem capacity either permitted or under construction, according to Global Energy Monitor, a San Francisco- Why in News based environmental group. Recently, an investigation by the global watchdog ¾ Against the USA: Rainforest Action Network(RAN) has shown that various € China highlighted USA’s demand for plastics and food, cosmetics and finance companies have links with export of waste and criticised it for “obstructing” companies implicated in the destruction of the Leuser the global fight against emissions. Ecosystem, a forest area on the island of Sumatra, z Earlier, the USA had pulled out of the Paris Indonesia. agreement, calling it unfair and blamed China for the stalled momentum on tackling global Key Points emissions. ¾ Leuser Ecosystem is among the most ancient and € This move has opened a new divergence in US-China life-rich ecosystems ever documented by science relations which are already troubled over issues and is a world-class hotspot of biodiversity and is like trade, technology, defence and human rights. widely acknowledged to be among the most important areas of intact rainforest left in all of Southeast Asia. Paris Agreement ¾ The ecosystem has been designated a UNESCO World ¾ Paris Agreement (also known as the Conference of Heritage Site. Parties 21 or COP 21) is a landmark environmental ¾ Location and Topography: accord that was adopted in 2015 to address climate € The ecosystem stretches across the province of change and its negative impacts. Aceh and North Sumatra, Indonesia. € It replaced the Kyoto Protocol which was an € It , almost earlier agreement to deal with climate change. spans 2.6 million hectares three times the size of Yellowstone National Park, USA. ¾ Aims: To reduce global GHG emissions in an effort € Its lowland and to limit the global temperature increase in this diverse landscape includes century to well below 2°C above pre-industrial montane rainforests and over 185,000 hectares levels, while pursuing means to limit the increase of carbon-rich peatlands. to 1.5°C by 2100. ¾ It includes: € Addressing the financial losses vulnerable countries face from climate impacts such as extreme weather. € Raising money to help developing countries adapt to climate change and transition to clean energy. € This part of the deal has been made non-legally binding on developed countries. ¾ Before the conference started, more than 180 countries had submitted pledges to cut their z Montane rainforests, also called cloud forests, carbon emissions (Intended Nationally Determined are vegetation of tropical mountainous regions or INDCs). Contributions in which the rainfall is often heavy and persistent

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condensation occurs because of cooling of corporate players involved to accept responsibility moisture-laden air currents deflected upward and begin to take action. by the mountains. € Strong local partners and international support ¾ Significance: are needed to reverse accelerating threats facing € Wildlife and Biodiversity: Leuser’s core forests and wildlife habitats. z It is among the most important forests left € Rigorous monitoring, enforcement, and delivering in Southeast Asia, particularly because it is incentives that improve practices in the palm oil the last place of sufficient size and quality to sector is key to stopping more efforts to cut down support viable populations of rare species like the region’s remaining rainforests. Sumatran tigers, orangutans, rhinos, elephants, clouded leopards and sun bears. Sumatran Orangutan ¾ Pongo abelii. „ 75% of the world’s remaining population Scientific Name: of the Sumatran orangutan is found in the ¾ These are almost exclusively arboreal which means ecosystem. they live among the trees of tropical rainforests. € For Humans: ¾ Habitat: Tropical and Sub- tropical Moist Broadleaf z The majority of Aceh’s people, between 70- 75%, live on the coastal plains of Sumatra, Forests. where many communities have established € Historically, the Sumatran wet rice cultivation. orangutan was distributed over the entire island of z The livelihoods and food supply for millions of people rely heavily on the natural services, Sumatra and further south into Java. The species’ range is now restricted particularly thewater supplies, that the Leuser to the north of the island with a majority in the Ecosystem provides. provinces of North Sumatra and Aceh. € Climate Change: ¾ Threats: z It plays an outsize role regulating the global € Habitat loss due to forest fire and conversion climate by storing massive amounts of carbon of forests to oil palm plantations and other in its peatlands and standing forests. agricultural developments. „ Peatlands are wet, carbon-rich areas that ¾ have formed through thousands of years Conservation: of undecomposed leaf litter and organic € IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered. material accumulation. € The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) ¾ Threats: works with TRAFFIC, the global wildlife trade monitoring network, to help governments € Industrial development for palm oil, pulp and enforce restrictions on the trade in live animals paper plantations and mining continues to threaten and orangutan products. the entire ecosystem. € The fires from this widespread destructionhave caused major haze pollution from Singapore to Climate Change Jakarta, resulting in huge economic losses and public health issues. and Forest Fire Link € Sumatra’s unique species are dying out with their negligible populations left and few on the verge Why in News of extinction. Scientists note thathuman-induced climate change ¾ Solutions: promotes the conditions on which wildfires depend. € There has been enormous progress made in raising international understanding of the importance of Key Points protecting the forests and in pressuring the major ¾ Wildfire:Also called forest, bush or vegetation fire, can

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be described as any uncontrolled and non-prescribed combustion or burning of plants in a natural setting such as a forest, grassland, brush land or tundra, which consumes the natural fuels and spreads based on environmental conditions (e.g., wind, topography). ¾ Human-induced Climate Change: Increases in greenhouse gases resulting from human activities have led to a net effect of warming of the climate system leading to direct impacts including increased air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level. ¾ Concerns: € Forest fires have become anissue of global concern. In many countries, wildfires are burning larger areas, and fire seasons are growing longer due z Regional increases in the frequency, duration to global warming. and intensity of droughts. € Australia recently battled its largest bushfire on record, while parts of the Arctic, the Amazon Indian Scenario and central Asia have also experienced unusually ¾ Forest Fire & Monitoring: severe fires. € A joint study report of the Ministry of Environment z Wildfires in Western USA (California) are and Forests (MoEF&CC) and World Bank titled another example. “Strengthening Forest Fire Management in India” € Globally, forest fires releasebillions of tons of CO2 released in June 2018 revealed that in the year into the atmosphere, while hundreds of thousands 2000, 20 districts, representing 3% of India’s land of people are believed to die due to illnesses caused area and 16% of forest cover accounted for 44% by exposure to smoke from forest fires and other of all fire detections. landscape fires. € The upgraded version of the Forest Fire Alert System ¾ Factors: (FAST 3.0) was released in January, 2019 with a € Fire Weather: separate activity of monitoring large forest fires. z Climate change increases the frequency and € It is seen that most of the fire prone forest areas severity of fire weather around the world. are found in the north-eastern region and the z Increased fire weather from climate change central part of the country. amplifies fire risk where fuels remain available. ¾ India’s Initiative to Tackle Forest Fire: € Poor land and forest management also contributes € National Action Plan on Forest Fires, 2018 to the wildfires, however, it does not alone account for the recent increases in the extent and severity of the wildfires globally. € Factors Identified by the IPCC:The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in 2013, identified a few factors that could influence the way wildfires play out. These include: z Global increase in average temperatures. z Global increases in the frequency, intensity and extent of heatwaves (breaching of historically extreme temperature thresholds).

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z MoEF&CC, has come up with the National Action € There is no cure as of now for the infection. Plan on Forest Fires, 2018 to revamp forest fire z Presently, there is no option but to cut down management in the country. and remove the infected tree to prevent the z Objectives: Informing, Enabling and Empowering spread of the disease. forest fringe communities and Incentivizing € The disease was first reported in Kodagu, Karnataka them to work in tandem with the State Forest in 1899. Departments (SFDs). z More than a million sandalwood trees were z The plan proposes nine strategies to address removed in the Kodagu and Mysore region the issue, including establishment of a “Centre between 1903 and 1916. of Excellence on Forest Fire Management”at ¾ Concerns: About 1% to 5% of sandalwood trees lost Forest Survey of India (FSI). every year due to the disease, scientists warn that € Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme: it could wipe out the entire natural population if z The Forest Fire Prevention and Management measures are not taken to prevent its spread. Scheme (FPM) is the only centrally funded € Another concern is, any delay in arresting the trend program specifically dedicated to assist the may result in the disease spreading to cultivated states in dealing with forest fires. sandalwood trees. z The FPM replaced the Intensification of Forest ¾ Reason: The present rapid spread of the infection is Management Scheme (IFMS) in 2017. largely due to restrictions on green felling in forests, z Funds allocated under the FPM are according which has allowed vectors to spread the disease to to a center-state cost-sharing formula, with a healthy trees. 90:10 ratio of central to state funding in the € Green felling (silviculture felling) is the felling of Northeast and Western Himalayan regions and green trees of one or more types. a 60:40 ratio for all other states. € Silviculture is the art and science of controlling z It also provides the states the flexibility to the establishment, growth, composition, health, direct a portion of the National Afforestation and quality of forests and woodlands to meet the Programme (NAP) and Mission for Green India diverse needs and values of landowners and society (GIM) funding toward forest fire work. such as wildlife habitat, timber, water resources, restoration, and recreation on a sustainable basis. Sandalwood Spike Disease ¾ Recent Steps: In an effort to combat the killer disease, the Institute of Wood Science and Technology (IWST), Why in News Bangalore will join hands with the Pune-based National Centre for Cell Sciences for a three-year India’s sandalwood trees are facing a serious threat study, initiated by the Union Ministry of AYUSH with due to Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD). a financial allocation of Rs. 50 lakh. Key Points € IWST is a Centre of Excellence for Sandalwood Research and Wood Science. ¾ The natural population of sandalwood inMarymoor Sandal Forest of Kerala and various reserve forests in Red Sandalwood Karnataka, including MM Hills (Malai Mahadeshwara ¾ Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is endemic Wildlife Sanctuary), are heavily infected with SSD. to South India. ¾ Sandalwood Spike Disease: ¾ They are found in the Tropical Dry Deciduous forest € It is an infectious disease which is caused by of the Palakonda and Seshachalam hill ranges of phytoplasma. Andhra Pradesh and also found in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. z Phytoplasmas are bacterial parasites of plant tissues — which aretransmitted by insect vectors ¾ Red Sanders usually grow in the rocky, degraded and and involved in plant-to-plant transmission. fallow lands with Red Soil and hot and dry climate.

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¾ The International Union for Conservation of € All 30 STP projects (100%) are now complete in Nature (IUCN) has put it under the category of Uttarakhand for taking care of pollution from 17 near threatened from earlier endangered species Ganga towns near river Ganga, which is a landmark in the Red List. achievement. € The contributes about ¾ It is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on Haridwar-Rishikesh zone into the River Ganga. International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 80% wastewater load Fauna and Flora (CITES). ¾ Namami Gange Programme: € Appendix II – Species which are not necessarily € Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated threatened with extinction, but in which Conservation Mission, approved as a ‘Flagship trade must be controlled to avoid utilisation Programme’ by the Union Government in June incompatible with their survival. 2014 to accomplish the twin objectivesof effective abatement of pollution and conservation and ¾ It is known for its rich hue and therapeutic properties, rejuvenation of National River Ganga. is high in demand across Asia, particularly in China and Japan, for cosmetics and medicinal products, € It is being operated under the Department of wood-works and musical instruments. Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. ¾ Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that a tonne of red sanders costs anything between Rs. € The program is being implemented by the National 50 lakh to Rs. 1 crore in the international market. Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and its state counterpart organizations i.e., State Program Management Groups (SPMGs). Six Mega Projects z NMCG is the implementation wing ofNational in Uttarakhand: Ganga Council (set in 2016; which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority - NGRBA). Namami Gange Mission € It has a Rs. 20,000-crore, centrally-funded, non- lapsable corpus and consists of nearly 288 projects. Why in News € The main pillars of the programme are: The Prime Minister has inaugurated six mega projects z Sewage Treatment Infrastructure & Industrial in Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange Mission. Effluent Monitoring z River-Front Development & River-Surface Key Points Cleaning ¾ Highlights: These six mega projects of Sewage z Bio-Diversity & Afforestation Treatment Plants (STP) are constructed at Haridwar, z Public Awareness Rishikesh, Muni ki Reti, Chorpani,and Badrinath. Other Activities at the Event € Jagjeetpur, Haridwar project also marks the ¾ completion of thefirst sewage project taken up on Ganga Avalokan: It is the first museuminaugurated hybrid annuity mode on public private partnership. for Ganga. € The museum is dedicated to showcase the z Hybrid Annuity Model: The Government would culture, biodiversity and rejuvenation activities provide upfront around 40% of the project done in Ganga river. cost to the developer to start the work and the remaining 60% would be borne by the € The museum is located at Chandi Ghat, Haridwar. private party. ¾ Rowing down the Ganges: A book co-published by National Mission for Clean Ganga & € In Muni ki Reti town, Chandreshwar Nagar STP is Wildlife is also launched. the first4 storied Sewage Treatment Plant in the Institute of India country where the limitation of land availability ¾ The logo of Jal Jeevan Mission and ‘Margdarshika was converted into an opportunity. for Gram Panchayats and Paani Samitis under Jal Jeevan Mission’ is also unveiled during the event. ¾ Significance:

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z With the herbivores not getting sufficient forage, Campaign to Remove the prey base for carnivorous animals was Lantana: Rajasthan declining, leading to ecological disturbances in the food chain. z It has also invaded other wildlife reserves, river Why in News banks and the Project Tiger areas. A special drive to uproot the invasive Lantana bushes z In some regions, the plant has invaded pastures in the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan’s Udaipur and shrunk the cattle grazing areas, affecting district has been carried out along with the plantation of the livelihood of villagers. on the cleared patches of land. native species ¾ Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary: ¾ This has helped in ecological restoration of grasslands € Location:Udaipur (Rajasthan) and saved biodiversity. € History: It is a part of Sajjangarh Palace (also Key Points known as Monsoon Palace) built in 1884. z The Palace derived its name from Maharana ¾ Lantana: Sajjan Singh, one of the rulers of the Mewar € Lantana camara is a dynasty. small perennial shrub, € Area: 5.19 sq. Km which forms extensive, dense and impenetra- € Flora and Fauna: Animals like chitals, panthers, ble thickets. hares, blue bulls (Nilgais), jackals, wild boars, hyenas, and sambhar. € It is native to Central and South America. z More than 279 € It is an invasive species which was introduced in Plant Species. tropical regions as an ornamental plant (introduced in India in 1807). € Famous for Long- com- € It is generally deleterious to biodiversity and is billed vulture, an agricultural weed. monly known as the Indian vulture. € Impact: z Scientific Name: z The thickets covered vast tracts of land, stopping Gyps indicus the natural light and nutrition for other flora and fauna. z IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered z The toxic substance in its foliage and ripe z CITES Status: Appendix II berries affected the animals. z Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 Status: Schedule I

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Highlights z Bhagat Singh’s Birth Anniversary z Centenary of Discovery of Harappan Civilization

€ For the next year, Bhagat Singh worked with Josh Bhagat Singh’s Birth Anniversary and joined the editorial board of Kirti. ¾ 1927: He was firstarrested on charges of association Why in News with the Kakori Case accused of an article written 28th September is the birth anniversary of revolutionary under the pseudonym Vidrohi (Rebel). freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. ¾ 1928: To take revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh and his associates plotted the Key Points assassination of James A. Scott, the Superintendent ¾ 1907: Born in 1907 in Lyall- of Police. pur district (now in Pakistan), € However, they mistakenly killed J.P. Saunders Bhagat Singh grew up in a and the incident is famously known as the Lahore Sikh family deeply involved Conspiracy case, 1930. in political activities. € In 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai had led a procession to € He belonged to a genera- protest against the arrival of the Simon Commission. tion that was to intervene The police resorted to a brutal lathi-charge, in between two decisive which Lala Lajpat Rai was severely injured and phases of the Indian later succumbed to his injuries. national movement, the ¾ 1929: Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt threw a bomb phase of the ‘Extremism’ of Lal-Bal-Pal and the on 8th April 1929 in the Central Legislative Assembly, Gandhian phase of nonviolent mass action. in response to the formulation of Defence of India ¾ 1923: He joined the National College, Lahore which Act. was founded and managed by Lala Lajpat Rai and Bhai Parmanand. € The aim, as their leaflet explained,was not to kill but to make the deaf hear, and to remind the ¾ 1924: In Kanpur, he became a member of the Hin- foreign government of its callous exploitation. dustan Republican Association (HRA), started by Sachindranath Sanyal a year earlier. The main organ- € Both Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt surrendered iser of HRA was Chandra Shekhar Azad to whom he thereafter and faced trial so they could further became very close with time. promote their cause. They were awarded life € In 1928, HRA was renamed to the Hindustan imprisonment for this incident. Socialist Republic Association(HSRA). ¾ 1931: However, Bhagat Singh was re-arrested for the ¾ 1925: He returned to Lahore and within the next murder of J.P. Saunders and bomb manufacturing year, he and his colleagues started a militant youth in the Lahore Conspiracy case. He was found guilty organisation called the Naujawan Bharat Sabha. in this case and was hanged on 23rd March 1931 in ¾ 1926: In April, he established contact with Sohan Lahore along with Sukhdev and Rajguru. Singh Josh and through him, with the ‘Kirti Kisan € Every year, the day is observed as Martyrs’ Day Party’ which brought out the monthly magazine as a tribute to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Kirti in Punjabi. Sukhdev, and Rajguru.

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Harappa Daya Ram Bank of ¾ Sandstone Centenary of Discovery Sahni in river Ravi in statues of Human of Harappan Civilization 1921 Montgomery anatomy district of ¾ Granaries Punjab ¾ Bullock carts Why in News (Pakistan) To mark the centenary of the discovery of the Mohen- R.D. Bank of ¾ Great bath Harappan civilization at Mohenjo-Daro, theIndia Study jo-Daro Banerjee river Indus ¾ Granary (Mound in 1922 in Larkana Centre Trust in collaboration with the Directorate of ¾ Bronze dancing of district of girl Archaeology and Museums, Maharashtra, will organise Dead) Punjab ¾ a 10-day online lecture series from 5th October 2020. (Pakistan) Seal of Pasupathi ¾ Steatite statue of ¾ The India Study Centre Trust has its core focus in the beard man fields of archaeology, geology and biodiversity. ¾ A piece of woven cotton Key Points Sutkag- Stein in In south- ¾ A trade point ¾ Harappan civilization is also known as Indus Valley endor 1929 western between Harappa Civilization (IVC) for being situated on and around Balochistan and Babylon the banks of the Indus river. province, ¾ It flourished around 2,500 BCE in the western part Pakistan on Dast river of South Asia, in contemporary Pakistan, western India and parts of Afghanistan. Chanh- N.G. Sindh on ¾ Bead makers udaro Majumdar the Indus shop ¾ It was home to the largest of the four ancient urban in 1931 river ¾ Footprint of a dog civilizationsof Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China. chasing a cat ¾ In the 1920s, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) ¾ carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein Amri N.G. On the bank Antelope Majumdar of Indus evidence the ruins of the two old cities, viz. Mohenjo-Daro in 1935 river and Harappa were unearthed. Kalib- Ghose in Rajasthan ¾ Fire altar € Both are major sites of IVC and are among the angan 1953 on the bank ¾ Camel’s bones earliest and finest examples of urban civic planning. of Ghaggar ¾ Wooden plough € The planned network of roads, houses and drainage river systems indicate the planning and engineering Lothal R. Rao in Gujarat on ¾ First manmade skills that developed during those times. 1953 Bhogva river port ¾ It was a trade based civilization which had overseas near Gulf of ¾ Dockyard Cambay trade links with Mesopotamia (region of Western ¾ Rice husk Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system) ¾ Fire altars attested by the discovery of Harappan seals there and ¾ Chess-playing Mesopotamian carnelian beads here. Surkot- J.P. Joshi Gujarat ¾ Bones of horses ¾ The civilization declined around 1800 BCE but the ada in 1964 ¾ Beads actual reasons behind its demise are still debated. Bana- R.S. Bisht Hisar district ¾ Beads € Invasion by Aryans, decline due to natural causes, wali in 1974 of Haryana ¾ Barley flooding because of a shift in river courses are ¾ Evidence of both among the major theories on its decline. pre-Harappan and Harappan culture Important Sites of IVC Dhola- R.S Bisht Gujarat in ¾ Water harnessing Site Excavated Location Important Findings vira in 1985 Rann of system by Kachchh ¾ Water reservoir

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Highlights z Re-measuring Mount Everest z Increase in Frequency of Medicanes z Mekedatu Project z Autumnal Equinox in Northern Hemisphere

€ Its current official elevation is 8,848 m which Re-measuring Mount Everest places it more than 200m above the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, which is 8,611 m Why in News tall and located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. China and Nepal are soon expected to announce € Mount Everest gets its English name from Sir Mount Everest’s latest official height. George Everest, a colonial-era geographer who ¾ In 2019, both countries agreed to re-measure the served as the Surveyor General of India in the th elevation of the world’s highest mountain and announce mid-19 century. the findings together. € It was first scaled in 1953by the Indian-Nepalese Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary. Key Points ¾ Need for Re-measurement: ¾ About: € Everest’s current official height has been widely € Mount Everest (also called Sagarmatha in Nepal) is accepted since 1956 when the figure was measured Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, located by the Survey of India. in the Himalayas between China and Nepal with z However, the height of a summit changes their borders running across its summit point. due to tectonic activities like the 2015 Nepal earthquake. € Its measurement over the decades has also depended on who was surveying. z Previous measurements of the mountain were by Indian, American or European surveyors. z The joint effort represents national pride for Nepal which will come up with its own findings on the height.

Survey of India ¾ It is the National Survey and Mapping Organisation of the country under the Department of Science and Technology. ¾ It was established in 1767 and is the oldest scientific department of the Government of India. ¾ Headquarters: Dehradun, Uttarakhand. ¾ It acts as an adviser to the Government of India on all survey matters, viz Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Mapping and Map Reproduction.

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¾ Mekedatu, meaning , is a € Geodesy is the science of accurately measuring goat’s leap deep gorge and understanding the Earth’s geometric shape, situated at the confluence of the riversCauvery and orientation in space and gravity field. its tributary Arkavathi. ¾ Ontigondlu is the proposed reservoir site, situated € Photogrammetry is the science of making measurements from photographs. at Ramanagara district in Karnataka about 100 km away from Bengaluru. It is the midst of the Cauvery Himalayas Wildlife Sanctuary. ¾ Origin: The northward drift of the Indo-Australian ¾ The Rs. 9,000 crore project aims to store and supply plate resulted in its collision with the much larger water for drinking purposes for the Bengaluru city. Eurasian Plate. Due to which, the sedimentary rocks Around 400 megawatts (MW) of power is also proposed which were accumulated in the geosyncline known to be generated through the project. as the Tethys were folded to form the mountain system of western Asia and Himalaya. Key Points ¾ Features: ¾ The project was first € The Himalayas are geologically young and approved by the Karnataka structurally folded mountains and represent the state government in 2017. loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain ¾ It received approval from barriers of the world. the erstwhile Ministry of € They form an arc, which covers a distance Water Resources for the of about 2,400 km. Their width varies from detailed project report and 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal is awaiting approval from Pradesh. the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate ¾ The Himalayan mountains consist of three parallel Change (MoEFCC). ranges in longitudinal extent: € The approval from MoEFCC is crucial because 63% of the forest area of the Cauvery Wildlife € Great Himalaya or Himadri: It is the northernmost and the most continuous range consisting of the Sanctuary will be submerged. loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 m. ¾ 4.75 thousand million cubic feet of water could World’s highest peaks are located in it. be drawn from the reservoir to partially meet the drinking needs of Bengaluru. € Lesser Himalaya or Himachal: To the south of Himadri, it is the most rugged mountain system ¾ Tamil Nadu has approached the Supreme Court (SC) and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya. against the project even if Karnataka has held that The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 m. it would not affect the flow of water to Tamil Nadu. It is well known for its hill stations like Kashmir, ¾ Reasons for Opposition by Tamil Nadu: Kangra and Kullu Valleys. € Tamil Nadu is opposed to any project being € Shiwalik: It is the southernmost range with proposed in the upper riparian unless it was an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 m. approved by the Supreme Court. These ranges are composed of unconsolidated € Karnataka has no right to construct any reservoir sediments brought down by rivers from the main on an inter-state river without the consent of the Himalayan ranges located farther north. lower riparian state i.e. Tamil Nadu in this case. z The project is against the final order of the Mekedatu Project Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) in which the SC held that no state can claim exclusive ownership or assert rights to deprive Why in News other states of the waters of inter-state rivers. The Karnataka government is likely to pressurise the € The CWDT and the SC have found that the existing Centre for approval of the construction of theMekedatu storage facilities available in the Cauvery basin Project on the Cauvery river. were adequate for storing and distributing water

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so Karnataka’s proposal is ex-facie (on the face € Sometimes,warm-cored tropical cyclones transform of it) untenable and should be rejected outright. into cold-cored extratropical cyclones and in rare € It has also held that the reservoir is not just for cases, the opposite can also happen. drinking water alone, but to increase the extent ¾ Increase in Occurrence: of irrigation, which is in clear violation of the € Medicanes have increased in number in the past Cauvery Water Disputes Award. half-century. € Two of these storms, one in 2005 and another in Increase in 2012, even formed over the Black Sea, which is a much smaller water body than the Mediterranean Frequency of Medicanes Sea. € Due to global warming, warmer sea surface Why in News temperatures in the Mediterranean can allow Scientists have warned that extra-tropical storms the storms to take on more tropical appearances in the Mediterranean Sea, known as ‘Medicanes’ or and characteristics, increasing the wind speeds ‘Mediterranean Hurricanes’, could become more frequent and making the storms more intense and cause due to human-induced climate change. heavier rainfall. € This year is a mild La Nina , according to the World Meteorological Organization. La Niña tends to reduce the land falling hurricanes but even if the La Niña this year is mild, the hurricane season is very active.This implies that the impacts of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are being modulated by global warming in all oceans, including the Mediterranean. € The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2019 warns of increased temperatures and more frequent Key Points extreme El Niño and La Niña events. ¾ Medicanes: ¾ Threats: € Medicanes are tropical-like cyclones formed over € Increase in frequency of medicanes will be a the Mediterranean Sea. threat for already vulnerable populations living in North Africa, possibly triggering € They typically form in the fall or winter months human and occur once or twice a year. migration. € € On 18th September, 2020, a medicane named They could also be a menace for European countries Lanos made landfall along the coast of Greece like Italy and Greece. and caused heavy rainfall and flooding in Greece and surrounding islands. Autumnal Equinox ¾ Comparison with Tropical Cyclones: in Northern Hemisphere € These occur more in relatively colder waters than tropical cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons. Hence, the cores of these storms are also cold, as Why in News compared to the warm cores of tropical cyclones On 22nd Sept 2020, the day and night was almost (but warmer as compared to extra-tropical cyclones). equal in most locations marking the start of autumn in € These are typically smaller in diameter and have the Northern Hemisphere which lasts until the winter lower wind speeds than true tropical cyclones. solstice (December 21 or 22).

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€ The equinoxes are prime time for Northern Lights – geomagnetic activities are twice more likely to take place in the spring and fall time, than in the summer or winter. ¾ Varying Dates: While the September equinox usually occurs on September 22 or 23, it can very rarely fall on September 21 or September 24. € This is because of the difference between how the Gregorian calendar defines a year (365 days) and the time it actually takes for Earth to complete its orbit around the Sun (about 365 ¾ Similarly, the Vernal equinox falls around March 21, and 1/4 days). marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. ¾ Signals Changing of Seasons: The equinoxes along ¾ In the Southern Hemisphere the seasons are reversed with solstices signals the changing of the seasons. (Christmas is celebrated in Australia and New Zealand € The seasons on Earth change because the planet in the summer season). is slightly tilted on its axis as it travels around the Sun. Earth’s rotational axis makes an angle of Key Points 23.5° with the normal and angle of 66.5° with ¾ About: the orbital plane. € The word equinox is derived from two Latin words € If Earth were not tilted, the Sun would always appear - aequus (equal) and nox (night). to be directly above the Equator, the amount of € There are only two times of the year when the light a given location receives would be fixed, and Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away there would be no seasons. There also would be from the sun, resulting in anearly equal amount no need to mark equinoxes or solstices. of daylight and darkness at all latitudes. These ¾ Solstices: The two solstices happen in June (20 or events are referred to as Equinoxes. 21) and December (21 or 22). These are the days € The equinoxes happen in March (about March 21) when the Sun’s path in the sky is the farthest north and September (about September 23). or south from the Equator.

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Art & Culture

Highlights z Chendamangalam Saree: Kerala z Guru Nanak Dev’s 481st Death Anniversary z Kakatiya Dynasty z Jnanpith Award

¾ Other GI Tagged Products from Kerala: Kasaragod Chendamangalam Sarees, Pokkali Rice, Nilambur Teak, Wayanad Robusta Saree: Kerala Coffee, Tirur Betel Leaf, etc.

Why in News Kakatiya Dynasty The Care 4 Chendamangalam (C4C) initiative is supporting the 2018 Kerala flood-affected weavers. Why in News A temple constructed by emperor Ganapati Deva, a Key Points mighty ruler of Kakatiya dynasty, in Dharanikota (Andhra ¾ Kerala Kasavu Sarees: The Pradesh) has been converted into an abode of local term kasavu refers to the goddess Balusulamma (Goddess Durga). zari (gold thread) used in ¾ The presiding deity at this 13th-century temple was the border of the Kerala Kakati Devi, the tutelary (guardian) deity of Kakatiya saree. The identity of the rulers. saree comes from the ¾ Due to ravages of time and no upkeep, the presiding geographical cluster they are associated with. deity got damaged. The villagers of Dharanikota, who ¾ Geographical Clusters: The Indian government has had no knowledge about the past of the temple, identified three clusters in Kerala viz.Balaramapuram , installed Balusulamma idol and started worshipping. Chendamangalam and Kuthampully which have been given Geographical Indication (GI) tags. Key Points ¾ Chendamangalam Saree: ¾ Kakatiyas is an Andhra dynasty that flourished in € Features: the 12th century CE. The Kakatiya dynasty ruled from z It is recognisable by its puliyilakara border, a Warangal (Telangana) from CE 1083-1323. thin black line that runs side by side with the ¾ They were known for the construction of a network sari’s border. of tanks for irrigation and drinking waterand thereby z It has extra-weft chuttikara and stripes and gave a big boost to the overall development of the checks of varying width. region. € History: € Telangana has launched a massive rejuvenation z It is widely believed that weaving in movement in the form of “Mission Kakatiya” Chendamangalam was introduced by the which involves the restoration of irrigation tanks Paliam family. and lakes/minor irrigation sources built by the z Called the Paliath Achans, the family was Kakatiyas. hereditary to the Prime Minister post to the ¾ There are hundreds of Hindu temples built under Maharaja of Cochin, having been associated with the patronage of Kakatiya kings likeGanapati Deva, Chendamangalam from the 16th century onwards. Rudrama Devi and Prataparudra of Kakatiya dynasty.

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For example, z He also spoke in favour of an equitable social € Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreshwara Swamy status for women. Temple, Telangana. It is a star-shaped, triple shrine € Guru Nanak was also a great traveller. He went on (Trikutalayam) for Vishnu, Shiva and Surya. long journeys (called Uddasian) to far off places € Ramappa Temple, Warangal, Telangana. along with his two companions Bhai Bala, a Hindu, ¾ Golconda Fort in Hyderabad (Telangana) was also and Bhai Mardana, a Muslim, to hold dialogues constructed by the Kakatiya rulers. with many saints and Sufis. ¾ Teaching of Guru Nanak: € Later, it became the capital of the Qutb Shahi kings, who ruled from CE 1518-1687. € Guru Nanak declared that God is one — formless (Nirgun) and without birth and death. The whole i.e. Guru Nanak Dev’s world is God’s creation Ik Onkar Satnam. € According to him all are born equal. He also stood 481st Death Anniversary for karma as the basis of dharma. € Valued a simpler notion of truth that was the Why in News basis of honest living. z He declared that truth has the highest value Recently, the Jyoti Jot (death anniversary) of Guru in life, but truthful living is higher still in value. Nanak Dev (Founder of Sikhism) was observed at his final resting place Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur in € Created awareness related to the conservation of Pakistan. water, and the importance of a clean environment. ¾ On the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru € Emphasised on three things: Nanak, the Kartarpur Corridor which connects India z Kirat Karni: It means to work hard, and earn and Pakistan was opened to the public. good karma and an honest livelihood. z Vand Chakna: It means to not be selfish, and Key Points share with others. ¾ Guru Nanak: z Naam Japa: It means to meditate and remember € Guru Nanak, first of the name of god. the ten Sikh Gurus in € Provided a practical demonstration of building Sikhism, is believed to a community based on strong egalitarian values have died at Kartarpur of: nd on 22 September 1539. z Cooperative agricultural work € Guru Nanak was born in z Langar (collective cooking and sharing of food) , near Lahore, Pakistan which Talwandi Rai Bhoe z Pangat (partaking food without distinctions of was renamed later as Nankana Sahib. high and low) € He was a great thinker, philosopher, poet, traveller, z Sangat (collective decision making) political rebel, social leveller, mass communicator € His teachings are mentioned in the Adi Granth and spiritual master. compiled by Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606), the € His political, social and spiritual beliefs werebased fifth sikh guru. on love, equality, fraternity and virtue. He is also viewed as a symbol of peace and servicing. € His followers came to be known as Sikhs, which Jnanpith Award means a learner or a disciple. € He used the medium of music, poetry, song and Why in News speech to preach the love of God and to attack Renowned Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan the socially oppressive practices of casteism of Namboothiri was conferred the 55th edition of the Jnanpith the orthodox Brahmanical Hindu religion. Award.

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Key Points € Akkitham is the sixth writer to bag the Jnanpith Award for Malayalam literature. In 1965, famous ¾ About the Award: Malayalam writer G Sankara Kurup became the € It has achieved the recognition of the highest first winnerof the Jnanpith Award. literary award of the country. € He is instrumental in heralding modernism in € English along with other Indian languages is Malayalam poetry. considered for the Award. € He is the only living poet being called Mahakavi € The Award is open for only Indian citizensand is (great poet) in Malayalam. given annually. € He has contributed seminal works such as € The prize carries a cash award of Rs. 11 lakhs, a Pathalathinte Muzhakkam, Irupatham Noottandinte citation, and a bronze replica of Vagdevi (Saraswati), Ithihasam, and Balidarshanam. the goddess of learning. € His work Balidarshanam won the State and Central € It is sponsored by the cultural organization Sahitya Akademi Awards in 1972-73. Bharatiya Jnanpith. € He was awarded Padma Shri in 2017. € In 2019, author Amitav Ghosh was felicitated with € He has also been bestowed with Ezhuthachan th 54 Jnanpith Award. He became the first English Award (the highest literary honour of the Kerala language writer to become a Jnanpith laureate. government), Odakkuzhal Award (given to literary ¾ About Poet Akkitham: works in Malayalam), and several other honours.

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Social Issues

Highlights z CAG Survey Report on School Toilets z Congo Fever Alert in Maharashtra z Sale of Loose Cigarettes and Beedis

Another 200 toilets were reported to be constructed, CAG Survey but were non-existent, while 86 toilets were only Report on School Toilets partially constructed. z Thus, almost 40% of toilets were non-existent, partially completed or unused. Why in News z The audit also noticed cases of defective ¾ The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) construction of toilets, non-provision of has flagged irregularities in the construction of toilets foundation, ramp/staircase and damaged or in schools by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) overflowed leach pit, which led to ineffective in an audit report tabled before Parliament. use of toilets. z s were used for Key Points Prefabricated structure constructing many toilets leading to extra ¾ Physical survey: expenditure, dilution in durability and non- € There are 10.8 lakh government schools in the compliance with direction. country. Overall, more than 1.4 lakh toilets have ¾ Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan: been built by 53 CPSEs, with significant support € It was launched by the Ministry of Human Resource coming from power, coal and oil companies as Development (now Ministry of Education) in part of the Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan. September 2014. € The CAG audit conducted a physical survey of a € The aim is to meet the Right to Education Act’s sample of 2,695 toilets built by these companies mandate that all schools must have separate in 15 States. toilets for boys and girls. ¾ Issues Found: € In order to effectively change the behaviour of € No functional toilets:Out of the 1,967 coeducational students, the programme norms required the schools surveyed, 99 schools had no functional CPSEs to build toilets with running water and toilets while 436 had only one functional toilet, hand washing facilities, and to maintain the toilets meaning that the objective of providing separate for three to five years while charging the annual toilets for boys and girls was not fulfilled in 27% expenses to their Corporate Social Responsibility of the schools. (CSR) budgets. € Maintenance and Sanitation: ¾ Importance of School Toilets: z 75% of toilets did not follow the norm for daily € Constitutional Promises: As mandated by the cleaning at least once a day. Right to Education Act, all children are required z 72% of constructed toilets had no running water to spend six hours in school every day. During this facilities inside, and 55% had no hand washing period, they would want to use the toilets. facilities at all, an even greater necessity in z The Act mandates that all schools must have Covid-19 affected times. separate toilets for boys and girls. € Construction Issues: Out of the sample of 2,695 € Health & Nutrition: The provision of water, toilets, CPSEs identified but did not construct 83. sanitation and hygiene facilities in school secures a

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healthy school environment and protects children z The Act also mentions that the warning should from illness and exclusion. be specified on not less than one of the largest z Hygiene in school also supports school nutrition. panels of the packet in which the cigarettes or z The simple act of washing hands with soap any other tobacco products have been packed before eating the school mid-day meal assists for distribution, sale and supply. to break disease transmission routes. ¾ Pattern of Tobacco Use in India: € Enrolments & Dropouts: Lack of toilets for girls, is € According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey a reason for dropouts. A school latrine generally (GATS) 2016-2017, which was a household survey increased female enrolment more than male conducted on over 74,000 people aged 15 years enrolment. or more. € Child as a Change Agent: Having a clean school z Maharashtra has the lowest prevalence of fosters a child’s pride in his or her school and tobacco smoking in the country. community. z Over 91% of current smokers in the country z It enables every child to become an agent of believe that smoking causes serious illness. change for improving water, sanitation and z Smoke Tobacco- 10.7% of all adults (99.5 million) hygiene practices in their families and within in India smoke tobacco. their community. z In either Form- 28.6% of all adults use tobacco either in smoke or smokeless form. Sale of Loose € Average Monthly Expenditure: In India, for a daily cigarette smoker around Rs. 1,100 and that for Cigarettes and Beedis a daily beedi smoker is estimated to be around Rs. 284. Why in News € Loose Tobacco Buyers: 68% of smokers, 17% beedi The Maharashtra government has banned the sale smokers, and 50% of smokeless tobacco users in of loose cigarettes and beedis, to reduce the consumption India purchase. of tobacco and to comply with the Cigarettes and Other € As per the Tobacco Free Union, over 1 million Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003. people die from tobacco-related diseases in India every year. Key Points ¾ Effectiveness of Bans: ¾ Other States: Chhattisgarh had banned the sale of € The effectiveness of bans is not well known and loose cigarettes in 2020. depends on how widespread and stringent the € Karnataka banned the sale of loose cigarettes, implementation is. beedis and chewing tobacco in 2017. € According to a 2017 study published in the Journal ¾ Reasons for Ban: of the Scientific Society, raising tax on tobacco € The government’s aim is to make sure that users are products is one of the key ways of controlling able to see the mandated warnings on cigarette tobacco consumption. packaging. € Caveat: While on one hand making tobacco € Under COTPA, tobacco products need to be sold products dearer may lead to an overall decrease with graphic health warnings on their packaging in consumption of tobacco globally, on the other and loose cigarettes do not comply with this rule. hand, it can lead to an increase in the sale of loose cigarettes. z Section 7 of the Act mentions, no person shall, directly or indirectly, produce, supply or distribute ¾ Tobacco Control in India: 6 cigarettes or any other tobacco products unless € International Convention: every package of cigarettes or any other tobacco z Governments adopt and implement the tobacco products produced, supplied or distributed by control provisions of the WHO Framework him bears thereon, or on its label. Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

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z It is the first international treaty negotiated € It is an initiative using mobile technology for under the auspices of the WHO. tobacco cessation. z It was adopted by the World Health Assembly € India launched mCessation using text messages on 21st May 2003 and entered into force on in 2016 as part of the government’s Digital India 27th February 2005. initiative. z India ratified the WHO FCTC in 2004. z It uses two-way messaging between the individual z It was developed in response to the globalization seeking to quit tobacco use and programme of the tobacco epidemic and is an evidence- specialists providing them dynamic support. based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people € Prevention and Control of Pollution Act of 1981- to the highest standard of health. The FCTC’s Recognized smoking as an air pollutant. measures to combat tobacco use include: € Cable Television Networks Amendment Act of „ Price and tax measures. 2000- Prohibited the transmission of advertisements on tobacco and liquor in India. „ Large, graphic warnings on tobacco packages. € The Government of India has issued regulations „ Keeping plain packaging to minimise the under the promotion of the products. Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 which lay down that tobacco or nicotine cannot „ 100% smoke-free public spaces. be used as ingredients in food products. „ A ban on tobacco marketing. „ Support for smokers who want to quit. Congo Fever „ Prevention of tobacco industry interference. ¾ Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), Alert in Maharashtra 2003: Replaced the Cigarettes Act of 1975 (largely limited to statutory warnings- ‘Cigarette Smoking is Why in News Injurious to Health’ to be displayed on cigarette packs The Palghar administration has asked authorities to and advertisements. It did not include non-cigarettes). remain alert against a possible spread of the Congo fever The 2003 Act also included cigars, beedis, cheroots, in the Maharashtra district. pipe tobacco, hookah, chewing tobacco, pan masala, and gutka. Key Points ¾ National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), 2008: ¾ Background: Congo fever was first discovered inCrimea € Objective: To control tobacco consumption and in 1944 and was named Crimean hemorrhagic fever. minimize tobacco consumption related deaths. € Later in 1969, scientists discovered that the pathogen € Activities: Training and capacity building; responsible for causing Crimean hemorrhagic fever information, education, and communication (IEC) and the one that caused illness in Congo in 1956 activities; tobacco control laws; reporting survey was the same. and surveillance and tobacco cessation. € Hence, the name changed to Crimean-Congo ¾ Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging haemorrhagic fever. and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2020: ¾ Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF): € It was mandated that the specified health warning € Cause: The CCHF is a widespread disease caused by shall cover at least 85% of the principal display a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae area of the package. family. € Of this, 60% shall cover pictorial health warning € Transmission: and 25% shall cover textual health warning. z The virus is transmitted through bite of € This shall be positioned on the top edge of the Hyalomma tick, an external parasite, living by package and in the same direction as the information feeding on the blood of mammals, birds etc. on the principal display area. z It can also be contracted through contact with ¾ mCessation Programme: viraemic animal tissues(animal tissues where

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z Hospital-acquired infections can also occur due to improper sterilisation of medical equipment, reuse of needles and contamination of medical supplies. € Fatality: CCHF outbreaks constitute a threat to public health services as the virus can lead to epidemics, with a high case fatality ratio (10-40%). z Case fatality rate (CFR) is a measure of the severity of a disease and is defined as the proportion of cases of a specified disease or condition which are fatal within a specified time. € CCHF is endemic in all of Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and in Asia. € Symptoms: z Fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and photophobia (sensitivity to light). z There may be nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sore throat early on, followed by sharp mood swings, confusion, depression and liver enlargement. ¾ Treatment: the virus has entered the bloodstream) during € General supportive care with treatment of symptoms and immediately post-slaughter of animals. is the main approach to managing CCHF in people. € Human-to-human transmission: It can occur € The antiviral drugribavirin has been used to treat resulting from close contact with the blood, CCHF infection with apparent benefit. secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected € There are no vaccines widely available for human persons. or animal use.

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Highlights z Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020

management and to streamline the acquisition Defence process. Acquisition Procedure 2020 z Revised Offset Guidelines: „ Preference will be given to the manufacturing Why in News of complete defence products over components and various multipliers have Recently, a new Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) been added to give incentivisation in the (erstwhile Defence Procurement Procedure or DPP), 2020 discharge of offsets. has been released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). 1. Multipliers are credit values earned Key Points on offset transactions. A multiplier of 3 means a foreign company can claim ¾ About: The DAP contains policies and procedures for credits up to three times of its actual procurement and acquisition from the capital budget offset investment. of the MoD in order to modernise the Armed Forces „ Further, there will be no offset clause in including the Coast Guard. government-to-government, single vendor ¾ Background: The first DPP was promulgated in 2002. and Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA). € A committee under the chairmanship of Director 1. Offsets are a portion of a contracted General (Acquisition) was constituted to review price with a foreign supplier that must the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016. be re-invested in the Indian defence z DPP 2016 was released replacing the DPP 2013 sector, or against which the government based on the recommendations of Dhirendra can purchase technology. . Singh Committee 2. Offset clause was hindering the transfer z It focused on indigenously designed, developed of technology, according to a recent CAG and manufactured weapon systems. report. z It was facing several issues like lack of transparency z Rationalisation of Procedures for Trials and (leading to Rafale Scam), inconvenient offset Testing: Scope of trials will be restricted to regulations, etc. the physical evaluation of core operational ¾ Objective:Turning India into a global manufacturing parameters. hub. € To Develop India into Global Manufacturing Hub: € Aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and z FDI in Defence Manufacturing: Provisions have empowering Indian domestic industry through the been incorporated like a new category ‘Buy Make in India initiative. (Global-Manufacture in India)’, to encourage ¾ Salient Features: foreign companies to set up manufacturing € For Ease of Doing Business: through its subsidiary in India. z Time-Bound Defence Procurement Process € To Promote Make in India and Atmanirbhar and Faster Decision Making: By setting up a Bharat initiatives: Project Management Unit to support contract z Reservation in Categories for Indian Vendors:

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Some categories like Buy (Indian Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured or IDDM), Production Agency in Design and Development, etc. will be exclusively reserved for Indian Vendors and FDI of more than 49% is not allowed. € Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) have been z Ban on Import of Certain Items: With a view to operationalised to provide necessary incubation promote the domestic and indigenous industry, and infrastructure support to the startups in the the MoD will notify a list of weapons/platforms defence area. banned for import. z iDEX would be further scaled up to engage z Indigenisation of Imported Spares: Steps to with 300 more startups and develop 60 new promote manufacturing of parts in India have technologies/products during the next five been taken. This includes the establishment of years. co-production facilities through IGAs achieving € Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti was launched ‘Import Substitution’ and reducing Life Cycle Cost. to promote a greater culture of innovation z Overall Enhancement in Indigenous Content and technology development and file a higher (IC): This has been done in all the categories, number of patents in Defence Public Sector for products like software, etc. as follows: Undertakings (DPSUs) and Ordnance Factory ¾ Other Related Initiatives: Board (OFB). € Recently, the Ministry of Defence has formulated a z It would be scaled up for promoting the creation Draft Defence Production and Export Promotion of Intellectual Property in the sector and its Policy (DPEPP) 2020. commercial utilisation.

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Highlights z Bharati Script

z It is different from the translation which allows Bharati Script words in one language to be understood by those who speak another language. Essentially, Why in News the translation of a foreign word involves interpreting its meaning. Bharati script is designed to be acommon script that can express all the major Indian languages. „ Transliteration, on the other hand, makes a language a little more accessible to people ¾ The script refers to a set of letters used for writing who are unfamiliar with that language’s a particular language. For example, Devanagari, alphabet. It focuses more on pronunciation Roman, etc. than meaning, which is especially useful when Key Points discussing foreign people, places, and cultures. ¾ Significance: ¾ Developed By: Srinivasa Chakravathy’s team at IIT € It is in line with ‘One Nation, One Script’. Madras. z The Roman script is used as a common script ¾ Features: for many European languages (English, French, € Bharati is a simple and unified script which can German, Italian, etc.), which facilitates commu- be used to write most major Indian languages. nication across nations that speak and write € It is designed using the simplest shapes, often those languages. borrowing simple characters from various Indian z Likewise, a common (Bharati) script for the languages/scripts and English. entire country is hoped to bring down many € Scripts supported are: Hindi/Marathi (Devanagari), communication barriers in India. Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi (Gurmukhi), Bengali, € It can help the next generation of Indians to easily Oriya, Kannada and Malayalam. read in Indian languages. ¾ Use of Technology: € It is an ideal script for languages like Konkani or € Optical Character Recognition: The team has Tulu which do not have their own script. developed a method for reading documents in € It can serve as a writing system for the innumer- Bharati script using a multi-lingualOptical Character able tribal languages of India, and languages of Recognition (OCR) scheme. the Northeast. z OCR is a system that provides full alphanumeric € It can act as a link script for migrant Indians who recognition of printed or handwritten characters move out of their native state for work. at electronic speed by simply scanning the form. € It can connect the millions of Non-Resident Indian € Finger-spelling Method: It can be used to generate (NRI) children back to Indian literature. a sign language for hearing-impaired persons. € It can lead to a new system of Braille (for visually- € Related Applications/Tools:Bharati Handwriting impaired persons) for Indian languages and even Keyboard and Bharati Transliterator. a fingerspelling system for the hearing-impaired.

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Summary Key Points Details

Summary