OCTOBER 1 – 31, 2020 CURRENT AFFAIRS 2. Road beneath Western Ghats 3. EPCA directs Delhi, States on INDEX GRAP A. POLITY AND GOVERNANCE 4. Blue Flag Certification 1. Defence Offset 5. Nilgiris Elephant Corridor 2. SC Vs. NCPCR 6. Nandakanan’s “Adopt an Animal” 3. TN defends Mullaiperiyar Panel Scheme 4. RTI @ 15 7. One Man committee for Stubble 5. HC’s Step towards e-Courts Burning 6. Move to delete ‘ineligible’ names 8. ZSI Species List from NRC Assam 9. Kaleshwaram Eco clearance 7. Bodoland Statehood stir violates law: NGT 8. Indira Rasoi Yojana 10. Air Pollution biggest health risk 9. J & K Panchayat (Amendment) Act 11. Outbleak for Himalayan Brown 10. Gupkar Alliance Bears 11. Buying land in J & K 12. Commission for NCR Pollution

B. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS E. SOCIAL ISSUES 1. India-Myanmar 1. Crime in India Report 2. India-Japan 2. STARS Project 3. India-Maldives 3. 99% India ODF 4. Galwan Clash and ICRC 4. Top 5 risk factors for death 5. UNHRC Council – China, Pakistan 5. Global Hunger Index 2020 seats 6. TN rejects IOE to Anna University 6. Australia in Malabar Exercise 7. Rural India and Nutrition 7. China opposes India-Taiwan trade 8. India and HIV ties 9. ASER Report 8. Pakistan on FATF Greylist 9. India-USA F. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 10. India-Central Asian Republics 1. DRDO’s ASW 11. India-UK 2. Digital Vaccine Supply Platform 3. Shaurya Missile C. ECONOMY 4. Rudram – 1 1. ASIIM 5. SERB – POWER 2. Cabinet Reforms on Natural Gas 6. Brahmos Supersonic Missile 3. Atal Tunnel 7. Plasma Therapy 4. RBI Keeps Rate Unchanged 5. RBI’s TLTRO & OMO G. PRELIMS TIT BITS 6. RBI Vs. SC – NPA Classification 7. GST shortfall 8. IMF on India’s GDP H. UN @ 75 9. Government to widen

Manufacturing PLI Plan 10. CPI – IW Base year revised I. FAO @ 75 11. Kerala fixes base price for agricultural products 12. Fiscal deficit widens J. NOBEL PRIZES 2020

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A. POLITY AND GOVERNANCE It is to leverage capital acquisitions to develop Indian defence industry by 1.DEFENCE OFFSET: (i) fostering development of What’s in news? internationally competitive enterprises, The Defence Ministry came up with its latest (ii) augmenting capacity for Research, Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 (DAP Design and Development related to 2020) which comes into effect from October 1. defence products and services and (iii) encouraging development of Changing a 15-year old policy, the government synergistic sectors like civil aerospace, has decided to remove the clause for offsets if the and internal security equipment is being bought either through deals or agreements between two countries, or through an Will no defence contracts have offset clauses ab initio single-vendor deal. now? What are defence offsets? (i) Only government-to-government agreements (G2G), ab initio single The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in a vendor contracts or inter-governmental report defined offsets as a “mechanism generally agreements (IGA) will not have offset established with the triple objectives of: clauses anymore. For example, the deal (a) partially compensating for a significant to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets, signed outflow of a buyer country’s resources in a large between the Indian and French purchase of foreign goods governments in 2016, was an IGA. (Ab initio single vendor means that (b) facilitating induction of technology and when you start the process you have (c) adding capacities and capabilities of domestic only one vendor) industry”. (ii) IGA is an agreement between two countries, and could be an umbrella An offset provision in a contract makes it contract, under which you can go on obligatory on the supplier to either “reverse signing individual contracts purchase, execute export orders or invest in local (iii) According to DAP 2020, all other industry or in research and development” in the international deals that are competitive, buyer’s domestic industry and have multiple vendors vying for it, When was the policy introduced? will continue to have a 30% offset clause (i) The policy was adopted on the recommendations of the Vijay Kelkar Advantage of the new Defence Acquisition Committee in 2005 Procedure 2020 (DAP 2020): (ii) The Sixth Standing Committee on (i) It will help in Ease of Doing Business Defence (2005-06) had recommended (ii) It will rationalize the procedure for in December 2005 in its report on trials and testing Defence Procurement Policy and (iii) Boost the Make in India initiative Procedure that modalities for (iv) It will be helpful in import substitution implementation of offset contracts and reducing Life Cycle cost should be worked out. (v) It will be helpful in developing (iii) The first offset contract was signed in domestic and indigenous content 2007. (vi) India is one of the major country has Key objectives of the Defence Offset Policy : spends more money for defence, this will help in cost cutting

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Other Initiatives to improve the defence sector local child welfare committees for their “immediate repatriation” with their families. i. Government recently enhanced the foreign investment limit in the defence sector from Repatriation States: 49% to 74% under the automatic sector i. The NCPCR reportedly wrote to Tamil for companies seeking new industrial Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, licences Mizoram, Karnataka, Kerala, ii. Innovations for Defence Excellence Maharashtra and Meghalaya in this (iDEX) is aimed at creation of an regard. ecosystem to foster innovation and ii. These States combinedly have 1.84 lakh technology development in Defence and children in care homes. Aerospace by engaging Industries iii. This accounts for over 70% of the including MSMEs, Start-ups, Individual children in care homes. Innovators, R&D institutes and Academia and provide them grants/funding and other Court Decision: support to carry out R&D which has potential for future adoption for Indian i. The court is suo motu monitoring the defence and aerospace needs. condition and welfare of children places in iii. Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti which aims care homes across the country during the to provide boost to the IPR culture in pandemic. indigenous defence industry. ii. This a form of judicial activism of the iv. Technology Development Fund to Court encourage participation of public/private (The active role of the judiciary, even in the industries especially MSMEs, through executive or legislative sphere, for upholding the provision of grants, so as to create an eco– rights of citizens and preserving the constitution is system for enhancing cutting edge known as judicial activism) technology capability for defence applications SC Vs. NCPCR: v. Government has notified the ‘Strategic i. SC wants the repatriation of the children to Partnership (SP)’ Model which their families should be done on an envisages establishment of long-term individual basis strategic partnerships with Indian entities ii. While NCPCR opposes the Stand through a transparent and competitive iii. The NCPCR, explained need for a child to process, wherein they would tie up with grow up in a familial environment. global Original Equipment Manufacturers iv. According to Amicus curiae the NCPCR (OEMs) to seek technology transfers to set direction violated the Juvenile Justice Act up domestic manufacturing infrastructure of 2015. and supply chains. v. Besides, the pandemic would make a child 2. Supreme Court questions NCPCR on more vulnerable to domestic abuse. children ‘repatriation’ (Amicus Curiae - “friend of the court” - one who What’s in News? assists the court advice regarding questions of law or fact) The Supreme Court sought a response from the country’s apex child rights body, the National Child Care Homes: Commission for Protection of Child Rights i. The children being taken in child care (NCPCR), to its request to eight States to homes, are not only those who are “produce” children living in care homes before the orphans/abandoned children, but also

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children hailing from receives complaints under the Right to downtrodden/financially unstable families. Education Act, 2009 ii. Therefore, if there is any child who is v. It also examine all factors that inhibit the either being brought up by a single parent enjoyment of rights of children affected by or comes from a family which is not able terrorism, communal violence, riots, to bring up the child properly, then that natural disaster, domestic violence, child can avail all the facilities at a care HIV/AIDS, trafficking, maltreatment, home. torture and exploitation, pornography and iii. All the children in these care homes are prostitution and recommend appropriate required to study in nearby government remedial measures. schools 3. Tamil Nadu defends Mullaperiyar dam Juvenile Justice Act, 2015: panel i. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection What’s in News? of Children) Act, 2015 comprehensively The Tamil Nadu government has rebutted addresses children in conflict with law and allegations made in the Supreme Court that the children in need of care and protection. Supervisory Committee for Mullaperiyar Dam ii. As per the Section 27(1) of the Act, Child “abdicated its duties” to evaluate the safety of the Welfare Committees (CWCs) are to be structure and water levels. constituted by State Government by notification in the Official Gazette for Mullaperiyar Dam: every district, for exercising the powers and to discharge the duties conferred on i. Mullaperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity such Committees in relation to children in dam on the Periyar River in Kerala need of care and protection under the Act ii. It is located on the confluence of the iii. In the Indian context, a juvenile or child is Mullayar and Periyar rivers any person who is below the age of 18 (Periyar originates from the Sivagiri hills years. of Western Ghats and flows through the Periyar National Park) NCPCR: iii. In 1886, a lease was made between the Maharaja of Travancore and Secretary of i. The National Commission for Protection State for India, Lord Kimberley for Periyar of Child Rights (NCPCR) was set up in Irrigation works. March 2007 as a statutory body under the iv. This lease was for 999 years Commissions for Protection of Child v. It was constructed between 1887 and 1895 Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 by John Pennycuick and also reached in an ii. The Commission's Mandate is to ensure agreement to divert water eastwards to the that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Madras Presidency area (present-day Administrative Mechanisms are in Tamil Nadu). consonance with the Child Rights vi. It is operated and maintained by the Tamil perspective as enshrined in the Nadu for meeting the drinking water and Constitution of India and also the UN irrigation requirements of five of its Convention on the Rights of the Child. southern districts. iii. It is under the administrative control of vii. By an agreement in 1970; Tamil Nadu was the Ministry of Women & Child permitted to generate power also. Development. viii. The controversy began over safety of the iv. It monitors the implementation of dam in 1979, after a report was published Protection of Children from Sexual in the media about damage to the dam. Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and also

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ix. The Ministry of Jal Shakti has xii. In that area, only one rain gauge station constituted a three-member Supervisory fitted with a weekly chart was available. Committee to settle the issue of xiii. Even in that, Tamil Nadu was not allowed Mullaperiyar dam between Kerala and to collect rainfall data and to change the Tamil Nadu. rainfall chart in the equipment by the Forest Department of Kerala, since 2014. What’s now? xiv. Forecasting System was not installed by i. The Tamil Nadu government has rebutted Kerala till date allegations made in the Supreme Court that 4. At 15, RTI Act crippled by rising backlog the Supervisory Committee for Mullaperiyar Dam “abdicated its duties” to What’s in news? evaluate the safety of the structure and Fifteen years after the Right to Information (RTI) water levels. Act came into force, more than 2.2 lakh cases are ii. The State countered allegations that the pending at the Central and State Information Supervisory Committee has “delegated” its Commissions, which are the final courts of appeal duties to a sub-committee. under the transparency law iii. The State explained that the sub- committee is chaired by the Executive Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005: Engineer, Central Water Commission (CWC), with headquarters in Kochi. i. Right to Information (RTI) is an act of the iv. It has members from both Kerala and Parliament of India which sets out the Tamil Nadu. rules and procedures regarding citizens' v. The sub-committee periodically inspects right to information. the dam, collects data on seepage, collects ii. It replaced the former Freedom of water samples from the lake and seepage Information Act, 2002 water, conducts water quality tests on them iii. It came fully into force on 12 October and so on and reports the details to the 2005. Supervisory Committee. iv. Genesis of RTI law started in 1986, vi. The sub-committee members do not have through judgement of Supreme Court in any powers to give direction to the States. Mr. Kulwal v/s Jaipur Municipal vii. It is only doing the job of collecting Corporation case, in which it directed that information and data pertaining to the dam freedom of speech and expression once in every two months provided under Article 19 of the viii. The sub-committee is only assisting the Constitution clearly implies Right to Supervisory Committee. Information, as without information the ix. This cannot be called the delegation of the freedom of speech and expression cannot authority of the Supervisory Committee be fully used by the citizens. x. Tamil Nadu said it has been unable to v. The Act empowers that any citizen of collect rainfall data in the catchment area India may request information from a of the dam spread across 601 sq. km. on "public authority" (a body of Government the tiger reserve in Idukki district of or "instrumentality of State") which is Kerala. required to reply expeditiously or within xi. For forecasting the inflow from the thirty days. catchment of the Mullaperiyar Dam, vi. In case of matter involving a petitioner's automatic rainfall stations coupled with life and liberty, the information has to be telemetry system in the catchment area provided within 48 hours. have to be installed.

AP - 127, AF block, 6 th street, 11th Main Rd, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600040 OCTOBER 2020 CA KAMARAJ IAS ACADEMY Page | 5 vii. "Public authority" means any authority and Tripura have no commissioners at all, or body or institution of self government and have been defunct for months. established or constituted— vi. The report found that the commission have a. by or under the Constitution; been reluctant to impose penalties on b. by any other law made by government officials violating the RTI Parliament/State Legislature. law. c. by notification issued or order 5. Half of HCs yet to take first step towards e- made by the appropriate courts Government, and includes any— i. body owned, controlled or What’s in News? substantially financed; ii. non-Government i. A recent status report submitted by the organisation substantially government (law ministry) before a financed, directly or parliamentary committee, showed 11 of indirectly by funds the 25 high courts in the country are yet to provided by the appropriate adopt the e-filing system. Government. ii. Filing of cases electronically, or e-filing, is the first step in migrating to a virtual court Highlights of the News: (e-court) system, which has become a necessity in the pandemic-hit world. According to the recent report by the Satark iii. In about half of the states, e-filing is still in Nagrik Sangathan and the Centre for Equity the trial stage, both in the high courts and Studies, the subordinate courts. i. More than 2.2 lakh cases are pending at iv. West Bengal, Telangana, Bihar, Gujarat, the Central and State Information Assam, Karnataka and J&K are among Commissions states with high pendency of cases where ii. The increasing backlog is exacerbated by the high courts are yet to implement the the fact that most Commissions are very basics of the judicial reforms, either functioning at reduced capacity, including in the HC or in the subordinate courts the Central Information Commission under them. (CIC) v. The law ministry status report found poor iii. Maharashtra had the highest number of implementation of the e-Courts project pending appeals, with over 59,000 cases, wherein over 14,400 courts are yet to be followed by Uttar Pradesh (47,923) and provided with video conferencing facility the CIC (35,653). vi. A decade-and a half long drive to iv. At the current rate of disposal, the Odisha modernise the judiciary came under severe Commission would take more than seven attack as the parliamentary panel pointed years to dispose of all pending complaints, out that more than 2,992 courts are yet to while the CIC would take more than two get even WAN connectivity. years vii. The Supreme Court exercised its plenary v. There is a high number of unfilled power under Article 142 to direct all high vacancies in the Commission, as per the courts to frame a mechanism for use of RTI Act , every commission should have technology during the pandemic. a chief and up to 10 commissioners, viii. The e-Courts project was conceptualized while many state doesnot even have half of on the basis of the “National Policy and its capacity, Example: Odisha is Action Plan for Implementation of functioning with just four commissioners, Information and Communication while Rajasthan has only three. Jharkhand Technology (ICT) in the Indian

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Judiciary – 2005”submitted by e- 1. NRC is an official record of those who are Committee, Supreme Court of India with a legal Indian citizens. vision to transform the Indian Judiciary by 2. It includes demographic information about ICT enablement of Courts. all those individuals who qualify as ix. The e-Courts Mission Mode Project, is a citizens of India as per the Citizenship Act, Pan-India Project, monitored and funded 1955. by Department of Justice, Ministry of 3. The register was first prepared after the Law and Justice, Government of India 1951 Census of India and since then it has for the District Courts (and also not been updated until recently. subordinate courts eventually) across the 4. So far, such a database has only been country. maintained for the state of Assam. 5. In 2014, the SC ordered the updation of 6. Move to delete ‘ineligible’ names from the of NRC, in accordance with Assam NRC Citizenship Act, 1955 and Citizenship What's in news? Rules, 2003 in all parts of Assam. 6. One of the stated aims of the exercise is to Authorities of the National Register of identify so-called “illegal immigrants” in Citizens (NRC) in Assam have ordered the the state, many of whom are believed to deletion of “ineligible” names from the prepared have poured into Assam after the register Bangladesh War of 1971. The NRC, published in August 2019 under 7. The process officially started in 2015 and the direct supervision of the Supreme Court, the updated final NRC was released on excluded 19 lakh-odd applicants out of around 3.3 August 31, with over 1.9 million crore applicants. applicants failing to make it to the NRC list. Whose names are deleted? 8. In 1985, the anti-foreigners’ agitation led Some names of ineligible persons — by the All Assam Students’ Union came to persons declared as a foreigner by Foreigners an end with the signing of the Assam Tribunals (DF), persons marked as Doubtful Accord. Voters (DV) by the election officials or persons 9. Under this accord, those who entered the whose cases are pending at Foreigners Tribunals state between 1966 and 1971 would be (PFTs) and their descendants — “found entry to deleted from the electoral rolls and lose the NRC”. their voting rights for 10 years, after which their names would be restored to the rolls. As per the laws governing the preparation 10. Those who entered on or after March of the NRC, persons falling in the above 25, 1971, the eve of the Bangladesh War, categories need to be kept out of the NRC. would be declared foreigners and Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) are quasi deported. judicial bodies meant to give opinion on whether 11. The National Register of Citizens now a person is an “illegal foreigner” as per The takes its definition of illegal immigrants Foreigners Act, 1946. They send notices to from the Assam Accord – anyone who people who are referred to them by the Border cannot prove that they or their ancestors Police, or who have been marked as ‘D’ entered the country before the midnight of (doubtful) voters by the local election office March 24, 1971, would be declared a foreigner and face deportation. NRC: 7. New group to revive Bodoland statehood stir What's in News ?

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Led by former MP Sansuma K. II. The Centre signed the second Bodo peace Bwismwmuthiary, the apolitical organisation accord with the Bodo Liberation Tigers called All India Bodo People’s National League (BLT) in February 2003, elevating the for Bodoland Statehood has announced the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) revival of the Bodoland statehood movement to the Bodoland Territorial Council ahead of the elections to the Bodoland Territorial (BTC) Council (BTC) a. BTC is an area governed under the 6th schedule. However, BTC is an Bodoland Movement : exception to the constitutional  Bodos are the single largest tribal provision under the 6th schedule. community in Assam, making up over 5-6 b. As it can constitute up to 46 per cent of the state’s population. They members out of which 40 are have controlled large parts of Assam in the elected. past. c. Of these 40 seats, 35 are reserved  The four districts in Assam — Kokrajhar, for the Scheduled Tribes and non- Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang — that tribal communities, five are constitute the Bodo Territorial Area unreserved and the rest six are District (BTAD), are home to several nominated by the governor from ethnic groups. underrepresented communities of  The Bodos have had a long history of the Bodoland Territorial Areas separatist demands, marked by armed District (BTAD). struggle. III. The third Bodo accord signed on January  In 1966-67, the demand for a separate state 2020 among the Centre, the Assam called Bodoland was raised under the government and Bodo organisations banner of the Plains Tribals Council of envisaged to upgrade the Bodoland Assam (PTCA), a political outfit. Territorial Council (BTC) to the  In 1987, the All Bodo Students Union Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) (ABSU) renewed the demand. “Divide a. It provides for alteration of the area Assam fifty-fifty”, was a call given by the of BTAD and provisions for Bodos ABSU’s then leader, Upendra Nath outside BTAD. Brahma. b. For this, a commission appointed by the state government will  The unrest was a fallout of the Assam examine and recommend if villages Movement (1979-85), whose culmination contiguous to BTAD and with a — the Assam Accord — addressed the majority tribal population can be demands of protection and safeguards for included into the BTR while those the “Assamese people”, leading the Bodos now in BTAD and with a majority to launch a movement to protect their own non-tribal population can opt-out identity. of the BTR. Bodo Accords : c. Subsequent to this alteration, the total number of Assembly seats I. The first Bodo Accord was signed in will go up to 60, from the existing February 1993 between the government 40. and moderate leaders of the movement, d. The Government of Assam will including those of the All Bodo Students’ notify Bodo language in Union (ABSU). This resulted in the Devanagari script as the associate creation of the Bodoland Autonomous official language in the state. Council (BAC).

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e. A Special Development Package of  The District Development Councils Rs. 1500 Crore would be given by (DDCs) will comprise members directly the Centre to undertake specific elected from 14 territorial constituencies of projects for the development of the district as well as the members of the Bodo areas. Legislative Assembly and the chairperson of all Block Development Councils of the 8. Indira Rasoi Yojana district. What's in news?  The other important provision is for reservation of SC and STs according to Over 50 lakh people have benefited from a their population in a constituency and 33% new kitchen scheme, named Indira Rasoi Yojana, for women launched in Rajasthan for providing nutritious  The Additional District Development food to the poor and needy twice a day at Commissioner shall be the chief executive concessional rates. The State government plans to officer of the DDC. spend ₹ 95 crore during its first year.  But the MLAs will have no voting rights The previous BJP regime had also in the case of election or removal of the launched a subsidised meal scheme, Annapurna Chairman and vice-chairman only the Rasoi Yojana which was scrapped later on by directly elected members shall have the Congress Government right to vote II. HALQA PANCHAYAT: Similar schemes in other States : o While delimiting the constituencies a. Tamil Nadu - Amma Unavagam of the District Development b. Madhya Pradesh- Deendayal Council, Halqa Panchayat shall Canteen be a unit c. Andhra Pradesh- NTR Anna o Halqa Panchayat shall be required Canteens to get its accounts audited by a d. Delhi - Aam Aadmi canteens chartered accountant every year. e. Odisha - ‘Aahar’ scheme o Halqa Panchayat shall pay f. Karnataka - Indira Canteens remuneration to such staff out of its own resources 9. Changes to J&K Panchayat Act (Halqa means the area comprising a What's in News? village or contiguous number of villages The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has determined by the government). amended the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati III. OTHERS: Raj Act, 1989  The amendment also provides for Amendments Made: reduction in the age of candidates for contesting elections for the posts of I. DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT panches and sarpanches from 25 to 21 COUNCIL years.  The amendment provided for setting up of  Section 10 of the 1989 Act on District Development Councils in each “remuneration to Sarpanch and Panches,” district which will have directly elected was omitted members.  This would mark the implementation of 10. Farooq to lead Gupkar alliance the entire 73rd Amendment Act in the What’s in News? union territory.

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Seven mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir o The third project launched was a gave formal shape to their recently cobbled 2.3-km-long ropeway project on alliance for the restoration of Article 370, Mount Girnar in Junagadh city, a electing National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah major pilgrimage site. as its chairman of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar The ropeway project is being touted as the Declaration (PAGD) and PDP chief Mehbooba longest temple ropeway in Asia. Mufti as vice-chairperson. o The ropeway has been developed by Usha What is Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Breco Limited at an investment of Rs. 130 Declaration? crore. ∞ On August 4, 2019, a day before the Union 11. Now, Outsiders can buy land in Jammu and government announced the abrogation of Kashmir the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, political parties in Kashmir, except the What’s in News? BJP, met at the residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah at Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced Gupkar Road in Srinagar. several amendments to land laws for the Union ∞ They issued a joint statement later on Territory of Jammu Kashmir (J&K), including the defending Article 370 that gave special Jammu and Kashmir Development Act of 1970, status to Jammu and Kashmir. which till now entitled only permanent residents ∞ Since then, the joint statement is known as to purchase or sell property in the former State, the 'Gupkar Declaration'. and the J&K Land Revenue Act, 1996. ∞ The major political parties involved here The MHA notification said the “Union Territory are National Conference, Indian National of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, Communist Party of India (M), Jammu and 2020 shall come into force with immediate effect Kashmir People's Conference and Awami and will encourage development in the UT of National Conference Jammu and Kashmir”. 6. PM inaugurates three projects in Gujarat : Background: Prime Minister Narendra Modi In August 2019, the special status granted to inaugurated three projects in his home State of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and Article Gujarat — one each related to farmers’ welfare, 35A was revoked. healthcare, and tourism development — via video- conferencing from New Delhi. Section 96 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 empowers the MHA to adapt and modify any law I. ‘Kisan Suryodaya Yojana’ by way of repeal or amendment before the It aimed at providing day-time expiration of one year from the appointed day of electricity to farmers in the State for the Union Territory of J&K, which is October 31, irrigation and farming. 2019. II. The second project he inaugurated was a paediatric heart hospital at the U.N. What are the changes? Mehta Institute of Cardiology and i. The MHA has amended sections of the Research Centre in Ahmedabad, J&K Land Revenue Act, 1996 and the developed with an investment of Rs. J&K Development Act of 1970. 470 crore by the State’s Health ii. The 1996 Act pertains to management of Department. agricultural land and the 1970 Act deals III. Mount Girnar Ropeway with zonal development plans determining

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land use for public buildings, roads, xi. The Corporation shall consist of twelve housing recreation, industry, business, directors, four of whom could be markets, schools, hospitals and public and nominated from the private sector with private open spaces. experience in “industry or trade or iii. According to the amendment to the Land finance”. Revenue Act, anyone from any part of xii. The Corporation will have the power to the country can now buy land in J&K, acquire movable and immovable property, including agricultural land. and to lease, sell, exchange or transfer any iv. Though the amendments prohibit sale, property held by it. transfer, mortgage and conversion of xiii. If the Corporation is unable to acquire land agricultural land to a non-agriculturist in by an agreement, the government could the UT, it can still be allowed, “provided order proceedings under the Right to Fair that the Government or an officer Compensation and Transparency in Land authorized by it in this behalf may grant Acquisition Rehabilitation and permission to an agriculturist to alienate Resettlement Act, 2013 and acquire the the land to a non-agriculturist by way of land for “public purpose”. sale, gift, exchange or mortgage”. xiv. No court can take cognisance relating to v. The government can allow the transfer of property vested in the Corporation, except agricultural land to a public trust for when the Corporation files a complaint. charitable work, healthcare, education, xv. No legal suit can be filed against officials industrial or commercial purposes. of the Corporation without a prior notice vi. A Board of Revenue headed by a of two months and not later than six Financial Commissioner has been months from the date of complaint. constituted and a fresh clause defining What amendments have been brought about in “agricultural land” as land which is used or government land holdings? is capable of being used for agriculture and allied activities, including fallow land, has a) The Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Act, been inserted. 1960, which regulates grant of government vii. The amendment deletes the “permanent land on lease and earlier applied to urban resident” provision in the 1970 Act that areas of Jammu, Srinagar and towns, will provided housing sites within the range of now be extended to the entire UT. 25-30 square metres to permanent b) The amendment omits the permanent residents belonging to “economically resident clause to get government land on weaker section” and “low income groups”. lease for “residential purposes”. viii. Now, economically deprived people from c) The J&K Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976, all parts of the country will be eligible for which provided for transfer of land from such housing sites. big land owners to tillers, has been ix. A fresh provision has been added, by amended. which the government, on the written d) The erstwhile agrarian reforms Act stated request of an Army officer not below the that only up to two kanals (0.25 acre) of rank of a Corps Commander, may declare land could be held per family for an area as a “strategic area” for direct residential purposes. operational and training requirements of the armed forces. What about laws for Ladakh? x. It also creates the Jammu and Kashmir The main political parties in J&K have Industrial Development Corporation for questioned the land laws, and say the Centre establishing commercial centres and engaged with Ladakh and not J&K on land laws industries in the UT. and job protection.

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The laws for Ladakh have not yet been notified Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). India as local leaders have demanded inclusion in the will continue to extend assistance and Sixth Schedule (tribal) of the Constitution to support to Myanmar in meeting its FATF protect their land from “outsiders” related obligations. Disaster Management: B. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (i) India has been restoring the earthquake 1. INDIA - MYANMAR damaged pagodas in Bagan, Myanmar. I. India-Myanmar Renew Ties (ii) India will also host Myanmar’s What’s in News? representative at Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region. India and Myanmar carried out a comprehensive review of their multi-faceted relationship that is Education: underpinned by deepening cooperation in areas of (i) MoUs on the Myanmar Institute of trade and investment, power, energy and Information Technology and the healthcare Advanced Centre for Agricultural Highlights of the Strategic Relationship: Research and Education (ACARE) have been extended. (i) Myanmar is one of India’s strategic (ii) India will also support Yamethin Police neighbours and shares a 1,640-km-long Training Academy. border with a number of northeastern (iii)Recently, India and Myanmar have entered states including militancy-hit Nagaland into a trilateral cooperation with Japan and Manipur. on the Rakhine State under which we will (ii) India attaches to its partnership with create soft infrastructure for 15 schools. Myanmar in accordance with its ‘Neighborhood First’ and ‘Act East’ Security: policies India requested for an early conclusion of the Economic Relation: Extradition Treaty, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty on Civil and Commercial matters and (i) India has agreed to provide debt service Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. relief under the G-20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative to further assist in II. Myanmar’s First Submarine mitigating the impact of COVID-19 What's in News? (ii) Apart from this, India’s assistance to India to soon deliver Myanmar’s first Myanmar is around $ 1.4 billion. submarine (iii)The Sittwe Port, key to Kaladan Multimodal transport project will be India will be delivering a kilo-class operationalised by the first quarter of 2021 submarine, INS Sindhuvir, to the Myanmar Navy. which is a joint Venture between India and Myanmar. This will be the first submarine of the (iv) India will also extend support for the Myanmar Navy construction of Bwaynu bridge in The step is in line with India’s SAGAR Myanmar. (Security and Growth for All in the Region) (v) Myanmar is the largest destination for initiative and its commitment to building India’s investment in the oil and gas sector capacities in the neighbourhood in Southeast Asia. (vi) Both sides are working on the modalities Defence Relations: of a training program for the Myanmar

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a. In Feb 2019, Armies of India and Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and Myanmar conducted joint jointly take both countries’ respective operation named Operation Sunrise visions for the Indo-Pacific forward. to destroy the militant camps in Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): Northeast border areas b. Various MOU's related to Border IPOI was launched by the Prime Minister of Cooperation, Training the Staffs of India at the East Asia Summit in November Army, Navy and Airforce has been 2019. signed by both the countries c. Army Exercise - IMBAX The focus areas would be on the following d. Navy Exercise - Indo Myanmar seven pillars Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR) / I. Maritime Security CORPAT II. Maritime Ecology Security and Growth for All in the Region III. Maritime Resources (SAGAR) is India's doctrine of maritime IV. Capacity Building and Resource Sharing cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. V. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management VI. Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation VII. Trade Connectivity and Maritime 2. India, Japan finalise text of Transport cybersecurity pact Other Aspects of India-Japan relations: What’s in news? i. Japan India Association was set up in 1903 India and Japan welcomed the finalisation of and it is the oldest international friendship the text of a cybersecurity agreement that will body in Japan promote cooperation in key areas such as 5G ii. Special Strategic and Global Partnership network and Artificial Intelligence. and India Japan Investment Promotion India-Japan Strategic Dialogue: Partnership started in 2014 iii. India Japan Comprehensive Economic i. The 13th India-Japan Foreign Partnership Agreement (CEPA) came into Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue was held force in August 2011 recently iv. Japanese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) ii. The Cybersecurity Agreement for Fiscal Year 2018-19 was US$ 2.96 promotes cooperation in capacity billion . building, research and development, v. Currently, Japan ranks third among the security and resilience in the areas of major investors in terms of cumulative Critical Information Infrastructure, 5G, investments since 2000 Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial vi. Last year, India Japan signed a currency Intelligence (AI), among others Swap Agreement iii. The Japanese companies prepare to roll vii. Ahmedabad Mumbai High Speed Rail out 5G services ahead of the Tokyo (Bullet Train Project), 12 industrial Olympics townships called Japan Industrial iv. India also welcomed the Supply Townships, Delhi Metro Rail Projects and Chain Resilience Initiative between trilateral agreement between Sri Lanka, India, Japan, Australia and other Japan and India to jointly develop the likeminded countries “East Container Terminal at the Colombo v. Japan agreed to be the lead partner in Port” the connectivity pillar of the Indo-

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3.Delhi, Male ink $400-mn pact for hospital and a cricket stadium in connectivity Hulhumale. What’s in news? i. Exim Bank of India and the Maldives’s Ministry of Finance signed an agreement for $400 million Line of Credit for Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP). ii. India has also pledged a grant of $ 100 million for the initiative. iii. This will be the largest civilian infrastructure project in Maldives iv. The GMCP, a 6.7 km bridge and causeway network connecting Male, with islands Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi, is the second significant connectivity project in the Indian Ocean archipelago, coming two iii. India and Maldives jointly inaugurated the years after the China backed $200 million Coastal Survelliance Radar System and Sinamale Bridge, or the China-Maldives Composite Training Center of the Friendship Bridge connecting airport Maldives National Defence Forces island of Hulhule with the capital, was iv. India has also supported the Climate Change initiative of the Maldives by gifting 2 lakh LED lights for the street lighting of Male City v. India and Maldives regularly conduct “EKUVERIN” bilateral Military Exercise with main emphasis on counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations vi. India and Maldives navy has earlier conducted Asymmetric Warfare Training Exercise ‘Ekatha’ 4.After Galwan clash, ICRC approaches India and China What’s in news? After the incident at the Line of Actual Control in inaugurated. Galwan in Ladakh in June, in which 20 Indian India-Maldives Relations: soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese soldiers, the International Committee for the Red i. Maldives is the first neighbouring country Cross (ICRC) approached both the Indian and of India with which an air bubble is being Chinese governments and asked that they observe operationalised after the COVID-19 crisis the Geneva Conventions to which both countries ii. At present,India-assisted projects in the are signatories region include water and sewerage projects on 34 islands, reclamation projects for the Where is Galwan Valley Situated? Addu island, a port on Gulhifalhu, airport redevelopment at Hanimaadhoo, and a

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i. The valley refers to the land that sits between steep mountains that buffet the Galwan River. ii. The river has its source in Aksai Chin, on China’s side of the LAC, and it flows from the east to Ladakh, where it meets the Shyok river on India’s side of the LAC. iii. The valley is strategically located between Ladakh in the west and Aksai Chin in the east, which is currently controlled by China as part of its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. iv. At its western end are the Shyok river and According to the 1993 Border Peace and the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg Oldie Tranquility Agreement (BPTA), India and (DSDBO) road. China agreed to “strictly respect and observe the v. Its eastern mouth lies not far from China’s LAC between the two sides”. vital Xinjiang Tibet road, now called the G219 highway. Clarifying the LAC has also been explicitly codified in the 1996 agreement on confidence- building measures and subsequent agreements. Where does the Line of Actual Control lie? China, however, has refused to exchange maps in i. The LAC lies east of the confluence of the western sector to take this process forward. the Galwan and Shyok rivers in the Present Scenario: valley, up to which both India and China have been patrolling in recent years. India and China held the 7th round of Military ii. After the June clash, however, China has Commander-Level talks to achieve de-escalation claimed the entire valley lies on its side of at the LAC. the LAC. However, there was no breakthrough yet again in iii. Since early May, China has been objecting de-escalating the tense troop confrontation in to India’s road construction activities at the eastern Ladakh. western end of the valley, in the area between the Galwan-Shyok confluence Till September, the two sides held 6 rounds of and the LAC. Corps Commander level talks, to discuss the iv. Beijing is now saying the entire valley is process for de-escalation and disengagement on its side of the LAC, which pegs the line along the LAC that involved reciprocal actions. further west near the Shyok river. ICRC and Geneva Convention: v. India has rejected the claim as “exaggerated and untenable”. i. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland formed in 1863 ii. The ICRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, along with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and 192 National Societies.

AP - 127, AF block, 6 th street, 11th Main Rd, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600040 OCTOBER 2020 CA KAMARAJ IAS ACADEMY Page | 15 iii. It is the oldest and most honoured establishment of fact-finding organization within the movement and one commissions in cases of alleged of the most widely recognized breaches of the convention. organizations in the world, having won b) Protocol II, extended human rights three Nobel Peace Prizes (in 1917, 1944, protections to persons involved in and 1963). severe civil conflicts, which had iv. The work of the ICRC is based on the not been covered by the 1949 Geneva Conventions of 1949, their accords. It specifically prohibited Additional Protocols, its Statutes – and collective punishment, torture, the those of the International Red Cross and taking of hostages, acts of Red Crescent Movement – and the terrorism, slavery, and “outrages on resolutions of the International the personal dignity, in particular Conferences of the Red Cross and Red humiliating and degrading Crescent. treatment, rape, enforced v. ICRC is an impartial, neutral and prostitution and any form of independent organization whose indecent assault. exclusively humanitarian mission is to 5. China, Pakistan and Russia win seats on UN protect the lives and dignity of victims of human rights council armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with What’s in News? assistance. vi. The ICRC also endeavours to prevent Pakistan ,China, Russia and Cuba won seats on suffering by promoting and strengthening the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). humanitarian law and universal UNHRC: humanitarian principles. vii. Geneva Convention is a set of 4 treaties, i. The Human Rights Council is an inter- they are governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for (1) the Convention for the Amelioration of the strengthening the promotion and Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed protection of human rights around the Forces in the Field, globe and for addressing situations of (2) the Convention for the Amelioration of the human rights violations and make Condition of the Wounded, Sick, and recommendations on them Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, ii. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva. iii. The Council is made up of 47 United (3) the Convention Relative to the Treatment of Nations Member States which are elected Prisoners of War, and by the UN General Assembly. iv. The Council was created by the United (4) the Convention Relative to the Protection of Nations General Assembly on 15 March Civilian Persons in Time of War. 2006 viii. It also contains two additional protocols v. It meets 3 times a year to examine human rights violations worldwide. a) Protocol I, extended protection vi. The Council's Membership is based on under the Geneva and Hague equitable geographical distribution conventions to persons involved in between five regional groups: wars of “self-determination,” a) African States: 13 seats which were redefined as b) Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats international conflicts. The protocol also enabled the

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c) Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 Over the last few months, the Indian Navy has seats conducted a number of Passage Exercises d) Western European and other States: 7 seats (PASSEX) with navies from Japan, Australia and e) Eastern European States: 6 seats the US. But those were basic exercises to increase vii. In 2018, India was elected unopposed to operability between the navies, while Malabar the UN Human Rights Council, as a involves simulated war games. candidate from the Asia-Pacific region, for 7. China opposes India-Taiwan trade ties a period of three years beginning January 1, 2019. What’s in News? News Highlights: China has asked India to approach ties with Taiwan prudently and properly and said it would i. Pakistan ,China, Russia and Cuba were firmly oppose any official exchanges between among the 15 countries that won seats on New Delhi and Taipei. the 47 member UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) India and Taiwan: ii. Their three-year term will start on January 1. India and Taiwan in 2018 already signed a iii. Russia and Cuba won unopposed from bilateral investment agreement. India-Taiwan their respective regions. trade ties have expanded since, and Taiwanese iv. Saudi Arabia has lost the vote firms are prominent investors in India, although India and Taiwan do not maintain formal 6. Australia to take part in Malabar naval diplomatic relations. exercise China insisted India to follow The ‘One-China What’s in News? principle’ stating that it is a universal consensus of the international community, including India. The Ministry of Defence announced that Australia will join the Malabar 2020 naval What is One China Policy? exercise, consisting of India, Japan and the U.S  It is the diplomatic acknowledgement of Background: China's position that there is only one Chinese government.  Malabar Exercise is a multilateral naval  Under the policy, the international exercise that includes simulated war games and combat manoeuvres. community recognises and has formal ties with China rather than the island of  It started in 1992 as a bilateral exercise Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway between the Indian and US navies. province to be reunified with the mainland  Japan joined in 2015. one day.  The last time Australian naval ships joined  Although Taiwan's government claims it is Malabar was back in 2007, when it was a an independent country officially called five-nation exercise involving India, US, the "Republic of China", any country that Japan, Singapore and Australia. wants diplomatic relations with mainland  This year the exercise will be held in two China must break official ties with Taipei. phases, the first from Tuesday off the coast  This has resulted in Taiwan's diplomatic near Visakhapatnam, and the second in the isolation from the international community Arabian Sea in mid-November for some years Why is it important in present Scenario?  The policy can be traced back to 1949 and the end of the Chinese civil war. Does India conduct any other naval exercises with these countries?

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 The defeated Nationalists, also known as  The current FATF blacklist includes the Kuomintang, retreated to Taiwan and two countries: North Korea and Iran. made it their seat of government while the 9. INDIA AND US RELATIONS victorious Communists began ruling the mainland as the People's Republic of What’s in News? China. Both sides said they represented all of China. India and the United States held the third edition of 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi and  Since then China's ruling Communist Party have signed most prominent defence has threatened to use force if Taiwan ever cooperation formally declares independence, but it has also pursued a softer diplomatic track with 2+2 Dialogue: the island in recent years. A ‘two plus two dialogue’ is a term used for installation of a dialogue mechanism between two countries’ defence and external affairs 8. Pakistan to stay on FATF grey list till 2021 ministries. What’s in news? Highlights of the Dialogue: Pakistan will remain in FATF's 'grey' list till I. BECA - Basic Exchange and February 2021 as it has failed to fulfil six key Cooperation Agreement : obligations  This agreement is related to Pakistan failed to fulfil six of the 27 mandates geo-spatial cooperation, given to check terror funding which includes sharing classified information on FATF: maps and satellites for  The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) defence purposes. was established in July 1989 by a Group  BECA is considered the last of of Seven (G-7) Summit in Paris, initially the foundational agreements to to examine and develop measures to be signed by India and the US. combat money laundering.  The other Foundational  In October 2001, the FATF expanded its Agreements signed by India are mandate to incorporate efforts to combat o General Security of terrorist financing, in addition to money Military Information laundering. Agreement (GSOMIA)  In April 2012, it added efforts to counter in 2002 the financing of proliferation of weapons o The Logistics Exchange of mass destruction Memorandum of  The FATF currently comprises 37 Agreement (LEMOA) member jurisdictions and 2 regional in 2016 organisations (European Commission and o Communications Gulf Cooperation Council) Compatibility and  The FATF “grey list” refers to countries Security Agreement that are “monitored jurisdictions”, while (COMCASA) in 2018 – the “blacklist” refers to those facing a this is meant to provide “call to action” or severe banking a legal framework for strictures, sanctions and difficulties in the transfer of accessing loans. communication security equipment from the US

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to India that would d. Letter of Intent between the Central facilitate Council for Research in Ayurvedic “interoperability” Sciences, New Delhi and the Office between their forces- of Cancer Complementary and and potentially with Alternative Medicine, National other militaries that use Cancer Institute, Government of US-Origin systems for the USA for cooperation in the secured data links field of Ayurveda and Cancer  BECA will help India access Research. topographical and aeronautical 10. India, Central Asian republics call for data, and advanced products destruction of terror ‘safe havens’ that will aid in navigation and targeting What’s in News?  This could be key to Air Force- The Central Asian republics joined India in to-Air Force cooperation demanding destruction of “safe havens” of between India and the US. terrorism.  BECA will provide Indian military systems with a high- The second meeting of the India-Central Asia quality GPS to navigate Dialogue jointly expressed support for the peace missiles with real-time negotiations in Afghanistan, which is expected to intelligence to precisely target usher in a new age for the war-torn country. the adversary. India-Central Asia Dialogue:  Besides the sailing of ships, flying of aircraft, fighting of It is a ministerial-level dialogue between India and wars, and location of targets, the Central Asian countries namely Kazakhstan, geospatial intelligence is also Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and critical to the response to Uzbekistan. natural disasters. In the first dialogue, India proposed setting up of II. CHINESE ISSUE: ‘India-Central Asia Development Group’ to The 2+2 India-US bilateral dialogue take forward development partnership between for the first time in three years India and Central Asian countries. specifically mentioned the South China Sea (SCS), where China continues to Key Takeaways from the Second India Central state its authority over disputed waters. Asia Dialogue: During the meeting, US highlighted the increasing aggression and  Additional $1 billion Line of Credit by destabilising activities by China. India for the Central Asian countries. It is III. OTHER PACTS expected that the money will be spent for a. MoU for Technical Cooperation in major infrastructural and connectivity Earth Observations and Earth projects Sciences.  Efforts to modernise the infrastructure of b. Agreement for the Electronic the Chabahar port in Iran, which could Exchange of Customs Data become an important link in trade and between the Postal Operators. transport communications between the c. Arrangement extending the markets of Central and South Asia duration of the Memorandum of  All countries called for the settlement of Understanding between India and the Afghan conflict on the basis of the USA.

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Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan- 1.AMBEDKAR SOCIAL INNOVATION & controlled peace process. INCUBATION MISSION UNDER VENTURE CAPITAL FUND FOR SCS(ASIIM) 11. U.K. to partner for developing GIFT City, funding infra pipeline What’s in news?  The United Kingdom has entered into a Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment strategic partnership to develop India’s launched the “Ambedkar Social Innovation and fledgling international financial services Incubation Mission (ASIIM) under Venture centre GIFT City (Gujarat International Capital Fund for SCs with a view to promoting Finance Tec-City), and agreed to set up a innovation and enterprise among SC students new Fund of Funds to be managed by the studying in higher educational institutions. State Bank of India (SBI) group in order to Highlights of the Mission: route the U.K.’s future capital investments into India. Objectives of the Mission  India and the U.K. also signed off on a (i) To promote entrepreneurship among the new infrastructure finance and policy SC Youth with special preference to partnership to help India execute its Divyangs; National Infrastructure Pipeline that (ii) To support (1,000) innovative ideas till envisages investments worth $1.4 trillion, 2024 through a synergetic work with the at the 10th Economic and Financial Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) Dialogue between the two countries. set up by Department of Science and  To help combat the pandemic, the U.K. Technology; and India announced a joint investment of (iii)To support, promote, hand-hold the start- £8 million for research to understand and up ideas till they reach commercial stage address the factors leading to the severity by providing liberal equity support; and of the novel coronavirus in South Asian (iv) To incentivise students with innovative populations in the U.K. and in India. mind-set to take to entrepreneurship with Economic Relation of India and UK: confidence.  Bilateral trade between India and the U.K. Funding: stood at £24 billion in 2019. (i) They will be funded @ Rs. 30 lakhs in 3  India is now the second-largest project years as equity funding so that they can investment source for the U.K. translate their start-up ideas into th  UK is the 4 largest inward investor in commercial ventures. India after Mauritius, Singapore and Japan (ii) Successful ventures would further qualify  India has become the Second largest for venture funding of up to Rs. 5 Crore international job creator with Indian from the Venture Capital Fund for SCs. Companies have created over 1,10,000 jobs in UK Eligibility:  India and UK has initiated a Green Growth The following SC/Divyang youth would be Equity Fund (GGEF) under India’s eligible for support under ASIIM: flagship National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, providing finance to (i) Youth who have been identified by the India’s renewable energy sector TBIs (Technology Business Incubator) being promoted by Department of Science C. ECONOMY & Technology.

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(ii) Youth who are identified for incubation by vii. The policy will also grant marketing reputed private TBIs. freedom to Field Development Plans of (iii)Students who have been awarded under the those Blocks in which Production Sharing Smart India Hackathon or Smart India Contracts already provide pricing freedom, Hardware Hackathon being conducted by viii. India currently produces 84 MMSCMD Ministry of Education. (million metric standard cubic meter per (iv) Innovative ideas focusing on the socio- day) of natural gas and imports nearly the economic development of the society same amount. identified in the TBIs. ix. With the new reforms, 40 MMSCMD will (v) Start-ups nominated and supported by come into local production. corporates through CSR (Corporate Social x. The country’s dependency on import of Responsibility) funds. natural gas will reduce 2.Cabinet nod for reforms in natural gas 3.Strategic Atal Tunnel inaugurated at marketing Rohtang What’s in news? What’s in News? The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs 9.2-km-long Atal tunnel at Rohtang was approved ‘natural gas marketing reforms’ with an inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi aim to standardise the procedure to discover the Atal Tunnel: price of gas sold in the market. i. Earlier called the Rohtang Tunnel, this Natural Gas Marketing Reforms: will connect Manali in Himachal i. Government has announced a new e- Pradesh with Leh, Ladakh, and Jammu bidding platform to promote market Kashmir. price discovery of natural gas produced ii. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari from fields across a number of contractual Vajpayee laid the foundation stone for the regimes, where producers already have approach road to the tunnel in 2002 but the pricing freedom. project was delayed after his tenure and ii. Notably, this move will not impact the only 1.3 km of the road was built until pricing of the majority of gas currently 2013-14. produced in the country under the iii. This is the world’s longest highway administered pricing mechanism. tunnel at an altitude of above 10,000 feet iii. Experts say that 75-80 per cent of natural (3,000 metres). gas produced is priced by the government iv. It is a 10.5 m-wide single tube, a bi-lane under the administered pricing tunnel with a fireproof emergency tunnel mechanism(which means the government built into the main tunnel itself. controls its price). v. The 10.5-m width includes a 1-metre iv. The new policy has permitted affiliate footpath on both sides. companies to participate in the bidding vi. Vehicles will travel at a maximum speed process in view of the open, transparent of 80 km per hour inside the tunnel. Up to and electronic bidding 3,000 cars and 1,500 trucks are expected to v. This will facilitate and promote more use the tunnel every day. competition in marketing of gas. vii. The tunnel also provides a telephone every vi. This move would help boost incentives for 150 metres, fire hydrant every 60 metres, gas producers to invest more in boosting emergency exit every 500 metres, turning natural gas production from new cavern every 2.2 km, air quality discoveries. monitoring every one km, broadcasting

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system and automatic incident detection system with CCTV cameras every 250 metres. The strategic importance of the Atal Tunnel in Rohtang: i. Cutting through the Pir Panjal range, the tunnel will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km. ii. The Rohtang Pass, to which the tunnel provides an alternate, is located at a height of 13,050 feet, and a journey from Manali Valley to Lahaul and Spiti Valley, which normally takes around five hours to negotiate, would now be completed in little over ten minutes. iii. While the tunnel will be a boon to the residents of the Lahaul and Spiti Valley who remain cut off from the rest of the country in winters for nearly six months due to heavy snowfall, the tunnel will provide almost all-weather connectivity to the troops stationed in Ladakh. iv. However, for full all-weather connectivity, additional tunnels will have to be built on the Manali-Leh route namely tunnels at Baralacha pass , Lachung La and Tanglang La pass v. It will also accelerate troop mobility to strategic frontiers in Jammu and Kashmir and it came in a crucial time when there are tensions escalating in the Line of Actual Control (LAC) vi. It is expected to boost tourism and winter sports in the region.

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e Bank of India (RBI) is 4.RBI keeps vested with key rate the unchanged, responsibility says GDP of conducting could monetary contract policy. 9.5% this iii. This fiscal. responsibility What’s in is explicitly news? mandated under the The Reserve Reserve Bank Bank of India of India Act, (RBI) kept 1934 key policy iv. The rates primary unchanged objective of Monetary monetary Policy: policy is to maintain i. Monet price ary stability Policy while is the keeping in macro mind the econo objective of mic growth. policy a. F being acilitating laid GDP Growth down b. T by the o Control and Centra Regulate l Bank Inflation toward s the Monetary manag Policy ement Committee: of i. Sectio money n 45ZB of the supply amended RBI and Act, 1934 interes also provides t rate. for an ii. The empowered Reserv six-member

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Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to be ii. The RBI Governor said that the Real GDP constituted by the Central Government in 2021 is likely to decline by 9.5 per cent ii. Altogether, the MPC will have six but speedy rebound is anticipated. members - iii. The RBI expects inflation to ease over a. the RBI Governor (Chairperson), quarters Q3 and Q4 and hence favoured an b. the RBI Deputy Governor in accomodative policy stance. charge of monetary policy, (An accommodative credit policy stance c. one official nominated by the RBI means a central bank will cut rates to inject Board and money into the financial system whenever d. the remaining three members needed.) would represent the Government of 5. RBI offers on-tap TLTRO worth Rs 1 lakh India cr, OMOs for state bonds to keep lid on yields iii. The MPC takes decisions based on majority vote (by those who are present What’s in News? and voting). iv. In case of a tie, the RBI governor will RBI has decided to conduct on-tap TLTRO with have the second or casting vote. tenors of up to three years for a total amount of up v. The decision of the Committee would be to Rs 1 lakh crore at a floating rate linked to the binding on the RBI. policy repo rate. vi. RBI is mandated to publish a Monetary TLTRO: Policy Report every six months, explaining the sources of inflation and the i. Long Term Repo Operation (LTRO) is a forecasts of inflation for the coming period tool that lets banks borrow one to three- of six to eighteen months. year funds from the central bank at the repo rate, by providing government Flexible Inflation Targeting: securities with similar or higher tenure as i. In May 2016, the Reserve Bank of India collateral. (RBI) Act, 1934 was amended to provide a ii. In 'Targeted' LTRO (TLTRO), the central statutory basis for the implementation of bank requires that the banks opting for the flexible inflation targeting framework. funds under this option should specifically ii. The amended RBI Act provides for the invest in certain targeted inflation target to be set by the sectors/instruments. Government of India, in consultation with OMO (Open Market Operations): the Reserve Bank, once every five years. iii. Accordingly, the Central Government has i. Buying and selling of government notified 4 % Consumer Price Index securities by the RBI in the open market is (CPI) inflation as the target for the period called open market operations. from August 5, 2016 to March 31, 2021 ii. In India, the open market operations have with the upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent been conducted in Central Government and the lower tolerance limit of 2 per cent. securities and State Government securities. iii. When the RBI wants to increase the Highlights of the News: money supply in the economy, it purchases i. With inflation rate holding above RBI’s the government securities from the market comfort level (CPI of 6% at the higher and it sells government securities to suck end), the MPC has decided to keep the out liquidity from the system.

key policy rates (repo rate and reverse iv. RBI carries out the OMO through repo rate) unchanged. commercial banks and does not directly deal with the public.

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Highlights of the News: (i) Principal or interest remains overdue for 2 crop seasons for short duration crops i. The RBI has introduced on-tap (means being available whenever there is a need) (ii) Principal or interest remains overdue for 1 targeted long-term repo operations crop season for long duration crops (TLTRO) of Rs 1 lakh crore for NPAs were classified into three types: providing additional liquidity to sectors with backward and forward linkages to (a) Sub-standard: remaining NPAs for less than or growth. equal to 18 months; ii. It has decided to conduct on-tap TLTRO with tenors of up to three years for a total (b) Doubtful: remaining NPAs for more than 18 amount of up to Rs 1 lakh crore at a months; and floating rate linked to the policy repo rate. (c) Loss assets: where the loss has been identified iii. The scheme will be available up to by the bank or March 31, 2021, with flexibility with regard to enhancement of the amount and internal/external auditors or the RBI inspection, period after a review of the response to the but the amount has not been written off. scheme. Background of the issue: iv. Liquidity availed by banks under the scheme has to be deployed in corporate i. To help borrowers weather pandemic- bonds, commercial papers and NCDs related stress, the RBI has let banks offer a issued by entities in specific sectors. moratorium on loan payments for up to six v. For the first time, the RBI has decided to months and permitted a one-time conduct open market operations in State restructuring of accounts. development loans (SDLs) as a special ii. The RBI's measures ensured that accounts case during the current financial year that were standard prior to the vi. This will help the small business to get implementation of the nationwide more loans lockdown in late March, would not be vii. It makes it easier for the States to borrow classified as NPAs if the borrowers made viii. It will improve the credit flow to the use of the moratorium, which allowed unserved and underserved sectors of the repayments to be delayed until the end of economy August but with the loans continuing to accrue interest 6.RBI appeals to SC to allow NPA iii. The court granted the stay last month, Classification responding to a plea to halt the NPA What’s in news? procedure iv. The RBI responded by detailing the wide RBI appeals to SC to allow NPA Classification, range of measures it has put in place to saying a ban imposed to help borrowers in the address stress in various sectors. It warned COVID-19 pandemic could greatly harm the against any further leeway nation's financial system. v. Government told the court last week it What is NPA? would waive the compound interest on loans up to 20 million rupees ($270,000) A loan is considered NPA if it has not been under a separate COVID-19 support plan, serviced for one term (i.e., 90 days). This is in a move that will bring relief to millions known as ‘90 day’ overdue norm. of borrowers. For agriculture loans the period is 7. GST shortfall | Centre to borrow ₹ 1.1 lakh crore on behalf of States

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What's in News ? credited to a non-lapsable Fund (the GST Compensation Cess Fund) which The Centre on 15 made a departure from shall form part of the Public Account its stance that States should undertake market and shall be used for the purpose borrowings to bridge the ₹ 1.1 lakh crore of mentioned i.e., for providing GST compensation shortfall this year, stating compensation to states for loss of that the Government of India will now revenue. undertake the required borrowings in tranches viii. Under GST, a compensation cess is and pass it on to States as a ‘back-to-back imposed on sin (goods which are loan’ that will reflect on their own books. considered harmful to society) and What is Compensation Cess under GST ? luxury goods like cigarettes, pan masala and certain categories of i. Goods and Services Tax (GST), automobiles, over and above the launched in India on 1 July, 2017 is a topmost slab of 28%. comprehensive indirect tax for the ix. For Example: Pan masala (Gutkha) entire country. containing tobacco attracts a ii. GST is charged at the time of supply compensation cess of 204% and depends on the destination of consumption. Issues with Compensation Cess ? iii. For instance, if a good is manufactured  As per the Central Government due to in state A but consumed in state B, slowdown in the economy the revenue then the revenue generated through received through Compensation Cess GST collection is credited to the state has been considerably reduced, as a of consumption (state B) and not to the result states have not been paid their state of production (state A). promised compensation since the last iv. Due to the consumption-based nature fiscal year. of GST, manufacturing states like  While compensation cess collections Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, this year are expected to be just around Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu feared a Rs 65,000 crore, compensation due to revenue loss. States is around Rs 3 lakh crore. Thus, v. Thus, GST Compensation Cess or the states are facing a Rs 2.35 lakh GST Cess was introduced by the crore revenue shortfall government to compensate for the possible revenue losses suffered by  To address the shortfall in such manufacturing states. However, compensation cess, the Centre in under existing rules, this compensation August gave two borrowing options to cess will be levied only for the first 5 the states: years of GST regime – from July 1st, o To borrow either Rs 1.10 2017 to July 1st, 2022. lakh crore from a special vi. The GST Compensation Cess Act, window facilitated by the RBI 2017 provides for levy of cess for the o To borrow Rs 2.35 lakh crore purpose of providing compensation to from market the states for loss of revenue arising  21 States has agreed to borrow Rs.1.1 due to implementation of GST for a crore from the market period specified in the Act. What Now ? vii. As per the Act and the accounting procedure, the entire cess collected  Under the Special Window, the during the year is required to be estimated shortfall of ₹ 1.1 lakh cr

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(assuming all States join) will be (Per capita GDP is calculated by borrowed by Government of India in dividing the total GDP by the total appropriate tranches. The amount so population) borrowed will be passed on to the  Bangladesh’s per capita GDP was only States as a back-to-back loan in lieu of half of India’s per capita GDP in 2007 GST Compensation Cess releases and was around 70% of India’s per  This will not have any impact on the capita GDP in 2014. However, this gap fiscal deficit of the Government of has closed quickly in the last few years India (GOI).  Factors that resulted in decline in the  The amounts will be reflected as the gap even before Covid-19 are the faster capital receipts of the State growth of Bangladesh while India was Governments and as part of financing in a narrow growth phase and during of its respective fiscal deficits the 15-year period (2004-2016),  So, instead of states taking small loans, India’s population grew faster (around one big loan will be taken by the 21%) than Bangladesh’s population Centre and distributed to states on the (just under 18%) exact same terms. Thus, the interest  After Covid-19, While India’s GDP is rate at which the Centre will borrow, set to reduce by 10%, Bangladesh’s will be passed on to the states. GDP is expected to grow by almost  After the current announcement, states 4%. In other words, while India is one earlier opposing the Centre have of the worst affected economies, appreciated the move and said that they Bangladesh is one of the strong are willing to negotiate with the Centre performers. 8. IMF DATA ON INDIA'S GDP: Advantages that Bangladesh have ? What's in news ? Bangladesh growth is mainly due to Garment sector, the main contributor for IMF has released the World Economic Bangladesh's GDP are its Industrial sector Outlook it has projected that Indian economy followed by Service Sector, both the sector will contract 10.3 per cent in 2020-21, a creates lot of job opportunities and deeper hit than the June estimate of 4.5 per dependency on agriculture is less cent contraction in the wake of the economic slump due to Covid-19 pandemic. Whereas in India, Industrial Sector is struggling to grow, even though service sector Global growth is projected to contract 4.4 per growth is more the total employment cent opportunities is less and many people are Whereas, the Reserve Bank of India has directly and indirectly dependent upon projected a 9.5 per cent contraction for the agricultural sector Indian economy in 2020-21 Bangladesh has improved in various social India Vs. Bangladesh: and political parameters in the last decade, this can be an evident from various indices like  India’s economy has mostly been over Global Gender Parity Index and Global 10 times the size of Bangladesh, and Hunger Index where India is behind grown faster every year. Bangladesh  India’s per capita GDP, in nominal US dollar terms, is projected to be Way Forward: $1,876.53 in 2020, lower than $1,887.97 projected for Bangladesh.

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India’s per capita GDP is expected to What’s in News? overtake Bangladesh’s per capita GDP in The Labour and Employment Ministry 2021. revised the base year of the Consumer Price However, the trend is not expected to Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from sustain for long, as Bangladesh is projected to 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption match India’s per capita GDP in 2024 pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other Later in 2025, Bangladesh will again miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the overtake India’s per capita GDP weight of food and beverages. If IMF's forecast come true, India’s GDP Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers will only be ahead of Pakistan and Nepal in CPI(IW): the region. ∞ This index is the oldest among the CPI It means others in South Asia — Bhutan, indices as its dissemination started as early Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bangladesh — will as in 1946. be ahead of India. ∞ The history of compilation and Reports released by IMF: maintenance of Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers owes its origin to the - World Economic Outlook deteriorating economic condition of the - Global Financial Stability Report workers post first world war which resulted in sharp increase in prices. 9. Govt. to widen manufacturing PLI plan ∞ As a consequence of rise in prices and cost What’s in News? of living, the provincial governments started compiling Consumer Price Index.  The production-linked incentive (PLI) ∞ Consumer Price Index Numbers for scheme for manufacturing investments Industrial workers measure a change over will soon be extended to eight more time in prices of a fixed basket of goods sectors, and the government is close to and services consumed by Industrial finalising its policy for the strategic Workers. sale of public sector enterprises (PSEs) ∞ The target group is an average working  Unlike our other schemes, this is an class family belonging to any of the seven outcome- and output-oriented scheme sectors of the economy- factories, mines, incentives will be paid only if the plantation, motor transport, port, railways manufacturers make the goods and electricity generation and distribution  This scheme will give cash incentives ∞ Apart from measuring inflation in retail for five to seven years and all the prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate sunrise and important sectors are the dearness allowance (DA) of proposed to be covered in this. government staff and industrial (A sunrise industry is one that is new workers, as well as to revise minimum or relatively new, is growing fast and wages in scheduled employments is expected to become important in the ∞ The index has a time lag of one month and future. Examples of sunrise industries is released on the last working day of the include hydrogen fuel production, month. petrochemical industry, food ∞ After the release of the new base year, it is processing industry etc) decided that the Bureau would work 10. CPI-IW base year revised to 2016 towards revising the index every five years.

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∞ The reduction in weight to spending on  The procured produce would be sold food and beverages indicated an increase through the department’s markets or the in disposable income societies’ marketing network. ∞ The weight to food and beverage was  Any excess produce would be converted reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while into value-added products. spending on housing increased from  The scheme also envisaged setting up of 15.2% to 17%. supply chain process such as cold-storage facilities and refrigerated vehicles. 11. Kerala govt. fixes base price for 16 agricultural produce 12. Fiscal deficit widens to Rs. 9.1 lakh crore  Base price for 16 agricultural items, What’s in News? including vegetables, fruits, and tubers was The fiscal deficit continued to soar in September fixed by the Kerala State government to reach Rs. 9.1 lakh crore, or almost 115% of the which is the first-of-its-kind initiative in budget target of Rs. 7.96 lakh crore for 2020-21, India as per data from the Comptroller General of  The scheme, designed to protect farmers Accounts. from adverse price fluctuations, would come into effect from November 1. The revenue deficit hit 125.2% in the first half of  The base price would provide relief and the year, with revenue receipts continuing to support to both traditional farmers and suffer in view of lower economic activity due to those newly farming the land COVID-19.  If the market price dipped below the base price of a vegetable, the produce would be Deficits: procured at the base price and the money i. Revenue Deficit (RD) = Total Revenue transferred to farmers’ accounts. Expenditure (RE) - Total Revenue  The produce would be graded on quality, Receipts (RR) and the base price fixed on that basis. ii. Budget Deficit = Total Expenditure –  There was also a provision to revise the Total Revenue base price regularly, iii. Fiscal deficit (FD) = Budget deficit +  Local self-government institutions would Government’s market borrowings and have an important role to play in the liabilities scheme as they would coordinate the iv. Primary Deficit (PD) = Fiscal deficit (FD) procurement and distribution of vegetables - Interest Payment (IP)  The scheme would benefit a farmer with cultivation on a maximum of 15 acres in a Fiscal Deficit Levels: season. i. The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget  They would have to register on the Management Act, 2003 provides that the Agriculture Department’s registration Centre should take appropriate measures to portal after insuring the crop to get the limit the fiscal deficit upto 3% of the benefit of the base price. GDP by 31st March, 2021.  The registration would begin on November ii. The NK Singh committee (set up in 2016) 1. recommended that the government should  Initially though, the registration would not target a fiscal deficit of 3% of the GDP be mandatory for farmers intending the in years up to March 31, 2020 cut it to procurement to happen through primary 2.8% in 2020-21 and to 2.5% by 2023. agricultural credit cooperative societies. iii. The government meets the fiscal deficit by borrowing money. In a way, the total borrowing requirements of the government

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in a financial year is equal to the fiscal i. The leopard is the smallest of the big cats, deficit in that year. and is known for its black-spotted coat. ii. A nocturnal animal, the leopard hunts by D. ENVIRONMENT night. iii. It is classified as Vulnerable under the 1.HUMAN-LEOPARD CONFLICT: IUCN Red List What’s in News? iv. Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and A study conducted across Karnataka indicates that included in Appendix I of CITES the policy guidelines brought out by Government v. In India, the leopard is found in all forest of India to mitigate human-leopard conflict and types, from tropical rainforests to discourage translocation of the animal has had temperate deciduous and alpine little impact on the ground. coniferous forests. It is also found in dry The guidelines for human-leopard conflict scrubs and grasslands, the only exception management were brought out in April 2011 to being desert and the mangroves of reduce conflict with leopards, discourage their Sundarbans. translocation, and suggest improved ways of vi. It shares its territory with the tiger in 17 handling emergency conflict situations. states. Its range stretches from the Indus river in the west, the Himalayas in the The number of leopards captured per month north, and all the way to the lower course increased more than threefold (from 1.5 to 4.6) of the Brahmaputra in the east. after the human-leopard policy guidelines were vii. It’s population is showing a declining brought out in 2011. trend. Key Findings from the Report: viii. There a few leopard rescue centres in India, such as the Manikdoh Leopard The number of leopards captured per month Rescue Centre in Junnar, increased more than threefold (from 1.5 to 4.6) since 2011. Threats to Indian Leopard: Similarly, there was a threefold increase in the i. The primary threats to Leopards are number of leopards translocated per month (from anthropogenic. Habitat fragmentation, 1 to 3.5). reduced prey base and conflict with livestock and game farming Reasons in order of prominence that are attributed ii. Leopards are also targets for trophy to capture and translocation of leopards are, hunting. (i) Livestock depredation iii. In Indo-Malaya and China, Leopards require better protection from illegal trade (ii) Leopards rescued from snares and wells in skins and bones which are used for (iii) Anxiety caused owing to leopard sightings traditional ceremonies and medicinal in human habitations purposes in Eastern Countries iv. Leopards also die due to accidents on (iv) Leopards entering human dwellings roads passing through and around protected areas. (v) Human injuries 2.A proposed road tunnel beneath Western (vi) Human deaths Ghats in Kerala Indian Leopards/ Common Leopard (Panthera What’s in News? pardus):

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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched a iii. Two major rivers, Chaliyar and Kabani tunnel road project that would connect Kozhikode that flows to Karnataka, originate from with Wayanad. these hills in Wayanad. iv. Eruvazhanjipuzha, a tributary of Chaliyar What is this Kozhikode-Wayanad tunnel road? and the lifeline of settlements in i. The 7-km tunnel, being described as the Malappuram and Kozhikode, begins in the third-longest in the country, is part of an 8- other side of the hills. km road cutting through sensitive forests v. The region, known for torrential rain and hills of the Western Ghats. during monsoon, has witnessed several ii. Its endpoints are at Maripuzha in landslides, including in 2019 at Thiruvambady village panchayat Kavalappura near Nilambur and at (Kozhikode) and Kalladi in Meppadi Puthumala, Meppadi in Wayanad. panchayat (Wayanad). So, will it not face a challenge in getting iii. At present, Wayanad plateau is linked to environmental clearance? the rest of Kerala via four roads, all with hilly sections, the longest being the 13-km i. Proponents of the project have been Thamarassery Ghat Road along the stressing that the tunnel will not destroy Kozhikode-Mysuru NH 766. forest (trees). ii. The MoEFCC guidelines state that the Forest Act would apply not only to surface area, but the entire underground area beneath the trees. iii. For tunnel projects, conditions relating to underground mining would be applicable. iv. As the proposed tunnel is 7 km long, it will require emergency exit points and air ventilation wells among other measures, which would impact the forest further. Western Ghats: i. The Western Ghats, also known as Sahyadri is a mountain range that covers an area of 140,000 square kilometres (54,000 sq mi) in a stretch of 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula, traversing the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, How will the road impact the ecology? Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. i. The Forest Department has identified the ii. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and proposed route as a highly sensitive patch is one of the eight hot-spots of biological comprising evergreen and semi-evergreen diversity in the world. forests, marsh lands and shola tracts. iii. It is sometimes called the Great ii. This region is part of an elephant corridor Escarpment of India. spread between Wayanad and Nilgiri Hills iv. For the preservation of Western Ghats two in Tamil Nadu. committees were set up namely - Madhav Gadgil Committee and Kasturi Rangan committee

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v. Kasturirangan Committee had ii. GRAP works only as an emergency recommended that identified geographical measure. areas falling in the six States of Kerala, iii. As such, the plan does not include action Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and by various state governments to be taken Tamil Nadu may be declared as throughout the year to tackle industrial, Ecologically Sensitive Areas. vehicular and combustion emissions. vi. The Committee recommended to bring just iv. The plan is incremental in nature — 37% of the Western Ghats under the therefore, when the air quality moves from Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zones ‘Poor’ to ‘Very Poor’, the measures listed — down from the 64% suggested by the under both sections have to be followed. Gadgil Committee report. v. If air quality reaches the ‘Severe+’ stage, the response under GRAP includes 3.EPCA directs Delhi, other States to extreme measures such as shutting down implement GRAP schools and implementing the odd-even What’s in news? road-space rationing scheme vi. The plan requires action and coordination A Supreme Court-appointed pollution monitoring among 13 different agencies in Delhi, body has directed Delhi and neighbouring States Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to implement air pollution control measures under (NCR areas). At the head of the table is “very poor” and “severe” category air quality of the EPCA, mandated by the Supreme the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), Court. including a ban on the use of diesel generators, except for emergency activities. ACTIONS UNDER GRAP EPCA: Severe+ or Emergency i. EPCA is a Supreme Court Mandated (PM 2.5 over 300 µg/cubic metre or PM10 over body that was constituted with the 500 µg/cu. m. for 48+ hours) objective of ‘protecting and improving’ the * Stop entry of trucks into Delhi (except essential quality of the environment and ‘controlling commodities) environmental pollution’ in the National Capital Region. * Stop construction work ii. It was notified in 1998 by Environment * Introduce odd/even scheme for private vehicles Ministry under Environment Protection and minimise exemptions Act, 1986. iii. It main functions include - To protect and * Task Force to decide any additional steps improve quality of environment and including shutting of schools prevent and control environmental pollution in National Capital Region and Severe to enforce Graded Response Action Plan (PM 2.5 over 250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 over 430 (GRAP) in NCR as per the pollution levels µg/cu. m.) What is GRAP? * Close brick kilns, hot mix plants, stone crushers i. Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016, * Maximise power generation from natural gas to the plan was formulated after several reduce generation from coal meetings that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority * Encourage public transport, with differential (EPCA) held with state government rates representatives and experts.

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* More frequent mechanised cleaning of road and environmental education and information, sprinkling of water bathing water quality, environment management and conservation and safety Very Poor and services in the beaches. (PM2.5 121-250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 351-430 iii. It started in France in 1985 and has been µg/cu. m.) implemented in Europe since 1987. The campaign spread outside Europe, to South * Stop use of diesel generator sets Africa, in 2001. * Enhance parking fee by 3-4 times iv. Blue Flag is awarded by an International Jury comprising of eminent members of * Increase bus and Metro services United Nations Environment Programme * Apartment owners to discourage burning fires in (UNEP), World Tourism Organization winter by providing electric heaters during winter (UNWTO), FEE, and IUCN * Advisories to people with respiratory and Benefits cardiac conditions to restrict outdoor movement Blue Flag certification helps local communities, Moderate to poor businesses and governments in many ways: (PM2.5 61-120 µg/cu. m. or PM10 101-350 a. Showcases the beach to the international µg/cu. m.) community b. Attracts sustainable tourism and improves * Heavy fines for garbage burning incomes and livelihoods * Close/enforce pollution control regulations in c. Improves public understanding about brick kilns and industries nature and cultural features d. Protects and conserves the unique natural * Mechanised sweeping on roads with heavy and cultural assets traffic and water sprinkling e. Promotes a healthier and safer * Strictly enforce ban on firecrackers environment 4.Blue Flag Certification India and Blue Flag: What’s in News? i. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change started a pilot project to Eight Indian beaches have got the coveted ‘Blue develop the Indian beaches according to Flag’ certification the Blue Flag standards in December 2017. ii. Work began on developing the Indian What is Blue Flag Certification? beaches according to the Blue Flag i. According to the Ministry of Environment, certification standards, by the Society for Forest and Climate Change, a ‘Blue Flag’ Integrated Coastal Management beach is an eco-tourism model to provide (SICOM), under a Unified Coastal tourists clean and hygienic bathing water, Areas Management Programme. facilities/amenities, safe and healthy iii. In June 2019, the Chandrabhaga beach environment and sustainable development on the Konark coast of Odisha became of the area. the first in Asia to be awarded the Blue ii. The certification is awarded by the Flag certification on World Environment Foundation for Environmental Day on June 5. Education that is headquartered in iv. India is now the first country in the world Copenhagen, Denmark based on 33 to receive the Blue Flag Certification for 8 stringent criteria in four major heads that is beaches in a single attempt

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v. 8 beaches that have been awarded the Blue vacant possessions of land” falling within Flag Certification are Radhanagar in the notified elephant corridor to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Golden Nilgiris district collector. beach in Odisha’s Puri, Andhra vi. SC described elephants as “Keystone Pradesh’s Rushikonda, Kerala’s Species” Kappad, Diu’s Ghoghla, Gujarat’s Conservation Efforts: Shivrajpur, and Karnataka’s Kasarkod and Padubidri beaches The Indian elephant Elephas maximus occurs in the central and southern Western Ghats, North- 5.SC orders eviction of resorts in Nilgiri’s east India, eastern India and northern India and in elephant corridor some parts of southern peninsular India. What’s in news? It is included in Schedule I of the Indian The Supreme Court has directed eviction of 39 Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix resorts in the Mudumalai reserve forest area I of the Convention on International Trade in falling in the elephant corridor. Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). Why was the direction given? Project Elephant: i. A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices Abdul Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna PROJECT ELEPHANT was launched by the upheld the Tamil Nadu goverment's order Government of India in the year 1992 as a of January 1, 2010, identifying elephant Centrally Sponsored Scheme with following corridors in the Sigur Plateau connecting objectives: the forests in the Western and Eastern 1. To protect elephants, their habitat & corridors Ghats, which sustain elephant populations and their genetic diversity 2. To address issues of man-animal conflict ii. In 2010, the Tamil Nadu government issued an order, acquiring land, including 3. Welfare of captive elephants privately owned, for elephant corridors to The Project is being mainly implemented in 16 protect the migratory path of the animals States / UTs , viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal through the Nilgiri biosphere reserve. Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, iii. Appeals filed by resorts/private land Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, owners against the government order, as Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, resorts were to be closed down once the Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. corridor was notified. iv. In 2011, the Madras High Court declared The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate that the Tamil Nadu government was fully Change provides the financial and technical empowered under the 'Project Elephant' of support to major elephant range states in the the Union government, as well as Article country through Project Elephant. 51 A (g) of the Constitution, to notify the There are four major Elephant corridor elephant corridor in the state’s Nilgiris landscapes in the Western Ghats: (1) district. UttaraKannada, (2) Brahmagiri-Nilgiris, (3) (Article 51-A(g) of the Constitution says it was the Anamalai-Nelliyampathy-High Range, and (4) duty of every citizen to protect and improve the Periyar-Agasthyamalai, natural environment, including wildlife.) The CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of v. It directed resort owners and other private Elephants (MIKE) Programme is a site-based land owners to “vacate and hand over system designed to monitor trends in the illegal

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killing of elephants, build management capacity What’s in News: and provide information to help range States make  A Supreme Court Bench led by Chief appropriate management and enforcement Justice of India (CJI) Sharad A. Bobde decisions. appointed Justice Lokur as a one-man In Western Ghats, Mysore Elephant Reserve, committee to monitor and prevent Nilgiri Elephant Reserve and Wayanad instances of stubble-burning by farmers in Elephant Reserve are MIKE Sites the three States (Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh).

 Former Supreme Court judge, Justice 6. Bhubaneswar’s Nandankanan zoo revives Madan B. Lokur, helped by student ‘adopt-an-animal’ scheme volunteer forces deployed from the National Cadet Corps, the National Service What's in News? Scheme and the Bharat Scouts and Guides, The Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) will protect Delhi-NCR (National Capital in Bhubaneswar, which suffered a huge loss Region) from pollution caused by stubble- following its closure due to the COVID-19 burning in the neighbouring Punjab, pandemic, has revived its innovative ‘Adopt-An- Haryana and Uttar Pradesh this winter. Animal’ programme to mobilise resources for  Student forces will patrol highways and animals. fields in the three States and ensure that no fires are started in the fields. Nandankanan Zoo:  The Supreme Court’s own Environment i. It is located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Pollution (Prevention and Control) adjacent to Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Authority (EPCA) would consult with the Sanctuary, in the vicinity of Kanjia lake. committee on issues related to stubble- ii. It is the first zoo in India where burning. endangered Ratel was born in captivity.  The committee will file its status reports iii. It is the only zoo in India to have an Open- with the court at least every fortnight. top Leopard Enclosure and it is the second Why there is Stubble Burning? largest heronry for Open Billied Storks in Odisha  Stubble (parali) burning is the act of iv. It is the only zoological park in India to setting fire to crop residue to remove them become an institutional member of World from the field to sow the next crop. Association of Zoos and Aquarium  Stubble burning is, quite simply, the act of (WAZA). removing paddy crop residue from the v. It is the only zoo in India after which an field to sow wheat. express train Puri-New Delhi express has  It’s usually required in areas that use the been named as "Nandankanan Express". ‘combine harvesting’ method which leaves vi. It is the first zoo in the World to breed crop residue behind. White tiger and Melanistic tiger.  Combines are machines that harvest, vii. It is the only conservation breeding centre thresh i.e separate the grain, and also clean of Indian Pangolins in the world. the separated grain, all at once. viii. Conservation Breeding Centres for White  The problem, however, is that the machine backed vultures doesn’t cut close enough to the ground, leaving stubble behind that the farmer has no use for. 7. One-man committee to monitor and prevent instances of stubble-burning

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 There is pressure on the farmer to sow the  In the Economic Survey 2019-20, next crop in time for it to achieve a full Government has mentioned that there is a yield. reduction in Stubble Burning due to  The quickest and cheapest solution, Government's initiative of ‘Promotion of therefore, is to clear the field by burning Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ the stubble Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Environmental Issues of Stubble Burning: NCT of Delhi’, Under this scheme, the i. A study estimates that crop residue agricultural machines and equipment for burning released 149.24 million tonnes of in-situ crop residue management such as carbon dioxide (CO2), over 9 million super straw management system for tonnes of carbon monoxide (CO), 0.25 combine harvesters, happy seeders, million tonnes of oxides of sulphur (SOX), hydraulically reversible MB plough, paddy 1.28 million tonnes of particulate matter straw chopper, mulcher, rotary slasher, and 0.07 million tonnes of black carbon. zero till seed drill and rotavators are These directly contribute to environmental provided with 50 percent subsidy to the pollution, and are also responsible for the individual farmers and 80 percent subsidy haze/ smog in Delhi and melting of for establishment of custom hiring centres. Himalayan glaciers.  ‘Pusa Decomposer’ capsule developed by ii. The heat from burning paddy straw IARI - It is essentially a fungi-based liquid penetrates 1 centimetre into the soil, solution that can soften hard stubble to the elevating the temperature to 33.8 to 42.2 extent that it can be easily mixed with soil degree Celsius. This kills the bacterial and in the field to act as compost. fungal populations critical for a fertile soil.  Farmers can also manage crop residues iii. Burning of crop residue causes damage to effectively by employing agricultural other micro-organisms present in the upper machines like: layer of the soil as well as its organic o Rotavator (used for land quality. Due to the loss of ‘friendly’ pests, preparation and incorporation of the wrath of ‘enemy’ pests has increased crop stubble in the soil) and as a result, crops are more prone to o Zero till seed drill (used for land disease. The solubility capacity of the preparations directly sowing of upper layers of soil have also been seeds in the previous crop stubble) reduced. o Baler (used for collection of straw and making bales of the paddy How can we reduce Stubble Burning? stubble)  In 2014, the Union government released o Paddy Straw Chopper (cutting of the National Policy for Management of paddy stubble for easily mixing Crop Residue with the soil)  Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) is basically a o Reaper Binder (used for harvesting machine mounted on a tractor that not only paddy stubble and making into cuts and uproots the stubble, but can also bundles) drill wheat seeds on the soil that has just  An innovative experiment has been been cleared up. The straw is undertaken by the Chhattisgarh simultaneously thrown over the sown government by setting up gauthans - seeds to form a mulch cover. Gauthans is a dedicated five-acre plot, held  The THS can also be fitted with the Super- in common by each village, where all the Straw Management System (S-SMS) that unused parali (Stubble) is collected spreads the straw evenly. through parali daan (people’s donations)

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and is converted into organic fertiliser by Institute of India, and the Salim Ali Centre mixing with cow dung and few natural for Ornithology & Natural History. enzymes. v. The book also gives a phylogenetic and  The NGT has categorically refused to burn bio-geographical analysis of distribution of the stubble. According to this order, a fine these species in all the 11 bio-geographic of Rs 2500 for burning stubble is on 2 to 5 zones of India acres of land and Rs 5 thousand for vi. The Western Ghats are home to 24 species burning the straw on more than 5 acres of of which 18 are endemic to the region. The land. Deccan Peninsular region is home to 19  India is testing Swedish technology — species of which 13 are endemic. torrefaction that can convert rice stubble vii. There are records of 14 skink species from into ‘bio-coal’. the northeast of which two species are  The government has funded a pilot project endemic. at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology viii. Of the 16 genera of skinks found in India, Institute in Mohali (Punjab) with a four genera are endemic. Swedish company to evaluate the ix. Sepsophis (with one species)and Barkudia feasibility of the technology. (with two species) are limbless skinks found in the hills and coastal plains of the 8. Zoological Survey of India lists 62 species eastern coast. i. A recent x. Barkudia insularisis believed to be found publication by only in the Barkud Island in Chilka lake in the Zoological Odisha. Barkudia melanosticta is endemic Survey of India to Visakhapatnam. (ZSI) reveals xi. Sepsophis punctatus is endemic to the that India is northern part of Eastern Ghats. Five home to 62 species of Kaestlea (blue-tailed ground species of skinks) are endemic to the Western Ghats skinks and says about 57% of all the and four species of Ristella (Cat skinks) skinks found in India (33 species) are also endemic to the southern part of endemic. Western Ghats ii. With long bodies, relatively small or no

legs, no pronounced neck and glossy scales, skinks are common reptiles around homes, garages, and open spaces such as

sparks and school playgrounds, and around lakes. iii. Although they are common reptiles and have a prominent role in maintaining ecosystems, not much is known about their breeding habits, and ecology because identification of the species can be confusing. iv. The publication is a result of four years of work and study of over 4,000 specimens in all 16 regional centres of ZSI and also at the Bombay Natural History Society, Indian Institute of Science, Wildlife

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10. Air pollution now biggest health risk in India, says report 9. Kaleshwaram eco-clearance violates law: NGT What’s in News? What’s in News? US Based Health Effects Institute has launched the State of Global Air 2020 report, according

 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has to which air pollution was now the largest risk held that environmental clearance (EC) to factor for death among all health risks the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) was granted ex post facto , after Highlights of the Report: completion of substantial work, by the i. Long-term exposure to outdoor and Ministry of Environment, Forests and household air pollution contributed to over Climate Change (MoEF&CC) “in 1.67 million annual deaths from stroke, violation of law”. heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic  It has also observed that accountability lung diseases and neonatal diseases in needs to be fixed and remedial measures India in 2019 taken. ii. Outdoor and household particulate matter  It has directed the Telangana government pollution also contributed to the deaths of to halt work on the KLIP except the more than 1,16,000 Indian infants in their drinking water supply component first month of life last year.  For that purpose, it has directed the iii. More than half of these deaths were MoEF&CC to constitute a seven-member associated with outdoor PM2.5 and others expert committee preferably out of expert were linked to use of solid fuels such as appraisal committee (EAC) members with charcoal, wood, and animal dung for relevant sectorial expertise to go into the cooking. matter in light of the observations in the iv. For the youngest infants, most deaths were present case. related to complications from low birth Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP): weight and preterm birth. v. India faced the highest per capita pollution  The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project exposure — or 83.2 μg/cubic metre — in (KLIP) is a multi-purpose irrigation the world, followed by Nepal at 83.1 project on the Godavari River in μg/cubic metre and Niger at 80.1, Kaleshwaram,Telangana vi. The government has claimed that average  In 2007, when Andhra Pradesh was not pollution levels in India are declining over divided Pranahitha-Chevella Lift Irrigation the past three years but these have been Scheme taken up to utilise the water of marginal, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic Pranhita tributary of Godavari river. plains which see extremely high  After the formation of Telangana in 2014, particulate matter pollution especially the present government redesigned the during winter. project. vii. After a decline in pollution due to the  It has the longest tunnel to carry water nationwide lockdown in late March and in Asia - 81 km between the Yellampally the months-long process of reopening, barrage and the Mallannasagar reservoir. pollution levels are again rising and air (Lift irrigation is a method of irrigation in quality has dipped to ‘very poor’ category which water is not transported by natural in several cities. flow, (as in gravity-fed canal) but is lifted viii. COVID-19, a disease for which people with pumps and other external sources) with heart and lung disease are particularly

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at risk of infection and death, has claimed  Also, high-speed winds are very effective more than 1,10,000 lives in India. at dispersing pollutants, but winters bring a ix. Although the full links between air dip in wind speed over all as compared to pollution and COVID-19 are not yet in summers. known, there is clear evidence linking air  The combination of these meteorological pollution and increased heart and lung factors makes the region prone to pollution disease, creating a growing concern that  When factors such as farm fires and dust exposures to high levels of air pollution storms are added to the already high base during winter months in South Asian pollution levels in Delhi , air quality dips countries and East Asia could worsen the further. effects of COVID-19. 11. Outlook bleak for Himalayan brown bears Why does air pollution rise in October each What’s in News? year in Delhi ?  A recent study carried out in the western  October usually marks the withdrawal of monsoons in Northwest India. Himalayas by scientists of Zoological  During monsoons, the prevalent direction Survey of India (ZSI) predicted a massive of wind is easterly. habitat decline of about 73.38% to 72.87%  These winds, which travel from over the of the Himalayan brown bear ( Ursus Bay of Bengal, carry moisture and bring arctos isabellinus ) by the year 2050. rains to this part of the country.  It has predicted a significant reduction in  Once monsoon withdraws, the suitable habitat and biological corridors of predominant direction of winds changes to the species due to climate change, north westerly. prompting scientists to suggest an adaptive  During summers, too, the direction of spatial planning of protected area network wind is north westerly and storms carrying in the western Himalayas for conserving dust from Rajasthan and sometimes the species. Pakistan and Afghanistan.  These losses in habitat will also result in  According to a peer reviewed study loss of habitats from 13 protected areas conducted by scientists at the National (PAs), and eight of them will become Physical Laboratory, 72 per cent of Delhi’s completely uninhabitable by the year 2050, wind in winters comes from the northwest, followed by loss of connectivity in the while the remaining 28 per cent comes majority of PAs from the Indo-Gangetic plains. Himalayan Brown Bear:  In 2017, a storm that originated in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait led to a drastic  The Himalayan brown bear is one of the dip in Delhi’s air quality in a couple of largest carnivores in the highlands of days. Himalayas.  Along with the change in wind direction,  The Himalayan Brown Bears are said to be the dip in temperatures is also behind the present in North-western and central increased pollution levels. Himalaya, including Pakistan, India,  As temperature dips, the inversion height Nepal, the Tibetan Autonomous Region of — which is the layer beyond which China and Bhutan. pollutants cannot disperse into the upper  Populations are present in the Great layer of the atmosphere – is lowered. Himalayan National Park (Himachal  The concentration of pollutants in the air Pradesh) and the Deosai National Park, increases when this happens. Pakistan, it is also present in south and

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western Ladakh, in the upper Suru and  The Central Pollution Control Board and Zanskar valleys. its State branches have the powers to  The Himalayan brown bear is primarily a implement provisions of the Environment plant-eater with 90% of its food consisting (Protection) Act for air, water and land of fruits, figs, leaves, and grass and is also pollution. a omnivore  In case of dispute or a clash of  It is locally also called ‘spang drenmo’ jurisdictions, the commission's writ will meaning ‘grass-bear’ or a vegetarian bear prevail specific to matters concerning air  It is Endangered in the IUCN Red List pollution. Category  The Government may empower the  In India they are classified under the commission to constitute special Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, investigative groups for stricter 1972 and also it is classified under implementation Appendix I of CITES E. SOCIAL ISSUES 12. Centre sets up commission to tackle NCR pollution 1.CRIME IN INDIA 2019 REPORT: NCRB What’s in News? What’s in news? The central government has notified an Ordinance The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has to constitute the Commission for Air Quality released the annual Crime in India 2019 report. Management in the National Capital Region Highlights of the Report: (NCR) and Adjoining Areas. (i) As per the NCRB report, crime rate This has dissolved the 22-year-old registered per lakh population went up Environmental Pollution (Prevention and marginally to 385.5 in 2019 as compared Control) Authority that has so far addressed air to 383.5 in 2018 pollution in Delhi (ii) Maharashtra accounts for 10.6 per cent New Commission Powers and Jurisdictions: of all crimes registered across the country and tops in gangrape, attacks  The jurisdiction of the new Commission against senior citizens, narcotics extends to states of Delhi Punjab, consumption, debit/credit card fraud and Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. stalking cases  The 18-member Commission will have at least have six permanent members and will Crimes against women and Scheduled Castes / be headed by a former or incumbent Scheduled Tribes: Secretary to the Central government, or a (iii)Crimes against women increased 7.3 per Chief Secretary to a State government. cent from 2018 to 2019, and crimes against  Three representatives of NGOs with Scheduled Castes also went up 7.3 per cent experience in combating air pollution will in the same period also be included in the panel. (iv) Uttar Pradesh reported the highest  It will have members from Ministries as number of cases in both these categories. well as representatives from States. (v) But Assam reported the highest rate of  It will have three sub-committees — on crimes against women (per lakh ‘monitoring and identification’, population), while Rajasthan had the ‘safeguarding and enforcement’ and highest rate of crimes against Scheduled ‘research and development’ — to tackle air Castes pollution

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(vi) Majority of cases under crime against per cent), followed by Haryana with 572 women under IPC were registered under cases. ‘cruelty by husband or his relatives’ Cybercrimes (30.9%), followed by ‘assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty’ (i) Cybercrimes saw a massive rise of 63.5% (21.8%), ‘kidnapping & abduction of in 2019. women’ (17.9%) and ‘rape’ (7.9%) (ii) In 2019, 60.4% of cybercrime cases (vii) UP also had the highest number of registered were for the motive of fraud, crimes against girl children under the followed by sexual exploitation, with 5.1% POCSO Act and also highest number of cases and causing disrepute with 4.2% dowry cases cases. (viii) Kolkata has recorded the least (iii)Karnataka reported the highest number of sexual assault cases on women cybercrimes followed by Uttar Pradesh (ix) Like Kolkata, Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore, and Maharashtra. too, has not reported any sexual harassment case Counterfeit of Currency: (x) Crime against Scheduled Tribes (STs) saw (i) The highest number of all counterfeit notes an increase of over 26% in year 2019 seized last year was in the denomination of compared to 2018. ₹ 2,000 (xi) Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest (ii) The highest number of seizures were from number of cases against STs followed by Karnataka, Gujarat and West Bengal Rajasthan, and Odisha. (xii) The highest number of incidents of Other Reports by NCRB: rape of tribal women- 358 was registered According to ‘Finger Prints in India 2019’ in Madhya Pradesh, followed by 180 report recently released by NCRB under the incidents in Chattisgarh and 114 in Union Home Ministry, the Finger Print Bureau Maharashtra. under DFS Gujarat topped the list followed by Custodial Deaths: Tamil Nadu and Delhi Gujarat accounted for the highest number of NCRB: police personnel arrested in custodial death cases (i) NCRB was set-up in 1986 to function as a in the country and the second highest number of repository of information on crime and custodial deaths in 2019, one rank below Tamil criminals so as to assist the investigators in Nadu linking crime to the perpetrators and it Sedition Cases: operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs (i) Cases of sedition and under the stringent (ii) It was set up based on the recommendation UAPA showed a rise in 2019, but only 3 of the Task force,1985 and National Police per cent of the sedition cases resulted in Commission,1977 by merging the convictions. Directorate of Coordination and Police (ii) ‘Offences Against the State’, which Computer (DCPC), Inter State Criminals includes charges under the UAPA and Data Branch of CBI and Central Finger Official Secrets Act (OSA) — saw a steep Print Bureau of CBI. fall of 11.3 per cent from the year before. (iii)NCRB brings out the annual (iii)UP saw 2,017 of the 7,569 cases (27.8 per comprehensive statistics of crime across cent), a drop from 2,503 last year. Tamil the country (‘Crime in India’ report), Nadu ranked next, with 1,311 cases (17.3 which it was publishing from 1953, the other two reports published by NCRB is

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Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India vii. The programme covers many key areas: and Prison Statistics India. access and retention; Right to Education entitlements; quality interventions; teacher 2.Cabinet nod for World Bank aided STARS education; gender and equity; inclusive Project, national assessment Centre education; entitlements (uniforms, What’s in news? textbooks, scholarships, etc); upgradation of learning environment The Cabinet on approved the implementation of a viii. India’s participation in the 2022 cycle of project called Strengthening Teaching-Learning the Programme for International Student and Results for States (STARS) for improving Assessment (PISA) survey will also be quality of education in six States. funded by this project Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for PISA: States (STARS): i. PISA, introduced in 2000 by the

i. The STARS project would be Organisation for Economic Co- implemented as a new Centrally operation and Development (OECD), Sponsored Scheme under Department tests the learning levels of 15-year-old of School Education and Literacy, children in reading, mathematics, and Ministry of Education science. ii. The total project cost is pegged at ₹ 5,718 ii. The test is conducted every three years. crore with the financial support of World India stayed away from PISA in 2012 and Bank amounting to $500 million 2015 on account of its dismal performance (approximately ₹ 3,700 crore) in 2009, when it was placed 72nd among iii. The project covers Himachal Pradesh, the 74 participating countries. Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya iii. The government decided to end the Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha in boycott in 2019. improving basic reading and math skills of students and undertake assessment 3. 99% of Indian Cities declared ODF reforms What’s in News? iv. Besides this project, it is also envisaged to implement a similar ADB funded project As per the latest survey figures, 99 per cent of the in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Indian cities under urban local bodies have Jharkhand and Assam become open defecation free (ODF). However, the v. The Ministry of Education (MoE) will survey of the urban bodies could not be done in establish PARAKH as an independent time in West Bengal due to the pandemic. and autonomous institution under Latest Survey and ODF: Department of School Education and Literacy, which is an assessment centre i. The Ministry of Housing and Urban that will set standards for the 60-odd Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India examination boards in the country through takes up the Swachh Survekshan in urban the STARS (Strengthening Teaching- areas and the Ministry of Drinking Water Learning and Results for States) project. and Sanitation in rural areas. vi. PARAKH is among the assessment ii. Quality Council of India is visiting reforms proposed in the NEP that Urban Legislative Bodies (ULBs) as a collectively aim to move schools boards third party for ODF inspection. away from high-stakes examinations and iii. ODF+ and ODF++ were launched in towards holistic assessment. August 2018 to further scale up and sustain the work undertaken by the cities

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after achieving the ODF status under Phase malnutrition, while the second leading risk I of the Swachh Bharat Mission — Urban factor was air pollution. (SBM-Urban)  According to the report, 58 per cent of the iv. While ODF+ focuses on toilets with water, total disease burden is due to non- maintenance and hygiene, ODF++ focuses communicable diseases (NCD) — up from on toilets with sludge and septage 29 per cent in 1990 — while premature management deaths due to NCDs have more than v. Water + Protocol is designed to ensure that doubled from 22 to 50 per cent. no untreated wastewater is discharged into  The leading non-communicable cause of the open environment or water bodies. death in India in 2019 was ischemic heart vi. From a position of zero ODF states and disease with 1.52 million deaths, followed cities in 2014, 99 per cent of our cities by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have today become ODF. (8,98,000), stroke (6,99,000), diabetes vii. Open defecation, however, has been a (2,73,000) and cirrhosis and other chronic problem mainly in rural areas, and India liver diseases (2,70,000). has claimed that as of last year, all  Since 1990, India has made substantial 5,99,963 villages of the country have gains in health, but child and maternal attained ODF status by construction of the malnutrition is still the top risk factor for required toilets under Swachh Bharat illness and death in India, contributing to Mission-Rural scheme more than 20 per cent of the total disease 4. Top 5 risk factors for deaths in 2019 in India burden in several states in northern India (Bihar and UP). What's in News?  India has gained more than a decade of life  Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study expectancy since 1990, rising from 59.6 was published in The Lancet recently years to 70.8 years in 2019.  Researchers have analysed 286 causes of  However, there are wide inequalities death, 369 diseases and injuries, and 87 between states, ranging from 77.3 years in risk factors in 204 countries and the latest Kerala to 66.9 years in Uttar Pradesh estimates indicate how vulnerable IN SOUTH ASIA: countries were to the Covid-19.  In 2019, the top five risk factors for Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh have seen the death in India were air pollution proportion of total health loss (DALYs) caused by (contributing to an estimated 1.67 million the rise of NCDs by more than 150 per cent since deaths), high blood pressure (1.47 1990. NCDs now contribute to more than half of million), tobacco use (1.23 million), poor all DALYs in the region that was dominated by diet (1.18 million), and high blood sugar infectious, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional (1.12 million). diseases 30 years ago.  The trend in most countries points to a Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study : decline in infectious diseases and a rise in chronic diseases.  The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) is a comprehensive regional and Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 global research program of disease burden findings : that assesses mortality and disability from IN INDIA: major diseases, injuries, and risk factors.  GBD is a collaboration of over 3600  The leading risk factor for total health loss researchers from 145 countries. in India in 2019 was child and maternal

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 GBD is based out of the Institute for For the 2020 GHI report, data from 2015-19 was Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) used and 132 countries were assessed . Out of at the University of Washington and these, there was sufficient data to rank 107 funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates countries. Foundation GHI scores are based on four indicators:  In December 2018, the World Health Organisation and the IHME announced a 1. UNDERNOURISHMENT: the share of formal partnership to collaborate to the population that is undernourished (that produce a single set of global health is, whose caloric intake is insufficient); estimates to strengthen the validity of the 2. CHILD WASTING: the share of children GBD and improve its policy relevance and under the age of five who are wasted (that

use. is, who have low weight for their height,  In partnership with IHME, The Lancet reflecting acute undernutrition); journal has published global health 3. CHILD STUNTING: the share of estimates from the GBD study since 2010. children under the age of five who are stunted (that is, who have low height for DISABILITY ADJUSTED LIFE YEAR (DALY): their age, reflecting chronic The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) is a undernutrition); and measure of overall disease burden, expressed as 4. CHILD MORTALITY: the mortality rate the number of years lost due to ill-health, of children under the age of five (in part, a disability or early death. It was developed in the reflection of the fatal mix of inadequate 1990s as a way of comparing the overall health nutrition and unhealthy environments) and life expectancy of different countries. Severity of Hunger: It was developed in the 1990s as a way of Each country’s GHI score is classified by severity, comparing the overall health and life expectancy from low to extremely alarming as follows: of different countries. a. Low ≤ 9.9 5. India fares poorly in hunger index b. Moderate 10.0-19.9 What's in News? c. Serious 20.0-34.9 d. Alarming 35.0-49.9 The Global Hunger Index 2020 is a peer- e. Extremely alarming ≥ 50.0 reviewed report released annually by Concern India's Findings: Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe

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 India has the highest prevalence of wasted The methodology clubs the height and weight data children under five years in the world, about all children of the world together and on the which reflects acute undernutrition it has basis of that ranking, categorizes those "below increased in 2015-19 ( 17.3%) in average" children as wasted or stunted. comparison to 2010-14( 15.1%). However, it ignores the important determinants of  India ranks 94 out of 107 countries in the height or weight of a child, like genetic factors the Index, lower than neighbours such as which could have some role in determining Bangladesh (75) and Pakistan (88). heights and weights of under-five children.  India fares worst in child wasting (low weight for height, reflecting acute 6. Tamil Nadu govt to reject eminence status undernutrition) and child stunting (low offered for Anna University height for age, reflecting chronic undernutrition), which together make up a What's in News ? third of the total score. The Tamil Nadu government said it will not  Child stunting has actually improved accept the Institute of Eminence (IoE) status significantly, from 54% in 2000 to less offered to Anna University, as it would affect the than 35% now 69-per cent reservation in the state-run varsity  India has improved in both child mortality rates, which are now at 3.7%, and in terms Institute of Eminence (IoE) Scheme of undernourishment, with about 14% of  In order to create world class educational the total population which gets an institutions in the country, the human insufficient caloric intake. resource development (HRD) ministry has  In the region of south, east and south- come out with an Institutions of Eminence eastern Asia, the only countries which fare (IoE) scheme worse than India are Timor-Leste,  It was first announced in 2016 Budget Afghanistan and North Korea. speech by Finance Ministry, accordingly Global Effect : Ten public and ten private institutions are to be identified to emerge as world-class  Globally, nearly 690 million people are Teaching and Research Institutions. undernourished  This will enhance affordable access to high  The world is not on track to achieve the quality education for ordinary Indians. second Sustainable Development Goal —  Accordingly, UGC notified ‘UGC known as Zero Hunger for short — by (Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be 2030. At the current pace, approximately Universities) Regulations, 2017’ for 37 countries will fail even to reach low private institutions and guidelines ‘UGC hunger, as defined by the Global Hunger (Declaration of Government Educational Index Severity Scale, by 2030 Institutions as Institutions of Eminence)  These projections do not account for the Guidelines, 2017’ for public institutions to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, provide regulatory structure for enabling which may worsen hunger and Higher Educational Institutions to become undernutrition in the near term and affect world-class teaching and research countries’ trajectories into the future institutions. Issues with the Index  The Institute of Eminence scheme aimed at developing 20 world-class institutions NITI Aayog has highlighted some flaws with the which would put India on the global index over the past few years education map. Benefits of IOE Status:

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 Government Institutions to get additional 7. 76% of rural Indians can’t afford a funding upto 1000 Cr. nutritious diet  The selected Institutions under IoE shall What's in news ? have complete academic and administrative autonomy.  Three out of four rural Indians cannot  Freedom to recruit faculty from outside afford a nutritious diet, according to a India (limit of 25% of its faculty strength paper recently published in journal Food for public institution). Policy,the paper, titled "Affordability of  Freedom to enter into academic nutritious diets in rural India". collaborations with other Institutions  This study uses the wages of unskilled within the country. workers who make up a larger proportion  Academic collaborations with foreign of the population than industrial workers, higher educational institutions (in top 500) and includes items such as dairy, fruit and would be exempt from government dark green leafy vegetables that are approvals. essential as per India’s official dietary  Flexibility in fixing of curriculum and guidelines. syllabus, with no UGC mandated  The National Institute for Nutrition’s curriculum structure. guidelines for a nutritionally adequate diet  UGC Inspection shall not apply to call for adult women to eat 330 gm of Institutions of Eminence. cereals and 75 gm of pulses a day, along with 300 gm of dairy, 100 gm of fruit, and Which institutes can apply for the status? 300 gm of vegetables, which should The educational institutes selected, need to be a include at least 100 gm of dark green leafy good mix of Central Universities as well as Arts, vegetables Management and Technical Institutes. To get the  The study calculated that a day’s meals status, they should be among: would cost ₹ 45 (or ₹ 51 for an adult man).  The Global Hunger Index showed that 1. Top 50 in the National India has the world’s highest prevalence of lnstitution Ranking Framework in their child wasting, reflecting acute category undernutrition. On indicators that simply 2. Top 500 in internationally measure calorie intake, India performs recognised rankings like the Times Higher relatively better, but they do not account Education World University Rankings or for the nutrition value of those calories. Q  Even if they spent all their income on food, 63.3% of the rural population or Public Institutes that are eligible to apply under more than 52 crore Indians would not be Institutes of Eminence are as follows: able to afford that nutritious meal. – Central Universities  If they set aside just a third of their income for non-food expenses, 76% of rural – Government-owned and Indians would not be able to afford the controlled Deemed to be Universities. recommended diet. – lnstitutions of National  This does not even account for the meals lmportance such as IITs, NITs, etc. of non-earning members of a household, such as children or older adults. – State Universities set up under a law made by Legislative Assembly of a 8. India and HIV State. What's in News?

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The 2019 HIV estimates by the National AIDS testing and treatment initiation to become the Control Organization (NACO)/Ministry of normal. Health and Family Welfare with the technical Using data-driven and decision-making support of UNAIDS was released recently approaches, we are certain that AIDS will no Findings of the Estimates longer be a public health threat for children in India by the end 2030, if not before. i. There has been a 66.1% reduction in new HIV infections among children and a 9. ‘20% rural students lack books’ 65.3% reduction in AIDS-related deaths in

India over a nine-year period.  About 20% of rural children have no ii. The number of pregnant women living textbooks at home, according to the with HIV has reduced from 31,000 in 2010 Annual State of Education Report (ASER) survey conducted in September to 20,000 in 2019. iii. Overall, antenatal coverage has expanded, by NGO Pratham, the sixth month of and HIV testing has increased over time school closures due to COVID-19 across and within target range. the country. iv. Treatment coverage has also expanded.  This year the survey explores access to distance education mechanisms, materials Steps Taken by India to Control HIV : and activities for children in rural India i. The National AIDS Control Organisation  In Andhra Pradesh, less than 35% of (NACO) is a division of the Ministry of children had textbooks, and only 60% had Health and Family Welfare that provides textbooks in Rajasthan. More than 98% leadership to HIV/AIDS control had textbooks in West Bengal, Nagaland programme in India through 35 HIV/AIDS and Assam Prevention and Control Societies.  Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, ii. Under the leadership of NACO, a ‘Fast- Himachal Pradesh and Tripura have Tracking of EMTCT (elimination of reported more than 30 percent increase in mother-to-child transmission) strategy- the proportion of children whose families cum-action plan’ was outlined by June own a smartphone. 2019, in the run-up towards December  In households where children are enrolled 2020: the deadline to achieve EMTCT. in government schools, the percentage of iii. EMTCT was launched for the first time in smartphone ownership has increased from 2002 29.6% in 2018 to 56.2% in 2020. iv. India made HIV testing for all pregnant  In the same period, in households where women free and HIV treatment is offered children are in private schools, the the same way nationwide without cost to percentage of smartphone ownership has pregnant mothers living with HIV through increased by 24% to 74.2% in 2020 the national ‘treat all’ policy.  ASER is a nationwide survey of rural v. Central government is giving free education and learning outcomes in terms antiretroviral therapy (ART) to all the HIV of reading and arithmetic skills that has positive pregnant women. (HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, and the combination of drugs used to treat it is called Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)). Way Forward: However, there remains a need for increased treatment saturation coverage and for early HIV

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been conducted by the NGO Pratham for the tune of 1000 km by the missile system the last 15 years. from where the torpedo is launched. v. The system also gives flexibility in terms

of the missie system’s launch platform F.SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY vi. A number of DRDO laboratories including Defence Research and Development 1. DRDO successfully tests anti-submarine Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre warfare missile system? Imarat (RCI), both in Hyderabad; Aerial What’s in news? Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra; and The Defence Research and Development Naval Science and Technology Laboratory Organisation (DRDO) on Monday successfully (NSTL) Visakhapatnam have developed test-fired a missile assisted release of lightweight the technologies required for SMART. anti-submarine torpedo system for Anti- Submarine Warfare (ASW), Missile Assisted Why is it significant? Release of Torpedo (SMART). i. SMART is a game-changing technology Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) : demonstration in anti-submarine warfare. ii. India’s anti-submarine warfare capacity i. Anti-submarine warfare refers to building is crucial in light of China’s underwater warfare that uses surface growing influence in the Indian Ocean warships, aircraft, submarines, or other region platforms, to find, track, and deter, iii. Assets of such warfare consist of damage, and/or destroy enemy submarines. deployment of submarines, specialised ii. Typically, sophisticated sonar equipment anti-submarine ships, air assets and state- is used for first detecting, then classifying, of-the-art reconnaissance and detection locating, and tracking a target submarine. mechanisms. iii. Common weapons for attacking iv. The Navy’s anti-submarine warfare submarines include torpedoes and naval capability got a boost in June after the mines, which can both be launched from conclusion of a contract for Advanced an array of air, surface, and underwater Torpedo Decoy System Maareech, capable platforms. of being fired from all frontline warships. What is SMART system? v. India has been indigenously developing and building several anti-submarine i. Torpedoes, self-propelled weapons that systems and vessels in the recent past. travel underwater to hit a target, are limited by their range. 2.Digital platform to track vaccine supply ii. In the mid-2010s, DRDO undertook a What’s in news? project to build capacity to launch torpedoes assisted by missiles The eVIN network, which can track the latest iii. This SMART system comprises a vaccine stock position; temperature at storage mechanism by which the torpedo is facility; geo-tag health centres; and maintain launched from a supersonic missile facility-level dashboard, is being repurposed for system with modifications that would the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine take the torpedo to a far longer range What is eVIN? than its own. iv. For example, a torpedo with a range of a i. eVIN (Electronic Vaccine Intelligence few kilometres can be sent a distance to Network) is an indigenously developed technology system in India that digitizes

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vaccine stocks and monitors the 3.India Successfully test fired new version of temperature of the cold chain through a nuclear capable Shaurya Missile smartphone application. What’s in News? ii. Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) is been implemented under the India successfully test-fired a new version of National Health Mission under the nuclear-capable Shaurya missile off the coast of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Odisha, which can strike targets at around 800 and UNDP which aims to support the kms Universal Immunization Programme through eVIN Shaurya Missile: iii. Supported by GAVI-the Vaccine Alliance, i. Shaurya is a land variant of short-range the health systems strengthening project Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile aims to streamline and regularize the (SLBM) K-15 Sagarika vaccine flow network by ensuring data- ii. It has a strike range of 750 to 1,000-km driven and efficient management of the and can reach speeds of 7.5 Mach immunization supply chain. iii. The 10 metre-long missile can carry both iv. The goal is to ensure equity in easy and nuclear and conventional warheads timely availability of vaccines to all weighing up to 1,000 kilograms. children. iv. Shaurya, is a canister based system, v. eVIN is digitsing vaccine stocks at all which means that it is stored and operated 27,000 vaccine storage centres across all from specially designed compartments. districts of 29 states and 7 union territories v. It is equipped with multiple advanced of India computing technology and high accuracy vi. Achieved over 80% reduction in instances navigation and sophisticated control and of vaccine stock-outs guidance systems. vii. Supported a vaccine availability rate of vi. The two-stage missile powered by solid over 99% at all cold chain points fuel, is so fast that the enemy’s radar will viii. eVIN won the GSMA Asia Mobile Award get less than 400 seconds to detect, track, 2017 (AMO) for Outstanding Mobile and intercept it. Contribution to Sustainable Development vii. The new missile would be lighter and Goals in Asia. easier to operate in comparison with the ix. eVIN won the Public Health Initiative existing missile Silver Award at the India Health and Wellness Summit 2017. The K Family of missiles: x. eVIN from Madhya Pradesh was awarded i. The K family of missiles are primarily as one of the Best Innovations at the Third Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles National Summit on Good & Replicable (SLBMs), which have been indigenously Practices & Innovations in Public Health developed by Defence Research and Care Systems in India held at Tirupati in Development Organisation (DRDO) and August 2016. are named after late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam xi. Some States have already been using eVIN — which are launched from Arihant class to track state specific COVID-19 material of nuclear submarines. supplies ii. Because these missiles are to be launched xii. According to certain reports, COVID-19 from submarines, they are lighter, smaller Vaccine supplies are likely from early and stealthier than their land-based 2021, eVIN will be used for this purpose. counterparts, the Agni series of missiles which are medium and intercontinental range nuclear capable ballistic missiles.

AP - 127, AF block, 6 th street, 11th Main Rd, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600040 OCTOBER 2020 CA KAMARAJ IAS ACADEMY Page | 49 iii. India has also developed and successfully iii. Rudram is an air-to-surface anti-radiation tested multiple times the K-4 missiles from missile with a speed of Mach 2 the family which has a range of 3500 km. iv. While the system has been tested from a iv. It is reported that more members of K- Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet, it will be family — reportedly to have been adapted for launch from other fighter jets codenamed K-5 and K-6 — with ranges of too. 5000 and 6000 km are also under Anti Radiation Missiles: development. Anti-radiation missiles are designed to detect, The strategic importance of SLBMs track and neutralise the adversary’s radar, a) The capability of being able to launch communication assets and other radio frequency nuclear weapons submarine platforms has sources, which are generally part of their air great strategic importance in context of defence systems. achieving a nuclear triad, especially in the Such a missile’s navigation mechanism comprises light of ‘no first use’ policy of India. an inertial navigation system — a computerised b) The sea-based underwater nuclear capable mechanism that uses changes in the object’s own assets significantly increases the second position — coupled with GPS, which is satellite- strike capability of a country and thus based. boosts its nuclear deterrence. c) These submarines can not only survive a How significant are such missiles in aerial first strike by the adversary but also can warfare? launch a strike in retaliation thus achieving Credible Nuclear Deterrence. i. Rudram has been developed for the IAF’s d) The 2016 commissioned nuclear powered requirement to enhance its Suppression of Arihant submarine and its class members Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) capability. which in the pipeline, are the assets ii. As one of the many aspects of SEAD capable of launching missiles with nuclear tactics, anti-radiation missiles are used warheads. mainly in the initial part of air conflict to e) The development of these capabilities is strike at the air defence assets of the important in light of India’s relations with enemy, and also in later parts, leading to the two neighbours China and Pakistan. higher survivability to a country’s own f) With China having deployed many of its aircraft. submarines, including some which are iii. Neutralising or disrupting the operations of nuclear powered and nuclear capable, this the adversary’s early warning radars, capacity building is crucial for India’s command and control systems, nuclear deterrence surveillance systems that use radio frequencies and give inputs for anti- 4.DRDO successfully test-fires India’s first aircraft weaponry, can be very crucial. indigenous anti-radiation missile Rudram-1 5. SERB-POWER (Promoting Opportunities What’s in news? for Women in Exploratory Research) i. The Defence Research and Development What’s in News? Organisation (DRDO )has successful tested the New Generation Anti Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science & Radiation Missile (NGRAM) also called Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family the Rudram-1. Welfare launched a Scheme titled “SERB- ii. This is the first indigenous anti-radiation POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in missile of the country. Exploratory Research)”, designed exclusively for

AP - 127, AF block, 6 th street, 11th Main Rd, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600040 OCTOBER 2020 CA KAMARAJ IAS ACADEMY Page | 50 women scientists, in a function today on an e- ii. Level II (Applicants from State platform. Universities / Colleges and Private Academic Institutions): The scale of funding is up to 30 SERB: lakhs for three years. The Science and Engineering Research Board b. POWER Grant will be regulated (SERB), a Statutory body of the Department of through terms of reference conforming to SERB- Science and Technology (DST), Government of CRG(Science and Engineering Research Board- India, has been contemplating to institute a Core Research Grant) guidelines. scheme to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research in various S&T programs in While a Search-cum-Selection Indian academic institutions and R&D Committee constituted for the purpose will help in laboratories. identifying the POWER Fellowship, the existing Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) SERB POWER SCHEME: mechanism will be used to select the POWER SERB – POWER Scheme will have two Research Grants. components namely It is proposed to institute 25 POWER 1.SERB-POWER Fellowship Fellowships annually. A total of 50 Power Grants 2.SERB- POWER Research each will be sanctioned in Level I & Level II per Grants. annum. The salient features of each of these are as Women in Science: follows: i. According to a 2018 fact sheet prepared by A,Salient features of the SERB-POWER UNESCO on women in science, only Fellowship:- 28.8% of researchers are women. ii. UNESCO data from 2014-16 shows that a) Target: Women researchers in 35- only around 30% of female students select 55 years of age. Up-to 25 Fellowships per year STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and not more than 75 at any point in time. and Mathematics)-related fields in higher b) Components of support: education. Fellowship of Rs. 15,000/- per month in addition iii. Between 1901 and 2019, 334 Nobel Prizes to regular income; Research grant of Rs. 10 lakh have been awarded to 616 Laureates in per annum; and Overhead of Rs. 90,000/- per Physics, Chemistry and Medicine, of annum. which just 20 have been won by women. iv. According to the NITI Aayog report in c). Duration: Three years, without the 2015-16, 9.3% of female students in possibility of extension. Once in a career. Undergraduate (UG) courses were enrolled B. Salient features of the SERB – in engineering, compared to 15.6% across POWER Research Grants : genders. v. Conversely, 4.3% of female students were a) POWER Grants will empower enrolled in medical science, compared to women researchers by funding them under 3.3% across genders. following two categories: vi. Only 13.9% of women work as a i. Level I (Applicants from IITs, researcher in India IISERs, IISc, NITs, Central Universities, and 6. India test-fires air launched version of National Labs of Central Government BrahMos supersonic cruise missile Institutions): The scale of funding is up to 60 lakhs for three years. What’s in News?

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The Indian Air Force successfully test-fired an air-  Brahmos is a multiplatform i.e it can be launched version of the BrahMos supersonic launched from land, air, and sea and multi cruise missile on October 30, 2020. capability missile with pinpoint accuracy that works in both day and night The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was test- irrespective of the weather conditions. fired from a Sukhoi fighter aircraft in the Bay of  It operates on the "Fire and Forgets" Bengal. principle i.e it does not require further It displays the growing combat prowess of Indian guidance after launch Air Force BrahMos: 7. The plasma therapy debate  BRAHMOS is a joint venture between What’s in News ? the Defence Research and Development Recently published findings on convalescent plasma therapy on Covid-19 patients have triggered a debate over its efficacy. After the country’s largest such trial, known by the acronym PLACID, found that convalescent plasma was ineffective in arresting Covid-19, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been considering dropping this option from the national guidelines. What is Plasma Therapy ? Human Blood has 4 main components 1. Red Blood Cells (RBC) – involved in carrying the oxygen 2. White Blood Cells (WBC) – involves in immune system Over the last one and half months, the 3. Platelets – are Cell fragments that form Defence Research and Development clots to stop bleeding Organisation (DRDO) has conducted at least 4. Plasma – it is the liquid portion of blood, 12 tests of missiles or systems for missiles which is the largest component of blood belonging to a vast spectrum of ranges and (around 55%) and consists mostly of water purposes. (over 90%). It is the yellow liquid that remains after cells are removed from blood Some of them include Shaurya Missile, that helps circulate proteins, nutrients and Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of hormones throughout the body. Torpedo (SMART) system, Stand-Off Anti  Convalescent plasma therapy is a Tank Missile (SANT) and Rudram, passive immunisation process. Organisation of India (DRDO) and the  It is simply the transfusion of NPOM of Russia. plasma containing antibodies from  Brahmos is named on the rivers immune survivors of infectious Brahmaputra and Moskva. diseases to the affected individuals.  Brahmos is the heaviest weapon to be  Passive immunisation in general, deployed on Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft, could be either natural or acquired. with a weight of 2.5 tonnes. When an infant receives antibodies

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market and it involves resource- intensive processes such as from the mother’s milk or placenta, plasmapheresis, it is natural. plasma storage, and measurement  On the contrary, in convalescent of neutralising antibodies. plasma therapy, the transfer  A limited number of institutes in happens artificially India have the capacity to  When the body encounters a new undertake these procedures in a germ, it makes proteins called quality-assured manner antibodies that are specially targeted to fight the infection. What are the findings of Trials ?  Scientists have been interested in  PLACID was a randomised plasma as a COVID-19 treatment controlled trial in 39 hospitals because it contains these antibodies spread across 14 states and Union that are developed after an Territories and representing 25 infection. cities.  The therapy involves using their  While use of convalescent plasma plasma to help others recover. For seemed to improve resolution of Covid-19, this has been one of the shortness of breath and fatigue in treatment options. patients with moderate Covid-19,  The donor would have to be a this did not translate into a documented case of Covid-19 and reduction in 28-day mortality or healthy for 28 days since the last progression to severe disease symptoms. Elsewhere in the world,  Plasma Therapy is not new it was  In China, a controlled trial of 103 employed in H1N1 influenza, patients with severe Covid-19 Ebola, SARS and MERS. reported no effect of convalescent plasma treatment in terms of time Is Plasma Therapy Completely Safe ? to clinical improvement.  In the Netherlands, the ConCOVID Plasma Therapy is not a complete safe procedure, trial, prematurely terminated after it has some issues they are, 86 patients had been enrolled,  Risk of transmission of allergic could not find any effect on reactions like fever, itching, to life- mortality at 60 days, hospital stay, threatening allergic reactions and or disease severity at 15 days. lung injury.  If Plasma has undetected virus Way Forward : during COVID testing if may  This is a new virus, and around the increase the viral load in patients world evidence is still emerging on  Even though the risk associated the best therapeutic options. with Plasma can be minimised, it  For example, remdesivir has been cannot be zero sanctioned as a drug of choice by  Plasma Therapy has some the US drug regulator, while the procedural issues such as non World Health Organization’s availability of donors, sale of Solidarity Trial has found it had convalescent plasma in black

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little or no effect on 28-day Covid Butterflies are sensitive species that are extremely mortality. susceptible to changes in climate.  And experts said use of They are, therefore, good indicators of long-term convalescent therapy has saved change in climatic conditions some lives but concerns have been raised by the PLACID trial. 4.Uttarakhand mulls plantation drive in other  Experts claim that guidelines are states to clear compensatory afforestation not necessarily binding and it is too backlog early to drop plasma therapy from the guidelines. To clear the backlog for compensatory afforestation over the next two years, the Facts : Uttarakhand Forest Department is mulling a India’s first plasma bank was opened in plantation drive in Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand Delhi (A plasma bank functions like a region and parts of Rajasthan. blood bank) Compensatory afforestation is done against the transfer of forest land for non-forestry purposes like the development of dams, mining and the PRELIMS TIT BITS construction of industries or roads. In compensatory plantation, 1,100 plants are planted 1.Goa Approves New Tourism Policy over an area of one hectare. The Goa government approved the Goa Tourism 5. A child has to learn his mother tongue to Policy 2020, with a vision to make the state the gain a foundation, says Supreme Court “most preferred destination around the year for high-spending tourists” in 2024 The Andhra Pradesh government has approached the Supreme Court challenging its State High 2.RBI to move to nextgen application for Court decision to strike down a government order FOREX of November 2019 which made English medium In a bid to improve its functioning, the Reserve education compulsory from classes I to VI in Bank has decided to move to the Next Generation primary, upper primary and high schools under all Treasury Application (NGTA) for managing the managements from 2020-21. It was to be country's foreign exchange and gold reserves. gradually extended to each further class from the consequent academic years. The NGTA, according to the RBI, would be a web-based application providing scalability, A child has to learn his mother tongue to gain a maneuverability and flexibility to introduce new foundation, the Supreme Court accosted Jagan products and securities, besides supporting multi- Mohan Reddy-led Andhra government’s logic that currency transactions and settlements. children, without learning English, get ‘isolated’. 3.Climate change driving butterflies, moths The National Education Policy 2020 urges for higher up Himalayas high-quality textbooks in mother tongue and for teachers to adopt a bilingual approach. A survey, funded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and carried out by the The National Curriculum Framework of 2005 and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have found that Section 29 of the Right to Education Act of 2009 Rising average temperatures in the Himalayan required the medium of instruction hall, as far as region have driven several dozen species of practicable, to be in child’s mother tongue. butterfly and moth to habitats higher up the 6. U.P. govt. inks agreement with Swiss firm mountains for Jewar airport

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The Uttar Pradesh government signed a A dedicated Tree Transplantation Cell will also be concession agreement with Zurich Airport formed by the Delhi government and local International for designing, building and operating committees, which will include government the Noida International Airport at Jewar for a officials, citizens, RWAs to monitor the period of 40 years. transplanted trees and to certify that the task has been done with due diligence. The airport will be developed on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis and is scheduled to open in 2024. 9. Indian tag for ‘Pak’ butterfly, ‘Chinese’ It will be located at a distance of 70 kms from dragonfly Delhi, 40 kms from Noida and 130 kms from Pakistani butterfly and Chinese dragonfly species Agra. have been included in lists of indigenous species 7.Tripura Launches Bamboo Rice The Spialia zebra (Pakistani Butterfly) butterfly Tripura has launched ‘bamboo rice’, an exotic would add to the richness of Rajasthan’s Phulwari variety of rice derived from flower blossoms in ki Nal Wildlife Sanctuary and Sita Mata Wildlife bamboo trees. Sanctuary The special rice is claimed to have high protein, Atratothemis Reelsi (Chinese Dragonfly) was anti-joint pain and anti-diabetic benefits. recorded in southern Arunachal Pradesh’s Namdapha Tiger Reserve. Odisha is famous for bamboo rice. 10.Endangered Tree Species rediscovered in While bamboo rice or mulayari grows only once Kerala in several years, in case a dying bamboo shoot flowers and leaves its seed in it. Muli bamboo, Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical which is commonly grown in Tripura, is Botanic Garden and Research Institute particularly favorable for this sweet, wheaty, (JNTBGRI) in Kerala have rediscovered an nutritious bamboo rice. endangered tree species 184 years after its first collection. Earlier Tripura Government has launched the Bamboo bottles and Bamboo cookies 8.Delhi Cabinet nods for “Tree A tree from the species has been identified in front Transplantation Policy” of Koonayil Ayiravilli Siva temple at Paravur in Kollam district. Delhi is the first State in the country where this policy has been passed. Madhuca diplostemon, a species of flowering plant from Sapotaceae family, has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. This species was first described by Robert Wight, a surgeon-botanist of the East India Company, based on his collection from Kollam in 1835 which comprises three specimens with immature flower buds. 11.Gallants of Galwan

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The Indian Army has built a memorial in Eastern When police did not let them move forward, an Ladakh for the 20 personnel killed in the violent altercation led to firing, killing Barua at the head clash at Galwan Valley on June 15 of the procession. 12. Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) 14. “Tech For Tribals” Summit TRIFED, IIT Kanpur and Chhattisgarh MFP It is a global summit of Overseas and Resident Federation E-Launch “Tech for Tribals” Initiative Indian scientists and academicians. TRIFED, in collaboration with Ministry of Small Key areas of discussion will include: quantum and Medium Enterprises (MSME) under the technologies, artificial intelligence and machine Entrepreneurship and Skill Development learning, communications technologies, Programme (ESDP), commenced the ‘Tech for computational and data sciences and aerospace Tribals’ programme that aims at the holistic technologies among others. development of tribals with a focus on entrepreneurship development, soft skills, IT, and The Summit is a joint effort of various Science & business development through SHGs operating Technology (S&T) and Academic organisations, through Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs). including Department of S&T, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It will Bridge the Gap between Tribal Entrepreneurs and Urban Markets 13. ICGS Kanaklata Barua 15. 'KAPILA' (Kalam Program for Intellectual A Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) named ICGS Property Literacy and Awareness) campaign Kanaklata Barua was commissioned in the Indian Coast Guard Union Education Minister launched the 'KAPILA' (Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy It is the fifth and last in a series of FPVs built by and Awareness) campaign on the 89th birth Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers anniversary of former President and Scientist Late (GRSE) Ltd. The other four are ICGS Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Priyadarshini (named after Indira Gandhi), ICGS Annie Besant, ICGS Kamala Devi (after Kamala Under this campaign, students pursuing education Devi Chattopadhyay), and ICGS Amrit Kaur. in higher educational institutions will get information about the correct system of Officials said these are suited for patrolling, application process for patenting their invention maritime surveillance, anti-smuggling, anti- and they will be aware of their rights. poaching operations and also for fishery protection, and rescue and search missions. It has also been decided to celebrate the week of October 15th to 23rd as ‘Intellectual Property These FPVs are medium-range surface vessels Literacy Week’. with a length of around 50 m, and a displacement of over 300 tonnes. 16. Decade of Healthy Ageing (2020-2030) One of the youngest martyrs of the Quit India 1st October, 2020 is the launch year of Decade of Movement, Kanaklata Barua has iconic status in Healthy Ageing (2020-2030) Assam. Every year 1st October is celebrated as the Barua, then 17, led the Mukti Bahini, a procession International Day of Older Persons, as declared by of freedom fighters to unfurl the Tricolour at United Nations, to recognize, enable and expand Gohpur police station on September 20, 1942. the contributions of older people in their families, communities and societies at large and to raise awareness towards issues of ageing

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17. MoU Signed between ISLRTC and NCERT Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the construction of 66 MW Dhaulasidh Hydro Project A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was at Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. signed between Indian Sign Language Research and Training Center-ISLRTC (a National Institute The project is proposed on the horse shoe curve of of DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and the Beas Empowerment) and NCERT (a National Institute 21. SCO Virtual Summit of Ministry of Education) to make education materials accessible for Deaf children in their India Hosts Virtual Summit of Ministers of Justice preferred format of communication viz Indian of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Sign Language 22. India – International Food and Agriculture Signing of this MoU is based on the UNICEF’s Week initiative “Accessible Digital Textbooks for All” India - International Food & Agri Week being 18. ADB and India organised from 16th to 22nd October 2020, Under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, MoFPI has The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the started PMFME (PM Formalisation of Micro food Government of India signed a $270 million loan Enterprises) scheme with an outlay of Rs 20,000 to develop water supply and integrated storm crores. This scheme will support 2 lakh micro water and sewage management infrastructure and food processing units with credit linked subsidy strengthen capacities of urban local bodies (ULBs) and would focus on supporting the SHGs, FPOs for improved service delivery in the state of and cottage industry Madhya Pradesh and a $300 million loan to finance inclusive and sustainable water supply and 23. FAO Commemorative coin sanitation infrastructure and services in 14 secondary towns of the state of Rajasthan PM releases commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination to mark the 75th Anniversary of ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, FAO inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate 24. Cloud Innovation Centre extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned NITI Aayog announced the establishment of a by 68 members—49 from the region. Frontier Technologies Cloud Innovation Centre, 19. Exercise Suraksha Kavach CIC with Amazon Web Services, AWS. It is the first of its kind in India. Exercise Suraksha Kavach is a Joint Anti-Terrorist Exercise by Indian Army and Maharashtra Police 25. SLINEX-20 at Lullanagar Pune Indian Navy – Sri Lanka Navy Maritime Exercise The aim of the exercise was to harmonize the SLINEX-20 off Trincomalee drills and procedures of both Army and Police for The Eighth Edition of annual Indian Navy (IN) – activating anti-terrorist Quick Reaction Teams Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) bilateral maritime exercise (QRTs) to counter any terrorist actions in Pune. SLINEX-20 is scheduled off Trincomalee, Sri The exercise involved participation of Quick Lanka from 19 to 21 October 2020. Reaction Teams, Dog Squads and Bomb Disposal The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted Teams of Army as well as Anti-Terrorism Squad off Visakhapatnam in September 2019. (ATS) and Quick Reaction Team of Maharashtra Police. SLINEX-20 aims to enhance inter-operability, improve mutual understanding and exchange best 20. Dhaulasidh Hydro Project

AP - 127, AF block, 6 th street, 11th Main Rd, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600040 OCTOBER 2020 CA KAMARAJ IAS ACADEMY Page | 57 practices and procedures for multi-faceted entered into foreign currency loan agreement with maritime operations between both navies. Japanese Government’s financial institution for JPY 50 billion (approx. USD 482 million or Rs. 26. Ayushman Sahakar Fund 3,582 crore). Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shri 31. DRIP Parshottam Rupala launches Rs. 10,000 crore NCDC Ayushman Sahakar Fund for creation of The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs healthcare infrastructure by cooperatives chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Dam Rehabilitation and 27. ADB Loans to India Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & Phase III The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the with the financial assistance of the World Bank Government of India signed a $177 million loan (WB), and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to upgrade 450 kilometers (km) of state highways (AIIB) to improve the safety and operational and major district roads in the state of performance of selected dams across the whole Maharashtra. country, along with institutional strengthening with system wide management approach. 28.Multimodal Logistic Park The project cost is Rs 10,211 crore. The Project Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and will be implemented over a period of 10 years MSMEs Shri Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation duration in two Phases, each of six years duration stone for country’s first Multi-modal Logistic with two years overlapping from April, 2021 to Park at Jogighopa in Assam. The Rs 693.97 crore March, 2031 park will provide direct air, road, rail and waterways connectivity to the people. It will be 32. OPERATION MERI SAHELI developed under the ambitious Bharatmala Indian Railways launches OPERATION MERI Pariyojana of the Government of India SAHELI - for focused action on security of Ministry envisages developing 35 Multi-modal women across all zones with an objective to Logistic Parks (MMLPs) in the country provide safety and security to lady passengers travelling by trains for their entire journey from SPVs will be formed for all these MMLPs, and starting station to destination station.It was a professionally qualified CEOs will be appointed started as a pilot initiative by RPF in South for each separately. Eastern Railway in September 2020 and after 29. Chairmanship of ILO getting encouraging response from lady passengers, it was extended to all zones After 35 years, India has assumed the Chairmanship of the Governing Body of 33. NABARD RIDF International Labour Organization - Shri Apurva NABARD has sanctioned loans worth ₹ 8504.30 Chandra, Secretary (Labour and Employment) has lakh under Rural Infrastructure Development been elected as the Chairperson of the Governing Fund (RIDF) to the Government of Goa for Body of the International Labour Organisation various Social Infrastructure Projects in the State. (ILO) for the period October 2020- June 2021. 34. IVC Dairy Production 30.JBIC GREEN Evidence of dairy production has been obtained in In the first funding for NTPC Ltd under Japan the Indus Valley Civilisation Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC)’s GREEN or Global Action for Reconciling Recently, a study by Indian and Canadian Economic growth and Environment preservation archaeologists has found that dairy products were initiative, India’s largest power producer today

AP - 127, AF block, 6 th street, 11th Main Rd, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600040 OCTOBER 2020 CA KAMARAJ IAS ACADEMY Page | 58 being produced by the Harappans as far back as Leave. However, the provision of Child Care 2500 BCE. Leave (CCL) will be available only for those male employees who happen to be “single male parent”. 2020 marks the 100 years of Discovery of Indus Valley Civilization 38. US Arm Sales to Taiwan 35. Sadhna Pass The US has approved arms sales to Taiwan worth around $1.8bn (£1.4bn), in a move that is likely to Sadhna Pass, previously called as Nastachun pass, increase tensions with China. is a mountain pass in Jammu and Kashmir. It is located in the Himalayas and connects Karnah 39.ADNOC’s Indian Investment tehsil of Kupwara district with the rest of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Indian administrated Kashmir valley. It is located UAE's biggest energy producer, is seeking Indian in the vast Shams Bri mountainous range. It is companies for partnership in its ambitious $45 about 3000 m above sea level. billion downstream petrochemical expansion Why was the Pass in News ? plans. ADNOC was the first foreign company to hire space at the underground crude oil storage Nine rifflewomen of the paramilitary force India has built as an insurance against supply and Assam Rifiles were deployed at the price disruptions. Sadhna pass, for combat functioning under the Army as a part of series of steps 40. India’s FOREX taken recently to contain the smuggling of The country's foreign exchange reserves touched a narcotics from across the line of control. life time high of $555.12 billion after it surged by $3.615 billion in the week ended October 16, according to RBI data 41. Britain’s first post BREXIT Deal Britain and Japan have formally signed a trade agreement, marking the UK's first big post-Brexit deal 42. Asafoetida cultivation India Asafoetida (Heeng) is endemic to Iran and Afghanistan, Heeng is not cultivated in India, It thrives in dry and cold desert conditions.India imports about 1,200 tonnes of raw heeng worth Rs 600 crore from Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. 36. Indian Army’s SAI Now, scientists at CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Indian Army has developed a simple and secure Bioresource, Palampur (IHBT), has planted the messaging application named the “Secure first sapling in Himachal Pradesh’s Kwaring Application for Internet (SAI)”. SAI will be village in Lahaul valley. utilised pan Army to facilitate secure messaging within the service. 43. Japan CO2 emission Japan, world's third largest economy and world's 37. Paternal Child Care Leave fifth-biggest emitter of CO2, vows to become Union Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances, carbon neutral by 2050 Pensions said that the male employees of the government are also now entitled to Child Care 44. Sri Lanka Constitutional Amendment

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The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s The second is about training 10000 tribal farmers Constitution that envisages expansive powers and in Aurangabad District of Maharashtra on greater immunity for the Executive President was sustainable natural farming based on Go-Adharith passed in Parliament farming techniques. 45. PM SVANidhi Ranking 50. Joginder War Memorial Uttar Pradesh government has secured the first Under the patronage of Arunachal Government, a rank in central government's the PM Atmanirbhar War Memorial has been constructed at Bum La Nidhi Scheme (SVANidhi Scheme) by approving named Joginder War Memorial, Bum La is a the highest number of loans under the scheme in border pass between Cona County (in Tibet) and the country. Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh (India).

46. Extension of ESI Govt. of India has now extended the Employees' UN @ 75 State Insurance (ESI) Scheme for the first time to October 24,2020 marks the diamond Arunachal Pradesh, with effect from 1st jubilee of the United Nations. November, 2020. All factories located in the district of Papum Pare of Arunachal Pradesh UN: employing 10 or more persons shall become eligible for coverage under ESI Act 1948  The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. 47. CBSE’s Facial Recognition System  It is currently made up of 193 Member The Central Board of Secondary Education States. (CBSE) has introduced ‘facial recognition system‘  The name "United Nations", coined by which will enable students to download their United States President Franklin D. digital academic documents of classes 10, 12. Roosevelt was first used in the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942. 48. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx  In 1945, representatives of 50 countries NASA’s OSIRIS-REx — Origins, Spectral met in San Francisco at the United Nations Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Conference on International Organization Regolith Explorer — spacecraft briefly touched to draw up the United Nations Charter. asteroid Bennu, from where it is meant to collect  The Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 samples of dust and pebbles and deliver them back by the representatives of the 50 countries. to Earth in 2023  The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the 49. Tribal Affairs Ministry initiatives Charter had been ratified by China, France, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs has launched the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the two Centers of Excellence for Tribal Welfare in a United States and by a majority of other collaboration between Ministry of Tribal Affairs signatories. and Art of Living (AoL)  United Nations Day is celebrated on 24 October each year. The first initiative ‘Strengthening PRIs (Panchayat  The main organs of the UN are the Raj Institutions’ will be launched in 5 districts of o General Assembly, Jharkhand, in creating awareness among elected o The Security Council, representatives of PRI about various Tribal Acts. o The Economic And Social Council, o The Trusteeship Council,

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o The International Court Of Justice, The General Assembly is the main deliberative, And policymaking and representative organ of the UN. o The Un Secretariat. All 193 Member States of the UN are represented  All were established in 1945 when the UN in the General Assembly, making it the only UN was founded. body with universal representation  Some important Funds and Programmes of UN Are UNSC: UNITED NATIONS SECURITY o The United Nations Development COUNCIL: Programme, New York City, USA The Security Council has primary responsibility, o The United Nations Environment under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of Programme, Nairobi, Kenya international peace and security. o The United Nations Population Fund, New York City, USA It has 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non- o UNICEF, New York City, USA permanent members). Each Member has one vote o World Food Programme, Rome, The five permanent members are Russia, the U.K., Italy China, France and the United States  Some Important Specialized Agencies under UN Are India has been elected for the non-permanent seat o Food and Agriculture at the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a two- Organization, Rome, Italy year term in 2021-22. o International Labor Organization, Geneva, Switzerland ECOSOC : THE UNITED NATIONS o United Nations Educational, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL Scientific and Cultural The Economic and Social Council is the principal Organization, Paris, France body for coordination, policy review, policy o World Health Organization, dialogue and recommendations on economic, Geneva, Switzerland social and environmental issues, as well as o World Intellectual Property implementation of internationally agreed Organization, Geneva, Switzerland development goals. o World Bank, Washington, DC, USA It serves as the central mechanism for activities of o International Monetary Fund, the UN system and its specialized agencies in the Washington, DC, USA economic, social and environmental fields,  There are six official languages of the supervising subsidiary and expert bodies. UN. These are Arabic, Chinese, It has 54 Members, elected by the General English, French, Russian and Spanish. Assembly for overlapping three-year terms.  To mark its 75th anniversary in 2020, the UN is igniting a people’s debate: UN75. It is the United Nations’ central platform for reflection, debate, and innovative thinking on  Through UN75, the UN will encourage sustainable development. people to put their opinions together to define how enhanced international TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL : cooperation can help realize a better world by 2045 The Trusteeship Council was established to provide international supervision for 11 Trust UNGA: UNITED NATIONS GENERAL Territories that had been placed under the ASSEMBLY: administration of seven Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare

AP - 127, AF block, 6 th street, 11th Main Rd, Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600040 OCTOBER 2020 CA KAMARAJ IAS ACADEMY Page | 61 the Territories for self-government and i. The Food and Agriculture Organization independence. (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international By 1994, all Trust Territories had attained self- efforts to defeat hunger. government or independence. ii. It was founded in 16th October 1945 and The Trusteeship Council suspended operation on 1 is headquartered in Rome. November 1994. iii. Their goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular By a resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the access to enough high-quality food to lead Council amended its rules of procedure to drop the active, healthy lives. obligation to meet annually and agreed to meet as iv. With over 194 member states, FAO occasion required -- by its decision or the decision works in over 130 countries worldwide. of its President, or at the request of a majority of v. FAO is governed by a biennial conference its members or the General Assembly or the representing each member country and the Security Council. European Union, which elects a 49- INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE member executive council The International Court of Justice is the principal 1942 - The name "United Nation" was coined judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands). 1945 - UN officially came into existence It is the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York (United States of America). 1957 - First UN Emergency Force (UNEF) The ICJ has a bench of 15 judges to settle legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give 1959 - Declaration of Rights of Child advisory opinions on legal questions Dalveer Bhandari, an Indian Justice, was re- elected as a judge to the International Court of 1979 - Discrimination Against Women Justice (ICJ) for the second term, he has been a judge from 2012 1981 - UNHCR: Nobel Peace Prize UN SECRETARIAT The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff 1988 - UN Peacekeeping Force : Nobel Peace Prize members who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the Organization's other principal organs. 1990 - UNICEF : World Summit for Children The Secretary-General is chief administrative officer of the Organization, appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the 1992 - First UN Security Council Summit Security Council for a five-year, renewable term vi. The FAO is composed of eight FAO@75 departments: Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Department, Economic and

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Social Development, Fisheries and i. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but Aquaculture, Forestry, Corporate Services five separate prizes that, according to and Technical Cooperation and Alfred Nobel's 1895 will, are awarded "to Programme Management those who, during the preceding year, have vii. World’s first food Survey was conducted conferred the greatest benefit to by FAO in 1946 humankind”. viii. In 1950- World Census of Agriculture ii. Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of was started Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or ix. FAO and the World Health Organization Medicine, Literature, and Peace created the Codex Alimentarius iii. Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901. Commission in 1961 to develop food iv. In 1968, a sixth prize was established in standards, guidelines and texts such as the field of Economic Sciences; however, codes of practice under the Joint FAO/ it is not considered a "Nobel Prize" but a WHO Food Standards Programme. "Nobel Memorial Prize" x. In 1996, FAO organized the World Food v. Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Summit, attended by 112 Heads or Deputy Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, was Heads of State and Government. The established by the Bank of Sweden and Summit concluded with the signing of the was first awarded in 1969. Rome Declaration, which established the vi. The recipient of each Nobel Prize receives goal of halving the number of people who three things- suffer from hunger by the year 2015 a. A Nobel diploma, each of which is xi. FAO created the International Plant a unique work of art Protection Convention or IPPC in 1952. b. A Nobel medal This international treaty organization c. A cash prize, which is split works to prevent the international spread between winners when there is of pests and plant diseases in both more than one. cultivated and wild plants vii. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences xii. State of Food Security and Nutrition is confers the prizes for physics, chemistry, one of the flagship publications of FAO and economics. xiii. The Food and Agriculture Organization of viii. The Karolinska Institute confers the prize the United Nations (FAO) leads the for physiology or medicine, and the programme Globally Important Swedish Academy confers the prize for Agricultural Heritage Systems literature. (GIAHS), which helps identify ways to ix. The Norwegian Nobel Committee based in mitigate threats faced by these systems and Oslo confers the prize for peace. their people and enhance the benefits NOBEL PRIZE PHYSICS 2020 derived from these dynamic systems. The systems in India which are designated as The 2020 Nobel Prize for physics has been GIAHS are Saffron Heritage of Kashmir awarded to Roger Penrose for black hole , Koraput Traditional Agriculture and discovery. Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming System Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez have also been xiv. 2020 is celebrated by FAO as jointly awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize for physics, International Year of Plant Health for discovering a supermassive compact object at the centre of the galaxy.

Andrea Ghez is the fourth woman to receive the NOBEL PRIZES 2020 physics prize since 1901

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What’s is Blackhole? Sagittarius A* is one of two black holes whose photographs have been captured by the Event Black hole is a region with extreme density, with Horizon Telescope project. an escape velocity so high that even light cannot escape it. Black holes do not emit or radiate anything, even light. (Escape velocity is the speed at which an object must travel to overcome a planet or an object’s So, there is no way their image can be captured. gravitational force) But the area just outside its boundary, called the event horizon, which has vast amounts of gas, Black holes generally emerge from the explosive clouds and plasma swirling violently, does emit deaths of certain large stars. When large stars, all kinds of radiations, even visible light. exhaust their nuclear fuel, they experience an explosive collapse in their core, to produce a black Through a network of giant telescopes, scientists hole. have collected radiations from outside the event horizon of the black hole, and recreate an image. Thus black hole is a point in space where matter is so compressed that it creates an extremely strong The black hole can be “seen” only because it is gravity field. enclosed within a very bright, orange-red doughnut-shaped ring in the image. Roger Penrose: Roger Penrose invented ingenious mathematical methods to explore Albert Einstein’s general IMAGE OF BLACKHOLE theory of relativity. He showed that the theory leads to the formation of black holes, those monsters in time and space that capture everything that enters them. Nothing, not even light, can escape. NOBEL PRIZE CHEMISTRY 2020 Genzel and Ghez: 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez each lead a Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna group of astronomers who have focused on a for development of a method for genome editing. region at the centre of the Milky Way since the early 1990s. With increasing precision, they have The CRISPR (short for Clustered Regularly mapped the orbits of the brightest stars that are Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) closest to the centre. Both groups found technology for gene-editing, their discovery, something that is both invisible and heavy, forcing known as Crispr-Cas9, is a way of making this jumble of stars to swirl around. This invisible specific and precise changes to the DNA mass has about four million solar masses squeezed contained in living cells. together in a region no larger than our solar With the help of Crispr-Cas9,in plant breeding, system. What is it that makes the stars at the heart researchers can give plants specifc characteristics, of the Milky Way swing around at such such as the ability to withstand drought in a astonishing speeds? According to the current warmer climate. theory of gravity, there is only one candidate – a supermassive black hole. In medicine, this gene editor is contributing to new cancer therapies and the first studies Image of Black Hole: attempting to cure inherited diseases and so on

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The technology replicates a natural defence developed mainly because it’s a very fast- mechanism in Streptococcus pyogenes that use a changing virus. similar method to protect itself from virus attacks. Before the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus, two A DNA strand, when broken, has a natural other viruses were known to cause hepatitis in tendency to repair itself but the auto-repair patients. mechanism can lead to the re-growth of a problematic sequence. The Hepatitis A virus was known to spread Scientists intervene during this auto-repair process mainly through contaminated food and water, and by supplying the desired sequence of genetic caused a relatively milder form of liver codes, which replaces the original sequence. inflammation. NOBEL PRIZE FOR MEDICINE 2020 Hepatitis B, discovered in the 1960s, was known American scientists Harvey J Alter and Charles M to transmit mainly through infected blood, and Rice and British-born scientist Michael Houghton caused a more serious form of the disease. jointly won the 2020 Nobel Prize for medicine/ Incidentally, the discovery of the Hepatitis B virus physiology for their discovery of the hepatitis C too was rewarded with a Nobel Prize in Medicine, virus. given to Baruch Blumberg in 1976. Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of There are vaccines available for this disease now. the liver. NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2020 It’s commonly caused by a viral infection, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis like This year the Nobel Peace Prize was given to UN autoimmune responses, medications, drugs, agency World Food Programme (WFP). toxins, and alcohol. The agency was given the prize for its efforts to There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as combat hunger and improve conditions for peace. types A, B, C, D, and E The Norwegian Nobel Committee highlighted the Hepatitis C virus is the cause of a vast majority of work done by the WFP to eradicate hunger and chronic hepatitis cases, or cases of serious liver underlined its role in the wake of the Covid-19 inflammation, in patients who required blood outbreak especially in countries such as Yemen, transfusion. the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan and Burkina Faso Hepatitis C virus and liver diseases caused by it afflict over 70 million people and cause about In 2019, the WFP provided assistance to close to 4,00,000 deaths each year. 100 million people in 88 countries who are victims of acute food insecurity and hunger About 6-11 million of the cases out of the total belong to India. In the face of the pandemic, the World Food Programme has demonstrated an impressive A vaccine for the Hepatitis C has still not been ability to intensify its efforts. As the organisation itself has stated, “Until the day we have a medical vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos.” World Food Programme was established in 1961 when then US President Dwight Eisenhower had suggested the idea of providing food aid through the UN system.

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By the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) (The winner's curse is a tendency for the winning and the United Nations General Assembly bid in an auction to exceed the intrinsic value or (UNGA) and became a full-fledged UN true worth of an item) programme in 1965. He developed a theory explaining the tendency of It launched its first development programme in successful bidders to place bids lower than their 1963 for Nubians in Sudan. own estimate of the item’s value to themselves or other buyers, because they feared paying too much The WFP is headquartered in Rome, Italy Milgrom came up with a theory to deal with a mix SVERIGES RIKSBANK PRIZE IN of common and private value, and he examined ECONOMIC SCIENCES 2020 the role of winner’s curse in such instances. Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences to He demonstrated that an auction format will give Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson. the seller higher expected revenue when bidders The pair is receiving the award for improvements learn more about each other’s estimated values to "auction theory" and inventions of new auction during the bidding process. formats An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by inviting bids auction theory is about how auctions lead to the discovery of the price of a commodity. It studies how auctions are designed, what rules govern them, how bidders behave and what outcomes are achieved.

As auctions help to sell a variety of products, a single auction design does not fit all types of commodities or sellers. NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE Three key variables need to be understood while The Nobel Prize in Literature 2020 has been designing an auction awarded to the USA poet Louise Glück "for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty st 1 Variable – Rules of an Auction makes individual existence universal." nd 2 Variable – Commodity/Service that is sold in Her poetry focuses on the painful reality of being the auction human, dealing with themes such as death, 3rd Variable – Uncertainity childhood, and family life. Using auction theory, it is possible to explain how these three factors influence the bidders’ strategic behaviour and thus the auction’s outcome.

Wilson developed the theory for auctions of objects with a common value — a value which is uncertain before the auction but, in the end, is the same for everyone.

Wilson showed what the “winner’s curse” is in an auction and how it affects bidding.

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