Daily News Simplified - DNS 29 02 20 Notes

SL. THE HINDU TOPICS NO. PAGE NO.

Farmers’ not to be hurt by govt. move to cut crop cover 1 15 premium: Bhutani

Growth slows to 4.7% in Q3, ‘bottomed out’, says Centre 2 01/15 Core sector grows 2.2% as power output picks up 3 Regional bonding 10

4 State lethargy amidst cough syrup poisoning 10

5 to allocate funds for Kalasa-Banduri project in Budget 08

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Title 1. Farmers’ not to be hurt by govt. move to cut crop cover premium: Bhutani (The Hindu – Pg. 15) Syllabus Prelims: Economy Mains: GS Paper III – Indian Economy Theme Crop insurance Highlights Context: CEO of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has said that Centre’s decision to reduce its subsidy share in the case of high premium crops under its flagship agricultural insurance scheme will not increase the cost to farmers. The CEO said that states must increase their share of subsidy under PMFBY so that extra burden does not fall on farmers. Centre had earlier capped its subsidy for premium rates up to 30% for unirrigated crops and 25% for irrigated areas and crops. Highlights of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) - 2016 • It provides for a premium of 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops, 1.5% for all Rabi crops and 5% for annual commercial and horticultural crops. • Balance premium will be paid by the Government to provide full insured amount to the farmers against crop loss on account of natural calamities. Changes made in February, 2020 • Central Subsidy under PMFBY and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) to be limited for premium rates upto 30% for unirrigated areas/crops and 25% for irrigated areas/crops. • Districts having 50% or more irrigated area will be considered as irrigated area/district (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).

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Title 2. Growth slows to 4.7% in Q3, ‘bottomed out’, says Centre (The Hindu Pg. No. 01) Core sector grows 2.2% as power output picks up (The Hindu Pg. No. 15) Syllabus Prelims: Economy Mains: GS Paper III – Indian Economy Theme Growth & Development Highlights Context – Owing to slump in manufacturing, the Indian economy continues to slow down. NSO data indicating the deceleration of ’s GDP to 4.7%, lowest in 7 years.

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Title 3. Regional bonding (The Hindu Pg. No. 10) Syllabus Prelims: Current event of International Relations Mains: GS Paper II - International Relations Theme Regional economic integration Highlights Context: o Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has shown interest in reviving regional economic integration and has also has also advocated for India-Pakistan dialogue.

Why India should take such a step? o India has more or less shut down all conversations on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). o The original purpose of the South Asian group was to build a platform where bilateral issues could be set aside in the interest of regional growth. o But India-Pakistan tensions have brought economic integration within the SAARC region to a “standstill”, o India has walked away from the ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). o Even BIMSTEC (which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand) has failed to give boost to more intra-regional trade.

There are two main reasons behind abysmally low trade integration in our region: o Since the government has made it clear that talks with Pakistan are strictly off the table, and hence a SAARC summit, which has not been held since 2014, is unlikely to be convened anytime soon. o The Indian government has taken a protectionist turn on multilateral trade pacts, is relying more on direct bilateral deals with countries rather than overarching ones that might expose Indian markets to flooding by Chinese goods. o But for any regional sub-grouping in South Asia to flourish, it is India that will have to make the most concessions given the vast trade deficits India’s neighbours have at present, which it may not wish to do.

What could be the alternative to this? o Mr. Wickremesinghe suggested an even smaller sub-grouping of four countries with complementary economies: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand, to begin the process of reducing tariffs and demolishing non-tariff barrier regimes.

How will this small grouping help India further its trade relations? o As India assumes leadership, a more integrated South Asian region would be better equipped to negotiate for better terms with RCEP so as not to be cut out of the “productivity network” in Asia, and envisioned an Economic Integration Road Map to speed up the process.

Hence, India needs to realize that the overall projection that India’s global reach will be severely constrained unless it is integrated with its neighbours, and tensions with Dated: 29-Feb-2020 DNS Notes

Pakistan are resolved, cannot be refuted. India needs to be more accommodative for the realisation of its ambitions.

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Title 4. State lethargy amidst cough syrup poisoning (The Hindu Pg. No. 10) Syllabus Prelims: Polity Mains: GS Paper II – Polity and governance Theme Drug regulation Highlights Context: This article highlights about death of children caused by consumption of cough syrup which has diethylene glycol in high content. Death caused • The article highlights that this fourth mass glycol poisoning event in India that has been caused due to a pharmaceutical drug. • Earlier incidents took place in 173, 1986 and 1998. In all these instances, high level of diethylene glycol in syrup could not be detected and this resulted in number of deaths. • Diethylene glycol is an anti-freezing agent that causes acute renal failure in the human body followed by paralysis, breathing difficulties and ultimately death mostly due to renal failure. What needs to be done? • The immediate concern for doctors, pharmacists and the drug regulators should be to prevent any more deaths. • The only way to do so is to account for each and every bottle of the poisoned syrup that has ever been sold in the Indian market and stop patients from consuming this drug any further. • Any patient who has consumed even a spoon of the syrup should then immediately be referred to a hospital for treatment. • So, government must take appropriate steps to spread awareness about the severe ill effects of consuming syrups having diethylene glycol. How did United States tackle the situation? • United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) in 1937, when the United States faced a similar situation with glycol poisoning, its entire field force of 239 inspectors and chemists were assigned to the task of tracking down every single bottle of the drug. • Even thrown bottle on streets were picked up by investigators. Further, awareness campaigns were conducted over radio and television. What needs to be done in India? • The government needs to take appropriate regulatory and preventive measures to prevent death caused by consumption of diethylene glycol. • Seriousness of the matter needs to be communicated to the public as soon as possible using various communication handles of government including social media. This must be done by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), which is responsible for overall drug regulation in Indian market. • DCGI needs to prepare a “Recall Policy” for such drugs and medicines if it shows any adverse effect on human health. • The 59th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health as well as the World Health Organization in its national regulatory assessment had warned the DCGI on the lack of a national recall framework in India. A set of recall guidelines was drafted in 2012 but was never notified into law. Central Drugs Standard Control Organization • The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India. • Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country and coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organizations by providing expert advice with a view of bring about the uniformity in the enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. • Further CDSCO along with state regulators, is jointly responsible for grant of licenses of certain specialized categories of critical Drugs such as blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera. • Within the CDSCO, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) regulates pharmaceutical and medical devices, under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. • The DCGI is advised by the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) and the Drug Consultative Dated: 29-Feb-2020 DNS Notes

Committee (DCC).

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Title 5. Karnataka to allocate funds for Kalasa-Banduri project in Budget (The Hindu Pg. No. 08) Syllabus Prelims: Polity Mains: GS Paper II – Polity and governance Theme Inter-state water dispute Highlights Context of the article The Centre recently issued a notification on sharing the waters of inter-State Mahadayi among Karnataka, , and . Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal • The tribunal was set up to settle the nearly four-decade-old dispute among Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra. The dispute has been a rallying political point for all political parties in Karnataka. • In its order on August 14, 2018, the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal allocated 13.42 tmcft of water from the Mahadayi to Karnataka. • Of the 13.42 tmcft of water allocated for Karnataka, 5.5 tmcft is meant for use within the river basin and for diversion to the Malaprabha reservoir, and around 8 tmcft for power generation. • However, the notification said the demand by Karnataka for diversion of 5.27 tmcft of water of Mahadayi river to the Supa reservoir of the Kali hydropower project for power generation has been rejected.

Kalasa-Bandura project It is a project undertaken by the Government of Karnataka to improve drinking water supply to the Districts of Belagavi, Dharwad and Gadag.

It involves building across Kalasa and Banduri, two tributaries of the Mahadayi River to divert water to the Malaprabha River

Mahadayi River ▪ The Mahadayi or , also known as Mhadei River, is described as the lifeline of the Indian state of Goa. The Mandovi and the Zuari are the two primary rivers in the state of Goa. ▪ River Mahadayi originates in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. The river has a length of 80.8 kilometres, 28.8 kilometres in Karnataka and 52 kilometres in Goa. ▪ Dhudsagar and Vajrapoha Falls are important waterfalls of Mhadayi/Mandovi River. Dhudhsagar falls forms the border between Karnataka and Goa states. ▪ Mahadayi has 19 tributaries, including Kalasa and Banduri.

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