Jatin Verma’s Current Affairs Magazine (September, 2019)

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Note: Our magazine covers important current affairs from all the important sources referred by UPSC CSE aspirants- The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB, RSTV, LSTV, Economic & Political Weekly and Frontline magazine and other journals. Since we do not want to compromise on quality of facts & analysis, the magazine might run into some extra pages. We assure you that we have tried our best to make this magazine the “one stop solution” for your current affairs preparation for UPSC CSE 2020.

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FOCUS ARTICLES

Economic Slowdown India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate slowed to a six-year low of 5% in the first quarter of the 2019-20 financial year, led by a dramatic slowdown in the manufacturing sector, according to GDP data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO). ● The growth of Gross Value Added (GVA) stood at 4.9% in the first quarter of the financial year 2019- 20, also the slowest in six years. ● Manufacturing sector grew at an anaemic two-year low of 0.6% in the first quarter of 2019-20, down from 12.1% in the same quarter of the previous year. ● Automobile Sector has as well reported a high double-digit decline in their sales in August as it continued to reel under one of the worst slowdowns in its history. ● Agriculture sector also saw a dramatic slowdown in growth to 2% from 5.1% over the same period. ● Real estate sector was also highlighted by the slowdown in its growth rate to 5.7% in the first quarter of this financial year, compared with 9.6% in the same quarter of 2018-19. ● Electricity and power generation, which is a leading indicator across the world, however grew by 8.6%, a good sign of green shoots towards higher growth. ● FMCG Sector - Parle-G, among the most recognizable brands in India, recorded a massive drop in sales recently

Nature of slowdown Slowdown in the Indian economy is contributed by structural problems and cyclical downswing. ● Structural change represents the fundamental changes that occur in the basic features of the economy over a long period. Structure of the economy therefore means the occupational structure, sectoral distribution of income, industrial pattern, composition of exports, saving- GDP ratio etc. ● Cyclical economic slowdown is a part of the business cycle having its peaks and troughs. The economy will be moving in cycles with periods of peak performance followed by a downturn and then a trough of low activity. The liquidity crisis in the economy could be a cyclical issue. According to RBI report current economic conditions are a result of cyclical downswing, with several structural problems which need to be addressed. The structural factors contributing to the slowdown are evident from the fact that the successive rate cuts by the Central Bank have not yielded the desired results. Reasons of Slowdown Internal Factors ● Implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) - High cost of compliance being prohibitive and complicated for the small scale manufacturers and traders, caused some hiccups to the Indian Economy. ● Demonetization - According to a US-based National Bureau of Economic Research, demonetisation lowered the GDP growth rate as a result of artificial liquidity crunch thereby impacting MSMEs and the rural economy adversely. ● Liquidity Crisis: Liquidity crisis led to crisis in almost all sectors including manufacturing, real estate and automobile sector. ● NBFC Crisis: The slowdown in the economy was further aggravated by the NBFC crisis triggered by the IL&FS default.

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● Gross fixed capital formation is down to levels before FY05. As income growth is lower, consumption is compressed or only maintained at the expense of savings. ● Decline in Rural Wage Growth - According to State Bank of India’s Ecowrap report, the real rural wage growth has plunged from 14.6 per cent in FY14 to merely 1.1 per cent in FY19. ● High Unemployment rate: The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) showed the unemployment rate in the country at 5.3% in rural India and 7.8% in urban India, resulting in an overall unemployment rate of 6.1%, at a 45-year high. ● Policy Facilitated Decline - Policy push like National Electric Mobility Mission, adoption of BS-VI etc.have caused cutting down of production with sales of passenger vehicles dropping to a near two- decade low and mass layoffs across several industries. ● Bank Credit also slowed down because banks have to make higher provisions for bad loans.

External Factors ● Trade war: According to the RBI, conduit through which trade wars and other sources of global spillovers impacted India during 2018-19 is the intertwining of the finance and confidence channels. ● Devaluation of the yuan : The threat of greater emerging market risk as a result of the yuan devaluation led to increased volatility in Indianbond markets, which triggered further weakness for the rupee. This increased India’s trade deficit and current account deficit. ● Iran Sanctions: It made crude oil imports a bit costlier for India thereby adversely impacting India’s trade deficit. ● Depressed Global Sentiments: With major countries across the world including Germany, U.S, Japan, China etc. showing subdued growth rates, investors have become cautious and reluctant to new investments. Recent Steps Taken By Government to Revive Economy ● Reduction in Corporate Tax Rate - The government has slashed the basic corporate tax rate for companies that do not seek exemptions to 22% from 30% while for new manufacturing companies it has been cut down to 15% from 25%. ● Bank Recapitalisation: Immediate infusion of Rs 70,000 crore into banks to boost their liquidity and lending capacity of banks by Rs 5 lakh crore. Housing finance companies would get up to Rs 30,000 crore with a view to revive the real estate sector. ● Banks Merger: 10 public sector banks to be merged into four. The consolidation of public sector banks will give them scale. This will enhanced their risk appetite.  It can hurt however credit growth further as banks will mostly look at consolidation of loan book and containing asset quality rather than scale up lending. ● Stimulus package: The package unveiled reduction of taxes, improvement of liquidity in the banking sector (formal and shadow), increased government spending on auto and infrastructure, and accelerated refunds of goods and services tax (GST). ● FDI policy reforms: Government has allowed 100 percent FDI in coal mining and contract manufacturing, eased sourcing norms for single-brand retailers and approved 26 per cent overseas investment in digital media. ● Budgetary Support: Slew of measures were taken in the budget to boost investment in India including tax cut on electric vehicles, widening scope of voluntary pension scheme and giving push to infrastructure development with an investment of Rs 100 lakh crore over the next five years. ● Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act, 2019: The Code provides a time-bound process for resolving insolvency in companies and among individuals. Insolvency is a situation where individuals or companies are unable to repay their outstanding debt.

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● SEBI FDI Relaxation Rules: Sebi has come out with rules for merger of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) and non-resident Indian and overseas citizens of India. This will bring a single regime for foreign investors. This will also regulate NRI and person of Indian origin fund inflows. ● Other Major Steps:  To bolster consumption, banks have decided to cut interest rates, a move that would lead to lower EMIs for home, auto and other loans.  Plan to encourage scrapping of old vehicles and removal of ban on government departments in buying new petrol and diesel vehicles.  In a bid to give fillip to job-creating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), pending GST refunds would be done within 30 days. ● Violation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations would not be treated as a criminal offence and only as a civil liability. ● Setting up of an entity for credit enhancement for infrastructure and housing projects, a task force to finalize the pipeline of infrastructure projects and simplification of Know Your Client (KYC) procedure to improve market access for foreign investors. ● Income tax notices and orders would be issued through a centralized system to curb harassment.

Economic Revival Package

The Union Government announced several measures through an economic revival package stimulating economic growth and markets.

Keynesian economic theory says the government should increase demand to boost growth. The theory supports expansionary fiscal policy. Its main tools are government spending on infrastructure, unemployment benefits, and education.

Features of Indian Government’s ‘Economic Revival Package’: a. Super-rich tax on foreign and domestic equity investors ● Government, reviving its fiscal policy, has removed surcharges on capital gains tax for transfer of equity shares. ● It also provisioned for the creation of a credit default swap market which will deepen the bond market. ● Easing tax liabilities and addressing the ongoing concerns of tax harassment by tax officials, the Government has also eliminated debenture redemption reserve requirements. ● The domestic investors are also relaxed with the withdrawal of surcharges. ● It will help in bringing offshore rupee market to domestic market. b. Exemption of startups from ‘angel tax’ ● In a major relief to entrepreneurs and start-ups, the Government has withdrawn the ‘angel tax’ for start-ups and their investors. ● Through the move, the Government has supported entrepreneurs and innovations, allowing them for a tax-free startup capital. c. Addressing distress in the auto sector ● The Government cancelled its decision for raising the one time registration fee on vehicles until June 2020. ● The Government also allowed the BS-IV vehicles, which are bought before April 2020, to remain operational for their full period of registration. ● The Government also allowed the continuation of registration of both electric and internal combustion vehicles. ● The Government will now focus on setting up of infrastructure for promoting electric vehicles and development and export of components like batteries. d. Infusion of ₹70,000 crore to PSBs

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● The Government in its economic revival package announced for the capital infusion of Rs 70000 crore in PSBs, which will help in boosting public sector banks and improving liquidity situations. ● With the “Keynesian ‘multiplier effect’”, the move will generate an additional lending and liquidity, of nearly Rs 5 lakh crore, in the financial system. e. Cheaper loans ● The RBI through the monetary policy has instructed the banks to pass the benefits of MCLR reductions to all borrowers. ● PSBs are instructed to return loan documents to customers within 15 days of loan closure. ● The RBI has also instructed for launching repo rate and external benchmark-linked loan products to ensure a reduced easy monthly installments of loans. f. GST refunds to MSMEs ● The Government following the recommendations of the U. K. Sinha Committee, has cleared that the MSMEs will be eased for the credit, marketing, technologies and delayed payments within 30 days. ● It has instructed the tax department to clear the currently pending GST refunds within 30 days and the GST refunds hereafter will be cleared in 60 days of applications. ● The Government will also consider an amendment to the MSME act to observe a single definition. Other provisions in the package: ● CSR violations unlike the Budget proposal, as a criminal offence, will now be treated as a civil offence. ● The Government has also proposed to form the task force to finalise ways to propose infrastructure projects to accelerate capital expenditure and investments.

Implications Positives ● It will strengthen India’s position as a global investment destination. ● Easing the tax norms for FPIs and domestic investors in equity market, the revival package will send a positive message for investors at global level. ● The withdrawal of angel tax will support entrepreneurs and startups in innovations and generating capitals. ● The move will step further in ease of doing business policy targets of India, attracting investments. ● It will also help in achieving progress in international rankings in various reports and allow India to grow with a faster pace than ever. Negatives ● In India’s case, based on the current fiscal health of the states and the Centre, there is limited legroom, any deviation from stated fiscal deficit targets can impede monetary policy transmission. ● This announcement is also a ‘U’ turn from the stated government stand of discouraging any industry specific stimulus package. ● Recently Chief Economic Advisor K Subramanian had spoken about India Inc’s tendency to “privatise profits and socialise losses” and warning industry against expecting a sector-specific stimulus package. ● Many of the government proposals made in the maiden Budget speech just last month have been either withdrawn or postponed.

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Way forward Long Terms Measures ● Structural Slowdown will need deep-seated reforms. The Government should bring more reforms in land market. Government must provide land to private according to their requirement. Labor market reforms are a must for accelerating growth. ● Boost to Rural Economy: The Centre must implement irrigation, road building and affordable housing schemes with a renewed sense of urgency. ● For countries like India, which traditionally run current account deficit, viable external financing can become an additional consideration for holding adequate precautionary buffers. Short Term Measures ● Revival of consumption demand and private investment - Banks need to pass on past rate cuts to borrowers at a faster pace by linking lending rate to repo rate. ● Need for countercyclical package: Government should provide sectoral incentives and confidence-building steps to the private sector. The Government should also focus to boost infrastructure investments and provide GST relief to specific sectors including the automobile sector, that could boost demand. Steps should also be taken to improve ease of doing business. ● Government should follow fiscal readjustments to boost growth without accumulating public debt, while supporting private investment in infrastructure. Private investment, is the 'key driver' that drives demand, creates capacity, increases labor productivity, introduces new technology, allows creative destruction, and generates jobs. ● Monetisation of Assets: This include strategic sale of loss making and defunct public sector enterprises (PSEs) sitting on large tracts of land that could be commercially utilised. ● Ease of FPI norms: This could give a boost to the overseas investment in the country which is an important source of economic growth and development in India. These altered norms will make the regulatory framework more investor-friendly for FPIs and a multidimensional approach is needed to solve the issues of FPIs and causes of outflows. A 2016 analysis by HSBC global research showed that domestic bottlenecks were more responsible for India’s lack of competitiveness in exports than the lack of global demand and the overvalued rupee put together. In other words, addressing bottlenecks such as better roads, more electricity, easier rules of doing business etc. will go a long way in boosting exports and the economy.

India-Russia Relations Prime Minister of India visited Vladivostok, Russia in September, on a two-day visit to participate in the 20th India-Russia Annual Summit and the fifth meeting of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). Key Takeaways from the summit ● Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership: Both the leaders agreed to facilitate exploring the potential of their strategic partnership to the fullest, while demonstrating the special and privileged nature of the partnership. ● Russia Backed India’s decision on J&K: Russia has stated that the changes in the status are within the constitutional framework thus, supporting India’s move. ● Development of Russian Far East: India would extend a $1 billion line of credit towards the development of the Russian Far East. ● Maritime Route: A full-fledged maritime route between Chennai and Vladivostok was proposed.

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● Collaboration in Space: Russia will help train Indian astronauts for the manned space mission Gaganyaan. ● Intergovernmental Agreement on Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments: Both countries agreed to speed up preparations for the signing of the same. ● Military Cooperation: Successful implementation of bilateral programme on military and technical cooperation up to 2020 and working to update the same to extend to another 10 years. ● Cooperation in International Issues: Reform of the UN Security Council. Russia expressed its support for India’s candidacy for permanent membership of the UNSC. ● Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): Russia expressed its strong support for India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). ● Asia Pacific Region: Reaffirmed their commitment to building an equal and indivisible security architecture in Asia and the Pacific region.

East Economic Forum (EEF) & Russian Far East (RFE)

The EEF was set up in 2015, soon after the breakdown of relations of Russia with the West post the 2014 Ukrainian crisis, with the mandate of “economic development of Russia’s Far East and to expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Far east is a region situated in the cold Siberian climate but more significantly, it shares borders with China, Mongolia, North Korea and Japan (maritime). ● EEF is an international forum held annually, to support the economic development of Russia’s Far East and to expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. ● It was established by the decree of the President of the Russian federation in 2015. ● Serves as a platform for the discussion of key issues in the world economy, regional integration, and the development of new industrial and technological sectors, as well as of the global challenges facing Russia and other nations. ● It is held in Vladivostok each year. The recent forum was the 5th EEF and the first instance of an Indian Prime Minister attending the EEF.

Significance of EEF for India India has in recent years shown interest in expanding its presence in RFE for achieving the twin goals of improving bilateral economic ties and pursuing strategic interests with an eye on China and the broader Indo-Pacific. ● Russia’s Far East is a huge land mass which is rich in energy resources but is sparsely populated and underdeveloped. ● It is rich in natural resources like diamonds, stannary, borax materials, 50 gold, tungsten, and fish and seafood. ● About 1/3 of all coal reserves and hydro-engineering resources of the country are here. ● Forests of the region comprise about 30% of the total forest area of Russia. ● The Russian leader’s attempt to diversify is aimed at lessening Russia’s growing dependence on China.

The RFE continues to face the challenges of demographic decline, outmigration, harsh weather conditions, concerns about the business climate, lack of infrastructure and connectivity. These have been further exacerbated by Russia’s own slowing economic growth rate and the impact of western sanctions.

India has unveiled the Russian edition of India’s ‘Look East, Act East’ policy, and has pledged to extend a $1 billion Line of Credit to Russia’s Far East region (RFE). It is expected to help finance

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Indian business projects in the region, and will be the “take-off point for Act Far East”.

Indo-Russia relationship is a time-tested relationship where both the countries recognized development as a key pillar of their relations. The relationship has gained its momentum after the signing of “Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership” in October 2000. Historical Perspective of Indo Russian Relationship Indo-Russian relations began to blossom only in the 1960s and 1970s. Over the past several decades, Indo- Russian relations had been marked by a high degree of political and strategic trust. As the relationship evolved, it gained strength based on five pillars such as similar political and strategic perceptions of the world; intensive military-technical cooperation; strong economic bonds; deep ties in science and technology; and people-to-people and cultural links. ● At the Beginning: India and Russia's similar political and strategic outlook was reflected in the positions the two countries took on international issues through the second half of the 20th century.  In 1971, India signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation with the Soviet Union to balance a China-U.S. rapprochement, a move that performs a vital role in Russia’s interpretation of Indian foreign policy till date.  The two countries' military-technical cooperation, has shown extraordinary levels of depth over the years. Russia has provided India entire production lines on military platforms - from aircraft to tanks.  In the 1980s, the then-unprecedented lease of a nuclear-powered submarine by the Soviet Union to India served as a reminder of the unique strategic trust shared by the two countries.

● Post-Cold War: The post-cold war duration were considered to be the worst years of Indo Russian relationship for several reasons like economic activity declined, cultural cooperation collapsed, collaboration in science and technology slid down, and military-technical cooperation took a precipitous drop.  The substantive relationship between the two countries was cemented with the signing of the Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership in October 2000.  This was further elevated to the level of Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership in December 2010.  India (with Pakistan) became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and it also engages with Russia in the BRICS forum.  The converging security interests of the two nations at the global and regional levels, is the factor that strengthens the foundation of the growing strategic dimension of the bilateral relationship.  Russia’s call for multi-polarity, multilateralism and reforms in the UN Security Council are backed by India and Russia supports India’s candidature for a seat in the Security Council (UNSC) thus, helping India gain a stronger role in the international system.

Strategic Relations between India and Russia The major areas of engagement and strategic relations between the two nations are as follows-  Political Relations  Annual Bilateral Summit: Is the highest institutionalized dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between the two countries, for which the leaders of both Nations meet annually.  Two Inter- Governmental Commissions: One on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), and another on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC- MTC), meet annually.

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 Indian Prime Minister and President of Russia in 2018 held their first informal Summit in the city of Sochi where the two leaders upgraded traditionally close relationship to a “special privileged strategic partnership.”  Defence Relations ● Indo-Russia military-technical cooperation has evolved from a simple buyer-seller framework to one involving joint research, development, and production of advanced defense technologies and systems. ● Both countries hold exchanges and training exercises between their armed forces annually. ● The first-ever TriServices exercise – ‘INDRA 2017’ took place in Vladivostok in 2017. Joint India-Russia Air force exercise ‘Avia Indra’ took place in Lipetsk in 2018. ● The Inter-Governmental Commission and its Working Groups and Sub-Groups review defense cooperation between the two countries. ● Major Joint Military Programme:  BrahMos cruise missile programme  5th generation fighter jet programme  Sukhoi Su-30MKI programme (230+ to be built by Hindustan Aeronautics)  Ilyushin/HAL Tactical Transport Aircraft  KA-226T twin-engine utility helicopters ● India entered into a joint venture with Russia to manufacture the legendary Kalashnikov assault rifles in India. ● In 2018, Russia sold the S-400 advanced air defence system to India.

 Economic Relations ● Intensifying the trade and economic relations has been identified as a priority by both the leaders. ● The Russian Ministry of Economic Development launched ‘Single window Service’ in October 2018 to facilitate hassle-free investment by Indian companies which will help achieve mutual trade and investment target. ● Some of the key priority sectors identified for focused interaction include hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, mining, fertilizers, heavy engineering, gems & jewelry, chemicals, fertilizers and agriculture & food processing industry. ● The overall investment target of USD 30 billion that was set for 2025 has already been reached. The investment target has been raised to USD 50bn by 2025 during the 19th Annual Bilateral Summit in October 2018. ● In the recent annual summit held in September 2019, the two countries decided to widen their trade, investment, energy and ICT partnership including five year roadmap for hydro-carbon sector comprising joint development of oil and gas fields in Russia and India, including offshore fields. ● Trading Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has been further proposed to eliminate barriers in mutual trade between India and Russia. ● According to the International Energy Agency, India will cross Japan as the world’s third largest oil user this year, and is expected to have the highest rate of growth of crude demand globally through 2040.  A few years ago, Russia’s oil giant, Rosneft, invested $12.9 billion in India’s second largest private oil refiner, Essar Oil, marking one of the biggest foreign investments in years.  ONGC Videsh Limited has substantive investments of over US$ 5 billion in two major oil and gas projects - Sakhalin-1 and Imperial Energy Limited (Tomsk). ● Sibur and Reliance Industries entered into a joint venture, setting up the Reliance Sibur Elastomers Private Limited in Jamnagar, Gujarat.  Sibur has agreed to share proprietary butyl rubber technology, staff training and access to the complex equipment of polymerisation reactors, which is unprecedented for a Russia company and marks a unique case of partnership between the two countries.

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Major Areas of Cooperation between India and Russia ● Co-operation in the Energy Sector: Russia is an important partner in peaceful uses of nuclear energy and it recognizes India as a country with advanced nuclear technology with an impeccable non- proliferation record.  Construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Units 1 & 2 is an example of fruitful cooperation between India and Russia.

● Space Co-operation: India-Russia cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of outer space dates back to about four decades.  A crucial MoU was signed between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Federal Space Agency of Russia 'ROSCOSMOS' on joint activities in the field of human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.  India and Russia have both signed agreements for cooperation and use of GLONASS.  India's first Satellite Aryabhata was launched into space with the cooperation of the Soviet Union.

● Cooperation in the Field of Science and Technology: The ongoing collaboration in the field of science & technology, under the Integrated Long-Term Programme of Co-operation (ILTP), is the largest cooperation programme in this sphere for both India and Russia.  In 2010, ILTP was extended for another 10 years with a renewed mandate "innovation-led technology programme”.  India-Russia Science and Technology Centre with a branch each in Delhi-NCR and Moscow was set up in 2011-12 in order to promote the transfer of technologies and their commercialization.  India-Russia Bridge to Innovation, cooperation in telemedicine, creation of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), GIAN, and the Russia-India Network (RIN) of Universities are being promoted to encourage the growth of bilateral interaction in the field of S&T.

● Cultural Engagement: The people to people ties between the two nations have been growing that strengthening the cultural relations.  Yoga in Russia has been growing and becoming increasingly popular since the 1980s, particularly in major cities and urban centers.  The President of India inaugurated the Year of Indian Culture ‘Namaste Russia’ in Moscow on 10 May 2015.  A Joint Postage Stamp, with the theme “Folk Dance” was issued simultaneously in Delhi and Moscow in 2017.  Festival of India is being organized after a gap of 30 years, in the Russian Federation at the Kremlin Palace representing the different facets of the Indian culture. Indian film ‘Newton’ won the ‘Transform Nation’ film award during this festival.  Approximately 20 Russian Institutions, including leading universities and schools, regularly teach Hindi to about 1500 Russian students. ● At the 19th Annual Bilateral Summit, an MoU was also signed between India's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Russia's SIRIUS to further the Interaction between young people of India and Russia, especially schoolchildren.

 Indian Community ● Indian Community in the Russian Federation is estimated at about 30,710. ● Majority of Indian businessmen/companies in Russia are involved in trading. ● Some entities also represent Indian banks, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbon and engineering companies. ● Embassy of India School in Moscow is affiliated to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan in New Delhi with teachers deputed from India.

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Significance of the Relationship For Russia For India ● A huge market to trade its goods to bypass ● Russia's transfer of technology can boost the western sanctions imposed. indigenous industry which is in the infant ● India is a time-tested natural partner of Russia stage. as compared to China. And soon Russia will ● The country would profitable contribution in find itself in competition with it as Beijing Make in India Initiatives. regards itself as the new G2 along with the US. ● The Russia-India-China alliance can be used ● On other dimensions, India can assist to by India and be creatively strengthened. provide the multi-polarity that Russia fiercely ● The good diplomatic relationship improves seeks. India’s bargaining power when it negotiates ● India can act as a bridge between JAI & RIC arms sales with the West. and thereby ensure convergence of thoughts, ● Russian can prove to be a major market for peace and global harmony. Indian industry such as pharmaceuticals, ● India can provide inexpensive skilled workers manufactured goods, dairy Products, bovine to the under/sparsely populated and ageing meat and frozen seafood. Russia. ● Russia as a channel to influence the Taliban ● Russia using the leverage of India can play a after a U.S. withdrawal could play to India’s key role in the geo-politics & economic favour on the Afghanistan factor. exploitation of the Indo-pacific region. ● Opportunity for India to diversify its energy sources away from an unstable West Asia.

Russia-India-China (RIC) Forum RIC as a ‘diplomatic brand’ was born when three foreign ministers held the first trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2003. It was originally conceived by the former Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov. He pitched for a strategic triangle between Russia, India, and China. Significance of the RIC: The forum is a significant one in the context of various geopolitical issues such as regional security, issues affecting Asia-Pacific region, counter-terror efforts and coordination. The importance of the forum are as follows- ● Common Vision for the World Order: Each is committed to the creation of a multi-polar world order based on respect for international law, multilateralism, and collective decision-making. ● Economic Interests: RIC countries share a common interest in ensuring the continuance of economic globalization and are also committed to a process which seeks to reconcile regional demands for employment and resource allocation with the evolving pattern of global trade. ● Considerable Weight in the UN: Two of the members are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the most powerful body with wider acceptance among the nations. Further, RIC could be a good platform for UNSC reforms which India is seeking. ● Energy Cooperation: The potentials of cooperation between these three countries in the energy sector are really vast. While Russia is energy-rich country, both India and China are energy-hungry countries. ● Connectivity: There can be vast networks of transport and communication between the three countries by exploring the Silk Road through Afghanistan and Central Asia with links with these three countries.

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● Cooperation in other forums: Russia, India, and China are part of other regional and multilateral forum to which cooperation in RIC could pave the way for the cooperation of these countries in other forums. SCO and G-20 are such examples. Strains in Indo-Russia Relationship ● India’s growing relationships with U.S - In 2016, India became a major defence partner of the US, it began the 2+2 dialogue (2018), and signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA,) as well as the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA). ● Russia’s growing relationships with China and Pakistan, and its contentious relationship with U.S. - Russia overturned its decades-old policy and supplied China with advanced weapons systems including Sukhoi 35 and the S400 missile defence system.  It also engaged with Pakistan, much to the dismay of India, through the sale of Mi-35 helicopters and engines for JF-17 Thunder, and began joint military exercises. ● Low & Stagnant Bilateral Trade - Russia’s imports from India have fallen drastically since the Soviet era and overall trade has stagnated at about $7 to $8 billion. The challenge in front of India and Russia is that they need to transform a 20th century partnership and make it fit for the 21st century. Global trends are evolving rapidly and major powers are re-defining their ties with each other to match their contemporary requirements. Way-Forward Despite these strains, a strong India-Russia relationship is important because it gives extra maneuvering space for both countries vis-a-vis other actors. ● India needs to rebuild on its strengths and common concerns with the Russians and also needs to deepen its scientific and technological relations with Russia since a base for this already exists. ● Both India and Russia need to explore other avenues of cooperation, beyond defense technical cooperation to strengthen this relationship. ● From the Indian perspective, there is scope for improvement in trade between Russia and India if the international North-South corridor through Iran and the Vladivostok-Chennai sea route can be operationalized. ● India can benefit from hi-tech cooperation with Russia in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, outer space, and nanotechnology.

There is a broader scope for a “third” order, centered on Indo-Russian lines. The third order is reflective of the geopolitical realities in the region, based on a multi-polar, rules-based, mutually beneficial framework.

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POLITY & GOVERNANCE

One Nation, One Language In an occasion of ‘Hindi Diwas’, Union Home Minister had proposed to promote Hindi as the country’s common language, that led to several protests in Non-Hindi speaking states. Background ● Constitution on Hindi Language: The Part XVII of the Indian Constitution deals with Official Language. Article 351 says that it is the duty of the Union to encourage the spread of the Hindi language so that it may serve as a medium of communication.  Article 343(1): As per the article, the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script. The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union shall be the international form of Indian numerals.  Article 343 (2): The article mentioned that Hindi shall be the official language, but for a period of fifteen years from the commencement of this Constitution. ● Language Act: Hindi was voted as the official language by a single vote in the constituent assembly and it added, English would continue to be used as an associate official language for 15 years.  In early 1959, Jawaharlal Nehru had given an assurance in Parliament that English would continue to be in use as long as non-Hindi speaking people wanted it.  After that the Official Languages Act came into effect on the expiry of this 15-year period in 1965 which aggravated anti-Hindi agitation.  There are 22 languages constitutionally approved in India and besides this, hundreds of dialects (our nation has more than 415 different dialects) are spoken across the country.

Recently, a reference in draft NPE, 2019 to mandatory teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking States set off a political storm in Tamil Nadu, which is traditionally opposed to the compulsory study of Hindi. The draft had a sentence on flexibility in choice of language for school students. Subsequently, the reference to Hindi was dropped by the committee.

Three Language Formula ● Introduced by the first National Education Policy, the three-language formula stated that state governments should adopt and implement study of a modern Indian language, preferably one of the southern languages, apart from Hindi and English in the Hindi-speaking states, and of Hindi along with the regional language and English in the non-Hindi speaking states. ● The draft policy recommended that three language formula be continued and flexibility in the implementation of the formula should be provided. ● On promotion of Hindi, the NPE 1968 said every effort should be made to promote the language and that “in developing Hindi as the link language, due care should be taken to ensure that it will serve, as provided for in Article 351 of the Constitution, as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India. ● The establishment, in non-Hindi States, of colleges and other institutions of higher education which use Hindi as the medium of education should be encouraged. ● Incidentally, the NPE 1986 made no change in the 1968 policy on the three-language formula and the promotion of Hindi and repeated it verbatim.

Formula was sabotaged from two ends. While most non-Hindi speaking States did introduce Hindi, unfortunately the Hindi-speaking States bypassed the requirement to teach a non-Hindi language

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(preferably a South Indian language, said the original formulation). The other violation was that elites started shifting to English-only education with perfunctory knowledge of an Indian language.

● Recent Protests against Hindi Imposition: In the wake of this contentious issue, several non-Hindi speaking states showed anger and protests against the pitch of wordings by the Union Home Minister.  Many of pro-Kannada organisations took to streets in Bengaluru and other places in Karnataka to protest union home minister’s proposal of ‘One Nation, One Language’.  Apart from them, other non-Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andra Pradesh also saw several leaders lead protests against the proposal made.

Tamil Nadu’s Stand ● Southern states and Tamil Nadu in particular do not oppose the voluntary learning of Hindi. For example, the unhindered work of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, established in Chennai by Mahatma Gandhi in 1918 should be given due consideration. ● There is no bar on private schools, most of them affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, offering Hindi. ● The State has been following the two-language formula for many decades, under which only English and one regional language are compulsory in schools. ● An important aspect of the opposition to Hindi imposition is that many in Tamil Nadu see it as a fight to retain English. ● The people of southern India hold strongly to the idea that they are Dravidian language speakers. Hindi belongs to the group of Indo-European languages and is no less foreign in their reckoning than English is to them. ● English is seen as a bulwark against Hindi as well as the language of empowerment and knowledge.

Need of a Common Language ● Influence of Foreign Language: As per the Indian Home Ministry, there is a need for common language as there is a huge influence of English on the citizens of India. ● Impact on Indian Linguistic Culture: Due to the influence of foreign language, some of the Indian languages have been losing its inherent culture of talking common tongue. ● Making Unique Identity: As per the statements, it is important to have a language of the whole country which should become the identity of India globally.

Why the Protests? India is the home to many heterogeneous people speaking many languages and their dialects. As per the census of 2011, only 60% of total Hindi-speakers speak the native Hindi dialect. It is Article 29 that has given the right to a distinct language, script & culture to the India citizen. Southern states acknowledged that imposition of ‘Hindi’ is a violation of Article 29. The southern States since long has been protesting against Hindi as they fear that the plan to promote Hindi might make them secondary citizens and undermine the country’s integrity. Since 1965, Tamil Nadu had resisted the imposition of Hindi and also witnessed violent protests against the proposal that Hindi would be India’s only official language. Southern states also feel that imposition of Hindi is the hegemony of the North and the introduction of monoculture.

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Pros and Cons of ‘One Nation one Language’ Pros ● Common Identity for India: As India is the country of different languages, one common languages would reflect the identity of India in the world. ● Unity among the people of India: Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India, common Hindi language will unite people from different parts of the country. ● Glory in the multilingual nation: The people of this nation of different states are sometimes not able to communicate with each other, just because of the diversity in languages. Adopting a common national language help them communicate with other linguistic groups. ● National Language: Indian can’t accept a foreign language as a national language. As Hindi has already been accepted as the Official language, imposition can provide its national status.

Cons ● Hindi Imperialism: Many of the critics believed that imposition of one common language for India as an imposition of Hindi imperialism for others Non-Hindi speaking states. ● Breaking the diversity & beauty of the Tongues: As India is a diverse country with many languages, the imposition of Hindi as a common language will break the beauty of diversity in languages. ● Against Language Diversity Principle - What connects the country is the Constitution, which has made space for 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule. It upholds the language diversity principle. one particular language of the 22 languages cannot be brought forward to connect Indians. ● Linguistically Untenable - When a language tries to expand beyond its semantic-carrying capacity, it starts breaking up. It happened to Latin in the past. It happened to Sanskrit. And it is now happening to English as well. ● India is united in its diversity - Diversity is a great philosophical idea and should never be seen as a cultural burden. State cannot discard it for a purely majoritarian reason. ● Economically Disastrous - It will slow down migration and reduce the ease of capital flow.

Threats to Mother Language ● When languages fade, so does the world’s rich tapestry of cultural diversity. Opportunities, traditions, memory, mode of thinking and expression are lost. ● At least 43% of the estimated 6000 languages spoken in the world are endangered. UN says every two weeks a language disappears. ● Only a few hundred languages have a place in education systems and public domain. ● Less than a hundred languages used in the digital world. ● Rush to learn foreign languages for better job opportunities have played a deceptive role.

Importance of Mother Language ● It is Important in shaping feelings, emotions and thought process. ● It maintains languages of an ethnic and cultural group is critical to preserve cultural heritage and identify. ● Using one’s mother tongue at home makes it easier for children to be comfortable with cultural identity. ● It develops fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue. ● If the child is confused with a lot of languages in infancy, his/her cognitive facilities will not develop in a natural way.

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Way Ahead ● It is a fallacy to imagine that we need a common language to feel connected. Indians already feel connected due to a shared history of several millennia.

In an extraordinary phase of history, India had the ruler Ashoka of the Maurya dynasty trying to unify the people of his far-flung kingdom through ideals. ● Ashokan edicts range from the advice that you should respect the dharma of fellow citizens to being compassionate towards sentient beings. ● The language used in the edicts found in the eastern part of the subcontinent is a type of Magadhi, very likely the language of Ashoka’s court; the language used in the edicts found in the western part of India is closer to Sanskrit; and a bilingual edict in Afghanistan is written in both Aramaic and Greek. ● Ashoka was clearly aware of the bigger prize and had not allowed himself to be held back by narrow linguistic nationalism.

● The imposition of a common language can give a blow to the federal spirit of the constitution and also can create burning contentions among the different linguistic groups. Looking at this scenario, the government must act diplomatically and also take measures for the quality implementation of the ideas and make it easily accessible to the people. Otherwise, the imposition of Hindi may lead to the deep-seated language crisis in India.

Judicial Transfers

Madras High Court Chief Justice V K Tahilramani tendered her resignation following the Supreme Court collegium’s refusal to reconsider its decision to transfer her to Meghalaya High Court. The transfer has led to a barrage of criticism against the collegium and its opaque process of appointments and transfers.

A brief about the case ● Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India had recommended Justice Tahilramani’s transfer to the Meghalaya high court. ● She requested the collegium to reconsider the transfer recommendation, but the collegium rejected her appeal. ● Reacting to the collegium’s decision the judge sent her resignation to President and the CJI. ● The Supreme Court later issued a statement that each recommendation for transfer of Chief Justices and judges of the High Courts were made for cogent reasons, in compliance with the required procedure, in the better interest of administration of justice.

Previous Cases ● In 1981, the President issued an order to transfer then Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, M. M. Ismail, to the Kerala High Court. The case, famously known as the Judges Transfer Case or the First Judges Case, became a decisive step towards the creation of the Collegium system ● Earlier, in 2017, Justice Jayant Patel, who was slated to be appointed Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, had resigned when he was transferred to the Allahabad High Court.

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Process of transfer Article 222 of the Constitution authorises the President to transfer judges of the high courts in consultation with the Chief Justice of India. The Constitution does not lay down any kind of guideline as to the reasons for which a judge can be transferred. The Supreme Court has on certain occasions ruled on this issue and has provided some broad parameters. ● The President decides on the selection or transfer of judges of Supreme Court and High Courts in consultation with the apex court Collegium. The Collegium consists of Chief Justice of India and four senior most judges. ● In case of selection and transfer of High Court judges, the collegium consists of CJI and two senior most judges of the apex court. ● Consent of the judge is not necessary for him/her to be transferred.

When judges are transferred? ● When a judge is elevated to the post of a chief justice, he/she is generally transferred to the high court other than his/her present court. ● When a lawyer from the bar is appointed as a judge or when a judge from the lower court is promoted to the High Court, the transfer takes place to avoid instances of favouritism. ● In case of a complaint against a judge which does not lead to his impeachment, the judge is shifted to some other High Court.

The Supreme Court derives its power to select, appoint and transfer judges from its verdicts in Three Judges Cases. After a spate of “punishment transfers” of upright judges by the Central government during the Emergency in 1975, the judiciary arrogated to itself the power in order to preserve judicial independence.

However, the apex court’s power to transfer is not unfettered and absolute and can only be carried out in public interest for better administration of justice. ● The Supreme Court can order a judge’s transfer to improve the functioning of either of the High Courts or if there are close relatives of a judge practising in the same Court. ● The apex court can also do so if the judge has litigation or property interest in the State or has become controversial and so her continuance in the same High Court is not conducive. Supreme Court has ruled in multiple cases (Sankalchand 1978, SP Gupta 1982, SCORA 1993) that the power to transfer judges can only be used in public interest and to promote better administration of justice.

It is important to note that the transfer of a high court judge is a rare occurrence. This rarity makes the transfer of a judge a sensitive issue. There are legitimate concerns that the power of transfer can be used to penalise judges delivering inconvenient decisions.

Issues Raised ● This case once again brings under focus the problems associated with the collegium system of appointments and transfers. ● Judges of High Courts enjoy constitutional tenure and protection and cannot be subjected to public shame for undisclosed reasons.

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● Any arbitrary transfer by the Supreme Court collegium reduces the High Court judges to a subordinate status. ● There is no policy on;  How many times a judge can be transferred in his/her career.  Time gap between each transfer if a judge is transferred multiple times.  Clarity on how the transfer location is finalised. ● A single line explanation ‘in the interest of better administration of justice’ is appended to the transfer decisions. Unfortunately, the exact meaning of these terms still remains elusive.

Way-forward ● Ensure greater accountability - Judicial accountability promotes at least three discrete values: the rule of law, public confidence in the judiciary, and institutional responsibility. ● A settled and documented policy on transfers will allay significant concerns in this respect.  It could be based on the availability of expertise in specific areas of law at a given point of time in a given high court; it could be based on the idea of promoting a diverse court in each state. The Supreme Court cannot function as a sentinel of justice unless it puts its own house in order. Its functions, both judicial and administrative, have to be transparent and accountable.

National Register of Citizens (NRC) More than 19 lakh out of the 3.29 crore applicants in Assam were left of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) that was published recently to conclude a Supreme Court-monitored exercise that took five years. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) has been used as a tool to identify illegal immigrants of East Bengali (or now Bangladeshi) origin who entered Assam on or after 25 March 1971 – the date East Pakistan became Bangladesh – and have been living there since.

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● NRC was first conducted in 1951 to enumerate Indian citizens. ● There have been mass movements and violent agitations over the decades in Assam against infiltrators from Bangladesh and a demand to update the NRC.

Assam Accord ● The originally agreed cut-off date was 1985 Assam Accord. However, the ● A six-year agitation demanding identification and successive state governments did not take deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by much interest in identifying the foreigners the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) in 1979. It and deporting them. culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord. ● Through this accord, all those foreigners who had ● In view of the above developments, in entered Assam between 1951 and 1961 were to be 2005 another agreement was signed given full citizenship including the right to vote. between the Government of India & ● All those migrants who came to Assam between AASU to update the NRC, which was 1961 and 1971 were to be denied voting rights for published in 1951. But it was stopped to 10 years but enjoy the citizenship rights. control violence started in different parts ● People who entered the state after 24 March 1971 of the state. It was later resumed on a were to be treated as foreigners and deported. Supreme Court order. Criteria Adopted The criteria to identify the residents of Assam were done on the basis of Assam Accord. The people were excluded on the basis of the following criteria: a) Doubtful Voters: These have disenfranchised as they failed to prove their citizenship. b) Descendants of Doubtful voters c) Persons whose cases have been pending before the foreigners’ tribunal. d) Descendants of persons whose cases are pending before the foreigners’ tribunal. Election Commission’s D-Voter category: Introduced in 1997 during roll revisions, this exclusive-to- Assam voter category effectively strips a suspected foreigner or ‘illegal’ immigrant of voting rights or bars them from applying for a Voter ID in the future. Provisions Available to the Excluded People ● Being not included in NRC does not automatically make a person an illegal migrant. This has to be decided by the Foreigners Tribunals, whose sole task is to verify people citizenship in Assam. ● Thus, excluded people now have the option to file appeals in the Foreigners Tribunals and provide documentary evidence that show they meet the citizenship requirements of the NRC.

Foreigner Tribunals First introduced by virtue of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) (IMDT) Act of 1983, and later reintroduced in 2005 under the Foreigners Act ,1946, these tribunals issue summons to suspected ‘illegal’ migrants, both D-Voters and through direct referrals of the Assam Police’s border wing. Once a tribunal declares a foreigner as an illegal person, he or she is sent to a detention camp or deported to Bangladesh.

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● The Home Ministry has also extended the time to file appeals against exclusion in the Foreigners Tribunal from 60 to 120 days. At present, there are 100 FTs in Assam and 200 more will be functional soon. ● Excluded people will therefore get a window of about 10 months to prove their citizenship before being sent to detention centres. Appellants can then approach the High Court and the Supreme Court. Individuals excluded from the final list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam will not become stateless and will continue to enjoy equal rights available to all Indians till they have exhausted all the remedies available under the law. Problems in the NRC process ● Administrative and procedural discrepancies affect the marginalised and vulnerable the most as they are not able to produce enough documents in limited time due to their limited access. ● The burden of proof was shifted to the residents to prove that they were citizens, based on documents. ● Women have no birth certificates, are not sent to school, and are married before they become adults. Therefore, many of them have failed to claim their rights. ● Documents were often rejected for small discrepancies, such as in the English-language spelling of Bengali names or in the age even though it is well-known that most rural people do not know their dates of birth. ● In the middle of the NRC process, an arbitrary category was introduced of the ‘indigenous’ Assamese, who were treated much more leniently even when they could not produce the required documents. ● There have been instances where due to lack of procedural safeguards, Tribunals have issued notices to entire families, instead of just the suspected “foreigner”. This made the entire family vulnerable to orders of the Tribunal. Problems lying ahead ● Assam has six detention camps and the government is planning to build more for illegal migrants within existing jails. However, the list of illegal migrants is in lakhs which these detention centers won't be able to accommodate. ● Courts in India will be burdened and get exhaustive as the appeal period is short and cases are far too many which may further clog the process. ● India has no fixed policy for stateless persons. The only aspect that is more or less clear is that a stateless person will not have voting rights. As of now, nothing is clear about their rights to work, housing and government healthcare and education. ● Lack of cooperation from Bangladesh regarding the extradition of illegal migrants might create a humanitarian crisis. Way-Forward ● India should follow a cautious approach as decisions taken in haste may disenfranchise its own citizens. ● India should commence discussions with Bangladesh, to seek a mutually acceptable political solution for the issue of illegal immigrants. To work out a deal for repatriating these persons. ● Formulate a proper policy to tackle excluded persons from the list of NRC data. ● The Assam government should review the working of detention center’s for ‘declared foreigners’, enforce safeguards against arbitrary, discriminatory and indefinite detention, and align procedures and practices to principles of natural justice and to international norms and standards.

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● Provide legal support who have not proven their citizenship & review the working of the Foreigners Tribunals to make them effective judicial fora for redress for those likely to be aggrieved by NRC outcomes.

Jan Soochna Portal (JSP) Rajasthan has launched the first-ever Jan soochna portal, to provide information about government authorities and departments suo motu to the public in the true spirit of the RTI Act, especially Section 4 of the RTI Act that deals with proactive disclosure of information. It places the power of making the State government accountable to everyone who accesses the information made available on the portal. About Jan Soochna Portal ● The portal will initially give information pertaining to 13 departments- the employment guarantee program, sanitation, public distribution system, etc. The information provided is in-depth, covering all districts, blocks, and panchayats. ● The portal will be hosted in decentralized locations, right down to the municipal ward and panchayat levels, free of cost on the internet. ● Information kiosks in village panchayats and self-service e-Mitra centres in the towns will be established to enable the people to access the information. ● The portal also gives the details of every farmer in every bank branch whose loans have been waived, along with the amounts. ● This portal will also provide a list of mines in every district with geographical coordinates and the area where mining has been permitted, including the land deed identifiers. This will help in controlling the prevalent illegal mining in the state. ● It will also provide details about pollution and environment clearances. ● Grievance redressal officers will be appointed so that citizens can keep a check upon the accountability aspect of the State government. This kind of information can facilitate a progressive relationship between government and citizens for a cleaner society. Need ● Section 4(2) of the Act, which calls upon public authorities to publish information proactively, has not been implemented in its true spirit. ● Many government departments under the garb of e-governance often display information which is outdated, incomplete and difficult to understand. ● Even the better maintained central websites that display “dashboard” information don’t display effective real-time information. As a comprehensive platform for public information on government programs, the JSP, therefore, can advance the objective of transparency.

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National Digital Library of India

Human Resource Development Ministry under its National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology, NMEICT has launched the National Digital Library of India project to develop a framework of virtual repository of learning resources with a single-window search facility. Salient features

● Educational materials are available for users ranging from primary to post-graduate levels. ● NDL has been designed to benefit all kinds of users like students (of all levels), teachers, researchers, librarians, library users, professionals, differently abled users and all other lifelong learners. ● Information can be personalized, based on the education level, choice of language, difficulty level, media of content and such other factors.  This is thus like a ‘customised service’ provided in a 24x7 integrated environment where learners can find out the right resource with least effort and in minimum time. ● Repository hosts content from multiple subject domains like Technology, Science, Humanities, Agriculture and others. ● More than 60 types of learning resources are available - books, articles, manuscripts, video lectures, thesis, etc. ● Items are available in more than 70 languages. ● Repository integrates contents from different Indian Institutional Repositories.

About NMEICT

● NMEICT has been envisaged as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to leverage the potential of ICT in teaching and learning process for the benefit of all learners in Higher Education Institutions. This was expected to be a major intervention in enhancing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education by 5 percentage points during the XI Five Year Plan period. ● The three cardinal principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity and quality have been encompassed by the NMEICT. The Mission has two major components:  Providing connectivity, along with provision for access devices, to institutions and learners  Content generation

It seeks to bridge the digital divide, i.e. the gap in the skills to use computing devices for the purpose of teaching and learning among urban and rural teachers/learners in Higher Education domain.

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SCHEMES/BILLS/ACTS

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)

In a major effort to secure the lives of the farmers, the government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana.

● It is an old-age pension voluntary pension scheme for all landholding Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) in the country. ● The Scheme shall secure the lives of 5 Crore Small and Marginal Farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3000 per month, to those who attain 60 years of age.

Salient features ● It aims to provide a monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- to small and marginal farmers on attaining the age of 60 years. ● The farmers will have to make a monthly contribution of Rs.55 to Rs.200, depending on their age of entry, in the Pension Fund till they reach the age of 60 years. ● The beneficiaries have an option to pay their contributions either quarterly, 4-monthly or half-yearly basis. ● The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) shall be the Pension Fund Manager of the scheme and will be responsible for pension payout.

Eligibility criteria ● The farmer must be a small and marginal farmer i.e owns cultivable land up to 2 hectares as per land records. ● Age of the farmer must be 18- 40 years.

The scheme is expected to benefit at least 10 crore labourers and workers in the unorganised sector within the next five years making it one of the largest pension schemes of the world.

NIRVIK

Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) has introduced ‘NIRVIK’ scheme to ease the lending process and enhance loan availability for exporters.

● The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) currently provides credit guarantee of up to 60 percent loss. ● The new Export Credit Insurance Scheme (ECIS) which has been named the NIRVIK scheme will raise the insurance cover guarantee to 90 percent coverage of the principal and interest. ● The insurance cover will include both pre and post-shipment credit whereas in the present system two different documents are issued by the ECGC for both.

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Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) ● The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) is a fully government-owned company that was established in 1957 and based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. ● It comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Department of Commerce, Government of India. ● It is managed by an Asset Management Company which includes representatives from the Government, Reserve Bank of India, banking, insurance and exporting community. ● The functions of ECGC include credit risk insurance covers to exporters, guarantees to banks and financial institutions so that they provide better facilities to exporters. ● It ensures Overseas Investment Insurance to Indian companies investing in joint ventures abroad in the form of equity or loan and advances.

Project SU.RE Union Ministry of Textiles along with Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), the United Nations in India and IMG Reliance launched Project SU.RE, a move towards sustainable fashion.

● The SU.RE project is a commitment by India’s apparel industry to set a sustainable pathway for the Indian fashion industry. ● SU.RE stands for ‘Sustainable Resolution’ - a firm commitment from the industry to move towards fashion that contributes to a clean environment. ● The signatories have pledged to source/utilize a substantial portion of their total consumption using sustainable raw materials and processes, by the year 2025.

Need

● The Sustainability Report 2018 states that sustainability is the 4th criterion considered by consumers while choosing products. ● Without sustainable supply chains, the fashion industry will become less and less viable. ● This framework would help the industry reduce its carbon emissions, increase resource efficiency, tackle waste and water management, and create positive social impact to achieve long-term sustainability targets. Project SU.RE, driven by the leading industry association CMAI, along with a leader in sustainable fashion IMG Reliance, will be the first holistic effort by the apparel industry towards gradually introducing a broader framework for establishing critical sustainability goals for the industry.

About Project SU.RE

The five-point Sustainable Resolution is as follows:

● Develop a complete understanding of the environmental impact of the garments being currently produced by our brand. ● Develop a sustainable sourcing policy for consistently prioritizing and utilizing certified raw materials that have a positive impact on the environment. ● Make the right decisions about how, where, and what we source across the value chain by selecting sustainable and renewable materials and processes and ensuring their traceability. ● Communicate our sustainability initiatives effectively to consumers and media through our online and physical stores, product tags/labeling, social media, advertising campaigns and events.

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● Through these actions, shift a significant percentage of our supply chain to a sustainable chain by the year 2025, addressing critical global issues such as climate change.

Benefits

● It will address the needs of an increasingly conscious consumer who would prefer to buy from a brand that is environmentally conscious and engages in environmental protection. ● It will also underline the need for collaboration across the sector in order to bring about innovation and transformative change. ● Project SU.RE aims to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, especially SDG- 12 for responsible consumption and production.

This pledge will send a strong message to various stakeholders and producers in the apparel supply chain and encourage a wider sustainable approach to production that reduces the impact across environmental and social dimensions.

National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) Scheme

Ministry of Human Resource Development has announced a new PPP Scheme, National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) for using technology for better learning outcomes in Higher Education.

Objective

● The objective is to use Artificial Intelligence to make learning more personalized and customized as per the requirements of the learner. ● Development of technologies in Adaptive Learning to address the diversity of learners. ● There are a number of start-up companies developing this and MHRD would like to recognise such efforts and bring them under a common platform so that learners can access it easily. ● To create a National Alliance with such technology developing EdTech Companies through a PPP model.

Adaptive learning

● Adaptive learning is a technology-based educational system that analyzes a student’s performance in real-time and modifies teaching methods based on that data. ● In Adaptive learning, every student is provided with her own individual path of learning depending on how much he/she already knows or what he/she needs to know and the amount of time she needs to comprehend a particular concept.

Salient Features

● MHRD would act as a facilitator to ensure that the solutions are freely available to a large number of economically backward students. ● MHRD would create and maintain a National NEAT platform that would provide one-stop access to these technological solutions.

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● EdTech companies would be responsible for developing solutions and manage registration of learners through the NEAT portal.  They would be free to charge fees as per their policy.  As their contribution towards the National cause, they would have to offer free coupons to the extent of 25% of the total registrations for their solution through NEAT portal.  MHRD would distribute the free coupons for learning to the most socially/economically backward students. ● AICTE would be the implementing agency for NEAT programme. The scheme shall be administered under the guidance of an Apex Committee constituted by MHRD. ● Independent Expert Committees would be constituted for evaluating and selecting the EdTech solutions. ● Awareness programs would be taken up by MHRD to create awareness of the NEAT solutions to teachers and students. National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), Conferred The Prestigious SKOCH Governance Gold Award. The award has been conferred for its Portal for Affordable Credit and Interest Subvention Access (PAiSA).

PaiSA portal ● Launched in November 2018, it is a centralized IT platform which simplifies and streamlines release of interest subvention under the Mission. ● It offers end to end online solution for processing, payment, monitoring and tracking of interest subvention claims from banks on a monthly basis. ● It is designed and developed by Allahabad Bank (Nodal bank).

About DAY- NULM

National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) is renamed as Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-(DAY- NULM).

Objective ● To reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by enabling them to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in an appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots level. ● To provide the shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. ● To address the livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors by facilitating with suitable space, institutional credit, and social security and skills to the urban street vendor for accessing emerging market opportunities.

The scheme has two components one for urban India and other for rural India: ● The Urban component named as Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana will be implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.

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● The rural component named as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana will be implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.

Faculty Development Programmes- LEAP and ARPIT

Union Human Resource Development Ministry launched Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP) – 2019 and Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT) – 2019 under Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching in New Delhi.

Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP)

● LEAP is a three weeks leadership development training program (2 weeks domestic and one-week foreign training) for second level academic functionaries in public-funded higher education institutions. ● The main objective is to prepare the second tier academic heads that are potentially likely to assume leadership roles in the future.

Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT)

● It is a major and unique initiative launched in November 2018 for the online professional development of 5 million higher education faculty using the MOOCs platform SWAYAM. ● Under it, 75 discipline-specific institutions are identified and notified as National Resource Centres (NRCs) in phase I. ● These institutions will be tasked to prepare online training material with a focus on the latest developments in the discipline, methodologies for transacting revised curriculum and pedagogical improvements.

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

45th G7 Summit The 45th G7 Summit was held in France where Indian Prime Minister attended the summit as a special guest, though India is not a member of the G7 group.

G7 is an international forum of the seven leading industrialized nations such as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Decisions within the G7 are made on the basis of consensus. ● Every year the G7 meets for an annual summit, at which the heads of state and government discuss topics which are currently of particular global relevance. ● The annual G7 Leaders’ Summit typically ends with a final communiqué, which is a list of non-binding commitments that each country is expected to implement. ● The outcomes of summits are not legally binding, but compliance is high and their impact is substantial.

G8 ● This political forum ran from 1997 until 2014, and was the group of eight industrialists countries. ● Russia was added to the forum in 1997, but was suspended in 2014, due to Russia's conduct vis- à- vis Ukraine, which was considered to be inconsistent with the group's shared beliefs and responsibilities'. As of today, the forum is known as G7. ● The G-7 has its roots in an informal meeting of the finance ministers of France, Germany, the U.S., Great Britain, and Japan (the Group of Five) in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. ● The original countries that were members of this group were France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States. ● India is not a member of G7.

45th G7 meet and India's representation

● The summit gathers the leaders of the G7 itself, along with the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, to discuss global policy issues of high relevance on diplomatic agendas. ● Indian Prime Minister was personally invited by French President Emmanuel Macron which was a recognition of India as a major economic power. ● Other participating countries were Australia, Chile, South Africa, Rwanda, Senegal, Egypt and Burkina Faso.

Themes for 45Th Summit 2019:

The five themes that the summit put forward are as follows:

● Fighting inequality of opportunity, promoting in particular gender equality, access to education and high-quality health services ● Reducing environmental inequality by protecting our planet through climate finance and a fair ecological transition, preserving biodiversity and the oceans

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● Strengthening of the social dimension of globalization through more fair and equitable trade, tax and development policies ● Taking action for peace, against security threats and terrorism which weaken the foundations of our societies ● Tapping into the opportunities created by digital technology and artificial intelligence.

Major Outcomes of the Summit:

● Trade War: Leaders from the group have discussed the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, the Iran nuclear deal and the civil unrest in Hong Kong. ● International Crisis: France called the recent “Amazon fires’ as an international crisis as the issue is the main concerns for environmental perspective. ● Global Corporate Tax Code: France emphasized on the issue Global Corporate Tax Code that seeks to overhaul the global corporate tax code to make corporations like Google and Amazon to pay more. ● Iran-US Tensions: The meeting discussed the present tensions between the two nations since Trump pulled the US out of Iran’s internationally brokered 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on the Iranian economy. ● Solution on Ukraine: The summit also has discussed Ukraine's crisis, as Russia seized Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. ● Counter-Terrorism: Terrorism is the rising issue for the entire world and it remains threats for South- East Asian nations. Participating countries have also enlightened the issue and put forward measures to put an end to terrorist activities.

However, for the first time in the grouping’s 44-year old history, there was no joint communiqué.

Relevance of G7

G7 as international forum uphold the topics that are mutually beneficial for the participating countries and the globe as well. ● Global politico-economic Influence - G7 represents 58% of the global net wealth ($317 trillion) and more than 46% of the global gross domestic product (GDP). It also provides close to 70 % of all official development assistance (ODA). ● Forum for building personal relationships - It acts as an engaging platform between global leaders, which helps them effectively cooperate in times of crises. ● Deal with pressing issues - G7 ministers and officials meet on an ad hoc basis and create task forces or working groups to focus on specific issues of concern.

G7’s Relevance for India

● G7 is the platform that provides opportunity for India to discuss the issues like trade protectionism, terrorism and other threats as well.  The recently held summit has provided a platform for India to discuss the completion of Jaitapur nuclear power project, which is being built in partnership with France. ● Deepening ties with EU - India has traditionally found the European Union a difficult jurisdiction to navigate diplomatically. This is a new coalition in the making and deserves more attention. ● Safeguard its core sovereign concerns - Issues such as trade, Kashmir, and India’s relations with Russia and Iran were all discussed with G7 members. For example, Its message on Kashmir was clear: that is a sovereign issue and India is in control.

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● India participated in two sessions at the summit, on climate change and digitization, signaling India’s growing willingness to lead on issues that are points of contention for the transatlantic actors.

Limitations ● Absence of China - Many analysts believe that the G7 is no longer as influential as it once was, because of the absence of China and other emerging global powers like India, Brazil etc. ● Success of G20, an international forum of the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies in the world, has surpassed the G7. ● Rising of Protestors: Every year, G7 gathers thousands of protestors that claims, the grouping is completely outdated. Protest group also use the platform to lobby and campaign on issues that are important to them. ● Skewed Representation - It has no representative from any African, Russian or Middle Eastern nation. ● More of Bilateral meeting/deals among members countries reflect the narrow interests of member’s countries over pressing global issues which often evade consensus. ● Widening Divisions - The divisions among the group’s members runs deep, on issues ranging from trade to climate change to tensions with China, Iran, and Russia. ● Individual whims now shape the agenda and outcomes - France’s surprise invitation to Iran , the announcement of a new U.S.-Japanese trade deal ,and British Prime Minister’s statement on his plan to “talk tough” to the European Union.

G7, like many other steering mechanisms developed in the twentieth century, is struggling to find relevance in a parochial world order marked by so-called “coalitions of convenience.” However, India’s presence at the G7 will go down as another milestone in its rise as a “leading power.

Taliban Talks In a tweet, U.S. President abruptly called off ‘peace’ talks with the Taliban, led directly by the U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad citing the killing of an American soldier in a suicide bomb attack for which the Taliban claimed credit. ● U.S. President also revealed that he had secretly invited the Taliban and the Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, separately to Camp David over the weekend to clinch a deal personally.  Camp David was also where the historic Egypt-Israel accord was reached. ● The agreement to close a deal for US troops to leave Afghanistan, in return for a commitment that the Taliban would not allow terrorist activities had been in the making over nine rounds of talks, largely in Doha, Qatar. ● Afghan government was not a part of the talks on account of a Taliban veto. ● The agreement was centered primarily on an initial timetable for the withdrawal of around 5,400 out of nearly 14,000 U.S. troops from five Afghan bases in 135 days. ● It also included a tight timeline of two weeks to kick-start intra-Afghan talks before the Afghan presidential elections scheduled on September 28. ● Announcement of the agreement was accompanied by a wave of violence that included offensives against strategic provincial capitals in the north and suicide bombings. Criticisms of the Agreement/Talks ● The deal was loaded heavily towards the goal of a withdrawal of all U.S. troops by November 2020.

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● It was weak in guarantees against terrorism and lacked safeguards for the security and stability for Afghanistan. ● There were unresolved differences over the withdrawal of the remaining troops (8,600) amid U.S. insistence on a residual counter-terrorism (CT) and intelligence presence. ● The comprehensive ceasefire was watered down to a limited ‘reduction’ in violence. ● Intra-Afghan government talks were effectively downgraded, under Taliban pressure, to talks with a non-official delegation. ● The Afghan government with which the U.S. has bilateral strategic partnership and security agreements, was sidelined and powerless, ● It contributed to a public sense of helplessness that decisions regarding Afghanistan were being taken by foreigners. If successful, it would have paved the way for a dominant position for the Taliban in any future dispensation before they took over power altogether and pushed Afghanistan towards instability and even a civil war worse than the intra-Mujahideen fighting of the 1990s with unpredictable consequences. Way-Ahead For now, U.S has proclaimed the talks to be “dead” and ordered offensive operations. But it still needs a counter-terrorism strategy for which he would have to look for options. ● Afghan election authorities and security forces should be supported in every way to conduct free and fair elections as an exercise of Afghan sovereignty.  Its outcome could provide a stronger foundation for talks with the Taliban that are Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled, and not dictated. ● Afghan government should take the lead in forging a national consensus behind talks with the Taliban that it has failed to do until now. ● International community should support this process and focus its efforts on the Taliban to demonstrate their ‘nationalism’ by distancing themselves from Pakistan and negotiating directly with a representative of Afghan delegation. ● The Doha talks dispel any doubt that the route to peace in Afghanistan is through Pakistan even though it was the U.S. that was making the concessions. Every possible instrument should be brought to bear on Pakistan to deliver on this. ● Crucial to Afghanistan’s future is its ability to stand on its own feet economically, through investment in Afghanistan’s mineral sector to generate revenues, and militarily, through a progressive ‘Afghanisation’ of security forces at a lower budget. India should be able to help in this. ● India should be able to use its rapport with U.S and Russia to influence their policies and play a larger international diplomatic role in Afghanistan. The break that the U.S has caused will give all sides an opportunity to see what was wrong, reconsider their positions and begin a more inclusive “peace process”, rather than a deal that was window dressing a US surrender to the Taliban.

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Conciliation for India at WTO

The WTO has ruled that renewable energy incentives offered by U.S. were discriminatory.

Background of the Dispute ● According to Article III of the WTO’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) requires countries not to provide less favourable treatment to ‘like products’ originating from other nations. ● Like Product is identified by WTO based on certain criteria such as the product’s end use, composition, substitutability, consumer preferences and tariff classifications.  For example, a solar photovoltaic cell manufactured in the U.S. should be charged the same amount of tax as one made anywhere else in the world. ● But, certain States in the U.S. provide incentives to local producers in the form of tax rebates, refunds and credits when they produce renewable energy using locally manufactured products. ● Based on this, the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel in June accepted India’s claim in a dispute concerning U.S. regulations on domestic content requirement in the production of renewable energy. ● U.S has challenged the ruling, citing allegations against the WTO. Note: India had earlier lost a similar dispute in WTO over its own domestic content requirements.

Reasoning behind the ruling ● First, the U.S accepted that import from India was a ‘like product’ but what it disputed was that the figures quoted by India, showing a growth in the number of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in Washington State between 2005 and 2015 do not support its assertion that additional incentives given by states have induced the wide-scale adoption of locally made renewable energy products. ● However, the WTO panel rejected this argument, stating that the mere incentivisation of only the local products was sufficient to make a prima facie case that Washington State’s additional incentive affected the sale, purchase, transportation, distribution or use of the relevant products. ● The ruling is also important considering that the U.S. imported 44% of the Indian solar module exports in the 2018-2019 period.

Other Pending issues in WTO with regard to India

India- US ● U.S has challenged the export promotion scheme brought in by India and India disputes over the imposition of excess customs duty on steel and aluminum by the U.S. ● India claims that its export promotion schemes are in consonance with its developing country status while Washington has cited ‘national security’ as the reason for the imposition of the duty.

India –China ● In October last year, India hiked import duty on certain communication items, including base stations, to up to 20 per cent as part of efforts to check a widening current account deficit by curbing imports. ● Chinese Taipei has claimed that these measures appear to be inconsistent with India’s obligations and it perceives that India accords less favourable treatment to the commerce of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu of certain information and communication technology goods.

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● Owing to these reasons, Chinese Taipei has dragged India into the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism over imposition of import duties on certain ICT products, including mobile phones, alleging breach of global trade norms.

WTO ● The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. ● At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. ● The goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. Decision-making ● The WTO’s top decision-making body is the Ministerial Conference. Below this is the General Council and various other councils and committees. ● Ministerial conferences usually take place every two years. ● The General Council is the top day-to-day decision-making body. It meets a number of times a year in Geneva. Membership ● The WTO has over 160 members representing 98 percent of world trade. Over 20 countries are seeking to join the WTO. ● To join the WTO, a government has to bring its economic and trade policies in line with WTO rules and negotiate its terms of entry with the WTO membership.

Parties to a dispute can appeal a panel's ruling. Appeals have to be based on points of law, such as legal interpretation & they cannot re-open factual findings made by the panel. ● Each appeal is heard by three members of an Appellate Body, comprising persons of recognised authority and unaffiliated with any government. ● Each member of the appellate body is appointed for a fixed term. Generally, the Appellate Body has up to 3 months to conclude its report. The Geneva-based body can uphold, modify or reverse legal findings and conclusions of WTO's dispute panel and its reports. If the body's ruling goes against India, the country will have to comply with the order in six-seven months.

India-Asean FTA

India and 10-member bloc of South-East Asian nations have agreed to review their free trade agreement, signed in 2009, to make it more business-friendly and boost economic ties. ● The two sides also decided to constitute a joint committee for this purpose. ● This was agreed upon during the meeting between economic ministers of ASEAN and Commerce Minister in Bangkok during the 16th AEM -India consultations.

Background of India ASEAN Relations ● India’s engagement with the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) started with its “Look East Policy” in the year 1991.

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● India became a Full Dialogue Partner of ASEAN at the 5 th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in 1995 and a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1996. ● India and ASEAN have been holding summit level meetings on an annual basis since 2002.

About the ASEAN Free Trade Area ● The FTA in goods was signed in August 2009 (Bangkok, Thailand). It paves the way to mutually eliminate tariffs on approximately 4,500 products in a time bound manner. ● India hosted the latest ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on 26th January 2018. ● In the financial year 2017-18, Indo-ASEAN bilateral trade grew by almost 14% to reach US$ 81.3 billion. India’s imports from ASEAN were valued at US$ 47.13 billion while its exports to ASEAN stood at US$ 34.2 billion.

Issues with the FTA ● Though there has been a steady growth in the total trade between India and ASEAN in the last few decades, India suffers from tariff reductions in imports from ASEAN. ● In value-added sectors including chemicals and applied products, India’s negative trade balance has been increasing. Sectors which are suffering from negative trade balance constitute almost 75 per cent of India’s exports to ASEAN. ● As per an assessment, the FTA has led to a 250 per cent increase in India's trade deficit with ASEAN nations. ● The Indian domestic goods market is facing stiff competition because they have to compete with the cheaper goods of the ASEAN region.  For example, the rubber imports from Malaysia, palm oil imports from Indonesia have caused trouble for the local manufacturers of palm oil and rubber, especially the rubber plantations of Kerala who have complained of the cheaper imports ever since the agreement was about to be signed. ● Agreement in services yet to be enforced – As per ASEAN rules, until all nations do not ratifiy the FTAs in their Legislatures, the FTA will not be enforced.  Philippines hasn’t ratified the FTA in services as there will be direct competition in between India and the Philippines in services which would be a disadvantage for the latter. ● Over the years, the trade imbalance in favour of ASEAN has dearly hurt India’s Current Account Deficit and thus, hurt India overall fiscally.

Way forward ● In order to maximize the gains from the FTA, Asean and India must find mutually agreeable solutions to address the issue of standards. ● At the same time, the two partners must consider taking facilitation measures that would help in reducing the cost of doing business. ● Implementation of the recommendations of the ASEAN-India Business Council to further promote the potential of bilateral trades through the utilisation of ASEAN-India FTA as well as cooperation in some areas of mutual interest such as financial technology, connectivity, start-ups and innovation empowerment of youth and women and MSME development.

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In today’s world, economic relations cannot be strengthened without adequate focus being given to trade in services and investment. An early conclusion of agreements in both of these areas can clear the way for expanding both countries trade in goods to its full potential.

South-South and Triangular Cooperation

An international dialogue on South-South and Triangular Cooperation was recently held in New Delhi.

● South-South cooperation is a broad framework of collaboration among the countries of the South in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains. ● Developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet their development goals through concerted efforts. ● Involving two or more developing countries, it can take place on a bilateral, regional, intraregional or interregional basis.

Triangular cooperation

It is a collaboration in which traditional donor countries and multilateral organizations facilitate South-South initiatives through the provision of funding, training, management and technological systems as well as other forms of support.

Objectives of South-South Cooperation

● Promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among developing countries through the exchange of experiences, pooling, sharing and use of their technical and other resources. ● Create and strengthen existing technological capacities in the developing countries in order to improve the effectiveness with which such capacities are used. ● Increase and improve communications among developing countries, leading to a greater awareness of common problems and wider access to available knowledge and experience as well as the creation of new knowledge in tackling development problems. ● Recognize and respond to the problems and requirements of the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, Small Island developing States and the country’s most seriously affected by, for example, natural disasters and other crises. ● Enable developing countries to achieve a greater degree of participation in international economic activities and to expand international cooperation for development.

South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. India-Japan annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue

India and Japan have decided to hold their first Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2) ahead of the Japan-India annual summit this year for “advancing cooperation towards peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region”.

Developments that took place during India-Japan annual defence ministerial dialogue;

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● Both countries recognized that peace and stability of the Indian and Pacific Oceans are crucial for ensuring prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and the entire world. ● Both countries have decided to hold their first Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2). ● They also shared their intention that Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and Indian Navy will make efforts towards participating in multilateral exercises including participation as observers. ● Expressed their resolve “to continue the trilateral exercise between Japan-India-U.S. i.e. Malabar a maritime exercise, MINEX, a mine-countermeasures exercise in the same framework from next year onwards.

Background ● The Prime Ministers of Japan and India, in their vision statement in October 2018, had reiterated their commitment to working together towards a free and open Indo-Pacific. ● The Armies and Air Forces of India and Japan held their first bilateral exercises, ‘Dharma Guardian’ and ‘Shinyuu Maitri’, in 2018. ● Last year, Japan also joined the India-US Air Force exercise ‘Cope India’ as an observer for the first time. ● Implementation of the arrangement for deeper cooperation between the two Navies that was signed last year, has resulted in steady progress in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). ● Also negotiations for the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) is ongoing

2+2 dialogue ● ‘Two plus Two dialogue’ simply means that two appointed ministers from each country, the ministers of defence and external affairs in this case, will meet up to discuss the two countries’ strategic and security interests. ● The goal is to establish a diplomatic and fruitful conversation between the two countries’ respective heads of defence and external affairs.

Maritime Domain Awareness

Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is the effective understanding of anything associated with the global maritime domain that could impact the security, safety, economy or environment of the country.

India & Maritime Domain Awareness ● India has two centers - Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) and Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) located at Gurugram specifically for this purpose under the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project.  The IMAC monitors movement of more than 120,000 ships a year passing through the Indian Ocean. The cargo carried by these ships account for 66 percent of world crude oil, 50 percent of container traffic and 33 percent of bulk cargo.  Thus, IMAC performs a very crucial role in collecting shipping information, analysing traffic patterns and sharing the inputs with the user agencies.  The IFC-IOR, which is a collaborative initiative by the Indian Navy in coordination with partner nations and multinational maritime agencies to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness and Maritime Security.

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● The NMDA project was launched in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement ● It would allow the Indian military and the Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) to use each other’s bases for logistical support. ● The ACSA would permit the Indian Navy (IN) access to a Japanese base in Djibouti, while the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) would be permitted to use India’s military installations on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands located in the Indian Ocean, which lie near the Malacca Straits. ● ACSA will ease logistics for a number of joint Indo-Japanese military exercises apart from enhancing the strategic depth of bilateral security and defense cooperation.

South-East Asia Health Emergency Response Fund (SEARHEF)

India made an announcement during 72nd Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) regional committee for South-East Asia’, to contribute $2, 00,000 towards implementation of the preparedness stream under the South-East Asia Health Emergency Response Fund (SEARHEF).

Other major developments during Ministerial round-table on emergency preparedness; ● The Health Ministers of the South-East Asia Region of WHO signed the Delhi Declaration on Emergency Preparedness. ● India also highlighted Cyclone Fani as a case study in early preparedness and disaster management.

WHO South-East Regional Committee ● The WHO South-East Regional Committee is composed of representatives of the Member States and Associate Members in the Region. ● Territories or groups of territories within the Region, which are not responsible for the conduct of their international relations and which are not Associate Members, have the right to be represented and to participate in the sessions of the Regional Committee. ● The WHO South East Asia Region has 11 Member States: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor- Leste. ● The 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia meet took place in New Delhi

About South-East Asia Health Emergency Response Fund ● SEARHEF is a mechanism that allows for a more rapid response to disasters from natural and human-generated hazards. ● The fund has been established by the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office and its 11 Member States. ● Through the WHO country offices, the countries can obtain financial support from the fund within 24 hours of an emergency.

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International Migrant Stock 2019

According to the International Migrant Stock 2019, released by the UN DESA’s Population Division, India has emerged as the leading country of origin for immigrants across the world, with 17.5 million international migrants in 2019 coming from India, up from 15.9 million in 2015.

International Migrant Stock ● International Migrant Stock data provide an overview of the global stock of international migrants, including refugees, and allow for the comparison of countries and world regions. ● The main sources of information are the population census of individual countries (in about 70% of the cases).

Key Highlights ● The number of international migrants in the world had reached an estimated 272 million in 2019 which is 51 million more than in 2010. ● The percentage of international migrants of the total global population has increased to 3.5% from 2.8% in 2000. ● While India remained as the top source of international migrants, the number of migrants living in India saw a slight decline from 5.24 million in 2015 to an estimated 5.15 million in 2019. Bangladesh was the leading country of origin for migrants in India. ● About one-third of all international migrants originated from just 10 countries. After India, Mexico ranked second as the country of origin for 12 million migrants, followed by China (11 million), Russia (10 million) and Syria (8 million). ● The European region hosted the highest number of immigrants at 82 million in 2019, followed by North America (59 million) and Northern Africa and Western Asia (49 million). ● Among countries, the U.S. hosts the highest number of international migrants (51 million), about 19% of the global population. ● Around two-fifths of all international migrants had gone from one developing country to another. ● Forced displacements continue to rise, with the number of refugees and asylum seekers increased by about 13 million from 2010 to 2017.

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) ● It is part of the United Nations Secretariat and is also a member of the United Nations Development Group. It is based at UN Headquarters in New York. ● UN DESA’s mission is to promote sustainable development for all, focusing on the most vulnerable. ● This reflects a fundamental concern for equity and equality in countries large and small, developed and developing. ● UN DESA assists countries around the world in agenda-setting and decision-making with the goal of meeting their economic, social and environmental challenges.

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World Youth Conference for Kindness

First World Youth Conference on Kindness was organised by the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development and Ministry of Human Resource Development at the VigyanBhavan in New Delhi.

Objective

● Conference was organised with the aim to impart critical competencies (i.e. empathy, compassion, mindfulness and critical inquiry) in global youth to inspire, empower and enable them to transform themselves and build long-lasting peace in their communities. ● Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, the conference aimed to provide global youth and policymakers an innovative, engaging and inspiring platform to come together and strive to discover ground-breaking pathways to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Blue DOT magazine features articles showcasing UNESCO MGIEP’s activities and areas of interest. The magazine’s overarching theme is the relationship between education, peace and sustainable development and education for global citizenship.

Need and Significance

● The strife and violence that we see in the world today is often based in deep-rooted prejudices. These make us see the world through the binary of “us versus them”. ● Following Gandhiji’s footsteps, we let ourselves and our children interact and engage with those whom we tend to define as ‘them’. ● Greater interaction is the best way to develop a sensitive understanding, which can help us overcome our prejudices.

In recent times we are divided within the family, confined ourselves to computers and have made smartphones our world. Bapu's thoughts can prove helpful for us in dealing with these modern day problems arising out of materialisation.

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ECONOMY

RBI’s Transfer of Excess Capital

RBI’s Central Board in August decided to transfer a record surplus Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the government.

● RBI Board accepted the recommendations of Economic Capital Framework (ECF) headed by former Governor Bimal Jalan on transfer of excess capital. ● Based on the panel’s report, the Central Board decided to transfer a surplus of Rs 1.23 lakh crore and Rs 52,637 crore of excess provisions made over the years. ● This marks the first time the RBI will be paying out such a huge amount, a one-off transfer.

Economic Capital Framework (ECF) : Key Recommendations

● It also recommended a surplus distribution policy which targets not only the total economic capital but also the realized equity level of the RBI’s capital.  This will help bring about greater stability of surplus transfer to the government, with the quantum of the latter depending on balance sheet dynamics as well as the risk equity positioning by the Central Board. ● The committee defines economic capital as a combination of realized equity and revaluation reserves. ● It recommended that realized equity could be used for meeting all risks/ losses as they were primarily built up from retained earnings. ● While revaluation balances could be reckoned only as risk buffers against market risks as they represented unrealized valuation gains and hence were not distributable. ● This risk provisioning made primarily from retained earnings is cumulatively referred to as the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB) and has been recommended to be maintained within a range of 6.5% to 5.5% of the RBI’s balance sheet. ● The report recommended a review of the Economic Capital Framework every five years. However, in case of a significant change in the RBI’s risks and operating environment, an intermediate review may be considered. ● It suggested that an interim dividend to the government must only be made in exceptional circumstances. ● The committee recommended a more transparent presentation of the RBI’s annual accounts with regard to the components of economic capital. ● The Committee recommended the alignment of the financial year of RBI with the fiscal year of the government for greater cohesiveness in various projections and publications brought out by RBI.

Keeping these recommendations in view, the central board decided to set the realized equity level at 5.5% of the balance sheet, while transferring the remaining excess reserves worth ₹52,637 crore to the government.

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Background

● RBI transfers its surplus annually to the government, after making adequate provisions for contingencies or potential losses. ● The profit that is distributed has varied, averaging over Rs 50,000 crore over the last few years. ● The level of surplus or profits the RBI pays to the government has been an issue of conflict for long.

Controversy

● The government has long held the view that going by global benchmarks, the RBI’s reserves are far in excess of prudential requirements. Former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian had suggested that these funds be utilised to provide capital to government-owned banks. ● The central bank, on its part, has traditionally preferred to be more cautious and build its reserves keeping in mind potential threats from financial shocks, and the need to ensure financial stability and provide confidence to the markets. ● From the central bank’s perspective, bigger reserves on its balance sheet is crucial to maintaining its autonomy. ● Jalan committee reviewed the capital structure, statutory provisions and other issues relating to the RBI balance sheet.

Difference in India now and compared to the past

● The quantum is discussed and decided between the government and RBI. Periodically, this has been guided by the policies set out internally. ● Technical Committee of the RBI Board headed by Y H Malegam, reviewed the adequacy of reserves and surplus distribution policy, recommended, in 2013, a higher transfer to the government. ● Earlier, the RBI transferred part of the surplus to the Contingency Fund, to meet unexpected and unforeseen contingencies, and to the Asset Development Fund, to meet internal capital expenditure and investments in its subsidiaries. ● But after the Malegam committee made its recommendation, in 2013-14, the RBI’s transfer of surplus to the government as a percentage of gross income (less expenditure) shot up to 99.99% from 53.40% in 2012-13. ● The difference now is that the Jalan committee’s recommendation on a profit distribution policy has been endorsed by the Central Board. ● This will mean a more transparent and rule-based payout from next year, as in many other central banks, which could help narrow differences between the government and RBI.

Case in Other Countries

● In many top central banks like the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England, German Bundesbank, the Bank of Japan the laws make it clear that profits have to be transferred to the government or the treasury. ● UK with the Bank of England and the Treasury, has signed an MoU last year on financial relationship which lays the ground rules for determining the bank’s capital, dividend payments, among others.

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Nature of the Arrangement between the Government and RBI

● RBI is not a commercial organisation like banks and other companies owned or controlled by the government to pay a dividend to the owner out of the profit generated. ● Though it was promoted as a private shareholders’ bank in 1935 with a paid-up capital of Rs 5 crore, the government nationalised it in January 1949, making the sovereign the “owner”. ● This is why these are called transfers to the government, rather than dividends. ● What the central bank does, therefore, is to transfer the surplus that is, the excess of income over expenditure to the government, in accordance with Section 47 (Allocation of Surplus Profits) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934

RBI’s Sources of Income

● A significant part comes from RBI’s operations in financial markets, when it intervenes for instance to buy or sell foreign exchange. ● Open Market operations, when it attempts to prevent the rupee from appreciating. ● As income from government securities it holds. ● As returns from its foreign currency assets that are investments in the bonds of foreign central banks or top-rated securities. ● From deposits with other central banks or the Bank for International Settlement or BIS. ● Lending to banks for very short tenures and management commission on handling the borrowings of state governments and the central government.

The central bank’s total costs, which includes expenditure on printing and commissions forms, is only about 1/7th of its total net interest income.

What can the government do with Excess Capital?

● Normally, the money is transferred to the Consolidated Fund of India from which salaries and pensions to government employees are paid and interest payments done, besides spending on government programmes. ● The large payout can help the government cut back on planned borrowings and keep interest rates relatively low. ● It will provide space for private companies to raise money from markets. ● If the government manages to meet its revenue targets, the windfall gain can lead to a lower fiscal deficit. ● The Government can also earmark these funds for public spending or specific projects, which could lead to a revival in demand in certain sectors and boost economic activity. ● It can also be used to provide fiscal stimulus to a sagging economy, reduce off-balance sheet borrowings or meet the expected shortfall in revenue collections.

Potential Issues Relating to a Higher Payout

● These reserves represent inter-generational equity built up over several years by the RBI by squirrelling away a part of its annual surplus. ● It is morally unacceptable that any one government can utilise even a part of such funds to help meet its expenditure in a particular year.

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● Any temptation to use this amount towards a 'fiscal stimulus' risks regenerating worries around the quality and effectiveness towards meeting the deficit targets. ● After the global financial crisis, when central banks had to resort to unconventional means to revive their economies, the approach has been to build adequate buffers in the form of higher capital, reserves and other funds as a potential insurance against future risks or losses. ● A higher buffer enhances the credibility of a central bank during a crisis and helps avoid approaching the government for fresh capital and thus maintain financial autonomy. ECF opens up a window of opportunity to unveil a calibrated public spending programme or to set aside sufficient capital for a new institution to finance long term projects. It could be an opportune time to repair ties between the government and the RBI and to forge a respectful relationship. Transmission of Monetary Policy Rates

The Reserve Bank of India has decided in favour of external benchmark linked lending rates over the existing marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) system.

It issued a circular mandating that banks link all new floating rate loans to an external benchmark like repo rate, 3-month or 6-month Treasury bill yield, or any other benchmark published by the Financial Benchmarks India Pvt. Ltd., from 1 October 2019. The circular went on to state; ● A bank must adopt uniform external benchmark within a loan category, in other words, the adoption of multiple benchmarks by the same bank is not allowed within a loan category, ● It has left the risk premium charges to be decided by the bank depending on the credit profile of the borrower. ● The interest rate under external benchmark shall be reset at least once every three months.

Need ● In 2017, RBI constituted an Internal Study Group (ISG) to examine the efficacy of the MCLR system, which reported that the system did not allow for effective transmission of rate cuts to customers. ● Transmission of policy rates were at just 29 basis points (bps) this year compared to a combined repo rate cut of 75 bps (excluding the 35bps cut in August) by the RBI. ● Indian economy requires a certain amount of push, not just from the monetary policy but also from its transmission in the wake of prevailing slowdown.

Monetary transmission refers to the process by which a central bank’s monetary policy signals (like repo rate) are passed on, through financial system to influence the businesses and households.

Monetary policy ● Monetary policy is how a central bank or other agency governs the supply of money and interest rates in an economy in order to influence output, employment, and prices. ● Monetary policy tools – RBI uses various monetary tools like REPO rate, Reverse RERO rate, SLR, CRR etc. to achieve its purpose.

Monetary policy can be broadly classified as either expansionary or contractionary. ● Expansionary monetary policy – Implemented by reducing statutory bank reserves or lowering key interest rates and improving market liquidity to encourage economic activity.

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● Contractionary monetary policy – Reduces liquidity and increases interest rates which has a negative impact on both production and consumption and therefore, economic growth.

Marginal Cost of Lending Rate ● It is a benchmark lending rate for floating-rate loans. It came into effect in April 2016. ● This rate is based on four components—the marginal cost of funds, negative carry on account of cash reserve ratio, operating costs and tenor premium. ● This is the minimum interest rate at which commercial banks can lend. ● MCLR is linked to the actual deposit rates. Hence, when deposit rates rise, it indicates the banks are likely to hike MCLR and lending rates are set to go up.

Problem with MCLR-based system ● Lack of required transmission of policy rates – When the RBI cuts repo rate there is no guarantee a borrower will get the benefit of the rate cut or that it will be transmitted down to him. ● MCLR system is opaque since it’s an internal benchmark that depends on the way a bank does its business. ● Under the MCLR system, even if banks were to cut rates, there was a reset clause, which meant that there could be a lag in loan rate being changed, because the reset period could be as long as a year.

Benefits ● Better transmission of policy rate cuts – An RBI rate cut will immediately reach the borrower. ● Interest rates will get reduced, which will result in the cost of loans going down. People who have opted for floating interest rates will benefit from this as their EMIs will become lower. ● More transparent system – Since every borrower will know the fixed interest rate and the spread value decided by the bank. ● It will help borrowers compare loans in a better way from different banks. ● Standardization and ease of understanding for the borrowers – Same bank cannot adopt multiple benchmarks within a loan category.

Repo rate↓ → Interest rate ↓→ Consumption Investment↑ →Output↑→ Growth↑

Concerns ● It may force banks to start cutting the interest rate they pay to deposit holders or risk seeing their margins shrink. ● The current wording is not very clear. Under some heads the banks might have the flexibility to increase the spread, which would defeat the purpose of the move.

The move is a welcome change for borrowers, and can give a much needed boost to the retail lending space, which could, in turn, boost consumption.

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Report on Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana Survey

The draft report on Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana Survey conducted by the Labour Bureau under the Ministry of Labour and Employment has been released.

Findings of the Report ● Women have edged out men by generating 92 lakh extra jobs (56.3%) of the total 1.12 crore additional employment generated using Mudra loans disbursed during 33 months between April 2015 and December 2017. ● But over 90% of these come on account of Shishu loans which has the smallest ticket size of up to Rs 50,000. ● In the Kishor and Tarun loan categories, additional jobs going to women drops precipitously. ● Men have bagged 32.2 lakh or 7% extra jobs from loans under these two loan categories. ● This trend points to the fact that while female workers tip the scales in terms of overall numbers, their employment is largely restricted to smaller units funded by Shishu loans under the Mudra scheme. State-wise analysis; ● Among the states, the highest addition of female workers is in Karnataka under the Shishu loans category, accounting for 12% of total additional employment in that category, followed by Odisha with a share of 6.3%. ● Maharashtra led among the states in employing extra female workers in the higher loan ticket size categories of Kishor and Tarun, followed by Karnataka and Kerala, respectively. ● In case of male workers, Andhra Pradesh added the highest numbers in the Shishu category with a 1.2% share of the total additional employment. ● In the higher loan ticket size categories of Kishor and Tarun, the maximum male workers were added in Uttar Pradesh (2.2%) and Maharashtra (7.3%).

About Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana

● Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is a flagship scheme of Government of India to “fund the unfunded” by bringing such enterprises to the formal financial system and extending affordable credit to them. ● It enables a small borrower to borrow from all Public Sector Banks such as PSU Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, Micro Finance Institutions (MFI) and Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC) for loans upto Rs 10 lakhs for non-farm income generating activities. ● Types of loans provided - MUDRA has already created the following three products/schemes – Shishu, Kishor, and Tarun. ● It would be ensured that at least 60% of the credit flows to Shishu Category Units and the balance to Kishor and Tarun categories.

Issues ● Too small amount – The average of sanctioned loans under Mudra Yojana comes at Rs 52,739 is too less to be considered enough to launch a startup that could provide jobs to others.

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● The numbers of large-sized loans or disbursements from banks exceeding Rs 5 lakh – that can generate employment – are mere 1.3 per cent under Mudra Yojana. ● No empirical data – There is no record for employment generated by the loans disbursed under Mudra Yojana. ● Lack of awareness – among the bank officials as well as the borrowers hampered the performance of the scheme. ● NPAs in Mudra loans – Public sector NPAs of loans issued under the scheme have increased by Rs 9,204.14 crore doubled in just one year – from Rs 7,277.31 crore in March 2018 to Rs 16,481.45 crore in March 2019. ● No Collateral – Seeking collateral security from the beneficiaries is not mandatory under Mudra Yojana. It adds to the NPA problem and is bad economics.

Measures Suggested ● Totally exclude the Scheduled Commercial Banks(SCBs) from the mudra loans mechanism. ● The existing Mudra loans of SCBs may be transferred to other direct lending institutions of Mudra loans. ● RRBs, scheduled urban and state co-operative banks, MFIs, NBFCs and payment banks to take the total responsibility of financing the beneficiaries under Mudra loans. ● Mudra Corporation to maintain the list of defaulters of Mudra loans and share it with CIBIL at periodical intervals on an ongoing basis. ● To insist the beneficiary of Mudra loans to maintain their bank accounts only with the bank through whom they have availed such mudra loans in order to avoid multiple bank accounts and prevent availing mudra loans from more than one bank. ● Linking of all Mudra loans with Aadhar cards of the beneficiaries for tracking the whereabouts of the beneficiaries. The measures suggested above if implemented would not only lead to expansion of the Mudra loans but also result in effective monitoring and control of NPAs in this Mudra loan portfolio.

Technical Textiles

The government is preparing a comprehensive policy on technical textiles to make their use mandatory in certain sectors, provide financial support to promote domestic manufacturing and set standards to make India a production hub for them.

What are Technical Textiles ● Technical textiles are functional fabrics that have applications across various industries including automobiles, civil engineering and construction, agriculture, healthcare, industrial safety, personal protection etc. ● Based on usage, there are 12 technical textile segments; Agrotech, Meditech, Buildtech, Mobiltech, Clothtech, Oekotech, Geotech, Packtech, Hometech, Protech, Indutech and Sportech.

Case in India ● As per the 12th Five Year Plan estimates, technical textile market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20%.

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● The per capita consumption of technical textiles in India is a meagre 7 per kg compared to 10-12 kg in developed countries. ● Globally, the technical textiles contribute to about 27 percent of textile industry, in some of the western countries its share is even 50 percent while in India it is a meagre 11 percent.

Increasing the consumption ● Growth of Industry Sector – A large number of technical textile products are consumed by different industries. With increase in investments in industry sectors, the industrial sector is poised for considerable growth. ● Increasing Per Capita Income of Consumer – Holistic development will encourage higher discretionary spending and technology development. ● Increasing adaptability and acceptance of products – Growing awareness about the superior functionality of technical textiles will encourage higher consumption of these products. ● Government’s FDI promotion initiatives – To facilitate higher integration of technology into manufacturing processes and end products, Government of India has allowed up to 100% FDI under automatic route for the technical textiles segment. ● Encourage R&D for further improvisation in the technology, application and its use. It will also help reduce the cost of production.

Government Initiatives ● Schemes for Growth and Development of Technical Textiles (SGDTT) – It was aimed to develop Centres of Excellence (COEs) to develop awareness about technical textiles. ○ Services offered at COE are — Training, Technical Consultancy, R&D, DPR (Detailed Project Report), Pilot Scale Production, Standard Formulation, Incubation, and Prototype Development. ● Technology Mission on Technical Textile (TMTT) - It is aimed at improving basic infrastructure (like testing facility, R&D, skilled manpower, promotion of entrepreneurs etc.). ● Focus Incubation Centres – It would be provided to new entrepreneurs until they establish themselves in business, and then they could shift to their own facilities. ● Scheme of Integrated Textile Parks (STZP) – Setting up of greenfield industrial park specific to textile sector and designing infrastructure specific to the industrial requirement.

Conclusion Technical textile is a newly emerging sunrise sector and India must make use of its advantages like lower labour cost, raw material availability, huge domestic market to exploit the sector’s full potential.

Ocean Energy a Renewable Energy

Union Ministry of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy (IC) and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship has approved a proposal to declare ocean energy as Renewable Energy.

Energy produced using various forms of ocean energy such as tidal, wave, ocean thermal energy conversion etc. shall now be considered as Renewable Energy and be eligible for meeting the non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO).

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● RPOs make it compulsory for all large consumers of energy to ensure that a certain percentage of that energy mix is from renewable sources such as wind and solar. ● The compulsion is like an implicit subsidy boost to the renewable sector. It generates demand for a sector in its infancy. ● The Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) has been the major driving force in India to promote the renewable energy sector. Introduction to Ocean Energy

● Oceans cover 70 per cent of the earth’s surface and represent an enormous amount of energy in the form of wave, tidal, marine current and thermal gradient. ● A variety of different technologies are currently under development throughout the world to harness this energy in all its forms. ● Deployment is currently limited, but the sector has the potential to grow, fuelling economic growth, reduction of carbon footprint and creating jobs not only along the coasts but also inland along its supply chains. ● Most types of technologies are currently at pre-research and development or demonstration stage or the initial stage of commercialisation.

Ocean energy is mostly exploited by just a few technologies: Wave, Tidal, Current Energy and Ocean Thermal Energy.

Tidal Energy

● The tidal cycle occurs every 12 hours due to the gravitational force of the moon. The difference in water height from low tide and high tide is potential energy. ● Similar to traditional hydropower generated from dams, tidal water can be captured in a barrage across an estuary during high tide and forced through a hydro-turbine during low tide. ● The capital cost for tidal energy power plants is very high due to high civil construction and high power purchase tariff. ● The Gulf of Cambay and the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat on the west coast have the locations in the country where potential exists. ● Total identified potential of Tidal Energy is about 12455 MW, with potential locations identified at Khambhat & Kutch regions, and large backwaters, where barrage technology could be used.

Wave Energy

● Wave energy is generated by the movement of a device either floating on the surface of the ocean or moored to the ocean floor. ● The total theoretical potential of wave energy in India along the country’s coast is estimated to be about 40,000 MW. ● This energy is however less intensive than what is available in more northern and southern latitudes.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

● Ocean thermal energy conversion, or OTEC, uses ocean temperature differences from the surface to depths lower than 1,000 meters, to extract energy. ● A temperature difference of only 20°C can yield usable energy. ● OTEC has a theoretical potential of 180,000 MW in India subject to suitable technological evolution.

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As Government of India steps up its effort to reach the objectives to contemplate its Renewable Energy and climate change objectives post 2022, it is opportune to explore all possible avenues to stimulate innovation, create economic growth and new jobs as well as to reduce our carbon footprint. Advisory Board for Banking Frauds (ABBF)

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has constituted Advisory Board for Banking Frauds (ABBF) to examine bank fraud over ₹ 50 crore and recommend action.

● It is headed by the former Vigilance Commissioner, T.M. Bhasin. ● Besides the chairman, the Board consists of three other members. The tenure of the Chairman and members would be for a period of two years from 21st August, 2019. ● Headquartered in Delhi, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will provide required secretarial services, logistic and analytical support along with the necessary funding to the board.

Functions

● It would function as the first level of examination of all large fraud cases before recommendations or references are made to the investigative agencies by the respective public sector banks (PSBs). ● It would be confined to those cases involving the level of officers of General Manager and above in the PSB in respect of an allegation of fraud in a borrowal account. ● Lenders would refer all large fraud cases above ₹ 50 crore to the board and on receipt of its recommendation or advice, the bank concerned would take further action in such matter. ● Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may also refer any case or matter to the board where it has any issue or difficulty or in technical matters with the PSB concerned. ● Board will also periodically carry out frauds analysis in the financial system and give inputs for policy formulation related to the fraud to the RBI.

Measures Taken Before

● In a bid to check such incidences, the government has already issued the ‘framework for timely detection, reporting, and investigation relating to large-value bank frauds’ to PSBs. ● It makes clear that all accounts exceeding ₹ 50 crore, if classified as an NPA, should be examined by banks from the angle of possible fraud, and a report will be placed before the bank’s Committee for Review of NPAs based on the findings of the investigation. ● Besides, the PSBs have been advised to obtain a certified copy of the passport of promoters/directors and other authorised signatories of companies taking loan facilities of more than ₹ 50 crore. India Rises in WEF travel rankings

India has moved up six places to rank 34th on world travel and tourism competitiveness index released by the World Economic Forum.

Findings of the Report ● India has made the greatest improvement since 2017 among the top 25 per cent of the countries that were previously ranked according to the biennial “Travel and Tourism Competitive Report”. ● India has jumped six places from 2017. Overall, India is ranked 34.

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● India’s highest improvement was in enabling environment. Similarly, the least improvement is in infrastructure as well as in natural and cultural rankings.

About the Study

The four broad indicators looked at 14 variables, which were further subdivided into 90 indicators such as, property rights, efficiency of the legal framework, quality of electricity supply, female labour force participation, visa requirements and the number of World Heritage cultural sites.

About WEF

● The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. ● The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. ● It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ● It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests.

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India’s second Multi-Modal Terminal on Ganga

Prime Minister dedicated to the nation the second Multi-Modal Terminal built at Sahibganj in Jharkhand on 12 September 2019. ● The terminal was constructed on the river Ganga under Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). ● In 2018, first Multi-Modal Terminal at Varanasi was dedicated to the nation.

Jal Marg Vikas Project ● The ‘Jal Marg Vikas’ (National Waterway-1) project envisages developing a fairway with 3 meters depth between Allahabad to Haldia covering a distance of 1620 kms at an estimated cost of Rs. 4200 crore to be completed in six years. ● This would enable commercial navigation of at least 1500 ton vessels. ● For the implementation of the Jal Marg Vikas Project, technical assistance and investment support is being provided by the World Bank. ● Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) through selected Consultancy firms will conduct a detailed feasibility study and detailed engineering for ancillary works on National Waterway-1 ● IWT Sector Development Strategy and Market Development Study during 2015-16. ● The actual developmental works and the interventions required in the project would be decided based on the outcome of the above studies. ● The states that are being covered under the Project are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal. ● The Project is expected to be completed by March 2023.

Benefits of the Multi-Modal Terminal ● It will open up industries in Jharkhand and Bihar to the global market. ● It will provide Indo-Nepal cargo connectivity through waterways route. ● It will play an important role in the transportation of domestic coal from the local mines in the Rajmahal area to various thermal power plants located along NW-1. ● Other than coal, stone chips, fertilizers, cement, and sugar are other commodities expected to be transported through the terminal. ● It will also help to create direct employment of about 600 people and indirect employment of about 3000 people in the region. ● The convergence of Road-Rail-River Transport at Sahibganj through the new multi-modal terminal will connect this part of the hinterland to Kolkata, Haldia and further to the Bay of Bengal. ● Also, Sahibganj will get connected to the North-East States through Bangladesh by the river-sea route.

CSR Funds for R&D

The government has decided to allow corporate India to use their mandatory CSR spending for investments in publicly-funded incubators and contribute to research efforts in science, technology, medicine and engineering at major institutions and bodies. ● India’s spending on R&D activities has been far less than 1% of GDP for years, with the private sector chipping in less than half of investments.

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● The Companies Act requires firms with a net worth of ₹500 crore, turnover of ₹1,000 crore or net profit of ₹5 crore or more to set aside 2% of their average net profit over the last three years towards ‘approved’ CSR activities. ● This 2% can be spent on incubators funded by Central/State govt. or any agency of a Central or State public sector undertaking. ● They can also make contributions to publicly- funded universities, IITs, national laboratories and autonomous bodies, established under the auspices of ICAR, ICMR, CSIR, DAE, DRDO, DST and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Today, there is a need for large investments and large pools of capital to be given to R&D. The move would enable a private pharmaceutical company, for instance, to undertake research in pharmaceuticals in conjunction with a publicly funded institution like IIT or ICMR and derive benefit from it.

Panel to Identify Infra Projects

The government has constituted a high-level task force to identify infrastructure projects for ₹100 lakh- crore worth investment to be made by 2024-25. ● The task force will be headed by the Economic Affairs Secretary. ● It will identify technically feasible and financially/economically viable infrastructure projects that can be initiated in 2019-20. ● It is tasked to draw up a ‘national infrastructure pipeline’ of ₹100 lakh-crore. This would include Greenfield and Brownfield projects costing above ₹100 crore each.

Need ● The union budget, 2019 aimed at taking the Indian economy to USD 5 trillion by 2025 to achieve the target the country needs to spend about $1.4 trillion (₹100 lakh crore) from the fiscal 2019-20 to 2024- 25 on infrastructure. ● Whereas, in the past decade (fiscal 2008-17), India invested about $1.1 trillion in infrastructure. ● To step up annual infrastructure investment so that lack of infrastructure does not become a binding constraint on the growth of the Indian economy.

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ENVIRONMENT & DISASTER MANAGEMENT

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD CoP 14)

The 14th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD CoP 14) has been held recently in New Delhi. ● With the Delhi Declaration to commit to various issues like gender health, ecosystem restoration, the Conference also resulted in commitments from the private sector to take actions on climate change and pledging of its members to recover 350 million hectares of land.  Delhi Declaration is an ambitious statement of global action by each country on how to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality.  In Delhi Declaration, the parties have expressed support for new initiatives aiming to improve human health and well-being, the health of ecosystems and to advance peace and security. Extent of Desertification ● United Nations Report: As estimated by the United Nations, deserts are expanding and degraded drylands has been spread close to a third of the world’s land surface area. Thus, about 1.2 billion people are at risk from desertification. ● The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Report stated that, almost a third of land in the U.S. is affected by desertification and estimated that one quarter of Latin America and the Caribbean, and one fifth of Spain are affected by desertification.

Highlights of the Conference ● People First  The Land degradation and droughts affect the health of 3.2 billion people directly/indirectly as it results in desertification of land and reducing the area of productive land.  The urbanisation and land utilisation under industrial developments results in usage of prime agricultural land.  Thus, there is an urgent need for effective land use policies, engaging people, local communities, youths in response to their needs on issues such as land rights, land management decisions and urban planning.  The Conference pledged to put people first for ensuring gender balance, engaging youths and securing land rights. ● Security and Stability a) Land is a natural storage for fresh water, biodiversity and vegetation. When degraded, it loses all such functions. b) The land degradation does not only affect the livelihoods of people but also results in forcing millions of people to migrate as nearly half of the global population is living in potentially water scarce areas. c) The Parties to the Convention agreed, in the Conference, on the actions each will take, over the next two years and beyond to get us on a sustainable development path. ● Turning Plans Into Actions a) Over 100 countries till now have established their land degradation neutrality targets. b) Some 70 countries which suffer droughts are participating in the UNCCD’s Drought Initiative. It will help in improving their preparedness, management and response to the drought. c) Parties at CoP 14 have agreed to make the Sustainable Development Goal target of achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030 a national target for action. ● Enhancing Resilience

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a) The Paris Agreement had provided for envisioning the land-based solutions under LDN and to contribute up to 30 percent of the emissions gap needed to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius target. b) The Paris Agreement had also provided for a solid foundation for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. c) The CoP 14, provided for enhancing resilience to the rising temperatures under the commitments of the Paris Agreement. ● Science at service of Nature a) The UNCCD CoP 14, has pledged to monitor the condition of land globally with uniform indicators as a part of the Sustainable Development Goals indicator framework. ● Global Efforts a) Currently, about two billion hectares of land has been degraded but can be restored back to health. b) Land restoration on a large scale will not only create jobs and opportunities for rural youth but also help in restoring resources of lands. c) The CoP overlooked the urgently needed collaborative action on a global scale to cool the Earth and to restore a healthy environment fit for animals, plants and people.

Historical Backgound of the UNCCD ● The UNCCD was first proposed in the ‘Rio Earth Summit’ in 1992. ● It was then established as a legally binding international agreement, in 1994, linking environment and development to sustainable land management. ● It has been signed by the 197 member nations of the United Nations and also known as one of the most successful conventions globally. ● The Convention addresses the arid, semi-arid as well as the dry sub-humid areas (drylands), where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems can be found. ● The Convention is a bottom-up approach towards tackling the land degradation problem with encouraging the participation of local people in combating desertification and land degradation. ● The new UNCCD 2018-2030, Strategic Framework, drafted in the UNCCD CoP 2013, in China (Ordos), is the most comprehensive global commitment to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). ● The framework commits: a) To restore productivity of vast expanses of the degraded land, b) To improve livelihoods of more than 1.3 billion people, and c) To reduce impacts of drought on vulnerable populations to build.

India’s efforts to tackle Desertification ● Estimation: Area of India undergoing the process of land degradation, as of 2011-13 is 96.5 million hectares of land – 29% of total geographical area. ● Raised targets: India has raised the target of restoring land with degraded status from 21 million hectares to 26 million hectares (27% of total degraded land) by 2030. ● Global Water Action Agenda: India called upon the leadership of UNCCD to conceive a “Global Water Action Agenda” which is central to the Land Degradation Neutrality strategy. ● Setting up a centre for excellence: India has decided to set up a centre for excellence in India in order to develop a scientific approach and facilitate induction of technology to land degradation issues. ● Bonn Challenge: India has became part of the “Bonn Challenge” to tackle desertification. (Bonn Challenge is a global effort with a target of restoration of 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030). ● Various Government Schemes: The Central Government has come up with the various schemes along with the State Governments to tackle the desertification issue:

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a) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) b) Soil Health Card Scheme (SHC) c) Soil Health Management Scheme (SHMS) d) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PKSY) e) Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)

Impediments in Tackling Desertification

Desertification is the end product of a vicious mixture of political, technological and economic forces, which leaves people socially, politically and economically marginalised. Apart from overgrazing, deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices, there are hidden causes of desertification as well. ● Climate change : Climate changes contribute to changes in biogeochemical cycles which may alter the hydrological cycles and thus, worsen natural eco-balances. ● Natural Disaster: Natural disasters such as droughts, mass landslides and floods, over the years, have caused considerable environmental damage, loss of life, damage to national economy and suffering to the lives of people. Such natural disasters may also lead to desertification of land. ● Sea level rising : Atolls in the Pacific have been lost due to rising seas. The sea level rise may also come along with the water shortages and droughts in some areas. For example in PNG, Marshall, Samoa, and Fiji. ● Invasive species : Invasive species are the second largest threat to global biodiversity after habitat loss and a region wide challenge to biodiversity loss.

Way forward ● Implementing major policy interventions and management approaches at local as well as global scales, with the active engagement of stakeholders and local communities to tackle the desertification problem. ● A key method to prevent the desertification is an integrated land and water management and sustainable land use. ● The measures to protect soils from erosion, salinization, and other forms of soil degradation are to be implemented to effectively prevent desertification of land. ● Activities like overgrazing, trampling of soils, overexploitation of plants and unsustainable irrigation practices which may exacerbate dryland vulnerability are to be replaced with sustainable land usage methods. ● Creating economic opportunities in drylands urban centers and areas outside drylands is also one of the most useful methods in tackling desertification issue. ● Providing effective dryland resource management with alternative economic sources without traditional land usage methods by the local communities in their capacity to act is also helpful in preventing desertification and degradation of land. ● Use of locally suitable technology (organic farming, local methods in Uttarakhand) is a key way for inhabitants of drylands at risk of desertification to work with ecosystem processes rather than against them.

Ethanol Blending

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has raised the procurement price of ethanol derived from 100 per cent sugarcane juice to Rs 59.13 per litre from the current rate of Rs 47.13.

Rationale ● Higher price is to encourage sugar mills to divert from sugar production. ● It will help in further increasing the ethanol blend levels from the current 6% average levels across the country.

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● Increased ethanol blending in petrol is expected to replace 2 million tonnes of oil annually, helping to save $1 billion in import bill.

About ● Ethanol, an anhydrous ethyl alcohol having chemical formula of C2H5OH, can be produced from sugarcane, maize, wheat, etc which are having high starch content. ● In India, ethanol is mainly produced from sugarcane molasses by fermentation process. Ethanol can be mixed with gasoline to form different blends. ● As the ethanol molecule contains oxygen, it allows the engine to more completely combust the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions and thereby reducing the occurrence of environmental pollution. ● Cane-based ethanol can be produced three different ways; directly from cane juice, from B-grade and C-grade molasses. ● Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness the power of the sun, ethanol is also considered as a renewable fuel.

‘Ethanol Blending Programme’ (EBP) ● Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme was launched in 2003. The programme sought to promote the use of alternative and environmentally friendly fuels and to reduce import dependency for energy requirements. ● In September 2006, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) in its notification, directed the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to sell 5% Ethanol Blended Petrol with respect to the commercial viability of ethanol as per BIS specifications. ● With effect from April 2019, this programme has been extended to the whole of India except Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. ● The National Policy on Biofuels 2009 had a target to achieve 20% blending of biofuel by 2017. ● However, due to certain technical, market and regulatory hurdles, India was able to achieve only 5% ethanol blending by September 2016. ● To tackle the problem, Government announced the National Policy on Biofuels in 2018.

National Policy on Biofuels 2018

The policy categorises biofuels into: ● First Generation (1G): Basic Biofuels – biofuels produced from conventional, well established processes. 1G biofuels are produced from – sugars, grains, or seeds, a specific (often edible) portion of the above-ground biomass and starch laden crops like sugarcane, sugar beet, corn etc. ● Second Generation (2G): Bioethanol and Biodiesel and Advanced biofuels – generally made from lignocellulosic biomass including non-edible whole plant biomass like grasses or trees and non-edible residues of food crops like corn stalks or rice husks. ● Third Generation (3G): Bio-CNG – Algae is the most promising feedstock to produce this type of biofuel. ● Fourth Generation which includes photobiological solar fuels and electrofuels but not included in the NPB, 2018.

The Policy also indicate a viability gap funding scheme for 2G ethanol Bio refineries in addition to additional tax incentives and higher purchase prices compared to 1G biofuels.

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Measures Taken – Procurement/Production of ethanol ● The OMCs are to procure ethanol from domestic sources. Government has notified administered price of ethanol since 2014. ● Government has also allowed the production of ethanol from damaged food grains. OMCs are offering differential pricing to incentivize this route. ● Government has reduced the GST rate on ethanol meant for EBP Programme from 18% to 5%. ● Government has been regularly interacting with the State Governments and other stakeholders to resolve the bottlenecks in smooth implementation of EBP Programme. ● Department of Food & Public Distribution has introduced a Scheme for extending financial assistance to sugar mills for enhancement and augmentation of ethanol production capacity. ● Government has allowed mills to produce ethanol directly from sugarcane juice and from ‘B’ heavy molasses. ● Recently the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved sugar and sugar syrup in the production of ethanol by fermenting them along with the mother molasses.

Concerns ● Mills get higher rates for manufacturing ethanol from the ‘B’ heavy and sugarcane juice routes. ● Increasing the production of biofuels can strain India’s water resources and affect food availability. ● Other biofuels, such as jatropha, have often proven to be commercially unviable. ● India lags top producers, US and Brazil, by a huge margin and remains inefficient in terms of water usage. ● Ethanol produced from sugar and sugar syrup may cost Rs 59.48/litre rate. Whereas the current rate of sugar is 32 Rs/Kg. Thus it can adversely affect the sugar market.

Expected Benefits ● Reduce Import Dependency ● Cleaner Environment ● Health benefits ● Municipal Solid Waste Management ● Infrastructural Investment in Rural Areas ● Employment Generation ● Additional Income to Farmers

Conclusion As the country is producing too much sugar and importing a huge amount of oil, the EBP would be seen beneficial both for mills and for the country’s BoP.

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International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for the Establishment of an International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) along with its supporting Secretariat Office in New Delhi.

● The CDRI is proposed to be launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, USA on 23rd September 2019. ● Organized by the UN Secretary General, this event will bring together the largest number of Heads of States to generate commitments for combating the effects of climate change and resulting disasters, and will provide the high-level visibility required for the CDRI.

Major Impact ● The CDRI will serve as a platform where knowledge is generated and exchanged on different aspects of disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure. ● It will bring together technical expertise from a multitude of stakeholders. ● It will create a mechanism to assist countries to upgrade their capacities and practices, with regard to infrastructure development in accordance with their risk context and economic needs. ● Economically weaker sections of society, women and children, are the most vulnerable to the impacts of disasters and hence, will be benefited from the improvement of knowledge and practice in creating disaster resilient infrastructure. ● It will also benefit all areas with high disaster risk. In India, the north-eastern and Himalayan regions are prone to earthquakes, coastal areas to cyclones and tsunamis and central peninsular region to droughts. ● Focus on disaster resilient infrastructure would simultaneously address the loss reduction targets under the Sendai Framework, address a number of SDGs and also contribute to climate change adaptation. ● Publication of natural hazard risk information about the different regions in India will allow the public to understand the risk in their regions and demand for risk mitigation and preparedness measures from their local and State Governments.

Sendai Framework The Sendai Framework is a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement which recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.

Objective The substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries. Background ● The Sendai Framework is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. ● It is the outcome of stakeholder consultations initiated in March 2012 and inter-governmental negotiations held from July 2014 to March 2015, which were supported by the UNISDR upon the request of the UN General Assembly.

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The Seven Global Targets (a) Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower average per 100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020-2030 compared to the period 2005-2015. (b) Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020 -2030 compared to the period 2005-2015. (c) Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. (d) Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030. (e) Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020. (f) Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of this Framework by 2030. (g) Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030.

The Four Priorities for Action ● Understanding disaster risk ● Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk ● Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience ● Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction

A global coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure would address concerns that are common to developing and developed countries, small and large economies, countries at early and advanced stages of infrastructure development, and countries that have moderate or high disaster risk. India has a wide network of inland waterways which consist of rivers, backwaters, canals and creeks, larger kms of which are worthy of being used by mechanized vessels for navigation. Passenger boats are considered important means of livelihood to many people esp. in the north and north eastern regions.

Boat Safety

About eight people drowned and 25 went missing after a private boat carrying 60 people capsized in the Godavari River on 12 September.

History of guidelines on boat safety ● National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been mandated, under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005 to issue guidelines for the management of disasters that periodically affects normal life and well-being of the people. ● But it was not until the Dhubri ferry tragedy of 30th April, 2012 on river Brahmaputra causing loss of over 250 lives that led the NDMA to decide to prepare National Guidelines on Boat Safety after consultation with stakeholders.

The recent incidents have brought to limelight the various causes responsible for boat accidents, which can be analyzed as follows:

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● Overburdened boats carrying more number of passengers than technically acceptable and reliable from safety considerations because at times passengers have no other means but to adopt this means of transportation. ● Design of boats and their engines are mostly local made or impoverished that rarely requires certificates before drafting for commercial operations. ● Lack of industrial intensity and technology modernization in a significant manner in passenger boat sector. ● Maneuvering the boat in hazardous areas, dangerous weather conditions without proper warning from agencies like IMD etc. ● Boat operation by inexperienced, under-aged, unqualified operator without proper license or training and even without safety measures like jackets etc. ● Operator distraction due to the use of cell phones, listening to loud music, like taking selfies results in boat overturn at times. E.g. Nagpur Boat incident. ● Paucity of instruments of enforcing regulatory control measures over the private boat operating services in major water channels is also responsible to an extent. ● Reckless Operation of the boat due to over speeding of boats and also reckless skiers performing illegal or dangerous stunts around boats cause imbalance of boats causing accidents.

While recognizing the importance of boat and navigational safety along waterways, it is required to invite attention of stakeholders like state governments, boat owners/operators, training providers, and boat industry associations etc to take precautionary measures and actions as follows: ● Since Passenger boat transport is a dispersed activity & a state subject, states should implement and enforce applicable provision of conventions/regulations, including ‘The Bengal Ferry act (1885)’ with modifications as felt appropriate. ● Encourage development of national and regional search and rescue (SAR) response and communication plans and mock drills. ● Effective communication between master, surveyors and boat owners should facilitate proper boat inspections and surveys. ● Skilled manpower support is needed to organize the pre and post event response mechanisms. ● A dedicated full-fledged department needs to be set up in all the concerned states dealing with inland waterways transportation and every district transport department / offices should have a cell separated / created specifically for handling matters related to inland vessels. ● Encourage the development of adequate infrastructure, particularly in the areas of docking, slipping and passenger terminals to ensure the sustainable and safe operation of domestic ferries and other passenger carrying vessels. ● Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)- Responsibility of each stakeholder/ establishment needs to be fixed well in advance in the form of Standard Operating Procedure Coordinated emergency rescue plan. ● Accident Management Plan- Boat Accident Management Plan prepared by all agencies such as local Boat operators, Ghat Owners, Panchayat Raj Institutions, Block, District& State will incorporate detail guidelines. ● The sharing of best practices and resources across all stakeholders through regional associations and also giving incentives & subsidies for procurement of new vessels. ● Skill Development of Crew Members and Passengers- The crew members should be skilled in handling all kinds of emergency situations besides their routine duties on board.

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● Medical Support- All the wharfs dealing with passenger traffic must have well maintained and equipped medical room with trained staff including doctors and paramedics.

It is high time that the boat accidents are kept under check with all possible government measures in sync with NDMA guidelines, the problem cannot alone be tackled at national level, therefore the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) needs to be given more representation in regulating the country boats operation in waterways with specific financial and organizational support.

Campaign Angikaar & E-Course on Vulnerability Atlas

Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched “angikaar” a campaign for change management and e-Course on Vulnerability Atlas of India.

Angikaar ● Angikaar has been launched for social behaviour change, focusing on issues such as water & energy conservation, waste management, health, tree plantation, sanitation and hygiene for beneficiaries of completed houses under PMAY (U), through community mobilisation and IEC activities. ● For this purpose, the campaign will converge with schemes and Missions of other Ministries dealing with these subjects. ● The convergence would especially focus on Ujjwala for gas connection and Ayushman Bharat for health insurance to the beneficiaries of PMAY (U). ● The angikaar aims at reaching out all the beneficiaries of the PMAY (U) in phased manner. It will include door to door activities, ward and city level events.

E-course on Vulnerability Atlas ● The e-course on Vulnerability Atlas is offered by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs in collaboration with School of Planning & Architecture (SPA), New Delhi and Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC). ● It is a unique course that offers awareness and understanding about natural hazards, helps identify regions with high vulnerability with respect to various hazards (earthquakes, cyclones, landslides, floods, etc.). ● It specifies district-wise level of damage risks to the existing housing stock. ● The e-course will be a tool for effective & efficient disaster mitigation & management in the field of Architecture, Civil Engineering, Urban & Regional Planning, Housing & Infrastructure Planning, Construction Engineering & Management and Building & Materials Research.

Prime Minister gave a mandate to enable “Ease of Living” for PMAY (U) beneficiaries and emphasized the need to incorporate hazard safety provisions in all construction works. In this direction, as a part of 100 days agenda the Ministry has launched these initiatives.

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Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California-San Diego and Yale University found that rising temperatures in the Indian Ocean can help boost the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and delay slow down.

About AMOC ● It is sometimes referred to as the “Atlantic conveyor belt”, is one of the Earth’s largest water circulation systems where ocean currents move warm, salty water from the tropics to regions further north, such as Western Europe and sends colder water south. ● It aids in distributing heat and energy around the earth, as the warm water it carries releases heat into the atmosphere, and in absorbing and storing atmospheric carbon. ● For thousands of years, AMOC has remained stable, but since the past 15 years, it has been weakening, a development that could have dramatic consequences for Europe and other parts of the Atlantic rim, according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

How does warming of the Indian Ocean affect AMOC? ● Warming in the Indian Ocean generates additional precipitation which results in drawing more air from other parts of the world, including the Atlantic. ● The higher level of precipitation in the Indian Ocean will reduce precipitation in the Atlantic and increase salinity in the waters. ● This saline water in the Atlantic, as it comes north through AMOC, will get cold much quicker than usual and sink faster, acting as a jump start for AMOC, intensifying the circulation.

Effect of climate change on the AMOC ● Climate models suggest that the AMOC will weaken over the 21st Century as greenhouse gases increase. ● As the atmosphere warms, the surface ocean beneath it retains more of its heat. Meanwhile increases in rainfall and ice melt mean it gets fresher too. ● All these changes make the ocean water lighter and so reduce the sinking in the ‘conveyor belt’, leading to a weaker AMOC. ● A weaker AMOC will bring less warm water northwards, and this will partly offset the warming effect of the greenhouse gases over western Europe.

What lies ahead? ● No one knows how long this enhanced warming in Indian Ocean will continue. ● If other tropical oceans, especially the Pacific Ocean starts warming at a similar rate as the Indian Ocean, the advantage for AMOC will stop. ● Also, it is not clear if the slowdown of AMOC is due to global warming alone or it is a short-term anomaly related to natural ocean variability. ● There is a need to understand the importance of AMOC stability.

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AMOC last witnessed a slowdown 15,000 to 17,000 years ago and it caused harsh winters in Europe, with more storms or a drier Sahel in Africa due to the downward shift of the tropical rain belt. The finding exemplifies the intricate, interconnected nature of global climate.

Amazon Forest Fires

Amazon rainforest had been burning at a rate that alarmed environmentalists and governments worldwide. The fires in the Amazon were not wildfires but manmade. ● Brazilian government’s anti-environment rhetoric has emboldened farmers, who organised a “fire day” along a highway that runs through the heart of the rainforest to get the government’s attention.

Threats ● Under Brazil’s Forest Code of 1965, farmers could purchase Amazon land but could farm only 20% of it. ● Following the collapse of the military dictatorship in 1988, a new constitution gave indigenous populations legal ownership of their land and the right to reject development of their land. ● In 2012, the Forest Code was revised to reduce the area of deforested land required to be restored, and to reduce penalties for illegal deforestation. In 2018, Brazil’s Supreme Court upheld these changes. ● Since the 1960s, the Amazon has witnessed large-scale deforestation because of cattle-ranching, logging, power projects, mining and farming. Agribusiness products in 2016 represented 46% of Brazil’s exports. ● Further deforestation could lead to the Amazon’s transformation from the world’s largest rainforest to a savanna, which would reverse the region’s ecology. ● Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has reported that forest fires in the region have doubled since 2013, and increased by 84% compared to the same period last year.

Amazon Forest Ecology The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with 60% of the rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. ● Moist forests of the Amazon basin are normally evergreen forests stratified with 3-4 layers of vegetation: under-story, sub-canopy, canopy, and occasionally the emergents layer. ● Emerging trees reach up to 50-60 meters high, above the canopy of the forest. The canopy layer averages 25-30 meters in height and forms a mass of continuous tree coverage. ● The sub-canopy is often dominated by palms, and contains trees that wait for light openings to reach into the canopy. ● The understory layer contains small trees and shrubs often with morpohological adaptations to survive in low light and chemical adaptations to protect against predators. ● Shallow and/or buttressed roots are common due to the fact that the majority of nutrients are found near the soil surface; buttresses also help with stability in wet soils. ● Amazon rainforest trees support hundreds of species of vines and epiphytes such as orchids, bromeliads, and mosses. ● More than plants, the canopy provides the structure for birds and arboreal animals such as sloths and monkeys. The most abundant life in the rainforest, are insects.

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Significance of Amazon Forest ● The Amazon rainforest is a repository of rich biodiversity and contributes a significant amount of oxygen to the Earth’s atmosphere. ● It is also home to indigenous communities whose lives and homelands are under threat due to encroachments. ● Currently, the world is emitting around 40 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. The Amazon absorbs 2 billion tons of CO2 per year (or 5% of annual emissions), making it a vital part of preventing climate change. ● Amazon rainforest influences the water cycle not only on a regional scale, but also on a global scale. The rain produced by the Amazon travels through the region and even reaches the Andes mountain range.

The upsurge of global environmental anxiety over the recent spate of forest fires in the Amazon, apparently marking a renewed push to deforestation, is clearly testimony to the heightened awareness of the danger to human security represented by global warming

Star Tortoise, Otters get higher protection at CITES

India’s proposal to upgrade the protection of star tortoises, the smooth-coated otter and small-clawed otters in CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) have been approved at the Conference of the Parties (COP18) held at Geneva. ● These species have been listed under Appendix I of CITES and will now enjoy the highest degree of protection as there will be a complete international ban enforced on their trade. ● Appendix I of CITES lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants. ● They are threatened with extinction and CITES prohibits international trade in specimens of these species except when the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research. ● 90% of trade of star tortoises occurs as part of the international pet market for fur and as pets. ● The species is categorized as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union of Conservation of Nature and a decline greater than 30% was predicted by 2025 if the exploitation continued or expanded. ● In case of the small-clawed otter and smooth-coated otter, which are traded for their fur in the international market, numbers are also declining due to habitat loss.

About CITES ● CITES also known as the Washington Convention is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals. ● It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. ● CITES is one of the largest and oldest conservation and sustainable use agreements in existence. ● Participation is voluntary, and countries that have agreed to be bound by the Convention are known as Parties.

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● Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of national laws. Rather it provides a framework respected by each Party, which must adopt their own domestic legislation to implement CITES at the national level.

Limitations ● By design and intent it focuses on trade at the species level and does not address habitat loss, ecosystem approaches to conservation, or poverty. ● It seeks to prevent unsustainable use rather than promote sustainable use (which generally conflicts with the Convention on Biological Diversity). ● Funding does not provide for increased on-the-ground enforcement (it must apply for bilateral aid for most projects of this nature). CITES would benefit from access to Global Environment Facility (GEF), funds-although this is difficult given the GEFs more ecosystem approach-or other more regular funds. Development of a future mechanism similar to that of the Montreal Protocol could allow more funds for non-Secretariat activities.

Nilgiri Tahr

The sightings of Nilgiri Tahr in the Mukurthi National Park has risen from 568 in 2018 to 612 this year, showing an impressive 8% increase. This was the second consecutive year (first rise in 2018) that an increase in the population of the animal had been recorded in the park.

Fast Facts Scientific Name – Nilgiritragus hylocrius Only species of Caprine ungulate (hoofed typically herbivorous quadruped mammal) that is found south of the Himalayas in India State animal of Tamil Nadu Despite its local name, it is more closely related to the sheep of the genus Ovis than the ibex and wild goats of the genus Capra IUCN status – Endangered

Mukurthi National Park (MNP) ● Protected area located in the Ootacamund hill station in Tamil Nadu state in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India. ● Characterized by montane grasslands and shrublands interspersed with sholas in a high-altitude area of high rainfall, near-freezing temperatures and high winds. ● Home to an array of endangered wildlife, including Royal Bengal tiger and Asian elephant, but its main mammal attraction is the Nilgiri tahr. ● The park was previously known as Nilgiri Tahr National Park. ● It is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India’s first International Biosphere Reserve. ● As part of the Western Ghats, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1 July 2012. ● Native hill tribe communities – the Toda tribe.

Habitat and distribution

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● Inhabits the open montane grassland habitat of the South Western Ghats montane rain forests eco- region. ● Eravikulam National Park is home to the largest population of this Tahr. ● Endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Southern India (ex: Anamalai Hills, Palni Hills) ● Currently, the only populations with more than 300 individuals are in Eravikulam National Park and in the Grass Hills in Anamalai.

Threats ● Habitat loss ● Due to plantations, including monoculture of tea, eucalyptus, wattle and pine. ● Construction of numerous hydroelectric projects and ● Timber felling ● Poaching ● Populations of these animals are small and isolated, making them vulnerable to local extinction. ● Competition from domestic livestock – whose overgrazing has allowed for the invasion of graze- resistant weedy species into preferred meadows. ● Climate Change – The current habitats of Nilgiri tahr are projected to become unsuitable as global surface temperatures rise.

Conservation efforts ● It is a protected species under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. ● A landscape-based conservation programme to extend the conservation of Nilgiri tahr outside Eravikulam National Park is being formulated in the State for the long-term survival of the species. ● WWF-India has conducted a comprehensive study in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to understand the present population and ecological requirements of Nilgiri tahr. ● It has also raised awareness among locals and NGOs to initiate steps towards conservation. ● The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is removing exotic monocultures along the periphery of the Mukurthi National Park.

Cryodrakon Boreas

Paleontologists have identified a new species, named it Cryodrakon boreas, and declared that it could be one of the largest flying animals.

Details

● Cryodrakon boreas, from the Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs, was a flying reptile with a wingspan of up to 10 metres. ● The reptile lived over 77 million years ago in what is western Canada. ● Its remains were discovered 30 years ago from the Dinosaur Park Formation located in Alberta. ● Like other Azhdarchids, these animals were carnivorous and predominantly predated on small animals like lizards, mammals and even baby dinosaurs.

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About Azhdarchids

● Unlike most pterosaur groups, azhdarchids are known primarily from residing on land. ● Despite their capacity to cross oceanic distances in flight, they are broadly considered to be animals that were adapted for, and lived in, inland environments. ● Despite their large size and distribution across North and South America, Asia, Africa and Europe, very few azhdarchids remains have been found till now.

This makes Cryodrakon an important animal since it has very well preserved bones and includes multiple individuals of different sizes. Discovery of 2 new species of Ginger

Two new species of Zingiber, commonly referred to as gingers have been discovered from Nagaland by the scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI).

● Zingiber perenense has been discovered from the Peren district of Nagaland, while Zingiber dimapurense was found in the Dimapur district of the State. ● India is a leading producer of ginger in the world. Ginger is cultivated in most of the states in India. ● However, states namely Karnataka, Orissa, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat together contribute 65 per cent to the country’s total production. ● Ginger grows well in warm and humid climate and is cultivated from sea level to an altitude of 1500 m above sea level. Ginger can be grown both under rain fed and irrigated conditions. ● Ginger thrives best in well drained soils like sandy loam, clay loam, red loam or lateritic loam.

The genus Zingiber has 141 species distributed throughout Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, with its centre of diversity in Southeast Asia. More than 20 species have been found in northeastern India. Gooty Tarantula

In an interesting find, researchers have sighted a critically endangered species of tarantulas for the first time beyond its known habitat in the Eastern Ghats. Tarantulas are part of the family of spiders called Hairy Mygalomorphs

● The spider belonging to the genus Poecilotheria, commonly known as the Peacock Parachute Spider or Gooty Tarantula was spotted in the Pakkamalai Reserve Forests. ● It is endemic to India & was found at different locations in the reserve forests. ● It had so far not been sighted in any other part of India or Sri Lanka except its known habitat in Andhra Pradesh. ● The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorises it as Critically Endangered.

Tarantulas are biological pest controllers and there is a huge demand for them by collectors in the pet trade. There is an urgent need to protect them.

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SOCIAL JUSTICE & DEVELOPMENT

Ban on E-Cigarettes

Union Cabinet has approved the promulgation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement) Ordinance, 2019 with immediate effect. ● Any production, manufacturing, import, export, transport, sale (including online sale), distribution or advertisement (including online advertisement) of e-cigarettes shall be a cognisable offence punishable with imprisonment of up to one year, or fine up to ₹1 lakh, or both for the first offence. ● For any subsequent offense, the punishment would be imprisonment of up to three years and fine up to ₹5 lakh. ● Storage of electronic-cigarettes shall also be punishable with imprisonment of up to 6 months or a fine up to ₹50,000 or both.

About e-Cigarette ● E-cigarettes are the most common form of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS). ● E-cigarettes may be manufactured to look like traditional cigarettes and are marketed as tobacco-free nicotine delivery devices. ● Instead of burning tobacco leaves like in traditional cigarettes, an e-cigarette, produces aerosol by heating a solution containing nicotine among other things. ● The device contains nicotine and flavours in the form of liquid which is primarily composed of solvents such as glycerol and/or propylene glycol. ● The aerosol containing a suspension of fine particles and gases simulates cigarette smoke. Following a puff, the aerosol is delivered to the user’s mouth and lungs and the rest is exhaled. ● E-cigarettes do not contain all of the harmful chemicals associated with smoking tobacco cigarettes, such as carbon monoxide and tar. ● As per figures submitted to Parliament this year, e-cigarettes and accessories valued at about $1, 91,780 were imported to India between 2016 and 2019.

Reasons behind the ban ● Once nicotine is used in the solution of an e-cigarette, the difference between it and a conventional cigarette ends. ● Envisioned as a tool to combat tobacco addiction, electronic cigarettes, and other vaping products have become a major problem and increase the risk of children adopting them. ● Although nicotine itself is not a carcinogen, it may function as a tumor promoter and can also lead to be involved in the biology of malignant disease, as well as neurodegeneration. ● Indian Council of Medical Research in a white paper stated that the uses of ENDS, or e-cigarettes, have documented adverse effects which include DNA damage; carcinogenesis (initiation of cancer formation); cellular, molecular and immunological toxicity; respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. It also impacts fetal development and pregnancy. ● These products have neither been assessed for safety in the national population nor been approved under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. ● Nicotine “harms parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.

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● A 2018 study found the use of e-cigarette daily was associated with a 79% increase in heart attack risk after other variables were taken into account. ● Flavours such as diacetyl used in e-cigarettes are linked to serious lung disease. E-cigarettes also contain volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, such as nickel, tin and lead. ● The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved e- cigarettes as an alternative to reduce smoking. One study found that though e-cigarettes led to higher percentage of people quitting smoking, nearly 80% of quitters were still vaping. ● Prior to this announcement, 16 states and one Union territory had already banned e-cigarettes.

Reactions against the ban ● E-cigarettes promoting trade bodies, users and other stakeholders opposed the government’s move to ban the “alternative” smoking device through the ordinance route, alleging it to be a “draconian” step taken in haste to protect the conventional cigarette industry. ● Association of Vapers India (AVI), an organization representing e-cigarette users, also alleged that it is a black day for the 11 crore smokers in India who have been deprived of safer options. ● In 2018, Public Health England, England’s public health agency, reiterated its claim that vaping is at least 95% safer than smoking.

Case in other countries ● US: Has the highest population of smokeless tobacco and vape-product users. The use of e-cigarettes, has resulted so far in seven confirmed deaths in the U.S. New York recently banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes. ● UK: Sales of ENDS products like vapes are legal. Introduced regulations for e-cigarette firms in 2016. ● France: Allows the sale of e-cigarettes as either medicines or consumer products, but those making health claims related to these products need marketing authorization under the standard drug licensing process.

Way forward In view of the challenges involved in implementing tobacco control laws, rampant tobacco industry interference, a large proportion of vulnerable youth population, negligible support available for tobacco cessation, ban on ENDS is a plausible and cost-effective approach subject to effective implementation and monitoring.

Hepatitis B

On September 3, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand became the first four countries in the World Health Organization’s Southeast Asia region to have successfully controlled hepatitis B. The virus is said to be controlled when the disease prevalence is reduced to less than 1% among children less than five years of age.

About Hepatitis ● Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver. ● It imbalances the normal functioning of bile production, excretion of drugs and hormones, metabolism of fats, proteins, synthesis of proteins and enzymes activation.

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● There are 5 types of hepatitis viz. A, B, C, D and E. Each type is caused by a different hepatitis virus. Hepatitis B and C are the deadliest. ● Hepatitis viruses B, C and D spread by contact with contaminated blood or body fluids. Hepatitis A and E spreads through unsafe food and drink.

Why is Hepatitis B so deadly? ● Over 90% of new hepatitis B infections occur through mother-to-child transmission and during the early age of childhood. ● Silent killers – More than 80% of the infected aren’t aware of their infection as infections can remain asymptomatic for years, even decades, slowly damaging the liver.

Case in India ● Despite the introduction of hepatitis B vaccine in the Universal Immunization Programme in 2002 and scaling-up nationwide in 2011, about one million people in India become chronically infected with the virus every. ● India has over 40 million hepatitis B (HBV) infected patients (second only to China) and constitutes about 15 percent of the entire pool of hepatitis B in the world. ● Hepatitis B infection at a young age turns chronic, causing over 1,00,000 premature deaths annually from liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Steps taken by Government ● Launching of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and giving importance to safe drinking water and WASH. ● National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme – The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the programme on the occasion of the World Hepatitis day, 28th July, 2018.

About National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme ● Aim: The programme aims at both prevention and treatment of hepatitis which is among the leading causes of liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and acute liver failure. ● Target: It aims to treat a minimum of 3 lakh hepatitis C cases over a period of three years for eliminating deadly condition by 2030. ● The programme is part of the National Health Mission. Under it, expensive antiviral for hepatitis B and C infections will be made available free of cost at all government hospitals. ● Treatment: It will set up and upgrade facilities for diagnosis and treatment primarily of hepatitis B and C. These designated treatment centers will provide free anti-viral to hepatitis C patients. They will also provide hepatitis B vaccine to babies born to mothers carrying the virus within 24 hours of birth. ● Decentralization: The programme also aims to build capacities at national, state, district level and sub-district level up to Primary Health Centers (PHC) and health and wellness centers to scale program till the lowest level of the healthcare facility in a phased manner.

Way Forward ● National Hepatitis Policy – It will translate into better surveillance and detection of water and blood- borne hepatitis viral infections in various regions.

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● Availability of safe and potable water, early screening, vaccination and prevention of misuse of disposable needles and syringes will help to eliminate treatable viral hepatitis. ● Easy availability of the newly discovered drugs at a reasonable price. ● Hepatitis B birth dose, given in the first 24 hours, helps prevent vertical transmission from mother to child.

There is also a need to increase awareness about WHO recommendation that allows hepatitis B open- vial policy. Opened vials of hepatitis B vaccine can be kept for a maximum duration of 28 days for use in other children if the vaccine meets certain conditions. So, bigger vials like 10 dose vials can be used in an interval of 28 days, thus increasing vaccine availability.

Iodine Deficiency

A first-of-its-kind national survey to measure the coverage of iodised salt has found that Tamil Nadu has the lowest consumption of iodised salt despite being the third biggest producer of salt in the country. ● The study shows that 3% of Indian households consumed adequately iodised salt, which is salt with at least 15 parts per million of iodine. ● The five worst performers were Tamil Nadu (61.9%), Andhra Pradesh (63.9%), Rajasthan (65.5%), Odisha (65.8%) and Jharkhand (68.8%).

IODINE: A vital micro-nutrient ● Iodine is a vital micro-nutrient for optimal mental and physical development of human beings. ● Deficiency of iodine can result in a range of disabilities and disorders such as goitre, hypothyroidism, cretinism, abortion, still births and psychomotor defects. ● Children born in iodine deficient areas may have up to 5 IQ points less than those born in iodine sufficient areas as Iodine helps in the growth and development of the brain from conception to 7 years of life. ● Around 22% of the newborns and infants in the country are being affected by physical and mental retardation due to mere lack of awareness about Iodine deficiency. ● If a pregnant mother fails to incorporate an adequate amount of iodine in her diet, the child is put at a grave risk of stillbirth, congenital abnormalities, stunted growth and most commonly, poor IQ.

Why a health problem in India? ● The soil of the subcontinent has little iodine, so food grown on it shows few traces of the element. ● As a result, all Indians are prone to iodine deficiency disorders. ● The most popular method of tackling the problem has been to encourage the consumption of iodised salt, which reaches about 92% of Indian households. ● As per several studies, around 350 million population remains at risk of iodine deficiency disorders that can lead to goiter, hypothyroidism and even brain damage.

Progress of India in this regard ● The Government of India established the National Goitre Control Programme (NGCP) in 1962 at the end of the second Five-Year Plan.

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○ The objectives of NGCP were to identify the goiter-endemic regions of the country (which comprised the Himalayan and Tarai region in north and north-eastern parts of India) and supplement the intake of iodine to the entire population in these regions. ● Today, we have come a long way from a district-centric approach of NGCP in 1962 to having a national-level programme today covering the whole country. ● Nearly 91 per cent of households in the country have access to iodized salt with 71 per cent consuming adequately iodized salt. ● Iodized salt production in India was less than two hundred thousand metric tons (MT) per year in the 1980s, of which 50 per cent was exported to Nepal. ● Currently, the total iodized salt production is 5.82 million MT per year, well in excess of the national requirement of 5.2 million MT per year. ● The key factors contributing to this remarkable progress of the IDD control programme in India are effective translation from research to policy, political commitment, involvement of the private sector in production of iodized salt, legislation to ensure iodization of salt and catalytic role played by the troika of academic institutes, civil society and international agencies.

Way forward Mainstreaming of IDD control in the policy-making process is imperative. All stakeholders should sensitize policy makers to the criticality of IDD control for human resource development and national progress. ● Consumption of Iodine rich foods must be encouraged. ● More focus should also be given to the “rights approach” i.e. it is every child’s right to have access to optimal iodine nutrition to ensure optimal brain development. ● Health being a State subject as per the constitution of India, it is imperative that due focus be given to State level IDD control activities. PDS along with Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme and Mid-day meal (MDM) programme together have huge potential as far as ensuring universal and optimal iodine nutrition to the population is concerned.

India Child Well-Being Report

Even children in India’s best-governed states are not well, according to the India Child Well-Being Report released in the last month.

● The report has been prepared by World Vision India, one of the largest child-focused humanitarian organisations and IFMR LEAD, a research organisation based in India. ● The researchers used a total of 24 indicators to create the score instead of just considering income poverty. The 24 indicators are divided into three categories: Healthy individual development, positive relationships and protective contexts. ● The report is important considering that 40% of the country’s population is made of children between the ages of 1 and 18.

Key Findings

● The index captures the performance of each state and union territory on a composite child well-being score, with Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh leading the charts among the states and Meghalaya, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh featuring at the bottom.

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● The data shows that even states that are performing best in overall child well-being, are not doing so well in indicators of health.  For instance, though Tamil Nadu is the second-best performer in the overall category, with a score of 0.67, it slips to the fifth position when it comes to health indicators. ● Among the union territories, Puducherry leads the way, with a score of 0.77 and Dadra and Nagar Haveli features at the other end, with a score of 0.52.

Way-Forward

● In terms of health, it has to be ensured that the child is taken care of in the first 1,000 days of life. Stunting is a big issue in India and this is linked to poor sanitation and lack of safe water. ● Index could be mined both by the government and civil society organisations to achieve the goal of child well-being. ● The report highlights the need for multi-dimensional approach towards measuring child well-being by going beyond mere income poverty. ● The report emphasised on triggering policy level changes, seek better budgetary allocations and initiate discussions with all stakeholders which can help in enhancing the quality of life of all children in the country. ● There is need for states to look at their respective scores on the dimensions of child well-being, and to prepare for priority areas of intervention with specific plans of action. ● It is crucial to invest in the future and well- being of children who would take India forward. There is a need for ‘peoples’ movement’ to achieve this as governments’ work need the support of community and civil society to build the momentum. Janaushadhi Sugam

Government has launched a mobile application “Janaushadhi Sugam” and has announced that “Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin” will now be available at only One Rupee per pad.

● Janaushadhi Sugam will enable people to search Janaushadhi generic medicines and the stores at the tip of their fingers. ● The Government of India launched “Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin” at Rs 2.50 per pad on the eve of the World Environment Day 4th June 2018. ● In order to make these sanitary pads more affordable and accessible to the women of India, Government has now decided to make these pads available at rate of only Rs 1.00/- per pad.

Significance

● This is an important step in ensuring the menstrual health security for Indian women who still use unhygienic aids during menstrual period due to non-affordability of sanitary pads available in the market. ● This will ensure ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’ for the underprivileged women of the country. ● It will ensure the achievement of “Affordable and Quality Healthcare” vision for all along with “Clean India & Green India” as these pads are oxo-biodegradable and environment friendly. ● Jan Aushadhi Suvidha is being made available for sale in more than 5500 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJP) across the country.

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‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi’ is a campaign launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with Central Pharma Public Sector Undertakings, to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through dedicated outlets called 'Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendra'.

World Not on Track to Meet 2020 Milestone for Malaria Control: WHO

With the current pace of interventions, a world free of malaria could be a distant dream, according to the report by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group on Malaria Eradication (SAGme).

● Contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, malaria remains one of the world’s leading killers. ● It accounted for an estimated 219 million cases from 87 countries and over 400,000 related deaths in 2017. ● Over 60 percent of fatalities were among children aged under 5 years, and caused 266,000 of all malaria deaths worldwide, according to WHO's World malaria report 2018.

About

● Insecticide-treated mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, rapid diagnostic tests and drugs based on artemisinin are the tools currently used to tackle malaria. However, these were developed in the last century or even earlier. ● The world needs to prevent at least 40 per cent malaria case incidence and mortality rates by 2020 and eliminate the disease in at least 10 countries. ● Currently, less than one per cent of the global funds for health R&D investment are allocated to develop tools to fight malaria. ● World needed an estimated $4.4 billion in 2017 and needs $6.6 billion by 2020. In 2017, global funding for malaria control and elimination fell short by $1.3 billion. ● Four countries from Asia — China, Iran, Malaysia and Timor-Leste and one from Central America- El Salvador, reported no indigenous cases of malaria in 2018, while Algeria and Argentina were declared as malaria-free in May 2019.

E-2020 Initiative

● In May 2015, the World Health Assembly endorsed a new Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030. The strategy sets the target of reducing global malaria incidence and mortality rates by at least 90% by 2030. ● A key milestone for 2020 is the elimination of malaria in at least 10 countries that had the disease in 2015. To meet this target, countries must report zero indigenous cases in 2020. ● According to a WHO analysis published in 2016, 21 countries have the potential to eliminate malaria by 2020. ● Together, these 21 malaria-eliminating countries are part of a concerted effort known as the E-2020 initiative, supported by the WHO and other partners, to eliminate malaria in an ambitious but technically feasible time frame.

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India’s Strategy

The National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030 outlines India’s strategy for elimination of the disease by 2030.

Goals

● Eliminate malaria (zero indigenous cases) throughout the entire country by 2030. ● Maintain malaria–free status in areas where malaria transmission has been interrupted and prevent re- introduction of malaria.

Objectives

● Eliminate malaria from all low (Category 1) and moderate (Category 2) endemic states/UTs (26) by 2022. ● Reduce incidence of malaria to less than 1 case per 1000 population in all States/UTs and the districts and malaria elimination in 31 states/UTs by 2024. ● Interrupt indigenous transmission of malaria in all States/ UTs (Category 3) by 2027. ● Prevent re-establishment of local transmission of malaria in areas where it has been eliminated and to maintain malaria-free status of the country by 2030.

Over the past 15 years, India has made considerable progress in reducing its malaria burden. It has a vision of a malaria-free country by 2027 and elimination by 2030. However, the country still faces daunting challenges as malaria epidemiology exhibits enormous heterogeneity and complexity. The disease is mainly concentrated in tribal and remote areas of the country.

Way-Forward

● The SAGme report flagged the need for progress to advance universal health coverage and strengthen health services and delivery systems. ● To achieve a malaria-free world there is a need to reinvigorate the drive to find the transformative strategies and tools that can be tailored to the local situation.

Besides, effective political leadership, strengthened cross-border, regional, and international cooperation are also necessary to coordinate malaria control and elimination efforts worldwide. Eat Right India Movement

Union Health Ministry has started POSHAN Maah 2019 with a year-long social and mass media campaign on the Eat Right India movement.

In the backdrop of the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, widespread deficiencies of vitamins and minerals and rampant food-borne illnesses the country is in need of a movement on preventive health.

About Eat Right India movement

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● The Eat Right India movement is a crucial preventive healthcare measure to trigger social and behavioral change through a judicious mix of regulatory measures, combined with soft interventions for ensuring awareness and capacity building of food businesses and citizens alike. ● It aims to sensitize the public towards healthy eating and addressing the twin issues of malnutrition/undernutrition and problem of obesity and intensifying the campaign towards a Malnutrition-Free India. ● It is aligned with the government’s flagship public health programmes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anemia Mukt Bharat, Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Swachh Bharat Mission.

Steps Taken Before

● The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also put in place robust regulatory measures under three major pillars: Eat Safe, Eat Healthy and Eat Sustainably for the programme. ● FSSAI has prescribed a limit for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) at 25% in cooking oil to avoid the harmful effects of reused cooking oil.

The four main factors to prevent non-communicable diseases are healthy diet, physical exercise, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol. Therefore, ‘Eat Right’ is a step in the right direction.

Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign

The Prime Minister, launched Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign 2019 in september. ● It is a massive countrywide awareness and mobilization campaign with special focus on plastic waste awareness and management. ● It will be organized from 11th September to October 2nd, 2019. ● The launch of SHS was organized jointly by the central Departments of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Drinking Water and Sanitation and the Government of Uttar Pradesh. ● A nationwide shramdaan for plastic waste collection and segregation will take place on 2nd October. ● Finally, Recycling and effective disposal of the collected plastic waste will begin from 3rd October to Diwali, 27th October 2019. India has committed itself to dedicate an Open defecation free (ODF) India to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary.

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INTERNAL SECURITY & DEFENCE

Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI)

From September 1, 2019, India has started to receive information on all financial accounts held by Indian residents in Switzerland, for the year 2018. ● In 2016, India and Switzerland had signed an information-sharing deal on bank accounts, which was to come into effect from September 2019. ● As per the agreement, Switzerland and India agreed to start collecting data in accordance with the global AEOI standard in 2018 and to exchange it from 2019 onwards. ● In 2018, data from Zurich-based Swiss National Bank (SNB) had shown that after declining for three years, money parked by Indians in Swiss Banks rose 50 percent to CHF (Swiss Franc) 1.02 billion (Rs 7,000 crore) in 2017 over the previous year.

Benefits of Swiss bank accounts ● The main benefits of Swiss bank accounts include low levels of financial risk and high levels of privacy. ● Swiss law prevents the bank from disclosing any information regarding an account (even its existence) without the depositor’s permission, except in cases where severe criminal activity is suspected. ● The strongest privacy comes from numbered accounts, which are identified internally by a number (instead of using the account holder’s name).

About Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) ● Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) is the exchange of information between countries without having to request it. AEOI exists to reduce global tax evasion. ● This automatic exchange of information (AEOI) is to be carried out under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). ● CRS is the global reporting standard for such exchange of information, which takes care of aspects such as confidentiality rules and data safeguards. ● The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) calls on jurisdictions to obtain information from their financial institutions and automatically exchange that information with other jurisdictions on an annual basis. ● It sets out the financial account information to be exchanged, the financial institutions required to report, the different types of accounts and taxpayers covered, as well as common due diligence procedures to be followed by financial institutions. ● The Standard consists of the following four key parts:  A model Competent Authority Agreement (CAA), providing the international legal framework for the automatic exchange of CRS information;  The Common Reporting Standard;  The Commentaries on the CAA and the CRS; and  The CRS XML Schema User Guide ● The CRS has been developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Under the agreement, India will not receive information on bank accounts prior to 2018.

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Way-Forward ● As the world becomes increasingly globalised and cross-border activities become the norm, tax administrations need to work together to ensure that taxpayers pay the right amount of tax to the right jurisdiction. ● It’s not illegal to hold assets overseas, but taxpayers are required to declare those accounts, which may lead to tax liabilities. ● A key aspect for making tax administrations ready for the challenges of the 21st century is equipping them with the necessary legal, administrative and IT tools for verifying compliance of their taxpayers.

Ground Handling Regulations

India is set to amend its ground handling regulations for foreign airlines to pacify the U.S., which in a retaliatory action recently barred Air India from performing ground operations on its own at American airports.

Importance of Ground handling for security ● According to data tabled in the Parliament in 2018, 27 security lapses were reported to Bureau of Civil Aviation over the last three years. ● Lessons learnt over the years from within the country and abroad make us realize the importance of well-fortified airports.  A major example is the security lapse of 9/11 which occurred despite the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) warning on poor security in the US domestic aviation sector.  The hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu, Flight 814, commonly known as IC 814, in 1999 was our country’s last major aviation security lapse.  Since then India has worked on strengthening its airport security a lot. CISF was asked to replace the state police forces to professionalize aviation security functions. ● One of the major activities that has a bearing on aviation security is Ground Handling (GH), as it involves a large number of workers both skilled and unskilled to enter airport and aircraft for cleaning, cargo and baggage handling and similar functions. ● Quick and quality ground handling is important for not just airlines and airports due to efficiency and passenger comfort considerations, but also for the government and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) from a safety and security perspective. ● Global aviation bodies such as ICAO, IATA and Airports Council International are working on model guidelines on Ground Handling as they feel that it is a complex web of activities which needs strong safety and security oversight. ● According to them, GH activities need a proper legal framework with licensing and certification along with a safety management system with responsibility and liability allocated to airport operator, aircraft operator and GH service provider.

About the issue ● The problem between the two countries over the issue of ground-handling surfaced after India amended its ground handling regulation in 2017, in accordance with the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) barring all foreign airlines from carrying out “self-handling” at any domestic airport.

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● Besides, a ground handling agency, with foreign ownership of 50% or more of its paid-up capital, has been barred from carrying out ground handling at civil enclaves or joint user defence airfields.  Generally, civil enclaves are airports belonging to the armed forces where civilian aircraft operations are allowed. ● These regulations are in violation with the Air Service Agreement signed between the two countries in 2005. As per the 2005 agreement, “each designated airline shall have the right to perform its own ground-handling in the territory of the other Party (self-handling), or, at its option, select among competing agents for such services in whole or in part.

While the order will not affect Air India’s operation, which uses local ground handlers in the U.S., it puts a further strain on Indo-U.S. trade ties that have reached an impasse in the past few months.

Maritime Communication Services

Government has launched the maritime communication services to enable high-end support to those in the sea by providing access to Voice, Data and Video services while traveling on sailing vessels, cruise liners, ships in India, using satellite technology.

Details ● Nelco, India’s leading VSAT solutions provider is the first Indian company that will now provide quality broadband services to the maritime sector. ● In December 2018, the Government of India announced the licenses for In-flight and Maritime Communications (IFMC) that allows voice and internet services while flying over the Indian skies and sailing in Indian waters, both for international and Indian aircraft and vessels. ● The IFMC license has not only enabled connectivity for onboard users on ships but also brings operational efficiencies for shipping companies which were less evolved until now. ● The IFMC license is a key initiative of the Telecom Ministry, a move to liberalize satellite communication services in India.

Benefits of Improved Maritime Communication services ● Better coordination– Maritime communication ensures better coordination between ships. ● Greater safety of ships - In the case of maritime accidents, this efficient system will allow rapid information exchange which will help to reach the ship in trouble sooner. ● Improved trade - The shared information about cargo in ships, ships leaving from various ports, ships scheduling etc can help ships in communicating better and improving trade. ● Sharing information and experiences - This will set examples for mariners to learn from other mariners experiences, how they handled accidents etc. and help them to handle such accidents in the future.

Special Protection Group (SPG)

Government downgraded the security cover of former PM Manomhan Singh, from Special Protection Group (SPG) to Z plus of the CRPF. The security cover of several other VIPs too has been downgraded.

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● The Home Ministry takes the decision based on inputs from intelligence agencies, which include the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing. ● They largely give a subjective measure of threat to life or injury to a person from terrorists or any other group, based on information from their sources. ● Certain individuals, by dint of their position in government, are automatically entitled to security cover. For example, prime Minister and his/her immediate family.

Special Protection Group (SPG)

● SPG was raised in 1985 in the wake of the killing of PM Indira Gandhi in 1984 on the recommendations of Birbal Nath Committee. ● In 1988, Parliament passed the SPG Act. Then, the Act did not include former prime ministers. After Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in 1991, SPG Act was amended to offer protection to all former PMs and their families for at least 10 years. ● In 2003, the government again amended the SPG Act to bring the period of automatic protection down from 10 years to “a period of one year from the date on which the former prime minister ceased to hold office” and beyond one year based on the level of threat as decided by the government. ● Under the current SPG Act, family members of an incumbent or former PM can decline security cover. ● The force is currently 3,000 strong and protects only four people PM Narendra Modi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile System

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested an indigenously- developed low weight, fire and forget, Man-Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) from Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool, in a major boost to India’s indigenous missile development program on 11 September.

● MPATGM is a third-generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), that has been developed indigenously by DRDO in partnership with VEM technologies Ltd. ● It comes with a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead. ● The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics. ● The strike range of this missile is about 2.5 kilometers and weighs around 14.5 kilograms, a feature that is critical to maintaining portability. ● It has the capability to be fired from the shoulder and can be used during the day and night. ● The missile is expected to be deployed to the infantry and parachute battalions of the Indian Army. ● Currently, the Indian Army uses the imported Milan 2T and Konkurs Russian anti-tank missiles in the infantry but they are vintage missiles and the force is looking for a third-generation ATGM. ● The Indian Army is planning to procure third-generation ATGMs with a longer range than that of its existing Milan-2T and Konkurs ATGMs.

Last year, the government had decided to scrap a program to buy the Spike ATGM from Israel keeping in mind the development made by DRDO in this regard.

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Indo-Thailand Joint Military Exercise Maitree – 2019

Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 between India and Thailand was conducted at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya) from 16-29 Sep 2019.

● Exercise MAITREE is an annual training event which is being conducted alternatively in Thailand and India since 2006. ● It is a joint military exercise between Indian Army and Royal Thai army. ● The scope of this exercise covers company level joint training on counter terrorism operations in jungle and urban scenario. ● Exercise MAITREE with Thailand is a significant in terms of the security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of changing facets of global terrorism.

The joint military exercise enhances the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army (IA) and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) which in turn fosters defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations. SITMEX

The maiden trilateral exercise SITMEX, involving the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) took place at Port Blair on 16 Sep 19.

● It aims to improve the maritime interrelationship between Singapore Thailand and India and contribute towards enhancing the overall maritime security in the region. ● Another objective is to increase mutual confidence amongst three navies in terms of interoperability and development of a common understanding of procedures.

Besides fostering cooperation, the maiden IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral exercise would provide an opportunity to participating navies to come together in a spirit of collaboration to nurture stronger ties. Apache Attack Helicopters

Eight US made Apache attack helicopters were inducted into the Indian Air Force at the Pathankot air base near the India Pakistan border.

India signed a $1.1-billion deal with US defence giant Boeing in 2015 for 22 Apache choppers. ● The Apache helicopters will be the second US-built helicopters to join the Indian air force fleet. ● The Indian Air Force currently has 15 Chinook helicopters on order and the first Chinooks arrived in February 2019. ● The IAF currently flies Soviet-origin Mi-25 and Mi-35 helicopters.

About Apache helicopters ● The Apache is a stealthy, versatile machine designed for all kinds of missions. ● It comes equipped with laser and infrared systems for day-night operations. ● It is armed with air- to-surface Hellfire missiles, 70 mm rockets and automatic cannon. ● The two-pilot Apache, on the other hand is seen, as a dedicated attack chopper.

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According to defence analysts Apache helicopters will be a “game changer” in tactical battle scenario.

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

The naval variant of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas made a successful short arrested landing on the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF), INS Hansa in Goa. This is a big step towards the aircraft getting operational on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. ● The Shore Based Test Facility replicates the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, it was specifically built to train naval pilots in the complex manoeuvres of landing. ● The Navy currently operates Russian MiG-29K fighters from INS Vikramaditya.

About Tejas ● The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-engine, multirole light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. In 2003, the LCA was officially named “Tejas”. ● It was developed under the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme, which began in the 1980s to replace India’s ageing MiG-21 fighters. ● After the HAL HF-24 Marut, the Tejas is the second supersonic fighter developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). ● The Tejas Mark 2 is expected to be ready for series production by 2025-26.

Astra Missile

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter successfully test-fired the indigenous Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Astra missile with a range of over 70 kilometers off Odisha coast as part of user trials.

About ASTRA ● It is an indigenously developed sophisticated Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), developed by DRDO. It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India. ● The BVRAAM technology enables fighter-pilots to shoot precisely at the enemy targets which are beyond their visual range. ● It is designed to be capable of engaging targets at varying ranges and altitudes allowing for engagement of both short-range targets at a distance of 20 km and long-range targets up to a distance of 80 km. ● Astra missile has some highly advanced features like Electronic Counter-Countermeasures or ECCM which enables Astra missile to overcome defensive measures put forth for the target by the enemy. Astra has been integrated with Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI and is in the process of being integrated with Dassault Mirage 2000, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 fighters as well as the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Chandrayaan-2 Mission

The soft-landing of Chandrayaan-2’s landing module, Vikram, did not go according to plan as all ground communication was lost with it just moments before the scheduled landing late on September 7. Though ISRO has managed to locate Vikram, on the Moon's surface a day after losing contact with the craft, however it is yet to establish contact with it. ● Chandrayaan – 2, a fully indigenous mission, is an Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) mission comprising an orbiter and a soft lander carrying a rover, scheduled to launch to the Moon in July 2019. ● Chandrayaan-2 is India’s second outing to the moon. ● ISRO sent the mission on its heavy lift booster, the GSLV MkIII, from Sriharikota. ● The 3,800-kg spacecraft includes an orbiter which will circle the moon at 100 km; a five-legged lander called Vikram that was to descend on the moon and a robotic rover, Pragyan, to probe the lunar terrain around it. ● ISRO chose a landing area at the hitherto unexplored lunar south pole. ● The primary objective of Chandrayaan-2 was to demonstrate the ability to soft-land on the lunar surface and operate a robotic rover on the surface. ● Scientific goals include studies of lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, the lunar exosphere, and signatures of hydroxyl and water ice. ● Chandrayaan-2 would have made India the 4th country in the world to soft-land on the moon, a feat achieved only by US, USSR and China till now.

Previous Moon Probes ● In October 2008, the space organisation had launched its orbiter mission Chandrayaan-1 on its PSLV booster. The spacecraft had 11 payloads. One of the U.S. payloads shares credit with Chandrayaan-1 for confirming the presence of water ice on the moon. ● Before that, the Moon Impacter Probe carrying the Indian tricolor image was made to hard-land on the lunar south pole.

Benefits ● Push the Boundaries of Scientific knowledge – Clues to some of the most fundamental questions about our Solar system. Studying those will help us unravel the mysteries of our universe. ● Engage with the Public – It will inspire the whole nation and motivate the youth to undertake real-life applications of science and technology to be second to none in solving the problems of man and society. ● Expand India’s Footprint in Space – Moon is the perfect test-bed for proving technologies required for future space exploration as well as in-situ resource utilization. ● Unleash Innovation – Throwing grand challenge to the youth will unleash the innovation, spurring future research and development. ● Explore Economic Possibilities – Industry has always been a partner in ISRO’s space program and the future holds bigger opportunities for strengthening the alliance. ● Foster shared aspirations of the International Community – India will be a key contributor in exploring and uncovering the secrets of the universe an aspiration shared by the global community.

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● ISRO initially partnered with a startup–TeamIndus for the launch, which however could not materialize. Still, it gave a boost to the Indian startup industry in space sector thereby promoting entrepreneurship. Chandrayaan-2 offers similar possibilities. ● For Chandrayaan-2 mission, two women – Ritu Kridhal and M Vanitha are leading as project and mission directors respectively. Thus, it is a symbol of women empowerment and an icon of women taking leadership roles in the country’s biggest projects.

What is soft landing and why is it difficult?

● A soft landing is any type of aircraft, rocket or spacecraft-lander landing that does not result in damage to/the destruction of the vehicle or anything on board. (Contradictory to hard landing.) ● Soft-landing requires maintaining the required velocity with the thrusters and creating a fine balance among them. Vikram was to use five thrusters — four at the corners and one at the centre to make its final descent. ● Another challenge is the moon dust which could wreck the engines of the thrusters.

A setback, not a failure ● While it was impossible to retrieve the lander (Vikram) and the rover (Pragyan), only 5 per cent of the mission was lost. The remaining 95 per cent of the mission – the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter – was still orbiting the moon successfully. ● The orbiter will take pictures of the moon, and probably even of the lander, and transmit them to ISRO, where they will be analyzed. ● The Orbiter will enrich our understanding of the moon’s evolution and mapping of the minerals and water molecules in the polar regions, using its eight state-of-the-art scientific instruments.

Way Forward

ISRO’s past record shows that there are no failures in science, only lessons. ● This is not the first time an Indian space mission did not go according to the plan. When Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was then the project coordinator of SLV-3 mission in 1979 and Professor Satish Dhawan was the chairman of ISRO, the SLV crashed into the Bay of Bengal due to a faulty valve. ● But ISRO learnt from the failure and successfully launched SLV-3 from the Sriharikota rocket launching station and Rohini, satellite RS-1, was placed in orbit, making India the sixth member of an exclusive club of space-faring nations. ● Lessons from Chandrayaan-2 mission can be used in ISRO’S future missions like the Gaganyaan project, which aims to place three Indians in space by 2022, Interplanetary probes and a solar spacecraft mission (Aditya-L1), Permanent space station in line with the ISS. ● India is already in talks with Japan’s JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) for a future mission Chandrayaan-3 in 2024, to bring back soil and rock samples from the South Pole of the Moon. ISRO’s future missions are expected to further explore new areas in deep space technology. Moon is the perfect test-bed for proving technologies required for future space exploration.

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National Genomic Grid

Government has announced plans of Genomic grid for India-specific cancer research. ● The grid to be formed will be in line with the National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB) set up at the Indian Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. ● It will collect samples from cancer patients to study genomic factors influencing cancer and identifying the right treatment modalities for the Indian population. ● The grid will have four parts, with the country divided into east, west, north and south.

Need ● To take cancer research to the next level and make treatment viable for people of different economic classes. ● The genomic samples will help researchers to have India-specific studies on cancers.

The National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB)

National Cancer Tissue Biobank (NCTB), a state-of-the-art non-profit community based tissue bank, is a joint initiative of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM). ● NCTB is the first of its kind facility in India and is aiming to provide researchers with high quality of cancer tissues and the patient data in order to facilitate cancer research that will lead to improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment. ● The biobank collects cancer tissue samples with consent from patients diagnosed with cancer. ● Information about the previous medical history and treatment of the donors is also documented along with the tissue samples. ● A panel of scientists and doctors (Steering committee of the biobank) must approve that the project is scientifically worthwhile and ethics committee must approve the project before bio-specimens are provided to researchers.

According to the government, the first set of 350 genomic data of stomach and breast cancer patients developed from the 3,000 samples at NCTB will be released by the end of October.

Google to Set Up AI Research Lab in Bengaluru

U.S.-headquartered Google has announced the setting up of an AI research lab in Bengaluru that will work on advancing artificial intelligence-related research with an aim to solve problems in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and education. ● Google’s Bengaluru based AI research lab will focus on two things.  Firstly, it will focus on the advancement of Computer Science research in India, wherein it will focus on Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Languages, Speech, Systems, and other related areas.  Secondly, it will focus on applying this research to tackle big problems in areas pertaining to healthcare, agriculture, and education. ● The lab will also focus on making apps and services that will focus on helping millions of people in the country.

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● The company in the recent past has launched a number of India centric products and initiatives, like the BOLO app, rail Wi-Fi project and its flood forecasting initiative that was piloted in Patna. ● Google has also launched an Internet Saathi programme, a digital literacy initiative of Google India and Tata Trusts, aimed at empowering women in rural India in 2.6 lakh villages across the country.

CLRI’s Biocatalyst

A novel amylase-based biocatalyst has been developed by researchers at the Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI), Chennai. It was created using Genetic Engineering techniques.

Significance of this finding ● Pre-tanning process generates 60-70% of total pollution during processing. By drastically cutting the time taken to process the skin at the pre-tanning stage, it helps in processing leather in an environment-friendly way. ● When the biocatalyst is used, the amount of effluent discharge is considerably cut as there is threefold reduction in water usage. ● Also, no chemicals are used, this will aid in reducing the chemical oxygen demand by about 35% while the total solid effluent load reduces by over 50%. ● It makes the process of opening the fibres quicker as it takes just 10 minutes to open the fibres when the biocatalyst is used compared with traditional enzymes that take three-four hours. ● It is sufficient to use less amount of chromium to increase the stability of the collagen and the quality of the finished leather also becomes superior. ● About 21% of the chromium used gets absorbed by the skin, which is far more than when other enzymes or chemical-based methods are used, leading to reduced chromium in the effluent discharge. ● The biocatalyst is stable even at a high temperature of 90 degree C and pH 10 and so up to 95% of the enzyme can be recovered after a single process and reused.

FEDOR

The humanoid robot Fedor, the first from Russia sent into orbit, has reached the International Space Station.

Background

● In 2011, NASA sent up Robonaut 2, a humanoid robot developed with General Motors that had a similar aim of working in high-risk environments. ● In 2013, Japan sent up a small robot called Kirobo along with the ISS’s first Japanese space commander.

About

● FEDOR, which stands for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research, the Skybot F-850 is the first humanoid robot to be sent to space by Russia. ● It will spend 10 days learning to assist astronauts on the International Space Station. ● The robot’s main purpose it to be used in operations that are especially dangerous for humans onboard spacecraft and in outer space. ● FEDOR, who is the size of an adult, can emulate movements of the human body.

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Significance

● Fedor copies human movements, a key skill that allows it to remotely help astronauts to carry out tasks. ● Fedor is described as ‘potentially useful’ on Earth for working in high radiation environments, demining and tricky rescue missions. Neutron Star

Astronomers at West Virginia University have found the most massive neutron star ever recorded, located about 4,600 light-years from Earth.

● The massive neutron star, which has been dubbed J0740+6620, is very dense, about 2.17 times the mass of the sun packed into a sphere that’s only 15 miles across. ● Scientists measure the mass of a neutron star using the “Shapiro Delay” phenomenon. ● The space around the star is warped due to its high gravitational pull. Pulses from a pulsar need to travel farther through that warped space, which makes them more time. That delay tells scientists how dense a neutron star is. ● Scientists have been able to use gravitational waves to make several discoveries about neutron stars recently, including a pair of them smashing together to create a massive “kilonova.” ● Scientists believe that a similar kilonova that happened about 4.6 billion years ago might have been the source of gold and platinum on Earth.

Neutron Stars

● Neutron stars are one of the possible evolutionary end-points of high mass stars. ● Once the core of the star has completely burned to iron, energy production stops and the core rapidly collapses, squeezing electrons and protons together to form neutrons and neutrinos thus producing a neutron star. ● Neutron stars are very dense (mass of three times the Sun can be fit in a sphere of just 20km in diameter). ● If its mass is any greater, its gravity will be so strong that it will shrink further to become a black hole New Term ‘Yank’ Proposed

Biologists and biomedical engineers are proposing to define the term “yank” for changes in force overtime, something that our muscles and nerves can feel and respond to.

Need for the new term

● Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity (or speed) with respect to time. In other words, acceleration is the time derivative of speed or velocity. And the time derivative of acceleration is “jerk”. ● The time derivative after jerk is described by the words, “snap”, “crackle” and “pop” for each successive derivative. ● Likewise, Force is a push or pull upon an object resulting from the object’s interaction with another object. Force is measured in units of mass times acceleration. ● But the problem is that unlike velocity and acceleration, time derivatives for force have never been defined till now. That is why a new term ‘Yank’ has been proposed to fill the empty spot. ● ‘Yank’ could be useful in understanding spasticity, a common muscle impairment in multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, stroke, and cerebral palsy.

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● Yank can also prove to be useful in the study of activities like jumping, sprinting, capturing prey and maintaining balance, etc. ● It is similarly useful in analyzing the behavior of muscles and tendons, sensory feedback and spinal reflexes, all the way down to the contributions of individual cells. Salmonella

Few lots of MDH sambar masala were recalled from retail stores in California after tests by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) showed positive for salmonella.

● Salmonella is a rod shaped, gram negative bacterium commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. ● Salmonella bacteria are widely distributed in domestic and wild animals. They are prevalent in food animals such as poultry, pigs, and cattle, as well as in pets, including cats, dogs, birds, and turtles. ● The WHO says Salmonella can pass through the entire food chain from animal feed, primary production, and all the way to households or food-service establishments and institutions. ● Salmonella food poisoning (Salmonellosis) is an illness that can occur if live Salmonella bacteria enters the body. ● The bacteria can attach itself to the cells lining the intestines where they produce toxins and attack the intestinal cells. ● Individuals who develop salmonellosis may show symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after contracting the infection. ● Usually, the illness lasts for 4-7 days, and most people recover without treatment. ● The World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies Salmonella as one of four key global causes of diarrhoeal diseases.

This is not the first time that the American regulator has flagged problems of salmonella contamination in MDH products. The USFDA had detained imports of its spice products in over 20 instances between 2016 and 2018 for this reason.

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ART, CULTURE & DIVERSITY

Sangam Age

In a major turning point in the cultural historiography of the ancient Sangam Age, the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department (TNAD) has stated that the cultural deposits unearthed during excavations at Keeladi in Sivaganga district in Tamil Nadu could be traced between 6th century BCE and the 1st century CE (600 BC-100AD). ● Sangam age is generally considered between 300BC and 300 AD. But the Sangam age materials unearthed from Keeladi site and sent for carbon dating test in the U.S. dates back to 580 BCE. ● The results from the excavations suggest that the second urbanization [the first being Indus] of Vaigai plains happened in Tamil Nadu around 6th century BCE as it happened in Gangetic plains. ● The recent scientific dates obtained for Keeladi findings push back the date of Tamil-Brahmi script to another century, i.e., 6th century BCE.

Significance ● These results confirmed that literacy and the art of writing had been attained as early as the 6th century BCE. ● The finding also suggests that the society in Keeladi had used animals predominantly for agricultural purposes. ● The mineral analysis of the pottery specimens showed that the water containers and cooking vessels were shaped out of locally available raw materials. ● The report also hints at script continuity from Indus Valley Civilisation. The 580-BCE inscription contains graffiti marks which are believed to be the link between the Indus script and the Tamil Brahmi. The Keeladi site, since its discovery has been shrouded in controversy with several Dravidian and Left ideologues claiming that the archaeological finds prove that the Indus Valley Civilisation was a Dravidian culture and an independent “secular” Tamil civilisation.

There are two techniques in measuring radiocarbon in the samples; 1. Radiometric dating 2. Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The two techniques are used primarily in determining carbon 14 content of archaeological artifacts and geological samples. ● Radiometric dating methods detect beta particles from the decay of carbon 14 atoms. On the other hand, accelerator mass spectrometers count the number of carbon 14 atoms present in the sample. ● AMS dating involves accelerating the ions to extraordinarily high kinetic energies followed by mass analysis. Although more expensive than radiometric dating, AMS dating has higher precision and needs small sample sizes.

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Munich Agreement

On 2nd September 1, 1939 German troops marched into Poland, triggering the beginning of World War II. ● World War II, also called Second World War, was a conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45. ● The principal parties were the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—and the Allies—France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China.

Background of WWII ● Hitler had threatened to bring war to Europe unless the German-majority areas in the north, south, and west of Czechoslovakia were surrendered to Germany. ● The German-speaking people living in these areas, referred to in German as ● The Czechoslovaks were relying on military assistance from France, with which they had an alliance. ● But Neither France nor Britain felt prepared to defend Czechoslovakia. ● Both were anxious to avoid a military confrontation with Germany at almost any cost.

Munich Agreement ● It was signed on September 30, 1938 between Germany, France, Italy, and Great Britain that permitted German annexation of the Sudetenland, in western Czechoslovakia. ● Czechoslovakia was forced to agree to the deal under pressure from Great Britain and France, which had a military alliance with the country. ● Following the Munich Agreement, German troops occupied these areas. ● It was a part of Hitler’s appeasement policy by the Great Britain. It was instituted in the hope of avoiding war with Germany. In the 1930s British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain allowed Hitler to expand German territory unchecked. It is now widely discredited as a policy of weakness.

Why the war still happened? ● Six months after the Munich Agreement was signed, Hitler broke the Munich Pact and invaded the whole of Czechoslovakia. ● In March 1939, Hitler annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia, and the country ceased to exist. ● On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland despite British and French threats to intervene. ● Two days later, Britain declared war against Germany, and World War II began.

Paryushan Parva

The Paryushana festival for Jains was celebrated on August 26 this year, and will end on September 2, 2019. ● Paryushana is the most important annual holy events for Jains. ● All Jains perform Atthai Tap – fasting for eight days at a time. ● During these days, Jain monks read out the Kalpasutra, the most sacred scripture of the Jains.

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Kalpasutra ● Kalpasutra is a Jain ancient text containing the biographies of the last two Jain Tirthankaras, Parshvanath and Mahavira. ● It contains detailed life histories with illustrations. Adinath (or RishabhDev) and Neminath are two other Tirthankaras briefly mentioned in the text, with Adinath depicted in some of the illustrations. ● The book is considered to be written by Bhadrabahu I, and it is considered written about 150 years after Nirvana of Mahavira.

● The five main vows are emphasized during this time. The five fundamental ethics emphasised are  Ahimsa, non-violence;  Satya, truth;  Asteya, non-stealing;  Brahmacharya, chastity; and  Aparigraha, non-possession ● The main aim of Paryushan is to purify the soul and achieve self-uplift. ● Normally, Digambaras refer it as Das Lakshana Dharma while Svetambaras refer to it as Paryushana (“abiding” or “coming together”). ● The duration of Paryushana is for 8-10 days. ● The festival ends with the celebration of Kshamavani (forgiveness day). Forgiveness is asked by saying Micchami Dukkadam or Uttam Kshama to each other.  ‘Micchami’ means to be fruitless (forgiven) and ‘Dukkadam’ means bad deeds.

About Jainism ● Jainism is non-theistic. It does not acknowledge the existence of a supreme god. ● According to Jainism, there are nine truths (Nav-tattva). They are Soul (Jiva), matter (Ajiva), merit (Punya), demerit or sin (Papa), influx of karma (Asrava), Stoppage of Karmic matter (Samvara), Bondage (Bandha), shredding of karmic matter (nirjara) and Liberation (Moksha). ● Jains trace their spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twenty-four teachers known as tirthankaras. ● The first is Rishabhanatha,the twenty-third is Parshvanatha in 900 BCE, and twenty-fourth being the Mahavira around 500 BCE. ● Jainism has two major ancient sub-traditions, Digambaras and Svetambaras. ● Jains believe that good karma leads to better circumstances in the next life, and bad karma to worse. No karma can help a person achieve liberation from rebirth.

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PIB CORNER

Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB)

The Election Commission of India hosted the 4th General Assembly of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) at Bengaluru on 3rd September 2019. ● The Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) is the largest association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide. ● A-WEB was established in 2013, in Song-do, South Korea. ● At present A-WEB has 115 EMBs as Members & 20 Regional Associations/Organisations as Associate Members.

Objective ● To foster efficiency and effectiveness in conducting free, fair, transparent and participative elections worldwide. ● To achieve sustainable democracy around the world and strengthening the processes of election management in member countries. ● Identify the latest trends, challenges and developments in democratic electoral management and electoral processes. ● To facilitate the appropriate exchange of experience and expertise among members with the objective of strengthening electoral democracy worldwide.

ECI and A-WEB ● Since 2011-12, Election Commission of India has been very closely associated with the process of formation of A-WEB. ● ECI has been its Executive Board Member since A-WEB’s inception in October 2013 for two consecutive terms (2013-15 and 2015-17). ● India has taken over as Chair for the 2019-21 term. ECI will continue to remain on the Executive Board of A WEB for 2021-23 in its capacity as immediate former Chair of A WEB.

Motihari-Amlekhgunj Pipeline Project

Indian PM and his Nepalese counterpart jointly inaugurated the 69km pipeline from state-run Indian Oil’s terminal in Motihari in north Bihar to Nepal Oil Corporation’s Amlekhgunj depot in Narayani Zone of southern Nepal. ● The Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline project was first proposed in 1996. It got pace after Indian Prime Minister visited Kathmandu in 2014. ● The following year, the two governments signed an agreement to execute the project; however, political tensions, including India’s alleged “economic blockade” of Nepal, acted as roadblocks in the implementation. ● In 2017, state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) signed a petroleum trade agreement to supply about 1.3 million tonnes of fuel annually to Nepal with a promise to double the volume by 2020. ● The pipeline will transport fuel from Barauni refinery in Bihar.

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● The Amalekhgunj fuel depot will have the capacity to store up to 16,000 kilolitres of petroleum products.

Significance ● This will be South Asia’s first cross-border oil product pipeline. ● Due to reduced transportation cost, it will help Kathmandu to cut fuel prices by Rs 2 per litre. ● Despite providing uninterrupted supply during any blockade it will also help in tackling the oil storage problem in Nepal. For India, ● Gives Indian oil a bona fide customer. ● Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline further helps to deepen engagement with Nepal. India currently supplies 1.3 million tonnes per annum of Petro products to Nepal, this will further boost trade.

Dindigul lock and Kandangi saree get GI tag

Two well-known products from Tamil Nadu — Dindigul lock and Kandangi saree — have been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by The Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.

Dindigul Lock ● The Dindigul locks are known throughout the world for their superior quality and durability, so much so that even the city is called Lock City. ● More than 3,125 lock manufacturing units are limited to an area of 5 km in and around Dindigul. The abundance of iron in this region is the reason for the growth of the industry. ● There are over 50 varieties of locks made by artisans using raw materials such as MS flat plates and brass plates procured from the nearby towns, including Madurai and Salem. ● The most interesting ones are the Kolaikaran pootu (burglar lock) which is designed in a manner that a knife would come out if the wrong key is inserted. Concern: Despite unique features, the lock industry for the last few years has been gradually dying due to stiff competition from Aligarh and Rajapalayam.

Kandangi sarees ● Highly quality cotton from Coimbatore is used to make the saree. The main characteristic of the saree is its bright colors that hold strong. ● The original Kandangi saree is manually made using a winding machine, loom, shuttle, and bobbin. It is a team effort of the families who live in the town of Karaikudi and it forms part of their livelihood ● The Kandangi sarees are manufactured in the entire Karaikudi Taluk in Sivaganga district. ● They are characterized by large contrast borders and some are known to have borders covering as far as two-thirds of the saree which is usually around 5.10 m-5.60 m in length. ● Worn in summer, these cotton sarees are usually bought by customers in bulk. Concern: The market has a plethora of sarees that are woven in other parts of the State and look akin to the Kandangi saree.

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Composite Water Management Index 2.0

To supplement the efforts of Jal Shakti Ministry, NITI Aayog has prepared the second Round of Composite Water Management Index (CWMI 2.0).

Key Findings

● Gujarat hold on to its rank one in the reference year (2017-18), followed by Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. ● In North Eastern and Himalayan States, Himachal Pradesh has been adjudged number 1 in 2017-18 followed by Uttarakhand, Tripura and Assam. ● The Union Territories have first time submitted their data and Puducherry has been declared as the top ranker. ● In terms of incremental change in index (over 2016-17 level), Haryana holds number one position in general States and Uttarakhand ranks at first position amongst North Eastern and Himalayan States. ● On an average, 80% of the states assessed on the Index over the last three years have improved their water management scores, with an average improvement of +5.2 points.

Significance

● NITI Aayog first launched and conceptualized the Composite Water Management Index in 2018 as a tool to instill a sense of cooperative and competitive federalism among the states. ● This was a first ever attempt at creating a pan-India set of metrics that measured different dimensions of water management and use across the lifecycle of water. ● The CWMI is an important tool to assess and improve the performance of States/ Union Territories in efficient management of water resources. ● The index provides useful information for the States and also for the concerned Central Ministries/Departments enabling them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resources. Scientific management of water is increasingly recognized as being vital to India’s growth and ecosystem sustainability.

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RSTV CORNER

Big Bank Reform

Finance Minister of India has declared to merge 10 Public Sector Banks into 4 big banks (that has reduced the number of PSU to 12 from 27) which is a big consolidation of public sector banks. The scheme of amalgamation has led to the merger of the following banks:  Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of India (UBI) are merged with the Punjab National Bank (PNB).  Syndicate Bank is merged with the Canara Bank. And as of now, Canara bank would be fourth largest Public Sector of India.  Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank are merged with Union Bank of India which makes Union Bank as the 5th largest PSU.  Indian Bank would be merged with the Allahabad Bank. And the merger will make Allahabad bank as 7th largest Public Sector Bank of India. Other Pronouncements ● Big Capital Infusion: On this big consolidation, the government also declared capital infusion totaling over ₹55,000 crore into public sector banks. ● Improved Loan Tracking System: Loan tracking mechanism in PSU banks is being improved for the benefit of customers. ● Liquidity credit to NBFCs: 4 NBFCs will now get liquidity support through PSU banks. ● Better Management  Non-official directors to perform role analogous to independent directors  Bank boards were given flexibility to fix sitting fee of independent directors  To make management accountable to the board, board committee of nationalized banks to appraise performance of general manager and above including managing director.  Post consolidation, boards will be given the flexibility to introduce chief general manager level as per business needs.

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Know the Basics  What is a Bank Merger? It is situation under which two or more banks pool their assets and liabilities to become one bank.  What are the regulations for Bank Merger?  Section 44A of the Banking Regulation Act 1949: It provides procedure for Amalgamation of Banking Companies, under which, no banking company shall be amalgamated with another banking company, unless a scheme containing the terms of such amalgamation has been placed in draft before the shareholders of each of the banking companies concerned separately, and approved by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of the shareholders of each of the said companies.  Section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act (Forced Mergers): Under this norms, RBI can apply to the Government for an order of moratorium for a banking company.

Need ● Reducing Risk Appetite: As per the ministry, the merger will make the banks to reduce risk appetite and will ensure a strong national presence. ● Reducing the Cost Operation: This big consolidation of Public Sector Banks would reduce the cost of operations due to network overlaps. ● Business enhancement: It will give impetus to the increase of the post-merger bank’s business by 2- 4.5 times. ● Increasing Global Competitiveness: This merger would ensure doubling the businesses of PSUs and that will further increase their global competitiveness.

Committees on Bank Merger Narasimhan committee: In 1991 and 1998, Narasimhan committee suggested merger of strong banks both in public sector and even with the developmental financial institutions and NBFCs. Khan committee: In 1997, Khan Committee also stressed the need for harmonization of roles of commercial banks and the financial institutions. Verma committee: Verma committee report on Weak PSUs, had entailed the need of public sector bank consolidation that will further lead to pooling of strengths and lead to an overall reduction in cost of operations.

Benefits of the merger ● Creation of a global level of Bank: The merger will increase the net assets and, that in turn, will lead to the joining of the league of top 50 banks globally in terms of assets. ● Extending Outreach: A banking merger can help in extending the outreach of Indian banking system to foreign countries. ● Synergy effect: Merger will help in improving the efficiency of operations, increasing economies of scale, better management of risk, improved professional standards, savings on cost etc. ● Benefits to customers: More innovative products and services to customers like mutual funds, insurance products etc. The increased capacity will also enhance reach of banks to rural and ill-served areas. ● Better portfolio management: The merged entity will be able to diversify its portfolio, better identification of willful defaulters and addressing the issue of NPAs. ● BASEL norms Compliance: Big banks with their huge capital reserves will be able to meet BASEL III requirements more easily.

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● Benefits to the economy: Due to higher capital base a merged entity will be able to finance long term and highly capital intensive infrastructure and other projects.

Concerns/Limitations ● Diversion from specific objective: After unification, the subsidiary bank may forget their specific objective to serve a particular section or region. ● Adverse impact on existing employees: Immediate job losses, high VRS liability, harmonization of skill sets, change in terms of service condition etc. ● Postponement of Promotion: Seniority related matters among mid-level employees may also become a concern as any pending promotions may now have to wait before the merger is fully completed. ● Failure Risk: Failure of a large and merged bank will affect the economic health of country severely, especially at a time when PSBs are facing higher level of NPAs. ● Merger of technical and physical infrastructure: Harmonisation of bank branches, technical software, accounting policies and different organisational cultures will not be an easy task. ● Piecemeal measure: The basic issues of PSB recapitalization, rising NPAs, and poor governance will continue to remain unresolved unless holistic banking sector reforms are undertaken. PSB consolidation is merely one of the measures.

Way Forward A merger can increase the risk for overall economy substantially. Further, merger should come up with following steps: ● Ensuring a good environment for private sector banks to grow. Private banks should not be adversely affected by big PSBs. ● Overcoming resistance to change by providing adequate education, capacity building and incentives to employees. ● The holding bank should respect the distinct culture and objectives of subsidiary bank and should not try to dominate them.

Thus, the merger offers opportunities as well as challenges. While consolidation is required to address the challenges of banking sector, it is not a solution by itself. Careful implementation of merger can ensure that it is not only beneficial for banking system but also for the entire economy.

India, France Ties Late last month, Indian Prime Minister traveled to France for the annual bilateral summit. He was also invited by the French President to the G-7 summit, which occurred from August 25- 26 at Biarritz, a reflection of the growing depth of the partnership between India and France. Traditionally, India and France have close and friendly relations which entered into a strategic partnership in the 1980s. The major areas of defence cooperation, space cooperation and civil nuclear cooperation constitute the three principal pillars of our Strategic Partnership. Over the years, counterterrorism, maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region and cyber security have been added to the menu. Background of India-France Relation During the grievance era of the cold war, the relation between Paris and New Delhi remained relatively cordial.

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● Since the 1960s, French aircraft and helicopters have been part of the Indian air fleet — Ouragan, Mystere, Alize, Alouette, Jaguar (it is Anglo-French), Mirage, and Rafale. ● France was one of the first western countries to lift the arms embargo from India in the aftermath of the 1965 conflict. ● Cooperation in the space sector goes back to the inception of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). France helped in setting up the Sriharikota launch site and shared the Centaure and Viking rocket technologies in the 1970s. ● In 1971, France commented positively over the legitimacy of India’s concerns vis-à-vis the refugee crisis in its border regions with Bangladesh. ● When the United States reneged on its agreement to supply nuclear fuel for Tarapur, citing domestic legal constraints in 1984, it was France that took on the role.

With the end of the Cold War, there was a growing political convergence between the two countries. ● Since 1998, the Franco-Indian relationship has become increasingly strategic and intense cooperation between our two countries developed in areas as sensitive as defence, security and energy. ● After the nuclear tests in May 1998, when India declared itself a nuclear-weapon State, France was the first major power to open talks with India. ● In the economic field, trade relations have developed over the years and French companies have been investing massively in India. Since 1998, India and France bilateral trade increased by 10.6% and also an increase in Indian exports to France grew by 17.43%. Significance of India-France Relations ● Nuclear Cooperation: The bilateral cooperation agreement for the development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy defined the framework of two countries cooperation in this field. Several cooperation projects in the arena of nuclear research and the signing of MoU between AREVA and L&T, have widened the scope of our industrial cooperation. ● Security: As terrorism is a global threat, the joint initiative of India and France must intensify their cooperation within the framework of Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, including on information and intelligence sharing on terror networks. ● Strategic - About a fifth of France’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) lies in the IOR, through its overseas territories of Réunion and Mayotte, and it can play an influential role in the region. Indian access to French military facilities will help India spread its reach and influence, especially in western Indian Ocean. Also, French presence in the Indo-Pacific could allow India, France, Japan and the US to work together. ● Trade - India-France bilateral trade rose to $10.96 billion in 2016-17 from $8.3 billion in 2015-16. India and France have committed to increase bilateral trade to 15 billion euro by 2022 and "timely relaunching" of negotiations on the India-EU free trade agreement. ● Defence: In the agreed areas of cooperation including collaboration in defence technologies, research and development already have impacted the strong commitment between the two nations and also create a better environment for France companies to manufacturing in India defence sector.  France and its defence industry actively contribute to the “Make in India” programme in the defence sector.  The first conventional submarine, Scorpene, which started being built in India, began sea trials in 2015, and the second in January 2017.  An agreement on India’s acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter jets was concluded in September 2016.  In 2017, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers was set up and is now engaging with its French counterpart, GIFAS (French Aeronautics and Space Industry Group). ● Space: The recent agreement between ISRO and Central National D’EtudesSpatiales (CNES) for preformulation studies of a Maritime Awareness Mission would provide an end-to-end solution for detection, identification, and monitoring of vessels in the regions of interest for France and India.

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● Economic Importance: The dynamism of Indo-French economic relations springs from the establishment of French companies in India. Today, more than 1000 French subsidiaries from a wide spectrum of sectors are present in India and employ a workforce of around 3,00,000 persons. After Brexit, France will be EU’s sole nuclear power and member of the UN Security Council. It therefore enjoys a central position in the European security architecture. ● Combating Climate Change: France and India actively strengthened their cooperation in preparation for COP21 in December 2015 and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. They jointly launched an International Solar Alliance.

Other Areas of Cooperation ● Terrorism: Terror strikes in France by home-grown terrorists drawn from the large French Muslim community provide much scope for counterterrorism cooperation, in terms of both intelligence- sharing and de-radicalisation strategies. ● Urbanisation: India and France have been jointly cooperating on developing smart cities in Chandigarh, Nagpur, and Puducherry. ● Cultural Cooperation: The countries also have enhanced cultural cooperation in various trends. Indian Council for Cultural Relations used to regularly sends Indian cultural troupes to France.

Recent Developments Most importantly, the nuclear agreement between the two nations is considered to be a significant one. The list of agreements signed between India and France during the PM’s visit to France: S. No Areas of Cooperation About the Agreement 1 Prevention of Illicit Consumption and The two nations bilaterally work on the Reduction of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Prevention of Illicit Consumption and Drugs. Reduction of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors and Related Offences 2 India-France Migration and Mobility This agreement will facilitate temporary Partnership Agreement. circular migration based on mobility and the encouragement for a return of skills to the home country. 3 Agreement to facilitate Mutual The purpose of this Arrangement is to facilitate Recognition of Academic Qualifications the mutual recognition of educational qualifications 4 Memorandum of Understanding between The purpose is to build upon and deepen the the Ministry of Railways and SNCF mutual cooperation and focus on priority areas Motilities, France on technical cooperation of high speed and semi-high speed rail; station in the field of Railways renovation modernisation of current operations and infrastructure. 5 Letter of Intent between India and France The purpose of this Letter of Intent is to for the creation of a permanent Indo- enhance the already existing cooperation by French Railways Forum. creating an Indo-French Permanent Railway Forum. 6 Agreement between India and France This Agreement shall facilitate the reciprocal regarding the provision of reciprocal provision of Logistic Support, Supplies and

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logistics support between their Armed Services between the Armed Forces of the two Forces countries. 7 MoU India and France on cooperation in The MoU aims to establish a basis for the the field of Environment. exchange of information between the Governments and technical experts of the two countries in the field of environment and climate change 8 Cooperation in the field of Sustainable The Agreement will allow the exchange of Urban Development information on smart city development, development of urban mass transportation systems, urban settlements and utilities etc. 9 Exchange and reciprocal protection of This Agreement defines the common security classified or protected information regulations applicable to any exchange of classified and protected information. 10 Implementing Arrangement between ISRO The Agreement would provide an end-to-end and Central National D’EtudesSpatiales solution for detection, identification, and (CNES) for pre-formulation studies of a monitoring of vessels in the regions of interest Maritime Awareness Mission for France and India. 11 Industrial Way Forward Agreement This Arrangement will encourage cooperation between Nuclear Power Corporation of between the two countries in the field of India Ltd, and EDF, France hydrography, nautical documentation, and maritime safety information. 12 Bilateral Arrangement between India and This Arrangement will encourage cooperation France on cooperation in the matter of between the two countries in the field of Hydrography and Maritime hydrography, nautical documentation, and Cartography maritime safety information 13 Credit Facility Agreement between India This agreement will help fill the funding gap and France of Euros 100 million for under the Smart City Mission and the funds funding of the Smart City Projects through provided by the Central and State Governments a Challenge Process for the purpose. 14 MoU between National Institute of Solar Both countries shall work on projects in ISA Energy (NISE), Ministry of New & member countries in the areas of solar energy Renewable Energy and the National Solar (solar photovoltaic, storage technologies, etc.) Energy Institute (INES), France through the transfer of technology and collaborative activities

Issues and Challenges of India France Relationship ● Trade Protection: France, being a member of the EU, these issues relate to EU bodies, however, some EU actions originate in France. There were cases of border rejections of Indian products by French authorities. ● International Solar Alliance: In taking the lead on mitigating climate change, through the International Solar Alliance, India and France have given less attention to the present energy requirements of India which are majorly met through conventional sources of energy.

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● India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region: Indo-French agreement may magnify Chinese misgivings. ● France - China Ties - Last year, the two sides signed 15 business deals totaling about 40 billion euros ($45 billion), including an order for 300 Airbus planes estimated at 30 billion euros alone. ● Nuclear cooperation: Nuclear power plant projects i.e Jaitapur power project was a largest cooperation between India and France on the west coast of India. Delay in the Jaitapur project is affecting future cooperation on the nuclear front. ● France’s relatively limited capacity - France has not received as much importance in India as some others such as the United States, despite France’s well-acknowledged sympathy for India’s strategic concerns.

Way Forward To maintain cordial relations with France, India should focus on:

● Fastening delayed defence deal and resolve the issue of nuclear deal and collaborative R&D in nuclear fuel cycle. ● Technology transfer to Indian Industry as a part of “Make in India” and visa on arrival facility for France tourists etc. ● India needs to focus on the development of India’s indigenous defence industry. Where France can be helpful as French are normally strong, notably railways, aviation, defence, automobile and nuclear power.

There is no saying, Indian freedom had roots from the French revolution and these are the largest and oldest democracies in the world. France’s support to India’s position on Kashmir is a fruit of this long- term strategic partnership that started in the 1980s and now has the potential to extend beyond the bilateral.

The defining aspect of the “strategic partnership” has been its steady expansion that has raised comfort levels in both countries. France and India have a shared interest in developing a coalition of middle powers with a shared commitment for a rule-based multipolar world order.

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YOJANA - RESURGENT INDIA

Reforming Governance

The avowed objectives of 'sabka Sath, sabka Vikas, and sabka Vishwas' and Prime Minister’s clarion call on achieving of 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024-25 necessitates putting in place a whole set of initiatives towards good governance.

Cooperative and Competitive Federalism A number of initiatives have been taken to foster cooperative federalism through structured support of engagement with States/Union Territories on a continuous basis. ● Including meetings between Prime Minister cabinet ministers with all chief ministers. ● Sub groups of chief ministers on subjects of national importance. ● Sharing of best practices. ● Policy support and capacity development of state functionaries. ● Aspirational districts programme for development of 115 most backward districts. ● Theme based extensive engagements in various sectors. ● Framing model laws for land leaving and agriculture marketing reforms. ● Area specific interventions for North Eastern, himalayan states and Island development. ● Encouraging healthy competition transparent ranking in various sectors with the hand holding approach. ● Once districts compete amongst themselves, states would emerge stronger and when states compete amongst themselves, the nation becomes stronger.

Direct Benefit Transfer and Use of Aadhaar ● With Aadhaar now firmly in place especially in targeted delivery of subsidies, Direct Benefit Transfer continuous to make major inroads into policy and service delivery framework of the country. ● Aadhar and other laws (Amendment) Act 2019 provides a stronger regulatory Framework for operation of Aadhar and its voluntary use.

Outcome Based Monitoring ● There has been a structural change in the budget making process with removal of plan/Non -plan distinction, rationalisation of centrally sponsored and Central sector schemes. ● Major step in this direction is the introduction of outcome based budgets since Union budget 2017-18. ● Thrust now is on meeting the expectations of the people by focusing on outcomes and not merely on how much expenditure have been incurred under the respective schemes. ● There is greater thrust on creation of dashboards providing online and real-time data on schemes and their beneficiaries.

E-governance Starting from biometric attendance of Government employees, digitising database of beneficiaries across all schemes, seeding with Aadhaar numbers, using POS machine for beneficiary authentication and finally

104 transferring the funds to Aadhar linked bank accounts, various initiatives have made mugged improvements in the way services are delivered to the public. Digital India program is centred on three key vision areas; ● Digital infrastructure as a core utility ● Governance and services on demand ● Digital empowerment of citizens Besides, portals such as centralised public grievance redressal and monitoring system(CPGRAMS), the unified mobile application for new age governance (UMANG) and MyGov are in place providing information to citizens seeking feedback and resolving grievances.

Administrative Reforms Reforms in civil services are a continuous process and several initiatives have been undertaken, such as; ● Introduction of multi-stakeholder feedback performance evaluation. ● Dispensing with interviews for lower level positions. ● Introduction of online mechanism for appraisals and filing of various returns by employees. ● Implementation of e-office. ● Strengthening training and merit based postings.

The strategy for new India @ 75 document of Niti Aayog has proposed transformative measures such as; ● Improving teeth to tail ratio ● Promoting officer oriented culture ● Bringing down the number of civil services and allocating candidates as per competencies ● Encouraging lateral entries and specialisation ● Bringing down entry age ● Strengthening Municipal cadres ● Training and skill assessments ● Institutionalization of goal setting and performance evaluation ● Greater suo-moto disclosures ● Protection of civil servants, e-initiatives and probity

Law and Order Though law and order is a state subject, Government of India would need to continue engaging States to Reform their policing. Some of the suggestions include; ● Adoption of Model Police Act of 2015 ● Filling up of vacancies and greater representation of women. ● Reforms in FIR system with greater usage of IT. ● Training/sensitization of police personnel and conducting a separate cadre for cyber crimes crimes, cyber threats and fraud. ● There is a need to reduce criminalization by compounding of minor offences with steep penalties that act as a real deterrent. ● The court processes all across the country need to be automated with electronic court and case management. ● Redundant laws need to be repealed and new laws need to be written in a simple manner. ● Forensics and ballistics testing need significant improvements.

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● All India judicial services examination on ranking basis and Indian legal service may also be considered.

The focus needs to move from litigation driven to creation of a law abiding society by sensitizing citizen’s right from the school level.

India is aligning its goals and target to achieve SDG objectives. While, Good governance is pervasive across all goals, Goal 16 specifically deals with access to justice and building effective accountable and inclusive institutions. This cannot be done by government alone and needs a collaborative approach of all stakeholders.

Water Conservation as a National Movement

India has just 2.4% geographical area of the world while harbouring nearly one-sixth of the global population and the world's highest owner of livestock. ● Earth is predominantly 70% covered by water, only 2.5% is freshwater. ● India harbours only 4% of the world's freshwater resources. Therefore water crisis and food insecurity attract special attention as these attain highest risk values going to burgeoning population, expansion and intensification of agriculture, rapid urbanization, industrialization and infrastructure development.

The country is expected to become water expressed as per capita surface water availability is on the decline.

Water conservation primarily involves the following three objectives; ● Enhance water availability - This could be mainly achieved by adopting a mixed strategy focusing on the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems, increasing green cover, managing riparian forest buffers, adoption of water-efficient diversified agriculture and water budgeting, recycling and reuse. ● Improve water quality - This includes effective law enforcement and stringent regulations, pollution control restrictions on pouring of sewage, adoption of bioremediation techniques and prohibition on the use of toxics. ● Reducing water related risks - Adoption of integrated watershed management programme, flood control mechanisms, promotion of alternate income generation activities and sustainable livelihoods.

Suggestions ● It is essential to change from the business as usual approach instead to earnestly work towards an accelerated effort to plan, manage and use the precious water resources. ● It is essential to optimally revive traditional methods, tools, techniques and best practices for rainwater harvesting and water use efficiency besides building resiliency to face water related risk. ● Taking clue from several State's flagship programmes related to water management like Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan by the Rajasthan government and Green Mahanadi Mission of Odisha Government focusing on water development in water starved desert region and rejuvenation of Mahanadi River respectively.

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● Participatory irrigation management backed by the Pani Panchayat Act, 2002 in Odisha is flourishing through efficient and equitable supply and distribution of water and ensuring optimal utilisation by farmers.

Way-Forward In conclusion following 6 priority actions are visualised for making water management sustainable; ● Institutions and governance - strengthening and augmentation of manpower and financial resources through a platform to bring their efforts together for synergistic outcome. ● Participatory approach - Seeking involvement and empowerment of people so they can establish a mechanism to implement and enforce judicious use of water. ● Knowledge Management - Development and exchange of evidence based knowledge on ecosystem functions. The development of nature based solutions for various aspects of water management offer better opportunities. ● Ecosystem based management - A shift from isolationist approach to holistic approach through greater focus on river basins and riverscapes for planning, assessment and interventions. ● Continuous care - Concerted efforts towards conservation of existing water sources as well as rejuvenation of depleted water resources. ● Capacity development - Creating awareness through specialised agencies for preparing the blueprint for budgeting the water resource within the framework of the legislation on the subject and then formulate a strategy for its successful implementation.

Best practices for Ground Water Harvesting

Dobha construction for rainwater harvesting - Jharkhand Dobhas are indigenous structures for water conservation which can be used for irrigation purposes during non-rainy months. Construction of 1 lakh dobhas was taken up by the state government in mission mode during 2016 in order to deal with water conservation in the wake of severe heat and poor rains.

Kapil Dhara construction of dug Wells under MGNREGA - Madhya Pradesh Construction of dug Wells for irrigation purposes and various water conservation structures like check dams, stop dams, contour trenches have enabled farmers to irrigate their fields.

Farm Pond on Demand Scheme - Maharashtra Farm Ponds reduces dependence on groundwater, reduces the power required to pump water, cultivation on bunds generate extra income and recharge groundwater.

Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan - Maharashtra This includes arresting rainwater within the village boundaries, increasing groundwater level creation of decentralized water bodies, rejuvenation of the old water storage structures, increasing area under protective irrigation, desilting of structures with people participation and sensitization among the people.

Sujalam Sufalam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan - Gujarat The aim was to increase the storage capacity of existing reservoirs by desilting of check dams and deepening the Ponds, lakes and river beds.

Mission Kakatiya - Telangana A program for restoring all the minor irrigation tanks and lakes to enhance agriculture-based income for small and marginal farmers, strengthening community-based irrigation management.

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Skills for a $5 Trillion Economy

India has a distinct advantage today over its competitors in terms of the age of the working population. With half of its population below the age of 25, the country has the world's youngest population.

● India is also slated to go through a phase of a sharp slowdown in population growth in the next two decades as pointed out in the economic survey for 2018-19. ● This means that while the country as a whole will enjoy the demographic dividend phase, parts of it will witness the transition to an aging society by 2030s.

The big challenge today therefore is of converting this transition into word dividend. There are various processes and pathways to do this; ● Education for all - Expansion of Higher Education and specific professional courses would be the key initiatives. ● Skill development for entry level jobs for those either in education or in employment or out of education and Employment. ● Upskilling and reskilling those who have been educated and have worked or are working, for those who have worked and are out of job to meet the skill requirements of the new jobs or changed jobs.

NSSO report 2011-12 found that only 2.3% of the total workforce in India had formal skill training. Early steps were taken when the national skill development Policy was initiated in 2009 and the national skill development fund and the national Skill Development Corporation was established under the ministry of finance.

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NSDC contribution ● It has acted as a catalyst in skill development by engaging in 235 private sector partnerships for training and capacity building. ● To enable those enrolled in schools to obtain skills Vocational Training in 10 states is being coordinated by NSDC. ● It launched a recognition of prior learning scheme to enable those who are in work to obtain a certificate that serves as a recognition of their skill level and helps them in the labour market. ● To enable India to be the skill capital of the World Youth are being trained for specific skills for Overseas markets. ● To enable industry led competency building, 38 sector skill councils are there, some of which are promoted by FICCI. ● To assist youth to understand and decide on which skills they require counselling centres many of them as PPP have been setup.

Impact ● PMKVY on employment shows that training and certification has led to a 9 % increase in proportion of employed individuals. ● Certification has been found to have an impact of 9% on the mean monthly income. ● Many training organisations have started using PMKVY qualifications to meet the needs of employers.

The skills ecosystem that has been created code also address the needs of those forms who find it difficult to identify the right people to employee by developing the qualification pack for the job role.

Steps taken to improve job orientation of Higher Education

Higher education system has many educational streams which are directly job-oriented.Further, in order to enhance job orientation and employability, the following steps have been taken:

● There are 1109 skill oriented courses being run by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education(AICTE) through 556 institutions,in which 38414 students are receiving Skill training with education. ● New and updated vocational curricula are being developed in line with industry demand in B.VoC. programmes. ● AICTE has launched an Internship portal to facilitate industry internship to students. ● Internship has been made mandatory for students of engineering colleges. ● Wheebox Employability Skill Test(WEST) for all pre-final and final year graduates of AICTE approved institutions to identify the core strengths of students and certify the same. ● Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP) Phase-III is under implementation to enhance quality, equity and employability in selected engineering education institutions. ● National Career Service (NCS) portal has been launched as a common platform to bring together stakeholders like job seekers, employers, counsellors, local service providers and trainer etc. to facilitate convergence of information and link job seekers with job providers.

MHRD is working in co-operation with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) which comprise representatives of Industry, and Service Sectors to develop curricula that reflect industry – demanded skills so that higher education can be linked with employment opportunities.

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Transforming Indian Health Systems

By mid of 2019, health sector in India has arguably crossed the policy formulation exchange and is in the early stages of implementation. ● National health policy 2017 has provided a concrete shape giving direction to the health sector and has universal health coverage as its central goal. ● The period of 2017-20 has the potential to become the second wave of health system reforms in India if policy initiatives started after killed up and implemented well. ● It is also a time when India is completing conventionally accepted 15-year policy to implementation cycle. In 2002 India had released 2nd National health policy which was followed by the announcement of National Rural Health Mission in 2005.

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Put Primary Health Care (PHC) First ● National health policy 2017 has proposed to use two-thirds or more of government spending on PHC system. ● It has proposed to increase overall utilisation of government health services from 30% to 50%. ● PHC makes health services efficient, reduces the cost and helps in increasing provision of preventive and promotive Health Services.

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● They can tackle up to 80% of health needs and can reduce the need for specialised health services. ● WHO has proposed that this is possible through preventive interventions through;  Primary care and essential care Public Health functions as the core of integrated health services.  Multi sectoral policies and actions to tackle social determinants of health.  Empowered people and communities.

Stronger health systems through stronger PHC system ● Redesign PHP system based upon available local evidence Study of best performing PHC in 4 states of India i.e. kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Meghalaya have identified;  An assured package health services with limited intention to availability gap.  Appropriate mix and sufficient availability of providers.  Continuum of care with functional referral linkages.  Initiative to achieve quality standard.  Stronger local level leadership.  Similar interventions, approaches and countries such as Brazil, Ghana and South Africa have shown good or promising outcomes. ● Correct the inverted pyramid of Health Services provision and utilisation  A large proportion of health services in India are delivered and used at secondary and tertiary level. Ideally, these services should be available at the PHC level facilities.  The pattern of service utilisation and delivery is thus inverted.

● Start focused initiatives to tackle social determinants of health  A lot of determinants for better health like improved drinking water supply and sanitation, better nutritional outcomes, health and education for women and girls, and safer roads are outside the purview of health ministry.

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 There is a need for multi-sectoral planning and health in all policies approach where initiatives of different departments and Ministries are developed and planned in coordination, accountability is assigned and progress monitored jointly. ● Establish sub-district based health system in India  An effective planning of health services and tackling inequalities in health outcomes need a Sub District unit level planning.  Every block level can have a hospital, Public Health unit and the planning for health services should be done at this level.  A sub district base health system needs to have population linked and registered at the facilities.  To way referral linkage with secondary and tertiary level facilities should be adopted.  PHCs should be team based approach and not a doctor centric models.  Funding for PHC based upon as proportionate of state budget possibly mandated by law is needed. ● Strengthen Urban Health governance for multi-sectoral collaboration  India have increasing Urban population and expected to reach 60 crore by 2030.  An effective and functioning coordination has to be developed to improve Urban Health governance in Indian states and major cities. ● Use of behavioural Economics for better health outcomes  This is needed to ensure that people seek early care to prevent complete and late stage diseases and seek care at the appropriate level which will reduce burden from higher level of facilities.  This has worked for swachh Bharat mission and Beti Bachao beti padhao initiatives. ● Focus on public health cadre  Many countries have dedicated cadres and workforce to deliver Public Health Services.  Thailand has a vast cadre of health workers delivering preventive and promotive Health Services.  TamilNadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra have a dedicated cadre and a few more Indian states are considering the same.

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Conclusion

It will be important that available local evidence are used to reform PHC system. This will ensure that India achieve Universal health coverage as envisaged in the national health policy 2017 as well as achieve health-related sustainable development goals well before the proposed timeline of 2030.

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Infrastructure Development for the Next Generation

Energy The government's ongoing energy sector policies aim to provide access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy. It also intends to hit the following milestones; ● Make available 24/7 power to all by 2019 ● Achieve 175 gigawatt of renewable energy generation capacity by 2022 ● Reduced imports of oil and gas by 10% by 2022-23

Some of the major challenges on achieving the milestones are; ● Overall energy - A variety of subsidies and taxes distort the energy market and promote the use of inefficient fuels and also make Indian exports and domestic production uncompetitive as energy taxes are not under GST. ● Power - Industrial/commercial tariffs and the cross subsidy regime have affected the competitiveness of the industrial and commercial sectors. ● Oil and gas- Lack of market-driven gas prices for old fields disincentives further production. Also the gas pipeline infrastructure is not adequate. ● Coal - There is a tendency to expand open cast mining and discourage underground operation even for better quality coal reserves. ● Renewable energy - High energy cost result in reneging on old power purchase agreements and erode their sanctity. This leads to uncertainty regarding power off-take and consequently endangers further investments. ● Energy Efficiency - Limited technical capabilities, high initial capital expenditure limited market and other issues have affected effort to achieve Energy Efficiency.

Way forward ● Overall energy - oil, natural gas, electricity and coal may be brought under GST to enable a level playing field. ● Power - All PPAs including those with state generation companies should be based on competitive bidding. For agriculture and upfront subsidy per acre of land through direct benefit transfer may be considered instead of providing separate subsidies for fertilizers, electricity, crop insurance etc. ● Oil and gas - It is important to provide for a common and open access to gas pipelines and separate the development and regulatory functions of PNGRB. In addition providing for shared infrastructure for evacuation of oil and gas from small and scattered onshore and Offshore fields. ● Coal - Detailed exploration through exploration-cum-mining leases based on production/ revenue sharing model must be taken up. ● Renewable Energy - central level agencies should socialize the costs of balancing inter-state transmission systems connected power plants over the entire system on the lines of the point of connection. ● Energy Efficiency - Promote the mandatory use of LED and the replacement of old appliances in government buildings with 5-star appliances. The number of appliances covered under the standard and labelling (S&L) program should be increased. Widen and deepen the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) programme, make energy saving certificate trading under the PAT scheme effective by ensuring strict penalties against defaulters.

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Transport

Roads India is the world's second largest road network and most dense among countries according to size. Objective to be achieved by 2022-23; ● Improve the regulatory framework for roads to achieve better compliance, seamless connectivity, road safety and quality. ● Reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities by 50% by 2020. ● Increase connectivity by expanding the road Network and achieve the targets of Bharatmala & Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

Challenges ● Capacity - Existing length of national highway network is 2.2% of the country total Road network. ● Maintenance - Regular preventive maintenance has to be an integral element of road and investment. ● Land acquisition - Existing land laws should be amended to complete infrastructure projects at a fast pace. ● Interagency coordination - Horizontal and vertical inter-agency cooperation is needed for planned land use to ensure intermodal connectivity. ● Funding - Sources for road funding are principally commitment from gross budgetary outlays. ● Institutional Arrangements - Large number of institutions and agencies are responsible for design construction operation and maintenance at all levels of government.

Way forward ● Increase connectivity by expanding the road network, improve infrastructure in Meghalaya and mizoram and enhance connectivity with inter-state roads and international borders and Chardham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna. ● Improve Road maintenance and safety - Maintain national highway (NH) assets by adopting a maintenance management system. ● Streamline land acquisition - Sensitize stakeholders to iron out details of land acquisition as detailed in the 2017 guidelines issued by MORTH. ● Skill Development - Introduce vocational training courses on road construction in industrial training institutes and ensure stringent testing of driving skills. ● Increase emphasis on research and development (R&D) - Earmark 0.1 percent of MORTH's annual budget for R&D. Establish a transport data centre at the national level for applied research on roads. ● Increase the capacity and reach of public transport - Transform State Road Transport undertakings and promote public transport, rural transport and last mile connectivity. ● Expand the reach of electronic toll collection (ETC) system - Streamline the FASTag charging system and engage with stakeholders and concessionaires to ensure that all Toll Plazas have the requisite infrastructure for ETC.

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Railways The Indian Railways is the third largest railway network in the world under a single management and is the fourth largest network in the world in terms of route kilometre.

Objective to be achieved by 2022-23; ● Augment the capacity of existing Railway infrastructure ● Increase the speed of infrastructure creation from the present 7 kilometre per day to 19 kilometre per day. ● Achieve 100% electrification of broad gauge track by 2022-23 from the 40% level in 2016-17. ● Increase the average speed of freight and mail express trains to 50 km/hr from about 24 km/hr. ● Improve the safety of Railways achieving zero fatalities. ● Enhance service delivery achieving 95% on time arrival. ● Increase the share of non fare revenues in total revenue to 20%.

Challenges ● Over stressed infrastructure with 60% plus roots being more than hundred percent utilised leading to a reduction and average speed of passenger and freight trains. ● Negligible non fare revenues and high fried tariffs have led to a sub-optimal freight share.

Way forward ● Prioritise ongoing projects to improve capacity utilisation and timely completion of these projects will generate more revenue. ● Maintain and upgrade the existing network to ensure that supply keeps up with demand. ● Feeder routes should be developed simultaneously to Dedicated Freight Corridor. ● Opening of the ownership and operations of freight terminals and ownership of locomotives and rolling stock. ● Consider transferring coach and locomotive manufacturing and repairs to the private sector. ● Monitise land resources with the railways particularly through developing non railway revenues such as retail or other activities.

Civil Aviation The world economic forum's Global Competitiveness Report, 2018 ranks India as 53rd out of 140 world in air transport infrastructure.

Objectives ● Enhance the affordability of flying to enable and increase in domestic ticket sales from 103 million to 300 million by 2022. ● Double cargo handled from about 3.3 million tonnes to about 6.5 million tonnes. ● Expand the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry. ● Expand airport capacity more than 5 times to handle 1 billion trips near. ● Enhance availability and affordability of regional air connectivity and revive/upgrade unserved airports and helipads through the regional connectivity scheme. ● Ensure that airport tariffs, taxes on fuel, landing charges, determined in an efficient, fair and transparent manner.

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Challenges ● Adequate hanger space and availability of land to expand airport at their current sites particularly in major cities are needed. ● Skilled workers - About 0.25 million person will need to be skilled over the next 10 years. ● Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) is a relatively expensive in India. ● The number of Aviation safety violations needs to be controlled.

Way Forward ● Enhance aviation infrastructure - Complete the planned airports under the UDAN initiative in a time bound manner in addition to completing two new airports for Delhi and Mumbai by 2022. ● Increase investment in the sector through financial and infrastructure support. ● Increase skilled manpower - Promote collaboration between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), industry and educational Institutes to teach the latest concepts in the aviation industry. ● Ease regulatory environment for airports - Adopt a consistent model for tariff determination so that it reduces passenger cost and align taxation and pricing structure to global benchmarks by considering bringing aviation turbine fuel under the GST.

Ports and Shipping and Inland Water Transport (IWT) Objectives ● Double the share of freight transported by coastal shipping and inland waterways from 6 to 12% by 2025. ● Increase the port handling capacity ● Reduce the turnaround time at major ports from about 3.44 days to about 1-2 days. ● Increase the throughput of inland waterways. ● Augment the capacity of Inland water transport by increasing the least available depth.

Ports and Shipping ● Around 90% of India's external trade by volume and 70% by value are handled by ports. ● It is the most cost effective and mode of transportation. ● Sagarmala programme focuses on modernizing and developing ports, enhancing port connectivity, supporting coastal communities and stimulating port land industrialisation.

Inland Waterways ● It carries less than 2% of India's organised freight traffic and negligible passenger traffic.

Challenges ● A minimum draught depth of 18mts is needed to enable mother vessels to dock at ports. ● It is difficult to attract capital for building inland vessels as it is a significant investment.

Way forward ● Dredging Market to open up attracting more players particularly international players. ● Expedite the completion of various projects under sagarmala. ● IWT should be integrated to multimodal connectivity.

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Logistics The contemporary definition of logistics involve the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, materials handling and packaging.

Objectives ● Achieve multimodal movement of cargo on par with global logistics standards. ● Reduce the logistics cost to less than 10% of GDP from the current level of 14%. ● Expand the logistics market to USD 215 billion by 2020 from the current level of USD 160 billion. ● Improve logistics skilling and increase jobs in the sector to 40 million by 20 22 from about 22 million.

Challenges Absence of last mile connectivity and infrastructure, competition and underutilized capacity, lack of interoperability of software systems used by the authorities governing different modes of transport leads to an increase in transit time.

Way forward Rationalise tariff and determine prices in an efficient manner across different modes, create an overarching body that maintains a repository of all transport data to internal stakeholders and conduct robust analysis of the data.

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KURUKSHETRA - RURAL PROSPERITY

Addressing Rural Poverty: Livelihood Development and Diversification

Poverty is multidimensional and therefore requires a range of interventions the figure below illustratively brings out the challenges of creating poverty-free rural clusters. Non-farm livelihoods and multiple livelihoods are required to make a difference.

The last four years have seen a considerable stepping up of financial resources for improving rural infrastructure, diversifying livelihoods, reducing poverty and thereby improving the well-being of poor households. ● Annual expenditure in 2017-18 is more than double of what it was in 2012-13. ● From 2017-18 under the housing programs additional resources were mobilized through extra- budgetary resources. ● The transfer of funds under the 14th Finance Commission awards has also registered a significant increase. ● Women self-help groups have leveraged bank loans under DAY-NRLM. ● The socio-economic caste 2011 released in 2015 provided an evidence-based for selection of beneficiaries under various government programs.

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● All programs of rural development are aligned to livelihood development and diversification. For example, MGNREGA focussed on durable assets and water conservation.

Some of the salient livelihood generating and income and employment supporting initiatives over the last three years are as follows: ● Water conservation community structures ● Custom hiring centres managed by women self-help groups ● Bank Sakhi and Bank Mitra trained as banking correspondents from among SHG women ● Women farmers supported under non-chemical based agro-ecological interventions ● Producer groups and agri producer companies established ● Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana for rural transport with women drivers ● Wage employment under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana ● Rural Masons trained and certified under the housing programme

The efforts over the last few years have been towards convergence of rural initiatives to make a real difference to the well-being of poor households.

Empowering Farmers through Initiatives in Agriculture

The development paradigm of Government of India has put unprecedented focus on agriculture. Initiatives to improve productivity, safeguard farmers and augment their incomes and improve their overall well-being have been taken. ● The government has announced the PM Kisan scheme under which it is offering Rs 6000 to 14.5 crore farmers in a year. ● A 2% interest subvention was introduced for farmers engaged in fisheries and animal husbandry with loans to be availed via Kisan credit card. ● Pradhanmantri Krishi sinchai Yojana to expand the area under irrigation, as half of the area under cultivation in the country is rainfed with agriculture consuming 60% of the available water resources. ● Operation green to stabilize the demand supply situation for crops such as tomato, potato and onion and promote initiatives to control disparity. ● Micro irrigation fund - A dedicated MIF created with NABARD has been approved with an initial corpus of Rs5, 000 crore for encouraging public and private investments in micro irrigation. ● Agriculture contingency plan - ICAR has prepared district level agriculture contingency plans in collaboration with state agricultural universities using a standard template to tackle the adverse climatological situations. ● Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana - Implemented with a view to promote organic farming in the country to improve soil health and organic matter content and increase net income of the farmer so as to realise premium prices. ● Focus on allied sectors - Corpus of Rs 10,000 crore has been set up to create infrastructure in fisheries and aquaculture and animal husbandry. Integrated development and management of fisheries & establishment of Gokul Grams are some of the examples in this regard.

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The government has set a goal of doubling farmer’s income by 2022 and its working with a multi-modal focus towards achieving the same. From seeds and soil to access to markets, the focus has been on reforms across the agricultural cycle.

Making Electricity Sustainable and Available To All

Electricity is one of the essential infrastructure for economic growth, employment generation and poverty alleviation. The rate of economic growth in the new globalised economy is dependent on the availability of adequate, reliable and quality electricity at competitive rates. ● The union power ministry has developed a crowdsourcing mobile app, Jagruk for a real-time consumer on quality and reliability within aim to ensure uninterrupted supply. ● Urja Mitra - It provides outage management and notification platform for dissipating the outage information to power distribution consumers across India through SMS/email/push notifications. ● Tarang - Transmission App For Real-Time Monitoring and Growth, is a powerful monitoring tool that tracks upcoming transmission projects and monitors the progress of inter-state and intra-state transmission systems in the country. ● Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana - To connect each village to the electricity grid. It has the following components; separation of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders facilitating judicious rostering of supply to agriculture and non-agriculture consumers in the rural areas, strengthening and augmentation of sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure, including metering at distribution transformers, feeders and consumer's end. ● Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya) - To provide electricity connections to all remaining unelectrified households in rural as well as urban areas. ● Integrated Power Development Scheme - IPDS addresses the concerns about the electricity network to make electricity accessible to every household in the country it is critical to have strong infrastructure. ● Urja (urban Jyoti abhiyan) - To rate the performance of DISCOMS urja is launched to place before the people the performance of discoms in IT enabled towns with a vision to generate a sense of positive competition among the stakeholders. ● Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) - To improve functional health and operational efficiency of discoms. Under this scheme, Discom can convert their debt into State Government Bonds on certain stringent conditions. ● Unnat Jyoti by affordable LEDs for all (UJALA) - It has emerged as the world's largest domestic lighting programme. It was developed to address India's high cost of electrification and high emissions from inefficient lighting. The demand for power in rural areas is increasing day by day due to changing consumer base, improving living standards for which augmentation of rural infrastructure needs to be regularly undertaken.

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