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GDP SHRINKS • The Supreme Court lifted the banking ban last year.So, the RBI intervened and asked Syllabus Section: Economy banks to stop being notorious. Why in News? The Policy Position for Cryptocurrency India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 7.3% in 2020-21, as per provisional National Holders: Income estimates released by the National • As many Indians have invested in Statistical Office. cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the RBI move will be a big About: respite for them and their money – • The Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy shrank 6.2% in 2020-21, estimated to be around Rs 10,000 crore compared to a 4.1% rise in the previous — won’t be blocked. year. • The RBI’s 2018 position was more • Only two sectors bucked the trend of restrictive” In view of the associated risks, negative GVA growth — agriculture, it has been decided that, with immediate forestry and fishing, which rose 3.6%, and effect, entities regulated by the Reserve electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services (up 1.9%). Bank shall not deal in VCs or provide • GVA for trade, hotels, transport, services for facilitating any person or communication and broadcasting¬related entity in dealing with or settling VCs,” services saw the sharpest decline of 18.2%, Way forward to Banks: followed by construction (¬8.6%), mining • Banks, may continue to carry out and quarrying (¬8.5%) and manufacturing customer due diligence processes in line (¬7.2%). • This is the bleakest performance on record with regulations governing standards for the economy, the fourth quarter (Q4) for Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti- of 2020-21 helped moderate the damage, Money Laundering (AML), Combating with a higher-than-expected growth of of Financing of Terrorism (CFT) and 1.6% in GDP. obligations of regulated entities under • This marked the second quarter of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, positive growth after the country entered (PMLA), 2002 in addition to ensuring a technical recession in the first half of the year. compliance with relevant provisions under Foreign Exchange Management Act Source: PIB (FEMA) for overseas remittances, RBI’S LATEST CIRCULAR ON CRYPTOCURRENCIES SECOND POSITIVE INDIGENISATION Syllabus Section: Economy Syllabus Section: Defence and Security Why in News? Why in News? • The Reserve Bank of India has informed Ministry of Defence (MoD) has notified ‘Second all banks and regulated entities that its Positive Indigenisation List’ of 108 items to April 2018 circular should not be referred promote indigenisation in the Defence sector to caution their customers against trading in cryptocurrencies. and defence exports. About: About: What did the RBI say and what was the • The second list (enclosed) lays special trigger? • State Bank of India and HDFC Bank focus on weapons/systems which are cautioned their customers against dealing currently under development/trials and in virtual currencies such as Bitcoin citing are likely to translate into firm orders in the April 2018 order of the RBI. the future. • Banks also warned customers that failure • Like the first list, import substitution to adhere to the advisory may lead to cancellation or suspension of their cards. of ammunition which is a recurring requirement has been given special focus. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 2 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• The ‘Second Positive Indigenisation List’ Supreme Court Ruling: comprises complex systems, sensors, • A three¬judge Bench flagged indiscriminate simulator, weapons and ammunitions like use of the sedition law against critics, Helicopters, Next Generation Corvettes, journalists, social media users, activists Air Borne Early Warning and Control and citizens for airing grievances about the governments’ COVID¬19 management, (AEW&C) systems, Tank Engines, Medium or even for seeking help to gain medical Power Radar for Mountains, MRSAM access, equipment. Weapon Systems and many more such items to fulfil the requirements of Indian Sedition Law Interpretation: Armed Forces • SC said that, the ambit and parameters of the provisions of Sections 124A (sedition), Significance: 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code • It is an endeavour of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ 1860 would require interpretation. and to boost indigenisation in the Defence • IPC Section 153 A: Punishes acts sector, promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place • This will give further boost to indigenisation of birth, residence, language, etc, and with active participation of public and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of private sector for fulfilling the twin harmony. objectives of achieving self-reliance and • IPC Section 505: Makes the publication promoting defence exports. and circulation of content which may • It will also invigorate impetus to domestic cause ill-will or hatred between different Research &Development by attracting groups an offence. fresh investment into technology and Punishment for the Offence of Sedition: manufacturing capabilities. • Sedition is a non-bailable offence. • This list also provides an excellent Punishment under the Section 124A opportunity for ‘start-ups’ as also MSMEs ranges from imprisonment up to three which will get tremendous boost from this years to a life term, to which fine may be initiative. added. • A person charged under this law is barred Source: PIB from a government job. DEFINE LIMITS OF SEDITION • They have to live without their passport and must produce themselves in the court Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance at all times as and when required. Why in News? Source: The Hindu • The Supreme Court on Monday said “it is INDEX OF EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES time to define the limits of sedition. (ICI) • Presently, the Committee for Reforms in Syllabus Section: Economy Criminal Laws constituted by the Union Home Ministry to suggest reforms to the Why in News: British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), is • The Office of Economic Adviser, attempting for the first time to define Hate Department for Promotion of Industry speech. and Internal Trade released the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) for the Month About: of April, 2021. Issue: About: • Supreme Court protected two Telugu • ICI measures combined and individual channels from any coerciveaction by the performance of production in selected Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Pradesh government for their reportage of Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, the COVID¬19 pandemic in the State. Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 3 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 CLIMATE BREAKTHROUGHS SUMMIT percent of the weight of items included in Syllabus Section: Environment and Ecology the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). Why in News? • The combined ICI, increased by 56.1 per UN calls for swift zero carbon recovery action at cent (provisional) as compared to the climate summit. Index of April 2020. • This high growth rate in April 2021 is About: largely due to low Index base in April Climate Breakthroughs Summit: 2020 consequent to the low industrial • It is a collaboration between the following. production across all sectors caused by World Economic Forum, Mission Possible nationwide lockdown imposed to contain Partnership, United Nations Climate spread of Covid-19 last year. Champions and the United Kingdom • The growth rate of ICI during April-March Climate Change Conference (COP26) 2020-21was (-)6.5% (P) as compared to Presidency. the corresponding period of last FY. • It aims to demonstrate progress in critical Source: PIB sectors of the global economy. This includes sectors such as steel, shipping, VILLAGE RICE green hydrogen and nature. It also aims Syllabus Section:Agriculture to discuss the breakthroughs needed to achieve a net-zero world in time. Why in News? • The United Nations made a call for Two consignments of patented ‘village rice’ coordinated action to secure global net- sourced from Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district, zero emissions. UN also demands to Tamil Nadu was exported to Ghana & Yemen. fulfil the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre- About: industrial levels by 2050. • ‘Village rice’ sourced directly from farmers of Thanjavur (Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu) is Race To Zero Campaign: enriched with protein, fibre, and minerals. • It is a global campaign to rally leadership • Previously, the first consignment of ‘red and support from businesses, cities, rice’ from Assam was exported to the USA. regions, investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery. As the recovery will • The government had set up the Rice Export prevent future threats, creates decent Promotion Forum (REPF), under the aegis jobs and unlocks inclusive, sustainable of the APEDA to provide stimulus to the growth. rice exports. • The campaign is committed to halving Rice Export Promotion Forum its emissions by 2030. This is in line • Rice Export Promotion Forum (REPF) was with achieving the long-term goal of set up under the aegis of the Agricultural full decarbonisation under the Paris and Processed Foods Export Promotion Agreement, 2015. Development Authority (APEDA). • The campaign mobilises support of 708 cities, 24 regions, 2,360 businesses, • REPF was been set up by the Government 163 investors, and 624 higher education of India to provide stimulus to the rice institutions to move towards zero-carbon exports. recovery for a sustainable future. • It has representations from rice industry, exporters, officials from APEDA, Ministry Source: Down To Earth of Commerce and directors of agriculture COVID-19 VACCINE POLICY from major rice producing states. Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance • It will monitor, identify and anticipate the developments related to production and Why in News? exports and put forward various policy The Supreme Court questioned the Centre on measures. Covid-19 vaccine policy. It has also said that there needs to be a single price for vaccines Source: PIB across the Nation.

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About: • Red tourism’ reminds people of the • Currently, the Central Government sacrifices made by the leaders of the procures just 50% of the vaccines while Communist party to forge a modern China leaving the States to buy their own. • The Supreme court asked the Centre The Famous Sites Covered by ‘Red Tourism’: on the rationale for the dual pricing of Some of the most famous sites covered by ‘red vaccines for the Centre and States. tourism’ include • It said that there needs to be one price for • Yan’an, Mao Zedong’s revolutionary base vaccines across the Nation. area where the Red Army arrived after the • The court also referred to Article 1 of the Long March; Constitution that says that India, that is • Shaoshan, which is the birthplace of Mao; Bharat, is a Union of States. It said that • Jinggangshan, where leading members of when the Constitution says that we follow the Communist Party of China established the federal rule. Then the Government their first rural base for the revolution in of India has to procure the vaccines and distribute them to states. 1927; • Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi Supreme Court Questions: Province which witnessed a significant • The Supreme Court asked the Central Uprising in 1927 led by Zhou Enlai and Government about the rationale for giving He Long (China’s supreme commander); different treatment to the age group 18-44 • Jinggang Mountain in Jiangxi Province years as the Centre is giving free vaccines where the revolution led by the Communist only to the 45+ age group. Party of China began in October, 1927; • The court also pointed out that it is the • Zunyi in Guizhou Province which is 18-44 age group which got badly affected dominated by ethnic minorities. in the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. How has it helped the economy? • The court pointed out the question • The tourism sites are a big attraction for over COWIN registration and asked the the young Chinese population that loves to government to realise the digital divide travel and learn more about the country’s prevailing in rural India. It said that the history. vaccination policy is entirely exclusionary • People aged between 21 to 30 account for of the rural areas. 40 per cent of the tourists. Source: The Hindu • The government has over the years invested heavily on ‘red tourism’ — 2.64 RED TOURISM’ PROMOTED BY CHINA billion yuan ($370 million) was budgeted Syllabus Section: International Relations between 2016 and 2020 for the project. Why in News? • And the big investments are starting to • The rapid rise of ‘red tourism’ in China. pay rich dividends. About: • Red tourism’ has also helped in the robust recovery of the tourism market in China What is Red Tourism? after the pandemic. • In China, ‘red tourism’ refers to visiting • ‘Red tourism’ sites across China had more sites which have a modern revolutionary than 1.4 billion visits in 2019. legacy. • Apart from the growing revenues for the Purpose: government departments and private • Launched in 2004, the purpose of the tourism companies, ‘red tourism’ is hugely project is to promote locations with popular because it supports a whole historical and cultural significance to the host of ancillary businesses, starting ruling Communist Party’s history while from antique shops selling Communist also providing an impetus to tourism and memorabilia to malls, restaurants and local businesses. hotels. • ‘Red tourism’ seeks to spread awareness • The project has given birth to an entire about the history of the Communist Party ecosystem of businesses that form the very of China starting from its origins. crux of the country’s booming economy. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 5 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

Criticism: SATAT SCHEME • It seeks to educate people about the Syllabus Section: Government Initiatives country’s past often indulges in one-sided story-telling. Why in News? • It can tend to gloss over the failures and Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas misdeeds of the Communist leaders of the presided over a virtual ceremony in which a country, thus peddling a version of history number of initiatives were launched to provide which can suit the party’s interests. major fillip to the SATAT initiative. • More than fostering the spirit of research About: and academic scholarship in history, • his included signing of a Cooperation ideological indoctrination is at the heart Agreement by Oil and Gas majors including of this project. IndianOil, HPCL, BPCL, GAIL and IGL, for Source: Indian Express the promotion and development of the SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards K.P. KRISHNAN EXPERT COMMITTEE Affordable Transportation) scheme. Syllabus Section:Economy • The SATAT scheme aims to set up Why in News? Compressed Bio-Gas production plants • Dr. K.P. Krishnan headed expert and make CBG available in the market for committee on Variable Capital Company use as a green fuel. has submitted its report on the feasibility • ‘SATAT’, launched on 1.10.2018, envisages of Variable Capital Companies in the to target production of 15 MMT of CBG International Financial Services Centres from 5000 plants by 2023. in India to the Chairperson of the • Besides the potential to boost availability International Financial Services Centres of more affordable transport fuels, better Authority (IFSCA). use of agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal solid waste, the 5000 About: CBG plants will provide an investment • The IFSCA set up this Committee to of 1.75 lakh crore, an additional revenue explore the potential for allowing another source to farmers, and 75,000 direct job legal structure – popularly known as a opportunities and lakhs of indirect jobs. variable capital company (VCC) – as an • The minister also laid the foundation additional option through which asset stones of 5 upcoming CBG Plants. managers could pool the investors’ funds. • He also inaugurated the first injection of • The VCC structure dispenses with some CBG into the CGD pipeline network at of the key limitations of companies and Govardhannathji Energies into Gujarat LLPs and provides for higher regulatory Gas CGD network at Nadiad Kheda Distt., standards than those applicable to trusts. Gujarat • The Committee assessed the features of a VCC or its equivalent, in other jurisdictions Source: PIB such as the UK, Singapore, Ireland and INDIA’S EFFORT TO FIND A SOLUTION Luxembourg. IN WTO FACES CHALLENGE • The Committee recommended the adoption of a VCC-like legal structure for the Syllabus Section:International Relations purpose of conducting fund management Why in News? activity in IFSCs. • India’s attempt to get a permanent • The Committee recognized that the solution to make its minimum support legal framework governing entities that price (MSP) programmes for public stock- undertake fund management should holding non-actionable at the WTO this provide for certainty and clarity to year is facing a serious challenge from investors. the US, the EU and Australia-led Cairns group, who are objecting to many of its Source: PIB crucial suggestions. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 6 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

About: New Rule: • The EU and Cairns group opposed a • Under amended Rule-8(3)(a): “No standalone permanent solution pushed government servant, who, having worked in any intelligence or security-related by India and other members of the G-33 organisation included in the Second group (an alliance of developing countries Schedule of the RTI Act, shall, without with defensive interest in agriculture) prior clearance from the Head of the for an early decision on the matter, and Organisation, make any publication after instead proposed that public stock- retirement, of any material relating to and holding should be part of the structured including: solution on domestic support in general. 1. domain of the organisation, including any reference or information about any • The G33 (or the Friends of Special Products personnel and his designation, and in agriculture) is a coalition of developing experience or knowledge gained by virtue countries, established prior to the 2003 of working in that organisation; Cancun ministerial conference, that have 2. sensitive information, the disclosure coordinated during the Doha Round of of which would prejudicially affect the World Trade Organization negotiations, sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic specifically in regard to agriculture. interests of the state, or relation with • When rich governments can afford to a foreign state or which would lead to heavily subsidize their agriculture, incitement of an offence.” predatory dumping can undermine a poorer country’s agricultural economy. The Organizations Covered Under Second Schedule of RTI : • Developing countries aim to balance power through tariffs, in order to manage • The Second Schedule of the RTI Act covers 26 organisations including the Intelligence their own food security, stabilize of the Bureau, R&AW, Directorate of Revenue livelihoods of their farming populations, Intelligence, CBI, NCB, BSF, CRPF, ITBP and strengthen rural development. and CISF. • The group has advocated the creation of Existing Provisions: a “special products” exemption, which • The pension of government servants is would allow developing countries to already subject to their conduct after exempt certain products from tariff retirement. reductions, and also a “special safeguard Why amend the rules then? mechanism” which would permit tariff • The move was prompted by concerns increases in response to import surges. arising out of the fact that some high- Source: Business Line profile retired officers had written books on their tenure, and some of these had AMENDED PENSION RULES FOR CIVIL revealed information. SERVANTS • This was in process for around four years after the Committee of Secretaries Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance recommended it. Why in News? Restrictions on Government Employees • The Centre has amended its pension Under While in Service: • Rule 7 of the CCS Conduct Rules: restricts rules putting new restrictions of officials government servants from resorting to or of intelligence and security organisations abetting any form of strike or coercion. after retirement. • Rule 8: restricts them, except with About: government sanction, from owning or participating in the editing or management The government has amended the CCS Pension of any newspaper or other periodical Rules-1972. publication or electronic media.

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• Rule 9: restricts a government servant • The US has conducted a year-long from making statements of fact or opinion investigation into digital services taxes in writing or in a telecast or a broadcast imposed by countries, stating that they which has the effect of an adverse criticism are against tech companies like Apple, of any current or recent policy or action Amazon, Google and Facebook. of the Central Government or a State • The investigation began in June 2020 and Government” in January 2021, following investigations • Rule 26: Death-cum-Retirement Benefits the USTR determined that the digital Rules, restricts a pensioner from any services taxes adopted by Austria, India, commercial employment for one year after Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United retirement, except with previous sanction Kingdom discriminated against US digital of the central government. companies and were inconsistent with About Political Activity While in Service: principles of international taxation and • The Conduct Rules bars government burdened US companies. servants from being associated with any What’s the case against India? political party or organisation, and from • The USTR’s proposed course of action taking part or assisting any political includes additional tariffs of up to 25 per activity. cent ad valorem on an aggregate level of • An amendment on November 27, 2014 trade that would collect duties on goods added a few clauses to Rule 3(1), one of of India in the range of the amount of DST which said, “Every government employee that India is expected to collect from US shall at all times maintain political companies neutrality” and “commit himself to and • This includes shrimps, basmati rice, uphold the supremacy of the Constitution cigarette paper, cultured pearls, semi and democratic values. precious stones, silver powder and • There is no rule to stop government silver articles of jewelry, gold mixed link servants from joining politics after their necklaces and neck chains and certain retirement. furniture of bentwood. • In 2013, the Election Commission had written to the DoPT and Law Ministry, Digital Services Taxes in India suggesting a cooling-off period for • In the Finance Bill 2020-21 the government bureaucrats joining politics after imposing a 2 per cent digital service tax retirement, but it was rejected on trade and services by non-resident e-commerce operators with a turnover of Source: Indian Express over Rs 2 crore DIGITAL SERVICES TAXES • It effectively expanded the scope of Syllabus Section: International Relations equalisation levy that, till last year, only applied to digital advertising services. Why in News? • The new levy that became applicable from The United States government announced April last year has expanded the ambit further suspension of punitive tariffs for six of the equalisation levy for non-resident months on India, Austria, Italy, Spain, Turkey, e-commerce operators involved in supply and the United Kingdom. of services, including online sale of goods and provision of services. About: Source: Indian Express The Issue: The USTR report found the DST to be discriminato- MODEL TENANCY ACT ry on two counts. Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance o First, it states that the DST discriminates against US digital businesses because Why in News? it specifically excludes from its ambit • The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime domestic (Indian) digital businesses. Minister, approved the Model Tenancy Act o Second, according to the report, the DST (MTA) to be sent to the States and Union does not extend to identical services Territories to enact legislation or amend provided by non-digital service providers. laws on rental properties.

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About: o Moreover, cycling was also seen as a • The MTA would prescribe the norms means of staying healthy- physically for lease agreements, deposits, dispute and mentally by the people who were handling and other aspects of rental confined to their homes. properties. • In this backdrop, with the launch of • The Act will be applicable prospectively India Cycle4Change challenge, 107 cities and won’t affect the existing tenancies. registered to be a part of the cycling revolution and 41 cities undertook • It would set up separate rent authorities, initiatives vis. surveys, discussions, pop- courts and tribunals in each district to up cycle lanes, safer neighbourhoods, settle disputes. open street events, cycle rallies, or online • It also makes it mandatory for there campaigns that were aimed at creating a to be a written agreement between the cycle friendly city. property owner and the tenant. It would • The Smart Cities Mission, in association be submitted to the concerned district with Institute for Transport and ‘Rent Authority’. Development Policy (ITDP) conducted • It puts a maximum limit for security training modules and other capacity deposits paid by tenants at 2 months’ building initiatives to guide 107 cities on rent for residential properties and 6 various cycling initiatives. months’ rent for non-residential spaces Source : PIB (Commercial property). • Tenant will not be evicted during the NITI AAYOG’S SDG INDIA INDEX 2020- continuance of tenancy agreement unless 21 otherwise agreed to in writing by both the Syllabus Section: Governance parties. Why in News? • Significance - The Act will create adequate • Recently, NITI Aayog has released the third rental housing stock for all the income edition of the Sustainable Development groups thereby addressing the issue of Goals (SDG) India Index 2020-21. homelessness. • It evaluates progress of states and Union • It will enable institutionalisation of rental territories on social, economic and housing by gradually shifting it towards environmental parameters. the formal market. About: Source: The Economic Times Background: INDIA CYCLES4CHANGE • The NITI Aayog launched its index in 2018 to monitor the country’s progress on the Syllabus Section: Economy goals through data-driven assessment, Why in News? and foster a competitive spirit among the The India Cycles4Change challenge is beginning States and Union Territories in achieving to gain momentum in Indian cities. them. • NITI Aayog has the twin mandate to About: oversee the adoption and monitoring of • The challenge was launched under the the SDGs in the country, and also promote Smart Cities Mission by the Ministry of competitive and cooperative federalism Housing and Urban Affairs on 25th June, among States and UTs. 2020, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. SDG India Index: • As the COVID-19 pandemic was making • A composite SDG India Index score was inroads across the country, cycling saw a computed for each State and UT of India huge rise in demand. based on their aggregate performance o The lockdown restrictions had across 13 of the 17 SDGs. significantly affected the commuters of • The value of the score indicates the public transport, who saw cycling as a average performance of the State/UT personal and COVID-safe alternative for towards achieving the 13 SDGs and their short and medium distance commute. respective targets.

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• The score ranges between 0 and 100 • The country’s overall SDG score improved percent. by 6 points - from 60 in 2019 to 66 in • If a State achieves a score of 100 percent, 2020–21. it signifies that the State has achieved the • Currently, there are no states in the national target set for 2030. • If a State achieves a score of 0, it signifies aspirant and achiever category; 15 states/ that the State was the worst performer. UTs are in the performer category and 22 • The higher the score of a State, the greater states/UTs in the front runner category. the distance to target achieved. • The SDG India Index 2020–21 is more • Based on the score, the States and UTs robust than the previous editions on were classified into four categories, namely account of wider coverage of targets and Achiever, Front Runner, Performer and Aspirant. This criterion of classification is indicators with greater alignment with the as follows: National Indicator Framework (NIF). • Achiever – when SDG India Index score is • The 115 indicators incorporate 16 out of equal to 100 17 SDGs, with a qualitative assessment • Front Runner – when SDG India Index on Goal 17, and cover 70 SDG targets. score is less than 100 but greater than or equal to 65 • This is an improvement over the 2018–19 • Performer – when SDG India Index score and 2019–20 editions of the index, which is less than 65 but greater than or equal had utilised 62 indicators across 39 targets to 50 and 13 Goals, and 100 indicators across • Aspirant – when SDG India Index score is 54 targets and 16 Goals, respectively less than 50 Source: Times of India Highlights of This Year’s Index: Top performers OPERATION SAGAR AARAKSHA II • Kerala: 75 points Syllabus Section: Defence and Security • Himachal Pradesh: 74 points • Tamil Nadu: 74 points Why in News: • Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in coordination States at the bottom of table • Bihar: 52 points with Sri Lankan authorities, has been • Jharkhand: 56 points tirelessly engaged in fighting a major fire • Assam: 57 points onboard the Chemical laden container vessel MV X-Press Pearl anchored off Top performing Union Territories Colombo since 25 May 2021. • Chandigarh: 79 • Delhi: 68 About: • Lakshadweep: 68 • The coordinated joint operation between Top gainers India and Sri Lanka undertaken to respond • Mizoram: 12 points gained to potential environmental danger has • Haryana: 10 points gained been christened as Sagar Aaraksha-II. • Uttarakhand: 8 points gained • Indian Coast Guard ships, including the New front runners (Score between 65 and specialised pollution response vessel 99) Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Samudra Prahari and offshore patrol Punjab, Haryana, Tripura, Delhi, Lakshadweep, vessel Vajra are standby in vicinity to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and respond to the developing situation. Kashmir and Ladakh • The ICG being an active member of • As per the report, Tamil Nadu and Delhi South Asia Co-operative Environment have done well on improving per capita Programme (SACEP) remains committed income of individuals, Gujarat and Delhi to its responsibility of safeguarding of the given best performance in the health ocean environment in the region. sector, while Kerala an and Chandigarh have done well in education. Source: PIB

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SAGE (SENIORCARE AGING GROWTH SINOVAC ENGINE) INITIATIVE Syllabus Section: Science and Technology Syllabus Section: Society Why in News? Why in News? • The World Health Organization approved The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, has virtually launched the SAGE (Seniorcare China’s SINOVAC Covid vaccine for Aging Growth Engine) initiative and SAGE portal Emergency Use Listing, EUL. This makes for elderly persons SINOVAC the 8th vaccine to receive EUL from the WHO. About: • SAGE portal has been launched with About: a view to help such persons who are • WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL) is a interested in entrepreneurship in the field of providing services for elderly care. prerequisite for COVAX Facility vaccine • India’s elderly population is on the rise, supply and international procurement. and as per surveys, the share of elders, It opens the door for the jab to be used as a percentage of the total population in in the COVAX programme, which aims to the country, is expected to increase from ensure fair access to vaccines. around 7.5% in 2001 to almost 12.5% by • The vaccine is produced by the Beijing- 2026, and surpass 19.5% by 2050. based pharmaceutical company Sinovac. • The SAGE portal will be a “one-stop access” of elderly care products and services by • The Sinovac-CoronaVac product is an credible start-ups. inactivated vaccine (The disease-carrying • The SAGE portal will be opened for virus or bacterium, or one very similar to applications from 5th June, 2021 it, is inactivated or killed using chemicals, onwards. heat or radiation). • The start-ups will be selected on the • Its easy storage requirements make it very basis of innovative products and services, which they should be able to provide manageable and particularly suitable for across sectors such as health, housing, low-resource settings. care centers, apart from technological Source: All India Radio access linked to finances, food and wealth management, and legal guidance. CALLS FOR CENTRALISED VACCINE Significance: PROCUREMENT, DECENTRALISED • The Ministry has designed SAGE VACCINATION programme as per the suggestions of Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance the Empowered ExpertCommittee (EEC) on start-ups for the elderly to solicit the Why in News? involvement of youth and their innovative Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to ideas for elderly care. chief ministers of all states, for a consensus on • This will help to make the programmes for elderly care a national movement than centralised procurement of novel coronavirus just a government programme. disease (COVID-19) vaccines by the Centre, in • The Ministry will act as a facilitator, view of the challenges faced by the states. enabling the elderly to access the products through these identified start-ups. About: • The EEC report has highlighted that the • Patnaik wrote, the best option available business opportunities in this space could to the Union government was to centrally emerge from social enterprises (non- procure the vaccines and distribute profits, informal networks), technology them to the states so that citizens were start-ups (fintech, adtech, foodtech, vaccinated at the earliest. healthtech, wealthtech), legal and financial services (planning solutions, insurance, • He also asked for, the execution of the medico-legal) and infrastructure and vaccination programme to be decentralised managed-care systems (senior housing, and states should be allowed the flexibility living facilities, care centres). to determine their own mechanisms to Source: PIB ensure universal vaccination,” EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 11 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

Problems for State in Procuring the Vaccine About: 1) Supply Constraints: Problems Puppeteers are Facing: • Global vaccine manufacturers are looking • The second wave of the novel coronavirus forward to the Union government for disease (COVID-19) pandemic has robbed clearances and assurances. They are Odisha’s puppeteer community of a unwilling to get into supply contracts with chance of revival. the state governments, • The puppet artists and ventriloquists are • The domestic vaccine manufacturers were invited to perform in religious gatherings, having supply constraints and were not weddings and other ceremonies across the able to commit required supply. state. But such gatherings were banned 2) High Procuring Cost: since the onset of the pandemic. • State governments, which have no prior • The state has around 5,000 puppeteers, experience in procuring vaccines, will end mainly concentrated in Kendrapara, up spending 27 per cent of their health Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Angul budget on an average. and Dhenkanal districts • But if the central government is procuring • Four forms of puppetry are usually practiced at scale, the cost would be reduced. in Odisha: Glove (sakhikundhei), shadow (ravanachhaya), rod (kathikundehi) and 3) Negotiation Price: string (gopalilakundhei). Immunisation in India has always been carried out centrally, under the Universal Immunisation Glove Puppet(sakhikundhei): Programme, for children below one. States only • The string puppets of Orissa are known as had to execute the programme. Experts said Kundhei. lack of expertise in procurement may not help • Made of light wood, the Orissa puppets states negotiate prices with suppliers. have no legs but wear long flowing skirts. 4) Technical Issue • They have more joints and are, therefore, • States have freedom to float global tenders more versatile, articulate and easy to for acquiring Covid-19 vaccines from manipulate. any drug manufacturer, but they cannot • The puppeteers often hold a wooden prop, inoculate their citizens with such vaccines triangular in shape, to which strings are that have not been approved by the Union attached for manipulation. government, which could emerge as a • The costumes of Kundhei resemble those major technical issue, worn by actors of the Jatra traditional theatre. 5) Limited Supplier: • The music is drawn from the popular tunes • There are limited suppliers and they too of the region and is sometimes influenced are apprehensive of regulatory issue. India is not their first option; hence any large- by the music of Odissi dance. scale procurement is full of challenges. Shadow Puppets (RavanaChhaya): 5. Until date, India has administered 22.86 • Shadow puppets are flat figures. crore doses, with 18.38 crore people • They are cut out of leather, which has having received one dose, and 4.48 crore been treated to make it translucent. people both the doses. • Shadow puppets are pressed against the Source: Hindustan Times. screen with a strong source of light behind it. LIVELIHOODS OF ODISHA’S PUPPETEERS • The manipulation between the light and HANGING BY A THREAD the screen make silhouettes or colourful Syllabus Section: Society/ Art and Culture shadows, as the case may be, for the Why in News? viewers who sit in front of the screen. Travel restrictions during the state-wide • This tradition of shadow puppets survives lockdown leaves puppetry community with fears in Orissa. Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, of financial strain like last year. Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 12 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

Rod Puppets (kathikundehi): PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX (PGI) • Rod puppets are an extension of glove- Syllabus Section: Health Disease puppets, but often much larger and supported and manipulated by rods from Why in News? below. Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh • This form of puppetry now is found mostly Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ approved the release of in West Bengal and Orissa. Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2019-20 for States and Union Territories. String Puppets(gopalilakundhei): • India has a rich and ancient tradition of About: string puppets or marionettes. • The Indian school Education System is one • Marionettes having jointed limbs controlled of the largest in the world with more than by strings allow far greater flexibility and 15 lakh schools, nearly 97 lakh teachers are, therefore, the most articulate of the and more than 25 crore students1 from puppets. varied socio-economic backgrounds. • Rajasthan, Orissa, Karnataka and Tamil • The system strives to maintain standards Nadu are some of the regions where this and uniformity across the country while form of puppetry has flourished. giving ample scope for the country’s diverse culture and heritage to grow and flourish.

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MARKET BASED ECONOMIC DESPATCH About: (MBED) • It has been prepared by Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) in collaboration Syllabus Section:Environment and Ecology with National Institute of Rural Why in News? Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) Power Ministry circulates Discussion Paper to • It is a framework for delivery of the services seek comments on Market Based Economic across the 29 sectors, aligning actions Despatch (MBED), with localised Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). About: • MBED will ensure that the cheapest • Aim: Establishing a Citizen Charter generating resources across the country is to Provide Services to the People in a are despatched to meet the overall system Time Bound Manner, Redressing Their demand and will thus be a win-win for Grievances and Improving Their Lives. both the distribution companies and • It is expected that the Panchayats will the generators and ultimately result in utilise this framework to draw up a an estimated annual savings in excess Citizens Charter and adopt it through a of INR 12,000 crores for the electricity resolution of the Gram Sabha by 15th consumers. August, 2021. • MBED shall also facilitate larger integration • Panchayats are responsible for delivery of variable renewable energy by enlarging of basic services as enshrined under the balancing area to the national level article 243G of the Constitution of India, and is also expected to optimize the need specifically in the areas of Health & for reserves and ancillary service. Sanitation, Education, Nutrition, Drinking • Security constrained economic despatch Water. (SCED) was such an attempt towards Source: PIB optimisation of the system cost. • This has already yielded substantial SEA SNOT OUTBREAK IN TURKEY saving in system cost. Syllabus Section: International Issues • This was followed by the Real Time Market - a half-hourly market, which provided Why in News? for an opportunity for the buyers and Turkey’s Sea of Marmara, that connects the the sellers to buy and sell through an Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, has witnessed the organised market closer to real time. largest outbreak of ‘sea snot’. • The full benefit of physical integration About: would be realisable when India transits to • Sea snot’ is marine mucilage that is formed an optimisation at the national level and when algae are overloaded with nutrients a country-wide balancing area instead of as a result of water pollution combined the siloed self-scheduling and balancing with the effects of climate change. mechanisms currently followed within state or regional boundaries. • It, is a slimy layer of grey or green sludge • Thus, the next step in reforming electricity in the country’s seas, which can cause market operations is to implement Market considerable damage to the marine Based Economic Despatch (MBED), in ecosystem. moving towards a “One Nation, One Grid, • Turkey’s Sea of Marmara, that connects One Frequency, One Price” framework. the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, has witnessed the largest outbreak of ‘sea Source: PIB snot’. MODEL PANCHAYAT CITIZENS o The sludge has also been spotted in the CHARTER adjoining Black and Aegean seas. o As the slimy layer spreads across the Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance country’s seas, there are urgent calls Why in News? now to tackle the crisis. Union Minister of Panchayati Raj released A • A ‘sea snot’ outbreak was first recorded in Model Panchayat Citizens Charter. the country in 2007. Back then, it was also spotted in the Aegean Sea near Greece.

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• But the current outbreak in the Sea • Turkey has planned to reduce nitrogen of Marmara is by far the biggest in the levels in the sea by 40%, which would country’s history. help tackle the crisis. • Erdogan government to approve the Paris Causes of SeaSnot: Agreement on climate change which aims • The nutrient overload occurs when algae to cut down on carbon emissions and feast on warm weather caused by global reduce global temperatures. warming. • Water pollution adds to the problem. Source: Indian Express • Overproduction of phytoplankton caused G7 CORPORATE TAX by climate change and the uncontrolled dumping of household and industrial Syllabus Section: Economy waste into the seas has led to the present Why in News? crisis. Advanced economies making up the G7 • Discharge of untreated water from cities grouping have reached a “historic” deal on like Istanbul, which is home to 16 million taxing multinational companies. people, into the seas. About: Threat to Marine Ecosystem: • The growth of the mucilage, which floats What are the decisions taken up on the surface of the sea like a brown • The first decision that has been ratified is phlegm, is posing a severe threat to the to force multinationals to pay taxes where marine ecosystem of the country they operate. • It has caused mass deaths among the fish • The second decision in the agreement population, and also killed other aquatic commits states to a global minimum organisms such as corals and sponges. corporate tax rate of 15% to avoid countries • The mucilage is now covering the surface undercutting each other. of the sea and has also spread to 80-100 Why Minimum Corporate Tax? feet below the surface. • The decision to ratify a 15% floor rate • If unchecked, this can collapse to the follows from a declaration of war on low-tax bottom and cover the sea floor, causing jurisdictions around the globe announced major damage to the marine ecosystem. by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, • The ‘sea snot’ outbreak has also affected • It was urged to the world’s 20 advanced the livelihoods of fishermen nations to move in the direction of adopting • sludge is getting collected in their nets, a minimum global corporate income tax. making them so heavy that they break or • To address the low effective rates of tax get lost. shelled out by some of the world’s biggest • The mucilage coating the strings make the corporations, including digital giants such nets visible to fish and keep them away, as Apple, Alphabet and Facebook, as well catching getting decreased over the years. as major corporations such as Nike and • Brown mucilage floating in the seas Starbucks. of Turkey is a sign of how the marine ecosystem can be damaged and the effect Problems with the plan? it can have on the environment as a whole • A global minimum rate would essentially if serious steps are not taken to tackle take away a tool that countries use to the twin crisis of pollution and global push policies that suit them. warming. • For instance, in the backdrop of the Steps Being Taken By Turkey To Solve The pandemic, IMF and World Bank data Crisis: suggest that developing countries with less • Entire Sea of Marmara will be turned into ability to offer mega stimulus packages a protected area. may experience a longer economic • Steps are being taken to reduce pollution hangover than developed nations. and improve treatment of waste water • A lower tax rate is a tool they can use to from coastal cities and ships. alternatively push economic activity. • Turkey’s biggest maritime clean-up • A global minimum tax rate will do little to operation is being launched. tackle tax evasion.

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India’s stand: • It consists of 54 Members of the United • The government is open to participate Nations elected by the General Assembly. and engage in the emerging discussions • ECOSOC coordinates economic, social, globally around the corporate tax and related work of the fourteen structure. United Nations specialized agencies, INDIA ELECTED TO UN ECONOMIC AND functional commissions and five regional SOCIAL COUNCIL FOR TERM 2022-24 commissions. • It serves as the central forum for Syllabus Section: International Relation discussing international economic and Why in News? social issues, and for formulating policy • India has been elected to the United recommendations addressed to Member Nations Economic and Social Council, States and the United Nations system. ECOSOC for the term 2022-24. • It is responsible for: About: • promoting higher standards of living, full • India was elected to UN ECOSOC in the employment, and economic and social Asia-Pacific States Category along with progress; Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Oman in • identifying solutions to international the elections which were held on June 7, economic, social and health problems; 2021. • facilitating international cultural and • From the African States, Eswatini, Cote d’ educational cooperation; and Ivoire, Mauritius, the United Republic of • encouraging universal respect for human Tanzania, and Tunisia were elected. rights and fundamental freedoms. • From Eastern European states, the Czech Republic and Croatia were elected to the Source: Hindustan Times UN body and from the Latin American and RETURN OF SUPERSONIC FLYING the Caribbean States, Chile, Belize, and Peru were elected. Syllabus Section: Science and Technology Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Why in News? • The Economic and Social Council • United Airlines announced it was ordering (ECOSOC) is one of the 6 principal organs 15 planes with the ability to travel at Mach of the United Nations System established 1.7, faster than the speed of sound, from by the UN Charter in 1945 the Denver-based startup Boom.

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Challenges With Supersonic Planes: About: • Firstly, the costs of making “sustainable” • The MSME sector is the backbone of supersonic planes are extremely high. the country’s economy, contributing 30 • The very nature of its flying — using percent of India’s GDP and 40 percent of excessive amounts of fuel and energy — is likely to have high environmental costs. exports. • Secondly the very speed of the planes • Out of some 58 million MSMEs in the results in producing excessive amounts of country, more than 40 per cent lack noise pollution in the environment. access to formal sources of finance. • The “Sonic Boom” created by these planes • The programme targets improvements in feels like an explosion to the human ear. the performance of five lakh 50 thousand This, thus, limits where and when the MSMEs. Out of some 58 million MSMEs supersonic planes can fly.They can only reach their actual speed until they are far in the country. enough from people and completely over • The USD 500 million Raising and the ocean. Accelerating Micro, Small and Medium • It would not be economically feasible for Enterprise (MSME) Performance (RAMP) everyone. Only the very rich can afford Program is the World Bank’s second supersonic planes, as a ticket is likely to intervention in this sector. be way costlier than a first-class ticket of a regular plane. • The first being the Rs 750 million MSME Emergency Response Program, approved What were the problems before? in July last year • High economic losses. Since it used excessive amounts of jet fuel, the flights • The RAMP program will provide better became very expensive to operate. access to finance and working capital for • High amounts of maintenance costs. MSMEs by strengthening the receivable With over three decades in service, its financing markets. operational and revamping costs became • It will also scale up online dispute difficult to maintain. resolution mechanisms to address the • Intolerable amounts of noise. The noise problem of delayed payments. issue prevented other airliners from ordering Concorde planes, stalling its Source: All India Radio expansion on a large scale. • Very limited international routes, as it ANTI-HAIL GUNS THE ANSWER TO could operate at supersonic speeds only HIMACHAL’S PROBLEM OF CROP with certain regulations. DAMAGE Source: Indian Express Syllabus Section: Environment and Ecology WORLD BANK APPROVES 500 MILLION Why in News? DOLLAR PROGRAM • To help out horticulturists who face crop Syllabus Section: Economy damage due to hailstorms, the Himachal Why in News? Pradesh government will be testing the The World Bank has approved a USD 500 million use of indigenously developed ‘anti-hail program to help boost India’s MSME sector. guns’.

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About: clouds, which are generally large and dark and may cause thunder and lightning. Anti-Hail Guns: • In such clouds, winds can blow up the • An anti-hail gun is a machine which water droplets to heights where they freeze generates shock waves to disrupt the into ice. growth of hailstones in clouds, according • The frozen droplets begin to fall but are to its makers. soon pushed back up by the winds and • It comprises a tall, fixed structure more droplets freeze onto them, resulting somewhat resembling an inverted tower, in multiple layers of ice on the hailstones. several metres high, with a long and • This fall and rise are repeated several narrow cone opening towards the sky. times, till the hailstones become too heavy • The gun is “fired” by feeding an explosive and fall down. mixture of acetylene gas and air into its lower chamber, which releases a shock Why is hail a big issue in HP? wave (waves which travel faster than the • Every summer from March to May, speed of sound, such as those produced frequent hailstorms in the fruit-growing by supersonic aircraft). areas of Himachal destroy apples, pears • These shock waves supposedly stop and other crops, causing massive losses water droplets in clouds from turning to farmers. into hailstones, so that they fall simply as • In some hail-prone areas such as raindrops. Narkanda and Theog, the entire apple crop in an orchard may sometimes get How do they ‘prevent’ a hailstorm? destroyed during such storms. • It is this hail formation process that the • The state government has subsidised shock waves from anti-hail guns try to anti-hail nets but even these can fail in disrupt in a radius of 500 meters, so that the face of storms. the water droplets fall down before they can be lifted by the updrafts. Source: Indian Express • The machine is repeatedly fired every few seconds during an approaching I-FAMILIA thunderstorm. Syllabus Section: Internal Security • However, the effectiveness of anti-hail Why in News? guns has remained a contentious issue. Recently, the Interpol has launched a new global How do Hailstorms occur? database named “I-Familia” to identify missing • Hail is produced by cumulonimbus persons through family DNA and help the police solve cold cases in member countries.

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NEW COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY • States will also have to prioritise the vaccination of citizens above 45 since Syllabus Section: Governance this category accounts for 80% of Covid- Why in News? related mortality. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that • They will have also have to prioritise the India will shift to centralised procurement of vaccination of those whose second dose Covid-19 vaccines, after several states had has become due, the revised guidelines faced difficulties in procuring and managing the recommend. funding of vaccines. Old Policy: About: • States were allowed to procure 25% of the New Policy: vaccines manufactured and the Centre • For Centre: The Centre will directly 50%. procure 75% of the doses manufactured Earlier Practices: by vaccine companies. • Health has traditionally been within the • For States:States will no longer have to purviewof States, and it stands to reason pay vaccine companies for the same. that they would invariably have to deal • State governments will now receive their with the challenges that vaccination allocated vaccine doses from the federal throws up. government based on the population • Immunisation in India has always been of those states, the level of disease, carried out centrally, under the Universal vaccination progress and population Immunisation Programme. • Private Hospitals: • Private hospitals will have exclusive access Problems in the Old Policy to the remaining 25%. • Irrational and arbitrary • The service charges that private hospitals • States had to procure them on the open charge will be capped at 150. market, and so the financial burden on • Non-transferable electronic vouchers, some of the poorest states such as Bihar, approved by the RBI, will be introduced. Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh significantly • This would enable people to financially increased. support vaccination of economically • Supply Constraints: Global vaccine weaker sections at private centres. manufacturers are looking forward to • The voucher can be used only for the the Union government for clearances person to whom it has been issued. and assurances. They are unwilling to get into supply contracts with the state • Common People: governments, • Vaccines will continue tobe free for all • High Procuring Cost for the state. those who choose to get their shot at government centres • Leading tovaccine hesitancy, the problem of transportation, the availability of trained • Healthcare workers and frontline workers personnel and the existing capacity at will continue to get top priority at health¬care sites government centres. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 19 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

Positives in the New Policy: • Help in minimising the losses. • These changes in total could be the beginning of a smoother, more efficient Source: DD News vaccine roll¬out. • The ceiling price on vaccines in hospitals CIRCLE LEVEL DAK ADALAT IN MUMBAI will bringpredictability and be hugely Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance beneficial to citizens. Why in News? Source: The Hindu Chief Post Master General, Maharashtra Circle, NEW TECHNIQUE TO DETECT will be holding the 115th Circle Level Dak Adalat TROPICAL CYCLONES FOR BAY OF on 25.06.2021. BENGAL BASIN Syllabus Section: Science and Technology About: • Complaints/Grievances regarding Postal Why in News? • Novel technique could help detect tropical Services pertaining to the Maharashtra cyclones for Bay of Bengal Basin earlier and Goa states, which have not been than satellites. settled within 6 weeks will be entertained About: in the Dak Adalat. • A team of Scientists IIT Kharagpur, with What is Dak Adalat? support from the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India under • The adalat will cover cases of complaints the Climate Change Programme (CCP), and disputes related to the postal services devised a novel method using Eddy particularly concerning mails, parcels, detection technique. registered letters, electronic money order, • It will investigate the formative stages counter services, Speed Post, savings and advance detection time of tropical bank account, postal life insurance and cyclogenesis in the North Indian Ocean region others. • It aims to identify initial traces of pre- • In order to redress the grievances in cyclonic eddy vortices in the atmospheric an effective manner, the Department column and track its Spatio-temporal periodically organizes Dak Adalat where evolution. functionaries of the Department meet the Atmospheric Instability during Cyclone Formation: aggrieved customers, gather details about • Prior to the formation of cyclonic system their complaints and try to settle them at over the warm oceanic environment, the the earliest. initial atmospheric instability mechanism, • All types of complaints related to Postal as well as the vortex development, is services are considered during the Dak triggered at higher atmospheric levels Adalat. • These cyclonic eddies are prominent features in the vertical atmospheric Need For Dak Adalat: column encompassing the disturbance • While the Department of Posts strives its environment with a potential to induce and develop into a well-marked cyclonic best to render the service to the fullest depression over the warm ocean surface. satisfaction of its customers, however • They could be used for detection of communication gaps and service faults prediction of cyclones. do occasionally happen, resulting into Significance: grievances and complaints. • A larger time gap between the detection • Postal Services form an integral part of and the impact of the cyclone could help the socio economic life of the country, preparation activities. touching the lives of virtually every citizen. • Early detection of Tropical cyclones has wide socio-economic implications. Source: PIB

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GENES TO IMPROVE FERTILISER NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY IN RICE Syllabus Section: Science and technology/ Agriculture Why in News? Indian biotechnologists have identified candidate genes for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in rice.

SINGLE USE PLASTICS Syllabus Section: Environment and Ecology Why in News? Environment Minister launches awareness campaign on Single Use plastics.

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Previously Taken Steps: 1) Cluster Development • Government of India has already banned • As part of the Agriculture Export Policy, import of plastic waste in the country. 46 unique product-district clusters have • Ministry of Environment, Forest and been identified for export promotion.29 Climate Change for the first time brought Cluster Level Committees have been out Plastic Waste Management Rules, formed in different clusters. 2016, for handling plastic waste in an • Cluster activation for export:DoC environmentally sound manner. intervened through APEDA for linking • Under the rules plastic carry bags below FPOs & exporters for activation of clusters. 50 microns have been banned. After the said linking, transportation/ • Many states/UTs have also banned logistics issues were solved and exports identified single use plastic items. took place from land locked clusters. • Further, the Ministry has issued a draft • Following are some of the success stories: notification in March 2021 for amending • Varanasi cluster (Fresh Vegetables): the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, with respect to prohibiting identified Till date, 48 MT of Fresh Vegetables 12 single use plastic items such as (green chilly, long guard, green peas & disposable plastic cutlery etc. cucumber), 10 MT of Mangoes (Banarasi, Langra, Ramkheda&Chausa) and 532 MT Source: PIB of Black rice have been exported from the AGRICULTURE EXPORT POLICY AND cluster through FPOs. EXPORT PROMOTION MEASURES • Ananthpur Cluster (Banana): During the recent season (Jan-April 2021), 30,291 Syllabus Section: Economy MT of banana have been dispatched from Why in News? Ananthpur in Andhra Pradesh through Export of agriculture and allied products during 9 reefer rail movements and exported to 2020-21 jumped to USD 41.25 billion, indicating Middle East. an increase of 17.34%. • Nagpur cluster (Orange): 115 MT of Nagpur Oranges and 45 MT of Ambiyabahar About: season Oranges have been exported to • The first ever Agriculture Export Policy Middle East Countries by sea (for the first (AEP) was introduced by the Government in December 2018. time) and supplied to top supermarkets i.e. Lulu Super mart, Safari Mall, Nesto, • As a part of the process of implementation of AEP, eighteen States viz. Maharashtra, etc. U.P., Kerala, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, • Lucknow cluster (Mango): 80.25 MT of Assam, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, mangoes (Dasheri, Langra, and Bombay Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra green) have been exported to Middle East Pradesh, Telangana, Manipur, Sikkim, countries. Nagaland, Mizoram and Uttarakhand and • Theni cluster (Banana): During the last the 2 UTs viz Ladakh and Andaman & one year till date, 2400 MT of Cavendish Nicobar Islands have finalized the State and 1560 MT of G9 &Nendran banana specific Action Plan. have been exported from the cluster.

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• Pomegranate Cluster, Maharashtra - 3) Report on product-specific measures: Export of Pomegranates from Solapur A detailed analysis was carried out to cluster was 32,315 MT during the year address the requirements of SPS/TBT 2020-21. issues existing in trade, for boosting • Mango Cluster, Andhra Pradesh - In exports of India. The report titled "Tariff the current season, a consignment of Disadvantages of India's Agricultural Banganapalli (GI certified) &Survarnarekha Exports" is based on the potential export mangoes sourced from farmers in Krishna products identified for boosting exports & Chittoor cluster districts was exported under AEP. to South Korea. Total 109 MT mangoes 4) Virtual Buyer Seller Meets - Twenty four was exported to Middle East, EU, UK, and V-BSMs have been organized with UAE, New Zealand from the cluster. During this Kuwait, Indonesia, Switzerland, Belgium, mango season, a total quantity of 4000MT Iran, Canada (Organic products), UAE of mangoes was transported from Krishna & USA (GI products), Germany, South cluster district, Andhra Pradesh to Delhi Africa, Australia, Thailand, Oman, by rail. Bhutan, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, • Mango Cluster, Telangana - So far, more Nepal, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Netherlands, than 100 MT of fresh mangoes have been Brunei and Cambodia (Animal products). exported to EU, UK, Middle East. E-catalogues were released while each BSM having details of participant • Rose Onion cluster, Karnataka - Around exporters, importers, Trade associations. 7168 MT of Rose onions have been exported to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, 5) Virtual Trade Fair (VTF) -APEDA took Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from October an initiative to develop its own Virtual Trade Fair (VTF) application. The virtual 2020 to December 2020. platform will provide an opportunity • Banana Cluster, Gujarat - From April 2020 for agri importers of several countries till date, 6198.26 MT of fresh banana has and our exporters to interact through been exported to Middle East countries-. participation. The first Virtual Trade Fair Bahrain, Dubai, Georgia, Iran, Oman, was organized for Cereals product sector Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Iraq etc. from during 10-12thMarch 2021. The VTF for the cluster comprising Surat, Narmada & Fresh fruits and vegetables was held from Bharuch. 27-29thMay2021. • Banana Cluster, Maharashtra - During 6) Agri Cells at different Embassies of 2020-21, 3278, 280 & 90 containers of India-APEDA is consulting 13 Agri Cells Banana have been exported from Solapur, in our Missions in different countries Jalgaon & Kolhapur respectively. seeking inputs on real-time basis to • Onion Cluster, Maharashtra - During further strengthen the existing Market January to 15April 2021, 10,697 MT Intelligence cell. The consolidated reports of fresh Onions has been exported to received from Agri Cells are being referred multiple destinations in SE Asia, Middle to while preparing the strategy pertaining East, Bangladesh. to the specific countries. • Grapes Cluster, Maharashtra - During 7) Farmer Connect Portal: A Farmer Connect 2020-21, so far, 6797 containers of Portal has been set up on APEDA's website 91,762 MT of fresh grapes have been for providing a platform for FPOs/FPCs, exported to EU from Nasik cluster district. cooperatives to interact with exporters. 1013 containers of 13,884 MT and one Around 2360 FPO/FPCs and 2324 container of Raisin have been exported exporters have been registered so far. from the cluster district of Sangli to EU 8) Ensuring adherence to EU norms for and other countries. export of Basmati rice to EU 2) Country specific agri export strategy • Pesticide residue problems have affected reports: An interaction was carried out Basmati rice exports to EU due to stringent with 60 Indian Missions and stakeholders norms imposed by EU for chemicals like to identify the products, their potential and Tricyclazole and Buprofezin, which are way forward for preparing the country- extensively used in rice cultivation in wise agri-export strategy. India

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• The Government of Punjab imposed a 7. Agricultural Products, Which Registered ban on sale of 9 chemicals, including Significant Increase in Exports:as tricyclazole and buprofezin, during the compared to 2019-20,oil meals (USD Kharif season 2020. 1575.34 million -growth of 90.28%), sugar (USD 2789.97 million - growth 41.88%), Source: PIB raw cotton (USD 1897.20 million - growth AGRICULTURE EXPORTS DURING 79.43%), fresh vegetables (USD 721.47 2020-21 million - growth 10.71%) and vegetable oils (USD 602.77 million- growth 254.39%) Syllabus Section:Economy etc. Why in News? Largest Market for Indian Agriculture During the media interaction, Secretary, Product: department of Commerce, informed that after • Largest markets for India’s agriculture remaining stagnant for the past three years products are USA, China, Bangladesh, (USD 38.43 billion in 2017-18, USD 38.74 UAE, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, billion in 2018-19 and USD 35.16 billion Nepal, Iran and Malaysia. Exports to 2019-20), the export of agriculture and allied most of these destinations have registered products (including marine and plantation growth, with highest growth being recorded products) during 2020-21jumped to USD 41.25 for Indonesia (102.42%), Bangladesh billion,indicating an increase of 17.34%. (95.93%) and Nepal (50.49%).

About: Export of Spices: Despite COVID-19, balance of trade in • Export of spices like ginger, pepper, agriculture has improved by 42.16% from USD cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, saffron 14.51 billion to USD 20.58 billion. etc., which have known therapeutic qualities, has also grown substantially. 1. The export of agriculture and allied • During 2020-21, export of pepper products witnessed, the increase 22.62% increased by 28.72% to USD 1269.38 with exports during 2020-21 amounting million; to Rs. 3.05 lakh crore as compared to Rs. • cinnamon by 64.47% to USD 11.25 2.49 lakh crore during 2019-20 million; nutmeg, mace and cardamom 2. Import:India’s agricultural and allied by 132.03% (USD 189.34 million vs USD imports during 2019-20 were USD 20.64 81.60 million); and billion, and the corresponding figures for • Ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay 2020-21 are USD 20.67 billion. leaves etc. by 35.44% to USD 570.63 3. Growth in Agriculture Products excluding million. marine and Planation Products:the growth • Export of spices touched highest ever level is 28.36% with exports of USD 29.81 of around USD 4 billion during 2020-21. billion in 2020-21 as compared to USD Organic Export: 23.23 billion in 2019-20. • The organic exports during 2020-21 were • India has been able to take advantage of USD1040 million as against USD 689 the increased demand for staples during million in 2019-20, registering a growth of the COVID-19 period. 50.94%. 6. Cereal Export:Huge growth has been • Organic exports include oil cake/ meals, seen in export of cereals with export of oil seeds, cereals and millets, spices non-basmati rice growing by 136.04% to and condiments, tea, medicinal plant USD 4794.54 million; wheat by 774.17% products, dry fruits, sugar, pulses, coffee to USD 549.16 million; and other cereals etc. (Millets, Maize and other coarse gains) by 238.28% to USD 694.14 million. Source: PIB EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 24 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

INDO-THAI COORDINATED PATROL • This has been through bilateral and (CORPAT) multilateral exercises, Coordinated Patrols, Joint EEZ Surveillance, andHumanitarian Syllabus Section:Defence Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Why in News? operations. The 31stedition of India-Thailand Coordinated Other Military Exercises between India and Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Thailand: Navyand the Royal Thai Navyis being conducted • Exercise MAITREE (Army). from 09 – 11 June 2021. • Exercise SIAM BHARAT (Air Force). • Indian Naval Ship (INS) Saryu (an Source: PIB indigenously builtNaval Offshore Patrol CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION Vessel ) and Thailand Frigate HTMS Krabi, an offshore patrol vessel along with Why in News? Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both The head of the international chemical weapons the navies participated in the 31st edition. watchdog told the U.N. Security Council that Syria had likely or definitely used chemical About: weapons in 17 cases. • India and Thailand have been carrying out CORPAT along their International About: Maritime Boundary Line twice a year since Chemical Weapons Convetion: 2005. • The Chemical Weapons Convention is • It is a bi-annual exercise. officially known as the Convention on the Aim: Prohibition of the Development, Production, • To keep the vital part of the Indian Ocean Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons safe and secure for international trade. and on their Destruction. • to prevent and suppress unlawful activities • It is an arms control treaty administered like Illegal Unreported Unregulated by the Organisation for the Prohibition (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an terrorism, armed robbery and piracy. intergovernmental organization based in • To ensure effective implementation of the The Hague, The Netherlands. United Nations Conventions on Laws of • This multilateral treaty entered into force the Sea (UNCLOS). in 1997. • Members: Significance: • It has 192 state parties and 165 • CORPAT builds up understanding and signatories. interoperability between navies and • India signed the treaty in 1993. facilitates institution of measures to • The Chemical Weapons Convention suppress unlawful activities. prohibits, • It further helps enhance the operational 1. Large-scale use, development, production, synergy by exchange of information acquisition, stockpiling, or retention of for prevention of smuggling, illegal chemical weapons and their precursors immigration and forconduct of SAR 2. Transferring of chemical weapons and operations at sea. their precursors • The 31stIndo-Thai CORPAT will contribute 3. Assisting other States to indulge in towards Indian Navy’s efforts to consolidate activities that are prohibited by the CWC inter-operability and forge strong bonds of friendship with Royal Thai Navy. 4. Using riot-control devices as ‘warfare methods’. In line with India’s SAGAR Vision • The convention allows the above for very • As part of Government of India’s vision limited purposes (research, medical, of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All pharmaceutical or protective). in the Region), the Indian Navy has been • Main obligation of member states under proactively engaging with the countries the convention is to effect this prohibition, in the Indian Ocean Region towards as well as the destruction of all current enhancing regional maritime security. chemical weapons.

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• All destruction activities must take place • Housing sector, it talks about incentivising under OPCW verification. rented accommodation by inviting private Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical players and government agencies to invest Weapons more, keeping in mind the large migrant • Headquartered in The Hague, population Netherlands, it is an independent, • Parking Problems:parking problems and autonomous international organisation suggests a ‘user pays’ principle, which means users of all personal motor vehicles, that implements the Chemical Weapons except for non-motorised ones, have to pay Convention (CWC). for authorised parking facilities, spaces • It has a working relationship with the and streets. United Nations (UN). • Vehicular Pollution:The draft plan aims to • By the Relationship Agreement (2001) minimise vehicular pollution through key between the OPCW and the UN, the OPCW strategies, including a switch to greener reports on its inspections and other fuels for public transport and adoption of activities to the UN through the office of mixed-use of transit-oriented development the Secretary General. (also known as TOD). • Functions of the Organisation include, • Water Issues: It also addresses improving 1. Performs inspections to verify that the quality of water, which is taken from signatory states are complying with the the Yamuna River as well as various lakes, convention. This includes a commitment natural drains and baolis. to grant inspectors full access to chemical • The draft lays a clear boundary of the buffer zone near the Yamuna river and weapons sites. explores how to develop it. 2. Performs testing of sites and victims of • As per the plan, a green buffer of 300-metre suspected chemical weapons attacks. width shall be maintained wherever 3. Provides for assistance to and protection feasible along the entire edge of the river. of States attacked or threatened with How Master Plan 2041 different from the chemical weapons, cooperation in the 2021 Master Plan? peaceful use of chemicals. • The Master Plan 2041 aims to develop • It was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. common community spaces to provide refuge spots, common kitchens and Source: The Hindu quarantine space in an emergency. DELHI’S MASTER PLAN 2041 • To improve the nighttime economy, the plan focuses on cultural festivals, bus Syllabus Section: Polity andGovernance entertainment, metro, sports facilities, Why in News? and retail stores included in Delhi Recently, the Delhi Development Authority gave Development Authority (DDA)’s Night Life its preliminary approval to the draft Master Plan Circuit plan. for Delhi 2041. • It also proposes to reduce vulnerability to airborne epidemics through decentralised About: workspaces, mandatory creation of open areas, better habitat design and green- Meaning of Master Plan: rated developments to reduce dependence • A master plan of any city is like a vision on mechanical ventilation systems. document by the planners and the land- Challenges owning agency of the city, which gives a • Confrontation from political wings direction to the future development. It • Lack of resources and funds, includes analysis, recommendations, and proposals keeping in mind the population, • corruption in different departments, economy, housing, transportation, • Lack of political and bureaucratic will and multiplicity of agencies. community facilities, and land use. • Despite talks of increasing surface parking, • The current master plan of Delhi — Master removing junk vehicles, imposing fines for Plan 2021 — expires this year. dumping debris, garbage burning, and Master Plan 2041 for Delhi: segregation of waste, a lot of these things • It seeks to “foster a sustainable, liveable could never be implemented. and vibrant Delhi by 2041. Source: Indian Express

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SUPREME COURT RELEASES DRAFT About: MODEL RULES FOR LIVE-STREAMING • Government of India has released funds for AND RECORDING OF COURT various activities of Farm Mechanization PROCEEDINGS like Establishment of Custom Hiring Centres, Farm Machinery Bank, High- Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance tech Hubs and distribution of various Why in News? agricultural machinery etc to different The e-Committee of Supreme Court of India states. has released the Draft Model Rules for Live- Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization Streaming and Recording of Court Proceedings (SMAM) and has invited feedback on them. • Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched a Sub-Mission on About: Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) in • The right of access to justice, guaranteed 2014-15 under Article 21 of the Constitution • Objective: encompasses the right to access live court • To increase the reach of farm mechanization proceedings. to small and marginal farmers and to the • The e-Committee of the Supreme Court regions & difficult area where farm power of India along with the Department of availability is low. Justice, Government of India is working • To promote ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ and under the National Policy and Action Plan ‘Hi-tech Hubs of High-Value Machines’ for implementation of Information and to offset the adverse economies of scale Communication Technology ICT in the arising due to small and fragmented Indian Judiciary. landholding and high cost of individual • According to the draft rules, all proceedings ownership; in high courts can be telecast except for • Creating awareness among stakeholders cases relating to matrimonial disputes, through demonstration and capacity gender-based violence, those involving building activities minors and “cases, which in the opinion of • Ensuring performance testing and the Bench, may provoke enmity amongst certification of agricultural machines at communities likely to result in a breach of designated testing centres located all over law and order”. the country. • “The final decision as to whether or • Significance: not to allow the Live-streaming of the • Mechanization helps in improving the Proceedings or any portion thereof will be utilization efficiency of other inputs of the Bench, however, the decision of the • One of the most important segments of Bench will be guided by the principle of the agriculture sector to boost the income an open and transparent judicial process. of farmers and growth of the agricultural The decision of the Bench shall not be economy. justiciable.” Source: PIB Source: PIB FASTLY FARM MECHANIZATION - A MANDATORY Syllabus Section: Science and Technology CHANGE Why in News? Syllabus Section: Agriculture • Fastly reported problems with their Why in News? CDN service which caused many major • Recently, to empower the farmers through websites, such as Reddit, gov.uk, Twitch, Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization Spotify and Amazon, along with major (SMAM) scheme, Government of India has news sources such as The New York released funds for various activities of Times, The Guardian, CNN and the BBC, Farm Mechanization. to become unavailable.

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About: • Global economy was in a state of recession • Fastly is an American cloud computing due to the OPEC oil embargo. As the services provider. energy crisis escalating, US decided that • It describes its network as an ‘edge it would be beneficial for the large players cloud platform’, which is designed to on the world stage to coordinate with each help developers extend their core cloud other on macroeconomic initiatives. infrastructure to the edge of the network, • After this first summit, the countries closer to users. agreed to meet annually and a year later, • The Fastly edge cloud platform includes Canada was invited into the group which their content delivery network (CDN), marked the official formation of the G7 as image optimization, video and streaming, we know it. cloud security, and load balancing • European Commission join the meeting services. in 1977 and following the collapse of the • A content delivery network is an Soviet Union in 1991 and a subsequent arrangement that allows customer thaw in relations between the East and websites to store data such as images and West, Russia was also invited to join the videos on various mirror servers across group in 1998. countries so that the data is closer to • Thereafter the group was named the G8 users, and thus shows up faster. until 2014, when Russia was expelled for its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. • Customers rely on Fastly and its rivals to host and protect their website data from Presidency: denial-of-service attacks and disruption • The presidency of G7 meetings is held by from spikes in traffic. each of the seven countries in turn, each year. Source: Indian Express • The country holding the presidency is GROUP OF SEVEN (G7) SUMMIT responsible for organising and hosting the Syllabus Section: International Institutions meeting. • This year, India, South Korea and Why in News? Australia have been invited to attend the G7 leaders meet in UK to discuss Covid, climate G7 summit as participating guests. change. • At the end of the summit, the UK will publish a document called a communique About: which will outline what has been agreed G7 upon during the meeting. • The Group of 7 (G7) is an informal group Agenda: of seven countries — the United States, • G7 summit provides a forum for member Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan countries to discuss shared values and and the United Kingdom concerns. • Together the member countries represent • Initially focused on international economic 40% of global GDP and 10% of the world’s policy, in the 1980s, the G7 extended population. its mandate to include issues related to • Unlike other bodies such as NATO, the foreign policy and security as well. G7 has no legal existence, permanent • In recent years, G7 leaders have met to secretariat or official members. formulate common responses to challenges • It also has no binding impact on policy encompassing counterterrorism, and all decisions and commitments development, education, health, human made at G7 meetings need to be ratified rights and climate change. independently by governing bodies of member states. Key Developments: • The G7 Summit has been the birthplace Background: for several global initiatives. • The G7 draws its roots from a meeting • In 1997, the G7 countries agreed to between the current G7 members, provide $300 millionto the effort to contain excluding Canada, that took place in the effects of the reactor meltdown in 1975. Chernobyl.

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• At the 2002 summit, members decided to Syllabus Section: Indian Express launch a coordinated response to fight the threat of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. THE EAGLE ACT • This led to the formation of the Global Syllabus Section: International Relations Fund, an innovative financing mechanism that has disbursed more than $45 billion Why in News? in aid. • US Congressman has introduced new • The Global Apollo Program was launched legislation named the "Ensuring American out of the 2015 G7 summit meeting. • It was designed to tackle climate change Global Leadership and Engagement" or through clean energy research and Eagle Act, that aims to counter the policy development challenges posed by China.

Source: Indian Express About: HERITAGE TREES • The bill proposes to phase out the seven Syllabus Section: Environment per cent per-country limit on employment- based immigrant visas. Why in News • The Maharashtra government will make • The bill also seeks to raise the seven per amendments to the Maharashtra (Urban cent per-country limit on family-sponsored Areas) Protection and Preservation of visas to 15 per cent. Trees Act of 1975, to introduce provisions for the protection of ‘heritage trees’. • Explaining the logic behind introducing the bill, Lofgren said that due to the cap, About a person from a large-population country • A tree with an estimated age of 50 years or more shall be defined as a heritage tree. with extraordinary qualifications who • It may belong to specific species, which could contribute greatly to US economy will be notified from time to time. and create jobs waits behind a person • In addition to the age, the state climate with lesser qualifications from a smaller change department (which will be country. implementing the Tree Act), should also consider a tree’s rarity, its botanical, • “It makes no sense. Because of this, historical, religious, mythological and recruiters from outside America luring cultural importance in defining a heritage those with the highest skills away from tree. the US. That hurts US economy • The local Tree Authority will have to ensure tree census to be carried out every • The basic framework for allocating five years along with counting of heritage immigrant visas dates back to the middle trees of the 20th century and was last seriously How is the age of the tree determined? updated in 1990, when the Congress • Dendrochronology – or tree-ring dating: established the worldwide numerical Each year, roughly a tree adds to its girth, limits on visas and the seven per cent per- the new growth is called a tree ring. country cap that still exists today. • By counting the rings of a tree, the age can be determined. • Over time, these limitations have led to Why was the concept of heritage tree backlogs. introduced? • The EAGLE Act's predecessor, the • The tree’s age will determine the number Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act, of trees to be planted as part of the compensatory plantation – that is anyone was passed in the House in the 116th cutting a heritage tree will need to plant Congress with a resounding bipartisan trees in the same numbers as the cut vote of 365 to 65. tree’s age. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 29 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

EnVisionMISSION ALL INDIA SURVEY ON HIGHER Syllabus Section: Science and Technology EDUCATION (AISHE) 2019-20 Syllabus Section:Education Why in News? • Following NASA’s footsteps, the European Why in News? Space Agency (ESA) recently announced • Union Education Minister announces that it has selected EnVision as its next release of Report of All India Survey on orbiter that will visit Venus sometime in Higher Education (AISHE) 2019-20 the 2030s About: About: • In the last five years from 2015-16 to 2019- • EnVision is an ESA led mission with 20, there has been a growth of 11.4% in contributions from NASA. It is likely to be the student enrolment launched sometime in the 2030s. • The rise in female enrolment in higher • Once launched on an Ariane 6 rocket, the education during the period is 18.2%. spacecraft will take about 15 months to Key features of All India Survey on Higher reach Venus and will take 16 more months Education Report 2019-20 to achieve orbit circularisation. 1. Total Enrolment in Higher Education • The spacecraft will carry a range of stands at 3.85 crorein 2019-20 as instruments to study the planet’s compared to 3.74 crore in 2018-19, atmosphere and surface, monitor trace registering a growth of 11.36 lakh (3.04 gases in the atmosphere and analyse its %). surface composition. 2. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), the • EnVision will follow another ESA-led percentage of students belonging to the mission to Venus called ‘Venus Express’ eligible age group enrolled in Higher (2005-2014) that focussed on atmospheric Education, in 2019-20 is 27.1% against research and pointed to volcanic hotspots 26.3% in 2018-19 and 24.3% in 2014- on the planet’s surface 2015. • Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft has also been 3. Gender Parity Index (GPI) in Higher Education in 2019-20 is 1.01 against 1.00 studying the planet’s atmosphere since in 2018-19 indicating an improvement in 2015. the relative access to higher education for Why are scientists interested in studying females of eligible age group compared to Venus males. • How Earth and Venus evolved so differently 4. Pupil Teacher Ratio in Higher Education from each other considering that they are in 2019-20 is 26. roughly of the same size and composition? • In 2019-20: Universities: 1,043(2%); Source: Indian Express Colleges: 42,343(77%) and stand-alone institutions: 11,779(21%). EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 30 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

5. Enrolment in higher education CENTRAL ATHLETE INJURY • 38 crore Students enrolled in programs at MANAGEMENT SYSTEM under-graduate and post-graduate levels. Syllabus Section: Governance • Out of these, nearly 85% of the students (2.85 crore) were enrolled in the six major Why in News? disciplines such as Humanities, Science, • Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Commerce, Engineering & Technology, Sports launched the Central Athlete Injury Medical Science and IT & Computer. Management System (CAIMS). 6. The number of students pursuing PhD in 2019-20 is 2.03 lakh against 1.17 lakh in About: 2014-15. • It is a first-of-its-kind initiative by the 7. The Total Number of Teachers stands at Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. 15,03,156 comprising of 57.5% male and • It is for streamlining the sports medicine 42.5% female. and rehabilitation support offered to the AISHE athletes for Olympics 2024 and beyond. • AISHE was established by the Ministry of • CAIMS aims to provide the best of sports HRD for conducting an annual web-based injury management support nearest to survey, thereby portraying the status of the athlete’s geographical location. CAIMS higher education in the country. will help to standardize appropriate injury • The survey is conducted for all educational treatment protocol for athletes across the institutions in India on many categories country. like teachers, student enrolment, programs, examination results, education • It will start with support for athletes finance, and infrastructure. who are a part of the Target Olympic • This survey is used to make informed Podium Scheme (TOPS) development policy decisions and research for the group expected to participate in 2024 and development of the education sector. beyond. • This Report provides key performance • CAIMS will have the following four indicators on the current status of Higher structures: Athlete Wellness Cell, On- education in the country. Field Sports Medicine Experts, National Resource Referral Teams and a Central Source: PIB Core Team. CANADIAN HYDROGEN INTENSITY • The core committee of CAIMS includes MAPPING EXPERIMENT (CHIME) eminent top of the line experts such as Dr. Syllabus Section: Science and Technology SKS Marya, Dr.DinshawPardiwala, Dr. BV Srinivas and Shrikant Iyengar. Why in News? • Scientists with the Canadian Hydrogen Source: All India Radio Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) TURTLE RESEARCHERS OPPOSES NITI Collaboration have assembled the largest AAYOG’S PLANS TO DEVELOP TWO collection of fast radio bursts (FRBs) in ISLANDS IN ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR the telescope’s first FRB catalogue. About: Syllabus Section: Environment • CHIME is an interferometric radio Why in News? telescope. Turtle researchers have banded together to • It is located in British Columbia, Canada. launch a signature campaign against the NITI • It consists of four antennas consisting Aayog’s plans to develop two islands in the of 100 x 20 metre cylindrical parabolic Union Territory (UT) of Andaman and Nicobar. reflectors with 1024 dual-polarization radio receivers suspended on a support About: above them. • The campaign has been launched under • The antenna receives radio waves from the leadership of the Students’ Sea Turtle hydrogen in space at frequencies in the Conservation Network (SSTCN), Chennai, 400–800 MHz range. to oppose the plans for Little Andaman Source: The Hindu and Great Nicobar islands. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 31 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• The islands provide nesting sites for • In the Beed model, the profit of the leatherback turtles and are also home to company is expected to reduce and the indigenous peoples like the Shompen and state government would access another the Onge. source of funds. • This made these nesting sites globally • Reimbursed amount can lead to lower significant and internationally important provisioning by the state for the coming for marine ecological health and global year, or help in financing the paying the leatherback numbers in the Indian Ocean bridge amount in case of a year of crop and the Western Pacific Ocean, the letter loss. added. • For farmers, however, this model does not • Besides Little Andaman Island, Great have any direct benefit. Nicobar Island holds one of the most important global leatherback nesting Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yogna sites: Galathea Bay, within the Galathea • Launched in 2016, the flagship PMFBY Bay wildlife sanctuary. insures farm losses against inclement • The National Marine Turtle Action Plan weather events. released February 1, 2021, has listed • Farmers pay low rate of the premium 1.5- Galathea Bay as one of the ‘Important 2% with the rest borne by the state and Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas’ central governments. and ‘Important Marine Turtle Habitats’ in • It is a central scheme implemented by India. state agriculture departments as per central guidelines. Source: The Hindu • Prior to 2020, the scheme was optional for BEED MODEL OF CROP INSURANCE farmers who did not have loans pending, but mandatory for loanee farmers. Since Syllabus Section: Agriculture 2020, it has been optional for all farmers. Why in News? Source: The Hindu • Maharashtra Chief Minister asked Prime Minister for a state-wide implementation BEED MODEL OF CROP INSURANCE of the ‘Beed model’ of the crop insurance Syllabus Section: Agriculture scheme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yogna (PMFBY). Why in News? • Maharashtra Chief Minister asked Prime About: Minister for a state-wide implementation • Beed model - Located in the drought-prone of the ‘Beed model’ of the crop insurance Marathwada region, the district of Beed scheme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima presents a challenge for any insurance Yogna (PMFBY). company. • Farmers here have repeatedly lost crops About: either to failure of rains or to heavy • Beed model - Located in the drought-prone rains. Given the high payouts, insurance Marathwada region, the district of Beed companies have sustained losses. presents a challenge for any insurance • The state government had a difficult time company. getting bids for tenders to implement the • Farmers here have repeatedly lost crops scheme in Beed in the 2020 kharif season. either to failure of rains or to heavy • In a normal season where farmers report rains. Given the high payouts, insurance minimal losses, the state gets back money companies have sustained losses. that can form a corpus to fund the scheme • The state government had a difficult time for coming year. getting bids for tenders to implement the • However, the state government would scheme in Beed in the 2020 kharif season. have to bear the financial liability in case • In a normal season where farmers report of losses due to extreme weather events. minimal losses, the state gets back money • Significance - The reason why Maharashtra that can form a corpus to fund the scheme is pushing for this scheme is that in most for coming year. years, the claims-to-premium ratio is • However, the state government would low with the premium being paid to the have to bear the financial liability in case company. of losses due to extreme weather events.

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• Significance - The reason why Maharashtra insures farm losses against inclement is pushing for this scheme is that in most weather events. years, the claims-to-premium ratio is • Farmers pay low rate of the premium 1.5- low with the premium being paid to the 2% with the rest borne by the state and company. central governments. • In the Beed model, the profit of the • It is a central scheme implemented by company is expected to reduce and the state agriculture departments as per state government would access another central guidelines. source of funds. • Prior to 2020, the scheme was optional for • Reimbursed amount can lead to lower farmers who did not have loans pending, provisioning by the state for the coming but mandatory for loanee farmers. Since year, or help in financing the paying the 2020, it has been optional for all farmers. bridge amount in case of a year of crop loss. Source: The Hindu • For farmers, however, this model does not INDIA’S FOREX RESERVES have any direct benefit. Syllabus Section: Economy Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yogna Why in News: India’s forex reserves cross record • Launched in 2016, the flagship PMFBY $600 billion-mark for first time.

Significance About Forex Reserves The current level of forex reserves is enough • Forex reserves are external assets that to cover nearly 16 months of imports. The are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for direct financing central bank has enough ammunition to meet of external payments imbalances, for challenges arising out of “global spill overs”, a indirectly regulating the magnitudes of reference to any sudden policy changes in the such imbalances through intervention in US or geopolitical shifts that could lead to funds exchange markets to affect the currency exiting India. exchange rate, and/or for other purposes. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 33 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• External assets are in the form of gold, natural world, including mass nesting SDRs (special drawing rights of the IMF) called arribadas. The 480-km-long Odisha and foreign currency assets (capital inflows coast has three arribada beaches at to the capital markets, FDI and external Gahirmatha, the mouth of the Devi river, commercial borrowings) accumulated by and in Rushikulya, where about 1 lakh India and controlled by the Reserve Bank nests are found annually. of India. • Sea turtles generally return to their • The Reserve Bank functions as the natal beach, or where they were born, to custodian and manager of forex reserves, lay eggs as adults. Mating occurs in the and operates within the overall policy offshore waters of the breeding grounds framework agreed upon with Government and females then come ashore to nest, of India. The RBI uses its forex kitty for the usually several times during a season. orderly movement of the rupee. It sells the • They crawl ashore, dig a flask-shaped dollar when the rupee weakens and buys nest about 1.5 to 2 foot deep, and lay 100 the dollar when the rupee strengthens. to 150 eggs in each clutch. Hatchlings emerge from their nests together in about Source- Economic Times, Times of India seven to 10 weeks. OPERATION OLIVIA Why in danger Syllabus section: Environment and Ecology Studies have found three main factors that Why in News? damage Olive Ridley turtles and their eggs — Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation 1) Heavy predation of eggs by dogs and wild Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps animals, protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting 2) indiscriminate fishing with trawlers and from November to December. 3) Gill nets, and beach soil erosion. Dense fishing activity along the coasts of Andhra About the Operation Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, especially • For optimal results, round-the-clock ocean-going trawlers, mechanised fishing boats surveillance is conducted from November and gill-netters pose a severe threat to turtles. till May utilising Coast Guard assets such as fast patrol vessels, air cushion vessels, Efforts interceptor craft and Dornier aircraft to • Odisha has also formulated laws for enforce laws near the rookeries. protecting Olive Ridley turtles, and the • From November 2020 to May 2021, the Orissa Marine Fisheries Act empowers Coast Guard devoted 225 ship days and the Coast Guard as one of its enforcement 388 aircraft hours to protect 3.49 lakh agencies. turtles that laid eggs along the Odisha • Coordination of efforts is done at various coast. levels, the officer explained, including enforcing the use of turtle excluder devices The Olive Ridley (TED) by trawlers in the waters adjoining • The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is nesting areas; prohibiting the use of gill listed as vulnerable under the International nets on turtle approaches to the shore; Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red and curtailing turtle poaching. list. • All five species of sea turtles found in Source: The Hindu India are included in Schedule I of the PASIPHAE Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and in the Appendix I of the Convention Syllabus Section: Science and Technology of International Trade in Endangered Why in News? Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), An ambitious sky-survey project, planned which prohibits trade in turtle products and conducted by an international team of by signatory countries. astrophysicists, is looking to clear the way • The Olive Ridley has one of the most towards confirming a fundamental theory in extraordinary nesting habits in the astronomy – inflation.

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• The survey will use two high-tech optical • The Infosys Foundation, India, Stavros polarimeters to observe the northern and Niarchos Foundation, Greece and USA’s National Science Foundation have each southern skies, simultaneously. provided a grant of $1 million, combined • It will focus on capturing starlight with contributions from the European polarisation of very faint stars that are Research Council and the National so far away that polarisation signals Research Foundation in South Africa. from there have not been systematically Why is PASIPHAE important? studied. The distances to these stars will • Since its birth about 14 billion years ago, the universe has been constantly be obtained from measurements of the expanding, as evidenced by the presence GAIA satellite. of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) • By combining these data, astronomers radiation which fills the universe. will perform a maiden magnetic field • Immediately after its birth, the universe went through a short inflationary phase tomography mapping of the interstellar during which it expanded at a very high medium of very large areas of the sky rate, before it slowed down and reached using a novel polarimeter instrument the current rate. known as WALOP (Wide Area Linear • However, so far, there have only been theories and indirect evidence of inflation Optical Polarimeter). associated with the early universe. • Scientists from the University of Crete, • A definitive consequence of the inflationary Greece, Caltech, USA, Inter-University phase is that a tiny fraction of the CMB Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics radiation should have its imprints in the form of a specific kind of polarisation (IUCAA), India, the South African (known scientifically as B-mode signal). Astronomical Observatory and the • All previous attempts to detect this University of Oslo, Norway, are involved signal met with failure mainly due to the in this project, steered by the Institute of difficulty posed by our galaxy, the Milky Way, which emits copious amounts of Astrophysics, Greece. polarised radiation. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 35 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• Besides, it contains a lot of dust clouds • It was in 1898 that Swami Vivekananda that are present in the form of clusters. acquired a large piece of land at Belur When starlight passes through these dust where the Ramakrishna Math was finally clouds, they get scattered and polarised. shifted and registered as such. The • The PASIPHAE survey will measure monastic order is open to all men without starlight polarisation over large areas of discrimination on the basis of caste or the sky. creed. • This data along with GAIA distances to Source: The Hindu the stars will help create a 3-Dimensional model of the distribution of the dust and SURAKSHIT HUM SURAKSHIT TUM magnetic field structure of the galaxy. ABHIYAAN • Such data can help remove the galactic Syllabus Section: Governance polarised foreground light and enable astronomers to look for the elusive B-mode Why in News? signal. The NITI Aayog and Piramal Foundation launched ‘Surakshit Hum Surakshit Tum Note Abhiyaan’ in 112 Aspirational Districts to assist WALOP: Wide Area Linear Optical Polarimeter district administrations in providing home- (WALOP) is an instrument, when mounted on care support to COVID-19 patients who are two small optical telescopes, that will be used to asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. detect polarised light signals emerging from the stars along high galactic latitudes. About Abhiyaan • The campaign will provide covid home- Source: Indian Express care support to 20 lakh citizens. RAMAKRISHNA MATH AND MISSION • The Abhiyaan is part of a special initiative Syllabus Section: History and Culture in which local leaders, civil societies and volunteers work with district Why in News? administrations to address emerging • Vice-President of Ramakrishna Math and problems across key focus areas of the Mission Swami Shivamayananda died at a city hospi- Aspirational Districts Programme. tal due to COVID-19 related complications. • The campaign will be led by district • Swami Shivamayanandaji Maharaj of the magistrates in partnership with over one Ramakrishna Math was actively involved in a wide thousand local NGOs, which will enlist range of community service initiatives focused on and train over one lakh volunteers to social empowerment. connect with patients through inbound and outbound calls. About Ramakrishna Mission • It is a Hindu religious and spiritual • Piramal Foundation will work with district organization, which forms the core of a magistrates to support the training of NGOs and volunteers. worldwide spiritual movement known as the Ramakrishna Movement or the Significance: Vedanta Movement. • It is a significant initiative and it will • The mission is named after and inspired provide long-term support to India’s by the Indian saint Ramakrishna poorest communities in the Aspirational Paramahamsa and founded by Districts by addressing the lasting impact Ramakrishna’s chief disciple Swami of COVID-19. Vivekananda on 1 May 1897. • The campaign is expected to play a key • The organisation mainly propagates the role in district preparedness for managing Hindu philosophy of Vedanta–Advaita nearly 70 per cent of COVID cases at Vedanta and four yogic ideals– Jnana, home, reducing pressure on the health bhakti, karma, and raja yoga. system, and stemming the spread of fear • The mission bases its work on the amongst the people. principles of karma yoga, the principle of • The campaign will also undertake capacity selfless work done with dedication to God. building of citizens for correct usage of • Vivekananda was greatly influenced by Oxygen concentrators that have been his guru (teacher) Ramakrishna. supplied to these districts.

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• NGOs will mobilize local volunteers to FAST RADIO BURSTS provide home-care support to those Syllabus Section:Science and Technology- affected, based on the guidelines of the developments and their applications Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. • Volunteers will be trained to support Why in News? 20 affected families each by educating Scientists with the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity caretakers to follow COVID protocols, Mapping Experiment (CHIME) Collaboration, provide psycho-social support and who include researchers at the Pune-based timely updates about patients to the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR) administration. and the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), have assembled the largest collection of Source: newsonair.com fast radio bursts (FRBs) in the telescope’s first FRB catalogue.

CHIME project • Scientists have identified 18 FRB sources • It is a large stationary radio telescope in that burst repeatedly, while the rest British Columbia, Canada.It has been a appear to be one-offs. game-changer and has nearly quadrupled • From the FRBs that CHIME was able the number of fast radio bursts discovered to detect, the scientists calculated that to date. bright fast radio bursts occur at a rate of • With more observations, astronomers about 800 per day across the entire sky — hope soon to pin down the extreme origins the most precise estimate of FRBs overall of these curiously bright signals. rate to date. • The telescope has detected a whopping • CHIME comprises four massive cylindrical 535 new fast radio bursts in its first year radio antennas, roughly the size and of operation itself, between 2018 and shape of snowboarding half-pipes, located 2019. at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical • Before CHIME, different telescopes had Observatory, operated by the National observed a handful of FRBs each, but with Research Council of Canada in British their own selection criteria and software. Columbia. • But now, with the help of CHIME, one can • The telescope receives radio signals each observe a large swathe of the sky round the clock and were able to detect FRBs at day from half of the sky as the Earth an unprecedented rate. rotates. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 37 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• While most radio astronomy is done by APEDA: It promotes exports of agricultural & swivelling a large dish to focus light from processed food products by providing assistance different parts of the sky, CHIME stares, to the exporters under various components of motionless, at the sky, and focuses its scheme such as Infrastructure Development, incoming signals using a correlator — a Quality Development and Market Development. powerful digital signal processor that can In addition, APEDA also conducts international work through huge amounts of data, at a Buyer Seller Meets, Virtual trade fairs with rate of about seven terrabytes per second, importing countries to promote agricultural & equivalent to a few per cent of the world’s processed food products. Internet traffic. • Digital signal processing makes CHIME able to reconstruct and ‘look’ in thousands GI Tag of directions simultaneously. • A geographical indication or GI is a sign • As the telescope detects more FRBs, used on products that have a specific scientists hope to pin down exactly what geographical origin and possess qualities kind of exotic phenomena could generate or a reputation that are due to that origin. such ultra-bright, ultra-fast signals. • Geographical Indications are part of the intellectual property rights that comes Source: The Hindu under the Paris Convention for the RAJA PARBA FESTIVAL Protection of Industrial Property. Syllabus Section: Science and Technology • In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Why in news? Geographical Indications of Goods In a major boost to exports of Geographical (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999. Indications (GI) certified agricultural produce, a consignment of fibre and mineral rich ‘Jalgaon • Geographical indications are typically banana’ has been exported to Dubai. used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and The twenty-two metric tonnes of GI certified industrial products. Jalgaon banana were sourced from progressive • It is basically an assurance that the farmers of Tandalwadi village, part of Jalgaon product is coming from that specific area. district of Maharashtra, a banana cluster It’s kind of trademark in the international identified under Agri Export Policy. market. About Jalgaon Banana Source: PIB In 2016, Jalgaon Banana got GI certification which was registered with Nisargraja Krishi JIVAN VAYU Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Jalgaon. India’s banana Syllabus Section: Science and Technology export has been rising sharply because of adoption of farm practices as per the global Why in news? standards. Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a device ‘Jivan Vayu’ which can be Significance: • India’s banana exports grew both in terms used as a substitute of CPAP machine. However, of volume as well as value from 1.34 lakh this is Nation’s first such device which functions metric tonne valued at Rs 413 crore in even without electricity and is adapted to 2018-19 to 1.95 lakh metric tonne valued both kinds of oxygen generation units like O2 at Rs 660 crore in 2019-20. During 2020- cylinders and oxygen pipelines in hospitals. 21 (April-February), India has exported These provisions are not available in otherwise banana worth of 1.91 lakh tonne valued existing CPAP machines. at Rs 619 crore. • India is the world’s leading producer of About the Festival bananas with a share of around 25% in • Continuous Positive Airway Pressure total output. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, (CPAP) is a treatment method for patients Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar having breathing problems during sleep Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh called sleep apnea. The machine uses contribute more than 70% of the country’s mild air pressure to keep the airways open banana production. for easy breathing.

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• It is also used to treat infants whose lungs • These minerals are essential for running have not fully developed. The machine electric vehicles, wind turbines and blows air into the baby’s nose to help drones. inflate his or her lungs. • The expected exponential growth in • The treatment is all the more necessary demand for minerals that are linked to during early stages of the Covid-19 clean energy is putting more pressure infection. It reduces lung damage and allow on U.S. and Europe to take a closer look patients to recover from the inflammatory at where the vulnerabilities are and the effects. concrete steps. • Fulfilling all the medically required parameters, this leak-proof, low-cost Heavy dependence CPAP delivery system, “Jivan Vayu’ is • In 2019, the U.S. imported 80% of its rare designed for a 22mm CPAP closed circuit earth minerals from China. tube. It can even be customized as per the • The EU gets 98% of its supply from China. size of the tube. Since it can run during • Amid the transition to green energy, in power failures, this can be used to safely which rare earth minerals are sure to transport a patient. play a role, China’s market dominance • It has an inbuilt viral filter at the air is enough to sound an alarm in western entrainment end which has a viral efficacy capitals. of 99.99%”. The viral filter ensures that the air does not bring in any pathogens What are Rare Earths? from the environment. The device has • Rare Earth Elements or Rare Earth Metals been manufactured using 3D printing and are a set of 17 chemical elements in the has also been tested mechanically. periodic table — the 15 lanthanides, Significance plus scandium and yttrium, which tend • This was the need of the hour during to occur in the same ore deposits as the the present Covid pandemic when power lanthanides, and have similar chemical supply is the key concern for saving lives properties. of those on medical equipments such as • The 17 Rare Earths are cerium (Ce), ventilators and oxygen concentrators. dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium • ‘Jivan Vayu’ can deliver high flow (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), oxygen (20–60 LPM) while maintaining lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium a continuous positive pressure of up to (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), promethium 20 cm H2O. The device is designed to (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), maintain an FiO2 of above 40% with a terbium (Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure) of (Yb), and yttrium (Y). 5-20 cm H2O. • Despite their classification, most of these • The device is ready for medical testing and elements are not really “rare”. One of the mass manufacturing. Rare Earths, promethium, is radioactive. Source: https://www.aninews.in/ What are Rare Earths used for? RARE EARTH METALS • These elements are important in Syllabus Section: International Affairs technologies of consumer electronics, computers and networks, communications, Why in News? clean energy, advanced transportation, Rare earth metals at the heart of China-U.S. healthcare, environmental mitigation, and rivalry. Beijing’s dominance in these minerals, national defence, among others. key to the future of manufacturing, is a cause • Scandium is used in televisions and for concern for the West. fluorescent lamps, and yttrium is used in Why important drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis and • At a time of frequent geopolitical friction cancer. among those three powers, Washington • Rare Earth elements are used in space and Brussels want to avoid this scenario shuttle components, jet engine turbines, by investing in the market for 17 minerals and drones. Cerium, the most abundant with unique properties that today are Rare Earth element, is essential to NASA’s largely extracted and refined in China. Space Shuttle Programme.

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• According to the Rare Earth Technology • Tulu has a rich oral literature tradition Alliance (RETA), the estimated size of the with folk-song forms like paddana, and Rare Earth sector is between $10 billion traditional folk theatre yakshagana. Tulu and $15 billion. also has an active tradition of cinema • About 100,000-110,000 tonnes of Rare with around 5 to 7 Tulu language movies Earth elements are produced annually produced a year. around the world. • Tulu films are being screened every day in Mangaluru and Udupi in at least one Source: The Hindu theatre. TULU LANGUAGE Source- Indian Express Syllabus Section: Art and Culture DEFICIT FINANCING Why in news? Syllabus Section: Economy Various organisations initiated a Twitter campaign demanding official language status to Why in news? Tulu in Karnataka and Kerala. Former RBI governor Subbarao said that the current situation does not call for the RBI About Tulu Languages directly monetising the deficit. • Tulu is a Dravidian language spoken mainly in two coastal districts Dakshina About Deficit Financing or Monetization of Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and Deficit Kasaragod district of Kerala. Deficit financing means generating funds to • As per the 2011 Census report, there are finance the deficit which results from excess 18,46,427 Tulu-speaking people in India. of expenditure over revenue. The gap being Some scholars suggest Tulu is among covered by borrowing from the public by the the earliest Dravidian languages with a sale of bonds or by printing new money. history of 2000 years. • The Tulu speakers, mainly in Karnataka Current status of India: India’s economy and Kerala, have been requesting the contracted by less-than-expected 7.3% in the governments to give it official language fiscal ended March 2021. For 2021-22, the status and include it in the eighth schedule deficit has been put at 6.8% of the GDP, which to the Constitution. will be further lowered to 4.5% by 2025-26. • Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, • Significance: For developing countries Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, like India, higher economic growth is Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, a priority. A higher economic growth Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, requires finances. With the private sector Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri are being shy of making huge expenditure, the 22 languages presently in the eighth the responsibility of drawing financial schedule to the Constitution. resources rests on the government. • The Karnataka government introduced • Often both the tax and non-tax revenues Tulu as a language in schools a few years ago. According to the state education fail to mobilize enough resources just department, in the year 2020, a total of through taxes. The deficit is often funded 956 children from Dakshina Kannada through borrowings or printing new and Udupi districts wrote Tulu as the currency notes. third optional language in SSLC (Class 10) • Pitfalls of deficit financing: Printing new examination. currency notes increases the flow of money • In 2014-15, 18 students chose the in the economy. This leads to increase language as the third optional when it in inflationary pressures which leads to was introduced. Last year, ‘Jai Tulunad’ rise of prices of goods and services in the conducted an online campaign demanding country. Deficit financing is inherently to include Tulu in the new National inflationary. Since deficit financing Education Policy (NEP). The organization raises aggregate expenditure and, hence, started a ‘Tweet Tulunad’ campaign with increases aggregate demand, the danger the hashtag #EducationInTulu. of inflation looms large. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 40 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• Retail inflation in India already shot up Import facilitation to a five-and-a-half-year high of 7.35% in • Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is December, breaching the central bank’s playing an important role in reaching tolerance limit of 6% and confirming fears out to various players abroad. Through raised by some economists that India is its missions all over the world, MEA has entering a phase of slow growth and rising identified new sources of Amphotericin prices. B/ Liposomal Amphotericin B injections • Effects on investment: Deficit financing and alternative drugs for treatment of effects investment adversely. When there Mucormycosis. is inflation in the economy employees • Out of the identified sources, the MoHFW demand higher wages to survive. If their has called upon MEA to take steps to demands are accepted it increases the procure Liposomal Amphotericin-B from cost of production which de-motivates the Australia, Russia, Germany, Argentina, investors. Belgium and China. • MEA has also been actively working on Source: Economic Times ensuring supplies of key excipient, HSPC MUCORMYCOSIS and DSPG-NA from sources abroad for production of Liposomal Amphotericin B Syllabus Section: Science and Technology / in India. Governance Making allocation Why in news? • In order to ensure equitable distribution • A sudden increase in the demand of the limited stocks, it was decided to has been observed in some States for make allocation of limited stocks among Amphotericin-B, which is being actively states, which would ensure that all states prescribed by the physicians to the with patients of Mucormycosis would get patients suffering from Mucormycosis, a fair chance of accessing a share of the which has been seen as a post COVID supplies. complication. • The allocation by the Central Government • Through active measures to augment is being done only in respect of production, and import and ensure Lyposomal Amphotericin-B, barring one equitable distribution, Government has manufacturer Bharat Serum, which been able to mobilise over 6.67 lakh vials produces Lyposomal, Lipid and emulsion of the Amphotericin B for patients in form of the drug. the states and UTs and Central Health • The allocation of Conventional Institutes, in addition to other drugs Amphotericine is also being done since such as Amphotericin Deoxycholate and 14th June 2021, after assessing the Posaconazole being used for treatment of demand and availability. this disease. Ensuring supply Steps Taken by the Government • Supply arrangements are being monitored Production enhancement by the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing • In order to augment the domestic Authority (NPPA) under the Department manufacture, the Government is so as to ensure expeditious availability of continuously engaging with the the drug to the needy. manufacturers to resolve their issues • NPPA has put in place a strongly related to raw materials. responsive system to ensure timely • Department of Pharmaceuticals and the supplies of allocated volumes and Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) maintains continuous contact with States have actively coordinated with the industry / UTs and suppliers to trouble shoot any for identification of manufacturers, issues in reaching the drugs to the Health alternate drugs and expeditious approvals Departments of States/ UTs. of new manufacturing facilities. Source: PIB EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 41 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

SHENZHOU-12 • In a meeting with the officials of the State governments held today, the risk-based Syllabus Section: Science and Technology approach was shared and the IT-based Why in news? Smart Enforcement App was unveiled. A Chinese spacecraft will blast off from the Gobi The meeting was attended by over 100 Desert on a Long March rocket in the coming senior officials from related departments days, ferrying three men to an orbiting space such as commercial tax and the transport module for a three-month stay, the first time departments of the state governments. China has sent humans into space for nearly About five years. • On an average, a truck in India covers About 50,000-60,000 km a year, compared to • Shenzhou-12, meaning “Divine Vessel”, over 300,000 km in advanced nations will be the third of11 missions needed to such as the United States. complete China’s space station by 2022. • One of the key reasons is delays due to random stoppages for physical checking • Among them, four will be missions with of vehicles and verification of documents people on board,potentially propelling up etc. to 12 Chinese astronauts into space -more • While GST has helped improve the than the 11 men and women that China situation, there is a long way to go to reach has sent since 2003. the advanced country levels. • Chinese astronauts have had a relatively • There are over 60 different instances of low international profile. A U.S. law potential violations of various rules and banning NASA from any connection with compliances that enforcement agencies China means its astronauts have not need to watch out for. been to the more than two-decade-old • The responsibility for this enforcement International Space Station, visited by lies with state governments departments, more than240 men and women of various namely Commercial tax, transport, police nationalities. and other agencies. • China, which aims to become a major The key features of the integrated smart space faring power by2030, in May 2021 solution are: became the second country to put a rover 1. An IT application that would fetch data on Mars,two years after landing the first related to goods being carried on the truck spacecraft on the far side of the moon. from the existing Goods and Services • It also plans to put astronauts on the Tax Network (GSTN) database, and the moon - the farthest celestial body that information related to the vehicle from the humans have travelled to. VAHAN database 2. Make this data available to enforcement Source: The Hindu officers on the road in advance for SMART ENFORCEMENT APP FOR approaching trucks TRUCKS 3. Based on a risk matrix that uses historical patterns, the app assigns a risk profile Syllabus Section: Governance/ Science and to the truck helping the officers decide Technology whether to stop it for further scrutiny Why in news? 4. It requires the officer to issue all fines, • As a strategy to reduce logistics costs on penalties, or any other punitive measure road transportation, the Government of through the app, ensuring transparency India, Department of Commerce, Logistics 5. The app includes features that keep records Division has developed a risk-based and help reduce ad-hoc implementation of approach on the implementation of smart these rules and regulations enforcement of rules and regulations 6. The application would have the ability to related to road-based violations by integrate with all the sensors, Weigh in trucks. It has also developed anIT based Motion, and cameras available with the solution to make enforcement mechanism state government or National Highway technology driven. Authority to allow remote enforcement.

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7. This would significantly reduce the need 2. Development of Ocean Climate Change to deploy officers on the ground since Advisory Services: A suite of observations the app would be able to alert officers and models will be developed to whenever a vehicle is in violation. understand and provide future projections The benefits that would accrue from the of important climate variables on seasonal adoption of the App will be as follows: 1. Lead to decrease in number of physical to decadal time scales under this proof of checks of commercial vehicles by the concept component. This component will enforcement officers support the Blue Economy priority area of 2. Overall reduction in the number of cash coastal tourism. challan by issuing e-challan using the 3. Technological innovations for exploration system and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity: 3. Reduction in deployment of work-force Bio-prospecting of deep sea flora and on Roads leading to better manpower fauna including microbes and studies on utilization sustainable utilization of deep sea bio- 4. Higher revenue collection due to reduced resources will be the main focus. This human intervention 5. Improved targeting of offenders component will support the Blue Economy 6. Reduction in Logistics Cost (currently at priority area of Marine Fisheries and allied 13% of GDP). services. 4. Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration: Source: PIB The primary objective of this component THE DEEP OCEAN MISSION is to explore and identify potential sites Syllabus Section: Environment and Ecology/ of multi-metal Hydrothermal Sulphides Economy mineralization along the Indian Ocean Why in news? mid-oceanic ridges. This component will The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs additionally support the Blue Economy chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, priority area of deep sea exploration of has approved the proposal of Ministry of Earth ocean resources. Sciences (MoES) on “Deep Ocean Mission”, with 5. Energy and freshwater from the Ocean: a view to explore deep ocean for resources and Studies and detailed engineering design develop deep sea technologies for sustainable for offshore Ocean Thermal Energy use of ocean resources. Conversion (OTEC) powered desalination AboutThe Deep Ocean Mission plant are envisaged in this proof of concept The Deep Ocean Mission consists of the following proposal. This component will support the six major components: Blue Economy priority area of off-shore 1. Development of Technologies for Deep energy development. Sea Mining, and Manned Submersible: 6. Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology. A manned submersible will be developed This component is aimed as development to carry three people to a depth of 6000 of human capacity and enterprise in metres in the ocean with suite of scientific ocean biology and engineering. This sensors and tools. Only a very few component will translate research into countries have acquired this capability. industrial application and product An Integrated Mining System will be also developed for mining Polymetallic development through on-site business Nodules from 6000 m depth in the central incubator facilities. This component will Indian Ocean. The exploration studies of support the Blue Economy priority area minerals will pave way for the commercial of Marine Biology, Blue trade and Blue exploitation in the near future, as and when manufacturing. commercial exploitation code is evolved by Significance the International Seabed Authority, an UN • Oceans, which cover 70 per cent of organization. This component will help the the globe, remain a key part of our life. Blue Economy priority area of exploring and harnessing of deep sea minerals and About 95 percent of Deep Ocean remains energy. unexplored.

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• For India, with its three sides surrounded • Under the Act, the central government may by the oceans and around 30 per cent of designate an organisation as a terrorist the country’s population living in coastal organisation if it: areas, ocean is a major economic factor (i) commits or participates in acts of supporting fisheries and aquaculture, terrorism, tourism, livelihoods and blue trade. (ii) prepares for terrorism, Oceans are also storehouse of food, (iii) promotes terrorism, or energy, minerals, medicines, modulator of (iv) is otherwise involved in terrorism. weather and climate and underpin life on Earth. • It empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists on the same • Considering importance of the oceans on grounds. sustainability, the United Nations (UN) has declared the decade, 2021-2030 as the • Approval for seizure of property by NIA: Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable o Under the Act, an investigating officer Development. India has a unique maritime is required to obtain the prior approval position. Its 7517 km long coastline is of the Director General of Police to seize home to nine coastal states and 1382 properties that may be connected with islands. terrorism. • The Government of India’s Vision of New o If the investigation is conducted by India by 2030 enunciated in February an officer of the National Investigation 2019 highlighted the Blue Economy as Agency (NIA), the approval of the one of the ten core dimensions of growth. Director General of NIA would be required for seizure of such property. Source: PIB • Investigation by NIA: UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES PREVENTION o Under the Act, investigation of cases ACT, 1967 may be conducted by officers of the rank Syllabus Section: Indian Polity and of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Constitution Commissioner of Police or above. o It empowers the officers of the NIA, Why in news? of the rank of Inspector or above, to • Delhi HC calls out misuse of UAPA, raises investigate cases. bar for State to slap terror tag. It is the • Insertion to schedule of treaties first instance of a court calling out alleged o The Act defines terrorist acts to include misuse of the UAPA against individuals in cases that do not necessarily fall in the acts committed within the scope of any category of “terrorism” cases. of the treaties listed in a schedule to the Act. • According to data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Parliament in March, a o The Schedule lists nine treaties, including total of 1126 cases were registered under the Convention for the Suppression UAPA in 2019, a sharp rise from 897 in of Terrorist Bombings (1997), and the 2015. Convention against Taking of Hostages • Section 15 of the UAPA defines “terrorist (1979) and International Convention act” and is punishable with imprisonment for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear for a term of at least five years to life. In Terrorism (2005). case the terrorist act results in death, the Source: Indian Express punishment is death or imprisonment for life. WOMEN SCIENTISTS SCHEME (WOS) About Syllabus Section: Science and Technology • This law is aimed at prevention of unlawful Why in news? activities associations in India. • An inspiring journey of 100 women • Its main objective was to make powers scientists who returned to science after available for dealing with activities directed a break in career has been documented against the integrity and sovereignty of into a book form. The women scientists India. The Act provides special procedures featured here had to discontinue their to deal with terrorist activities, among pursuit of career in science due to family other things. responsibilities and social reasons. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 44 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• The book, which chronicles their journey • Women between the age ranges of 27 to 45 to restart their career despite several years can avail the benefit of this scheme. obstacles, can be a beacon of light for Women are trained in nuances of patent moreIndian women in similar situations. filing and prosecution as well as other patent-related work. About • Training has successfully developed a pool • Knowledge Involvement in Research of women geared to create, protect and Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) manage Intellectual Property in India. division (now WISE-KIRAN) of the • About 800 women have been trained in Department of Science & Technology 11 batches, and about 270 women are (DST) supports women with break-in registered Patent Agents. Many women careers to return to science through the have started their own IP firms as well and Women Scientists Scheme (WOS). have become entrepreneurs. • Through various components of Women • The scheme has made the women Scientists Scheme (WOS), DST addresses technically and financially confident, and challenges confronted by those women many women of the Middle Ages who were who had a break in their career and desire earlier sitting at home are now beaming IP to return to mainstream science. professionals. • The booklet presents select stories of women who completed their training Source: PIB under WOS-C component of this scheme and are now achieving greater heights in ADI PRASHIKSHAN Portal their careers. Syllabus Section: Economy/ Science and • Booklet contains 100 success stories of Technology/ Social Issues women scientist scheme trainees which Why in news? captures the lives of women who succeeded Minister of Tribal Affairs, Sh. Arjun Munda despite all odds in life. Booklet is available launched ADI PRASHIKSHAN portal and in both digital and print versions. I know inaugurated a three-day training programme there are many more success stories in on “Capacity Building Training of Master the scheme which will be made visible to Trainers for ST PRI Members” as part of Azadi all in coming years. ka AmritMahotsav in New Delhi. • Besides the women’s journey, the book includes details like qualification, About specialization, present employment • ADI PRASHIKSHAN portal developed by status, experience, and information about the Ministry. technical qualification in Intellectual • It would act as a Central Repository of all Property Rights (IPR) attained by each training programs conducted by Tribal woman after completing training. Research Institutes (TRIs), different divisions of Ministry, National Society for WOS-C Education of Tribal Students (NESTS), • WOS-C is a flagship scheme of the Centre of Excellences funded by Ministry department and a recipient of Nari Shakti of Tribal Affairs and National Tribal Puraskar, 2015 (Rani Lakshmibai Award) Research Institute. conferred by the Hon’ble President of • Adi Prashikshan will transform the various India. ongoing training initiatives under different • WOS-C is implemented by TIFAC, New units of the Ministry like TRIs, COEs and Delhi, an autonomous organization under converge the initiatives for better skill and DST. knowledge building. • Inthe program, one-year long training is • It will also catalyse and improve the provided to women, having qualifications processes of conducting training by in science/engineering/medicine or making it online and accessible to all. allied areas in the field of IPRs and their • Unified open platform will give users management. Selection is through an All- access to authentic knowledge products. India level online examination followed by an interview. Source: PIB

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CHILDREN AND DIGITAL DUMPSITES • The report stressed that children working at these ‘digital dumpsites’ are more prone to Syllabus Section: Environment and improper lung function, deoxyribonucleic Ecology/e-Waste acid damage and increased risk of chronic Why in news? diseases like cancer and cardiovascular The World Health Organization (WHO) in its disease. recent report “Children and Digital Dumpsites” • According to the Global E-waste Statistics has highlighted the risk that children working in Partnership, the volume of e-waste informal processing are facing due to discarded generated is surging rapidly across the electronic devices or e-waste. globe. About 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2019. About the Report • Only 17.4 per cent of this e-waste was • It is the first ever WHO report on electronic processed in formal recycling facilities. The waste and child health. rest of it was dumped in low- or middle- • E waste refers to old, end-of-life or income countries for illegal processing by discarded electronic items and their parts. informal workers. • More than 18 million children and • This is likely to increase in the coming adolescents working at e-waste dumpsites years because of the rise in the number of in low- and middle-income countries are smartphones and computers. potentially at the risk of severe health • The report also called for the monitoring, hazards. safe disposal of e-waste and raising • As many 18 million children as young as awareness about its outcomes on the five years and about 12.9 million women health of children and women working at work at these e-waste dumpsites ever these dumpsites. year, the report said. The e-waste from Source: Downtoearth.org.in high-income countries is dumped in the middle- or low-income countries for INNOVATIONS FOR DEFENCE processing every year. EXCELLENCE (IDEX) • This e-waste is dismantled and recycled by Syllabus Section: Science and Technology children. It contains over 1,000 precious Why in news? metals and other substances like gold, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved copper, mercury and polycyclic aromatic the budgetary support of ₹498.8 crore to hydrocarbons. The processing is done in Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) low-income countries, which do not have challenge under the Defence Innovation proper safeguarding regulation and which Organisation (DIO) for the next five years. makes the process even more dangerous. • Children are especially preferred at About • The iDEX framework and establishment these dumpsites because of their small of the DIO by the Department of Defence and dexterous hands. Several women, Production (DDP) is aimed at promoting including expectant mothers, also work innovation and indigenisation in the there. Processing e-waste exposes them aerospace and defence sector at the start- as well as their children to these toxins, up level. which can lead to premature births and • The DDP will release funds to the DIO stillbirth. for setting up and managing the iDEX • The hazardous impact of working at such network in the form of Partner Incubators sites is also experienced by families and (PI), communicating with innovators, communities that reside in the vicinity of start-ups, technology centres of MSMEs these e-waste dumpsites. through the PIs, hackathons to shortlist • Children are particularly more exposed potential technologies and entities and to the toxic chemicals used and released evaluating technologies and products during the processing of e-waste. They developed by innovators, start-ups in are less likely to metabolise or eradicate terms of their utility and impact on the pollutants absorbed. defence and aerospace setup. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 46 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• The scheme, with budgetary support • The new structure is aimed to overcome of 498.8 crore for the next five years, is various shortcomings in the existing aimed at providing financial support to system and provide these companies nearly 300 start-ups, Micro, Small and opportunities in the market including Medium Enterprises (MSME), individual exports. innovators and 20 partner incubators • The prime customers of Ordnance under the DIO framework. Factories are the Indian Armed Forces. Significance The requirements of other customers like It aims at empowering a culture of technology Central Paramilitary Forces, State Police co-creation and co-innovation in the sector and Forces for arms, ammunition, clothing, boosts innovation among the start-ups and bulletproof vehicles and mine protected encourages them to be a part of the ecosystem. vehicles are also met from the OFB. • The government has also decided to Source: The Hindu delegate the authority of the Cabinet ORDNANCE FACTORY BOARD to the Empowered Group of Ministers, constituted under the minister of Syllabus Section: Defence and Security defence, to decide upon the matters Why in news? related to implementation of the aforesaid In a major decision of the Union Cabinet, the government decisions and other incidental Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), first set up by matters. the British in 1775, now under the Ministry of Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com Defence will cease to exist.The Union Cabinet approved a plan to corporatize the Ordnance WORLD GIVING INDEX 2021 Factory Board (OFB). Syllabus Section: Important Current Events About Why in news? • 7 separate companies are planned • World Giving Index 2021 report says, to be created, each doing a specific India is 14th most charitable country. The manufacturing role. COVID-19 pandemic has shown ‘giving’ • The existing 41 factories under the OFB trends across the world. will be subsumed under one or the other • Released by the Charities Aid Foundation’s of the seven new companies, all 100 per (CAF), this year’s survey highlights the cent government owned public sector impact of lockdowns on charitable giving. undertakings (PSU). About • Once implemented, the OFB will cease to • India is now in the Top 20 most generous exist. countries in the world. This is up from the • There will be no change in service 10-year global rank of 82. conditions of the employees. • Australia and New Zealand, where the • Seven separate companies are planned survey was undertaken in the weeks to be created, each doing a specific before the first wave of the pandemic took manufacturing role. hold, maintained their top 10 rankings. • The existing 41 factories under the OFB • Communities around the world mobilised will be subsumed under one or the other to help fellow citizens during the pandemic, of the seven new companies, all 100 per resulting in the highest ‘helped a stranger’ cent government owned public sector figures since 2009. undertakings (PSU). • More than half (55 per cent) of the world’s Significance of the Move adults – or 3 billion people – reported • The restructuring is aimed at helping someone they didn’t know in transforming the Ordnance Factories into 2020. productive and profitable assets; deepen • The report says, Scores for India rapidly specialisation in the product range; improved between 2017 and 2019, and enhance competitiveness; improving this improvement was maintained during quality and cost-efficiency 2020.

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• The improvement in India is seen across • The government of India has adopted all the age groups and amongst both men collective approach for making progress and women. 61 per cent of Indians helped towards achieving the national strangers; 34 per cent volunteered; and commitments related to land restoration. 36 per cent donated money. Source- PIB Source: http://newsonair.com/ SENSIT Rapid COVID-19 Ag Kit DESERTIFICATION AND LAND DEGRADATION ATLAS Syllabus Section: Science and Technology Syllabus Section: Economy Why in news? Under the aegis of COVID-19 Research Why in news? Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Consortium, DBT-BIRAC supported product Climate Changereleased the latest version of ‘SENSIT Rapid COVID-19 Ag kit’ has been “Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of developed by Ubio Biotechnology Systems Pvt. India. Ltd. for qualitative detection of SARS CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein with an assay time of 15 About minutes. • It has been published by Space Application Centre, ISRO, Ahmedabad. About • The Atlas provides state wise area of • The samples are collected using degraded lands for the time frame 2018- nasopharyngeal swabs from the suspected 19. It also provides the change analysis individual. This ICMR approved kit is a for the duration of 15 years, from 2003-05 chromatographic immunoassay, which to 2018-19. allows the healthcare personnel to visually • India has been at the forefront of bringing read the test result. the issue of land degradation to the • The test works on the principle of sandwich core of relevant international alliances immunoassay and utilizes a pair of for protection and conservation of monoclonal antibodies which when bound environment. to COVID-19 specific antigen, result in the • The government of India has adopted appearance of a coloured line. collective approach for making progress towards achieving the national • The kit exhibits sensitivity and specificity commitments related to land restoration. of 86% and 100%, respectively and has • Salient findings of this Atlas are useful as a shelf life of 24 months. SENSIT Rapid a ready reference and will also be helpful COVID-19 Ag Kit has been successfully in strengthening the envisaged National commercialised. Action Plan for achieving land restoration Significance targets by providing important baseline • Such quick tests allow healthcare and temporal data and technical inputs. professionals to detect infected individuals India quickly, saving their time and allowing • India hosted the 14th session of Conference them to provide better advice and of Parties (COP 14) of United Nations treatment to the infected individual. Convention to Combat Desertification • The entire world has been severely affected (UNCCD) in September 2019. with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. • India is striving towards achieving the The severity of symptoms that occur national commitments of Land Degradation during the COVID-19 infection can range Neutrality (LDN) and restoration of 26 from undetectable to life-threatening. Million ha of degraded land by 2030, which focus on sustainable and optimum • The quick testing procedure involves utilisation of land resources. antigen testing which provides the result • India has been at the forefront of bringing for hundreds of samples within a short the issue of land degradation to the span of time. The efforts of the Government core of relevant international alliances of India have been commendable for for protection and conservation of making such rapid tests accessible and environment. available to the citizens of our country.

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• Several innovators and entrepreneurs • Professor Amitabha Lahiri of S N Bose have been working tirelessly for developing National Centre for Basic Sciences accurate, affordable and accessible testing (SNBNCBS) an autonomous institute kits for not only providing aid to the under the Department of Science & healthcare workers in such tough times Technology (DST), Government of India for easy detection but also for boosting the showed in a paper published along with biotechnology ecosystem in India. Subhasish Chakrabarty, his student, that the geometry of space-time can cause About DBT neutrino oscillations through quantum The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under effects even if neutrinos are massless. It the Ministry of Science and Technology, promotes was published in the journal ‘European the growth and application of biotechnology in Physical Journal C’. agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, the environment, and industry in India. • Einstein’s theory of general relativity says that gravitation is the manifestation of About BIRAC space-time curvature. According to the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance SNBNCBS team, neutrinos, electrons, Council (BIRAC), a not-for-profit Section 8, protons and other particles which are in Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise set up the category of fermions show a certain by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), peculiarity when they move in presence Government of India, acts as an Interface of gravity. Space-time induces a quantum Organization to strengthen and facilitate the force in addition to gravity between every evolving biotechnology industry to execute two fermions. strategic research and development activities • This force can depend on the spin of the with respect to the product development needs particles, and causes massless neutrinos of the country. to appear massive when they pass through matter, like the Sun’s corona or the Earth’s Source: PIB atmosphere. Something similar happens SPACE-TIME INDUCES NEUTRINO for electroweak interactions, and together OSCILLATIONS with the geometrically induced mass it is Syllabus Section: Science and Technology enough to cause oscillation of neutrinos. Why in news? Source: PIB Scientists have shown that the geometry of SENSIT Rapid COVID-19 Ag Kit space-time can cause neutrinos to oscillate. Syllabus Section: Science and Technology About Why in news? • Neutrinos are mysterious particles, produced copiously in nuclear reactions Under the aegis of COVID-19 Research in the Sun, stars, and elsewhere. Consortium, DBT-BIRAC supported product ‘SENSIT Rapid COVID-19 Ag kit’ has been • They also “oscillate”-- meaning that developed by Ubio Biotechnology Systems Pvt. different types of neutrinos change into Ltd. for qualitative detection of SARS CoV-2 one another – as has been found in many experiments. Probing of oscillations of Nucleocapsid Protein with an assay time of 15 neutrinos and their relations with mass minutes. are crucial in studying the origin of the About universe. • The samples are collected using • Neutrinos interact very weakly with nasopharyngeal swabs from the suspected everything else – trillions of them pass individual. This ICMR approved kit is a through every human being every second chromatographic immunoassay, which without anyone noticing; a neutrino’s spin allows the healthcare personnel to visually always points in the opposite direction read the test result. of its motion, and until a few years ago, • The test works on the principle of sandwich neutrinos were believed to be massless. immunoassay and utilizes a pair of • It is now generally believed that the monoclonal antibodies which when bound phenomenon of neutrino oscillations to COVID-19 specific antigen, result in the require neutrinos to have tiny masses. appearance of a coloured line. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 49 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• The kit exhibits sensitivity and specificity WORLD COMPETITIVENESS INDEX of 86% and 100%, respectively and has 2021 a shelf life of 24 months. SENSIT Rapid Syllabus Section: International Affairs COVID-19 Ag Kit has been successfully Why in news? commercialised. The IMD World Competitiveness Ranking ranks Significance 64 economies and assesses the extent to which • Such quick tests allow healthcare a country promotes the prosperity of its people by measuring economic well-being through hard professionals to detect infected individuals data and survey responses from executives. This quickly, saving their time and allowing year, the rankings expose the economic impact them to provide better advice and of the pandemic across the globe. treatment to the infected individual. • The entire world has been severely affected About • India maintained 43rd rank on an annual with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. World Competitiveness Index compiled by The severity of symptoms that occur the Institute for Management Development during the COVID-19 infection can range (IMD) that examined the impact of from undetectable to life-threatening. COVID-19 on economies around the • The quick testing procedure involves world this year. The 64-nation list was led antigen testing which provides the result by Switzerland, while Sweden has moved up to the second position (from sixth last for hundreds of samples within a short year), Denmark has lost one place to rank span of time. The efforts of the Government third, the Netherlands has retained its of India have been commendable for fourth place and Singapore has slipped to making such rapid tests accessible and the fifth place (from first in 2020). available to the citizens of our country. • t eighth, Taiwan reached the top-10 for • Several innovators and entrepreneurs the first time since the ranking began 33 have been working tirelessly for developing years ago (moving up from 11th last year). accurate, affordable and accessible testing The UAE and the USA remain in their same spots as last year (9th and 10th, kits for not only providing aid to the respectively). healthcare workers in such tough times • The top-performing Asian economies are, for easy detection but also for boosting the in order, Singapore (fifth), Hong Kong biotechnology ecosystem in India. (seventh), Taiwan (eighth) and China (16th). About DBT • Among the BRICS nations, India is The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under ranked second after China (16), followed the Ministry of Science and Technology, promotes by Russia (45th), Brazil (57th) and South the growth and application of biotechnology in Africa (62th). agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, the • India has maintained its position for the environment, and industry in India. past three years but this year, it had significant improvements in government About BIRAC efficiency Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Source: The economic Times Council (BIRAC), a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise set up FLAG SATYAGRAHA by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Why in News? Government of India, acts as an Interface The Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Organization to strengthen and facilitate the Prahlad Singh Patel led the programme organised to observe the Flag Satyagraha in evolving biotechnology industry to execute Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. strategic research and development activities with respect to the product development needs About: of the country. • Flag Satyagraha was a campaign of peaceful civil disobedience during the Source: PIB Indian independence movement.

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• It was focused on exercising the right and • Eligible Utilities: All Discoms will be freedom to hoist the nationalist flag and eligible for financial assistance under the challenge the legitimacy of the British scheme. Rule in India through the defiance of laws • Significance: prohibiting the hoisting of nationalist flags • The scheme will help in reduction in AT&C and restricting civil freedoms. losses; • According to the records, the outline of the • establishment of IT enabled energy Jhanda Satyagraha was prepared in the accounting / auditing system, year 1922 in a meeting held in the Town • improvement in billed energy based on Hall of Jabalpur. metered consumption • Flag Satyagrahas were conducted most • improvement in collection efficiency. not only in the city of Jabalpur and Nagpur in 1923 but also in many other parts of Source: PIB India. JUNETEENTH • On 31 December 1929 the Congress Syllabus Section: History and Culture concluded the adoption of the Purna Swaraj declaration of independence with Why in News? Congress President Jawaharlal Nehru US President Joe Biden soon going to sign a law, hoisting the nationalist flag along the making June 19, or “Juneteenth”, a national banks of the Ravi River in Lahore. holiday. • Other notable flag satyagrahas were organised in Mysore (now in Karnataka) About: • “Juneteenth”, a national holiday in 1938 known as ShivapurDhwaja recognised by the federal government, Satyagraha, under leadership of commemorating the end of slavery after T.Siddalingaih president of Mysore the American Civil War (1861-65). Congress. • Juneteenth will be the first new federal Source: PIB holiday created in almost four decades, and will now enjoy the same status as the IPDS SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT OF 10 existing annual holidays INDIA • The day is the oldest nationally celebrated Syllabus Section: Economy commemoration of the ending of slavery in the US and is observed on June 19. Why in News? • It is also known as Emancipation Day or As part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, a 50 Juneteenth Independence Day. kWp Solar roof top was inaugurated in Solan, Himachal Pradesh under the Integrated power Background: development scheme of Ministry of Power, • Then-president Abraham Lincoln issued Government of India. the Emancipation Proclamation, on January 1, 1863,which declared that “all About: persons held as slaves” within the states The 50 kWp Solar roof top project is commissioned in rebellion “are, and henceforward shall by Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board be free.” Ltd (HPSEBL). • Even so, over 2.5 years after Lincoln’s Integrated Power Development Scheme proclamation, many slave owners (IPDS) continued to hold their slave’s captive by • The “Integrated Power Development hiding this information from them and Scheme” (IPDS) was launched by Ministry holding them slaves for one more harvest of Power, in 2014. season. • Objectives: • On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and • Strengthening of sub-transmission and announced the end of both the Civil War distribution network in the urban areas; and slavery. • Metering of distribution transformers / • Since then, Juneteenth has become a feeders / consumers in the urban areas. largely symbolic date representing freedom • IT enablement of distribution sector and for African Americans. strengthening of distribution network as per CCEA approval Source: Indian Express

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NDPS ACT (1985), Section 27A What was the 2014 amendment? • In 2014, a key amendment was made to Syllabus Section: Governance the NDPS Act to allow for better medical Why in News? access to narcotic drugs. Tripura High Court, in a significant verdict, • The 2014 amendment essentially removed discovered that an oversight in drafting the state-barriers in transporting, licensing 2014 amendments to the NDPS Act, 1985 had drugs classified as “essential narcotic unintentionally rendered a key provision of the drugs”, and made it centralised. Act inoperable. • It was done by first introducing a provision in Section 2 that defines essential narcotic About: drugs, and subsequently in Section 9 • The NDPS Act, 1985 is the principal allowing the manufacture, possession, legislation through which the state transport, import inter-State, export regulates the operations of narcotic drugs inter-State, sale, purchase, consumption and psychotropic substances. and use of essential narcotic drugs. • It provides a stringent framework for • The drafters missed amending the enabling punishing offences related illicit traffic provision in Section 27A to change Section in narcotic drugs and psychotropic 2(viii)a to Section 2(viii)b. substances through imprisonments and Source: Indian Express forfeiture of property. • Section 27A of the NDPS Act, 1985, THE CABLE TELEVISION NETWORKS prescribes the punishment for financing (AMENDMENT) RULES, 2021 illicit traffic and harbouring offenders. Syllabus Section: Economy • The text of the provision says that Why in News? offences mentioned under Section 2(viiia) Cable Television Network Rules Amended sub-clauses i-v are punishable through To Provide Statutory Mechanism To Redress Section 27A. Citizen’s Grievances. • Section 2 (viiia) sub-clauses i-v, which is supposed to be the catalog of offences, About: does not exist after the 2014 amendment. • The notification amending the Cable • The error was noticed in 2016, an accused Television Network Rules, 1994 will sought bail before a special judge in West provide a statutory mechanism for Tripura in Agartala citing this omission in redressal of grievances/complaints of drafting. citizens relating to content broadcast by • The Law Ministry had argued that the television channels in accordance with the provisions of the Cable Television Network court must overlook the omission and Act, 1995. read the legislation as a whole. • At present, there is an institutional • The Tripura HC agreed with the mechanism by way of an Inter-Ministerial government’s view, but said that it may Committee to address grievances of citizens not be the best solution. relating to violation of the Programme/ • The amendment is yet to take place. Advertising Codes under the Rules. However, criminal laws cannot be • The Cable Television Networks amended retrospectively. (Amendment) Rules, 2021, provides for a • Article 20 of the Constitution guarantees three-level grievance redressal mechanism protection against double jeopardy. — • Article 20(1) says that no person shall • self-regulation by broadcasters, be convicted of any offence except for • self-regulation by the self-regulating violation of the law in force at the time bodies of the broadcasters, and of the commission of the act charged as • oversight by an Inter-Departmental an offence, nor be subjected to a penalty Committee at the level of the Centre. greater than that which might have been • A viewer could file a complaint directly inflicted under the law in force at the time to the broadcaster, who would have to of the commission of the offence. respond within 15 days.

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• If the complainant was not satisfied with • A number of other therapeutic measures. the response, the complaint could be escalated to the self-regulating bodies set Indian Scenario: up by TV channels, which should deal • Sickle cell disease (SCD), which is the with the case in 60 days. most prevalent inherited blood disorder, • If the complainant is not satisfied with is widespread amongst many tribal the decision of the self-regulating body, population groups in India he may, within 15 days of such decision, • The disease in India is prevalent prefer an appeal to the Central government predominantly in Jharkhand, for its consideration under the Oversight Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Mechanism. Chhattisgarh, western Odisha, eastern • Such appeals would be dealt with by the Gujarat and in pockets of the Nilgiri Hills Inter-Departmental Committee set up in north Tamil Nadu and Kerala. under the Oversight Mechanism. Source: PIB Source: Business Standard DELIMITATION IN JAMMU AND NATIONAL SICKLE CELL CONCLAVE KASHMIR ON ‘SICKLE CELL DISEASE’ Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance Syllabus Section:Science and Tech Why in News? Delimitation exercise kicks off in Jammu & Why in News? Kashmir • The Minister of Tribal Affairs inaugurated the Second National Sickle Cell Conclave About: on ‘Sickle Cell Disease’. The Conclave is being held to mark the World Sickle Cell What is Delimitation? Day observed on 19thJune 2021 every • Delimitation is the act of redrawing year. boundaries of an Assembly or Lok Sabha seat to represent changes in population About: over time • It is characterized by a modification in the • Exercise is carried out by a Delimitation shape of the red blood cell from a smooth, Commission, whose orders have the force donut-shape into a crescent or half-moon of law and cannot be questioned before shape. any court. • These cells lack plasticity and can block small blood vessels, impairing blood Delimitation exercise in J&K: flow. This condition leads to shortened • Delimitation exercises in J&K in the past red blood cell survival, and subsequent have been slightly different from those anaemia, often called sickle-cell anaemia. in the rest of the country because of • This leads to chronic acute pain the region’s special status — which was syndromes, severe bacterial infections, scrapped by the Centre in August 2019. and necrosis (tissue death). • Until then, delimitation of Lok Sabha seats • Anaemia is a medical condition in which in J&K was governed by the Constitution the red blood cell count or hemoglobin of India, but the delimitation of the state’s is less than normal. Symtoms of anemia Assembly seats was governed by the include Fatigue, Shortness of breath, Hair Jammu and Kashmir Constitution and loss etc. Jammu and Kashmir Representation of • Treatment: It can be managed by simple the People Act, 1957. procedures including: • Assembly seats in J&K were delimited in • High fluid intake 1963, 1973 and 1995. • Healthy diet • The last exercise was conducted by the Justice (retired) K K Gupta Commission • Folic acid/Iron supplementation when the state was under President’s Rule • Pain medication and was based on the 1981 census, which • Vaccination and antibiotics for the formed the basis of the state elections in prevention and treatment of infections 1996. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 53 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• There was no census in the state in 1991 • To discharge this mandate, NFRA is in the and no Delimitation Commission was set process of creating a verified and accurate up by the state government after the 2001 database of companies and auditors that census as the J&K Assembly passed a law putting a freeze on the fresh delimitation come under the regulatory ambit of NFRA. of seats until 2026 • After the abrogation of J&K’s special Composition: NFRA consists of one chairman, status in 2019, delimitation of Lok Sabha three full-time members and one secretary. and Assembly seats in the newly-created Former IAS officer Rangachari Sridharan was Union Territory would be as per the appointed as the first chairman of the body in provisions of the Indian Constitution. • As per the Jammu and Kashmir October 2018. Reorganisation Bill, the number of Assembly seats in J&K would increase Source: PIB from 107 to 114, which is expected to benefit the Jammu region. NEW CORONAVIRUS VARIANT IN INDIA • The government set up the Delimitation Syllabus Section:Science and Technology Commission, in March 2020 headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Why in News? Prakash Desai, which was tasked with • Over 20 cases of Delta Plus infections winding up delimitation in J&K in a year. have been found in Maharashtra. • The Commission wasgranted a year’s extension. About: Source: Indian Express • The variant was first seen in Europe in NATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING March this year. AUTHORITY (NFRA) • According to scientists, the Delta variant Syllabus Section: Economy (B.1.617.2) has further mutated to form Why in News? the Delta Plus (AY.1) variant. NFRA has invited suggestions from public on consultation paper on NFRA’s engagement with • Delta Plus is considered highly infectious. its stakeholders. • Delta Plus has the mutation called K417N

About: — first found in the Beta variant (South • NFRA is an independent regulatory body Africa). set up under Section 132 of the Companies • It also possesses all other features of its Act. • It was established by the Central predecessor Delta, might make the latest Government in October 2018. variant a lot more transmissible. • After the Satyam scandal took place in • The K417N mutation is within the receptor- 2009, the Standing Committee on Finance binding domain of the spike protein, and proposed the concept of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) for this change is noteworthy because this the first time in its 21st report. mutation is also found in the B.1.351 or Mandate Beta variant of concern. • It oversees compliance with Accounting • INSACOG is currently studying the and Auditing Standards by companies that can be described as Public Interest potential transmissibility/severity of the Entities (PIEs). This group includes all new variant. listed companies, and large unlisted companies. Source: Indian Express

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VIDARBHA TIGER CORRIDORS

Syllabus Section: Environment and Ecology

About: GM RUBBER SAPLING PLANTED IN • The study indicates that the animals ASSAM are moving in a much wider swathe of Syllabus Section: Agriculture area outside the protected areas than Why in News? previously known. • World’s first GM rubber sapling planted in • The investigators belonged the Assam. Maharashtra Forest Department and About: Wildlife Institute of India (WII), • A Rubber Board researchfarm on the • Vidarbha has 331 tigers in a forest area outskirts of Guwahati now sports of around 26,775 sq km, dissected by theworld’s firstgenetically modified (GM) 84,202 km of roads, apart from irrigation rubber plant tailored for the climatic canals and other projects. There have been conditions in the Northeast. growing instances of man-tiger conflict in • The GM rubber has additional copies of the the region. geneMnSOD, or manganese¬containing • The project, carried out between 2017 superoxide dismutase. and 2020 using radio signals, identified • It is expected to tide over the severe cold 37,067 sq km, in all, of tiger corridors. conditionsduring winter — a major factor • They tracked the epic journey of Walker affecting the growth ofyoung rubber plants (as the tiger was dubbed) over 3,000 km in theregion. from Tipeshwar Sanctuary in Yavatmal • The plant was developedat the district to Dnyanganga Sanctuary in Kerala¬based RubberResearch Institute Buldhana district. of India(RRII) • Northeast,is one of the largestproducers Source: Indian Express of rubber in India. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 55 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• Natural rubber is anative of warm humid Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme Amazon forests and is not naturally suited • It is a collaborative project of Durrell for the colderconditions. Wildlife Conservation Trust, IUCN/ Source: The Hindu SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group, Forest Department, Govt. of Assam and the PETER PAN SYNDROME Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. Why in News? of India. • During the hearing of a rape case the • It is implemented in Assam by the Rare accused had told the court he suffered & Endangered Species Conservation Unit from “Peter Pan Syndrome”, (RESCU) of Ecosystems-India. About: Pygmy Hog • People who develop behaviours — of • The smallest and the rarest member of living life carefree, finding responsibilities pig family, pygmy hog (Porculasalvania) challenging in adulthood, and basically, belongs to a unique monospecific genus “never growing up” — suffer from Peter with no surviving close relative. Pan Syndrome. • It is one of the few mammals in the world • Peter Pan is a fictional character created that constructs a ‘house’ or nest to live. by Scottish novelist James Matthew Barrie • Currently, it is restricted to a single in the early 1900s. viable population in the wild in Manas • World Health Organization does not Tiger Reserve and three reintroduced recognise Peter Pan Syndrome as a health disorder, but experts believe it is a mental populations in Orang National Park, health condition that can affect one’s SonaiRupai and Bornadi Wildlife quality of life. Sanctuaries, all in north-western Assam. • There aren’t clearly-defined symptoms • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered or characteristics or even reasons which • It is listed in the Schedule I of the Indian cause it. Wildlife (Protection) Act. • But, according to HealthLine, it could Source: The Hindu affect one’s daily routine, relationships, work ethic, and result in attitudinal SPECIAL PROCEDURES BRANCH OF changes. THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Source: Indian Express Syllabus Section:International Institutions PYGMY HOGS RELEASED IN MANAS Why in News? NATIONAL PARK • Permanent Mission of India to the United Syllabus Section: Environment and Ecology Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva has responded Why in News? the concerns raised by Special Procedures • 8 rare pygmy hogs released in Manas Branch of the Human Rights Council National Park . regarding India’s Information Technology About: (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital • Eight of 12 captive¬bred pygmy hogs, the Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. world’s rarest and smallest wildpigs, were About: released in the Manas National Park of • The term ‘special procedures’ refers to western Assam. the list of mechanisms established by • This is the second batch tohave been the Human Rights Council to report and reintroduced into the wild under the Pygmy Hog co-nservation Programme advise on human rights from a thematic (PHCP) in a year. and country-specific perspective. • The reintroduction programme began • Special procedures cover all human in 2008with the Sonai¬Rupai Wildlife rights: civil, cultural, economic, political Sanctuary (35 hogs),Orang National Park and social as well as issues relating to (59)and Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary (22). specific groups. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 56 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• Special procedures mandate-holders • Agreement also contains tax examination are either an individual (called a Special abroad provisions which provide that a Rapporteur (SR) or Independent Expert country may allow the representatives of (IE)) or a Working Group (WG) of five the other country to enter its territory (to members. the extent permitted under its domestic • Mandate holders serve in their personal laws) to interview individuals and examine capacities, they are not UN staff and do records for tax purposes. not receive salaries or other financial Impact: remuneration for their work. • It will help in facilitating the exchange of • A mandate-holder’s tenure in a given information between the two countries function, whether it is a thematic or including sharing of information held by country mandate, is limited to a maximum the banks and other financial institutions of six years. encompassing the information regarding • They are non-paid and elected for 3-year the legal and beneficial ownership. mandates that can be reconducted for • It will also facilitate the assistance in another three years. collection of the tax claims between the • Mandate holders are appointed by the two countries. Human Rights Council and their work is • It will strengthen India's commitment supported by the OHCHR. to fight offshore tax evasion and tax • As part of their mandates, special avoidance practices leading to generation procedures examine, advise and publicly of unaccounted black money. report on human rights issues and situations. Background: • Special procedures report annually to the • There was no such agreement with Saint Human Rights Council; the majority of Vincent and The Grenadines in the past the mandates also report annually to the and India was negotiating this agreement General Assembly. since a long time. Source: PIB Source: The Hindu AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND DIVYANGTA KHEL KENDRAS SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES Syllabus Section: Government Initiatives Syllabus Section: Economy Why in News? Why in News? Union minister for Social Justice and • The Union Cabinet, has approved Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot anAgreement between the Republic of India announced establishment of five ’Divyangta and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Khel Kendras’ in different parts of country. for the Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with respect to About: Taxes. • They have been established while looking at the interest towards the sports among About: the Divyangjan of the country and their • This is a new Agreement between the good performance in Paralympics. Republic of India and Saint Vincent and • He also distributed aids and assistive The Grenadines. There was no such devices to ‘Divyangjan’ under the agreement in past between the two Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) countries. Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice • Agreement mainly proposes to facilitate and Empowerment. exchange of information between the two • ADIP is one of the most popular schemes countries and to provide assistance to for providing assistive aids and appliance each other in collection of tax claims. to Divyangjans.

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• It is organized by Artificial Limbs JUDGES RECUSAL Manufacturing Corporation of India Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance (ALIMCO), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Department of Empowerment Why in News? of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Recently, two Supreme Court judges — Justice Ministry of Social Justice and Indira Banerjee and Justice Aniruddha Bose — have recused themselves from hearing cases Empowerment. The Corporation started relating to West Bengal. manufacturing artificial aids in 1976. About: Source: PIB • When there is a conflict of interest, a BRICS GREEN HYDROGEN SUMMIT judge can withdraw from hearing a case to prevent creating a perception that she Syllabus Section: Environment carried a bias while deciding the case. Why in News? • The practice stems from the cardinal • NTPC anchors two-day BRICS Green principle of due process of law that nobody Hydrogen Summit. can be a judge in her own case. • The event offers a platform to share their • Any interest or conflict of interest would respective Green Hydrogen initiatives and be a ground to withdraw from a case since views on how to take it to the next level in a judge has a duty to act fair. their own countries. • The decision to recuse generally comes from the judge herself as it rests on the About: conscience and discretion of the judge to What is Green Hydrogen? disclose any potential conflict of interest. • Hydrogen, when produced by electrolysis • There are no formal rules governing using renewable energy, is known as green recusals, although several Supreme Court hydrogen. judgments have dealt with the issue. • It has no carbon footprint. This gives • Once a request is made for recusal, the hydrogen the edge over other fuels to decision to recuse or not rests with the unlock various avenues of green usage. judge. Significance of Green Hydrogen: • Since there are no formal rules governing the process, it is often left to individual • Green hydrogen energy is vital for India judges to record reasons for recusal. Some to meet its Nationally Determined judges disclose the reasons in open court; Contribution (INDC) Targets. in some cases, the reasons are apparent. • Hydrogen is poised to play a vital role and build on the rapid scale-up of renewable Source: Indian Express resources across the world NISHTHA – NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR • In terms of mobility, for long distance SCHOOL HEADS’ AND TEACHERS’ mobilisations for either urban freight HOLISTIC ADVANCEMENT movement within cities and states or for passengers, Green Hydrogen can be used Syllabus Section: Governance in railways, large ships, buses or trucks, Why in News? etc. To fulfil the long-standing vision of Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) to achieve academic Applications of green hydrogen: excellence in Eklavya Model Residential Schools • Green Chemicals like ammonia and (EMRSs), 120 EMRS teachers and principals methanol can directly be utilized in from 3 states completed a 40 days’ NISHTHA existing applications like fertilizers, Program. mobility, power, chemicals, shipping etc. About: • Green Hydrogen blending up to 10% • In August 2019, Union Human Resource may be adopted in CGD networks to gain Development (HRD) Minister launched widespread acceptance. NISHTHA to build capacities of 42 Lakh Source: PIB government teachers across the country.

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• What is it? NISHTHA is the world’s largest • It aims to aid Bhutan in strengthening teachers’ training programme of its kind its tax administration by transferring in the world. technical know-how and skills to its tax • Objective: To motivate and equip teachers auditors, and through sharing of best to encourage and foster critical thinking audit practices. in students. • Features: Under it, teachers will Significance: develop their skills on various aspects • This programme is another milestone in related to Learning Outcomes, School the continued cooperation between India Safety and Security, ICT in teaching- and Bhutan. learning including Artificial Intelligence, • MilestoneinIndia’s continued and active Environmental Concerns and School support for South-South cooperation. Based Assessment in a joyful learning manner. TIWB Programme: • Coverage: It aims to build the capacities • The TIWB Programme aims to strengthen of around 42 lakh participants covering tax administrations of developing countries all teachers and Heads of Schools at the by transferring technical know-how and elementary level in all Government schools, skills to their tax auditors, and through faculty members of SCERTs, DIETs as the sharing of general audit practices and well as Block Resource Coordinators dissemination of knowledge products with and Cluster Resource Coordinators in all them. States/UTs. • The TIWB Programme complements the • Strategy: Training will be conducted efforts of the international community to directly by 33120 Key Resource Persons strengthen cooperation on tax matters and (KRPs) and State Resource Persons (SRP) contribute to domestic tax mobilisation identified by the State and UTs, who will in turn be trained by 120 National Resource efforts of developing countries. Persons identified from NCERT, NIEPA, Source: PIB Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), CBSE OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS (OSP) and NGO. Syllabus Section: Economy Source: PIB Why in News? TAX INSPECTORS WITHOUT BORDERS Department of Telecommunication has further (TIWB) PROGRAMME liberalized the guidelines for Other Service Providers (OSPs). Syllabus Section:International Relations About: Why in News? • These entities are business process Recently,a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the outsourcing (BPO) organisations giving Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Voice based services, in India and abroad. Development (OECD), launched Tax Inspectors • The Guidelines issued today further Without Borders (TIWB) in Bhutan. liberalized the special dispensation given to OSPs in addition to the major measures About: already announced and implemented in • India was chosen as the Partner November, 2020. Jurisdiction and has provided the Tax Expert for this programme. The main features of the liberalised • This programme is expected to be of about guidelines: 24 months’ duration through which India • Distinction between Domestic and in collaboration with the UNDP and the International OSPs has been removed. TIWB Secretariat. A BPO centre with common Telecom • The focus of the programme will be in resources will now be able to serve the area of International Taxation and customers located worldwide including in Transfer Pricing. India.

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• EPABX (Electronic Private Automatic About: Branch Exchange) of the OSP can be What are integrated theatre commands? located anywhere in the world. OSPs apart from utilising EPABX services of the • It is a unified command under which all Telecom Service Providers can also locate the resources of the Army, the Navy and their EPABX at third Party Data Centres the Air Force are pooled, depending on the in India. threat perception. • With the removal of the distinction • The commands could be geographical — between Domestic and International OSP like looking at a border with a particular centres, the interconnectivity between all country — or thematic, like a command types of OSP centres is now permitted. for all maritime threats. • Remote Agents of OSP can now connect • A model with 4 to 5 tri-Services integrated directly with the Centralised EPABX/ theatre commands is under discussion, EPABX of the OSP/ EPABX of the with each command headed by a three- customer using any technology including star officer. Broadband over wireline/ wireless. • The Theatre Commander will report to the Source: Business Standard Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), which includes the three Service chiefs. The AGRISTACK COSC is headed by the Chief of Defence Syllabus Section: Agriculture Staff (CDS) as its permanent chairman. Why in News? • The Service chiefs currently have all the The Department of Agriculture, is planning of operational control over their forces; creating ‘AgriStack’. operational powers will now move to the COSC. About: • The proposed commands are: • The Department of Agriculture, • Maritime Theatre Command - To take Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, entered care of all the maritime security needs into a Memorandum of Understanding of India on both the eastern and western (MoU) with Microsoft Corporation to start seaboards, and will include air strike a pilot project in 100 villages of Uttar assets and amphibian forces of the Army. Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, • Air Defence Command - To be mandated Haryana, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. with air defence across the country • The MoU requires Microsoft to create a ‘Unified Farmer Service Interface’ through and beyond. The fighter jets will have its cloud computing services. reconnaissance and surveillance assets • This sets in motion the ministry’s plan of as well. creating ‘AgriStack’ • Two or three land-based commands - • AgriStack is a collection of technology- There will be one command each for based interventions in agriculture. India’s borders with China and Pakistan. • It aims to provide ‘required data sets’ of How many commands are there now; are farmers’ personal information to Microsoft any of them tri-Service commands? to develop a farmer interface for ‘smart • As of now, the three forces have 17 and well-organised agriculture’. commands between them. • The Army has seven commands: Source: Down to Earth Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western, INTEGRATED THEATRE COMMANDS Central, Southwestern and Army Training Syllabus Section: Defence Command (ARTRAC). • The Air Force has seven as well: Western, Why in News: Eastern, Southern, Southwestern, Recently, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Central, Training, and Maintenance Rawat held a meeting with the Vice Chiefs of commands. the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, and • The Navy has three: Western, Eastern and representatives of the Ministries of Home and Finance, National Security Council, Integrated Southern, of which Southern is largely Defence Staff, and Department of Defence. about training. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 60 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• These commands operate in the same • During World War II, American warships region, but they are not co-located, and suffered severe damage from enemy mines their areas of operational responsibility and torpedoes that had actually missed are not necessarily the same. their target, but exploded underwater in close proximity. Source: Indian Express • The US Navy has since worked to improve WATER MANAGEMENT POLICIES the shock proofing of their ship systems to THROUGH VIRTUAL WATER ANALYSIS minimise damage from such “near miss” explosions. Syllabus Section: Governance • The FSST “probes whether the components Why in News? survive shock in their environment on the Recently, researchers from the Indian Institute ship; it probes the possibilities of system of Technology, Guwahati have paved the way for failures, and large components that could better water management policies in India using not be otherwise tested,” virtual water analysis. • Such trials are usually conducted on ships that are the first of a new class to be About: built – like the Gerald R Ford. What is virtual water? Source: Indian Express • Virtual Water (VW) is the water involved in INLAND VESSELS BILL, 2021 the production and trade of food and non- food commodities and services. It is that Syllabus Section:Governance ‘invisible’ water that has been consumed Why in News? throughout the lifecycle of the product or The Union Cabinet gave the nod to the Inland service. Vessels Bill, 2021. Background: About: • The concept of VW was first conceived in • It will replace the Inland Vessels Act, the 1990s. 1917. • It was used to understand how water- • The Bill will regulate safety, security and stressed countries could provide their registration of inland vessels. people with items such as water- • A key feature of the Bill is a unified law intensive products like food, clothing, for the entire country, instead of separate and shelter, which can define their trade rules framed by the States. characteristics • The Bill provides for a central data base for recording the details of vessel, vessel Significance: registration, crew on an electronic portal. • Reduce water wastage • It requires all mechanically propelled • Reducing pressure on freshwater vessels to be mandatorily registered. All resources non-mechanically propelled vessels will • Help in framing evidence-based water also have to be enrolled at district, taluk policy or panchayat or village level. • Can provide an alternative to river • The certificate of registration granted interlinking projects under the proposed law will be deemed to be valid in all States and Union Territories, Source: Economics Time and there will be no need to seek separate FULL SHIP SHOCK TRIALS permissions from the States. Syllabus Section: International Relations Source: Indian Express Why in News? REFORM-LINKED WINDOW • The US Navycarried out a ‘full ship shock Why in News? trial’(FSST) on the USS Gerald R Ford. • The Delhi High Court, while granting bail to the three students, gave the Delhi Police About: a dressing-down for “casually” invoking • In FSSTs, an underwater explosive charge provisions of anti-terror laws against is set off near an operational ship, and the three students who had protested system and component failures are against the enactment of the Citizenship documented. (Amendment) Act (CAA). EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 61 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

About: • Microfinance loans should mean • The High Court ruled that no offence under collateral-free loans to households with the anti-terror law — Unlawful Activities annual household income of Rs 1,25,000 (Prevention) Act (UAPA) — is made out and Rs 2,00,000 for rural and urban/ against any of the three students. semi urban areas, respectively. • The phrase ‘terrorist act’ cannot be • ‘Household’ means a group of persons permitted to be applied in a cavalier normally living together and taking food manner to criminal acts that fall squarely from a common kitchen,” the RBI said. within the definition of conventional • RBI has mooted capping the payment offences as defined inter alia under the of interest and repayment of principal IPC [Indian Penal Code]. for all outstanding loan obligations of • The Bench said that protests against the household as a percentage of the governmental and parliamentary actions household income, subject to a limit of were legitimatethough such protests were maximum 50%. expected to be peaceful and non-violent • Capping the outflow on account of repayment of loan obligations of a UAPA household to a maximum of 50 per • The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act cent of the household income and no (UAPA) was enacted in 1967. pre-payment penalty or requirement of • Section 15 of the UAPA defines “terrorist collateral, along with greater flexibility of act” and is punishable with imprisonment repayment frequency for all microfinance for a term of at least five years to life. In loans. case the terrorist act results in death, the • It has proposed withdrawal of some of punishment is death or imprisonment for the guidelines presently applicable to life. only NBFC-MFIs, including stipulations • The 2004 amendment was to ban related to : organisations for terrorist activities, under which 34 outfits, including the Lashkar-e- • sub-limits on loan amount (Rs 75,000 Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, were in first cycle, exclusion of loans towards banned. education and medical expenses from overall limit), • The 2019 amendment gave the Home Ministry the power to designate individuals • tenure (minimum tenure of 24 months for as terrorists. loans above Rs 30,000) and • In September 2019, the four individuals to • purpose (minimum 50 per cent of loans be first designated as terrorists were JeM for income generation activities). chief Masood Azhar, LeT’s Hafiz Saeed, • It has also mooted the withdrawal of two- his deputy Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, and lender norm for lending by NBFC-MFIs underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who and all pricing related instructions. planned and executed the 1993 Mumbai Source: Indian Express serial blasts. LIDAR SURVEY OF FOREST AREAS Source: The Hindu Syllabus Section: Environment and Ecology MFI FRAMEWORK PLAN Why in News? • Recently, detailed Project reports of LIDAR Syllabus Section: Economy survey of forest areas in 10 states for water Why in News? and fodder augmentation released. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed • The 10 mapped states are Assam, a new regulatory framework for microfinance Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, institutions (MFIs). Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, About: Nagaland, and Tripura. Proposed New Regulatory Framework About: • RBI has suggested a common definition • The project was awarded to WAPCOS in of microfinance loans for all regulated July 2020 at a cost of Rs.18.38 Crore/- for entities, it has not fixed any ceiling on implementation in 26 states over 261897 interest rates. hectare.

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• WAPCOS, is a PSU under the aegis of • CAMPA is meant to promote afforestation Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of and regeneration activities as a way of India compensating for forest land diverted to • It is a first of its kind and a unique non-forest uses. experiment using LiDAR technology • CAMPA was established to manage the which will help augment water and fodder Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) in jungle areas thereby reducing human- and it acts as the custodian of the CAMPA animal conflict.help in groundwater fund. recharge, help local communities • One major ridge inside a forest block is • States will be given Compensatory identified in these states with an average Afforestation Fund Management and area of 10,000 ha selected in each State; Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds to use the area should have average rainfall of in this project. the state, and requires assisted natural generation.

• Lidar is a method for measuring distances geomorphology, seismology, forestry, (ranging) by illuminating the target with atmospheric physics,[6] laser guidance, laser light and measuring the reflection airborne laser swath mapping (ALSM), with a sensor. and laser altimetry. • Differences in laser return times and wavelengths can then be used to make MARITIME STATE DEVELOPMENT digital 3-D representations of the target. COUNCIL (MSDC) • It has terrestrial, airborne, and mobile applications. Syllabus Section: Economy • Lidar sometimes is called 3-D laser Why in News? scanning, a special combination of a 3-D Union Minister of State (I/C) for Port, Shipping scanning and laser scanning. and Waterways chaired the 18th meeting of the • Lidar is commonly used to make high- Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) resolution maps, with applications in surveying, geodesy, geomatics, through a video conference organized by the archaeology, geography, geology, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

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About: Source: PIB • MSDC is an apex advisory body for the development of the Maritime sector and U.P RANKED BEST UNDER SMART aims to ensure integrated development of CITIES MISSION Major and non-Major Ports. Syllabus Section: Governance: • The MSDC was constituted in May 1997 to assess in consultation with State Why in News? Governments, the future development Under the Smart Cities mission’s India Smart of existing and new Minor Ports by the Cities Awards Contest (ISAC) 2020, the Union respective Maritime States either directly ministry of housing and urban affairs has or through captive users and private ranked Uttar Pradesh as top performer. participation. About: Source: PIB • The awards were announcedto PARENT PARTICIPATION IN HOME- commemorate 6 years of the three urban BASED LEARNING transformative missions of the Central Why in News? government -- Smart Cities Mission (SCM), The Department of School Education and Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Literacy, Ministry of Education releases the Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Guidelines for parent participation in home- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban based learning during school closure and (PMAY-U). beyond. • These were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25, 2015. About: • These Guidelines aim to provide • These awards were given across the information on the ‘why’, ‘what’, and themes of social aspects, governance, ‘how-to’ of participation and engagement culture, urban environment, sanitation, in supporting children during the school economy, built environment, water, urban closure, irrespective of their literacy levels. mobility. • These guidelines are meant not only • Some new themes were also added this for parents but also for caregivers, year for Sustainable Business model of other family members, grandparents, Integrated Command and Control Centres, community members, older siblings who and Innovation award specially in Covid all are engaged in promoting the welfare of management. children. • There are a total of five award categories • The guidelines provide many simple tips in ISAC 2020. for parents and others to facilitate children in Home based learning. These suggestive • Uttar Pradesh emerged on the top among activities are in accordance with the all states, followed by Madhya Pradesh various stages of school education as per and Tamil Nadu under the Smart City NEP 2020. award, 2020. • Age-appropriate art activities have been • Chandigarh bagged the award for categorized on basis of 5+3+3+4 system union territories, while Indore won the viz “Innovative Idea Award”. o Foundation Stage (Age 3-8yrs); • List of winning Smart Cities under the o Preparatory Stage (Age 8-11 yrs); different categories: o Middle Stage (Age 11-14yrs); and 1. Social Aspects o Secondary Stage: From Adolescent to Tirupati: Health Benchmark for Municipal Adult age (Age 14-18 years). Schools • The Guidelines appreciate the role of Art as a therapy for children under stress or Bhubaneshwar: Socially Smart Bhubaneswar trauma. Tumakuru: Digital Library Solution • A separate chapter has been included in the Guidelines for supporting parents 2. Governance with low/no literacy. Schools, teachers Vadodara: GIS and volunteers may take the suggestive Thane: Digi Thane steps to provide support to low-literacy parents. Bhubaneswar: ME app EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 64 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

3. Culture VANDANA AGGARWAL COMMITTEE Indore: Conservation of Heritage Syllabus Section: Economy Chandigarh: Capitol Complex, Heritage Project Why in News? Gwalior: Digital Museum • International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has constituted a 4. Urban Environment committee to examine global best practices in ship financing and leasing, identify Bhopal: Clean energy opportunities and devise a roadmap to Chennai: Restoration of water bodies enable such activities from GIFT IFSC. About: Renewable Energy Generation Tirupati: • This committee, to be chaired by Vandana Aggarwal, former Senior Economic 5. Sanitation Advisor, Government of India Bioremediation & Bio-Mining Tirupati: • India is strategically located on the world’s shipping routes and has a large coastline Indore: Municipal Waste Management System of approximately 7500 kms Surat: Conservation through Treated • India also has 12 major and over 200 minor ports. Ministry of Shipping suggests Wastewater that 95 percent of India’s trading by 6. Economy volume and 70 percent by value is done via maritime transport. Indore: Carbon Credit Financing Mechanism • India is yet to develop as an international Tirupati: Boost Local Identity & Economy shipping hub, in spite of significant exposure to shipping. through Design Studio • IFSCA aims to provide an enabling Agra: Micro Skill Development Centre regulatory framework and facilitative environment so that GIFT IFSC can 7. Built Environment become an international hub for Ship Financing & Leasing activities. Indore: Chappan Dukan Surat: Canal Corridor Source: PIB

8. Water ‘itat e-dwar’, AN E-FILING PORTAL Dehradun: Smart Water Metering Water ATM Syllabus Section: Economy Why in News? Eco-Restoration of Assi River Varanasi: Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communications and Electronics & IT, formally Surat: Integrated and Sustainable Water Supply launched the e-filing portal of Income Tax System Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), ‘itat e-dwar’,

9. Urban Mobility Aboutitat e-dwar Aurangabad: Majhi Smart Buses • Itat e-dwar is a larger narrative of transformation that India is undergoing Surat: Dynamic Scheduling Buses through digital medium. • It would enable the parties to file their Ahmedabad: Man-less parking system and Appeals, Miscellaneous Applications, automatic ticket dispensing machines AMDA documents, paper books, etc., Park electronically. • It will result into economization of use of 10. Innovative Idea Award paper, savings in costs and rationalization Indore: Carbon Credit Financing Mechanism of fixation of cases which in turn help in quicker disposal of cases. 11. Covid Innovation Award • It will enable innovation & empowerment Kalyan-Dombivali and Varanasi and open new avenues for growth. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 65 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• As per the minister, data of more than India are the most frequently mentioned 18 crore cases are available in National countries linked to shipment of drugs sold Judicial Data Grid (NJDG). He suggested on the 19 major darknet markets analysed to integrate cases of ITAT with NJDG. over 2011-2020. • Access to drugs has become simpler than Source: PIB ever with online sales, and major drug WORLD DRUG REPORT 2021 markets on the dark web are worth $315 million annually. Syllabus Section: International Reports • The use of private planes for drug Why in News? trafficking and contactless transactions, According to the World Drug Report 2021 of the such as through the mail, are also on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s, rise. the lockdown restrictions during COVID-19 • Although this is a “tiny fraction” of overall may have accelerated drug trafficking using the drug sales, the trend of using dark web on Internet. the rise, with a fourfold increase in annual sales from the beginning of the 2010s to About: • Findings - Between 2010 and 2019, the more recent years. number of people using drugs increased • While cannabis dominates darknet sales, by 22%, as there was an increase in the marketing on the so-called clear web often global population. involves new psychoactive substances. • Opioids account for the largest burden of Source: The Hindu disease attributed to drug use. • In last 24 years, cannabis potency had DEFENCE INDUSTRIAL CORRIDORS IN increased by four times in some parts of INDIA the globe. Percentage of adolescents who Syllabus Section: Defence perceived drug as harmful has reduced by 40%. Why in News? • A rise in the non-medical use of During a webinar on India-Sweden Defence pharmaceutical drugs was observed Industry Cooperation, Rajnath Singh invited during the coronavirus pandemic. Swedish firms to invest in Defence Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. • Darknet markets - In Asia, China and

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INDIA’S FIRST VSC BASED HVDC • It also facilitates development of smart SYSTEM grid and improves system resilience under various operating conditions. Syllabus Section: Economy • The state-of-the-art VSC Technology has Why in News? been brought to India for the first time by POWERGRID has fully commissioned India’s POWERGRID through this Project. First Voltage Source Convertor (VSC) based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) System. Source: PIB About: MULTI-DRUG RESISTANCE • It has commissioned Monopole-I of the Syllabus Section: Science and Technology 2000 Mega-Watt (MW), Pugalur (Tamil Nadu) – Thrissur (Kerala) Voltage Source Why in News? Convertor (VSC) based High Voltage Direct New research from the Population Biology Lab Current (HVDC) System. at IISER Pune could hold a key ,why only some • This Project strengthens the power system bacteria develop multi-drug resistance? of Southern Region of our Country. • Monopole-II of the project was inaugurated About: by PM Modi in February, 2021 and with • When bacteria become fit in one the commissioning of Monopole-I, the environment, they either lose fitness or fail project has attained its full capacity. to increase fitness in other environments. • The Pugalur-Thrissur HVDC system, “Our study is showing that when the costing Rs. 5070 crore, is a part of the environment is fluctuating, large (but not Raigarh-Pugalur-Thrissur 6000 MW small) populations can by-pass this effect. HVDC system and enables transfer of 2000 MW to Kerala through the VSC Multiple drug resistance (MDR) HVDC station at Thrissur. • Multiple drug resistance (MDR), multidrug resistance or multi resistance Voltage Source Convertor (VSC) is antimicrobial resistance shown by • An HVDC converter converts electric power a species of microorganism to at least from high voltage alternating current (AC) one antimicrobial drug in three or more to high-voltage direct current (HVDC), or antimicrobial categories. vice versa. • Antimicrobial categories are classifications • Electronic converters for HVDC are divided into two main categories. of antimicrobial agents based on their mode of action and specific to target • Line-commutated converters (HVDC classic) are made with electronic switches organisms. that can only be turned on. • The MDR types most threatening to • Voltage-sourced converters are made with public health are MDR bacteria that switching devices that can be turned both resist multiple antibiotics; other types on and off. It uses transistors, usually the include MDR viruses, parasites (resistant Insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). to multiple antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic drugs of a wide chemical Benefits variety). • The VSC technology significantly reduces • Recognizing different degrees of MDR the land requirement compared to the in bacteria, the terms extensively drug- conventional HVDC systems and is particularly suitable for areas, where land resistant (XDR) and pandrug-resistant is scarce. (PDR) have been introduced. EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 67 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819 NEWS IMPULSE EDEN IAS - Educational Development & Enrichment Network

• Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) is the About: non-susceptibility of one bacteria species • Aim: It aims to promote ease of doing to all antimicrobial agents except in two or business and improve ‘Contract less antimicrobial categories. Enforcement Regime’ in country • Within XDR, pandrug-resistant (PDR) is • The portal is envisioned to be a the non-susceptibility of bacteria to all comprehensive source of information antimicrobial agents in all antimicrobial pertaining to the legislative and policy categories. reforms being undertaken on the “Enforcing Contracts” parameters Source: The Hindu • It will provide easy access to latest DRAFT CODE ON SOCIAL SECURITY information on commercial cases in Dedicated Commercial Courts of Delhi, (EMPLOYEE’S COMPENSATION) Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata (CENTRAL) RULES 2021 • The portal will also provide access to Syllabus Section:Social Issues repository of commercial laws for ready reference. Why in News? • The portal will also host online reporting Ministry of Labour and Employment has by all High Courts regarding the Mediation notified the draft rules relating to Employee’s Compensation under the Code on Social and Arbitration centres annexed to the Security, 2020 for suggestions. Commercial Courts in order to monitor and promote institutional mediation About: & arbitration by way of Pre-institution • The Code on Social Security, 2020 amends Mediation and Settlement (PIMS) of and consolidates the laws relating to commercial cases. social security to extend social security to • PIMS has been introduced with the aim of employees and workers in the organised reducing pendency of cases and to promote as well as unorganised sectors. mediation as a viable dispute resolution • Chapter VII (Employee’s Compensation) of alternative in commercial cases. the Social Security Code, 2020 envisages, What is Enforcing Contracts? inter-alia, provisions relating to employer’s • The “Enforcing Contracts” indicator is liability for compensation in case of fatal one such essential area that measures accidents, serious bodily injuries or time and cost to resolve a standardized occupational diseases. commercial dispute as well as a series of The draft Employee’s Compensation rules good practices in the judiciary. notified by the Central Government provide for the Source: PIB • provisions relating to manner of application NEW GENERATION AGNI P BALLISTIC for claim or settlement, MISSILE • rate of interest for delayed payment of Syllabus Section: Defence/ Science and compensation, Technology • venue of proceedings and transfer of Why in News? matters, notice and manner of transmitting Defence Research and Development money from one competent authority to Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested another and a New Generation Nuclear Capable Ballistic • arrangements with other countries for the Missile Agni P from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island transfer of money paid as compensation. off the coast of Odisha, Balasore. Source: PIB About: ENFORCING CONTRACTS PORTAL • Agni P is a new generation advanced variant of Agni class of missiles. Syllabus Section: Polity and Governance • It is a canisterised missile with range Why in News? capability between 1,000 and 2,000 kms Recently, justice department launches • It can be launched from rail and road and “Enforcing Contracts Portal”. stored for a longer period.

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• It can be transported across the length • NDHM will be a completely technology- and breadth of the country, as per based initiative and every Indian would requirements. get a Health ID card that would contain all • It also comes with the technologies found relevant information about an individual’s in the 4000-kilometre range Agni-IV and medical conditions. 5000-kilometre range Agni-V. • Public Health should be driven by • The new Agni P can be used to target technology and data for effective enemy warships in the Indo-Pacific. surveillance and monitoring of diseases Background: and for its successful management. • Agni I, India’s first intermediate-range • National Health Authority said in his ballistic missile, was successfully test- address that CoWIN portal for vaccination fired for the first time in May 1989. is unique in the world in terms of • It was inducted into service in 2004. portability, scalability and inclusivity and • It has a range capability between 700 and it is a citizen-centric platform. 900 kilometres. Source: PIB Source: PIB ROCK PHOSPHATE PUBLIC HEALTH SUMMIT 2021 Syllabus Section: Geography Syllabus Section: Health Issues Why in News? Why in News? To improve the availability of phosphatic Recently, 2nd Public Health Summit 2021 has fertilisers (DAP and NPK) and to reduce the been organized by CII. dependence on imports, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers chaired a meeting. Highlights: Government ready with Action Plan to make • COVID has strengthened Public-Private India Aatmanirbhar in Rock Phosphate. Partnership model in India’s healthcare system with a win-win situation for both. About: • Telemedicine facility, need to be given a • Rock phosphates or phosphorites desired attention in the country. As this are sedimentary phosphatic deposits aspect was not given desired attention in comprising fine-grained mixture of various the country and now the time has come to calcium phosphates, most important revive it in a big way for free consultation being hydroxylapatite, carbonateapatite, from home particularly in rural areas fluorapatite and their solid solutions. • Ayushman Bharat Yojana is a unique • About 80% phosphate production in the and successful health insurance scheme world is derived from phosphate rocks launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra (phosphorite) Modi in 2018, • Rock Phosphate is the key raw material o The scheme has come at a critical for DAP and NPK fertilisers and India is juncture and COVID treatment was 90% dependent on imports. also included under the Yojana. o With affordable and accessible quality • Of the total reserves/resources, 34% are health care, the Ayushman Yojana is in Jharkhand, 31% in Rajasthan, 19% in the “world’s largest government funded Madhya Pradesh, 8% in Uttar Pradesh & healthcare program” targeting more Uttarakhand each , respectively. Meagre than 50 crore beneficiaries. quantities of resources are also located in • National Digital Health Mission would Gujarat and Meghalaya. revolutionise the health sector in the country. Source: The Hindu

EDEN IAS Classroom : Shop no - 6, 2nd Floor, Front Side, Bada Bazar Road, Old RajindeNagar Market Land mark - Fair Price book shop and kumar book depo 69 www.edenias.comwww.edenias.com Contact No : | 9311092321 | 9354399200 | 9315227819