Daily Prelims Notes September, 2020 Santosh Sir All 6 Prelims qualified If I can do it, you can too [email protected], https://t.me/asksantoshsir WWW.OPTIMIZEIAS.COM

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Table of Contents Art and Culture ...... 11 1. K.N. Dikshit committee ...... 11 2. Swadesh Darsha Scheme/Buddhist sites/ PRASAD ...... 12 3. Jnanpith award ...... 15 4. Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Madurai ...... 16 History...... 17 1. Rare Retai Chola era inscription ...... 17 2. Sree Narayana guru ...... 18 3. Indus Valley Civilisation ...... 19 4. Malabar Rebellion ...... 20 5. Arya Samaj ...... 22 6. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ...... 24 7. Kakatiya dynasty ...... 25 8. Drain of wealth ...... 27 9. Vikram Sarabhai ...... 28 10. Bhagat Singh ...... 29 Geography ...... 31 1. Pangong Tso ...... 31 2. Agriculture GDP, LaNina ...... 32 3. Asteroids ...... 34 4. Typhoon Haishen ...... 36 5. Typhoon Haishen ...... 38 6. Continental shelf ...... 40 7. Backwaters of Kottayam ...... 42 8. Late monsoon withdrawal ...... 43 9. Solar cycle ...... 44 Indian Polity ...... 46 1. NSA ...... 46 2. Question Hour and Zero Hour ...... 48 3. Parliamentary forum ...... 49 4. Basic structure ...... 51

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5. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman ...... 53 6. Poll campaign expenditure cap ...... 55 7. Prior restraint and Article 19 ...... 56 8. Breach of legislature’s privilege ...... 58 9. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act...... 60 10. NDPS Act ...... 61 11. Breach of legislatures privilege ...... 62 12. Business Advisory Committee ...... 63 13. Bonded Labour ...... 64 14. History of Parliamentary Question hour ...... 65 15. Supplementary demand for grants ...... 66 16. Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 ...... 67 17. MPLADS ...... 69 18. Essential Commodities Amendment Bill ...... 70 19. Inter-State Migrant Workmen (ISMW) Act, 1979 ...... 72 20. Official languages for state ...... 74 21. Adjournment motion ...... 76 22. National Fisheries Policy ...... 77 23. MPs salary ...... 78 24. Article 293 ...... 79 25. 7th Schedule and Interstate Council ...... 80 26. Official Secrets Act ...... 82 27. Deputy chairman removal ...... 84 28. Select Committee ...... 85 29. Speaker role and adjournment ...... 86 30. Voice Vote and division ...... 89 31. Suspension of MPs ...... 90 32. CAG ...... 92 33. National medical commission ...... 93 34. Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) ...... 95 35. Article 270 and history of cess ...... 97 36. Right to strike ...... 99

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37. Farm bills and federalism ...... 100 International Relations ...... 102 1. Baltic states ...... 102 2. Global innovation index ...... 103 3. UNSC 1267 ...... 104 4. SCO meet ...... 105 5. 13th Amendment ...... 107 6. International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies ...... 108 7. UNICEF and COVAX ...... 109 8. International Literacy Day ...... 111 9. World Solar Technology Summit ...... 112 10. India slips on global economic freedom index ...... 114 11. ‘Five Points’ agreement ...... 115 12. WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body ...... 116 13. Economic and Social Council ...... 117 14. Five Finger Strategy ...... 118 15. National cyber security coordinator ...... 119 16. BECA, 2+2 dialogue ...... 121 17. Commonwealth nations ...... 122 18. Indus water treaty ...... 124 19. World’s worst food crisis ...... 126 20. Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) and SAR ...... 127 21. Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre ...... 129 22. FATF grey list ...... 130 23. UN 75 Declaration ...... 131 24. G4 ...... 132 25. AIIB ...... 133 26. JIMEX-20 ...... 134 27. India Denmark green strategic partnership ...... 135 28. Bilateral Investment treaty ...... 136 Economics ...... 137 1. GDP contraction ...... 137

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2. Liquidity infusion by RBI...... 138 3. Stimulus ...... 140 4. Priority Sector Lending Certificates ...... 141 5. Core sector ...... 142 6. AGR ...... 143 7. Moratorium and restructuring ...... 144 8. Force Majeure ...... 145 9. Revised PSL guideline ...... 146 10. OMO Auction and yield ...... 148 11. Anti-dumping duty ...... 149 12. Act of God and force majeure ...... 150 13. Demerit goods and GST compensation ...... 152 14. Forex reserve ...... 154 15. Foreign Contribution Regulation Act ...... 156 16. Stagflation, recession, CPI, WPI ...... 157 17. K.V. Kamath committee ...... 160 18. IPO ...... 162 19. InvIT ...... 163 20. FDI in Defence ...... 164 21. Door Step banking and EASE reform ...... 165 22. Loan restructuring ...... 167 23. AMRUT ...... 169 24. Five Star Villages Scheme ...... 170 25. Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems ...... 171 26. EPFO recommending splitting payment of EPF interest rate ...... 172 27. Negative impact of high fiscal deficit ...... 173 28. FCRA ...... 174 29. Scramjet engine ...... 175 30. Banking Regulation Bill ...... 176 31. Finance Commission devolution ...... 177 32. Amendments in the Income Tax Act 1961...... 179 33. Trade deficit ...... 181

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34. Impossible Trilemma ...... 182 35. Capital gain Tax ...... 184 36. FDI ...... 185 37. The Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill ...... 186 38. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill ...... 188 39. Import substitution ...... 189 40. Country of origin...... 190 41. E way bill ...... 192 42. Steps for Doubling Farmers' Income ...... 193 43. Organic Farming in the Country ...... 196 44. Agriculture Export Policy ...... 198 45. One District One Product Concept ...... 199 46. Labour code reforms ...... 200 47. External debt ...... 204 48. Universal eligibility ...... 206 49. Company Law Committee ...... 207 50. Banks Board Bureau ...... 208 51. SEZ ...... 209 52. GST Quorum ...... 211 53. InvIT ...... 212 54. MSME ...... 213 55. Net neutrality ...... 215 56. State development loan ...... 216 57. K-shaped recession ...... 218 58. National GIS-Enabled Land Bank System ...... 219 59. Hallmarking of precious metals ...... 220 60. Cess ...... 221 61. MSP ...... 223 62. Inflation and fixed deposit ...... 226 63. Retrospective Taxation ...... 227 64. POEM, round tripping ...... 228

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65. Central road fund ...... 231 66. Disinvestment ...... 232 67. Health in India ...... 234 68. RBI Monetary policy ...... 235 69. Priority sector lending ...... 237 70. MPC quorum ...... 239 71. Marginal standing facility (MSF) ...... 241 72. Offer for sale ...... 242 73. Capital conservation Buffer ...... 243 74. WMA ...... 244 General Science ...... 245 1. Pinaka missile ...... 245 2. AstroSat ...... 246 3. Precision medicine ...... 247 4. Healthy Air: Immunity Booster ...... 248 5. COVID testing ...... 249 6. Nutraceutical ...... 250 7. LIGO and VIRGO ...... 251 8. Novichok ...... 254 9. Diabetes ...... 255 10. Hydrophonic,darknet ...... 256 11. Bradykinin storm and Cytokine storm ...... 257 12. Ct value and covid testing ...... 259 13. Index patient ...... 260 14. Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle ...... 261 15. Saturated foods ...... 262 16. Vaccine ...... 264 17. Plasma Therapy and PLACID trial ...... 266 18. Hybrid warfare ...... 267 19. Nerve agent ...... 268 20. Nano fertilizers ...... 270 21. Phase 3 of vaccine trial ...... 271

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22. Reinfection fears and Immunity concept ...... 273 23. Phosphine gas ...... 274 24. Nuclear power plants in India ...... 275 25. Convalescent Plasma Therapy ...... 277 26. STOPCovid ...... 279 27. CRISPR test ...... 280 28. Neutrino Observatory ...... 282 29. O-SMART scheme ...... 284 30. Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) ...... 286 31. Immunity ...... 287 32. Laser Guided ATGM ...... 288 33. R Value ...... 289 34. Artemis program ...... 290 35. Human challenge trial ...... 291 36. Cloud Computing ...... 292 37. Herd immunity...... 293 38. Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices ...... 294 39. Fortification ...... 296 40. Chandra telescope ...... 297 41. 3D printing ...... 298 42. Sero survey ...... 299 Environment ...... 300 1. Coral reefs ...... 300 2. Reserve forest ...... 301 3. Project Dolphin ...... 302 4. Habitat corridor ...... 303 5. Eco-sensitive zone, Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary ...... 304 6. GEAC AND Nod for BT brinjal ...... 306 7. Critical wildlife habitats ...... 308 8. Living Planet Report of WWF ...... 309 9. Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework ...... 310 10. Himalaya Diwas ...... 311

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11. Fertilizer and climate change ...... 312 12. New arctic climate ...... 314 13. Blue Flag International eco-label ...... 315 14. Arsenic and fluoride pollution ...... 316 15. Cyanobacteria ...... 317 16. Central Pollution Control Board ...... 318 17. Plastic Parks ...... 320 18. Carbon neutral ...... 321 19. Renewable energy ...... 323 20. Lion-tailed macaque ...... 325 21. Carbon tax ...... 326 22. Sandalwood Spike Disease ...... 327 23. Eco sensitive Zones ...... 328 Current Affairs ...... 330 1. Mission Karmayogi ...... 330 2. Rashtriya Poshan Maah ...... 332 3. A comprehensive set of draft guidelines on advertising ...... 334 4. Air suvidha ...... 336 5. Health in India report ...... 337 6. Green blue policy...... 338 7. Drug Controller General of India ...... 339 8. Eat Right movement ...... 340 9. National Council for Transgender Persons ...... 341 10. NPPA ...... 342 11. Human Capital index ...... 343 12. Protection against SARS-COV2 short lived ...... 344 13. DFS mandate...... 345 14. CDSCO and COVID drugs ...... 346 15. NIA ...... 348 16. Arogyapath ...... 349 Government Scheme ...... 350 1. Green Term Ahead Market ...... 350

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2. Data Empowerment Architecture ...... 351 3. Mission Milk ...... 352 4. KIRAN ...... 354 5. PM Kisan ...... 355 6. Svanidhi Scheme...... 356 7. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana ...... 357 8. Jigyasa programme...... 360 9. Schemes of the department of Social Justice & Empowerment ...... 361 10. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package ...... 363 11. SAROD-Ports ...... 365 12. Consumer Welfare Fund ...... 367 13. Gold monetisation Scheme ...... 368 14. Initiatives to improve the global ranking of Indian education institutions ...... 370 15. National Bamboo mission ...... 372 16. e-Shakthi ...... 374 17. Schemes to bridge the demand-supply gap of skilled workers ...... 375 18. National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction ...... 376 19. PM-AASHA Scheme ...... 378 20. Biomedical park ...... 381 21. YuWaah ...... 383 22. National Rural Health Mission ...... 384 23. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana ...... 386 24. National Biopharma Mission ...... 387 25. National Service Scheme (NSS) ...... 389 26. Net metering...... 390 27. Bharatnet ...... 391 28. Defence procurement plan 2020 ...... 393

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Art and Culture 1. K.N. Dikshit committee

Context:

The government has formed an expert committee for conducting a study on the origin and evolution of Indian culture dating back to around 12,000 years ago

Concept:

 16-member committee will include K N Dikshit as Chairman, Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi and former Joint Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, among others.  A committee has been set up for conducting a holistic study of origin and evolution of Indian culture since 12,000 years before present and its interface with other cultures of the world.

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2. Swadesh Darsha Scheme/Buddhist sites/ PRASAD

Context:

 Ministry of Tourism has undertaken development of tourism related infrastructure and facilities at various Buddhist Sites in the country under its flagships schemes of Swadesh Darshan & PRASHAD.  Ministry of Tourism presents its latest webinar on “In the Footsteps of the Buddha” under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series

Concept:

Swadesh Darsha Scheme

 The Ministry of Tourism, under the Swadesh Darshan scheme is developing thematic circuits in the country in planned and prioritized manner.  Under the scheme fifteen thematic circuits have been identified for development namely; North-East Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Sufi Circuit, and Tirthankara Circuit.  Submission of proposals by the State Governments under the scheme is a continuous process.  The projects under the scheme are identified for development in consultation with the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable Detailed Project Reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier.

PRASAD

 Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) is a government scheme that focuses on identifying and developing the pilgrim sites across the country to enrich the religious tourism experience introduced in 2015  It was launched by Union Ministry of Tourism.

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 It aims at integrated development of pilgrimage destinations in planned, prioritised and sustainable manner to provide complete religious tourism experience.

Buddhist sites

 Webinar on a virtual journey across the plains of the river Ganges to Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, meditation places such as Vulture peak in Rajgir, the Jeta Grove at Sravasti (where he spent 24 rainy season retreats), the site at Kapilavastu where he spent his childhood, the Deer Park at Sarnath, where he gave his first teachings and Kushinagar, where he passed away.  No written records about Gautama were found from his lifetime or from the one or two centuries thereafter. But from the middle of the 3rd century BCE, several Edicts of Ashoka (reigned c. 269–232 BCE) mention the Buddha, and particularly Ashoka's Lumbini pillar inscription commemorates the Emperor's pilgrimage to Lumbini as the Buddha's birthplace, calling him the Buddha Shakyamuni.  The earliest accounts of the Buddha’s spiritual quest are found in texts such as the Pali Ariyapariyesana-sutta. This text shows that what led to Gautama's renunciation was the thought that his life was subject to old age, disease and death and that there might be something better (i.e. liberation, nirvana).  The presenter highlighted some important Buddhist sites:- o Sarnath- The Deer Park adjoining the Archaeological Complex at Sarnath that the Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon after he attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and preached his first teachings known as Dharmachakrapravartana Sutra. o Rajgir- It was the capital of Magadh Kingdom. It was here that Gautama Buddha spent several months meditating, and preaching at Gridhra- kuta, (Vulture peak). He also delivered some of his famous sermons and initiated king Bimbisara of Magadha and countless others to Buddhism. It was here that Budhha delivered his famous Atanatiya Sutra.

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o Sravasti- It was the capital of ancient Kosala kingdom and is sacred to the Buddhists because it is here that Lord Buddha performed the greatest of his miracles to confound the Tirthika heretics. These miracles include Buddha creating multiple images of himself, which has been a favourite theme of Buddhist art. Buddha showed his divine prowess to impress upon the non-believers. The Buddha passed the greater part of his monastic life in Sravasti. o Vulture peak- One of the several sites frequented by the Buddha and his community of disciples for both training and retreat. o Kesariya - Kesariya Stupa is a Buddhist stupa in Kesariya. The first construction of the Stupa is dated to the 3rd century BCE. Kesariya Stupa has a circumference of almost 400 feet (120 m) and raises to a height of about 104 feet. o Vaishali- It is said that the Buddha visited this place thrice and spent quite a long time here. The Buddha also delivered his last sermon at Vaishali and announced his Nirvana here. o Kushinagar- It is one of the four sacred places of Lord Buddha. Buddha delivered his last sermon, attained Mahaparinirvana (salvation) in 483 BC and was cremated at Rambhar Stupa.

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3. Jnanpith award

Context:

Renowned Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri was conferred the Jnanpith award

Concept:

 Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature".  Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian writers writing in Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and English, with no posthumous conferral.

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4. Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Madurai

Context:

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple may have been reconstructed during early 13th century according to the inscriptions found at the temple, said archaeological expert

Concept:

 The present structure of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai might have been reconstructed during the rule of Jatavarman Kulasekara Pandya (1190-1216 common era).  This structure was damaged due to unknown reasons and was again renovated in the 13th century during the period of Maravarman Sundarapandyan II  Temple might have been a simple structure, prior to the reconstruction during the Jatavarman Kulasekara Pandya period. The temple has been renovated many times and extended with mandapams and halls during the Nayak rule.  Another important finding is that in all the 13th century inscriptions belonging to Pandya period, the name of the presiding god is mentioned as ‘Thiru Alavay Udaiya Nayanar’ and goddess was mentioned as ‘Thirukkamakkottam Udaiya Aludaiya Nacchiyar’.  It was during the Nayak period when the name ‘Chokkanatha’ for the presiding god was mentioned for the first time. The name of the goddess as ‘Meenakshi’ was mentioned on the engravings of a ‘pavaivilaku’ dated to 1752 CE.  The present name of the goddess- ‘Meenakshi Sundareswarar’ was first mentioned on the engravings on a Tiruvachi lamp stand dated to 1898 CE

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History 1. Rare Retai Chola era inscription

Context:

A rare inscription dating back to the Renati Chola era has been unearthed in a remote village of Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh

Concept:

 The inscription was written in archaic Telugu, which was readable in 25 lines — the first side with 11 lines and the remaining on the other side.  It was assigned to the 8th Century A.D., when the region was under the rule of the Chola Maharaja of Renadu.  The inscription seems to throw light on the record of a gift of six marttus (a measuring unit) of land gifted to a person Sidyamayu, one of the Brahmins serving the temple at Pidukula village

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2. Sree Narayana guru

Context:

Home minister pays tributes to Swami Sree Narayana Guru ji on Jayanti

Concept:

 Shree Narayana Guru (1856–1928), also known as Shree Narayana Guru Swami, was a saint & social reformer of India.  The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced social injustice in the caste- ridden Kerala society.  Gurudevan, as he was known among his followers, led Reform movement in Kerala, revolted against caste system and worked on propagating new values of freedom in spirituality and social equality which transformed the Kerala society.  He also gave the universal message, “One caste, one religion, one God.”  Aravipuram Movement was launched by Sri Narayana Guru on Shivaratri day of 1888. On that day, Sri Narayana Guru defied the religious restrictions traditionally placed on the Ezhava community, and consecrated an idol of Shiva at Aravipuram. This drew the famous poet Kumaran Asan as a disciple of Narayana Guru.  In 1913, he founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva. This was an important event in his spiritual quest. This Ashram was dedicated to a great principle – Om Sahodaryam Sarvatra (all men are equal in the eyes of God).

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3. Indus Valley Civilisation

Context:

Shifting monsoon patterns linked to climate change likely caused the rise and fall of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation, according to a study by an Indian- origin scientist which analysed data from North India covering the past 5,700 years.

Concept:

 The Indus Valley Civilization was an ancient civilization located in what is Pakistan and northwest India, on the fertile flood plain of the Indus River and its vicinity  Two cities, in particular, have been excavated at the sites of Mohenjo-Daro on the lower Indus, and at Harappa, further upstream.  The evidence suggests they had a highly developed city life; many houses had wells and bathrooms as well as an elaborate underground drainage system.  The social conditions of the citizens were comparable to those in Sumeria and superior to the contemporary Babylonians and Egyptians. These cities display a well-planned urbanization system  There is evidence of some level of contact between the Indus Valley Civilization and the Near East. Commercial, religious, and artistic connections have been recorded in Sumerian documents, where the Indus valley people are referred to as Meluhhaites and the Indus valley is called Meluhha.  The Indus Civilization had a writing system which today still remains a mystery: all attempts to decipher it have failed. This is one of the reasons why the Indus Valley Civilization is one of the least known of the important early civilizations of antiquity. Examples of this writing system have been found in pottery, amulets, carved stamp seals, and even in weights and copper tablets.

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4. Malabar Rebellion

Context:

A report submitted to the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) in 2016 had recommended the de-listing of Wagon Tragedy victims and Malabar Rebellion leaders from a book on martyrs of India’s freedom struggle.

Concept:

 It was part of the Khilafat Movement, which demanded that the British preserve the Ottoman sultan as the Caliph of Islam, the revolt took place in Kerala’s Malabar and involved the Moplah or Mappila Muslims of the region  The violence began and the Moplahs attacked the police stations and took control of them. They also seized the courts, and the government treasuries.  It became a communal riot when the kudiyaan or tenant Moplahs attacked their Hindu jenmis or landlords and killed many of them. Thus, the Hindu Landlords became the victims of the atrocities of the Moplahs.  The leaders of this rebellion were: o Variyankunnath Kunjahammed Haji o Seethi Koya Thangal of Kumaranpathor o Ali Musliyar.  For two some two months the administration remained in the hands of the rebels. The military as well as Police needed to withdraw from the burning areas.  Finally the British forces suppressed the movement with greater difficulty. The situation was under control by the end of the 1921.

Background:

 Malabar fell under British rule in 1792.

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 By then, the Moplahs, once a prosperous trading community, had been reduced to penury as the English and the Portuguese wrested control of maritime commerce.  Further, Malabar’s landlords under the British were almost exclusively Hindu.  Throughout the 19th century, the Moplahs would revolt against this order, attacking either the Hindu landlords or European bureaucrats.  Between 1836 and 1919, there were 29 such “outrages”, as British chronicles from the time describe these uprisings.  Whether the uprisings were a reaction to Malabar’s oppressive land system or driven by religious fanaticism was debated even at the time by British officials.

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5. Arya Samaj

Context: Social activist and AryaSamaj leader Swami Agnivesh passed away at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in New Delhi.

Concept:  The AryaSamaj Movement, revivalist in form though not in content, was the result of a reaction to Western influences.  Its founder, DayanandaSaraswati or Mulshankar (1824-1883) was born in the old Morvi state in Gujarat in a brahmin family.  The first AryaSamaj unit was formally set up by him at Bombay in 1875 and later the headquarters of the Samaj were established at Lahore.  Dayananda’s views were published in his famous work, SatyarthPrakash (The True Exposition). His vision of India included a classless and casteless society, a united India (religiously, socially and nationally), and an India free from foreign rule, with Aryan religion being the common religion of all.  He took inspiration from the Vedas and considered them to be ‘ India’s Rock of Ages’, the infallible and the true original seed of Hinduism. He gave the slogan “Back to the Vedas”.  Dayananda launched a frontal attack on Hindu orthodoxy, caste rigidities, untouchability, idolatry, polytheism, belief in magic, charms and animal sacrifices, taboo on sea voyages, feeding the dead through shraddhas, etc.  Dayananda subscribed to the Vedic notion of chaturvarna system in which a person was not born in any caste but was identified as a brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya or shudra according to the occupation the person followed.  The AryaSamaj fixed the minimum marriageable age at twenty-five years for boys and sixteen years for girls.  Intercaste marriages and widow remarriages were also encouraged.  Equal status for women was the demand of the Samaj, both in letter and in spirit.  The Samaj also helped the people in crises like floods, famines and earthquakes. It attempted to give a new direction to education. The nucleus for this movement was provided by the Dayananda Anglo-Vedic (D.A.V.) schools, established first at Lahore in 1886, which sought to emphasise the importance of Western education.

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 It should be clearly understood that Dayananda’s slogan of ‘Back to the Vedas’ was a call for a revival of Vedic learning and Vedic purity of religion and not a revival of Vedic times. He accepted modernity and displayed a patriotic attitude to national problems.

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6. Sri Guru Nanak Dev

Context:

Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (IC) has inaugurated a Sangeet Sandhya programme as a part of the 550th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in New Delhi.

Concept:

 Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539) was born in a village, Talwandi Rai Bhoe, near Lahore (it was renamed later as Nankana Sahib).  Guru Nanak Dev initiated inter-faith dialogue way back in the 16th century and had conversations with most of the religious denominations of his times.  His written compositions were included in the Adi Granth compiled by Guru Arjan (1563-1606), the fifth Sikh guru.  The cornerstone of the philosophy of Nanak Dev Ji is that he was an altruistic, which means that God is everywhere, that God is present in all the elements, substances and beings of the world and God is everything.  He was opposed to idol worship and in addition he always opposed the evils spread in Hinduism. He told the path of worship of a divine being. This is the reason that his views are liked by people of both Hindu and Muslim religions.

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7. Kakatiya dynasty

Context:

A temple constructed by emperor Ganapati Deva, a ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty, in Dharanikota near present Andhra Pradesh capital Amaravati, has been converted into an abode of local goddess Balusulamma (Goddess Durga).

Concept:

 The 12th and the 13th centuries saw the emergence of the Kakatiyas. They were at first the feudatories of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyana, ruling over a small territory near Warangal  The Kakatiyas are known through their famous architecture such as Fort Warangal, the Ramappa Temple, the Thousand Pillar Temple, and so on.  A ruler of this dynasty, Prola II, who ruled from 1110 AD to 1158 AD, extended his sway to the south and declared his independence.  His successor Rudra (1158 - 1195 AD) pushed the kingdom to the north up to the Godavari delta. He built a fort at Warangal to serve as a second capital and faced the invasions of the Yadavas of Devagiri.  The next ruler Mahadeva extended the kingdom to the coastal area.  In 1199 AD, Ganapati succeeded him. He was the greatest of the Kakatiyas and the first after the Satavahanas to bring the entire Telugu area under one rule. He put an end to the rule of the Velanati Cholas in 1210 AD. He forced the Telugu Cholas of Vikramasimhapura to accept his suzerainty. He established order in his vast dominion and encouraged trade.  As Ganapati Deva had no sons, his daughter Rudramba succeeded him in 1262 AD and carried on the administration. Some generals, who did not like to be ruled by her, rebelled. She could, however, suppress the internal rebellions and external invasions with the help of loyal subordinates. The Cholas and the Yadavas suffered such set backs at her hands that they did not think of troubling her for the rest of her rule.

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 Prataparudra succeeded his grandmother Rudramba in 1295 AD and ruled till 1323 AD. He pushed the western border of his kingdom up to Raichur. He introduced many administrative reforms. He divided the kingdom into 75 Nayakships, which was later adopted and developed by the Rayas of Vijayanagara.  In his time the territory constituting Andhra Pradesh had the first experience of a Muslim invasion. In 1303 AD, the Delhi Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji sent an army to plunder the kingdom, but Prataparudra defeated them at Upparapalli in Karimnagar district.  In 1310 AD, when another army under Malik Kafur invaded Warangal, Prataparudra yielded and agreed to pay a large tribute.  In 1318 AD when Ala-ud-din Khilji died, Prataparudra withheld the tribute. It provoked another invasion of the Muslims. In 1321 AD Ghiaz-ud-din Tughlaq sent a large army under Ulugh Khan to conquer the Telugu country. He laid siege to Warangal, but owing to internal dissensions he called off the siege and returned to Delhi. Within a short period, he came back with a much bigger army. In spite of unpreparedness, Prataparudra fought bravely. For want of supplies, he surrendered to the enemy who sent him to Delhi as a prisoner, and he died on the way.

Thus ended the Kakatiya rule, opening the gates of the Telugu land to anarchy and confusion yielding place to an alien ruler.

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8. Drain of wealth

Context:

British charity organisation National Trust released a report on September 22 stating that many historical properties it manages have a colonial past and links to slavery. The report states that when the employees returned, they also flooded Britain with “associated objects, furnishing its homes, forging fashions, identities and cultural change”.

Concept:

 Dadabhai Naoroji was among the key proponents of the ‘Drain Theory’, disseminating it in his 1901 book ‘Poverty and Un-British Rule in India’.  Naoroji argued that imperial Britain was draining away India’s wealth to itself through exploitative economic policies, including o India’s rule by foreigners o the heavy financial burden of the British civil and military apparatus in India o the exploitation of the country due to free trade o non-Indians taking away the money that they earned in India o the interest that India paid on its public debt held in Britain.

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9. Vikram Sarabhai

Context:

President has addressed the valedictory function of Dr Vikram Sarabhai Birth Centenary Celebrations, being organized by the Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy.

Concept:

 Based on his persuasion, the Indian government agreed to set up the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962. Sarabhai was the first chairman of the committee.  The INCOSPAR was restructured and renamed as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969.  Sarabhai founded the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad in the year 1947. The laboratory started its operation from RETREAT, Sarabhai’s residence in Ahmedabad. Its first topic of research was cosmic rays.  He also set up India’s first rocket launch site in Thumba, a small village near the Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala.  Vikram Sarabhai was also responsible for bringing cable television to India. His constant contact with NASA paved a way for the establishment of Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in 1975.  Sarabhai was the mastermind behind building India’s first satellite, Aryabhata.  He was one of the founding members of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA).  Vikram Sarabhai received the Padma Bhushanin 1966 for his contribution to India’s progress. He was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1972, posthumously.

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10. Bhagat Singh

Context:

Prime Minister and Union Home Minister paid tributes to freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on his 113th birth anniversary.

Concept:

 Bhagat Singh was born in Punjab, India (now Pakistan), on September 27, 1907, to a Sikh family deeply involved in political activities. He quit school at thirteen to devote his life to Indian independence.  He became involved in several violent demonstrations of political defiance and was arrested several times.  By the time Bhagat Singh was 13, he was well familiar with this family’s revolutionary activities. His father was a supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, and after Gandhi called for boycotting government-aided institutions, Singh left school and enrolled in the National College at Lahore, where he studied European revolutionary movements.  In time, he would become disenchanted with Gandhi’s non-violent crusade, believing that armed conflict was the only way to political freedom.  In 1926, Bhagat Singh founded the 'Naujavan Bharat Sabha (Youth Society of India) and joined the Hindustan Republican Association (later known as Hindustan Socialist Republican Association), where he met several prominent revolutionaries.  In 1928, the British government held the Simon Commission to discuss autonomy for the Indian people. Several Indian political organizations boycotted the event because the Commission had no Indian representatives. In October, Bhagat Singh’s comrade, Lala Lajpat Rai led a march in protest against the Commission.  To avenge death, Bhagat Singh and two others plotted to kill the police superintendent, but instead shot and killed police officer John P. Saunders.

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Singh and his fellow conspirators escaped arrest despite a massive search to apprehend them.  In April 1929, Bhagat Singh and an associate bombed the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi to protest implementation of the Public Safety Bill. The bombs they carried allegedly were not intended to kill but to scare (no one was killed, though there were some injuries). The bombers planned to get arrested and stand trial so they could further promote their cause.  The actions of the young revolutionaries were soundly condemned by followers of Gandhi, but Bhagat Singh was delighted to have a stage on which to promote his cause. He offered no defense during the trial but disrupted the proceedings with rants of political dogma. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.  Through further investigation, the police discovered the connection between Bhagat Singh and the murder of Officer Saunders and he was rearrested. While awaiting trial, he led a hunger strike in prison. Eventually, Singh and his co-conspirators were tried and sentenced to hang. He was executed on March 23, 1931

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Geography 1. Pangong Tso

Context:

Indian Army thwarted an attempt by China to change the status quo near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by deploying its troops to a previously un- deployed area on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake in eastern Ladakh.

Concept:

 Pangong Tso is an endorheic lake (landlocked) that is partly in India’s Ladakh region and partly in Tibet.  Nearly two-thirds of the lake is controlled by China, with just about 45 km under Indian control. The LAC, running north-south, cuts the western part of the lake, aligned east-west.  Situated at an elevation of about 4,270 m, it is a nearly 135-km long, narrow lake — 6 km at its widest point — and shaped liked a boomerang  The lake’s water, while crystal clear, is brackish, making it undrinkable. The lake freezes during the winter, allowing some vehicular movement on it as well

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2. Agriculture GDP, LaNina

Context:

April-June 2020 is the third straight quarter where the country’s farm sector output has grown at a higher rate than overall GDP in “real” terms

Concept:

 The latest quarterly estimates of GDP released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) shows that the gross value added (GVA) from agriculture, forestry & fishing grew by 3.4 per cent at constant prices in April-June 2020 over April-June 2019.  This was as against a 22.8 per cent year-on-year decline in overall real GVA for the quarter.  GVA is basically GDP net of all indirect taxes and subsidies on goods and services.  With the southwest monsoon rainfall being 9.8 per cent above normal during June-August and kharif acreages 8.6 per cent higher than last year – the probability of a developing ‘La Nina’ bodes well for the coming rabi crop as well – agricultural growth is set to be buoyant in the rest of the fiscal as well.

ENSO:

 ENSO is one of the most important climate phenomena on Earth due to its ability to change the global atmospheric circulation, which in turn, influences temperature and precipitation across the globe.  Though ENSO is a single climate phenomenon, it has three states, or phases, it can be in. The two opposite phases, “El Niño” and “La Niña,” require certain changes in both the ocean and the atmosphere because ENSO is a coupled climate phenomenon.  El Niño: A warming of the ocean surface, or above-average sea surface temperatures (SST), in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Over Indonesia, rainfall tends to become reduced while rainfall

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increases over the tropical Pacific Ocean. The low-level surface winds, which normally blow from east to west along the equator (“easterly winds”), instead weaken or, in some cases, start blowing the other direction (from west to east or “westerly winds”).  La Niña: A cooling of the ocean surface, or below-average sea surface temperatures (SST), in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Over Indonesia, rainfall tends to increase while rainfall decreases over the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The normal easterly winds along the equator become even stronger.

 Neutral: Neither El Niño or La Niña. Often tropical Pacific SSTs are generally close to average.

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3. Asteroids

Context:

Asteroid 465824 2010 FR was expected to cross the Earth’s orbit on September 6.

Concept:

 Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the Sun, much smaller than planets. They are also called minor planets.  According to NASA, 994,383 is the count for known asteroids, the remnants from the formation of the solar system over 4.6 billion years ago.  Asteroids are divided into three classes. o First, those found in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, which is estimated to contain somewhere between 1.1-1.9 million asteroids. o The second group is that of trojans, which are asteroids that share an orbit with a larger planet. NASA reports the presence of Jupiter, Neptune and Mars trojans. In 2011, they reported an Earth trojan as well. o The third classification is Near-Earth Asteroids (NEA), which have orbits that pass close by the Earth. Those that cross the Earth’s orbit are called Earth-crossers. More than 10,000 such asteroids are known, out of which over 1,400 are classified as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs).  Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth. Specifically, all asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.05 au or less are considered PHA.

Threats:

 NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations Program finds, tracks and characterises over 90 per cent of the predicted number of NEOs that are 140 metre or larger which according to the space agency are of “the

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greatest concern” due to the level of devastation that their impact is capable of causing.  No asteroid larger than 140 metre has a “significant” chance of hitting the Earth for the next 100 years.

Measures:

 Over the years, scientists have suggested different ways to ward off such threats, such as blowing up the asteroid before it reaches Earth, or deflecting it off its Earth-bound course by hitting it with a spacecraft.  Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA), which includes NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera. The mission’s target is Didymos, a binary near-Earth asteroid, one of whose bodies is of the size that could pose the most likely significant threat to Earth.

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4. Typhoon Haishen

Context:

Typhoon Haishen made landfall over southern Japan becoming the country’s second landfalling typhoon within a week.

Concept:

 The typhoon is categorised as a Category 4 storm which means well-built framed houses can suffer severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and exterior walls.  Multiple typhoons hit Japan every year and typically, typhoon season is expected to last till November.  The damage associated with strong typhoons include wind damage, water damage, high tide damage and wave damage.

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 Depending on where they occur, hurricanes may be called typhoons or cyclones. The scientific name for all these kinds of storms is tropical cyclones.  The tropical cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean or the eastern Pacific Ocean are called hurricanes and the ones that form in the Northwest Pacific are called typhoons. Tropical storms that form in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea are called cyclones.

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5. Typhoon Haishen

Context:

Typhoon Haishen made landfall over southern Japan becoming the country’s second landfalling typhoon within a week.

Concept:

 The typhoon is categorised as a Category 4 storm which means well-built framed houses can suffer severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and exterior walls.  Multiple typhoons hit Japan every year and typically, typhoon season is expected to last till November.  The damage associated with strong typhoons include wind damage, water damage, high tide damage and wave damage.

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 Depending on where they occur, hurricanes may be called typhoons or cyclones. The scientific name for all these kinds of storms is tropical cyclones.  The tropical cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean or the eastern Pacific Ocean are called hurricanes and the ones that form in the Northwest Pacific are called typhoons. Tropical storms that form in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea are called cyclones.

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6. Continental shelf

Context:

 Turkey’s seismic research vessel Oruc Reis returned to waters near the southern province of Antalya  NATO members Turkey and Greece have overlapping claims to continental shelves and rights to potential energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean.  Tensions flared last month after Ankara sent Oruc Reis to map out possible oil and gas drilling prospects in waters claimed by Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.

Concept:

 The term "continental shelf" is used by geologists generally to mean that part of the continental margin which is between the shoreline and the shelf break or, where there is no noticeable slope, between the shoreline and the point where the depth of the superjacent water is approximately between 100 and 200 metres.  Continental Shelf is the gently sloping seaward extension of continental plate. These extended margins of each continent are occupied by relatively shallow seas and gulfs.  Gradient of continental is of 1° or even less. The shelf typically ends at a very steep slope, called the shelf break.  The continental shelves are covered with variable thicknesses of sediments brought down by rivers, glaciers etc. Massive sedimentary deposits received over a long time by the continental shelves, become the source of fossil fuels.  The shelf is formed mainly due to o submergence of a part of a continent o relative rise in sea level o Sedimentary deposits brought down by rivers  Importance of continent shelves

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o Marine food comes almost entirely from continental shelves; o They provide the richest fishing grounds; o They are potential sites for economic minerals

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7. Backwaters of Kottayam

Context:

Tourism authorities filming pink blooms in backwater villages to ensure people around the world connected to the destinations.

Concept:

 The backwaters in the Malabar Coast are called Kayals.  Backwaters are the shallow lagoons or inlets of the sea, lying parallel to the coastline.  The backwaters have a unique ecosystem: freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea.  The kayals are formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.  Kayals have facilitated the functioning of the National Waterway 3 from Kollam to Kottapuram, and runs almost parallel to the coastline of southern Kerala facilitating both tourism and cargo movement.

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8. Late monsoon withdrawal

Context: Late monsoon withdrawal in India due to La Niña

Concept:  Withdrawal or the retreat of the monsoon is a more gradual process.  The withdrawal of the monsoon begins in northwestern states of India by early September. By mid-October, it withdraws completely from the northern half of the peninsula.  The withdrawal from the southern half of the peninsula is fairly rapid.  By early December, the monsoon has withdrawn from the rest of the country.  The withdrawal, takes place progressively from north to south from the first week of December to the first week of January. By this time the rest of the country is already under the influence of the winter monsoon.  The months of October and November are known for retreating monsoons. By the end of September, the southwest monsoon becomes weak as the low pressure trough of the Ganga plain starts moving southward in response to the southward march of the sun.  The monsoon retreats from the western Rajasthan by the first week of September. It withdraws from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Western Ganga plain and the Central Highlands by the end of the month.  The retreating southwest monsoon season is marked by clear skies and rise in temperature. The land is still moist.  Owing to the conditions of high temperature and humidity, the weather becomes rather oppressive. This is commonly known as the ‘October heat’.  In the second half of October, the mercury begins to fall rapidly, particularly in northern India. The weather in the retreating monsoon is dry in north  India but it is associated with rain in the eastern part of the Peninsula.  By the beginning of October, the low pressure covers northern parts of the Bay of Bengal and by early November, it moves over Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

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9. Solar cycle

Context:

Scientists from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced their predictions about the new solar cycle, called Solar Cycle 25, which they believe has begun. Solar cycles have implications for life and technology on Earth as well as astronauts in space

Concept:

 Since the Sun’s surface is a very active space, electrically charged gases on its surface generate areas of powerful magnetic forces, which are called magnetic fields.  Since the gases on the Sun’s surface are constantly moving, these magnetic fields can get stretched, twisted and tangled creating motion on the surface, which is referred to as solar activity. Solar activity varied with the stages of the solar cycle.  The solar cycle is based on the Sun's magnetic field, which flips around every 11 years, with its north and south magnetic poles switching places.  Scientists track a solar cycle by using sunspots, which are the dark blotches on the Sun that are associated with solar activity.  A Sunspot is an area on the Sun that appears dark on the surface and is relatively cooler than the surrounding parts. These spots, some as large as 50,000 km in diameter, are the visible markers of the Sun’s magnetic field, which forms a blanket that protects the solar system from harmful cosmic radiation. When a Sunspot reaches up to 50,000 km in diameter, it may release a huge amount of energy that can lead to solar flares.  The beginning of a solar cycle is typically characterised by only a few sunspots and is therefore referred to as a solar minimum.  Scientists predict a solar maximum (middle of the solar cycle) will be reached by July 2025 and that this solar cycle will be as strong as the last solar cycle, which was a “below-average cycle” but not without risks.  Scientists track solar activity because it can have effects on Earth.

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 For example, when charged particles from coronal mass ejections (CMEs) reach areas near the Earth, they can trigger intense lightning in the skies referred to as auroras.  When CMEs are particularly strong, they can also interfere with the power grids, which can cause electricity shortages and power outages. NASA notes that solar flares and CMEs are the most powerful explosions in our solar system.  Further, solar flares can have a major effect on radio communications, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) connectivity, power grids, and satellites.

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Indian Polity 1. NSA

Context:

The Allahabad High Court revoked the charges under the National Security Act against Gorakhpur doctor Kafeel Khan, and asked the state government to release him immediately.

Concept:

History

 Preventive detention laws in India date back to early days of the colonial era when the Bengal Regulation III of 1818 was enacted to empower the government to arrest anyone for defence or maintenance of public order without giving the person recourse to judicial proceedings.  A century later, the British government enacted the Rowlatt Acts of 1919 that allowed confinement of a suspect without trial.  Post-independence India got its first preventive detention rule when the government of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru enacted the Preventive Detention Act of 1950.  The NSA is a close iteration of the 1950 Act. After the Preventive Detention Act expired on December 31, 1969, the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, brought in the controversial Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in 1971 giving similar powers to the government.  Though the MISA was repealed in 1977 after the Janata Party came to power, the successive government, brought in the NSA.

NSA

 The National Security Act (NSA) is an act that empowers the government to detain a person if the authorities are satisfied that he/she is a threat to national security or to prevent him/her from disrupting public order.

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 Under the law, the maximum span for which a person can be detained is 12 months. However, the government can extend it, if it feels so.  In the normal course, if a person is arrested, he or she is guaranteed certain basic rights. These include the right to be informed of the reason for the arrest. Section 50 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) mandates that the person arrested has to be informed of the grounds of arrest, and the right to bail. Sections 56 and 76 of the Cr. PC also provides that a person has to be produced before a court within 24 hours of arrest. Additionally, Article 22(1) of the Constitution says an arrested person cannot be denied the right to consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his choice.  But none of these rights are available to a person detained under the NSA. A person could be kept in the dark about the reasons for his arrest for up to five days, and in exceptional circumstances not later than 10 days. Even when providing the grounds for arrest, the government can withhold information which it considers to be against public interest to disclose. The arrested person is also not entitled to the aid of any legal practitioner in any matter connected with the proceedings before an advisory board, which is constituted by the government for dealing with NSA cases.

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2. Question Hour and Zero Hour

Context:

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats notified that there will be no Question Hour during the Monsoon Session of Parliament in view of the Covid- 19 pandemic, and that Zero Hour will be restricted in both Houses

Concept:

Question Hour

 The first hour of every parliamentary sitting is slotted for this.  Question Hour is the liveliest hour in Parliament. It is during this one hour that Members of Parliament ask questions of ministers and hold them accountable for the functioning of their ministries.  The questions that MPs ask are designed to elicit information and trigger suitable action by ministries.  The questions are of three kinds, namely, starred, unstarred and short notice.  Parliament has comprehensive rules for dealing with every aspect of Question Hour.  And the presiding officers of the two houses are the final authority with respect to the conduct of Question Hour

Zero Hour

 Unlike the question hour, the zero hour is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure.  Thus it is an informal device available to the members of the Parliament to raise matters without any prior notice.  The zero hour starts immediately after the question hour and lasts until the agenda for the day (ie, regular business of the House) is taken up.  In other words, the time gap between the question hour and the agenda is known as zero hour. It is an Indian innovation in the field of parliamentary procedures and has been in existence since 1962.

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3. Parliamentary forum

Context:

Discussions in parliamentary forums would have helped the government get feedback on the ground situation across the country and fine-tune its response.

Concept:

 The first Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation & Management was constituted on 12 August, 2005. Thereafter, four more Parliamentary Forums on Children, Youth, Population & Public Health and Global Warming & Climate Change were also constituted in the Fourteenth Lok Sabha.  During the term of the Fifteenth Lok Sabha, the Speaker, Lok Sabha constituted three more Parliamentary Forums on Disaster Management on 8 December, 2011, Artisans & Craftspeople on 26 April, 2013 and Millennium Development Goals on 11 December, 2013 there by increasing the number of Parliamentary Forums to eight.  The Parliamentary Forums do not interfere with and encroach upon the jurisdiction of the Departmentally Related Standing Committees and the respective Ministry/Department.  The objectives behind constitution of these Parliamentary Forums are to: o provide a platform to the Members of Parliament to have interaction with the concerned Ministers, Experts and key officials from the nodal Ministries with a view to have a focussed and meaningful discussion on critical issues with a result-oriented approach for speeding up the implementation process; o sensitize the Members of Parliament about the key areas of concern as well as the ground-level situation and equip them with latest information, knowledge, technical knowhow and valuable inputs from experts both from the country and abroad for enabling them to raise these issues effectively on the Floor of the House and in the meetings of Parliamentary Committees; and

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o prepare a data-base through collection of data/information on critical issues from the concerned Ministries, Internet, NGOs, newspapers, United Nations, etc. and circulation thereof to the Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha so that they can meaningfully participate in the deliberations at the meetings of the Forums and seek clarifications from the experts or officials from the Ministry present in the Meetings.  Composition: The guidelines of the respective Forum provide that the Speaker, Lok Sabha is of all the Parliamentary Forums except the Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health where the Chairman, Rajya Sabha is the ex-officio President and the Speaker, Lok Sabha is the ex-officio Co-President of the Forum.  Apart from President, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, the concerned Ministers and Chairpersons of the respective Departmentally Related Standing Committees are ex-officio Vice-Presidents of the Forum.  Each Forum consists of not more than 31 members (excluding the President, Co-President and Vice-Presidents) out of whom not more than 21 are from Lok Sabha and not more than 10 are from Rajya Sabha.  The term of office of the Members of the Forum is co-terminus with their membership in the respective Houses.

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4. Basic structure

Context:

Kesavananda Bharati, the petitioner of the landmark ruling in which the Supreme Court announced the basic structure doctrine was dead.

Concept:

 A 13-judge Bench was set up by the Supreme Court, the biggest so far, and the case was heard over 68 working days spread over six months.  The case was primarily about the extent of Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution.  First, the court was reviewing a 1967 decision in Golaknath v State of Punjab which, had ruled that Parliament cannot amend fundamental rights.  Second, the court was deciding the constitutional validity of several other amendments.  The executive vs judiciary manoeuvres displayed in the amendments ended with the Kesavananda Bharati case, in which the court had to settle these issues conclusively.  In its majority ruling, the court held that fundamental rights cannot be taken away by amending them. While the court said that Parliament had vast powers to amend the Constitution, it drew the line by observing that certain parts are so inherent and intrinsic to the Constitution that even Parliament cannot touch it.  The origins of the basic structure doctrine are found in the German Constitution which, after the Nazi regime, was amended to protect some basic laws. The original Weimar Constitution, which gave Parliament to amend the Constitution with a two-thirds majority, was in fact used by Hitler to his advantage to made radical changes. Learning from that experience, the new German Constitution introduced substantive limits on Parliament’s powers to amend certain parts of the Constitution which it considered ‘basic law’.

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 In India, the basic structure doctrine has formed the bedrock of judicial review of all laws passed by Parliament.  The present position is that the Parliament under Article 368 can amend any part of the Constitution including the Fundamental Rights but without affecting the basic structure of the Constitution.  However, the Supreme Court is yet to define or clarify as to what constitutes the basic structure of the Constitution. From the various judgments, the following have emerged as basic features of the Constitution or elements / components / ingredients of the ‘basic structure’ of the constitution: o Supremacy of the Constitution o Sovereign, democratic and republican nature of the Indian polity o Secular character of the Constitution o Separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary o Federal character of the Constitution o Unity and integrity of the nation o Welfare state (socio-economic justice) o Judicial review o Freedom and dignity of the individual o Parliamentary system o Rule of law o Harmony and balance between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles o Principle of equality o Free and fair elections o Independence of Judiciary o Limited power of Parliament to amend the Constitution o Effective access to justice o Principle of reasonableness

Powers of the Supreme Court under Articles 32, 136, 141 and 142

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5. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman

Context:

Opposition parties is going to field a joint candidate for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Rayja Sabha, the Congress decided after a virtual meeting of its parliamentary strategy group (PSG).

Concept:

 The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Sabha itself from amongst its members. Whenever the office of the Deputy Chairman falls vacant, the Rajya Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy.  The Deputy Chairman vacates his office in any of the following three cases: o if he ceases to be a member of the Rajya Sabha; o if he resigns by writing to the Chairman; and o if he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the members of the Rajya Sabha. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days advance notice.  The Deputy Chairman performs the duties of the Chairman’s office when it is vacant or when the Vice-President acts as President or discharges the functions of the President. He also acts as the Chairman when the latter is absent from the sitting of the House. In both the cases, he has all the powers of the Chairman.  It should be emphasised here that the Deputy Chairman is not subordinate to the Chairman. He is directly responsible to the Rajya Sabha.  Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, while presiding over the House, cannot vote in the first instance; he can only exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie.  Further, when a resolution for the removal of the Deputy Chairman is under consideration of the House, he cannot preside over a sitting of the House, though he may be present.

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 When the Chairman presides over the House, the Deputy Chairman is like any other ordinary member of the House. He can speak in the House, participate in its proceedings and vote on any question before the House.  Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman is also entitled to a regular salary and allowance. They are fixed by Parliament and are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.

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6. Poll campaign expenditure cap

Context:

Election Commission of India has proposed a 10 per cent increase in the campaign expenditure limit for all future elections given the constraints posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Concept:

 The Election Commission (EC) imposes limits on campaign expenditure incurred by a candidate, not political parties.  Rule 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules 1961 deals with election expenditure.  Expenditure by a Lok Sabha candidate is capped between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 70 lakh, depending on the state she is fighting from.  In Assembly elections, the ceiling is between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 28 lakh. This includes money spent by a political party or a supporter towards the candidate’s campaign.  However, expenses incurred either by a party or the leader of a party for propagating the party’s programme are not covered.  Candidates must mandatorily file a true account of election expenses with the EC.  An incorrect account, or expenditure beyond the ceiling can attract disqualification for up to three years under Section 10A of The Representation of the People Act, 1951.

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7. Prior restraint and Article 19

Context:

 Different courts recently gave conflicting rulings involving the broadcast of two shows. In each case, one court restricted the broadcast and another refused to interfere.  These raise questions on the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, and whether these can be restrained prior to broadcast or publishing.

Concept:

 Section 5 of Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995 prescribes that no person shall transmit or re-transmit through a cable service any programme unless such programme is in conformity with the prescribed programme code.  Section 19 gives the power to prohibit a broadcast in the public interest if the programme is likely to promote, on grounds of religion, race, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, linguistic or regional groups or castes or communities or which is likely to disturb the public tranquility.  Prior restraint is prohibiting the exercise of free speech before it can take place.  Imposition of pre-censorship or prior restraint on speech is a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression enshrined in Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution.  Any restrictions imposed on this right have to be found under Article 19(2) of the Constitution, which lists out “reasonable restrictions” that include interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, public order, and incitement to an offence.

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 Any legislation that imposes a prior restraint on speech usually has the burden to show that the reason for such restraint can be found under Article 19(2). It is generally allowed only in exceptional circumstances.  The idea is that speech can be restricted only when judged on its actual content and not pre-emptively based on perceptions of what it could be.  The court has adopted the “proximity” test to determine if public order would be affected to allow prior restraint — the state is required to demonstrate a proximate link between public order and the speech.

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8. Breach of legislature’s privilege

Context:

A motion for breach of privilege was moved in the Maharashtra Assembly against Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami. A similar motion was moved in the Maharashtra Legislative Council against actor Kangana Ranaut.

Concept:

 Parliamentary privilege refers to rights and immunities enjoyed by Parliament as an institution and MPs in their individual capacity, without which they cannot discharge their functions as entrusted upon them by the Constitution  According to the Constitution, the powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and MP's are to be defined by Parliament (Article 105). No law has so far been enacted in this respect.  Article 194 deals with the powers, privileges and immunities of the State Legislatures, their Members and their committees.  In the absence of any such law, it continues to be governed by British Parliamentary conventions. Breach of privilege  While the Constitution has accorded special privileges and powers to parliamentarians and legislators to maintain the dignity and authority of the Houses, these powers and privileges are not codified. Thus, there are no clear, notified rules to decide what constitutes a breach of privilege, and the punishment it attracts.  Any act that obstructs or impedes either House of the state legislature in performing its functions, or which obstructs or impedes any Member or officer of such House in the discharge of his duty, or has a tendency, directly or indirectly, to produce such results is treated as breach of privilege.  It is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make speeches or to print or publish libel reflecting on the character or proceedings of the

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House, or its Committees, or on any member of the House for or relating to his character or conduct as a legislator.  A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege  The Speaker/Chairperson can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.  If the Speaker/Chair gives consent under Rule 222, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.

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9. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act

Context:

Sushant Singh Rajput death case has brought focus on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act

Concept:

 The NDPS Act enacted in 1985 is the primary legislation for dealing with drugs and their trafficking.  It was passed as India had to fulfil obligations as a signatory of various international conventions on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances to prevent its use and illicit trafficking.  It has various provisions to punish manufacturing, sale, possession, consumption, use, transport of banned drugs.  Punishment under the Act can vary based upon the sections the accused is charged.  The central government can add or omit from the list of psychotropic substances.  India is a signatory to The UN Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs 1961, The Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 and The Convention on Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988 which prescribe various forms of control aimed to achieve the dual objective of limiting the use of narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes as well as preventing the abuse of the same.  Narcotics Control Bureau was constituted by the Government of India in 1986 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.  The aspect of drug supply reduction is looked after by various enforcement agencies under the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs and State Governments. The aspect of drug demand reduction is handled by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and that of treatment of drug addicts and their rehabilitation falls under the domain of the Ministry of Health.

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10. NDPS Act

Context:

Actor Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and was charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

Concept:

 The NDPS Act is the primary legislation for dealing with drugs and their trafficking.  It has various provisions to punish manufacturing, sale, possession, consumption, use, transport of banned drugs.  Punishment under the Act can vary based upon the sections the accused is charged.  The Act has provisions for the court to grant immunity from prosecution to an addict involved in a small quantity of drugs after they voluntarily seek to undergo medical treatment for deaddiction under section 64A.  The Act also has the maximum punishment of the death penalty under section 31A for certain offences involving commercial quantities of a drug if the accused has been convicted before as well.  The central government can add or omit from the list of psychotropic substances. For instance, in 2015, the central government classified mephedrone – also called as meth or meow meow – as a psychotropic substance in the Act after its popularity grew among the youth .

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11. Breach of legislatures privilege

Context: Maharashtra assembly as moved motions of breach of privilege against Arnab Goswami and Kangana Ranaut.

Concept:  The powers, privileges and immunities of either House of the Indian Parliament and of its Members and committees are laid down in Article 105 of the Constitution.  Article 194 deals with the powers, privileges and immunities of the State Legislatures, their Members and their committees.  Parliamentary privilege refers to the right and immunity enjoyed by legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made in the course of their legislative duties. What constitutes breach of privilege?  The Constitution has accorded special privileges and powers to parliamentarians and legislators to maintain the dignity and authority of the Houses.  These powers and privileges are not codified. Thus, there are no clear, notified rules to decide what constitutes a breach of privilege, and the punishment it attracts.  Any act that obstructs or impedes either House of the state legislature in performing its functions, or which obstructs or impedes any Member or officer of such House in the discharge of his duty, or has a tendency, directly or indirectly, to produce such results is treated as breach of privilege.  It is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make speeches or to print or publish libel reflecting on the character or proceedings of the House, or its Committees, or on any member of the House for or relating to his character or conduct as a legislator.

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12. Business Advisory Committee

Context:

The Congress and other opposition parties raised demands of discussion on issues of national security like the border situation with China, handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, economy and GST compensation to states in the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha.

Concept:

 The Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha consists of 15 members including the Speaker who is the ex-officio Chairperson.  The members are nominated by the Speaker.  In practice, a new Committee after being nominated by the Speaker is constituted and assumes office in the first week of June every year.  Casual vacancies are filled by nomination of new members for the unexpired term of the Committee.  The Committee generally meets at the beginning of each Session and thereafter as and when necessary.  Almost all sections of the House are represented on the Committee.  The function of the Committee is to recommend the time that should be allotted for the discussion of such government legislative and other business as the Speaker, in consultation with the Leader of the House, may direct to be referred to the Committee.  The Committee, on its own initiative, may also recommend to the Government to bring forward particular subjects for discussion in the House and recommend allocation of time for such discussions.  The decisions reached by the Committee are always unanimous in character and representative of the collective view of the House.

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13. Bonded Labour Context : Swami Agnivesh was widely known for his campaign against bonded labour through his foundation BandhuaMuktiMorcha (Bonded Labor Liberation Front).

Concept:  Bonded labour in India is defined as a system of forced labour caused by a debt or by social custom or obligation, under which a debtor loses freedom of movement, and/or freedom to look for alternative employment, and /or is subjected to a reduction in wages and/or to product prices less than the minimum or market rates  Article 23 deals with bonded labour  Traffic in human beings and begar and other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited and any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.  Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from imposing compulsory service for public purposes, and in imposing such service the State shall not make any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste or class or any of them

Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976  Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 is implemented by the concerned State Govts./UTs. Itprovides for an institutional mechanism at the district level in the form of Vigilance Committees.  For the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Act, the State Governments/UTs may confer, on an Executive Magistrate, the powers of a Judicial Magistrate of the first class or second class for trial of offences under this Act.  Government of India has introduced a revamped Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers- 2016, under which financial assistance are provided to released bonded labourers based on their category and level of exploitation along with other non-cash assistance for their livelihood.

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14. History of Parliamentary Question hour

Context:

The decision to go without “Question Hour” during the Monsoon Session of Parliament has evoked serious concerns about the democratic functioning of the institution.

Concept:

 The right to question the executive has been exercised by members of the House from the colonial period.  The first Legislative Council in British India under the Charter Act, 1853, showed some degree of independence by giving members the power to ask questions to the executive.  Later, the Indian Council Act of 1861 allowed members to elicit information by means of questions  However, it was the Indian Council Act, 1892, which formulated the rules for asking questions including short notice questions.  The next stage of the development of procedures related to questions came up with the framing of rules under the Indian Council Act, 1909, which incorporated provisions for asking supplementary questions by members.  The Montague-Chelmsford reforms brought forth a significant change in 1919 by incorporating a rule that the first hour of every meeting was earmarked for questions. Parliament has continued this tradition.  In 1921, there was another change. The question on which a member desired to have an oral answer, was distinguished by him with an asterisk, a star. This marked the beginning of starred questions.

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15. Supplementary demand for grants

Context:

The Supplementary Demand for Grants 2020-21, introduced in the House included Rs 40,000 crore for enhanced expenditure under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program

Concept:

 The additional grant required to meet the required expenditure of the government is called Supplementary Grants.  When grants, authorised by the Parliament, fall short of the required expenditure, an estimate is presented before the Parliament for Supplementary or Additional grants. These grants are presented and passed by the Parliament before the end of the financial year.  The Public Accounts Committee examines these excesses and gives recommendations to the Parliament.  Comptroller and Auditor General of India bring such excesses to the notice of the Parliament.  The Demand for Excess Grants is made after the actual expenditure is incurred and is presented to the Parliament after the end of the financial year in which the expenses were made.

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16. Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Context:

The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which has already been cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year, was passed by Rajya Sabha.

Features of the Act

 The Bill converts three existing bodies under the Ministry of Civil Aviation into statutory bodies under the Act. These three authorities are: (i) the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), (ii) the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and (iii) the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Each of these bodies will be headed by a Director General who will be appointed by the centre.  The DGCA will carry out safety oversight and regulatory functions with respect to matters under the Bill.  The BCAS will carry out regulatory oversight functions related to civil aviation security.  The AAIB will carry out investigations related to aircraft accidents and incidents.  Under the Act, the central government may make rules on several matters. These include: (i) registration of aircraft, (ii) regulating air transport services, and (iii) prohibition of flight over any specified area  Offences and Penalties: Under the Act, the penalty for various offences is imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, or both. These offences include: (i) carrying arms, explosives, or other dangerous goods aboard aircraft, (ii) contravening any rules notified under the Act, and (iii) constructing building or structures within the specified radius around an aerodrome reference point.  Under the Bill, the central government may cancel the licences, certificates, or approvals granted to a person under the Act if the person contravenes any provision of the Act. Such licences include those given for:

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(i) the establishment of an air transport service, (ii) the establishment of aerodromes, and (iii) the operation, repair, and maintenance of aircraft.  Courts will not take cognizance of any offence under this Act, unless a complaint is made by, or there is previous sanction from the Director General of Civil Aviation, BCAS, or AAIB. Only courts equivalent or superior to a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Magistrate of the first class may try offences under the Act.  Exemption for Armed Forces: Aircraft belonging to the naval, military, or air forces of the Union are exempted from the provisions of the Act. The Bill expands this exemption to include aircraft belonging to any other armed forces of the Union. However, aircrafts belonging to an armed force other than the naval, military, and air forces which are currently regulated under the Act will continue to do so until specified otherwise by the central government.

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17. MPLADS

Context:

Opposition demand for restoration of MPLADS funds in parliamentary session.

Concept:

 The Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme which was launched in 1993-94. The Scheme enables the Members of Parliament to recommend works for creation of durable community assets based on locally felt needs to be taken up in their constituencies in the area of national priorities namely drinking water, education, public health, sanitation, roads etc.  The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been responsible for the policy formulation, release of funds and prescribing monitoring mechanism for implementation of the Scheme.  The MPLADS is a Plan Scheme fully funded by Government of India. The annual MPLADS fund entitlement per MP constituency is Rs. 5 crore.  Lok Sabha Members can recommend works within their Constituencies and Elected Members of Rajya Sabha can recommend works within the State of Election (with select exceptions). Nominated Members of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha can recommend works anywhere in the country.

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18. Essential Commodities Amendment Bill

Context:

Lok Sabha passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Features of the Bill:

 The Bill will replace the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance which was promulgated on 5th June this year.  The Bill seeks to amend the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and empowers the central government in terms of production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce of certain commodities.  It also seeks to increase competition in the agriculture sector and enhance farmers’ income. The bill aims to liberalise the regulatory system while protecting the interests of consumers.  The bill empowers the central government to designate certain commodities including food items, fertilizers, and petroleum products as essential commodities.  Supply of certain food items including cereals, pulses, potato, onions, edible oilseeds, and oils, can be regulated by the government under extraordinary circumstances as per the provisions of this bill. The extraordinary circumstances include war, famine, extraordinary price rise and natural calamity of grave nature.  The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 empowers the central government to regulate the stock of an essential commodity that a person can hold.  The provisions of the bill regarding the regulation of food items and the imposition of stock limits will however not apply to any government order relating to the Public Distribution System or the Targeted Public Distribution System.  It requires that imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce must be based on price rise. A stock limit may be imposed only if there is: (i) a 100% increase in retail price of horticultural produce; and (ii) a 50%

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increase in the retail price of non-perishable agricultural food items. The increase will be calculated over the price prevailing immediately preceding twelve months, or the average retail price of the last five years, whichever is lower.

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19. Inter-State Migrant Workmen (ISMW) Act, 1979

Context:

In the last five years, there have been no inter-State migrant workers registered in the Delhi, Dehradun or Patna regions. Nationwide, there were less than 34,000 workers registered in 2019-20 under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (ISMW) Act, 1979, according to a response to a recent Right to Information Act request.

Concept:

 Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979. t was enacted to prevent the exploitation of inter-state migrant workmen by contractors, and to ensure fair and decent conditions of employment.  The law requires all establishments hiring inter-state migrants to be registered, and contractors who recruit such workmen be licensed.  Contractors are obligated to provide details of all workmen to the relevant authority. Migrant workmen are entitled to wages similar to other workmen, displacement allowance, journey allowance, and payment of wages during the period of journey.  Contractors are also required to ensure regular payment, non- discrimination, provisioning of suitable accommodation, free medical facilities and protective clothing for the workmen.

Status of implementation

 The onerous requirements set out in this law incentivize contractors and employers to under-report inter-state workmen rather than to register them.  Since the Act is barely implemented, it exists as another law that potentially provides rent-seeking opportunities to enterprising government inspectors while failing in its main objective.

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 Another consequence of weak implementation is the absence of government preparedness and the consequent failure in preventing genuine hardships for vulnerable groups.

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20. Official languages for state

Context:

On the agenda of the ongoing monsoon session in Parliament is a bill to introduce Hindi, Kashmiri and Dogri as official languages in Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to English and Urdu.

Concept:

 Part XVII of the Constitution deals with the official language in Articles 343 to 351  The Constitution does not specify the official language of different states. In this regard, it makes the following provisions.  The legislature of a state may adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the state or Hindi as the official language of that state. Until that is done, English is to continue as official language of that state.  Under this provision, most of the states have adopted the major regional language as their official language. For example, Andhra Pradesh has adopted Telugu, Kerala—Malayalam, Assam—Assamese, West Bengal— Bengali, Odisha—Odia.  Notably, the choice of the state is not limited to the languages enumerated in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.  For the time being, the official language of the Union (i.e., English) would remain the link language for communications between the Union and the states or between various states. But, two or more states are free to agree to use Hindi (instead of English) for communication between themselves.  The Official Language Act (1963) lays down that English should be used for purposes of communication between the Union and the non-Hindi states (that is, the states that have not adopted Hindi as their official language). Further, where Hindi is used for communication between a Hindi and a non-Hindi state, such communication in Hindi should be accompanied by an English translation.

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 When the President (on a demand being made) is satisfied that a substantial proportion of the population of a state desire the use of any language spoken by them to be recognised by that state, then he may direct that such language shall also be officially recognised in that state. This provision aims at protecting the linguistic interests of minorities in the states

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21. Adjournment motion

Context:

Congress moved an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha over the “surveillance” of key Indian personalities, including the President and Prime Minister, by a firm linked to the Chinese government

Concept:

 It is introduced in the Parliament to draw attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance, and needs the support of 50 members to be admitted.  As it interrupts the normal business of the House, it is regarded as an extraordinary device. It involves an element of censure against the government and hence Rajya Sabha is not permitted to make use of this device.  The discussion on an adjournment motion should last for not less than two hours and thirty minutes.  The right to move a motion for an adjournment of the business of the House is subject to the following restrictions:

1. It should raise a matter which is definite, factual, urgent and of public importance;

2. It should not cover more than one matter;

3. It should be restricted to a specific matter of recent occurrence and should not be framed in general terms;

4. It should not raise a question of privilege;

5. It should not revive discussion on a matter that has been discussed in the same session;

6. It should not deal with any matter that is under adjudication by court; and

7. It should not raise any question that can be raised on a distinct motion.

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22. National Fisheries Policy

Context:

Government has decided for introducing a comprehensive and integrated ‘National Fisheries Policy, 2020’

Concept:

 It is by integrating the National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017 (NPMF), the Draft National Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (NIFAP) and the Draft National Mariculture Policy (NMP) along with the elements of Post Harvest.

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23. MPs salary

Context:

Lok Sabha passed a bill proposing a 30 percent salary cut in the salaries of MPs for one year

Concept:

 Article 106 of the Constitution empowers MPs to determine their salaries and allowances by enacting laws.  Till 2018, Parliament periodically passed laws to revise the salaries of MPs. In 2018 through the Finance Act, Parliament amended the law setting the salary for MPs. It revised their salary and provided that the salary, daily allowance, and pension of MPs shall be increased every five years, based on the cost inflation index provided under the Income-tax Act, 1961.  Further, in 1985, Parliament enacted a law that delegated the power to set and revise certain allowances of MPs such as constituency allowance, office allowance, and housing allowance to the central government.

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24. Article 293

Context:

The GST Council can recommend to the Central government to permit the States to borrow money, as a measure for meeting the compensation gap, Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal had opined

Concept:

Article 293: Borrowing by States

1. Subject to the provisions of this article, the executive power of a State extends to borrowing within the territory of India upon the security of the Consolidated Fund of the State within such limits, if any, as may from time to time be fixed by the Legislature of such State by law and to the giving of guarantees within such limits, if any, as may be so fixed 2. The Government of India may, subject to such conditions as may be laid down by or under any law made by Parliament, make loans to any State or, so long as any limits fixed under Article 292 are not exceeded, give guarantees in respect of loans raised by any State, and any sums required for the purpose of making such loans shall be charged on the Consolidated Fund of India 3. A State may not without the consent of the Government of India raise any loan if there is still outstanding any part of a loan which has been made to the State by the Government of India or by its predecessor Government, or in respect of which a guarantee has been given by the Government of India or by its predecessor Government 4.A consent under clause ( 3 ) may be granted subject to such conditions, if any, as the Government of India may think fit to impose CHAPTER III PROPERTY, CONTRACTS, RIGHTS, LIABILITIES, OBLIGATIONS AND SUITS

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25. 7th Schedule and Interstate Council

Context:

India’s response to Covid-19 reflects the power, problems, potential of federalism

Concept:

Interstate Council

 Article 263 of the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of an Inter-State Council.  The text of the Article reads as under: "263. Provisions with respect to an inter-State Council – If at any time it appears to the President that the public interests would be served by the establishment of a Council charged with the duty of – o inquiring into and advising upon disputes which may have arisen between States; o investigating and discussing subjects in which some or all of the States, or the Union and one or more of the States, have a common interest; or o making recommendations upon any such subject and, in particular, recommendations for the better co-ordination of policy and action with respect to that subject, o it shall be lawful for the President by order to establish such a Council, and to define the nature of the duties to be performed by it and its organization and procedure.”  The Commission on Centre-State Relations under the Chairmanship of Justice R. S. Sarkaria in its report in January 1988 recommended that: o A permanent Inter-State Council called the Inter-Governmental Council (IGC) should be set up under Article 263. o The IGC should be charged with the duties set out in clauses (b) and (c) of Article 263, other than socio-economic planning and development

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o Government of India accepted the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission to set-up an Inter-State Council and notified the establishment of the Inter-State Council  The Inter-State Council was established under Article 263 of the Constitution of India on 1990  The Council consists of:- o Prime Minister – Chairman o Chief Ministers of all States – Members o Chief Ministers of Union Territories having a Legislative Assembly and Administrators of UTs not having a Legislative Assembly – Members o Six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers to be nominated by the Prime Minister – Members

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26. Official Secrets Act

Context:

The Delhi police has arrested a under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

Concept: OSA has its roots in the British colonial era. The original version was The Indian Official Secrets Act (Act XIV), 1889. This was brought in with the main objective of muzzling the voice of a large number of newspapers that had come up in several languages, and were opposing the Raj’s policies, building political consciousness and facing police crackdowns and prison terms. It was amended and made more stringent in the form of The Indian Official Secrets Act, 1904, during Lord Curzon’s tenure as Viceroy of India. In 1923, a newer version was notified. The Indian Official Secrets Act (Act No XIX of 1923) was extended to all matters of secrecy and confidentiality in governance in the country. It broadly deals with two aspects  Section 3 cover spying or espionage, covered  Section 5 covers disclosure of other secret information of the government. Secret information can be any official code, password, sketch, plan, model, article, note, document, or information. Under Section 5, both the person communicating the information and the person receiving the information can be punished RTI Act vs OSA  Section 22 of the RTI Act provides for its primacy vis-a-vis provisions of other laws, including OSA. Therefore, if there is any inconsistency in OSA with regard to furnishing of information, it will be superseded by the RTI Act.  However, under Sections 8 and 9 of the RTI Act, the government can refuse information. Effectively, if the government classifies a document as “secret”

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under OSA Clause 6, that document can be kept outside the ambit of the RTI Act, and the government can invoke Sections 8 or 9. Do we need to reform OSA?  Law Commission report ‘Offences against National Security’, 1971 observed that “it agrees with the contention” that “merely because a circular is marked secret or confidential, it should not attract the provisions of the Act if the publication thereof is in the interest of the public and no question of national emergency and interest of the State as such arises”. The Law Commission, however, did not recommend any changes to the Act.  Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) recommended that OSA be repealed, and replaced with a chapter in the National Security Act containing provisions relating to official secrets.  In 2015, the government had set up a committee to look into provisions of the OSA in light of the RTI Act. It submitted its report to the Cabinet Secretariat on June 16, 2017, recommending that OSA be made more transparent and in line with the RTI Act.

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27. Deputy chairman removal

Context:

Twelve opposition parties gave notice for a no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, accusing him of violating the parliamentary procedures in trying to pass the farm sector Bills in haste, circumventing all demands for proper voting.

Concept:

 Rajya Sabha elects a Deputy Chairman to perform the functions of the Chairman in case of a vacancy in the office of the Chairman or when the Vice-President is acting as or discharging the functions of the President.  Article 90 deals with “vacation and resignation of, and removal from, the office of Deputy Chairman a member holding office as Deputy Chairman of the Council of States”.  A member holding office as Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by a majority of all the then members of the Rajya Sabha; but the resolution can be moved only when at least fourteen days’ notice has been given of the intention of moving

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28. Select Committee

Context:

Government pushed through two crucial agriculture Bills in Rajya Sabha, rejecting Opposition demands that they be referred to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha.

Concept:

 India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees. They can be differentiated on the basis of their work, their membership and the length of their tenure.  First are committees that examine bills, budgets and policies of ministries. These are called departmentally related Standing Committees. There are 24 such committees and between them, they focus on the working of different ministries. Each committee has 31 MPs, 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.  Then there are committees constituted for a specific purpose, with MPs from both Houses. The specific purpose could be detailed scrutiny of a subject matter or a Bill. These are Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPC). In 2011 the issue of telecom licences and spectrum was examined by a JPC headed by Congress MP P C Chacko. In 2016, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was sent to a JPC chaired by BJP MP Rajendra Agarwal.  And finally, there is a Select Committee on a Bill. This is formed for examining a particular Bill and its membership is limited to MPs from one House. Last year Rajya Sabha referred the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 to a Select Committee of 23 of its MPs from different parties. Since both the JPCs and Select Committees are constituted for a specific purpose, they are disbanded after their report. Both these types of committees are chaired by MPs from the ruling party.

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29. Speaker role and adjournment

Context:

Lok Sabha Speaker obliged to demand for adjournment of the House. The request was made as several Opposition members were on a sit-in protest in Rajya Sabha, which would have meant that MPs allocated seats there on account of social distancing protocol would not have been able to take their places.

Concept:

 The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members (as soon as may be, after its first sitting).  Whenever the office of the Speaker falls vacant, the Lok Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy. The date of election of the Speaker is fixed by the President.  Usually, the Speaker remains in office during the life of the Lok Sabha. However, he has to vacate his office earlier in any of the following three cases: o if he ceases to be a member of the Lok Sabha; o if he resigns by writing to the Deputy Speaker; and o if he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the members of the Lok Sabha. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days advance notice.  When a resolution for the removal of the Speaker is under consideration of the House, he cannot preside at the sitting of the House, though he may be present. However, he can speak and take part in the proceedings of the House at such a time and vote in the first instance, though not in the case of an equality of votes.  It should be noted here that, whenever the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker does not vacate his office and continues till the newly- elected Lok Sabha meets.  The Speaker is the head of the Lok Sabha, and its representative. He is the guardian of powers and privileges of the members, the House as a whole

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and its committees. He is the principal spokesman of the House, and his decision in all Parliamentary matters is final. He is thus much more than merely the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha.  The Speaker of the Lok Sabha derives his powers and duties from three sources, that is, the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha, and Parliamentary Conventions (residuary powers that are unwritten or unspecified in the Rules).  Altogether, he has the following powers and duties: o He maintains order and decorum in the House for conducting its business and regulating its proceedings. This is his primary responsibility and he has final power in this regard. o He is the final interpreter of the provisions of (a) the Constitution of India, (b) the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha, and (c) the parliamentary precedents, within the House. o He adjourns the House or suspends the meeting in absence of a quorum. The quorum to constitute a meeting of the House is one-tenth of the total strength of the House o He does not vote in the first instance. But he can exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie. In other words, only when the House is divided equally on any question, the Speaker is entitled to vote. Such vote is called casting vote, and its purpose is to resolve a deadlock. o He presides over a joint setting of the two Houses of Parliament. Such a sitting is summoned by the President to settle a deadlock between the two Houses on a bill. o He can allow a ‘secret’ sitting of the House at the request of the Leader of the House. When the House sits in secret, no stranger can be present in the chamber, lobby or galleries except with the permission of the Speaker. o He decides whether a bill is a money bill or not and his decision on this question is final. When a money bill is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha for recommendation and presented to the President for assent, the Speaker endorses on the bill his certificate that it is a money bill.

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o He decides the questions of disqualification of a member of the Lok Sabha, arising on the ground of defection under the provisions of the Tenth Schedule. In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled that the decision of the Speaker in this regard is subject to judicial review. o He acts as the ex-officio chairman of the Indian Parliamentary Group of the Inter- Parliamentary Union. He also acts as the ex-officio chairman of the conference of presiding officers of legislative bodies in the country. o He appoints the chairman of all the parliamentary committees of the Lok Sabha and supervises their functioning. He himself is the chairman of the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee and the General Purpose Committee.

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30. Voice Vote and division

Context:

Rajya Sabha passes two farm bills by voice vote amid opposition protests

Concept:

 Both the concepts of a voice vote as well as a division have been borrowed from the Parliament of the United Kingdom and were already in use in legislatures in British India.  A voice vote involves the speaker putting a question to the house and then asking the house to put forward its opinion in the forms of ayes (yes) or noes. Based on a rough measure of which side was louder, the speaker decides if the motion was passed or fell through.  The obvious advantage of a voice vote is that it is quick. The apparent disadvantage is that it is inaccurate, given that the speakers decides what the opinion of the house is based on which side is louder. A literal shouting match is not the ideal way to conduct any serious business other than in cases where voting is so one sided, it is basically a formality.  Due to this, parliamentary procedure requires that if a voice vote is challenged by any member, the speaker must ask for a division.  This once involved the physical separation of legislators and then a counting of heads – a procedure still followed in the UK. But nowadays in India, this is achieved by getting MPs and MLAs to vote electronically.  The advantage of a division, of course, is that it tells the public exactly what the vote count is. Moreover, it lets constituents know how their MP or MLA voted.

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31. Suspension of MPs

Context:

Eight Rajya Sabha MPs were suspended for unruly behaviour in the House the previous day (September 20). The motion was passed by a voice vote.

Concept:

 The general principle is that it is the role and duty of the Presiding Officer Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman of Rajya Sabha to maintain order so that the House can function smoothly.  The suspension of the eight members comes a day after the Upper House witnessed massive unruly scenes by protesting Opposition members during the passage of two farm Bills.  In order to ensure that proceedings are conducted in the proper manner, the Speaker/Chairman is empowered to force a Member to withdraw from the House.

In Lok sabha

 Rule Number 373 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business says that the Speaker is of the opinion that the conduct of any Member is grossly disorderly, may direct such Member to withdraw immediately from the House, and any Member so ordered to withdraw shall do so forthwith and shall remain absent during the remainder of the day’s sitting.  To deal with more recalcitrant Members, the Speaker makes take recourse to Rules 374 and 374A.  The Speaker may, if deems it necessary, name a Member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the House by persistently and willfully obstructing the business thereof. If a Member is so named by the Speaker, the Speaker shall, on a motion being made forthwith put the question that the Member (naming such Member) be suspended from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the

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session: Provided that the House may, at any time, on a motion being made, resolve that such suspension be terminated. A member suspended under this rule shall forthwith withdraw from the precincts of the House.  According to Rule 374A: Notwithstanding anything contained in rules 373 and 374, in the event of grave disorder occasioned by a Member coming into the well of the House or abusing the Rules of the House persistently and wilfully obstructing its business by shouting slogans or otherwise, such Member shall, on being named by the Speaker, stand automatically suspended from the service of the House for five consecutive sittings or the remainder of the session, whichever is less: Provided that the House may, at any time, on a motion being made, resolve that such suspension be terminated.

In Rajya Sabha

 Chairman of Rajya Sabha is empowered under Rule Number 255 of its Rule Book to “direct any Member whose conduct is in his opinion grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately” from the House.  Unlike the Speaker, however, the Rajya Sabha Chairman does not have the power to suspend a Member. The House may, by another motion, terminate the suspension.  The Chairman may “name a Member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the Council by persistently and wilfully obstructing” business. In such a situation, the House may adopt a motion suspending the Member from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session.

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32. CAG

Context:

 Finance Minister told Parliament last week that there was no provision in the law to compensate states for loss of GST revenue out of the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI).  However, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has found that the government itself violated the law by retaining Rs 47,272 crore of GST compensation cess in the CFI during 2017-18 and 2018-19, and used the money for other purposes, which led to overstatement of revenue receipts and understatement of fiscal deficit for the year

Concept:

 As per the provisions of the GST Compensation Cess Act, the entire cess collected during a year is required to be credited to a non-lapsable fund (GST compensation cess fund) which is part of the Public Account, and is meant to be used specifically to compensate states for loss of revenue.  However, the government, instead of transferring the entire GST cess amount to the GST compensation fund, retained it in the CFI, and used it for other purposes.  The amount by which the cess was short credited was also retained in the CFI and became available for use for purposes other than what was provided in the act  Apart from the GST compensation cess, the CAG has also mentioned instances of non-transfer of entire amounts of other cesses to their respective Reserve Funds, including the Road and Infrastructure Cess, Cess on Crude Oil, Universal Service Levy, and National Mineral Trust Levy.

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33. National medical commission

Context:

Historic reform in the field of medical education has been effected by the Union Government with the constitution of the National Medical Commission (NMC), along with four Autonomous Boards.

Concept:

 NMC will subsume the Medical Council of India and will regulate medical education and practice in India.  Functions of the NMC include: (i) laying down policies for regulating medical institutions and medical professionals, (ii) assessing the requirements of human resources and infrastructure in healthcare, (iii) ensuring compliance by the State Medical Councils with the regulations made under the Bill, and (iv) framing guidelines for determination of fee for up to 50% of the seats in the private medical institutions.  The NMC will consist of 25 members, including: (i) Director Generals of the Directorate General of Health Services and the Indian Council of Medical Research, (ii) Director of any of the AIIMS, (iii) five members (part-time) to be elected by the registered medical practitioners, and (iv) six members appointed on rotational basis from amongst the nominees of the states in the Medical Advisory Council.  Four autonomous boards were set up under the supervision of the NMC. Each board will consist of a President and four members (of which two members will be part-time), appointed by the central government (on the recommendation of a search committee).  These bodies are: o The Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) and the Post- Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB): These two bodies will be responsible for formulating standards, curriculum, guidelines for medical education, and granting recognition to medical qualifications at the under-graduate and post-graduate levels respectively.

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o The Medical Assessment and Rating Board: The Board will have the power to levy monetary penalties on institutions which fail to maintain the minimum standards as laid down by the UGMEB and the PGMEB. It will also grant permissions for establishing new medical colleges, starting postgraduate courses, and increasing the number of seats in a medical college. o The Ethics and Medical Registration Board: This Board will maintain a National Register of all the licensed medical practitioners in the country, and also regulate professional and medical conduct. Only those included in the Register will be allowed to practice as doctors. The Board will also maintain a register of all licensed community health providers in the country.

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34. Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA)

Context:

The Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) meeting saw a sharp exchange of words between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Mekedatu dam project.

Concept:

 Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 had constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in 1990 to adjudicate upon the water dispute regarding the Inter-State river Cauvery and the river valley thereof among the States of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Union territory of Puducherry;  The Tribunal investigated the matters referred to it and forwarded to the Central Government a report under sub-section (2) of section 5 of the Act on 2007. The party States filed special leave petitions in the Supreme Court against the said report.  Supreme Court converted the said special leave petitions into Civil Appeals. Supreme Court pronounced its judgment and directed the Central Government to frame a scheme under section 6A of the Act to implement the Tribunal Award as modified  In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6A of the said Act, the Central Government notified the Cauvery Water Management Scheme on 2018, inter alia, constituting the ‘Cauvery Water Management Authority’ and the ‘Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’  The Authority shall exercise such power and shall discharge such duty to do any or all things necessary, sufficient and expedient for securing compliance and implementation of the Award of the Tribunal as modified by the Hon’ble Supreme Court: (i) storage, apportionment, regulation and control of Cauvery waters; (ii) supervision of operation of reservoirs and with regulation of water releases therefrom with the assistance of

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Regulation Committee; (iii) regulated release by Karnataka, at the inter- State contact point presently identified as Billigundulu gauge and discharge station, located on the common border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

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35. Article 270 and history of cess Context: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, in its latest audit report of government accounts, has observed that the Union government withheld in the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) more than ₹1.1 lakh crore out of the almost ₹2.75 lakh crore collected through various cesses in 2018-19. Concept:  The Union government is empowered to raise revenue through a gamut of levies, including taxes (both direct and indirect), surcharges, fees and cess.  While direct taxes, including income tax, and indirect taxes such as GST are taxes where the revenue received can be spent by the government for any public purpose in any manner it deems appropriate for the nation’s good, a cess is a earmarked tax that is collected for a specific purpose and ought to be spent only for that.  Every cess is collected after Parliament has authorised its creation through an enabling legislation that specifies the purpose for which the funds are being raised.  Article 270 of the Constitution allows cess to be excluded from the purview of the divisible pool of taxes that the Union government must share with the States. History of cess  42 cesses have been levied at various points in time since 1944.  Post Independence, the cess taxes were linked initially to the development of a particular industry, including a salt cess and a tea cess in 1953.  Subsequently, the introduction of a cess was motivated by the aim of ensuring labour welfare. Some cesses that exemplified this thrust were the iron ore mines labour welfare cess in 1961, the limestone and dolomite mines labour welfare cess of 1972 and the cine workers welfare cess introduced in 1981.  The introduction of the GST in 2017 led to most cesses being done away

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with and as of August 2018, there were only seven cesses that continued to be levied.  These were Cess on Exports, Cess on Crude Oil, Health and Education Cess, Road and Infrastructure Cess, Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess, National Calamity Contingent Duty on Tobacco and Tobacco Products and the GST Compensation Cess.  And in February, Finance Minister introduced a new cess — a Health Cess of 5% on imported medical devices — in the Finance Bill for 2020-2021.

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36. Right to strike Context: Three Codes on labour law were passed by Parliament, amid strident criticism and vociferous protests by many trade unions. Concept:  The right to strike in the Indian constitution set up is not absolute right but it flow from the fundamental right to form union.

 As every other fundamental right is subject to reasonable restrictions, the same is also the case to form trade unions to give a call to the workers to go on strike and the state can impose reasonable restrictions.

 Supreme court held that the right to strike or right to declare lock out may be controlled or restricted by appropriate industrial legislation Changes  The Code on Industrial Relations prohibits strikes and lock-outs in all industrial establishments without notice.  No unit shall go on strike in breach of contract without giving notice 60 days before the strike, or within 14 days of giving such a notice, or before the expiry of any date given in the notice for the strike.  Further, there should be no strike during any conciliation proceedings, or within seven days of the conclusion of such proceedings; or during proceedings before an industrial tribunal or 60 days after their conclusion or during arbitration proceedings.  Similar restrictions have been given on the employer from announcing a lock-out.  The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, had placed such restrictions on announcing strikes only in respect of public utility services.  However, the present Code extends it to all establishments.

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37. Farm bills and federalism

Context:

President gave assent to the farm Bills passed by Parliament last week. Amid protests by farmers’ organisations across the country, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Punjab have said they might not implement the new laws, Kerala and Punjab have declared their intention to challenge them in the Supreme Court.

Concept:

 Federalism essentially means both the Centre and states have the freedom to operate in their allotted spheres of power, in coordination with each other.  The Seventh Schedule of the Constitution contains three lists that distribute power between the Centre and states.  There are 97 subjects in the Union List, on which Parliament has exclusive power to legislate (Article 246); the State List has 66 items on which states alone can legislate; the Concurrent List has 47 subjects on which both the Centre and states can legislate, but in case of a conflict, the law made by Parliament prevails (Article 254).  Parliament can legislate on an item in the State List under certain specific circumstances laid down in the Constitution.  As per Union of India v H.S. Dhillon (1972), constitutionality of parliamentary laws can be challenged only on two grounds — that the subject is in the State List, or that it violates fundamental rights.  Terms relating to agriculture occur at 15 places in the Seventh Schedule.  Entries 82, 86, 87, and 88 in the Union List mention taxes and duties on income and assets, specifically excluding those in respect of agriculture.  In the State List, eight entries contain terms relating to agriculture: Entry 14 (agricultural education and research, pests, plant diseases); 18 (rights in or over land, land tenures, rents, transfer agricultural land, agricultural loans, etc.); 28 (markets and fairs); 30 (agricultural indebtedness); 45 (land

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revenue, land records, etc.); 46 (taxes on agricultural income); 47 (succession of agricultural land); and 48 (estate duty in respect of agricultural land).  In the Concurrent List, Entry 6 mentions transfer of property other than agricultural land; 7 is about various contracts not relating to agricultural land; and 41 deals with evacuee property, including agricultural land.  It is clear that the Union List and Concurrent List put matters relating to agriculture outside Parliament’s jurisdiction, and give state legislatures exclusive power. No entry in respect of agriculture in the State List is subject to any entry in the Union or Concurrent Lists.  Entry 33 of the Concurrent List mentions trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution of domestic and imported products of an industry over which Parliament has control in the public interest; foodstuffs, including oilseeds and oils; cattle fodder; raw cotton and jute.  The Centre could, therefore, argue that it is within its powers to pass laws on contract farming and intra- and inter-state trade, and prohibit states from imposing fees/cesses outside APMC areas.

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International Relations 1. Baltic states

Context:

Baltic states issue travel ban on Belarus President Lukashenko

Concept:

Baltic states, northeastern region of Europe containing the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea

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2. Global innovation index

Context:

India has climbed 4 spots and has been ranked 48thby the World Intellectual Property Organization in the Global Innovation Index 2020 rankings

Concept:

 India was at the 52nd position in 2019 and was ranked 81st in the year 2015.  It is a remarkable achievement to be in a league of highly innovative developed nations all over the globe.  The WIPO had also accepted India as one of the leading innovation achievers of 2019 in the central and southern Asian region, as it has shown a consistent improvement in its innovation ranking for the last 5 years.  The consistent improvement in the global innovation index rankings is owing to the immense knowledge capital, the vibrant startup ecosystem, and the amazing work done by the public & private research organizations.  The scientific ministries like the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of space have played a pivotal role in the enriching the national innovation Ecosystem.  The NITI Aayog has been working tirelessly to ensure optimization of national efforts in this direction by bringing policy led innovation in different areas such as EVs, biotechnology, Nano technology, Space, alternative energy sources, etc.  The India Innovation Index, which was released last year by the NITI Aayog, has been widely accepted as the major step in the direction of decentralization of innovation across all the states of India. A constant thrust in monitoring and evaluating India’s position in global rankings has be provided by the NITI Aayog, including the global innovation index.

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3. UNSC 1267

Context:

The United Nations Security Council’s 1267 sanctions sub-committee rejected the last two names of Indian nationals that Pakistan had proposed to be brought under the sanctions regime against terrorists and terror groups.

Concept:

 Article 41 of the United Nations Charter gives the Security Council the authority to use a variety of measures to enforce its decisions. The Council regularly creates subsidiary organs to support or implement these measures. Among the most common are those measures that are known as "sanctions", which are generally supported by a Committee, as well as Panels/Groups of Experts or other mechanisms to monitor implementation of the sanctions.  By resolution 1267 (1999) of 15 October 1999, the Security Council established a Committee to oversee the implementation of targeted sanctions measures against designated individuals, entities and aircraft that were owned, controlled, leased or operated by the Taliban.  The measures were subsequently modified, particularly by resolutions 1333 (2000) and 1390 (2002), to include an assets freeze, travel ban and an arms embargo affecting designated individuals and entities associated with Usama bin Laden, and the Taliban wherever they are located.  By resolution 2253 (2015) of 17 December 2015, the Security Council decided to expand the listing criteria to include individuals and entities supporting the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

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4. SCO meet

Context:

Peaceful resolution of differences key to ensure regional stability said Indian defence minister at SCO meeting.

Concept:

 The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China) by the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.  It was preceded by the Shanghai Five mechanism.  The SCO's main goals are as follows: strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states; promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, the economy, research, technology and culture, as well as in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, and other areas; making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region; and moving towards the establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political and economic order.  The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO. It meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation.  The SCO Heads of Government Council (HGC) meets once a year to discuss the organisation's multilateral cooperation strategy and priority areas, to resolve current important economic and other cooperation issues, and also to approve the organisation's annual budget.  The SCO's official languages are Russian and Chinese.

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 The organisation has two permanent bodies — the SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent.  SCO comprises eight member states, namely India, Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russian, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

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5. 13th Amendment

Context:

After November 2019 presidential polls and the August 2020 general election in Sri Lanka, the spotlight has fallen on two key legislations in Sri Lanka’s Constitution.

Concept:

 The sharp focus is the 13th Amendment passed in 1987, which mandates a measure of power devolution to the provincial councils established to govern the island’s nine provinces.  It is an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987, signed by the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayawardene, in an attempt to resolve Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict that had aggravated into a full-fledged civil war, between the armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which led the struggle for Tamils’ self- determination and sought a separate state.  The 13th Amendment, which led to the creation of Provincial Councils, assured a power sharing arrangement to enable all nine provinces in the country, including Sinhala majority areas, to self-govern.  Subjects such as education, health, agriculture, housing, land and police are devolved to the provincial administrations, but because of restrictions on financial powers and overriding powers given to the President, the provincial administrations have not made much headway.  In particular, the provisions relating to police and land have never been implemented.  The 13th Amendment carries considerable baggage from the country’s civil war years. It was opposed vociferously by both Sinhala nationalist parties and the LTTE.

The former thought it was too much power to share, while the Tigers deemed it too little

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6. International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

Context:

Union Environment Minister is chairing a webinar on the first-ever International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on, September 7, 2020.

Concept:

 The United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution to hold an International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on December 19, 2019, during its 74th session and invited the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to facilitate the observance of the International Day, in collaboration with other relevant organizations.  The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) worked with UNEP and the Republic of Korea to advocate for the day in the lead up to the decision.  WHO is working with BreatheLife partners to coordinate activities for the day.  The very first International Day of Clean Air for blue skies will be held on September 7th, 2020.  The Day aims to: o Raise public awareness at all levels—individual, community, corporate and government—that clean air is important for health, productivity, the economy and the environment. o Demonstrate the close link of air quality to other environmental/developmental challenges such as – most and foremost – climate change and the global Sustainable Development Goals. o Promote and facilitate solutions that improve air quality by sharing actionable knowledge best practices, innovations, and success stories. o Bring together diverse international actors working on this topic to form a strategic alliance to gain momentum for concerted national, regional and international approaches for effective air quality management.

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7. UNICEF and COVAX

Context:

Amidst the race amongst individual nations to get hold of a Covid-19 vaccine, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will undertake the responsibility of procuring and supplying an effective vaccine to about 92 low and middle-income countries of the world under the Covax Global Vaccines Facility.

Concept:

UNICEF

 UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child.  Together with partners, UNICEF work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.  UNICEF programmes focus on the most disadvantaged children, including those living in fragile contexts, those with disabilities, those who are affected by rapid urbanization and those affected by environmental degradation.  UNICEF was created with a distinct purpose in mind: to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path.  UNICEF upholds the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

COVAX

 Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility is a mechanism designed to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.  The goal of COVAX is to deliver two billion doses of safe, effective vaccines that have passed regulatory approval and/or WHO pre-qualification by the end of 2021.

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 Earlier, as many as 75 countries expressed interest to protect their populations and those of other nations through joining the vaccine facility, WHO said in a 15 July statement.  COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, working in partnership with developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers.  The shots will be delivered equally to participating countries proportional to their populations and deployed initially for healthcare workers.

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8. International Literacy Day

Context:

Union Home Minister greeted the nation on International Literacy Day celebrated on September 8.

Concept:

 Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society.  Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with at least 773 million adults worldwide lacking basic literacy skills today.  International Literacy Day (ILD) 2020 will focus on “Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond” with a focus on the role of educators and changing pedagogies.  The theme will highlight literacy learning in a lifelong learning perspective and therefore mainly focus on youth and adults.

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9. World Solar Technology Summit

Context:

World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) is going to be organized by the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Concept:

 The objective of the event is to bring the spotlight on state-of-the-art technologies as well as next-generation technologies which will provide impetus to the efforts towards harnessing the solar energy more efficiently.  The event will hold four technical sessions that would be available to the participants in different languages namely English, Spanish, French & Arabic.  Leading companies and research organisations from across the world will present their work during these sessions and will deliberate on latest trends in solar technologies. o Vision 2030 & Beyond: The overall context of Photo Voltaic technology development and its future, on its way towards becoming the first source of energy worldwide, with PV technologies supplying 70% of the world’s electricity generation. o Towards a Decarbonised Grid: The most recent advances (conversion efficiency improvements and declining costs) regarding key components such as PV modules and storage technologies. o Disruptive Solar Technologies: On-grid applications, whether ground- mounted, floating, or integrated in residential and commercial rooftops. o Solar Beyond the Power Sector: Innovative applications where PV is used to move, heat, cool, and drive eco-friendly industrial processes and produce fuels as well as off-grid applications, to provide universal access to energy. International Solar Alliance

 The ISA, an action-oriented organization, aims at lowering the cost of technology and finance and thereby facilitate deployment of over 1,000

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GW of solar energy and mobilize more than USD 1,000 billion into solar power by 2030 in Member countries.  The ISA envisions to enable the full ecosystem for availability and development of technology, economic resources, and development of storage technology, mass manufacturing and innovation. The reduced cost of technology would enable the undertaking of more ambitious solar energy programmes. The ISA has 67 countries and has six programmes viz. Solar Applications for Agricultural Use, Affordable Finance at Scale, Mini Grids, and Solar Rooftops and Solar E-mobility & Storage and Large-Scale Solar Parks.

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10. India slips on global economic freedom index

Context: India slips 26 places to 105 in global economic freedom index

Concept:  According to the Economic Freedom of the World: 2020 report released by the Fraser Institute in Canada, India slipped 26 places to 105 among 162 countries and territories on the index of global economic freedom.  The country ranked 79th in the previous edition of this report, which measures the ‘economic freedom’, or the ability of individuals to make their own economic decisions in a country, by analysing policies and institutions of these countries.  It does so by looking at indicators like regulation, the freedom to trade internationally, size of government, property rights, government spending and taxation.  India performed worse in terms of size of government, regulations and the freedom to trade internationally.

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11. ‘Five Points’ agreement

Context: The Foreign Ministers of India and China arrived at a ‘Five Points’ agreement to reduce the prevailing tension on the Ladakh border during their talks in Moscow on the sidelines of the SCO Summit

Concept:  The points include dialogue aimed at quick disengagement, maintaining proper distance between troops of the two sides and easing tensions, abiding by all agreements and protocols on border management, and working on new confidence-building measures once the situation eases.  All this was comprehensively dealt with in the previous five agreements given below: 1993 – ‘Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility Agreement’ forms the basis of all followup agreements. 1996 – ‘Confidence Building Measures’ denounced the use of force 2005 – ‘Standard Operating Procedures’ and patrolling modalities. 2012 – ‘Process of Consultation and Cooperation’ 2013 -‘Border Cooperation Agreement’, signed as a sequel to Depsang intrusion by PLA

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12. WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body

Context:

 The World Trade Organization upheld a complaint by China over additional duties slapped by the U.S. on some $250 billion worth of Chinese goods.  A panel of experts set up by WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body ruled the tariffs were “inconsistent” with global trade rules, and recommended that the U.S. “bring its measures into conformity with its obligations”.

Concept:

 Settling disputes is the responsibility of the Dispute Settlement Body (the General Council in another guise), which consists of all WTO members.  The Dispute Settlement Body has the sole authority to establish “panels” of experts to consider the case, and to accept or reject the panels’ findings or the results of an appeal. It monitors the implementation of the rulings and recommendations, and has the power to authorize retaliation when a country does not comply with a ruling.  The Appellate Body was established in 1995 under Article 17 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU).  It is a standing body of seven persons that hears appeals from reports issued by panels in disputes brought by WTO Members.  The Appellate Body can uphold, modify or reverse the legal findings and conclusions of a panel, and Appellate Body Reports, once adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), must be accepted by the parties to the dispute. The Appellate Body has its seat in Geneva, Switzerland.

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13. Economic and Social Council

Context:

India has been elected as a member of the United Nation’s Commission on Status of Women, a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Concept:

 The Economic and Social Council is at the heart of the United Nations system to advance the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental.  It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals. It is also responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.  The UN Charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations.  ECOSOC links a diverse family of UN entities dedicated to sustainable development, providing overall guidance and coordination. The entities include regional economic and social commissions, functional commissions facilitating intergovernmental discussions of major global issues, and specialized agencies, programmes and funds at work around the world to translate development commitments into real changes in people’s lives.  ECOSOC has 54 member Governments which are elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly. Seats on the Council are allotted based on geographical representation with fourteen allocated to African States, eleven to Asian States, six to Eastern European States, ten to Latin American and Caribbean States, and thirteen to Western European and other States.

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14. Five Finger Strategy

Context:

Heart of the PRC’s strategy to manage its periphery which is often referred to as Mao’s ‘Five Finger strategy’

Concept:

The Five Fingers of Tibet is a Chinese foreign policy attributed to Mao Zedong that considers Tibet to be China's right hand palm, with five fingers on its periphery: Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and Arunachal Pradesh, and that it is China's responsibility to "liberate" these regions.

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15. National cyber security coordinator

Context:

Government has set up an expert committee under the National Cyber Security Coordinator to study the revelations in China Watching, an investigation by The Indian Express, that a Shenzen-based company, is monitoring over 10,000 Indian individuals and entities.

Concept:

 In 2013, the cabinet had approved the National Cyber Security Policy.  In that, there were a number of new institutions that were proposed.  For example, there is an institution called the NCIIPC — National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre — for the CII [critical information infrastructure]; then, for threat analysis, there was the NCCC — National Cyber Coordination Centre; for cybercrime, there was the I4C — Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under the MHA; and as a coordinator of all these aspects, there was an appointment created called the National Cyber Security Coordinator  National Security Council is chaired by the Prime Minister and it comprises four major ministries— External Affairs, Finance, Defence and Home. That’s the highest decision-making body for taking decisions on national security. And the secretary general of this council is the National Security Advisor.  To provide a secretariat for the Security Council, there is the National Security Council Secretariat. It has various verticals: there is a vertical that handles internal threats, vertical that handles strategic threats, etc.  National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) coordinates with different agencies at the national level for cyber security matters.  National Cyber Security Coordinator mandate o To advise this Council in overseeing and compliance of all the cybersecurity aspects including implementation of action plans in

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cyber security by the nodal agencies, evaluation and analysis of incidents, then forming incident response monitoring teams. o There’s an aspect of international forums and providing consultation and guidance to state governments. o And also engage with the private industry for formulation of policies.

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16. BECA, 2+2 dialogue

Context:

The U.S. is keen that India sign the last foundational agreement, Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial cooperation (BECA), at the next India-U.S. 2+2 ministerial dialogue likely to held in October end.

Concept:

 Beginning 2016, India has signed three foundational agreements: o Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) o Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) o General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). An extension to the GSOMIA, the Industrial Security Annex (ISA), was signed at the last 2+2 dialogue.

BECA

 BECA will allow the United States to share satellite and other sensor data with India in order to improve the Indian military’s targeting and navigation capabilities.

2+2 dialogue

 It is a format of dialogue where the defense and foreign ministers or secretaries meet with their counterparts from another country.  2+2 Ministerial is the highest-level institutional mechanism between the two countries.  India holds such talks with Australia, at the foreign secretary and defense secretary level but with Japan and the US at the ministerial level

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17. Commonwealth nations

Context:

Before it celebrates its 55th anniversary of independence from British rule in November 2021, the prosperous West Indies nation will make history by becoming the first country in almost three decades to sever ties with the British royal family and become a republic.

Concept:

 The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries.  It is home to 2.4 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 32 of our members are small states, including many island nations.  The Commonwealth is one of the world’s oldest political associations of states. Its roots go back to the British Empire, when countries around the world were ruled by Britain.  The 1926 Imperial Conference was attended by the leaders of Australia, Canada, India, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, New Zealand and South Africa.  At the 1926 conference Britain and the Dominions agreed that they were all equal members of a community within the British Empire. They all owed allegiance to the British king or queen, but the United Kingdom did not rule over them. This community was called the British Commonwealth of Nations or just the Commonwealth.  The Dominions and other territories of the British Empire gradually became fully independent of the United Kingdom.  India became independent in 1947. India wanted to become a republic which didn't owe allegiance to the British king or queen, but it also wanted to stay a member of the Commonwealth.

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 At a Commonwealth Prime Ministers meeting in London in 1949, the London Declaration said that republics and other countries could be part of the Commonwealth. The modern Commonwealth of Nations was born.  Since 1949 independent countries from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific have joined the Commonwealth. Membership today is based on free and equal voluntary co-operation.  The last 2 countries to join the Commonwealth - Rwanda and Mozambique - have no historical ties to the British Empire.  The Commonwealth Secretariat was created in 1965 as a central intergovernmental organisation to manage the Commonwealth's work.

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18. Indus water treaty

Context:

September 19 marks the 60th anniversary of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan, a treaty that is often cited as an example of the possibilities of peaceful coexistence that exist despite the troubled relationship.

Concept:

 In the year 1960, India and Pakistan signed a water distribution agreement came to be known as Indus Waters Treaty which was orchestrated by the World Bank.  This agreement took nine years of negotiations and divides the control of six rivers between the two nations once signed.  Under this treaty, India got control over: Beas, Ravi Sutlej while Pakistan got control over: Indus, Chenab, Jhelum

 Under the treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, all the waters of the three eastern rivers, averaging around 33 million acre-feet (MAF), were allocated to India for exclusive use.

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 The waters of the western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab - averaging to around 135 MAF, were allocated to Pakistan except for 'specified domestic, non-consumptive and agricultural use permitted to India,' according to the treaty.  India has also been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through the run of the river (RoR) projects on the western rivers which, subject to specific criteria for design and operation, is unrestricted.

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19. World’s worst food crisis

Context:

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was facing the world’s largest food crisis, with around 21.8 million of its people being food insecure primarily due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a report released by the Global Network Against Food Crises alliance of humanitarian agencies said.

Concept:

 The indirect impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods and economic activities, as well as pre-existing macro-economic challenges, significantly reduced the purchasing power of vulnerable households in 2020, particularly in urban areas.  Burkina Faso had also been suffering from an acute food crisis besides the DRC, the report said. The country witnessed a nearly 300 per cent uptick in the overall number of people experiencing acute hunger since the start of 2020.  Acute food insecurity was also being reported from northern Nigeria (73 per cent increase), Somalia (67 per cent increase) and Sudan (64 per cent increase).  The current food crisis was the biggest the world had seen for 50 years.  The report emphasised that addressing the urgent issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic in food crisis contexts was crucial.

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20. Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) and SAR

Context:

Swiss Leaks, Panama Papers, now SARs are bank reports that alert law- enforcement agencies

Concept:

 The FinCEN Files refer to a set of over 2,100 “Suspicious Activity Reports” (SARs) filed by banks with the United States Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crime Enforcement Network, the agency that serves as the leading global regulator in the battle against money laundering.  The files identify at least $2 trillion in transactions between 1999 and 2017 flagged as possible evidence of money laundering or other criminal activity by compliance officers of banks and financial institutions.  SAR or Suspicious Activity Report is a document filed by banks and financial institutions to report suspicious activity to US authorities, in this case, FinCEN. These are confidential, so secret that banks are not allowed to confirm their existence. Indeed, even the account holder is unaware when an SAR is filed related to a transaction in that account.  A SAR is not an accusation, it is a way to alert regulators and law enforcement to possible irregular activity and crimes.

Financial Intelligence Unit-India

 Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) performs the same functions as FinCEN in the US.  Under the Finance Ministry, this was set up in 2004 as the nodal agency for receiving, analyzing and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions.  The agency is authorised to obtain cash transaction reports (CTRs) and suspicious transaction reports (STRs) and cross border wire transfer reports from private and public sector banks every month under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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 It is mandatory for banks in India to furnish a monthly CTR to the FIU on all transactions over Rs 10 lakh or its equivalent in foreign currency or a series of integrally connected transactions that add up to more than Rs 10 lakh or its equivalent in foreign currency.  The STRs and CTRs are analysed by FIU and suspicious or doubtful transactions are shared with agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Income Tax for the purpose of launching probes to check possible instances of money laundering, tax evasion and terror financing.

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21. Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre

Context:

Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre is providing Tsunami Services to 25 Indian Ocean Countries

Concept:

 The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) was established at Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, an autonomous body under Ministry of Earth Sciences which continues to provide timely tsunami advisories to stake holders.  The ITEWC is also providing tsunami services to 25 Indian Ocean Countries as part of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO framework.  INCOIS has introduced several innovative concepts in tsunami modeling, mapping of coastal inundation, Decision Support System, SOPs to meet the emerging challenges and provide accurate and timely tsunami early warnings.  INCOIS has established a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) & Strong Motion Accelerometers in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for quick and reliable estimation of source parameters for near source earthquakes.  In addition, INCOIS has carried out Multi-hazard Vulnerability Mapping (MHVM) along the mainland of Indian coastland MHVM atlas has been prepared.

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22. FATF grey list

Context:

Pakistan is again looking to China, Malaysia and Turkey to help it get off lightly for failing to fully implement an action plan to tackle terror funding when the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) assesses its case in October

Concept:

 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog.  The inter-governmental body sets international standards that aim to prevent these illegal activities and the harm they cause to society. As a policy-making body, the FATF works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.  In October 2001, the FATF expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing, in addition to money laundering. In April 2012, it added efforts to counter the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.  The FATF currently comprises 37 member jurisdictions and 2 regional organization namely GCC and EC  Jurisdictions under increased monitoring are actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. When the FATF places a jurisdiction under increased monitoring, it means the country has committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes and is subject to increased monitoring. This list is often externally referred to as the ‘grey list’.

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23. UN 75 Declaration

Context:

The United Nations completed 75 years this year

Concept:

 In order to commemorate the historic moment, world leaders come together, at a one-day high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly.  The meeting, themed as ‘’The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism’, is a landmark event, as for the first time in 75 years, the 193-member body would be holding the session virtually on account of the Covid-19 outbreak.  The declaration adopted at the meeting looks back at the glorious years of the UN and remarked upon its achievements as well as failures.  It also set out its goals for the next decade.  The next 10 years, which have been designated as the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development, will be the most critical of our generation.  It is even more important as we build back better from the COVID- 19 pandemic  The goals listed out for the next ten years include protection of the planet and environment, promoting peace, gender equality and women empowerment, digital cooperation, and sustainable financing.

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24. G4

Context:

G4 countries call for urgent steps for reform of UN and Security Council

Concept:

 The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan are four countries which support each other's bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.  G4's primary aim is the permanent member seats on the Security Council.  Each of these four countries have figured among the elected non- permanent members of the council since the UN's establishment.  Their economic and political influence has grown significantly in the last decades, reaching a scope comparable to the permanent members (P5).  However, the G4's bids are often opposed by the Uniting for Consensus movement, and particularly their economic competitors or political rivals

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25. AIIB

Context:

Out of the $20 billion in loans issued by the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), about $6 billion has gone to India.

Concept:

 The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia.  Headquartered in Beijing, it began operations in January 2016 and have now grown to 102 approved members worldwide.  It invests in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia and beyond.  Membership in AIIB shall be open to members of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development or the Asian Development Bank.  China is the largest contributor to the Bank, contributing USD 50 billion, half of the initial subscribed capital.  India is the second-largest shareholder, contributing USD 8.4 billion.

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26. JIMEX-20

Context:

The 4th edition of the biennial India and Japan naval exercise is under way in the North Arabian Sea

Concept:

 The maritime cooperation has significantly increased between the two sides with focus on information sharing and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Indo-Pacific.  JIMEX-20 will showcase high degree of inter-operability and joint operational skills through conduct of a multitude of advanced exercises, across the spectrum of maritime operations.  Multi-faceted tactical exercises involving weapon firings, cross-deck helicopter operations and complex surface, anti-submarine and air warfare drills will consolidate coordination developed by the two navies, it said.

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27. India Denmark green strategic partnership

Context:

India and Denmark elevated their relations to a “green strategic partnership” that will focus on expanding economic ties, green growth and cooperation on global challenges such as climate change.

Concept:

 The new “green strategic partnership” will build on an existing Joint Commission for Cooperation, created in 2009, for cooperation in politics, economics and commerce, science and technology, energy, environment and education.  It will also complement existing joint working groups on renewable energy, urban development, agriculture, innovation, shipping, labour mobility and digitisation.  A time-bound action plan would be drawn up with specific targets for the next few years. Danish companies with niche technologies and expertise have offered to help India in meeting its air pollution control targets, including in the key area of tackling the problem of burning crop stubble  Two sides also agreed to hold regular consultations on climate change and renewable energy and to cooperate in water efficiency and water loss, with the Jal Shakti ministry and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and Danish environment ministry being tasked to develop a work plan for 2021- 23.

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28. Bilateral Investment treaty

Context:

 India will try and keep its taxation laws out of the ambit of all Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and comprehensive economic pacts that it negotiates.  In-principle decision was taken some time back to phase out all “unequal bilateral investment treaties” which could see companies like Vodafone, Cairn, etc., seeking arbitration against Indian tax demands.

Concept:

 Bilateral investment Treaties (BITs) or Bilateral Investment Protection Agreements (BIPAs) are agreements between two countries for the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments in each other’s territories by individuals and companies situated in either State.  They provide treaty based protection to foreign investment.  The BITs are thus bilateral agreements by countries to protect the investment by each country’s investors in the other country. Though they are signed by governments, their beneficiaries are business entities.  India has inked 86 such bilateral treaties, the latest being with Brazil in 2020.  However, there have been many cases of the penalty awarded by an International Dispute Settlement (ISDS) tribunal served against India.  This led to a review of the BITs and in 2016 India launched the Model BIT.  It aims to act as a base for negotiating new BITs with other States, as well as for re-negotiation of the existing ones.  Main reason for bringing the Model BIT was the constant suing of the country by foreign firms. India was one of the most sued country during 2015 and 2016.

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Economics 1. GDP contraction

Context:

According to data released by the National Statistical Office, India’s GDP growth rate contracted by 23.9% for the April to June quarter.

Concept:

 The contraction reflects the severe impact of the COVID-19 lockdown, which halted most economic activities, as well as the slowdown trend of the economy even pre-COVID-19.  Economists expect this to contribute to a contraction in annual GDP this year, which may be the worst in the history of independent India.  The Indian economy is in a deeply vicious cycle, where demand is contracting so heavily, while the capacity to neutralise this contraction has also contracted equally because of the tax revenue contraction.  Last contraction of the economy occurred in 1979-80, when GDP shrank 5.2%. There have been four other instances of minor contraction between 1965-68, and 1972-73.  India is among the worst in countries severely impacted by the Covid- 19 pandemic, an analysis of GDP number across major economies has shown.  While China, which many believe to be the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak, announced a surprise 3.2 per cent growth in its GDP during this quarter compared to the same period last year, others like the UK and Germany witnessed a contraction. For the April-June period, the UK took a 20.4 per cent hit in its GDP, while Germany experienced a “record” 10.1 per cent contraction.

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2. Liquidity infusion by RBI

Context:

 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced measures, including two more tranches of ‘Operation Twist’ aggregating Rs 20,000 crore and term repo operations aggregating Rs 1 lakh crore in September  RBI has also decided to allow banks to hold fresh acquisitions of statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) securities acquired from September 1, 2020, under Held-To-Maturity (HTM) up to an overall limit of 22 per cent of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) up to March 31, 2021

Concept:

Operation Twist

 The tool essentially aims at changing the shape of the yield curve (hence the name — twist) through simultaneous buying and selling of long- and short-term government bonds.  In India, at first, the RBI put through its version of Operation Twist by buying ₹10,000 crore worth of 10-year government bonds while selling four shorter-term government bonds adding up to the same value.  The intent is to moderate high long-term interest rates in the market and bring them closer to the repo rate.  History of Operation Twist: In 1961, the John F Kennedy administration proposed a solution to revive the weak economy through lower longer- term interest rates while keeping short-term interest rates unchanged. This initiative is now known as ‘Operation Twist’ which was employed by the US Fed.

Yield Curve:

 A yield curve is a graph of interest rate on all government bonds ranging from the short-term debt (one month) to long-term debt (could be high as 30 years).  Typically, the short term bond has lower interest rate compared with the long-term bond reflecting the higher perceived risk of the latter. Hence a

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graph of the interest rate of the short-term bond and longer-term will be an increasing line chart. This in technical parlance is called an upward sloping curve.

Term repo operations

 The LTRO is a tool under which the central bank provides one-year to three-year money to banks at the prevailing repo rate, accepting government securities with matching or higher tenure as the collateral.  While the RBI’s current windows of liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) and marginal standing facility (MSF) offer banks money for their immediate needs ranging from 1-28 days, the LTRO supplies them with liquidity for their 1- to 3-year needs.  LTRO operations are intended to prevent short-term interest rates in the market from drifting a long way away from the repo rate.

Statutory liquidity ratio (SLR)

 Apart from Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), banks have to maintain a stipulated proportion of their net demand and time liabilities in the form of liquid assets like cash, gold and unencumbered securities.  Treasury bills, dated securities issued under market borrowing programme and market stabilisation schemes (MSS), etc also form part of the SLR.  Banks have to report to the RBI every alternate Friday their SLR maintenance, and pay penalties for failing to maintain SLR as mandated.

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3. Stimulus

Context:

The official estimates of GDP data for April-June revealing the extent of damage the pandemic on the economy which necessitates the second round of fiscal stimulus targeted at the poor.

Concept:

 Economic stimulus is action by the government to encourage private sector economic activity by engaging in targeted, expansionary monetary or fiscal policy based on the ideas of Keynesian economics.  Economic stimulus is commonly employed during times of recession.  Policy tools often used to implement economic stimulus include lowering interest rates, increasing government spending, and quantitative easing, to name a few.

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4. Priority Sector Lending Certificates

Concept:

 Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs) are instruments that enable banks to achieve their priority sector lending targets without actually disbursing loans to sectors outside their comfort zone.  PSL certificates allow banks sitting on surplus loans to a priority sector to sell certificates to banks that haven’t met their targets, pocketing a sizeable fee for this trade. The said loans however do not change hands.  The RBI mandates banks to lend a minimum of 40 per cent of their total loans to priority sectors such as agriculture, education, social housing, and micro enterprises.  Aside from the overall target, banks are also required to meet sub-targets within this, such as 18 per cent towards agriculture (8 per cent for small and marginal farmers), 7.5 per cent for micro enterprises and 10 per cent for weaker sections.  While banks almost always meet the overall target, keeping up with the sub-targets was getting difficult for banks with limited expertise in certain sectors. Also, banks were sceptical about operating out of their niche, fearing poor loan judgments and dents to their profits.  Earlier, in the event of a shortfall in any specific category, banks had to make good this shortfall by either buying out such priority sector loans from other banks or had to pay a penalty to the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).  However, from April 2016 onwards, the RBI launched an online trading platform — the PSLC platform — to allow banks to trade in PSLCs to meet the sectoral sub-targets. Rather than offering fresh loans, banks were only required to hold PSLCs reflecting lending by others.

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5. Core sector

Context:

According to data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry, ‘fertiliser’ was the only core sector industry to record an increase in July at 6.9 per cent (1.5 per cent in July 2019).

Concept:

 All the other segments reported a contraction in July — steel (-16.4 per cent), refinery products (-13.9 per cent), cement (-13.5 per cent), natural gas (-10.2 per cent), coal (-5.7 per cent), crude oil (-4.9 per cent) and electricity (-2.3 per cent).  The eight core industries included are- Coal, Crude oil, Natural Gas, Petroleum refinery products, Fertilizer, Cement, Steel, and Electricity generation.  These eight industries comprise 40.27% of the weight of the items included in the Index of Industrial Production.  These industries have a major impact on general economic activities and also industrial activities. They significantly impact most other industries as well. The core sector represents the capital base of the economy

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6. AGR

Context:

The Supreme Court Tuesday held that telecom firms will get 10 years to clear their adjusted gross revenue or AGR dues

Concept:

 All the telecom companies that operate in India pay a part of their revenues as licence fee and spectrum charges to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for using the spectrum owned by the government.  In its definition of AGR, the DoT had said that telcos must cover all the revenue earned by them, including from non-telecom sources such as deposit interests and sale of assets.  The telecom companies were opposed to this and had challenged this definition of AGR in several forums, including the Supreme Court.  On October 24, 2019, the SC had upheld the DoT’s definition of AGR and said since the licensee had agreed to the migration packages, they were liable to pay the dues, the penalty on dues, and the interest on penalty due to delay in payments.

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7. Moratorium and restructuring

Context:

The Centre informed the Supreme Court that moratorium on repayment of loans allowed during the Covid-19 crisis can be extended by up to two years.

Concept:

 On 27th March, 2020, the RBI announced a three-month moratorium (1st March to 31st May) on loan and card repayments. Again extended for three months till 31st August.  During moratorium the customer does not have to pay EMIs and no penal interest is charged. It is not a concession, but a deferment of payment to provide some relief to borrowers facing liquidity issues.  RBI is looking to rebalance the debt burden of borrowers and has therefore announced the loan restructuring scheme.  Restructuring is a practice that allows banks to modify the terms of the loan when the borrower is facing financial stress.  Banks do that to avoid the borrower being declared a defaulter and the loan having to be classified as a non-performing asset.  It could be through a change in the repayment period / repayable amount / number of installments / rate of interest/ additional loans.

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8. Force Majeure

Context:

RBI given moratorium period expired on August 31 so people sought a complete waiver of interest for the moratorium period.

Concept:

 The term ‘force majeure’ has been defined in Black’s Law Dictionary, as ‘an event or effect that can be neither anticipated nor controlled.  From a contractual perspective, a force majeure clause provides temporary reprieve to a party from performing its obligations under a contract upon occurrence of a force majeure event.  While force majeure has neither been defined nor specifically dealt with, in Indian statutes, some reference can be found in Section 32 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 (the "Contract Act") envisages that if a contract is contingent on the happening of an event which event becomes impossible, then the contract becomes void.  Force majeure clauses can usually be found in various contracts such as power purchase agreements, supply contracts, manufacturing contracts, distribution agreements, project finance agreements, agreements between real estate developers and home buyers, etc.

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9. Revised PSL guideline

Context:

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has comprehensively reviewed the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) guidelines to enable better credit penetration to credit deficient areas and increase the lending to small and marginal farmers and weaker sections.

Changes:

 The revised PSL norms are aimed at aligning the same with "emerging national priorities and bring sharper focus on inclusive development.  The RBI said bank finance to start-ups up to Rs 50 crore; loans to farmers for installation of solar power plants for solarisation of grid-connected agriculture pumps and loans for setting up Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plants have been included as fresh categories eligible for finance under priority sector.  To address regional disparities in the flow of priority sector credit, higher weightage have been assigned to incremental priority sector credit in ‘identified districts’ where priority sector credit flow is comparatively low.  The targets prescribed for “small and marginal farmers” and “weaker sections” are being increased in a phased manner.  Higher credit limit has been specified for Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs)/Farmers Producers Companies (FPCs) undertaking farming with assured marketing of their produce at a pre-determined price. Loan limits for renewable energy have been increased (doubled).  For improvement of health infrastructure, credit limit for health infrastructure (including those under ‘Ayushman Bharat’) has been doubled.ing

Concept: Press conference (Source: @RBI, March 16,

 Priority sector lending refers to those sectors or areas of the economy which may not get timely and adequate credit.

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 The RBI requires Indian banks to allocate certain portion of their overall lending for sectors mentioned under PSL. These areas of focus for PSL include Agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Export Credit, Education, Housing, Social Infrastructure, Renewable Energy.  Reserve Bank of India has, from time to time, issued a number of guidelines to banks on Priority Sector Lending. These were last reviewed in April 2015 and for urban and cooperative banks in May 2018.  PSL guidelines are applicable to all domestic scheduled commercial banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks and Small Finance Banks) and foreign banks with 20 branches and above.

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10. OMO Auction and yield

Context:

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave a clear indication in the Open Market Operation (OMO) – Purchase and Sale – auction that it does not want Government Security (G-Sec) yields to go up.

Concept:

 Open market operation is the sale and purchase of government securities and treasury bills by RBI without printing new currency.  Open market operation is a tool that the RBI uses to smoothen liquidity conditions through the year and regulate money supply in the economy.  RBI carries out the OMO through commercial banks and does not directly deal with the public.

Yield Curve:

 A yield curve is a graph of interest rate on all government bonds ranging from the short-term debt (one month) to long-term debt (could be high as 30 years).  Typically, the short term bond has lower interest rate compared with the long-term bond reflecting the higher perceived risk of the latter. Hence a graph of the interest rate of the short-term bond and longer-term will be an increasing line chart. This in technical parlance is called an upward sloping curve.

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11. Anti-dumping duty

Context:

India has imposed anti-dumping duty on commonly-used anti-bacterial drug Ciprofloxacin imported from China.

Concept:

 An anti-dumping duty is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports that it believes are priced below fair market value.  Dumping is a process where a company exports a product at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its own home market.  The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level- playing field for domestic producers vis-a-vis foreign producers and exporters.  The duty is imposed only after a thorough investigation by a quasi-judicial body, such as Directorate General of Trade Remedies, in India.  The imposition of anti-dumping duty is permissible under the World Trade Organization (WTO) regime.

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12. Act of God and force majeure

Context:

Amid disruptions caused by Covid-19, the Finance Minister has referred to an Act of God while businesses are looking at a legal provision, force majeure, to cut losses

Concept:

 The law of contracts is built around a fundamental norm that the parties must perform the contract. When a party fails to perform its part of the contract, the loss to the other party is made good.  However, the law carves out exceptions when performance of the contract becomes impossible to the parties.  A force majeure clause is one such exception that releases the party of its obligations to an extent when events beyond their control take place and leave them unable to perform their part of the contract.  FMC is a clause that is present in most commercial contracts and is a carefully drafted legal arrangement in the event of a crisis. When the clause is triggered, parties can decide to break from their obligations temporarily or permanently without necessarily breaching the contract. Companies in such situations use the clause as a safe exit route, sometimes in opportunistic ways, without having to incur the penalty of breaching the contract.  Generally, an “Act of God” is understood to include only natural unforeseen circumstances, whereas force majeure is wider in its ambit and includes both naturally occurring events and events that occur due to human intervention. However, both concepts elicit the same consequences in law.  War, riots, natural disasters or acts of God, strikes, introduction of new government policy imposing an embargo, boycotts, outbreak of epidemics and such situations are generally listed. If an event is not described, then it

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is interpreted in a way that it falls in the same category of events that are described.  Indian Contract Act, 1872 provides that a contract becomes void if it becomes impossible due to an event after the contract was signed that the party could not prevent.

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13. Demerit goods and GST compensation

Context:

A maximum of 15 per cent cess on GST rate of 28 per cent are levied on luxury goods and aerated drinks which will help create a corpus for compensating states for any loss of revenue from GST implementation

Concept:

 In economics, a demerit good is a good or service whose consumption is considered unhealthy, degrading, or otherwise socially undesirable due to the perceived negative effects on the consumers themselves.  It is over-consumed if left to market forces. Examples of demerit goods include tobacco, alcoholic beverages, recreational drugs, gambling, junk food.  Because of the nature of these goods, governments often levy taxes on these goods (specifically, sin taxes), in some cases regulating or banning consumption or advertisement of these goods.

Compensation cess

 Compensation cess was introduced as relief for States for the loss of revenues arising from the implementation of GST.  States, in lieu of giving up their powers to collect taxes on goods and services after local levies were subsumed under the GST, were guaranteed a 14 per cent tax revenue growth in the first five years after GST implementation by the Central government.  States’ tax revenue as of FY16 is considered as the base year for the calculation of this 14 per cent growth.  Any shortfall against it is supposed to be compensated by the Centre using the funds specifically collected as compensation cess.  Compensation cess is levied on five products considered to be ‘sin’ or luxury goods like SUV, pan masala, cigrattes.  The collected compensation cess flows into the Consolidated Fund of India, and then transferred to the Public Account of India, where a GST compensation cess account has been created.

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 States are compensated bi-monthly from the accumulated funds in this account.

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14. Forex reserve

Context:

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed India’s foreign exchange (forex) reserves surged by $3.883 billion to touch a lifetime high of $541.431 billion in the week ended August 28.

Concept:

 Forex reserves are external assets in the form of gold, SDRs (special drawing rights of the IMF) and foreign currency assets (capital inflows to the capital markets, FDI and external commercial borrowings) accumulated by India and controlled by the RBI.  The major reason for the rise in forex reserves is the rise in investment in foreign portfolio investors in Indian stocks and foreign direct investments (FDIs). Foreign investors have acquired stakes in several Indian companies over the past several months.  There is also fall in crude oil prices which brought down the oil import bill, saving precious foreign exchange. Similarly, overseas remittances and foreign travels have fallen steeply.

Significance of rising forex reserves:

 The rising forex reserves give comfort to the government and the RBI in managing India’s external and internal financial issues at a time of major contraction in economic growth.  It serves as a cushion in the event of a crisis on the economic front, and is enough to cover the import bill of the country for a year.  The rising reserves have also helped the rupee to strengthen against the dollar. The foreign exchange reserves to GDP ratio is around 15 per cent.  Reserves will provide a level of confidence to markets that a country can meet its external obligations, demonstrate the backing of domestic currency by external assets, assist the government in meeting its foreign

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exchange needs and external debt obligations and maintain a reserve for national disasters or emergencies.

Role of RBI

 The Reserve Bank functions as the custodian and manager of forex reserves, and operates within the overall policy framework agreed upon with the government.  The RBI allocates the dollars for specific purposes. For example, under the Liberalised Remittances Scheme, individuals are allowed to remit up to $250,000 every year.  The RBI uses its forex kitty for the orderly movement of the rupee. It sells the dollar when the rupee weakens and buys the dollar when the rupee strengthens. Of late, the RBI has been buying dollars from the market to shore up the forex reserves.  The RBI Act, 1934 provides the overarching legal framework for deployment of reserves in different foreign currency assets and gold within the broad parameters of currencies, instruments, issuers and counterparties.  As much as 64 per cent of the foreign currency reserves are held in securities like Treasury bills of foreign countries, mainly the US; 28 per cent is deposited in foreign central banks; and 7.4 per cent is deposited in commercial banks abroad, according to RBI data.  The return on India’s forex reserves kept in foreign central banks and commercial banks is negligible

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15. Foreign Contribution Regulation Act

Context:

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licences of four associations this year

Concept:

 The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 and rules framed under it (the “FCRA” or “Act”) regulate the receipt and usage of foreign contribution by non-governmental organisations (“NGOs”) in India.  Since the Act is internal security legislation, despite being a law related to financial legislation, it falls into the purview of Home Ministry and not the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).  The focus of the Act is to ensure that the foreign contribution and foreign hospitality is not utilized to affect or influence electoral politics, public servants, judges and other people working the important areas of national life like journalists, printers and publishers of newspapers, etc.  The Act also seeks to regulate flow of foreign funds to voluntary organizations with the objective of preventing any possible diversion of such funds towards activities detrimental to the national interest and to ensure that individuals and organizations may function in a manner consistent with the values of the sovereign democratic republic.

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16. Stagflation, recession, CPI, WPI

Context:

Decoding GDP contraction

Findings:

 Compared to the first quarter of last year, the income split showed growth in agriculture, minor declines in financial services, utilities (like electricity and water) and public administration, and major declines in retail, transportation, manufacturing, hotels, and construction.  The expenditure split showed growth in government spending, private consumption was down by a quarter, and investments nearly halved. On both fronts there was little surprise in the GDP release.  CPI-WPI inflation rates have been displaying divergent trends, with WPI staying in the negative territory, reflecting weak pricing power, while CPI has been rising, staying above the RBI’s comfort level indicating stagflation and recession.

Concept:

 Inflation is defined as a situation where there is sustained, unchecked increase in the general price level and a fall in the purchasing power of money.

CPI:

 Inflation is measured using CPI. A comprehensive measure used for estimation of price changes in a basket of goods and services representative of consumption expenditure in an economy is called consumer price index.  The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is releasing CPI (Rural, Urban, Combined) on Base 2012=100

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 An inflation measure which excludes transitory or temporary price volatility as in the case of some commodities such as food items, energy products is called core inflation

WPI:

 Wholesale Price Index, or WPI, measures the changes in the prices of goods sold and traded in bulk by wholesale businesses to other businesses  The numbers are released by the Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

WPI Vs CPI

 While WPI keeps track of the wholesale price of goods, the CPI measures the average price that households pay for a basket of different goods and services.  Even as the WPI is used as a key measure of inflation in some economies, the RBI no longer uses it for policy purposes, including setting repo rates. The central bank currently uses CPI or retail inflation as a key measure of inflation to set the monetary and credit policy.

Stagflation

 It is a seemingly contradictory condition described by slow economic growth and relatively high unemployment, or economic stagnation, which is at the same time accompanied by rising prices (i.e. inflation).  Stagflation can also be alternatively defined as a period of inflation combined with a decline in gross domestic product (GDP).

Recession

 Recession is a slowdown or a massive contraction in economic activities. A significant fall in spending generally leads to a recession.  Such a slowdown in economic activities may last for some quarters thereby completely hampering the growth of an economy.

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 In such a situation, economic indicators such as GDP, corporate profits, employments, etc., fall.  This creates a mess in the entire economy. To tackle the menace, economies generally react by loosening their monetary policies by infusing more money into the system, i.e., by increasing the money supply.

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17. K.V. Kamath committee

Context:

The KV Kamath committee has selected 26 sectors which will require restructuring based on its analyses of financial parameters hit due to the economic crash caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Concept:

 The RBI had formed a five member committee under the chairmanship of former ICICI Bank Chief Executive KV Kamath to make recommendations on the financial parameters to be considered in the restructuring of loans impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic.  The committee will also scrutinize restructuring of loans above Rs 1500 crore. The term of the committee has been extended till June 30 2021.

 It recommended a graded approach to restructuring of stressed accounts based on severity of the impact on the borrowers.  The committee has allowed banks to classify the accounts into mild, moderate and severe.  In line with the mandate given by the RBI, Kamath committee has identified four financial parameters including total outside liabilities to adjusted tangible networth, total debt to EBITDA, debt service coverage ratio (DSCR), average debt service coverage ratio (ADSCR).  The committee has recommended sector-specific thresholds for each ratio in respect of 26 sectors to be taken into account while finalizing the resolution plans.  In its report the five member committee said power, construction, iron and steel, roads, real estate, wholesale trading, textiles, consumer durables, aviation, logistics, hotels, restaurants and tourism, mining are among the

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sectors that will need restructuring

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18. IPO

Context:

The government is likely to amend the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) Act, 1956 to facilitate the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the country’s largest life insurer LIC.

Concept:

 The amendment in the LIC Act is required to achieve at least three objectives — to list as a corporation and not as a company, expansion of paid up capital and continuation of sovereign guarantee to shareholders.

 Once listed, an entity is required to have at least 25 per cent of public shareholding — shares owned by those other than promoters and include institutions and individuals after three years.

 The Budget documents show the government has set a disinvestment target of ₹2.1-lakh crore, of which ₹90,000 crore would come from the sale of IDBI Bank and LIC stake.

IPO:

 An IPO stands for initial public offering.  It is when a company initially offers shares of stocks to the public.  It's also called "going public."  An IPO is the first time the owners of the company give up part of their ownership to stockholders. Before that, the company is privately- owned.

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19. InvIT

Context:

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has allowed Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) to undertake monetization of its Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) assets through Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT).

Concept:

 An Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvITs) is like a mutual fund, which enables direct investment of small amounts of money from possible individual/institutional investors in infrastructure to earn a small portion of the income as return.  InvITs work like mutual funds or real estate investment trusts (REITs) in features. InvITs can be treated as the modified version of REITs designed to suit the specific circumstances of the infrastructure sector.  SEBI notified the Sebi (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014 providing for registration and regulation of InvITs in India. The objective of InvITs is to facilitate investment in the infrastructure sector.

InvITS are like mutual funds in structure. InvITs can be established as a trust and registered with SEBI. An InvIT consists of four elements: 1) Trustee, 2) Sponsor(s), 3) Investment Manager and 4) Project Manager.

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20. FDI in Defence

Context:

The Union Cabinet approved the new FDI policy in the Defence sector which allows the foreign direct investment through automatic approval to be increased from 49% to 74%. However, the new policy has a ‘National Security’ clause as a condition

Concept:

 Foreign Investment in the Defence Sector shall be subject to scrutiny on the ground of National Security and the Government reserves the right to review any foreign investment in the Defence Sector that may affect national security  The policy has been introduced in view of reducing dependency on imports in the Defence sector and boosting Make in India, in turn giving more employment and business opportunities to the Indian businesses and boosting self-dependency.  Through the policy reforms, the government is seeking to attract foreign players to set up manufacturing units in India.  The Government has been focussing on strengthening the Defence sector by boosting indigenous manufacturing and also aiming to increase exports from the sector.

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21. Door Step banking and EASE reform

Context:

Finance Minister has launched doorstep banking services for public sector banks in order to facilitate hassle-free and convenient banking.

Concept:

 As part of the EASE Reforms, Doorstep Banking Services is envisaged to provide convenience of banking services to the customers at their door step through the universal touch points of Call Centre, Web Portal or Mobile App. Customers can also track their service request through these channels.  At present only non-financial services vis-a-vis pick up of negotiable instruments (cheque / demand draft / pay order, etc.), pick up new cheque book requisition slip, request for account statement, delivery of non- personalised cheque book, delivery of pre-paid instrument / gift card and others are available to customers.  Initially, the doorstep banking facility were decided to be available to senior citizens and the disabled, who found it difficult to visit branches.

EASE reform

 PSB Reforms EASE Agenda is a common reform agenda for PSBs aimed at institutionalizing clean and smart banking.  It was launched in January 2018, and the subsequent edition of the program ― EASE 2.0 built on the foundation laid in EASE 1.0 and furthered the progress on reforms.  EASE 3.0 sets the agenda and roadmap for FY21 for their transformation into digital and data-driven NextGen Banking of the Future for an aspiring India  With EASE 1.0 and 2.0 laying a firm foundation of robust banking and institutionalised systems, PSBs are set to transform into digital- and data- driven NextGen banks.

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 EASE 3.0 emphasizes on the use of digital, analytics & AI, FinTech partnerships across customer service, convenient banking, end-to-end digitalised processes for loan sourcing and processing, analytics-driven risk management as well as decision support systems for HR.

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22. Loan restructuring

Context:

A five-member expert committee headed by K V Kamath came out with recommendations on the financial parameters required for a one-time loan restructuring window for corporate borrowers under stress due to the pandemic.

Concept:

 Restructuring is a practice that allows banks to modify the terms of the loan when the borrower is facing financial stress.  Banks do that to avoid the borrower being declared a defaulter and the loan having to be classified as a non-performing asset.  It could be through a change in the repayment period / repayable amount / number of installments / rate of interest/ additional loans.

Kamath committee

 The RBI had formed a five member committee under the chairmanship of former ICICI Bank Chief Executive KV Kamath to make recommendations on the financial parameters to be considered in the restructuring of loans impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic.  The committee will also scrutinize restructuring of loans above Rs 1500 crore. The term of the committee has been extended till June 30 2021.  It recommended a graded approach to restructuring of stressed accounts based on severity of the impact on the borrowers.  The committee has allowed banks to classify the accounts into mild, moderate and severe.  In line with the mandate given by the RBI, Kamath committee has identified four financial parameters including total outside liabilities to adjusted tangible networth, total debt to EBITDA, debt service coverage ratio (DSCR), average debt service coverage ratio (ADSCR).

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 The committee has recommended sector-specific thresholds for each ratio in respect of 26 sectors to be taken into account while finalizing the resolution plans.  In its report the five member committee said power, construction, iron and steel, roads, real estate, wholesale trading, textiles, consumer durables, aviation, logistics, hotels, restaurants and tourism, mining are among the sectors that will need restructuring

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23. AMRUT

Context:

AMRUT projects review has been held

Concept:

 Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched on 2015 in 500 cities across the country, covering about 60% of the total urban population.  It is a centrally sponsored scheme with a total outlay of ₹ 1,00,000 crore including a Central Assistance of ₹ 50,000 crore spread over 5 years i.e. from FY 2015-2016 to FY 2019-2020.  The Mission will focus on the following Thrust Areas: o Water Supply o Sewerage and septage management o Storm Water Drainage to reduce flooding o Non-motorized Urban Transport o Green space/parks  The purpose of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is to o Ensure that every household has access to a tap with the assured supply of water and a sewerage connection. o Increase the amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well maintained open spaces (e.g. parks) and o Reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport (e.g. walking and cycling).  All these outcomes are valued by citizens, particularly women, and indicators and standards have been prescribed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA ) in the form of Service Level Benchmarks (SLBs).

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24. Five Star Villages Scheme

Context:

The Department of Posts has launched a scheme called Five Star Villages

Concept:

 The scheme is to ensure universal coverage of flagship postal schemes in rural areas of the country.  The scheme seeks to bridge the gaps in public awareness and reach of postal products and services, especially in interior villages.  All postal products and services will be made available and marketed and publicized at village level, under the Five Star Villages scheme. Branch offices will function as one-stop shop to cater all post office - related needs of villagers.  The schemes covered under the Five Star scheme include

 If a village attains universal coverage for four schemes from the above list, then that village gets four-star status; if a village completes three schemes, then that village get three-star status and so on.  The Postal Department has been playing a major role in the implementation of Government schemes, leveraging the immense strength of its vast network. Postal schemes are known for providing highly secured deposits, they provide higher return of interest with low risk.

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25. Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems

Context:

The Results of the second edition of Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems will be released

Concept:

 The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) conducted the second edition of the States’ Startup Ranking Exercise with the key objective to foster competitiveness and propel States and Union Territories to work proactively towards uplifting the startup ecosystem.  It has been envisioned as a capacity development exercise to encourage mutual learning among all states and to provide support in policy formulation and implementation.  The States’ Startup Ranking Framework 2019 has 7 broad reform areas consisting of 30 action points ranging from Institutional Support, Easing Compliances, Relaxation in Public Procurement norms, Incubation support, Seed Funding Support, Venture Funding Support, and Awareness & Outreach.

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26. EPFO recommending splitting payment of EPF interest rate

Context:

The Central Board of Trustees of the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) recommended splitting payment of the interest rate of 8.5% for 2019-20 into two parts.

Taking in account the exceptional circumstances arising out of covid 19 , EPFO’s Central Board of Trustees has recommended splitting payment of the interest rate of 8.5% recommended for 2019-20 into two parts. The EPFO will credit 8.15% to its over six crore subscribers for the year immediately. The remaining 0.35%, which is linked to its equity investments, will be subject to redemption of its units invested in exchange-traded funds before December 31.

EPFO:

 EPFO is one of the World's largest Social Security Organisations in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken. At present it maintains 19.34 crore accounts (Annual Report 2016-17) pertaining to its members.  The Employees' Provident Fund came into existence with the promulgation of the Employees' Provident Funds Ordinance on the 15th November, 1951. It was replaced by the Employees' Provident Funds Act, 1952.  The Act and Schemes framed there under are administered by a tri-partite Board known as the Central Board of Trustees, Employees' Provident Fund, consisting of representatives of Government (Both Central and State), Employers, and Employees.  The Central Board of Trustees administers a contributory provident fund, pension scheme and an insurance scheme for the workforce engaged in the organized sector in India.  The EPFO is under the administrative control of Ministry of Labour and Employment

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27. Negative impact of high fiscal deficit

Context:

Government deficit is possibly the most dominating issue in the global financial markets these days.

Concept:

 A high government deficit leaves little for the private sector for investment and puts upward pressure on interest rates—also referred as crowding out.  But in an open economy, the country can always import capital to naturalize the impact of reduced saving because of higher deficit. But, again, import of foreign capital would result in appreciation of the currency, affecting exports and growth.  It has threat of a ratings downgrade.

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28. FCRA

Context: The licences of 13 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been suspended under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, this year.

Concept:  The FCRA regulates foreign donations and ensures that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security.  First enacted in 1976, it was amended in 2010 when a slew of new measures were adopted to regulate foreign donations.  The FCRA is applicable to all associations, groups and NGOs which intend to receive foreign donations.  It is mandatory for all such NGOs to register themselves under the FCRA.  The registration is initially valid for five years and it can be renewed subsequently if they comply with all norms.  Registered associations can receive foreign contribution for social, educational, religious, economic and cultural purposes.  Filing of annual returns, on the lines of Income Tax, is compulsory.  In 2015, the MHA notified new rules, which required NGOs to give an undertaking that the acceptance of foreign funds is not likely to prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India or impact friendly relations with any foreign state and does not disrupt communal harmony. It also said all such NGOs would have to operate accounts in either nationalised or private banks which have core banking facilities to allow security agencies access on a real time basis.

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29. Scramjet engine

Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) performed a major technological feat by launching cruise vehicle Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV). The centrepiece of the HSTDV was the indigenously developed air breathing scramjet engine.

Concept:  A ramjet is a form of air-breathing jet engine that uses the vehicle’s forward motion to compress incoming air for combustion without a rotating compressor.  Fuel is injected in the combustion chamber where it mixes with the hot compressed air and ignites. A ramjet-powered vehicle requires an assisted take-off like a rocket assist to accelerate it to a speed where it begins to produce thrust.  Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound) and can operate up to speeds of Mach 6. However, the ramjet efficiency starts to drop when the vehicle reaches hypersonic speeds.  A scramjet engine is an improvement over the ramjet engine as it efficiently operates at hypersonic speeds and allows supersonic combustion. Thus it is known as Supersonic Combustion Ramjet, or Scramjet.

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30. Banking Regulation Bill

Context:

Banking Regulation Bill introduced in Lok Sabha.

Concept:

 The Bill, which seeks to replace an ordinance issued by the Government in last week of June  It likes to empower the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to effectively handle the mishaps in private banks without allowing any loss of public confidence and disruption in the financial system  The bill will allow the RBI to prepare a reconstruction scheme (for failed banks) without having to first make an order of moratorium on barring deposit withdrawals.  This will enable the RBI to find suitors for a stressed bank.  Besides, the Bill also brings certain cooperative banks — urban cooperative banks (UCBs) and multi-state cooperative banks (MSCBs) — under the RBI supervision process applicable to commercial banks as part of efforts to protect the depositors of such cooperative banks.

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31. Finance Commission devolution

Context:

FC chairperson N.K. Singh said that the pandemic has necessitated reconsideration of 42% devolution assigned in the 2020-21

Concept:

 The Finance Commission is a constitutional body set up by the President of India, every five years or earlier to decide the share of the Union government and state governments in the divisible pool of tax revenue under Article 280  Each Finance Commission is required to make recommendations on: (i) sharing of central taxes with states, (ii) distribution of central grants to states, (iii) measures to improve the finances of states to supplement the resources of panchayats and municipalities, and (iv) any other matter referred to it.  The share in central taxes is distributed among states based on a formula. Previous Finance Commissions have considered various factors to determine the criteria such as the population and income needs of states, their area and infrastructure, etc. Further, the weightage assigned to each criterion has varied with each Finance Commission.

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32. Amendments in the Income Tax Act 1961

Context:

Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs in response to a question asked in the Lok Sabha said in September 2019, the Government announced several measures to promote growth, investment and create new employment opportunities through the amendments in the Income-tax Act, 1961 and Finance act 2019.

Concept:

Measures taken by Ministry of Finance, which are as follows:

 reduction in the corporate tax rate from 30% to 22% provided the company did not avail any exemption or incentive.  an option to pay income-tax at the rate of 15% for the new domestic companies incorporated on or after 1st October 2019 and making a fresh investment, subject to their not availing any exemption or incentives and provided they commence production by 31st March 2023.  reduction in the Minimum Alternate Tax from the existing rate 18.5% to 15% for existing companies that are availing the exemption/incentives.  In order to provide relief to listed companies which had already made a public announcement of buy-back before 5th July 2019, it was provided that tax on buy-back of shares in case of such companies shall not be charged.  The amendments expanded the scope of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of 2 per cent spending. The CSR 2% fund can be spent on incubators funded by Central or State Government or any agency or Public Sector Undertaking and making contributions to public-funded Universities, IITs, National Laboratories, and Autonomous Bodies engaged in conducting research in science, technology, engineering and medicine aimed at promoting Sustainable Development Goals.  Subsequently, structural reforms were announced as part of the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package (ANBP) which, inter alia, includes change in

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definition of MSMEs, collateral-free automatic loans for businesses including MSMEs, subordinate debt for stressed MSMEs and equity infusion for MSMEs through Fund of Funds.

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33. Trade deficit

Context:

Contracting for the sixth straight month, India’s exports slipped 12.66 per cent year-on-year to USD 22.7 billion in August, on account of fall in the shipments of petroleum, leather, engineering goods and gems and jewellery items, as per the government data released

Concept:

Trade deficit

 Trade balance of a country shows the difference between what it earns from its exports and what it pays for its imports.  If it is in negative that is, the total value of goods imported by a country is more than the total value of goods exported by that country, then it is referred to as a “trade deficit”.

Current Account deficit

 A current account deficit is a trade measurement that says a country imported more goods, services, and capital than it exported.  It encompasses the trade deficit plus capital like net income and transfer payments.  Current Account = Trade gap + Net current transfers + Net income abroad

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34. Impossible Trilemma

Context:

In a recently released report, the Reserve Bank of India mentioned that an appreciating currency will help contain imported inflationary pressures. This has given rise to a fervent debate as to whether the RBI is no longer able to handle the Impossible Trilemma.

Concept:

 The policy trilemma refers to the trade-offs a government faces when deciding international monetary policy. In particular, the policy trilemma contends that it is not possible to have all three objectives at the same time, but has to choose two from the following three options: o Free movement of capital o Independent (autonomous) monetary policy o Fixed (managed) exchange rates

 The Impossible Trilemma, an important paradigm of open economy macroeconomics, asserts that a country may not be able to stabilise the exchange rate, and conduct an independent monetary policy when it is financially integrated with the rest of the world.  Policymakers in all sophisticated economies face this trilemma, forcing them to make choices about which targets they are going to pursue.

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 The RBI has tried to avoid these choices: It has tried to pursue all three objectives simultaneously in an especially aggressive manner since the pandemic struck. o It has reduced its policy interest rate to negative levels in real terms. o It has bought government securities to push down long-term interest rates. o It has allowed large capital inflows, then intervened in the foreign exchange market to prevent the appreciation of the rupee. These actions are incompatible, and will eventually generate a serious policy dilemma.  One of the corners of the trilemma has to do with capital inflows. In the first few months of the pandemic and the associated lockdown, the Indian economy witnessed a net outflow of foreign portfolio investment (FPI). However, this trend has reversed in recent months.  At the same time, the combination of weak economic growth, lacklustre domestic demand, and low oil prices have shifted the current account balance from deficit into surplus. Imports have fallen more than exports suggesting that India is doing worse than its trading partners. These factors have changed the balance of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets as a result of which the currency has begun to face appreciation pressures against the dollar. This brings us to another corner of the trilemma — currency stability.  Retail inflation has now breached the upper limit of 6 per cent for more than three quarters. Core inflation has been rising and inflation expectations have jumped sharply. And while credit to the private sector remains depressed, credit to the government has been strong, implying that overall broad money is growing rapidly.

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35. Capital gain Tax

Context:

A Parliamentary panel has suggested abolishing tax on long-term capital gains for all investments in start-ups made through collective investment vehicles (CIVs).

Concept:

 The gain or profit from the sale of assets is classified as a capital gain. The tax for this capital gain needs to be paid in the year that the asset transfer takes place.  STCG or Short Term Capital Gains Tax is the tax levied on profits generated from the sale of an asset which is held for a government-defined short period is called short-term capital gains tax.  The short term period differs for various items; for example, for immovable property such as land, building, and house property, the holding period was reduced in FY 2017-18 from 36 months or less to 24 months or less, to deem it as “short term.”

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36. FDI

Context:

Information about FDI was given by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha

Concept:

As compared to previous years, Foreign Direct Investment has increased in the financial year 2018-19. The year-wise increase in FDI inflow can be seen in the following table:

S. No. Financial Year Total FDI Inflow

(in US$ billion)

1. 2015-16 55.56

2. 2016-17 60.22

3. 2017-18 60.97

4. 2018-19 (P) 62.00

Note: (P) Figures are provisional. Source: Reserve Bank of India.

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37. The Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill

Context:

The Bill is introduced in Lok sabha to replace the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020

Concept:

 It seeks to provide for the creation of an ecosystem where the farmers and traders enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of farmers' produce  It facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels to promote efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter-State and intra-State trade and commerce of farmers' produce outside physical premises of markets or deemed markets notified under various State agricultural produce market legislations  It also provides a facilitative framework for electronic trading and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Background

 Farmers in India suffered from various restrictions in marketing their produce.  There were restrictions for farmers in selling agri-produce outside the notified APMC market yards.  The farmers were also restricted to sell the produce only to registered licensees of the State Governments.  Further, Barriers existed in free flow of agriculture produce between various States owing to the prevalence of various APMC legislations enacted by the State Governments.  This legislation is a historic-step in unlocking the vastly regulated agriculture markets in the country.  It will open more choices for the farmer, reduce marketing costs for the farmers and help them in getting better prices.

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 It will also help farmers of regions with surplus produce to get better prices and consumers of regions with shortages, lower prices.

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38. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill

Context:

The bill was introduced in Lok sabha

Concept:

 It seeks to provide for a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for farm services and sale of future farming produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Background

 Indian agriculture is characterized by fragmentation due to small holding sizes and has certain weaknesses such as weather dependence, production uncertainties and market unpredictability.  This makes agriculture risky and inefficient in respect of both input & output management.  This legislation will transfer the risk of market unpredictability from the farmer to the sponsor and also enable the farmer to access modern technology and better inputs.  It will reduce cost of marketing and improve income of farmers.  Farmers will engage in direct marketing thereby eliminating intermediaries resulting in full realization of price. Farmers have been provided adequate protection.  Effective dispute resolution mechanism has been provided for with clear time lines for redressal.

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39. Import substitution

Context:

Promoting self-reliance in sectors such as electronics, defence equipment, pharmaceuticals, among others, can lead to import substitution of over USD 186 billion for the country, says a study by Export and Import Bank of India (Exim Bank).

Concept:

 Government strategy that emphasizes replacement of some agricultural or industrial imports to encourage local production for local consumption, rather than producing for export markets.  Import substitutes are meant to generate employment, reduce foreign exchange demand, stimulate innovation, and make the country self- reliant in critical areas such as food, defense, and advanced technology.  It seeks to provide added protection to domestic industries via tariffs, import quotas, government loans at subsidised rates of interest. This encourages people to start new production units.  The economies adopt this policy to protect its budding industry from international competition that has easily attained economies of scale due to large-scale production.  Import substitution gained widespread prominence and adopted by many countries after World War II to bolster domestic industry and growth. This was also done to reduce dependence on other countries.  India too had resorted to import substitution which was later reversed during 1991 currency crisis.

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40. Country of origin

Context:

 With more stringent rules coming into effect from September 21, an exporter’s certificate for ‘country of origin’ alone, which was sufficient earlier, will not be admissible.  The concessional Customs duties, including zero duty, under free-trade agreements (FTAs) would be available to importers only if they can prove that products have undergone value addition of at least 35 per cent in the countries of origin

Concept:

 Investigation into FTA imports in the last few years has revealed that the rules of origin, under respective FTAs, were not being followed in the true spirit. This practice has been rampant in electronic items particularly.  The FTA partner countries have been exporting these goods without having the necessary technological capacity to achieve required value addition. Moreover, rules of origin were flouted even in products like aggarbatti, arecanut, black pepper, etc.  The Certificates of Origin were freely issued by the agencies in the country of exports without any accountability and if verification was initiated, these agencies either do not respond or respond casually.  The ASEAN FTA allows imports of most of the items at nil or concessional basic customs duty rate from the 10 ASEAN member countries.  Major imports to India come from five ASEAN countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. The benefit of concessional customs duty rate applies only if an ASEAN member country is the country of origin for the goods.  This means that goods originating from China and routed through these countries will not be eligible for customs duty concessions under ASEAN FTA.

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 The country of origin is determined by application of certain set of conditions as prescribed in the FTA agreement itself. In respect of goods, other than natural products native to these countries, the required condition is that minimum value addition of the export value of goods must have been contributed by the ASEAN member country.

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41. E way bill

Context:

E-way bill, in value terms, has reached nearly 90 per cent of pre-Covid period.

Concept:

 The E-way bill, short form for electronic way bill, is a document to be generated online under the GST system, when goods of the value of more than ₹50,000 are shipped inter-State or intra-State.  The E-way bill must be raised before the goods are shipped and should include details of the goods, their consignor, recipient and transporter.  The transporter has to carry the invoice and the copy of E-way bill as support documents for the movement of goods.  Though check-posts have been abolished under GST, a consignment can be intercepted at any point for the verification of its E-way bill, for all inter- State and intra-State movement of goods. If a consignment is found without an E-way bill, a penalty of ₹10,000 or tax sought to be evaded, whichever is greater, can be levied.  An e-way bill is valid for 1 day for distance less than 100 Kms and additional 1 day for every additional 100 Kms or part thereof

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42. Steps for Doubling Farmers' Income

Context:

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in Rajya Sabha has informed about steps taken for doubling farmers’ income.

Concept:

 The Government constituted an Inter-ministerial Committee in April, 2016 to examine issues relating to “Doubling of Farmers Income” (DFI) and recommend strategies to achieve the same.  The Committee submitted its Report to the Government in September, 2018 containing the strategy for doubling of farmers’ income by the year 2022.  The DFI strategy as recommended by the Committee include seven sources of income growth viz., 1. improvement in crop productivity 2. improvement in livestock productivity 3. resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of production 4. increase in the cropping intensity 5. diversification towards high value crops 6. improvement in real prices received by farmers 7. shift from farm to non-farm occupations

List of various interventions and schemes launched for the benefit of farmers  With a view to provide income support to all farmers’ families across the country, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs, the Central Government started a new Central Sector Scheme, namely, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). The scheme aims to provide a payment of Rs. 6000/- per year, in three 4-monthly installments of Rs. 2000/- to the farmers families, subject to certain exclusions relating to higher income groups.  Further with a view to provide social security net for Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) as they have minimal or no savings to provide for old age

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and to support them in the event of consequent loss of livelihood, the Government has decided to implement another new Central Sector Scheme i.e. Pradhan Mantri Kisan MaanDhan Yojana (PM-KMY) for providing old age pension to these farmers. Under this Scheme, a minimum fixed pension of Rs. 3000/- will be provided to the eligible small and marginal farmers, subject to certain exclusion clauses, on attaining the age of 60 years.  With a view to provide better insurance coverage to crops for risk mitigation, a crop insurance scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched from Kharif 2016 season. This scheme provides insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle including post- harvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by farmers.  Implementation of flagship scheme of distribution of Soil Health Cards to farmers so that the use of fertilizers can be rationalized.  “Per drop more crop” initiative under which drip/sprinkler irrigation is being encouraged for optimal utilization of water, reducing cost of inputs and increasing productivity.  “Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)” for promoting organic farming.  Launch of e-NAM initiative to provide farmers an electronic transparent and competitive online trading platform.  Under “Har Medh Par Ped”, agro forestry is being promoted for additional income. With the amendment of Indian Forest Act, 1927, Bamboo has been removed from the definition of trees. A restructured National Bamboo Mission has been launched in the year 2018 to promote bamboo plantation on non- forest government as well as private land and emphasis on value addition, product development and markets.  Giving a major boost to the pro-farmer initiatives, the Government has approved a new Umbrella Scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)’. The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018. This is an unprecedented step taken by Govt. of

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India to protect the farmers’ income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers.  The Government has extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the farmers practicing animal husbandry and fisheries related activities.  Several market reforms have been rolled out. These include o Model APLMC (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017 o Establishment of 22,000 number of Gramin Agriculture Markets (GrAMs) as aggregation platforms o Agri-Export Policy, that targets to double agri-exports by 2022 o The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 o The Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 o Amendments to Essential Commodities Act, 1955, that deregulates various agri-commodities  Creation of Corpus Funds o Micro Irrigation Fund – Rs. 5,000 crore o Agri-marketing Fund to strengthen eNAM and GrAMs – Rs. 2,000 crore o Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to build agri-logistics (backward & forward linkages) – Rs. 1 lakh crore

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43. Organic Farming in the Country

Context:

Information provided by minister in Rajya Sabha

Concept:

Assistance is provided under different schemes by the Government for promoting organic farming in the country –

 Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): The scheme promotes cluster based organic farming with PGS certification. Cluster formation, training, certification and marketing are supported under the scheme. Assistance of Rs.50,000 per ha /3 years is provided out of which 62% i.e., Rs. 31,000 is given as incentive to a farmer towards organic inputs.  Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER): The scheme promotes 3rd party certified organic farming of niche crops of north east region through Farmers Producer organizations (FPOs) with focus on exports. Farmers are given assistance of Rs 25000/ha/3 years for organic inputs including organic manure and biofertilisers etc. Support for formation of FPOs, capacity building, post- harvest infrastructure up to Rs 2 crores are also provided in the scheme.  Capital investment Subsidy Scheme (CISS) under Soil Health Management Scheme: 100% assistance is provided to State Government / Government agencies for setting up of mechanized fruit/vegetable market waste/ Agro waste compost production unit up to a maximum limit of Rs.190.00 Lakh /unit (3000 Total Per Annum TPA capacity). Similarly, for individuals/ private agencies assistance up to 33% of cost limit to Rs 63 lakh/unit as capital investment is provided.  National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP): Financial assistance@ 50% subsidy to the tune of Rs. 300/- per ha is being provided for different components including bio-fertilizers, supply of Rhizobium culture/Phosphate Solubilising Bacteria (PSB)/Zinc Solubilising Bacteria (ZSB)/ Azatobacter/ Mycorrhiza and vermi compost.

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 National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Financial assistance is provided for promotion of Bio-Fertilizer (Rhizobium/PSB) @50% of the cost limited to Rs.300 per ha.

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44. Agriculture Export Policy

Context:

As a part of implementation of the Agriculture Export Policy, a number of States have finalized their respective Action Plans identifying various infrastructure gaps affecting agricultural exports. To address these gaps, the States can avail assistance under the Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) of Department of Commerce and under various existing Schemes of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare; Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying; Ministry of Food Processing Industries etc.

Concept:

 The Agriculture Export Policy is framed with a focus on agriculture export oriented production, export promotion, better farmer realization and synchronization within policies and programmes of Government of India.  Vision: Harness export potential of Indian agriculture, through suitable policy instruments, to make India global power in agriculture and raise farmers income.  Objectives o To double agricultural exports from present ~US$ 30+ Billion to ~US$ 60+ Billion by 2022 and reach US$ 100 Billion in the next few years thereafter, with a stable trade policy regime. o To diversify our export basket, destinations and boost high value and value added agricultural exports including focus on perishables. o To promote novel, indigenous, organic, ethnic, traditional and non- traditional Agri products exports. o To provide an institutional mechanism for pursuing market access, tackling barriers and deal with sanitary and phytosanitary issues. o To strive to double India’s share in world agri exports by integrating with global value chain at the earliest. o Enable farmers to get benefit of export opportunities in overseas market.

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45. One District One Product Concept

Context:

Based on strengths of a district and National Priorities, One District One Product (ODOP) is seen as a transformational step forward towards realizing the true potential of a district, fuel economic growth and generate employment and rural entrepreneurship, taking us to the goal of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.

Concept:

 Department of Commerce through DGFT is engaging with State and Central government agencies to promote the initiative of One District One Product.  The objective is to convert each District of the country into an export hub by identifying products with export potential in the District, addressing bottlenecks for exporting these products, supporting local exporters, manufacturers to scale up manufacturing, and find potential buyers outside India with the aim of promoting exports, promoting manufacturing & services industry in the District and generate employment in the District.  As part of this initiative, an institutional mechanism is being set up in each District in the form of District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs) that may be headed by DM/ Collector/ DC/ District Development Officer of the District and co-chaired by the designated Regional Authority of DGFT and various other stakeholders as its members.  The primary function of the DEPC will be to prepare and act on District specific Export Action Plans in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders from the Centre, State and the District level.

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46. Labour code reforms

Context:

 Government has introduced three Labour Codes in the Lok Sabha heralding the path of game changing labour welfare reforms in the country.  These bills are (i) Industrial Relations Code, 2020, (ii) Code on Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Bill, 2020 (iii) Social Security Code, 2020.  It was mentioned that the Code on Wages has already been approved by Parliament in the month of August, 2019 and has already become the law of the land.

Concept: i) Social Security Code, 2020

 Labour falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. Therefore, both Parliament and state legislatures can make laws regulating labour.  Currently, there are over 100 state and 40 central laws regulating various aspects of labour such as resolution of industrial disputes, working conditions, social security and wages.  Social security refers to protection measures provided to workers to ensure healthcare and income security in case of certain contingencies such as old age, maternity, or accidents.  In India, social security schemes under different laws are designed on the basis of size of establishment, nature of employment, income of worker, or income status of the worker's household.  These schemes are administered through a combination of contribution- based schemes (funded by the government, employer, or employee), state- funded social assistance programmes, or, employer-liability schemes

Features:

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 The Bill replaces nine laws related to social security. These include the Employees’ Provident Fund Act, 1952, the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, and the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008.  Establishments above a certain specified size have to provide benefits (such as provident fund and insurance). These are mandatory for employees above a wage level which will be notified. For other workers, the government may frame social security schemes.  The Bill provides for the establishment of several bodies to administer the social security schemes. These include: (i) a Central Board of Trustees, headed by the Central Provident Fund Commissioner, to administer the EPF, EPS and EDLI Schemes, (ii) an Employees State Insurance Corporation, headed by a Chairperson appointed by the central government, to administer the ESI Scheme, (iii) national and state-level Social Security Boards, headed by the central and state Ministers for Labour and Employment, respectively, to administer schemes for unorganised workers, and (iv) state-level Building Workers’ Welfare Boards, headed by a Chairperson nominated by the state government, to administer schemes for building workers.  All eligible establishments are required to register under the Bill. All employees and unorganised workers have to provide their Aadhaar number to receive social security benefits. Employers may be required to report vacancies to career centres.  The Bill specifies penalties for various offences, such as failure to pay contributions and falsification of reports. Offences which are not punishable with imprisonment can be compounded (i.e., settled) by payment of up to 50% of the maximum fine applicable. ii) Industrial Relations Code, 2020

Features

 The Code provides for the recognition of trade unions, notice periods for strikes and lock-outs, standing orders, and resolution of industrial disputes. It subsumes and replaces three labour laws: the Industrial

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Disputes Act, 1947; the Trade Unions Act, 1926; and the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.  Trade unions that have a membership of at least 10% of the workers or 100 workers will be registered. The union with 75% of workers in an establishment will be the sole negotiating union. Otherwise, a negotiating council of unions will be formed.  An employee cannot go on strike unless he gives notice for a strike within six weeks before striking, and within 14 days of giving such notice. Similar provisions exist for lock-out of workers.  Industrial establishments with 100 workers must prepare standing orders on matters listed in a Schedule and have them certified  Factories, mines or plantations in which 100 or more workers are employed are required to take prior permission of the central or state government before laying off or retrenching their workers  The Code provides for the constitution of Industrial Tribunals for the settlement of industrial disputes. Each Industrial Tribunal will consist of a Judicial member and an Administrative member. iii) Code on Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Bill, 2020

The Code consolidates 13 labour laws relating to safety, health and working conditions. These include the Factories Act, 1948, the Mines Act, 1952, and the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970.

Features

 The Code seeks to regulate health and safety conditions of workers in establishments with 10 or more workers, and in all mines and docks.  Establishments covered by the Code are required to register with registering officers, appointed by the central or state governments.  Welfare facilities, working conditions and work hours for different types of establishments and workers will be prescribed by the central or state governments through rules.

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 The Code sets up occupational safety boards at the national and state level to advise the central and state governments on the standards, rules, and regulations to be framed under the Code.  The Code creates special provisions for certain classes of establishments such as factories, mines, dock workers, and constructions workers. These include separate provisions on licenses, safety regulations, and duties of employers.

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47. External debt

Context:

India's total external debt increased by 2.8 per cent to USD 558.5 billion at the end of March mainly on account of a rise in commercial borrowings, according to a report released by the Finance Ministry.

Findings:

 External debt as a ratio to GDP rose marginally to 20.6%, from 19.8 %, ‘India’s External Debt: A Status Report: 2019-2020’ showed.  Sovereign debt shrank 3% to $100.9 billion, this decrease was primarily due to a fall in FII investment in G-Secs — the second-largest constituent — by 23.3% to $21.6 billion, from $28.3 billion in 2019.  Loans from multilateral and bilateral sources under external assistance — the largest constituent of sovereign debt — grew 4.9% to $87.2 billion.  Non-sovereign debt, on the other hand, rose 4.2% to $457.7 billion mainly due to an increase in commercial borrowings — the largest constituent — by 6.7% to $220.3 billion.  Outstanding NRI deposits — the second-largest constituent — at $130.6 billion was almost equal to the level a year earlier.  The ratio of foreign currency reserves to external debt stood at 85.5% as at end-March, compared to 76% in 2019 March.

Concept:

 It refers to money borrowed from a source outside the country. External debt has to be paid back in the currency in which it is borrowed.  External debt can be obtained from foreign commercial banks, international financial institutions like IMF, World Bank, ADB etc and from the government of foreign nations.  Normally these types of debts are in the form of tied loans, meaning that these have to be used for a predefined purpose as determined by a consensus of the borrower and the lender.

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 Sovereign debt is a central government's debt. It is debt issued by the national government in a foreign currency in order to finance the issuing country's growth and development.

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48. Universal eligibility

Context:

No preference for ‘Make in India’ in World Bank project to curb coronavirus

Concept:

 The $1 billion World Bank loan to prevent, detect and respond to the threat of coronavirus and strengthen national health systems for preparedness as India combats the ongoing pandemic comes with a condition of “universal eligibility” in procurements.  This would mean that all preferential market access policies, including Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order, Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Policy, certain benefits to start-ups, shall not be applicable on purchases made while implementing the national project.

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49. Company Law Committee

Context:

The Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) has extended by one year the term of the existing Company Law Committee (CLC)

Concept:

 It was set up to promote Ease of Living in the country by providing Ease of Doing Business to law abiding corporates and fostering improved corporate compliance for stakeholders at large.  The tenure of the CLC has been extended up to September 17, 2021  MCA had on September 18 last year set up the 11-member CLC under the Chairmanship of MCA Secretary for making recommendations to the Government on various provisions and issues pertaining to implementation of the Companies Act 2013 and the Limited Liability Partnership Act 2008.  CLC had over the last one year worked towards decriminalising the Companies Act 2013 with a view to ensure Ease of Doing Business. Now the CLC during its extended term will look to do that for limited liability partnerships (LLPs) as well, Chopra said.  Over the last few years, the Government has been focusing on improving the Ease of Doing business in the country and even taken steps to amend the company law to re-categorise certain offences under the company law into ‘civil wrongs’ and de-clog the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).  The CLC set up last year was also tasked to propose measures to further declog and improve the functioning of the NCLT. It was also asked to suggest measures for removing any bottlenecks in the overall functioning of the statutory bodies like SFIO, IEPFA and NFRA.

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50. Banks Board Bureau

Context:

The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has recommended to the government names of 13 general managers of various public sector banks (PSBs) for appointment as executive directors.

Concept:

 The Bureau started functioning from April 01, 2016 as an autonomous recommendatory body.  It is tasked to improve the governance of Public Sector Banks, recommend selection of chiefs of government-owned banks and financial institutions and to help banks in developing strategies and capital raising plans  It will have three ex-officio members and three expert members in addition to Chairman  It is part of Mission Indradhanush for PSBs  The BBB separates the functioning of the PSBs from the government by acting as a middleman.

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51. SEZ

Context:

Centre to consider plan for five-year extension for Plastic recycling units in SEZ

Concept:

 India was one of the first in Asia to recognize the effectiveness of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) model in promoting exports, with Asia's first EPZ set up in Kandla in 1965.  With a view to overcome the shortcomings experienced on account of the multiplicity of controls and clearances; absence of world-class infrastructure, and an unstable fiscal regime and with a view to attract larger foreign investments in India, the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Policy was announced in April 2000.  This policy intended to make SEZs an engine for economic growth supported by quality infrastructure complemented by an attractive fiscal package, both at the Centre and the State level, with the minimum possible regulations.  SEZs in India functioned from 1.11.2000 to 09.02.2006 under the provisions of the Foreign Trade Policy and fiscal incentives were made effective through the provisions of relevant statutes.  To instill confidence in investors and signal the Government's commitment to a stable SEZ policy regime and with a view to impart stability to the SEZ regime thereby generating greater economic activity and employment through the establishment of SEZs, Special Economic Zones Act, 2005, was passed by Parliament in May, 2005  The main objectives of the SEZ Act are: o generation of additional economic activity o promotion of exports of goods and services o promotion of investment from domestic and foreign sources o creation of employment opportunities o development of infrastructure facilities

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 It is expected that this will trigger a large flow of foreign and domestic investment in SEZs, in infrastructure and productive capacity, leading to generation of additional economic activity and creation of employment opportunities.

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52. GST Quorum

Context:

The Centre gave an ultimatum to States and Union Territories (UTs) that those that do not submit their borrowing option to meet the GST compensation shortfall by October 5 will have to wait till June 2022 to get their dues. And, even too that would be conditional.

Concept:

 To address a shortfall in GST compensation this fiscal, the GST Council, at its meet on August 27, gave 28 States and two UTs with Assemblies (Delhi and Puducherry) two borrowing options.  Option 1 prescribes borrowing ₹97,000 crore (the shortfall on account of GST implementation issues) through a special window. The principal and interest for such borrowing would be repaid through realisation of the compensation cess in due course.  Option 2 involves borrowing ₹2.35-lakh-crore from the open market. Here, the principal will be repaid through realisation of the compensation cess, but the States and UTs will have to bear the interest cost.  In case there is no consensus on the borrowing option and any State/UT presses for a vote, the decision may swing in the Centre’s favour.  Of the total votes, States and UTs together have 66.6 per cent weightage, while the Centre has 33.3 per cent.  For any decision to be cleared, at least 75 per cent of the weighted votes is required.  Each State and UT has a voting weightage of 2.22 per cent. If 19 States and two UTs support borrowing, it would add up to 46.62 per cent. Combined with the Centre’s weightage, it will rise to 79.92, comfortably beyond the required threshold.

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53. InvIT

Context:

While the Union Cabinet had approved the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) setting up Infrastructure Investment Trust(s) (InvIT) in December 2019, the company has recently started meeting investor groups, as it prepares to come up with its InvIT issue.

Concept:

 Infrastructure investment trusts are institutions similar to mutual funds, which pool investment from various categories of investors and invest them into completed and revenue-generating infrastructure projects, thereby creating returns for the investor.  The capital market regulator notified the Sebi (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014 on September 26, 2014, and these trusts are likely to help facilitate investment in the infrastructure sector.  Structured like mutual funds, they have a trustee, sponsor(s), investment manager and project manager. While the trustee (certified by Sebi) has the responsibility of inspecting the performance of an InvIT, sponsor(s) are promoters of the company that set up the InvIT.  In case of Public–private partnership (PPP) projects, it refers to the infrastructure developer or a special purpose vehicle holding the concession.  While the investment manager is entrusted with the task of supervising the assets and investments of the InvIT, the project manager is responsible for the execution of the project.  NHAI’s InvIT will be a Trust established by NHAI under the Indian Trust Act, 1882 and SEBI regulations. The InvIT Trust will be formed the objective of investment primarily in infrastructure projects.

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54. MSME

Context:

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) implements various schemes and programmes for promotion and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) throughout the country. This information is given by minister in Lok Sabha

Concept:

 The schemes/programmes such as Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), A Scheme for Promoting Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE), Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESDP), Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises, Credit Linked Capital Subsidy - Technology Up- gradation Scheme (CLCS-TUS), Micro & Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP), National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub (NSSH), etc. are under implementation  Under Atmanirbhar Bharat, Government recently announced a special economic and comprehensive package of Rs. 20 Lakh crore for all the sections of the society including Industries and MSMEs. Government has taken a number of initiatives to support the MSME sector in the country which include the following; o Rs 20,000 crore Subordinate Debt for MSMEs. o Rs 3 lakh crores Collateral free Automatic Loans for business, including MSMEs. o Rs. 50,000 crore equity infusion through MSME Fund of Funds. o New revised criteria for classification of MSMEs. o New Process of MSME Registration through ‘Udyam Registration’. o No global tenders for procurement up to Rs. 200 crores, which will help MSMEs.

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 The Prime Minister has launched an online Portal “Champions”. The portal covers many aspects of e-governance including grievance redressal and handholding of MSMEs.  The Government has notified Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) Order, 2012 under MSMED Act. Under this policy, 25% of annual procurement by Central Ministries /Departments/Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) has to be made from Micro & Small enterprises. This includes 4% from MSEs owned by SC/STs and 3% from MSEs owned by Women entrepreneurs. 358 items are reserved for exclusive procurement from MSEs.  The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006 contains specific provisions to deal with cases of delayed payments of the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs). Under the provisions of the Act, Micro & Small Enterprises Facilitation Councils (MSEFC) have been set up in the States/UTs. These Councils can be approached by the MSEs for resolution of delayed payment cases by way of conciliation and/or arbitration.  Ministry of MSME has launched SAMADHAAN portal to enable Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs) to directly register their cases on the portal relating to delayed payments by Central Ministries / Departments/ CPSEs/ State Government & other buyers.  Ministry of MSME implements a scheme namely “Building Awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)”, to encourage registration of IPR by MSMEs.

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55. Net neutrality

Context:

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has suggested the setting up of a multi-stakeholder body (MSB) to ensure that internet service providers in the country adhere to the principles of net neutrality.

Concept:

 The concept that all data on the internet should be treated equally by corporations, such as internet service providers, and governments, regardless of content, user, platform, application or device.  Network neutrality requires all Internet service providers (ISPs) to provide the same level of data access and speed to all traffic, and that traffic to one service or website cannot be blocked or degraded.  ISPs are also not to create special arrangements with services or websites, in which companies providing them are given improved network access or speed.

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56. State development loan

Context:

 Eleven States raised a total of Rs. 14,298 crore at the auction of State government securities or State development loans (SDLs) held on September 22.  From April 7 to September 22 in this financial year, 27 States and 2 Union Territories have cumulatively raised Rs. 3.26 lakh crore via market borrowings, which is a 45% increase from the borrowings in the corresponding period of 2019-20.

Concept:

 State Development Loans (SDLs) are dated securities issued by states for meeting their market borrowings requirements.  Purpose of issuing State Development Loans is to meet the budgetary needs of state governments. Each state can borrow upto a set limit through State Development Loans.  The SDL securities issued by states are credible collateral for meeting the SLR requirements of banks as well as a collateral for availing liquidity under the RBI’s LAF including the repo.  One remarkable feature of SDL is that it is a market oriented instrument for states to mobilise funds from the open market. Higher the fiscal strength of a state, lower will be the interest rate (yield) it has to pay for the SDL borrowings.  SDLs are basically securities and they are auctioned by the RBI through the e-Kuber which is dedicated electronic auction system for government securities and other instruments. RBI holds SDL auctions once in a fortnight.  The rate of interest or yield of SDL securities are determined through auction. Still the interest rate will be slightly higher than that of Central Government securities (G-secs) of matching tenure.

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 The investors in SDL are basically commercial banks, mutual funds, insurance companies who are attracted by the slightly higher interest rate of SDL (compared to central government securities).

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57. K-shaped recession

Context:

Since it became obvious the pandemic would create a recession, economists have debated the shape of it. Joe Biden weighed in on the matter in a speech blaming President Trump for creating an unusual "K shape.

Concept:

 A K-shaped recovery occurs when an economy recuperates unevenly, and there’s a separate trajectory for two segments of the society.  While the financial markets recover and grow, the real economy, or the flow of goods and services, gets worse.  That’s worrying, because 84% of the stock market is owned by 10% of households. While the market continued to rise even amid a global pandemic, GDP and employment rates fell.  These different paths follow the direction of the two spokes that poke out from the vertical line on the “K.”  The two prongs can also represent: people with high and low wage levels, those that have the ability to work from home and those who don’t, and those who have liquid wealth assets to survive during the recession and those who don’t. It’s very much a split of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots'.

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58. National GIS-Enabled Land Bank System

Context:

Government has integrated Industrial Information System (IIS) portal with the GIS System

Concept:

 It will provide updates on land availability and plot level information to investors anywhere in the world on real time basis and help them make informed decisions.  For the development of National Land Bank, Government intends to solicit the details of industrial land with plot level information, connectivity thereto, basic facilities, other facilities available and contact details of authorities/developer of the park.  More than 3,300 industrial parks across 31 states/UTs covering about 4,75,000 hectare land have been mapped on the system. The information available includes forest, drainage; raw material heat maps (agricultural, horticulture, mineral layers); multiple layers of connectivity,

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59. Hallmarking of precious metals

Context:

In view of the Mandatory Hallmarking, the number of jewellers and hallmarking centres applying for Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certificate will increase manifold and to deal with increasing number of applications, an online system for issuing BIS certificate has been developed by BIS and launched by the Government

Concept:

 Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles.  Hallmarks are thus official marks used in many countries as a guarantee of purity or fineness of precious metal articles.  The principle objectives of the Hallmarking Scheme are to protect the public against adulteration and to obligate manufacturers to maintain legal standards of fineness  In India, at present two precious metals namely gold and silver have been brought under the purview of Hallmarking.  The BIS Hallmarking Scheme has been aligned with International criteria on hallmarking  As per this scheme, Registered is granted to the jewellers by BIS under Hallmarking Scheme. The BIS certified jewellers can get their jewellery hallmarked from any of the BIS recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centres.  Hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts will be made mandatory across the country from January 15, 2021 to ensure purity of the precious metal.

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60. Cess

Context:

Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) told Parliament that the Centre has only transferred Rs 1.64 lakh crore or 60% of the proceeds from cess/levies in FY19 to the relevant reserve funds and retained the balance in the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI).

Concept:

 A cess is a form of tax levied by the government on tax with specific purposes till the time the government gets enough money for that purpose.  Different from the usual taxes and duties like excise and personal income tax, a cess is imposed as an additional tax besides the existing tax (tax on tax). For example, the Swachh Bharat cess is levied by the government for cleanliness activities that it is undertaking across India.  A cess, generally paid by everyday public, is added to their basic tax liability paid as part of total tax paid.  Centre collected over ₹2.74-lakh crore through 35 types of cesses during FY19.  Under the rules, the collection first needs to be transferred to Reserve Funds and then used for the specific purposes as approved by Parliament.  Funds collected through Central taxes along with cesses and other levies go to the CFI.  Here, taxes and surcharges are parked in a divisible pool and 42 per cent of the total is given to States as devolution.  The money collected via cesses is used by the Centre for specific purposes through dedicated funds of the administrative ministries.  A ‘Social Welfare Surcharge’ on Customs Duty, amounting to over ₹8,800 crore, was levied but a dedicated fund for the same was not envisaged.

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 Non-creation, non-operation of Reserve Funds makes it difficult to ensure that cesses and levies are utilised for the specific purposes intended by Parliament.  The report highlighted that over ₹40,000 crore of GST Compensation Cess (levied on some goods falling under the 28 per cent rate bracket) was not credited to the related Reserve Fund.  Similarly, ₹10,157 crore of the Road and Infrastructure Cess collected during FY19 was neither transferred to the related Reserve Fund nor used for the specific purpose.

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61. MSP

Context:

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has assured farmers that MSP will be continued at a time when farmers are concerned about the MSP after the newly passed farm bills

Concept:

 The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides a legal basis for the public distribution system (PDS) that earlier operated only as a regular government scheme.The NFSA made access to the PDS a right, entitling every person belonging to a “priority household” to receive 5 kg of foodgrains per month at a subsidised price not exceeding Rs 2/kg for wheat and Rs 3/kg for rice. Priority households were further defined so as to cover up to 75% of the country’s rural population and 50% in urban areas.  MSP, by contrast, is devoid of any legal backing. Access to it, unlike subsidised grains through the PDS, isn’t an entitlement for farmers. They cannot demand it as a matter of right.  It is only a government policy that is part of administrative decision- making. The government declares MSPs for crops, but there’s no law mandating their implementation.  The Centre currently fixes MSPs for 23 farm commodities — 7 cereals (paddy, wheat, maize, bajra, jowar, ragi and barley), 5 pulses (chana, arhar/tur, urad, moong and masur), 7 oilseeds (rapeseed-mustard, groundnut, soyabean, sunflower, sesamum, safflower and nigerseed) and 4 commercial crops (cotton, sugarcane, copra and raw jute) — based on the CACP’s recommendations.  The only crop where MSP payment has some statutory element is sugarcane. This is due to its pricing being governed by the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 issued under the Essential Commodities Act.

Minimum support price

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 MSP is the minimum price paid to the farmer for procuring food crops.  It offers an assurance to farmers that their realisation for the agricultural produce will not fall below the stated price.  The government uses the MSP as a market intervention tool to incentivise production of a specific food crop which is in short supply.  It also protects farmers from any sharp fall in the market price of a commodity.  MSPs are usually announced at the beginning of the sowing season and this helps farmers make informed decisions on the crops they must plant.  MSP is computed on the basis of the recommendations made by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).  It considers factors such as the cost of production, change in input prices, market price trends, demand and supply, and a reasonable margin for farmers.  The Centre has increased the MSP of kharif crops for 2020-21 crop year in line with the principle of fixing MSPs at a level which is at 1.5 times the cost of production that was announced in Union Budget 2018-19.  Concerted efforts were made over the last few years to realign the MSPs in favour of oilseeds, pulses and coarse cereals to encourage farmers shift to larger area under these crops and adopt best technologies and farm practices, to correct demand - supply imbalance.  The added focus on nutri-rich nutri-cereals is to incentivize its production in the areas where rice-wheat cannot be grown without long term adverse implications for groundwater table.  Crops covered under MSP: Paddy, Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Maize, Tur, Moong, Urad, groundnut, sunflower seed, soyabean, nigerseed, Cotton and sesamum  Besides, the Umbrella Scheme "Pradhan Mantri AnnadataAay SanraksHan Abhiyan” (PM-AASHA) announced by the government in 2018 will aid in providing remunerative return to farmers for their produce.  The Umbrella Scheme consists of three sub-schemes i.e. o Price Support Scheme (PSS) o Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)

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o Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPSS) on a pilot basis.

Fair and remunerative price (FRP)

 Fair and remunerative price (FRP) is the minimum price at which rate sugarcane is to be purchased by sugar mills from farmers.  The FRP is fixed by Union government on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The ‘FRP’ of sugarcane is determined under Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966.  Recommended FRP is arrived at by taking into account various factors such as cost of production, demand-supply situation, domestic & international prices, inter-crop price parity etc.  This will be uniformly applicable all over the country.  Besides FRP, some states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, UP and TN announce a State Advised Price, which is generally higher than the FRP.  The price fixed by the central government is the ‘minimum price’ and the one fixed by state government is the ‘advised price’ which is always higher than the ‘minimum price’ fixed by the center

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62. Inflation and fixed deposit

Context:

In a situation of high inflation and declining interest rates, fixed deposits (FDs) with banks will have to take the backseat in an investor’s asset allocation, especially for those in the highest marginal tax bracket.

Concept:

 A fixed deposit (FD) is a financial instrument provided by banks or NBFCs which provides investors a higher rate of interest than a regular savings account, until the given maturity date.  Any financial instrument must serve the purpose of growing your money — so, the first thing one must see before putting money in an FD is whether it provides real growth to the investment (net of inflation). If adjusted for inflation, fixed deposits actually generate negative returns. Consider this example:  For an investor falling in the highest tax bracket, a 10-year investment of Rs 10 lakh in a bank FD offering 5.4 per cent, will generate a post-tax return of close to Rs 4.4 lakh. This means the investment of Rs 10 lakh would grow to Rs 14.4 lakh after 10 years. However, if inflation is 5% in the same period — which will be actually around 7% taking into account lifestyle and education inflation — the investor will actually lose money. This is because the investor’s Rs 10 lakh needed to have grown to Rs 16.28 lakh in 10 years just to cover for the 5% inflation. Since the FD grows to only Rs 14.4 lakh, in real terms the investor would be poorer by close to Rs 1.9 lakh.

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63. Retrospective Taxation

Context:

The Vodafone Group has won a long pending arbitration case against the Indian tax department's demand of Rs 20,000 crore on a retrospective basis at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague

Concept:

 Retrospective taxation allows a country to pass a rule on taxing certain products, items or services and deals and charge companies from a time behind the date on which the law is passed.  Countries use this route to correct any anomalies in their taxation policies that have, in the past, allowed companies to take advantage of such loopholes.  While governments often use a retrospective amendment to taxation laws to “clarify” existing laws, it ends up hurting companies that had knowingly or unknowingly interpreted the tax rules differently.

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64. POEM, round tripping

Context:

Round tripping of funds is made easier by digital transactions. India can stem tax erosion by using AI-driven tools

Concept:

Round tripping

 Money leaves the country through various channels such as inflated invoices, payments to shell companies overseas, the hawala route and so on. After cooling its heels overseas for a while, this money returns in a freshly laundered form; thus completing a round-trip.  How does the money return to India? It could be invested in offshore funds that in turn invest in Indian assets. The Global Depository Receipts (GDR) and Participatory Notes (P-Notes) are some of the other routes that have been used in the past.

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POEM:

Context:

Round tripping of funds have become easier by digital transactions. The RBI is fighting a battle against problems created by round tripping of funds, involving money laundering by individuals with investments in overseas private equity venture capital or alternative investment funds coming back to India.

Concept:

Round Tripping:

In the context of black money, money leaves the country through various channels such as inflated invoices, payments to shell companies overseas, the

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hawala route and so on. After cooling its heels overseas for a while, this money returns in a freshly laundered form; thus completing a round-trip.

Externalisation

 It is a strategy of incorporating holding companies in offshore jurisdictions to enjoy certain benefits which the home country does not offer.  The strategy is employed by companies to move their corporate structures away from the Indian tax and regulatory regimes.

POEM:

To curb (only to some extent) the loss to the exchequer by the externalization of Indian businesses, the new concept of ‘place of effective management’ has been introduced.

To determine the residential status of foreign companies, the Finance Act 2015 introduced the concept of place of effective management (POEM).

POEM is defined as the place where the key management and commercial decisions that are necessary for the conduct of business of an entity as a whole are, in substance made. Under POEM rules, overseas subsidiaries are treated as domestic entities for tax purposes if they are controlled and managed from India.

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65. Central road fund Context: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has mooted an investigation against the Central government’s accounting officials for incorrectly recording ₹10,250 crore of cess receipts from additional excise duties on petrol and diesel, as non-tax receipts for the exchequer in 2018-19.

Concept:  The Central Road Fund (CRF) is a non-lapsable fund created under Central Road Fund Act 2000.

 It is procured out of the out of cess/tax imposed by the Union Government on the consumption of Petrol and Diesel.

 CRF should be used to develop and maintain National Highways, State roads (that have economic importance with inter-state connectivity), rural roads, railway under/over bridges etc, and national waterways (waterways from 2017 onwards only).

 The CRF was replaced with a Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) through amendments introduced in the Union Budget for 2018-19.

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66. Disinvestment Context: The strategic sale of four public sector units to other public sector entities in 2018-19 by the Central government has been sharply criticised by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in an audit, tabled in Parliament.

Concept:  Disinvestment means sale or liquidation of assets by the government, usually Central and state public sector enterprises, projects, or other fixed assets.

 The government undertakes disinvestment to reduce the fiscal burden on the exchequer, or to raise money for meeting specific needs, such as to bridge the revenue shortfall from other regular sources. In some cases, disinvestment may be done to privatise assets.

 However, not all disinvestment is privatisation.

 Some of the benefits of disinvestment are that it can be helpful in the long- term growth of the country; it allows the government and even the company to reduce debt. Disinvestment allows a larger share of PSU ownership in the open market, which in turn allows for the development of a strong capital market in India.

 There is a separate department under the Ministry of Finance which handles all disinvestment-related works for the government.

 On 10 December 1999, the Department of Disinvestment was set up as a separate department and later renamed as Department of Investment and Public Asset Management.

 Disinvestment targets are set under each Union Budget, and every year the targets change. The government takes the final decision on whether to raise the divestment target or not.

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 As per the latest policy, disinvestment now covers two types: (1) disinvestment through minority stake sale and (2) strategic disinvestment.

 Public Sector Undertakings are the wealth of the Nation and to ensure this wealth rests in the hands of the people, promote public ownership of CPSEs;

 In the case of disinvestment through minority stake (share) sale in listed CPSEs, the Government will retain majority shareholding, i.e. at least 51 per cent of the shareholding and management control of the Public Sector Undertakings;

 Strategic disinvestment by way of sale of substantial portion of Government shareholding in identified CPSEs up to 50 per cent or more, along with transfer of management control.

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67. Health in India

Context:

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the report of a survey titled ‘Health in India’, whose main objective was to gather basic quantitative information on India’s health sector.

Concept:

 The report is based on information collected through NSS Schedule 25.0 (Household Social Consumption: Health) spread over the entire Indian Union.

 The survey defines ailment as any deviation from a person’s state of physical and mental well-being. The ‘Proportion of Persons who Responded as Ailing’, or PPRA, in a 15-day period when they were approached by the surveyors, were registered as those suffering from ailments.

 The survey shows that women remain more susceptible to suffering from ailments than men. In rural India 6.1 per cent of males said that they were suffering from ailments, while 7.6 per cent of rural women said the same. While 8.2 per cent of urban males said that they were sick, 10 per cent urban females said the same.

 Around 7.5 percent of Indians reported that they were suffering from ailments, as per the survey. The difference in people suffering from ailments in rural and urban India was stark. While in rural India only 6.8 per cent said that they were suffering from an ailment, this number in urban India was 9.1 per cent.

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68. RBI Monetary policy

Context:

Amid rising inflation and growth contraction, MPC had decided to leave the repo rate unchanged.

Concept:

 Monetary policy refers to the use of monetary instruments under the control of the central bank to regulate magnitudes such as interest rates, money supply and availability of credit with a view to achieving the ultimate objective of economic policy  The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) constituted by the Central Government under Section 45ZB of RBI Act determines the policy interest rate required to achieve the inflation target.  Accordingly, the Central Government in September 2016 constituted the MPC as under Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex officio;  The primary objective of monetary policy is to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth. Price stability is a necessary precondition to sustainable growth.  In May 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934 was amended to provide a statutory basis for the implementation of the flexible inflation targeting framework.  The amended RBI Act also provides for the inflation target to be set by the Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank, once in every five years.  Accordingly, the Central Government has notified in the Official Gazette 4 per cent Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation as the target for the period from August 5, 2016 to March 31, 2021 with the upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent and the lower tolerance limit of 2 per cent.  The MPC is required to meet at least four times in a year.  The composition of the MPC is as follows;

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o Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex officio; o Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, in charge of Monetary Policy – (Member, ex officio) o One officer of the Reserve Bank of India to be nominated by the Central Board – Member, ex officio; o Except ex-officio members, three independent members will hold the office for a period of 4 years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

 The quorum for the meeting of the MPC is four members. Each member of the MPC has one vote, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Governor has a second or casting vote.

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69. Priority sector lending

Context:

 Banks that are not able to lend under priority sector on their own, can make outright purchases of such lending from other banks and also buy Inter Bank Participation Certificates  Recent change announced by the Reserve Bank of India in PSL is to remove the imbalance among different geographical areas.

Concept:

 Priority Sector Lending is an important role given by the (RBI) to the banks for providing a specified portion of the bank lending to few specific sectors like agriculture and allied activities, micro and small enterprises, poor people for housing, students for education and other low income groups and weaker sections..  This is essentially meant for an all-round development of the economy as opposed to focusing only on the financial sector  Priority Sector includes the following categories: (i)Agriculture (ii) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (iii)Export Credit (iv)Education (v)Housing (vi)Social Infrastructure (vii)Renewable Energy (viii) Others

Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs):

 Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs) are a mechanism to enable banks to achieve the priority sector lending target and sub-targets by purchase of these instruments in the event of shortfall.

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 This also incentivizes surplus banks as it allows them to sell their excess achievement over targets thereby enhancing lending to the categories under priority sector.  Under the PSLC mechanism, the seller sells fulfilment of priority sector obligation and the buyer buys the obligation with no transfer of risk or loan assets

Ranking districts:

 The RBI has decided to rank districts based on per capita credit flow to priority sector and build an incentive framework for districts with comparatively lower flow of credit and a disincentive framework for districts with a comparatively higher flow of priority sector credit.  From FY 2021-22, a higher weight (125 per cent) would be assigned to the incremental priority sector credit in the identified districts where the credit flow is comparatively lower (per capita PSL less than ₹6,000), and a lower weight (90 per cent) would be assigned for incremental priority sector credit in the identified districts where the credit flow is comparatively higher (per capita PSL greater than ₹25,000).  Accordingly, 205 districts are classified as ‘high PSL credit’ eligible for 90 per cent weightage and 184 districts are classified as low ‘PSL credit’ eligible for 125 per cent weightage. The remaining districts will continue to have an existing weightage of 100 per cent.  Each district draws an Annual Action Plan and this includes targets under different priority sector credit and each district is assigned to a bank under Lead Bank Scheme. The primary responsibility to reach the priority sector target for the district is with the Lead Bank with the help of other banks and district administration.

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70. MPC quorum

Context:

Lack of quorum forced the Reserve Bank to postpone the 3-day MPC meeting that was scheduled to start on September 29

Concept:

 Monetary policy refers to the use of monetary instruments under the control of the central bank to regulate magnitudes such as interest rates, money supply and availability of credit with a view to achieving the ultimate objective of economic policy  The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) constituted by the Central Government under Section 45ZB of RBI Act determines the policy interest rate required to achieve the inflation target.  Accordingly, the Central Government in September 2016 constituted the MPC as under Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex officio;  The primary objective of monetary policy is to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth. Price stability is a necessary precondition to sustainable growth.  In May 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934 was amended to provide a statutory basis for the implementation of the flexible inflation targeting framework.  The amended RBI Act also provides for the inflation target to be set by the Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank, once in every five years.  Accordingly, the Central Government has notified in the Official Gazette 4 per cent Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation as the target for the period from August 5, 2016 to March 31, 2021 with the upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent and the lower tolerance limit of 2 per cent.  The MPC is required to meet at least four times in a year.  The composition of the MPC is as follows;

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o Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex officio; o Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, in charge of Monetary Policy – (Member, ex officio) o One officer of the Reserve Bank of India to be nominated by the Central Board – Member, ex officio; o Except ex-officio members, three independent members will hold the office for a period of 4 years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.  The proceedings of MPC are confidential and the quorum for a meeting shall be four Members, at least one of whom shall be the Governor and in his absence, the Deputy Governor who is the Member of the MPC.

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71. Marginal standing facility (MSF)

Context:

The RBI, as a temporary measure, had increased the borrowing limit for scheduled banks under the marginal standing facility scheme from 2 per cent to 3 percent of their Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) Concept:

 Marginal standing facility (MSF) is a window for banks to borrow from the Reserve Bank of India in an emergency situation when inter-bank liquidity dries up completely.  Banks borrow from the central bank by pledging government securities at a rate higher than the repo rate under liquidity adjustment facility or LAF in short.  The MSF rate is pegged 100 basis points or a percentage point above the repo rate.  Under MSF, banks can borrow funds up to one percentage of their net demand and time liabilities (NDTL).

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72. Offer for sale

Context:

With the stock market bouncing back in the latter part of 2020, promoters of companies have used this period to offload shares of their companies to the public in droves.

Concept:

 Offer for sale (OFS) is a simpler method of share sale through the exchange platform for listed companies.  The mechanism was first introduced by India’s securities market regulator SEBI, in 2012, to make it easier for promoters of publicly-traded companies to cut their holdings and comply with the minimum public shareholding norms by June 2013.  The method was largely adopted by listed companies, both state-run and private, to adhere to the SEBI order. Later, the government started using this route to divest its shareholding in public sector enterprises.  Unlike a follow-on public offering (FPO), where companies can raise funds by issuing fresh shares or promoters can sell their existing stakes, or both, the OFS mechanism is used only when existing shares are put on the block. Only promoters or shareholders holding more than 10 per cent of the share capital in a company can come up with such an issue.

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73. Capital conservation Buffer

Context:

 RBI defers CCB implementation by six months due to Covid-19 pandemic  The implementation of the regulations was to happen by September 30, and the same has been now deferred to April 1, 2021

Concept:

 The capital conservation buffer (CCB) is designed to ensure that banks build up capital buffers during normal times (i.e., outside periods of stress) which can be drawn down as losses are incurred during a stressed period.  As per Basel standards, the CCB was to be implemented in tranches of 0.625% and the transition to full CCB of 2.5% was set to be completed by 31 March 2019. It was subsequently decided to defer the implementation of the last tranche of 0.625% of the CCB from 31 March 2019 to 31 March 2020.  Considering the potential stress on account of COVID-19, it has been decided to further defer the implementation of the last tranche of 0.625% of the CCB from 31 March 2020 to 30 September 2020.

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74. WMA

Context:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to extend the interim relaxation in WMA (Ways and Means Advances) limits for States/ Union Territories (UTs) for another six months till March 31, 2021.

Concept:

 On April 17, the RBI had announced an increase in WMA limit of the States/UTs by 60 per cent over and above the level as on March 31.  The WMA facility enables the government to take a temporary short term loan from the central bank, mainly to address the mismatch between its inflow of revenues and outflow of expenditure.  A higher limit provides the government flexibility to raise funds from RBI without borrowing them from the market.  Under Section 17(5) of RBI Act, 1934, the RBI provides Ways and Means Advances (WMA) to the States banking with it to help them to tide over temporary mismatches in the cash flow of their receipts and payments. Such advances, are under the Act, repayable in each case not later than three months from the date of making that advance.  There are two types of WMA – normal and special.  While normal WMA are clean advances, special WMA are secured advances provided against the pledge of Government of India dated securities

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General Science 1. Pinaka missile

Context:

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had signed contracts with three Indian companies for supply of six regiments of the Pinaka Rocket System to be deployed along borders with Pakistan and China.

Concept:

 The Pinaka, which is primarily a multi-barrel rocket system (MBRL) system, can fire a salvo of 12 rockets over a period of 44 seconds.  In the battlefield, long range artillery systems like Pinaka are used for attacking the adversary targets prior to the close quarter battles which involve smaller range artillery, armoured elements and the infantry  The development of the Pinaka was started by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the late 1980s, as an alternative to the multi-barrel rocket launching systems of Russian make, called like the ‘Grad’, which are still in use.  After successful tests of Pinaka Mark-1 in the late 1990, it was first used in the battlefield during the Kargil War of 1999, quite successfully. Subsequently multiple regiments of the system came up over the 2000s.  The Mark-I version of Pinaka has a range of around 40 kilometres and the Mark-II version can fire up to 75 kilometres.  The rocket system can operate various modes and can carry different types of warheads.

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2. AstroSat

Context:

The galaxy called AUDFs01 was discovered by a team of Astronomers from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics(IUCAA) Pune using AstroSat

Concept:

 ASTROSAT is India’s first dedicated multi wavelength space observatory.  This scientific satellite mission endeavours for a more detailed understanding of our universe.  One of the unique features of ASTROSAT mission is that enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite.  ASTROSAT observes universe in the optical, Ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, whereas most other scientific satellites are capable of observing a narrow range of wavelength band.  The scientific objectives of ASTROSAT mission are: o To understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes o Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars o Study star birth regions and high energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy o Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky o Perform a limited deep field survey of the Universe in the Ultraviolet region

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3. Precision medicine

Context:

Precision medicine gains important at the time of COVID pandemic.

Concept:

 Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person.  Precision medicine, also known as personalized medicine, is a new frontier for healthcare combining genomics, big data analytics, and population health.  This approach will allow doctors and researchers to predict more accurately which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people

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4. Healthy Air: Immunity Booster

Context:

Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, a Deemed to be University, Pune has developed herbal-based immunity boosting room freshener product named “Healthy Air” to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Concept:

 The product Healthy Air has been developed with various extracts of herbal oils like Neem, Neelgiri, Camphor, Daalcheeni, Tulsi, Lemon, Turmeric, Laung, Ajwain, Lavender, Elaichi, Turmeric, Natural Vetiveru, Raimuniya and Pine Oil.  The product consists of a blended solution of the natural herbal oils, which instinctively acts as an immunity booster for the body, and exhibits Anti- cancerous, Anti-microbial, Anti-viral and Anti-fungal properties.  It is herbal-based product is non-carcinogenic, non-toxic, non-mutagenic, and purifies the air, and makes it breathable.  The product has resulted to removing the toxic fumes, cleanses the air, and does not contain any synthetic solvent / surfactant in its formulation.  Healthy Air does not contain any synthetic chemicals nor secondary solvents. Whereas the commercial room fresheners mostly contains synthetic adsorbents, surfactants, disinfectants, oxidizers, allergens, and chemical air sanitizers in the main formulation could affect respiratory system & brain neural sensing, do not contain any immunity boosting agents and does not possess the anti-bacterial properties.  Healthy Air supports respiratory condition in healthy way, does not affect brain neural sensing and useful for people suffering from allergic reactions, breathing problems related to asthma, headache, nasal irritation, or soreness in throat as the product is mainly made of natural herbal extracts which works as immunity booster.

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5. COVID testing

Context:

Using mass spectrometer, researchers at the Delhi-based Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have been able to detect novel coronavirus with 95% sensitivity and 100% specificity with respect to RT-PCR

Concept:

 The new method can directly detect the virus without amplifying the RNA for detection, as is the case with RT-PCR.  The new method relies on detecting the presence of two peptides which are unique to SARS-CoV-2 virus and not seen in any other coronavirus or other viruses.  Though seven peptides were found to be unique to SARS-CoV-2, only two peptides are used for quick virus detection.  One of the peptides is the spike protein and the other is a replicase protein. The unique peptides were seen in over 54,000 genomic sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 virus deposited in a public database (GISAID)  The mass spectrometer is expensive but it would cost only about ₹100 per test, and so cheaper than RT-PCR.

Since it takes less than 30 minutes to detect the virus and is also highly sensitive and specific, it can be used for screening and diagnostic purposes. It can either complement RT-PCR or be used as an alternative to RT-PCR.

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6. Nutraceutical

Context:

Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers has launched new nutraceuticals under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Priyojana (PMBJP) for sale through Janaushadhi Kendras across country.

Concept:

 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods.  They can be considered non-specific biological therapies used to promote general well-being, control symptoms and prevent malignant processes.  The term “nutraceutical” combines two words – “nutrient” (a nourishing food component) and “pharmaceutical” (a medical drug).  They can be classified on the basis of their natural sources, pharmacological conditions, as well as chemical constitution of the products. Most often they are grouped in the following categories: dietary supplements, functional food, medicinal food, farmaceuticals.

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7. LIGO and VIRGO

Context:

Billions of years ago, a collision between two black holes sent gravitational waves rippling through the universe. In 2019, signals from these waves were detected at the gravitational wave observatory LIGO and the detector Virgo.

Concept:

LIGO

 The LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) is a group of scientists focused on the direct detection of gravitational waves, using them to explore the fundamental physics of gravity, and developing the emerging field of gravitational wave science as a tool of astronomical discovery.  The LSC works toward this goal through research on, and development of techniques for, gravitational wave detection; and the development, commissioning and exploitation of gravitational wave detectors.  The project operates three gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. Two are at Hanford, Washington, north-western US, and one is at Livingston in Louisiana, south-eastern US.  The proposed LIGO India project aims to move one advanced LIGO detector from Hanford to India.

VIRGO

 Virgo is a giant laser interferometer designed to detect gravitational waves.  Virgo has been designed and built by a collaboration of the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN)  It is now operated and improved in Cascina, a small town near Pisa on the site of the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO), by an international collaboration of scientists from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Hungary.

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Working:

 It consists of two 3-kilometre-long arms, which house the various machinery required to form a laser interferometer.  A beam-splitter divides a laser beam into two equal components, which are subsequently sent into the two interferometer arms.  In each arm, a two-mirror Fabry-Perot resonant cavity extends the optical length. This is because of multiple reflections that occur within each cavity and which consequently amplify the tiny distance variation caused by a gravitational wave.  The two beams of laser light that return from the two arms are recombined out of phase so that, in principle, no light reaches the so-called 'dark fringe' of the detector. Any variation caused by an alteration in the distance between the mirrors, produces a very small shift in phase between the beams and, thus, a variation of the intensity of the light, which is proportional to the wave's amplitude.

Black hole

 Black holes are imploded stars that keep its mass and gravity. The black holes are infinitely small with no real shape, and can suck in everything that is a certain distance away.  It exhibits strong gravitational effects, due to which, particles and electromagnetic radiation cannot escape from it.  It acts like an ideal black body reflecting no light. It continues to grow, by absorbing mass from its surroundings.

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Black hole merger

 Gravitational waves, postulated by Albert Einstein 100 years ago but discovered only in 2015 do not produce any sound on their own.  These are just ripples created in the fabric of space-time by moving celestial objects just like a moving boat produces ripples in water.  But when converted into audio signals, these can produce signature sounds that can reveal the origin of the gravitational waves.  The gravitational wave detected on September 14, 2015, is now known to have been produced by the merger of two black holes about 1.3 billion years ago.  Scientists already knew the kind of sound that gravitational waves emanating from such events were likely to produce.  As two such dense and massive objects, black holes or neutron stars, are about to merge, they start rotating around each other at almost the speed of light. The merger takes place within a fraction of a second.  The gravitational waves released in this last bit, when converted into audio signals, produce sound that is within audible range of human beings.

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8. Novichok

Context:

Two years after coming in the spotlight after the alleged poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skirpal and his daughter Yulia Skirpal in Britain, the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok is back in the news.

Concept:

 During the Cold War, when the Soviet Union and the United States were at loggerheads, the two were also aggressively developing weapons of mass destruction.  In Soviet Union, the nerve agents were being developed under extreme secrecy, as part of a programme codenamed ‘FOLIANT’.  One of the main reasons for the secrecy was to develop such agents whose components resembled ordinary industrial chemicals, so that they would not be detected using the standard 1970s and 1980s NATO chemical detection equipment.  The chemicals used to make the agent are far less hazardous than the agent themselves, and therefore, it could also circumvent the Chemical Weapons Convention, an arms control treaty that came into effect from April 1997 and has 192 countries as signatories.  The first chemical weapon developed by the Foliant scientists was given the code name ‘Novichok’, which in Russian means ‘newcomer’.  The nerve gas is 10 times more effective in killing people than the US equivalent, known as VX.

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9. Diabetes

Context:

Higher consumption of white rice regularly is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, observes a paper published after studying 1,32,373 individuals from 21 countries

Concept:

 Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease of high blood sugar (glucose) levels that result from problems with insulin secretion, its action, or both. Normally, blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by a hormone produced by the pancreas known as insulin. When blood glucose levels rise (for example, after eating food), insulin is released from the pancreas to normalize the glucose level.

Type 1 diabetes:

 An absolute lack of insulin, usually due to destruction of the insulin- producing beta cells of the pancreas, is the main problem in type 1 diabetes.  It is to be due to an autoimmune process, in which the body's immune system mistakenly targets its own tissues (islet cells in the pancreas. This tendency for the immune system to destroy the beta cells of the pancreas is likely to be, at least in part, genetically inherited, although the exact reasons that this process happens are not fully understood.

Type 2 diabetes:

 People who have type 2 diabetes can still produce insulin, but do so relatively inadequately for their body's needs.  Genetics plays a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, and having a family history and close relatives with the condition increases your risk; however, there are other risk factors, with obesity being the most significant.

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10. Hydrophonic,darknet

Context:

Hydroponic weed has seen a high demand and is ordered through the Darknet, Narcotics Control Bureau found in drug racket

Concept:

Hydroponic

 Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants without using soil.  Hydroponic flowers, herbs, and vegetables are planted in inert growing media and supplied with nutrient-rich solutions, oxygen, and water.  This system fosters rapid growth, stronger yields, and superior quality.

Darknet

 The "dark net," also known as the "dark web," is part of the greater "deep web," a network of secret websites that exist on an encrypted network.

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11. Bradykinin storm and Cytokine storm

Context:

A supercomputer’s recent analysis of data on the contents collected earlier from the lungs of patients with the COVID-19 infection has showed that a phenomenon called a ‘bradykinin storm’

Concept:

 Scientists are still trying to understand the causes for the rapid deterioration in some patients with COVID-19.  While the cytokine storm is able to explain certain aspects of what goes wrong, doctors treating patients are often foxed by the severity with which the SARS-CoV-2 virus seems to affect some people.

Bradykinin storm

 Bradykinin is a compound that is related to pain sensation and lowering blood pressure in the human body.  According to the researchers, SARS-CoV-2 uses a human enzyme called ACE2 like a ‘Trojan Horse’ to sneak into the cells of its host.  ACE2 lowers blood pressure in the human body and works against another enzyme known as ACE (which has the opposite effect).  The analyses further found that the virus caused the levels of ACE to fall in the lungs, and consequently pushed up the levels of ACE2.  As a chain reaction, this increases the levels of the molecule bradykinin in the cells, causing a bradykinin storm. Bradykinin causes the blood vessels to expand and become leaky, leading to swelling of the surrounding tissue.  In addition, the levels of a substance called hyaluronic acid, which can absorb more than 1,000 times its own weight in water to form a hydrogel, increased.  In effect, the bradykinin storm-induced leakage of fluid into the lungs combined with the excess hyaluronic acid would likely result in a Jello-like

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substance that is preventing oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide in the lungs of severely affected COVID-19 patients.

Cytokine storm

 An immune reaction triggered by the body to fight an infection is known as a cytokine storm when it turns severe.  The body releases too many cytokines, proteins that are involved in immunomodulation, into the blood too quickly.  While normally they regulate immune responses, in this case they cause harm and can even cause death.  Experts have noticed a violent cytokine storm in several individuals who are critical with COVID infection.  These cytokines dilate blood vessels, increase the temperature and heartbeat, besides throwing blood clots in the system, and suppressing oxygen utilisation.  If the cytokine flow is high and continues without cessation, the body’s own immune response will lead to hypoxia, insufficient oxygen to the body, multi organ failure and death. Experts say it is not the virus that kills; rather, the cytokine storm.

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12. Ct value and covid testing

Context:

Currently in India, RT-PCR tests can tell if a person is infected with novel coronavirus or not. It does not reveal the amount of virus (viral load in scientific parlance) present in the person.

Concept:

 The PCR test amplifies the genetic material from coronavirus through multiple cycles.  Since coronavirus has RNA, it is first converted into DNA, and each cycle of amplification doubles the amount of DNA.  If there is just one DNA molecule to start with, the amount of DNA after 30 cycles of amplification will be 230 (2 raised to 30) times, or one billion molecules.  If there is more genetic material to begin with, then fewer cycles of amplification would be sufficient to detect the DNA.  While the cycle threshold (Ct) value can be suggestive of the amount of virus in an infected person, there is no reliable way of correlating the Ct value with COVID-19 disease severity or infectiousness.  The Ct (cycle threshold) is defined as the number of cycles required for the fluorescent signal to cross the threshold (ie exceeds background level).  Ct levels are inversely proportional to the amount of target nucleic acid in the sample (ie the lower the Ct level the greater the amount of target nucleic acid in the sample)

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13. Index patient

Context:

With the Central government issuing the Unlock 4 guidelines that will allow many activities that attract large crowds to gather outside the containment zones. So there is heightened risk of a surge in coronavirus cases.

Concept:

 An individual affected with the first known case of an infectious disease or genetically transmitted condition or mutation in a population, region, or family is called index patient.

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14. Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle

Context:

India has for the second time successfully flight-tested Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV).

Concept:

 HSTDV is an unmanned scramjet technology demonstrator that can cruise up to a speed of mach 6 (or six times the speed of sound) and rise up to an altitude of 32 kilometres in 20 seconds.  India became the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to develop and successfully test hypersonic technology.  It was developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)  The HSDTV has a range of uses, including missiles of the future for air defence, surveillance and reconnaissance besides in the development of energy-efficient, low cost and reusable satellite-launch vehicles.

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15. Saturated foods

Context:

 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has published the Food Safety and Standards (Safe food and balanced diets for children in school) Regulations, 2020 to ensure the availability of safe and balanced diets for school children.  It mentioned that on marketing foods to children in school premises or campus, the FBOs shall only offer premiums and incentives such as toys, trading cards, apparel, club memberships, contests, reduced-price specials, or coupons with foods, meals, which is not high in saturated fat or trans- fat or added sugar or sodium

Concept:

 Saturated fatty acids lack double bonds between the individual carbon atoms, while in unsaturated fatty acids there is at least one double bond in the fatty acid chain.

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 Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature and from animal sources, while unsaturated fats are usually liquid and from plant sources.  Saturated fats may increase levels of low-density lipoprotein or LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Elevated LDL cholesterol in the blood may increase a person’s risk of heart disease.

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16. Vaccine

Context:

There have been several announcements of companies either entering into agreements to make Covid-19 vaccines or announcing human clinical trials for their candidates in India in the last few months.

Concept:

Covishield by University of Oxford-AstraZeneca

 This vaccine works on a mechanism that uses a weakened and non- replicating version of a common cold virus that infects chimpanzees to carry a code that will tell cells to build just the spiky outer layer of the SARS- CoV-2 virus (the spike protein).  The body’s immune system is expected to recognise this as a threat and develop antibodies to fight the spike protein so that it will be ready in case the real virus tries to infect it.

ZyCov-D by Zydus Cadila

 It uses a genetically engineered DNA molecule coded with the DNA sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, against which the immune response is expected to be developed.

Covaxin by Bharat Biotech

 It aims to use dead virus, which is not expected to have the potential to infect or replicate in those injected with it, to induce an immune response by the body.

RBD protein vaccine by Baylor College of Medicine-Biological E:

 This is a recombinant protein vaccine candidate developed using the same traditional technique used to make vaccines against Hepatitis B.

HGC019 by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals-HDT Bio

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 This candidate belongs to a newer category called ‘mRNA’ vaccines, which make use of the messenger RNA molecules that tell cells what proteins to build.  The mRNA, in this case, is coded to tell the cells to recreate the Covid-19 spike protein–the spikes found on the surface of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. Once injected into the body, the cells will use the mRNA’s instructions, creating copies of the spike protein, which is in return expected to prompt the immune cells to create antibodies to fight it.

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17. Plasma Therapy and PLACID trial

Context:

While use of convalescent plasma as a treatment modality for Covid-19 has received authorisation for off-label use in India, the aim of ICMR’s PLACID trial was to investigate its effectiveness for treatment of Covid-19.

Concept:

 Convalescent plasma therapy uses blood from people who have recovered from an illness to help others recover.  Blood donated by people who have recovered from Covid-19 has antibodies to the virus that causes it.  The donated blood is processed to remove blood cells, leaving behind liquid (plasma) and antibodies. These can be given to people with Covid-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus.

PLACID trial

 ICMR’s plasma therapy study, PLACID, is the first and largest randomised control trial to be completed in the world and according to the study paper.  The PLACID trial results indicate that there was no difference in the 28-day mortality or progression to severe disease among moderately-ill Covid-19 patients treated with convalescent plasma along with basic standard care compared to basic standard care alone.

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18. Hybrid warfare

Context:

Early this month, the Chinese-only website of Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co, the company monitoring foreign targets, was pulled down

Concept:

 It targets individuals and institutions in politics, government, business, technology, media, and civil society.  Claiming to work with Chinese intelligence, military and security agencies, Zhenhua monitors the subject’s digital footprint across social media platforms, maintains an “information library,” which includes content not just from news sources, forums, but also from papers, patents, bidding documents, even positions of recruitment.  Significantly, it builds a “relational database”, which records and describes associations between individuals, institutions, and information. Collecting such massive data and weaving in public or sentiment analysis around these targets, Zhenhua offers threat intelligence services  A shift in the arena of violence from military to political, economic and technological is called hybrid warfare.  It refers to the use of unconventional methods as part of a multi-domain war fighting approach. These methods aim to disrupt and disable an opponent’s actions without engaging in open hostilities.

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19. Nerve agent

Context:

Tests performed on Russian politician Alexei Navalny at the German hospital showed the presence of Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok.

Concept:

 The name Novichok means "newcomer" in Russian, and applies to a group of advanced nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s.  They were known as fourth-generation chemical weapons and were developed under a Soviet programme codenamed Foliant.  Some variants of Novichok are thought to be five to eight times more toxic than the VX nerve agent  They are highly toxic chemicals that prevent the nervous system from working properly, and can be fatal.  Nerve agents take different forms - including powder and gas - but they tend to be a liquid, which can seep through the skin.  Some of the agents are also reported to be 'binary weapons', meaning the nerve agent is typically stored as two less toxic chemicals. When they are mixed together, they react to produce the more toxic agent.

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 Nerve agents disrupt normal messaging from the nerves to the muscles. This causes muscles to become paralysed and can lead to the loss of many bodily functions.  Agents will act within seconds or minutes if inhaled and slightly more slowly if exposure is the result of skin contamination.

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20. Nano fertilizers

Context:

India will be self-reliant in fertiliser production by 2023 as new units are being set up with an investment of Rs 40,000 crore to reduce dependency on imports. Addressing a webinar organised by cooperative IFFCO for farmers of Karnataka, the minister said the government is promoting nano fertilisers .

Concept:

 Nanofertilizers are being studied as a way to increase nutrient efficiency and improve plant nutrition, compared with traditional fertilizers.  A nanofertilizer is any product that is made with nanoparticles or uses nanotechnology to improve nutrient efficiency.  Three classes of nanofertilizers have been proposed: o nanoscale fertilizer (nanoparticles which contain nutrients) o nanoscale additives (traditional fertilizers with nanoscale additives) o nanoscale coating (traditional fertilizers coated or loaded with nanoparticles)  Nanomaterial coatings (such as a nanomembrane) may slow the release of nutrients or a porous nanofertilizer may include a network of channels that retard nutrient solubility. The use of nanotechnology for fertilizers is still in its infancy but is already adopted for medical and engineering applications.  Another promising application of nanotechnology is the encapsulation of beneficial microorganisms that can improve plant root health. These could include various bacteria or fungi that enhance the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the root zone. The development of nanobiosensors to react with specific root exudates is also being explored.

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21. Phase 3 of vaccine trial

Context: University of Oxford and AstraZeneca said they were resuming clinical trials for a new coronavirus vaccine across all U.K. sites.

Concept:  Vaccine trials follow a four-stage process when they are tested in people.  After a drug has proven itself safe in a variety of animals — usually mice, rabbits, hamsters and primates that mirror human physiology and the way it reacts to diseases — it enters Phase-1 studies.  A small group of volunteers is given the drug in small doses and monitored to see if it is safe and whether it was well tolerated. This is also when any occurrences of side effects are closely monitored. On an average, 10-50 candidates are chosen.  In the normal course, those undergoing the trial must report results to the drug regulator which gives the go-ahead for the next stage of trials.  Phase-2 is when a group of volunteers, usually in the hundreds, are selected. This is the stage when researchers try to determine what dosage would be necessary for it to take effect or produce the desired response.  In the case of the COVID-19 vaccine, this is the stage when it’s determined if the inoculation had triggered a desired level of antibodies and a sufficient cell response in terms of stimulating T-cells that are known to block and neutralise the virus particles respectively. Again, side effects and adverse reactions are monitored and reported.  Each of these stages can take several months and that includes the time taken to recruit patients as well as the time involved in observing the effects of drugs and vaccines at various intervals of time. Such data is again sent to regulators, who, if satisfied, given the green signal for Phase-3.

Phase-3  In Phase 3 stage, the drug or vaccine is tested at multiple locations in thousands of volunteers or patients.  In the case of a drug, this is the stage when a new drug is compared to the existing standard of care and when it must prove that it is either more efficacious, or is of similar potency but is safer, better tolerable or delivers any of the goods that the drug makers had claimed when making the drug.

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 In the case of a vaccine for a new disease, there is usually nothing to compare it to, so Phase-3 becomes a larger version of the Phase-2 trial. A Phase-3 trial is held at multiple locations to capture the demographic variability in the population.  It is also double-blinded and randomised and may have multiple treatment arms, meaning some participants may get a placebo, some may get lower doses, some higher doses, and in an ideal trial, neither the doctor nor the recipient knows who is getting the drug and who the placebo.

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22. Reinfection fears and Immunity concept Context: While the fear of COVID-19 re-infection has dogged discussion on the novel coronavirus, it was in late August that the first ‘confirmed’ case of reinfection was officially recorded.

Concept:  The human body’s immunity acts in two forms — as innate, jumping to the task of protection immediately, and adaptive, meaning immunity acquired by the body in the process of surviving infection by pathogens, essentially over a period of time.  The adaptive immune system consists of two types of white blood cells, called T and B cells, that detect molecular details specific to the virus and, based on that, mount a targeted response to it.  T cells detect and kill those infected cells.  B cells make antibodies, a kind of protein that binds to the viral particles and blocks them from entering our cells; this prevents the replication of the virus and stops the infection in its tracks.  T and B cells retain this memory and help the body fight the infection later.  Yet it is also the case that with other viruses the amount of antibodies in the blood peaks during an infection and drops after the infection has cleared, often within a few months.  This is the fact that has some people worried about COVID-19 reinfection.

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23. Phosphine gas

Context:

An announcement by an international team of astronomers about the discovery of phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus triggered global excitement.

Concept:

 Phosphine is a colourless but smelly gas, known to be made only by some species of bacteria that survive in the absence of oxygen.  Scientists have discovered this chemical which is known to be produced only through biological process, and not through any naturally occurring chemical process.  There are some other ways in which this chemical might be produced, for example, in the underbelly of volcanoes or meteorite activity, but that would have shown in much lower concentrations. In any case, scientists have ruled out all those kinds of known possibilities which could be attributed for the presence of that gas.  This is the most credible evidence yet for the possibility of life away from Earth  The finding can further ignite interest in space missions to Venus. Missions to Venus are not new. Spacecraft have been going near the planet since the 1960s, and some of them have even made a landing. In fact, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is also planning a mission to Venus, tentatively called Shukrayaan, in the near future.

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24. Nuclear power plants in India

Context:

During the last three years, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for construction of twelve (12) nuclear power reactors to enhance nuclear power capacity in the country.

Concept:

 Presently, two public sector companies of the Department of Atomic Energy, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and BharatiyaNabhikiyaVidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) are involved in nuclear power generation.  There is no proposal under consideration at present to permit non- Government sector in the area of nuclear power generation.  However, the private sector participates in the nuclear power sector by providing core reactor components, equipment, materials and services in

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areas that include construction, fabrication & erection of equipment, piping, electrical, instrumentation, consultancy, auxiliary and logistical services.

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25. Convalescent Plasma Therapy

Context:

Not all plasma from those who’ve recovered from COVID-19 in India may contain enough protective antibodies, says a multi-institutional study led by researchers in the country and the United States.

Concept:

 Convalescent plasma therapy involves transfusing certain components of blood of people who have had the Covid-19 virus and recovered to people who are sick or those at high risk of getting the virus.  As people fight the Covid-19 virus, they produce antibodies that attack the virus. These antibodies are secreted by immune cells known as B lymphocytes, which is found in plasma or liquid part of blood that supports immunity.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved use of such therapy in clinical trials and for critically ill patients  Convalescent plasma was used in outbreaks of the H1N1 influenza virus pandemic in 2009, SARS-CoV-1 epidemic in 2003 and the MERS-CoV epidemic in 2012. It was also used to help stop outbreaks of measles and mumps before vaccines were available

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Image Source: TOI

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26. STOPCovid

Context:

Researchers have developed a new rapid test for the detection of the novel coronavirus that can be performed in less than an hour, and with minimal equipment, and can detect nearly as many cases as the standard COVID-19 diagnostic.

Concept:

 While other tests based on CRISPR technology provide a method for the the detection of viral pathogens, the scientists said these are more complex than the ones used in point-of-care testing.  They explained that such tests depend on an RNA extraction process and multiple liquid-handling steps that increase the risk of cross-contamination of samples.  STOPCovid could be done in a single step and can be potentially performed by nonexperts outside of laboratory settings.  In the latest version of STOPCovid, researchers incorporated a process to concentrate the viral genetic material in a patient sample by adding magnetic beads that attract RNA. This step eliminates the need for expensive purification kits that are time-intensive and can be in short supply due to high demand. According to the researchers, this concentration step boosts the test’s sensitivity so that it now approaches that of the conventionally used PCR diagnostic method.

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27. CRISPR test

Context:

 The Tata CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) test, powered by CSIR-IGIB(Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology) FELUDA, received regulatory approvals from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for commercial launch.  The Tata CRISPR test is the world’s first diagnostic test to deploy a specially adapted Cas9 protein to successfully detect the virus causing Covid-19.  The Tata CRISPR test achieves accuracy levels of traditional RT-PCR tests, with quicker turnaround time, less expensive equipment, and better ease of use. Moreover, CRISPR is a futuristic technology that can also be configured for detection of multiple other pathogens in the future.

Concept:

CRISPR-cas9 gene

 CRISPR technology is a simple yet powerful tool for editing genomes.  It allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. Its many potential applications include correcting genetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of diseases and improving crops. However, its promise also raises ethical concerns.  CRISPRs are specialized stretches of DNA.  The protein Cas9 is an enzyme that acts like a pair of molecular scissors, capable of cutting strands of DNA.

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 CRISPR technology was adapted from the natural defense mechanisms of bacteria and archaea. These organisms use CRISPR-derived RNA and various Cas proteins, including Cas9, to foil attacks by viruses and other foreign bodies. They do so primarily by chopping up and destroying the DNA of a foreign invader.  When these components are transferred into other, more complex, organisms, it allows for the manipulation of genes, or "editing."

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28. Neutrino Observatory

Context:

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh said in a written reply in Lok Sabha that Government has a proposal to set up Neutrino Observatory in the country.

Concept:

 Proton, neutron, and electron are tiny particles that make up atoms. The neutrino is also a tiny elementary particle, but it is not part of the atom. Such particles are also found to exist in nature.  Neutrino has a very tiny mass, no charge and spin half. It interacts very weakly with other matter particles. So weakly that every second trillions of neutrinos fall on us and pass through our bodies unnoticed.  Neutrinos come from the sun (solar neutrinos) and other stars, cosmic rays that come from beyond the solar system, and from the Big Bang from which our Universe originated. They can also be produced in the lab.  Neutrinos come in three types or “flavours” – electron neutrino, tau neutrino and muon neutrino.  They can change from one flavor to another as they travel. This process is called neutrino oscillation and is an unusual quantum phenomenon.  The India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) will study atmospheric neutrinos only. Solar neutrinos have much lower energy than the detector can detect.  Atmospheric neutrinos are produced from cosmic rays which consist of protons and heavy nuclei. These collide with atmospheric molecules such as Nitrogen to give off pions and muons which further decay to produce neutrinos.  The mountain consists of 1km of solid rock that filters away most of the charged particles from the cosmic rays. The filtered set consist of a part of the incident cosmic ray protons and pions and practically all the neutrinos.

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 If the detector was placed at the surface of the mountain, it would pick up billions of cosmic ray muons every hour and about 10 neutrino events per day. After placing inside the rock, it would detect only 300 muon events per hour and about 10 neutrino events per day of which 3 will be the desired muon neutrino events.

Applications:

 If the properties of neutrinos are understood better, they can be used in astronomy to discover what the universe is made up of.  Neutrinos interact very little with the matter around them, so they travel long distances uninterrupted. Since they take time to cross these distances, they are in effect uninterrupted for very long times. The extragalactic neutrinos we observe may be coming from the distant past. These inviolate messengers can give us a clue about the origin of the universe and the early stages of the infant universe, soon after the Big Bang.  Apart from direct future uses of neutrinos, there are technological applications of the detectors that will be used to study them. For instance, X-ray machines, PET scans, MRI scans, etc., all came out of research into particle detectors. Hence the INO detectors may have applications in medical imaging.

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29. O-SMART scheme

Context:

Information about O- SMART was given by the Union Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan in a written reply in Rajya Sabha

Concept:

The objectives of O-SMART (Ocean Services, Modelling, Applications, Resources and Technology) scheme of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India are

 To generate and regularly update information on Marine Living Resources and their relationship with the physical environment in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)  To periodically monitor levels of sea water pollutants for health assessment of coastal waters of India, to develop shoreline change maps for assessment of coastal erosion due to natural and anthropogenic activities  To develop a wide range of state-of-the art ocean observation systems for acquisition of real-time data from the seas around India,  To generate and disseminate a suite of user-oriented ocean information, advisories, warnings, data and data products for the benefit of society  To develop high resolution models for ocean forecast and reanalysis system  To develop algorithms for validation of satellite data for coastal research and to monitor changes in the coastal research  Acquisition of 2 Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs) as replacement of 2 old CRVs for coastal pollution monitoring, testing of various underwater components and technology demonstration  To develop technologies to tap the marine bio resources and generating freshwater and energy from ocean

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 To carryout exploration of Polymetallic Nodules (MPN) from water depth of 5500 m in site of 75000 sq.km allotted to India by United Nations in Central Indian Ocean Basin, to carryout investigations of gas hydrates,

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30. Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT)

Context:

 India is not in a position to accept the concept of Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) as it is neither well understood nor is comprehensive enough in the legislation of many countries.  In view of the huge digital divide among countries, there is a need for policy space for developing countries which still have to finalise laws around digital trade and data.

Concept:

 A major international initiative on data flows, the Osaka Track, was launched by heads of governments under Japan’s G20 leadership in 2019.  This paper develops a framework for ‘data free flow with trust’ – the key underlying concept of the Osaka Track.  It maps a multi-dimensional architecture for international cooperation on data flows, between governments, as well as involving business, with recommendations to increase levels of governance trust and build openness through trade rules and other tools.  Powered by data flows, digitalization has become crucial for the seamless functioning of economies and societies.  Countries, however, can have concerns that once data moves abroad it will not be treated the same as at home. Jurisdictions do not trust each other to act appropriately on data governance.  Motivated by objectives such as privacy, security, access to data, and industrial policy, national regulations often restrict the cross-border movement of data, resulting in fragmented and sometimes contradictory rules.

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31. Immunity

Context:

Two recent studies have confirmed that people previously infected with SARS- CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be reinfected with the virus.

Concept:

 Any infection initially activates a non-specific innate immune response, in which white blood cells trigger inflammation. This may be enough to clear the virus.  But in more prolonged infections, the adaptive immune system is activated. Here, T and B cells recognise distinct structures (or antigens) derived from the virus.  T cells can detect and kill infected cells, while B cells produce antibodies that neutralise the virus.  During a primary infection – that is, the first time a person is infected with a particular virus – this adaptive immune response is delayed. It takes a few days before immune cells that recognise the specific pathogen are activated and expanded to control the infection.  Some of these T and B cells, called memory cells, persist long after the infection is resolved. It is these memory cells that are crucial for long-term protection. In a subsequent infection by the same virus, the memory cells get activated rapidly and induce a robust and specific response to block the infection.  A vaccine mimics this primary infection, providing antigens that prime the adaptive immune system and generating memory cells that can be activated rapidly in the event of a real infection.  However, as the antigens in the vaccine are derived from weakened or noninfectious material from the virus, there is little risk of severe infection.

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32. Laser Guided ATGM

Context:

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test fired a laser guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from the indigenous Arjun main battle tank.

Concept:

 The missile employs a tandem High-Explosive Anti-Tank [HEAT] warhead to neutralise armoured vehicles which have reactive armours, which are specially-designed protective armours used in military vehicles.  While the missile is currently being tested from the MBT Arjun, it has been designed so that it can be fired from other platforms too.  The missile has the capability of engaging with the target even if it is not in the line of sight.  Laser-guided ATGMs lock and track the targets with the help of laser designation to ensure precision-hit accuracy.  Pune-based DRDO facilities – Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) have developed the missile in collaboration with another DRDO laboratory, Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) in Dehradun.  Over the last three years, the DRDO has successfully conducted tests of Man Portable ATGM and also a ATGM system named Nag. The indigenously developed low-weight, ‘fire and forget’ Man Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) in September last year. In February 2018, ATGM Nag was successfully tested in desert conditions.

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33. R Value

Context:

Reproduction number(R) has fallen below 1 for the first time since the pandemic began in India in the first week of March and for the sixth consecutive day number of people recovering from the disease, as reported in government data, exceeded the detection of new infections.

Concept:

 R-value is a measure of the number of people who are being infected on average by an already infected person.  A value less than 1 means fewer people are getting the infection than those who are carrying the disease right now.  The current R-value in India as a whole, as calculated by a team of researchers led by Sitabhra Sinha at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc) in Chennai, is 0.93. This means that on average, 100 infected people are passing on the disease to only 93 others.

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34. Artemis program

Context:

NASA published the outline for its Artemis program, which plans to send the next man and first woman to the lunar surface by the year 2024. The last time NASA sent humans to the Moon was in 1972, during the Apollo lunar mission

Concept:

 With the Artemis program, NASA wishes to demonstrate new technologies, capabilities and business approaches that will ultimately be needed for the future exploration of Mars.  The program is divided into three parts, o Artemis I is most likely to be launched next year and involves an uncrewed flight to test the SLS and Orion spacecraft. o Artemis II will be the first crewed flight test and is targetted for 2023. o Artemis III will land astronauts on the Moon’s South Pole in 2024.  For NASA, going to the moon involves various elements – such as the exploration ground systems (the structures on the ground that are required to support the launch), the Space Launch System (SLS), Orion (the spacecraft for lunar missions), Gateway (the lunar outpost around the Moon), lunar landers (modern human landing systems) and the Artemis generation spacesuits.  NASA’s new rocket called SLS will send astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft a quarter of a million miles away from Earth to the lunar orbit.  Once the astronauts dock Orion at the Gateway which is a small spaceship in orbit around the moon they will be able to live and work around the Moon, and from the spaceship, will take expeditions to the surface of the Moon.

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35. Human challenge trial Context: In January, London will begin the world’s first human challenge trial. Participants will be vaccinated with a candidate vaccine and then wilfully exposed to novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) a month or so later. Over 38,000 people from 166 countries have already volunteered to participate in such studies.

Concept:  Human challenge trials are trials in which participants are intentionally challenged (whether or not they have been vaccinated) with an infectious disease organism.

 This challenge organism may be close to wild-type and pathogenic, adapted and/or attenuated from wild-type with less or no pathogenicity, or genetically modified in some manner.

 Human challenge trials have been performed safely in tens of thousands of people in the last 50 years and have helped accelerate the development of vaccines against typhoid and cholera. Such a study was also conducted for Zika virus.

 The yellow fever experiments conducted in the early 1900s helped prove that mosquitoes transmit the virus causing yellow fever. The human- challenge studies have generally been used for testing less deadly diseases such as influenza, dengue, typhoid, cholera and malaria.

 In May the WHO approved human challenge trials and NIH too is developing two viral strains through Colorado State University that can be used in human challenge trials.

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36. Cloud Computing Context: Using openly accessible satellite data and a cloud computing platform, an international team has developed a powerful tool for a near real-time mapping of flood extent.

Concept:  Cloud computing is the delivery of different services through the Internet. These resources include tools and applications like data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software.

 Rather than keeping files on a proprietary hard drive or local storage device, cloud-based storage makes it possible to save them to a remote database.

 As long as an electronic device has access to the web, it has access to the data and the software programs to run it.

 Cloud computing is a popular option for people and businesses for a number of reasons including cost savings, increased productivity, speed and efficiency, performance, and security.

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37. Herd immunity

Context:

Early indications from the second nationwide sero surveillance conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) show the Indian population is still far from achieving herd immunity against Sars-CoV-2.

Concept:

Herd immunity happens when so many people in a community become immune to an infectious disease that it stops the disease from spreading. This can happen in two ways:

 Many people contract the disease and in time build up an immune response to it (natural immunity).  Many people are vaccinated against the disease to achieve immunity.

When a large percentage of the population becomes immune to a disease, the spread of that disease slows down or stops. Many viral and bacterial infections spread from person to person. This chain is broken when most people don’t get or transmit the infection. This helps protect people who aren’t vaccinated or who have low functioning immune systems and may develop an infection more easily

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38. Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices

Context:

The Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Health Care (ADEH) has expressed anguish and disappointment over the recent reply by the Minister of Chemicals and fertilizers Sadanada Gowda in the Parliament that there is no decision yet from the part of the government to make Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) mandatory

Concept:

 It is a voluntary code issued by the Department Of Pharmaceuticals relating to marketing practices for Indian Pharmaceutical Companies and as well medical devices industry.

Key features

 No gifts, pecuniary advantages or benefits in kind may be supplied, offered or promised, to persons qualified to prescribe or supply drugs, by a pharmaceutical company or any of its agents.  Companies or their associations/representatives or any person acting on their behalf shall not extend any travel facility inside the country or outside, including rail, air, ship, cruise tickets, paid vacations, etc., to Health Care Professionals and their family members for vacation or for attending conference, seminars, workshops, CME programme etc.  Free samples of drugs shall not be supplied to any person who is not qualified to prescribe such product.  UCPMP Code states that, in order to appoint Medical Practitioners/HCPs as Affiliates there should be written contract, legitimate need for the services must be documented, and criteria for selecting affiliates must be directly related to the identified need.  It also provides that the number of affiliates retained must not be greater than the number reasonably necessary to achieve the identified need and

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that the compensation must be reasonable and reflect the fair market value of the services provided.

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39. Fortification

Context:

FSSAI considering to make fortification of edible oil with Vitamin A, D mandatory

Concept:

 Food fortification – also known as food enrichment is when nutrients are added to food at higher levels than what the original food provides.  This is done to address micronutrient deficiencies across populations, countries and regions.  Governments working with industry, international agencies and NGOs have used this method to help reduce and eliminate micronutrient deficiencies in their populations.  Fortification of centrally-processed staple foods is a simple, affordable and viable approach to reach large sections of a country’s population with iron, folic acid, and other essential micronutrients.  Adding micronutrients to common staple foods can significantly improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and improve public health with minimal risk.  The foods most commonly fortified are salt, wheat, corn, rice, bouillon cubes, soya sauce and other condiments.

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40. Chandra telescope

Context:

Himalayan Chandra Telescope celebrates 20th birthday

Concept:

 The 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) at the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), Mt. Saraswati, Digpa-ratsa Ri, Hanle at an altitude of 4500 m (15000 ft) above msl is operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore.  It is remotely operated using a dedicated satellite communication link from the Centre for Research & Education in Science & Technology (CREST), Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Hosakote, about 35 km northeast of Bangalore.  The area of research covers a wide range of topics, from solar system objects to cosmology.  Some of the thrust research areas are the study of solar system bodies like; comets, asteroids, the study of star formation processes and young stellar objects, the study of open and globular clusters and variable stars in them, abundance analysis of elements in the atmosphere of evolved stars, star formation in external galaxies, Active Galactic Nuclei, stellar explosions like novae, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts and so on.  The telescope has been used in many coordinated international campaigns to monitor stellar explosions, comets, and exo-planets, and has contributed significantly to these studies.

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41. 3D printing

Context:

Amid a potential shortage of nasal swabs to collect samples for coronavirus testing, researchers have come up with an alternative: 3D-printed nasal swabs.

Concept:

 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is the construction of a three- dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model  The term "3D printing" can refer to a variety of processes in which material is deposited, joined or solidified under computer control to create a three-dimensional object, with material being added together (such as liquid molecules or powder grains being fused together), typically layer by layer.  3D printing starts by making a virtual design of the object to be created. Virtual design can be made using a 3D modelling program such as CAD (Computer Aided Design) or 3D scanners.  The 3D digital copy is then put into a 3D modelling program. The model is then sliced into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers in preparation for printing.  This prepared file is thus uploaded in the 3D printer which reads each slices in 2D format and then proceeds to create the object layer by layer and the resulting object has no sign of layering visible, but a 3 dimensional structure.

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42. Sero survey

Context:

Around 7% of India’s adult population may have been exposed to the coronavirus till the last fortnight of August, according to the second national sero-survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Concept:

 Sero-surveys use tests that examine the liquid part of blood, or ‘serum’.  And these tests detect an immune response to the virus material, not SARS-CoV-2 virus material itself.  Upon virus infection, the body comes up with many immune responses.  One of these is making proteins called antibodies that stick (or ‘bind’) to the virus – these show up within a few days after infection.  The infection itself typically disappears after a couple of weeks. But the anti-virus antibodies, especially the IgG kind, stay around in the blood for a fairly long time, at least for months.  So, if a person was infected, virus material would be detectable in their nose, throat and mouth fluid for a couple of weeks at most. If testing was not done in that time, we would never know if the person had been infected by the virus. But IgG antibodies stay in the blood of such a person for a long time. So, if we test the blood for these antibodies at any point and find them (making the person ‘sero-positive’), it can be said that this person had indeed been infected in the recent weeks/months.  Sero-surveys test blood samples of healthy people for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Everybody cannot be tested, only a few people chosen at random are tested. The results are an estimate of the proportion of people who have been infected in the past. This information gives a wide-angle picture over time of how the virus has spread in the community.

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Environment 1. Coral reefs

Context:

 More life can be supported by ‘dead’ coral rubble than live coral, according to a recent study  A recent study has identified new causes for coral bleaching, namely excessive nutrients from fertilisers and storm-water runoff.

Concept:

 Coral reefs are among the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They provide shelter and nourishment to fish and other marine organisms.  Vibrant and healthy reefs form when a coral and an algae — zooxanthellae — start a symbiotic relationship.  The coral provides protection and compounds zooxanthellae’s need for photosynthesis. The algae produces carbohydrates and helps remove the coral’s waste.  But when the corals are stressed due to change in temperature, light and nutrients, they expel the algae and turn white. Corals will die if such bleaching extends.  Dead’ coral reefs supported ‘cryptic’ animals i.e hidden sea creatures, including fishes, snails, tiny crabs and worms — who hide under this rubble to save themselves from predation.  The general perception of life supported by ‘live’ coral reefs included larger invertebrates like starfish, giant clams and sea cucumbers.

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2. Reserve forest

Context:

Maharashtra Chief Minister announced that the state government would designate a 600-acre parcel of land in the heart of urban Mumbai as a reserved forest.

Concept:

 The land falls under the eco-sensitive zone of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and is home to around 10,000 individuals who live in 27 tribal hamlets.  Under Section 4 of The Indian Forest Act, 1927, the state government can “constitute any land a reserved forest” by issuing a notification in the Official Gazette, “declaring that it has been decided to constitute such land a reserved forest”, and “specifying, as nearly as possible, the situation and limits of such land”.  Under the law, the government must also appoint a Forest Settlement Officer (FSO) “to inquire into and determine the existence, nature and extent of any rights alleged to exist in favour of any person in or over any land comprised within such limits or in or over any forest-produce, and to deal with the same”.  The FSO will seek suggestions and objections from residents and others within 45 days of initiating the process. After taking into account the suggestions and objections, the process of turning the land into a reserved forest will be completed. Thereafter, the area will be protected from any construction.

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3. Project Dolphin

Context:

In his Independence Day Speech this year, Prime Minister announced the government’s plan to launch a Project Dolphin. The proposed project is aimed at saving both river and marine dolphins.

Concept:

 Project Dolphin will involve conservation of Dolphins and the aquatic habitat through use of modern technology especially in enumeration and anti-poaching activities.  The project will engage the fishermen and other river/ ocean dependent population and will strive for improving the livelihood of the local communities.  The conservation of Dolphin will also envisage activities which will also help in the mitigation of pollution in rivers and in the oceans.  It will include oceanic as well as Gangetic river dolphins, which were declared a National Aquatic species in 2010.  Dolphins are one of the oldest creatures in the world along with some species of turtles, crocodiles and sharks.  Ganges river dolphins once lived in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. But the species is extinct from most of its early distribution ranges.  The Ganges river dolphin can only live in freshwater and is essentially blind.  They hunt by emitting ultrasonic sounds, which bounces off of fish and other prey, enabling them to “see” an image in their mind.  IUCN status of Ganges river dolphin: Endangered.

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4. Habitat corridor

Context:

The Assam government has approved the addition of 30.53 sq km to the 884 sq km Kaziranga National Park.

Concept:

 The additions are habitat corridors and would help provide connectivity to Orang and Nameri National Parks across river Brahmaputra from KNPTR besides the hills of Karbi Anglong to the south of the park, where the rhino, tiger, deer and other animals take refuge during the floods  A wildlife corridor is a link of wildlife habitat, generally native vegetation, which joins two or more larger areas of similar wildlife habitat.  Corridors are critical for the maintenance of ecological processes including allowing for the movement of animals and the continuation of viable populations.  By providing landscape connections between larger areas of habitat, corridors enable migration, colonisation and interbreeding of plants and animals.

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5. Eco-sensitive zone, Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary

Context:

An illegal road coming up within the eco-sensitive zone of Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary, without any permission from the Forest Department could pose a threat to the movement of wildlife

Concept:

ESZ:

 The basic aim of ESZ is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas  ESZs are notified by MoEFCC, Government of India under Environment Protection Act 1986  The guidelines include a broad list of activities that could be allowed, promoted, regulated or promoted. This is an important checklist for conservationists to keep in mind while identifying threats in ESZs.  For this purpose, the ministry has asked all states to constitute a committee comprising the wildlife warden, an ecologist and a revenue department official of the area concerned to suggest the requirement of an eco-sensitive zone and its extent.  The width of the ESZ and type of regulation may vary from protected area to area. However, as a general principle, the width of the ESZ could go up to 10 kms around the protected area.

Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary

 Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1988 to protect the Near threatened grizzled giant squirrel.  Occupying an area of 485.2 km2, it is bordered on the southwest by the Periyar Tiger Reserve and is one of the best preserved forests south of the Palghat Gap.

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 In addition to grizzled giant squirrels, other animals seen here are Bengal tiger, bonnet macaque, common langur, elephants, flying squirrels, gaur, Indian giant squirrel, leopard, lion-tailed macaques, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri Tahrs.  Mainly dry deciduous with patches of tropical evergreen forests, Semi- evergreen forests, moist mixed deciduous forests and grassland.

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6. GEAC AND Nod for BT brinjal

Context:

An approval given for confined field trials to two new Bt brinjal varieties for biosafety evaluation by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) in seven States has left many curious about the government’s stand on genetically modified (GM) crops.

Concept:

GEAC

 Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the appraisal body that allows for commercial release of GM crops.  It had allowed the commercial release of Bt cotton in 2002. At present, more than 95 per cent of the country’s cotton areas come under Bt cotton.  Use of the unapproved GM variant can attract a jail term of 5 years and fine of Rs 1 lakh under the Environmental Protection Act ,1989.  The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).  It is responsible for appraisal of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle.  The committee is also responsible for appraisal of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the enviornment including experimental field trials.  GEAC is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of MoEF&CC and co-chaired by a representative from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Presently, it has 24 members and meets every month to review the applications in the areas indicated above.

Bt Brinjal

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 It is a genetically modified crop created by inserting gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into Brinjal.  The insertion of the gene gives Brinjal plant resistance against lepidopteron insects like the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) and Fruit Borer (Helicoverpa armigera).  Upon ingestion of the Bt toxin by the insect, there would be disruption of digestive processes, ultimately resulting in the death of the insect.

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7. Critical wildlife habitats

Context:

The process of notifying critical wildlife habitats (CWH) in Maharashtra contained several violations of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, found a report released by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)

Concept:

 CWH is a provision under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA).  The Act primarily focuses on recognising the historically-denied rights of forest-dwellers to use and manage forests.  FRA defines CWHs as ‘areas of national parks and sanctuaries where it has been specifically and clearly established, case by case, on the basis of scientific and objective criteria, that such areas are required to be kept as inviolate for the purposes of wildlife conservation  The power to notify the rules to designate a CWH rests with Ministry of Environment and Forests. The State Government are needed to initiate the process for notification of a critical wildlife habitat by submitting an application on a case by case basis, to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which is the nodal agency under the said Act. Critical Wildlife Habitats are thus, declared by Central Government.

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8. Living Planet Report of WWF According to World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Report 2020 Wildlife populations have fallen by more than two-thirds in less than 50 years

According to the report the losses have been driven primarily by habitat loss, it says, along with pollution, invasive species, overhunting and overfishing and, increasingly, climate change.

Result of this loss:

 The result is dysfunctional ecosystems. It means ecosystem bereft of important pollinators, predators and scavengers which is less able to support human or animal health  According to report, the decrease of wildlife and increasing human interference is leading to rise in Zoonosis.

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9. Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework

Context: Government has launched Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF 2.0) and Streets for People Challenge

Concept:

Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework  The objective of CSCAF is to provide a clear roadmap for cities towards combating Climate Change while planning and implementing their actions, including investments.  In the last decade, an increasing frequency of cyclones, floods, heat waves, water scarcity and drought-like conditions have had adverse impacts on many of our cities.  Such extreme events and risks cause loss of life as well as impact the economic growth.  In this context, CSCAF initiative intends to inculcate a climate-sensitive approach to urban planning and development in India.  The framework has 28 indicators across five categories namely; (i) Energy and Green Buildings, (ii) Urban Planning, Green Cover & Biodiversity, (iii) Mobility and Air Quality, (iv) Water Management and (v) Waste Management.  The Climate Centre for Cities under National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is supporting MoHUA in implementation of CSCAF.

The Streets for People Challenge  It is the response to the need for making our cities more walkable and pedestrian friendly.  The Challenge builds on the advisory issued by MoHUA for the holistic planning for pedestrian-friendly market spaces, earlier this year.  It aims to inspire cities to create walking-friendly and vibrant streets through quick, innovative, and low-cost measures.  Fit India Mission, under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, along with the India program of the Institute for Transport Development and Policy (ITDP) have partnered with the Smart Cities Mission to support the challenge.

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10. Himalaya Diwas

Context:

Scientists specialising in different aspects of the Himalayas discussed a range of areas like landslide disaster risk reduction, Himalayan seismicity, risk awareness, and mitigation, and journey of black carbon towards Himalayan cryosphere on the occasion of Himalaya Diwas.

Concept:

 The discussions were part of an online celebration of ‘Himalaya Diwas’ by Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.  A day is celebrated to spread the message of conservation of the Himalayan ecosystems.  From 2015, Uttarakhand government officially started observing September 9 as Himalaya Diwas.

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11. Fertilizer and climate change

Context:

Fertilizers usage has been making climate change worse

Concept:

 Widely-used synthetic fertiliser, ammonium nitrate and its chemical cousins ammonium sulfate, sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate are significant contributors to climate change.  Fertilizers production is energy-intensive, requiring the burning of fossil fuels.  After farmers apply these synthetic fertilisers to crops, chains of chemical reactions generate nitrous oxide, or N2O, a greenhouse gas.  The International Fertilizer Association pegs the amount of anthropogenic GHG emissions for which the industry is responsible at 2.5 per cent, but all greenhouse gasses are not created equal. N2O has a far greater global warming potential than either methane or carbon dioxide.  Alternatives include organics such as manure, and deployment of cover crops like soya and other legumes that convert nitrogen in the air into plant food. But these methods will only take food production so far

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12. New arctic climate

Context:

Global warming has dramatically changed the Arctic’s climate, adding a rainy season almost equal to India’s and up to 10 months without snow

Concept:

 There are regions of our planet that have continued to be pristine for millions of years, like Antarctica and the Arctic. These regions are the barometer to gauge the severity of human-induced climate change.  If the climate in these regions changes, the planet would be up for a completely different climate, with disruptive consequences.  Both polar regions are under intense observation and have been showing signs of climate change impacts.  The Arctic particularly showed late signs of change due to the global warming caused by human-emitted greenhouse gases that ultimately lead to change in climate. But in recent years, this process has gathered speed.  The current generation became the first in human memory to witness exposed earth in this snow-covered part of the planet. In all probability, human witness a completely new climate in the Arctic. By the end of this century, the Arctic would be ice-free for up to 10 months.  In fact, the northern polar region might have already entered into a ‘new Arctic climate’ phase. The ‘new’ climate in the snow-capped pole is warmer, rainier and without its pivotal snow that plays a key role in its overall climate.  The Arctic has now warmed so significantly that its year-to-year variability is moving outside the bounds of any past fluctuations, signaling the transition to a ‘new Arctic’ climate regime.  It means weather events like the highest temperature or least snow in winter that the region has been reporting, are going to be the new normal.

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13. Blue Flag International eco-label

Context:

Eight Indian beaches recommended for coveted Blue Flag international eco-label

Concept:

 Blue Flag certification is a globally recognised eco-label accorded by an international agency ‘Foundation for Environment Education, Denmark’ based on 33 stringent criteria in four major heads o Environmental education and information o Bathing water quality o Environment management and conservation o safety and services in the beaches.  The ‘Blue Flag’ beach is an eco-tourism model endeavouring to provide the tourists/beachgoers clean and hygienic bathing water, facilities/amenities, safe and healthy environment and sustainable development of the area.  The eight beaches recommended under the BEAMS are Shivrajpur in Gujarat, Ghoghla in Daman and Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri in Karnataka, Kappad in Kerala, Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh, Golden in Odisha and Radhanagar in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

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14. Arsenic and fluoride pollution

Context:

The number of arsenic-affected habitations in the country increased by 145 per cent in the last five years, according to data shared with the Parliament September 18, 2020.

Concept:

 Most of the arsenic-affected habitations lie in the Ganga and Brahmaputra alluvial plains; in the states of Assam, Bihar, UP and Bengal. Assam had the highest share of such habitations (1,853), followed by Bengal (1,383).  However, the number of fluoride affected habitations has significantly come down in the last five years — from 12,727 in 2015 to 5,485 as of September 13, 2020. Rajasthan had the highest number of such habitations (2,956), followed by Bihar (861).  Health effects o Fluorosis: Tooth discoloration and decay and Crippling skeletal damage o Arsenicosis: Skin pigmentation changes and skin thickening (hyperkeratosis) and Cancer of the skin, lungs, bladder and kidney

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15. Cyanobacteria

Context:

Mystery elephant deaths in Botswana is caused by cyanobacteria

Concept:

 Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, is found worldwide especially in calm, nutrient-rich waters  Some species of cyanobacteria produce toxins that affect animals and humans  People may be exposed to cyanobacterial toxins by drinking or bathing in contaminated water  Symptoms include skin irritation, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, fever, sore throat, headache  Animals, birds, and fish can also be poisoned by high levels of toxin- producing cyanobacteria.

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16. Central Pollution Control Board

Context:

Central Pollution Control Board has celebrated its 46th Foundation Day and pledged to provide technical leadership for more science-based environmental management.

Concept:

 The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), statutory organisation, was constituted in September, 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.  Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.  It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Functions of the Central Board at the National Level

 Advise the Central Government on any matter concerning prevention and control of water and air pollution and improvement of the quality of air. Plan and cause to be executed a nation-wide programme for the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution;  Co-ordinate the activities of the State Board and resolve disputes among them;  Provide technical assistance and guidance to the State Boards, carry out and sponsor investigation and research relating to problems of water and air pollution, and for their prevention, control or abatement;  Plan and organise training of persons engaged in programme on the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution;  Organise through mass media, a comprehensive mass awareness programme on the prevention, control or abatement of water and air pollution;

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 Collect, compile and publish technical and statistical data relating to water and air pollution and the measures devised for their effective prevention, control or abatement;  Prepare manuals, codes and guidelines relating to treatment and disposal of sewage and trade effluents as well as for stack gas cleaning devices, stacks and ducts;  Disseminate information in respect of matters relating to water and air pollution and their prevention and control;  Lay down, modify or annul, in consultation with the State Governments concerned, the standards for stream or well, and lay down standards for the quality of air; and Perform such other function as may be prescribed by the Government of India.

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17. Plastic Parks

Context:

To consolidate and synergize the plastic processing industry Government is setting up Plastic Parks with state-of-the-art infrastructure informed by minister in Rajya sabha

Concept:

 Under the scheme, Central Government provides grant funding up to 50% of the project cost, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 40 crore per project. The remaining project cost is to be funded by the State Government, beneficiary industries and by loan from financial institutions.  Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has approved setting up of 10 Plastic Parks in the country, out of which 6 parks have been given final approval in the States of Assam, Madhya Pradesh (two parks),Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand. These 6 Plastic Parks are under various stages of implementation.  Centre is also providing technical/consultancy services to the plastic industries in the field of plastics processing, testing,composites and mould manufacturing, design etc.

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18. Carbon neutral

Context:

China will aim to hit peak emissions before 2030 and for carbon neutrality by 2060, President Xi Jinping has announced.

Concept:

 Carbon neutrality means every ton of anthropogenic CO2 emitted is compensated with an equivalent amount of CO2 removed, according to World Resources Institute.  In order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, carbon neutrality by mid-21st century is essential. This target is also laid down in the Paris agreement signed by 195 countries, including the EU.  Carbon sink is any system that absorbs more carbon than it emits.  The main natural carbon sinks are soil, forests and oceans.  To date, no artificial carbon sinks are able to remove carbon from the atmosphere on the necessary scale to fight global warming.  The carbon stored in natural sinks such as forests is released into the atmosphere through forest fires, changes in land use or logging.  Another way to reduce emissions and to pursue carbon neutrality is to offset emissions made in one sector by reducing them somewhere else. This can be done through investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency or other clean, low-carbon technologies.

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19. Renewable energy

Context:

The share of clean energy in India’s total power generation has risen rapidly to 30 per cent already this fiscal compared to 24.9 per cent in FY20.

Concept:

 The share of generation from thermal plants in the country has been coming down and that of non-fossil power (which includes renewables, hydro and nuclear) has been increasing gradually over the last five years due to a major policy thrust on the renewables sector.  The share of clean energy in overall generation in India increased from 19.6 per cent in 2015-16 to 24.9 per cent in 2019-20, according to official data.

 The growth in share (of green energy) is the result of a gradual increase that has been taking place in the last few years as there has been higher capacity addition in the renewable sector.

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 Secondly, the cost of renewable energy has seen a progressive decline over the years.  The third reason is the ‘must run status’ to procure power from this segment. The ‘must run status’ of renewable and hydro power plants, which mandates uninterrupted power procurement by utilities, has supported the higher generation by these power sources despite the fall in consumption during the lockdown.  Three States — Karnataka (15,262 MW), Tamil Nadu (14,647 MW) and Gujarat (11,114 MW) — together account for about 46 per cent of India’s installed renewable capacity of 88,793 MW.

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20. Lion-tailed macaque

Context:

Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus), a primate endemic to Western Ghats continues to be in the ‘endangered’ category in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Concept:

 The latest conservation status of the primate was updated in the IUCN database recently based on technical reports over the years from a group of researchers  As per the technical report, the total wild population of the lion-tailed macaque (LTM) could be about 4,000 individuals consisting of less than 2,500 mature individuals, made up of 47 isolated sub-populations in seven different locations in the three States.  The population is expected to suffer an estimated decline of over 20% in the next 25 years due to varied reasons including hunting, roadkills and habitat loss, it said.  Though the conservation status of the LTM had improved from ‘endangered’ in the first assessment in 1990 to ‘vulnerable’ in 1994, its status has remained endangered since 1996.

Endangered species:

 Species are at a very high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population declines of 50 to more than 70% over the previous 10 years (or three generations), a current population size of fewer than 250 individuals, or other factors

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21. Carbon tax

Context:

With China, the largest carbon dioxide emitter, announcing that it would balance out its carbon emissions with measures to offset them before 2060, the spotlight is now on the U.S. and India, countries that rank second and third in emissions.

Concept:

 Under a carbon tax, the government sets a price that emitters must pay for each ton of greenhouse gas emissions they emit.  Businesses and consumers will take steps, such as switching fuels or adopting new technologies, to reduce their emissions to avoid paying the tax.  A carbon tax differs from a cap-and-trade program in that it provides a higher level of certainty about cost, but not about the level of emission reduction to be achieved (cap and trade does the inverse).  Taxes on greenhouse gases come in two broad forms: an emissions tax, which is based on the quantity an entity produces; and a tax on goods or services that are generally greenhouse gas-intensive, such as a carbon tax on gasoline.

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22. Sandalwood Spike Disease

Context:

India’s sandalwood trees are facing a serious threat with the return of the destructive Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD).

Concept:

 It is caused by phytoplasma (bacterial parasites of plant tissues) which are transmitted by insect vectors.  Sandal spike phytoplasma is a pleomorphic microorganism and are the smallest organism capable of independent replication (i.e. does not need a host). The pathogen is around 0.4 to 1.0 micrometer in diameter, has a cell membrane, ribosome and DNA.  Natural population of sandalwood in Marayoor of Kerala and various reserve forests in Karnataka are heavily infected with SSD for which there is no cure as of now.  Presently, there is no option but to cut down and remove the infected tree to prevent the spread of the disease.  SSD has been one of the major causes for the decline in sandalwood production in the country for over a century. The disease was first reported in Kodagu in 1899  The devastating impact in natural habitats resulted in sandalwood being classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1998.

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23. Eco sensitive Zones

Context:

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has set a fresh deadline of December 31 for the Union environment ministry to finalise the notification of eco-sensitive zones in the Western Ghats pending for eight years.

Concept:

 The basic aim of ESZ is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas  ESZs are notified by MoEFCC, Government of India under Environment Protection Act 1986  The guidelines include a broad list of activities that could be allowed, promoted, regulated or promoted. This is an important checklist for conservationists to keep in mind while identifying threats in ESZs.  For this purpose, the ministry has asked all states to constitute a committee comprising the wildlife warden, an ecologist and a revenue department official of the area concerned to suggest the requirement of an eco-sensitive zone and its extent.  The width of the ESZ and type of regulation may vary from protected area to area. However, as a general principle, the width of the ESZ could go up to 10 kms around the protected area.

Western Ghats:

 Still there is no consensus among six states and union over notification of ESZ in western ghats, as there is need for balance between ecology and economic growth  Union Government in 2010 had set up the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel headed by Dr Madhav Gadgil. In his report submitted in 2011, Dr Gadgil had recommended that large swathes of areas falling within the

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Western Ghats be marked as ecologically sensitive areas and excluded from damaging activities.  However, owing to opposition from states, the MoEF set up another committee in August 2012 called the High Level Working Group headed by former ISRO Chief Dr K Kasturirangan who further reduced the area to be notified as ESAs. However, this report too was rejected by many states.

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Current Affairs 1. Mission Karmayogi

Context:

Union Cabinet has approved ‘Mission Karmayogi’, a new capacity-building scheme for civil servants aimed at upgrading the post-recruitment training mechanism of the officers and employees at all levels.

Concept:

 Mission Karmayogi aims to prepare the Indian Civil Servant for the future by making him more creative, constructive, imaginative, innovative, proactive, professional, progressive, energetic, enabling, transparent and technology-enabled.  Mission Karmayogi programme will be delivered by setting up a digital platform called iGOTKarmayogi.  Empowered with specific role-competencies, a civil servant will be able to ensure efficient service delivery of the highest quality standards, the government said.  The platform will act as a launchpad for the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), which will enable a comprehensive reform of the capacity building apparatus at the individual, institutional and process levels.

Institutional framework

 NPCSCB will be governed by the Prime Minister’s Human Resource Council, which will also include state Chief Ministers, Union Cabinet ministers and experts. This council will approve and review civil service capacity building programmes.  Besides this, there will be a Cabinet Secretary Coordination Unit comprising of select secretaries and cadre controlling authorities.  Also, there will be a Capacity Building Commission, which will include experts in related fields and global professionals. This commission will

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prepare and monitor annual capacity building plans and audit human resources available in the government.  Finally, there will be a wholly-owned Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which will govern the iGOT-Karmayogi platform. It will be set up under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013.  The SPV will be a “not-for-profit” company and will own and manage iGOT-Karmayogi platform. The SPV will create and operationalise the content, market place and manage key business services of iGOT- Karmayogi platform, relating to content validation, independent proctored assessments and telemetry data availability. The SPV will own all Intellectual Property Rights on behalf of the Government of India.

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2. Rashtriya Poshan Maah

Context:

The 3rd Rashtriya Poshan Maah is being celebrated during the month of September 2020. Ministry of Women and Child Development, being the nodal Ministry for POSHAN Abhiyaan, is celebrating the Poshan Maah in convergence with partner Ministries and departments, at National, States/UTs, Districts, and grass root level.

Concept:

 POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission) is India’s flagship programme, launched in March 2018 to improve nutritional status of children up to 6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers to achieve specific targets for reduction in low birth weight babies, stunting growth, under nutrition and prevalence of anemia over next three years.  POSHAN Abhiyaan is not a programme but a Jan Andolan, and Bhagidaari, meaning “People’s Movement”.  This programme incorporates inclusive participation of public representatives of local bodies, government departments of the state, social organizations and the public and private sector at large.  Under Poshan Abhiyan states/UTs need to achieve convergence through the close coordination between the department of women and child welfare; health and family welfare; drinking water and sanitation; rural development; panchayati raj; education; food and other concerned departments.  To give momentum to POSHAN Abhiyan , ‘National Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges’ on 24th July 2018 decided to celebrate the month of September as Rashtriya Poshan Maah.  During this month activities related to nutrition awareness will be carried out by all the states/UTs up to the grass root level.

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The implementing departments /agencies like women and child development department through anganwari workers, health and family welfare department through ASHA, ANM, primary health centres, community health centres, school education and literary department through schools, panchayati raj department through panchayat, and rural development trough self-help groups will carry out the activities and spread the message during the month.

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3. A comprehensive set of draft guidelines on advertising

Consumer Affairs Ministry has come out with draft guideline on advertisements to prevent misleading advertisements and protect consumer interests.

 For an advertisement to be considered valid, companies will need to ensure their ads are truthful, contain honest representation and make claims that can be substantiated.  They will also need to ensure that advertisements targeted at children do not promote emulation of dangerous behaviour .  While comparing their own products with that of their rivals are factual, accurate and can be substantiated.  Under the recently notified Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has been empowered to issue necessary guidelines to prevent unfair trade practices and protect consumers’ interest. Regulating Brand ambassadors

 The draft guidelines state that besides companies, even brand ambassadors will need to do due diligence to ensure that all “descriptions, claims and comparisons” made by products that they endorse or that are made in advertisements they feature in, are capable of being objectively ascertained.  Even endorsement of products done through personal testimonial on digital platforms by celebrities will need to be genuine.  Meanwhile, the proposed guidelines also state that companies will need to ensure that disclaimers, made to expand or clarify claims, will need to be clear, legible, made in the same language and font as that of the claim in an advertisement.

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 The draft guidelines also addresses the issue concerning misleading “bait advertising” , “free product”and “surrogate advertising”.

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4. Air suvidha

Context:

Delhi Airport makes International Arriving process easy by developing a contact- less solution in collaboration with Ministry of Civil Aviation for all passengers coming to India.

Concept:

 Air Suvidha is touted as a contactless solution for international passengers travelling to India.  It comprises two forms a self-declaration form where passengers fill in basic details and information about recent travel history, and an exemption form that, if approved, will exempt the passenger from institutional quarantine.  All international passengers need to fill in the self-declaration forms on the portal.  Previously, it would be filled at the airport prior to departure. This step was taken to do away with the unnecessary physical contact.

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5. Health in India report

Context:

In India, two out of five children do not complete their immunisation programme, according to the ‘Health in India’ report

Concept:

 The report is recently published by the National Statistical Organisation (NSO).  Most of these children remain unprotected against measles, and partially protected against a range of other diseases.  The report is based on the 75th round of the National Sample Survey (July 2017-June 2018) on household social consumption related to health.

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6. Green blue policy

Context:

 The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is holding public consultations for the preparation of the Master Plan for Delhi 2041, which has the “Green- Blue policy”, promises to give the city a new shape.

Concept:

 ‘Blue’ infrastructure refers to water bodies like rivers, canals, ponds, wetlands, floodplains, and water treatment facilities; while ‘Green’ stands for trees, lawns, hedgerows, parks, fields, and forests.  The concept refers to urban planning where water bodies and land are interdependent, and grow with the help of each other while offering environmental and social benefits.

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7. Drug Controller General of India

Context:

The Drug Controller of India has demanded that the Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune, which is conducting Phase-3 trials on people in India involving U.K.-based AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, explain why tests have not been paused in India too until safety has been established.

Concept:

 Drug Controller General of India within CDSCO is responsible for approval of licenses of specified categories of Drugs such as blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera  CDSCO under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India.  The Drugs & Cosmetics Act,1940 and rules 1945 have entrusted various responsibilities to central & state regulators for regulation of drugs & cosmetics.  CDSCO is constantly thriving upon to bring out transparency, accountability and uniformity in its services in order to ensure safety, efficacy and quality of the medical product manufactured, imported and distributed in the country.  Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country and coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organizations by providing expert advice.

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8. Eat Right movement

Context:  Two Indian initiatives have found places amongst the ten best global initiatives selected by the Rockefeller Foundation for its Food Systems Vision Prize 2050: Naandi Foundation’s work with tribal communities in Araku in South India and other is ‘Eat Right India’.

Concept:  FSSAI has embarked on a large-scale effort to transform the country’s food system in order to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food for all Indians through the ‘Eat Right India’ movement.  The tagline ‘ BehtarJeevan’, thus, forms the foundation of this movement.  Eat Right India adopts a judicious mix of regulatory, capacity building, collaborative and empowerment approaches to ensure that our food is good both for the people and the planet.  Further, it builds on the collective action of all stakeholders – the government, food businesses, civil society organizations, experts and professionals, development agencies and citizens at large.  Eat Right India adopts an integrative or ‘whole of the government’ approach since the movement brings together food-related mandates of the agriculture, health, environment and other ministries.  Furthermore, since foodborne illnesses and various diet-related diseases cut across all age groups and all sections of the society it also adopts a ‘whole of society’ approach, bringing all stakeholders together on a common platform.  Eat Right India is aligned to the National Health Policy 2017 with its focus on preventive and promotive healthcare and flagship programmes like Ayushman  Bharat, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anemia Mukt Bharat and Swacch Bharat Mission.

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9. National Council for Transgender Persons

Context:

Minister has informed in Rajya sabha that National Council for Transgender Persons will assess impact of various policies with respect to transgenders

Concept:

 The council was established by the Centre in exercise of the powers conferred by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.  According to the Act, the functions of the council include advising the Centre on the formulation of policies, programmes, legislation and projects with respect to transgender persons; monitoring and evaluating the impact of policies and programmes designed for achieving equality and full participation of transgender persons.  The other functions of the council are to review and coordinate the activities of all the departments of government and other governmental and non-governmental organisations dealing with matters relating to transgender persons, to redress the grievances of transgender persons, and to perform such other functions as may be prescribed by the Centre.  The council will have representatives from community members, five states and 10 Central departments.  Its chairperson will be the Union minister for social justice and empowerment while the vice-chairperson will be the junior minister in the ministry, according to the gazette notification.  The other members will be from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry Home Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Minority Affairs ministry and Rural Development ministry among others.  The representatives of the state governments and union territories by rotation, one each from the north, south, east, west and northeast regions have also been announced.  Also, five representatives of the transgender community, one each from the north, south, east, west and northeast regions have also been announced.

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10. NPPA

Context:

To ensure accessibility of necessary medical devices to the common man at genuine cost National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has extended ceiling prices of Knee Implants for another one year, i.e. till 14thSeptember 2021.

Concept:

 National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was constituted as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) in 1997 under Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers as an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.  It fixes ceiling prices of scheduled essential drugs and monitors Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of remaining non-scheduled medical devices, which have been regulated as drugs.

Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO)

 The Drugs Prices Control Order, 1995 is an order issued by the Government of India under Sec. 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to regulate the prices of drugs.  The Order inter alia provides the list of price controlled drugs, procedures for fixation of prices of drugs, method of implementation of prices fixed by Govt., penalties for contravention of provisions etc.  For the purpose of implementing provisions of DPCO, powers of Government have been vested in NPPA.

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11. Human Capital index

Context:

India has been ranked at the 116th position in the latest edition of the World Bank’s annual Human Capital Index that benchmarks key components of human capital across countries.

Concept:

 The 2020 Human Capital Index update includes health and education data for 174 countries covering 98 per cent of the world’s population up to March 2020, providing a pre-pandemic baseline on the health and education of children  India’s score increased to 0.49 from 0.44 in 2018, as per the Human Capital Index report released by the World Bank.  The HCI has three components: o Survival, as measured by under-5 mortality rates o Expected years of Quality-Adjusted School which combines information on the quantity and quality of education: quality is measured by harmonizing test scores from major international student achievement testing programs and quantity from the number of years of school that a child can expect to obtain by age 18 given the prevailing pattern of enrolment rates across grades in respective countries o Health environment is measured by adult survival rates and the rate of stunting for children under age 5

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12. Protection against SARS-COV2 short lived

Increasing instances of reinfection has proved that herd immunity through natural infection cannot eliminate SARSCOV 2.The only safe and effective way to achieve herd immunity is through vaccination.

Concept: The immunity derived from infection do not last for life long.

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13. DFS mandate

Context:

Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan and former Deputy Governor Viral Acharya have proposed creation of a bad bank, winding down of Department of Financial Services in the Ministry of Finance, paring down the government stake in public-sector banks (PSBs) below 50 per cent and reprivatisation of some PSBs to reform the banking sector.

Concept:

 The mandate of the Department of Financial Services covers the functioning of Banks, Financial Institutions, Insurance Companies and the National Pension System.  The Department of Financial Services (DFS) oversees several key programs/initiatives and reforms of the Government concerning the Banking Sector, the Insurance Sector and the Pension Sector in India.  Initiatives and reforms relating to Financial Inclusion, Social Security, and Insurance as a Risk Transfer mechanism; Credit Flow to the key sectors of the economy/ farmers/ common man are some of the key focus areas being dealt by the Department.  The key flagship schemes being currently run/managed by the Department include the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) and the Stand Up India Scheme

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14. CDSCO and COVID drugs

Context:

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will only approve Covid-19 vaccines that meet parameters, such as their ability to show they can improve clinical outcomes by at least 50 per cent during human testing.

Concept:

 The regulator is trying to ensure the candidate approved for mass vaccination shows an improvement of at least 50 per cent over the status quo.  This means the number of people who develop symptoms, and are diagnosed by a doctor with Covid, should reduce by at least 50 per cent upon vaccination, as opposed to those who aren’t vaccinated.

CDSCO

 CDSCO under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India.  The Drugs & Cosmetics Act,1940 and rules 1945 have entrusted various responsibilities to central & state regulators for regulation of drugs & cosmetics.  CDSCO is constantly thriving upon to bring out transparency, accountability and uniformity in its services in order to ensure safety, efficacy and quality of the medical product manufactured, imported and distributed in the country.  Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country and coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organizations by providing expert advice.

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 Drug Controller General of India within CDSCO is responsible for approval of licenses of specified categories of Drugs such as blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera

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15. NIA

Context:

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sanctioned three additional branches of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to be located at Imphal, Chennai and Ranchi.

Concept:

 NIA was constituted under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 as the aftermath of the Mumbai Terror attack of 2008.  The National Investigation Agency (NIA) acts as the Central Counter- Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency. The agency is authorised to investigate any terror-related matter across the country without special permission of the states.  The National Investigation Agency aims to be a thoroughly professional investigative agency matching the best international standards.  The NIA aims to set the standards of excellence in counter terrorism and other national security related investigations at the national level by developing into a highly trained, partnership oriented workforce.  NIA aims at creating deterrence for existing and potential terrorist groups/individuals. It aims to develop as a storehouse of all terrorist related information.

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16. Arogyapath

Context:

Union minister unveils ICMR’s History Timeline and launches Vaccine Web portal, National Clinical Registry of COVID-19 and Mobile Stroke Unit

Concept:

 Aarogyapath, an integrated public platform that provides single-point availability of key healthcare goods can be helpful to customers in tackling a number of routinely experienced issues like dependence on limited suppliers, time-consuming processes to identify good quality products, limited access to suppliers who can supply standardized products at reasonable prices within desired timelines, lack of awareness about the latest product launches, etc.  It also helps manufacturers and suppliers to reach a wide network of customers efficiently, overcoming gaps in connectivity between them and potential demand centers like nearby pathological laboratories, medical stores, hospitals, etc. It will also create opportunities for business expansion due to an expanded slate of buyers and visibility of new requirements for products.  Over time, analytics from this platform is expected to generate early signals to manufacturers on over capacity as well as on looming shortages.  This would help to reduce wastage of resources due to inefficient forecasting and excess manufacturing, generate awareness about the demand for new technologies.

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Government Scheme 1. Green Term Ahead Market

Context:

As a first step towards Greening the Indian short term power Market, Indian government has launched pan-India Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) in electricity through video conference

Concept:

 The introduction of GTAM platform would lessen the burden on Renewable Energy (RE) -rich States and incentivize them to develop RE capacity beyond their own RPO.  This would promote RE merchant capacity addition and help in achieving RE capacity addition targets of the country.  GTAM platform will lead to increase in number of participants in renewable energy sector.  It will benefit buyers of RE through competitive prices and transparent and flexible procurement. It will also benefit RE sellers by providing access to pan- India market  The Government of India’s target of 175 GW RE Capacity by 2022 is driving accelerated renewable penetration pan-India.  Green Term Ahead Market contracts will allow additional avenues to the RE generators for sale of renewable energy; enable Obligated entities to procure renewable power at competitive prices to meet their Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO); and provide a platform to environmentally conscious open access consumers and utilities to buy green power.

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2. Data Empowerment Architecture

Context:

Niti Aayog sought suggestions and comments on the ‘Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA)’ draft which aims to promote greater user control on data sharing.

Concept:

 The Data Empowerment & Protection Architecture will empower individuals with control over how their personal data is used and shared while ensuring that privacy considerations are addressed.  DEPA empowers people to seamlessly and securely access their data and share it with third-party institutions. Opening up an Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) based data sharing framework would bring significant innovation by new fintech entities.

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3. Mission Milk

Context:

In order to make our country self-reliant and self-sufficient in milk NDDB has launched second phase of National Dairy Plan(NDP) , which is promoted as ‘ Mission Milk’. The project target will be to enhance milk processing capacity, infrastructure of dairy cooperatives and also attempts will be made to establish milk quality testing equipment at critical points in procurement area.

Concept

National Dairy Plan Phase I is a central sector scheme for a period of 2011-12 to 2018-19. NDP I is a scientifically planned multi-state initiative with the following Project Development Objectives:

 To help increase productivity of milch animals and thereby increase milk production to meet the rapidly growing demand for milk  To help provide rural milk producers with greater access to the organised milk-processing sector NDP I was focussed on 18 major milk producing states namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujrat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerela, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh which together account for over 90 per cent of the country’s milk production.

National Dairy Plan Phase II will spread over five years from 2020 -2025, with a financial outlay of Rs 8,000 crore. The targeted growth in milk production is 6 per cent plus with 12 institutes with mass embryo production and 1.20 lakh villages with milk potential. Dairy development has seen uneven growth across the country. Some eastern, north -eastern states and aspirational districts are lagging behind. To ensure inclusive growth in milk production and procurement, it would

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be necessary to promote the creation of alternative producer owned institutions in these areas where cooperatives are absent or weak.

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4. KIRAN

Context:

24x7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline “KIRAN” (1800-500-0019) was launched by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment through virtual mode to provide relief and support to persons with Mental Illness.

Concept:

 Kiran Helpline will offer mental health rehabilitation services with the objective of early screening, first-aid, psychological support, distress management, mental wellbeing, promoting positive behaviours, psychological crisis management etc.  It aims at serving people experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, adjustment disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, pandemic induced psychological issues & mental health emergencies.  It will function as a lifeline to provide 1st stage advice, counseling and reference in 13 languages to individuals, families, NGOs, Parent Associations, Professional Associations, Rehabilitation Institutes, Hospitals or anyone in need of support across the country.  The Helpline is being coordinated by the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Chennai and National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR), Sehore.  Professional support for the Helpline is being provided by the IndianAssociation of Clinical Psychologists (IACP), Indian PsychiatristsAssociation (IPA) and Indian Psychiatric Social Workers Association(IPSWA).

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5. PM Kisan

Context:

An estimated ₹110 crore was fraudulently credited to the bank accounts of 5.5 lakh ineligible people in 13 districts of Tamil Nadu under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) Scheme

Concept:

 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PIV-KISAN) is a new Central Sector Scheme to provide income support to all landholding farmers' families in the country to supplement their financial needs for procuring various inputs related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs.  Under the Scheme, the entire financial liability towards transfer of benefit to targeted beneficiaries will be borne by Government of India.  ln the beginning when the PM-Kisan Scheme was launched on February, 2019, its benefits were admissible only to Small & Marginal Farmers' families, with combined landholding upto 2 hectare.  The Scheme was later on revised on 1 .6.2019 and extended to all farmer families irrespective of the size of their landholdings  Under the PM-KISAN scheme, all landholding farmers' families shall be provided the financial benefit of Rs.6000 per annum per family payable in three equal installments of Rs.2000 each, every four months.  State Government and UT administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines  There are various Exclusion Categories for the scheme like institutional land holders.

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6. Svanidhi Scheme

Context:

Prime Minister held 'Svanidhi Samvaad' with street vendors from Madhya Pradesh.

Concept:

 It is a special micro-credit facility scheme for providing affordable loan to street vendors.  The scheme is aimed at enabling the street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to COVID-19 lockdown.  Under the scheme, each of these streets vendors will be given a credit loan of Rs 10,000, which they can return as monthly installments within a year.  Those who repay their loans on time will get 7 percent annual interest as subsidy which will be transferred in their bank accounts. There is no provision for penalty  The scheme targets to benefit over 50 lakh street vendors, who had been vending on or before 24th March this year, in urban areas. The duration of the scheme is till March 2022. The street vendors belonging to the surrounding peri-urban or rural areas are being included as beneficiaries under the urban livelihoods programme for the first time.  The lending institutions under the Scheme include Scheduled Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Small Finance Banks, Cooperative Banks, NBFCs, Micro Finance institutions and Self Help Group banks.

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7. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

Context:

 Prime Minister will digitally launch the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) on 10th September.  Prime Minister will also launch e-Gopala App, a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for direct use of farmers.

Concept:

Status:

 Fisheries and aquaculture are an important source of food, nutrition, employment and income in India.  The sector provides livelihood to more than 20 million fishers and fish farmers at the primary level and twice the number along the value chain.  The Gross Value Added (GVA) of fisheries sector in the national economy is 1.24% of the total National GVA and 7.28% share of Agricultural GVA.  Fisheries sector in India has shown impressive growth with an average annual growth rate of 10.88% during the year from 2014-15 to 2018-19. The fish production in India has registered an average annual growth of 7.53% during last 5 years and stood at an all-time high of 137.58 lakh metric tons during 2018-19.

Features:

 The PMMSY will be implemented as an umbrella scheme with two separate Components namely Central Sector Scheme (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).  Under the Central Sector Scheme Component an amount of Rs. 1720 crores has been earmarked. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) Component, an investment of Rs. 18330 crores has been envisaged, which in turn is segregated into Non-beneficiary oriented and Beneficiary

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orientated sub-components/activities under the following three broad heads: o Enhancement of Production and Productivity o Infrastructure and Post-harvest Management o Fisheries Management and Regulatory Framework  Cluster or area-based approach would be followed with requisite forward and backward linkages and end to end solutions.  Thrust will be given for infusing new and emerging technologies like Re- circulatory Aquaculture Systems, Biofloc, Aquaponics, Cage Cultivation etc. to enhance production and productivity, quality, productive utilization of waste lands and water for Aquaculture.  Special focus on Coldwater fisheries development and expansion of Aquaculture in Brackish Water and Saline Areas.  Activities like Mariculture, Seaweed cultivation and Ornamental Fisheries having potential to generate huge employment will be promoted.  Focused attention would be given for fisheries development in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Islands, Northeast, and Aspirational Districts through area specific development plans.  PMMSY envisages promotion of high value species, establishing a national network of Brood Banks for all commercially important species, Genetic improvement and establishing Nucleus Breeding Center for self-reliance in Shrimp Brood stock, organic aquaculture promotion and certification, good aquaculture practices, end to end traceability from ‘catch to consumer’, use of Block Chain Technology, Global Standards and Certification, Accreditation of Brood banks, Hatcheries, Farms, residues issues and aquatic health management supported by a modern laboratory network.  Collectivization of fishers and fish farmers through Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs) to increase bargaining power of fishers and fish farmers is a key feature of PMMSY.  Aquaparks as hub of fisheries and aquaculture activities with assured, affordable, quality inputs under one roof, post-harvest infrastructure

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facilities, business enterprise zones, logistic support, business incubation centers, marketing facilities etc.  Youth would be engaged in fisheries extension by creation of 3347 Sagar Mitras in coastal fisher villages.  Major investments in construction and modernization of Fishing Harbours and Landing centers for hygienic handling of fish, urban marketing infrastructure to deliver quality and affordable fish, development of state of the art whole sale fish markets, retail markets, E-marketing and E- trading of Fish etc.

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8. Jigyasa programme

Context:

A webinar has been hosted by CSIR-CMERI Durgapur in association with Samagra Siksha, Department of School Education, Jammu & Kashmir on Scientific & Technological Interventions by CSIR-CMERI combating COVID-19 as a part of the ‘Jigyasa’ programme.

Concept:

 "JIGYASA" is one of the major initiatives taken up by CSIR at national level for further widening and deepening its Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR).  Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has launched a student- scientist connect programme 'JIGYASA' in collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathans (KVS)  The objective is extending the classroom leaning and focusing on a well planned research laboratory based learning.  'JIGYASA' would inculcate the culture of inquisitiveness on one hand and scientific temper on the other, amongst the school students and their teachers.

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9. Schemes of the department of Social Justice & Empowerment

Context:

Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment released a book containing 33 Action Plans 2020-21 of all the schemes of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Concept:

 The book is a collection of 33 Annual Action Plans for all the Schemes of Social Justice and Empowerment Department and has been prepared for economic, educational development and social empowerment of the people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Senior Citizens, victim of Drug Abuse, Transgender, De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).  PRADHAN MANTRI ADARSH GRAM YOJNA o Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY) is an initiative for the empowerment of deprived sections, aims to achieve integrated development of selected villages through convergent implementation of all relevant Central and State schemes. o The scheme was launched in March, 2010 on a pilot basis for the integrated development of 1000 villages each with more than 50% SC population.  NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION o The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has prepared a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018- 2023 so as to focus on preventive education, awareness generation, identification, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependent persons and training and capacity building of the service providers through collaborative efforts of the Central and State Governments and Non-Governmental Organizations.  NATIONAL SAFAI KARAMCHARIS FINANCE & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (NSKFDC):

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o National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) an apex corporation under the Ministry of Social justice & Empowerment o NSKFDC is implementing various loan and non-loan based schemes. o Under Loan based schemes, NSKFDC provides financial assistance to the Safai Karamcharis, Scavengers and their dependants for any viable income generating schemes including sanitation related activities and for education in India and abroad. o Under non-loan based schemes,NSKFDC provides 100% grant for skill development training programme and stipend of Rs.1500 p.m. per candidate and Rs.50,000 for holding Job Fairs, Rs.30000 for Awareness Camps and Rs.25,000 for Workshops etc. o The schemes/programmes of NSKFDC are implemented through various State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) nominated by the State Govts./UT Administrations, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and some Nationalised Banks. o The financial assistance is provided at concessional rates of interest to the SCAs/RRBs/Nationalised Banks for onward disbursement to the target group of NSKFDC.

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10. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package

Context:

The Centre claimed that over 42 crore poor people have received financial assistance of over ₹68,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKY).

Concept:

 It is announced in March, the ₹1.70-lakh crore package intends to benefit the masses affected during the pandemic by providing free food grains and cash payment to women and poor senior citizens and farmers.

Following are the components of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package

I. Insurance scheme for health workers fighting COVID-19 in Government Hospitals and Health Care Centres

 Safai karamcharis, ward-boys, nurses, ASHA workers, paramedics, technicians, doctors and specialists and other health workers would be covered by a Special insurance Scheme.  Any health professional, who while treating Covid-19 patients, meet with some accident, then he/she would be compensated with an amount of Rs 50 lakh under the scheme.  All government health centres, wellness centres and hospitals of Centre as well as States would be covered under this scheme approximately 22 lakh health workers would be provided insurance cover to fight this pandemic.

II. PM Garib Kalyan AnnaYojana

 Government of India would not allow anybody, especially any poor family, to suffer on account of non-availability of foodgrains due to disruption in the next three months.  80 crore individuals, i.e, roughly two-thirds of India’s population would be covered under this scheme.

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 Each one of them would be provided double of their current entitlement over next three months. This additionality would be free of cost.

III. Benefit to farmers:

 The first instalment of Rs 2,000 due in 2020-21 will be front-loaded and paid in April 2020 itself under the PM KISAN Yojana.  It would cover 8.7 crore farmers

IV. Cash transfers to Help to Poor:

 A total of 20.40 crores PMJDY women account-holders would be given an ex-gratia of Rs 500 per month for next three months.  Gas cylinders: Under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, gas cylinders, free of cost, would be provided to 8 crore poor families for the next three months.

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11. SAROD-Ports

Context:

Union Minister of State for Shipping has launched ‘SAROD-Ports’ (Society for Affordable Redressal of Disputes - Ports) through virtual ceremony in New Delhi.

Concept:

 SAROD-Ports as a game changer and added that it will become the pivotal mechanism of ummeed (hope), vishwas(trust) and nyaya (justice) in the Port sector of India.  SAROD-Ports will resolve the disputes in fair and just manner while saving huge amount of legal expenditure and time.  SAROD-Ports is established under Societies Registration Act, 1860 with the following objectives: o Affordable and timely resolution of disputes in fair manner o Enrichment of Dispute Resolution Mechanism with the panel of technical experts as arbitrators.  SAROD-Ports consists members from Indian Ports Association (IPA) and Indian Private Ports and Terminals Association (IPTTA).  SAROD-Ports will advise and assist in settlement of disputes through arbitrations in the maritime sector, including ports and shipping sector in Major Port Trusts, Non-major Ports, including private ports, jetties, terminals and harbours.  It will also cover disputes between granting authority and Licensee/Concessionaire /Contractor and also disputes between Licensee/Concessionaire and their contractors arising out of and during the course of execution of various contracts.  All major Ports are shifting towards ‘Landlord Model’ in the days to come. Many concessioners will be working with the Major Ports. SAROD-Ports will inspire confidence in the private players and will ensure right kind of environment for our partners.

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 It will promote ease of doing business in the maritime sector because of the fast, timely, cost effective and robust dispute resolution mechanism.  ‘SAROD-Ports’ is similar to provision available in Highway Sector in the form of SAROD-Roads constituted by NHAI.

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12. Consumer Welfare Fund

Context:

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 which came into effect from 20th July 2020, and replaces the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 would give greater fillip to the ongoing consumer movement in the country

Concept:

 The Consumer Welfare Fund was created in 1992.  Its objective is providing financial assistance to promote and protect the welfare of the consumers, create consumer awareness and strengthen consumer movement in the country.  Financial assistance is provided to Voluntary Consumer Organisations / Institutions for undertaking consumer advocacy / awareness and to State Government / Union Territories for setting up State Consumer Welfare Fund.

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13. Gold monetisation Scheme

Context:

Six banks, led by State Bank of India (SBI), collectively mobilised 68 per cent more gold year-on-year (yoy) from households and temple trusts, among others, at 4,643.25 kg in 2019-20 against 2,763.12 kg the previous year under the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS).

Concept:

 Indians families keep a lot of gold lying idle at their homes. True that its value grows over time, keeping gold idle doesn’t come cheap. One has to spend on storage in a bank locker, or worry for its safety at home.  The Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS) was launched by the Government of India in 2015.  The main aim of this scheme is to turn the unused gold which is lying idle at our households or institutions into a productive asset. The aim was to mobilize gold and further facilitate its use for productive purposes.  The scheme would thus also reduce India's dependability on gold imports.  The depositors can deposit a minimum of 30 gms of raw gold in the form of bars, coins, jewellery. There is no cap on the maximum amount of gold that can be deposited. The deposits under GMS is held by banks on behalf of the Centre, who also decides the interest rate. The new scheme consists of revamped GDS (Gold Deposit Scheme) and revamped GML ( Gold Metal Loan) scheme.

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14. Initiatives to improve the global ranking of Indian education institutions

Context:

Government has taken various initiatives to improve the global ranking of Indian education institutions said Education Minister in Rajya sabha

Concept:

 Indian government is committed to the nation to empower Higher Educational Institutions to help them become world class teaching and research institutions.

Institutions of Eminence (IoE) scheme

 It has been launched in the year 2017 under which UGC has declared 10 Public and 10 Private institutions as IoEs .  The objective of the scheme is to enable them to achieve rankings within top 500 in any of the world renowned ranking frameworks. Government Institutions will get financial assistance of 1000 crores over a period of five years in addition to the grant already being received.  The institutions selected from the private sector will have autonomy to promote innovation and creativity. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has taken various quality initiatives such as examination reforms, mandatory internship, induction program for students, revision of model curriculum, internship, industry readiness accreditation, start-up and national initiative for Teachers’ Training etc to provide a thrust to improve quality of technical education in the country.

Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT)

 Adopting engineering and technology as the vehicle to addressing the societal needs and achieving national prosperity, MHRD has drafted a new and catalytic scheme called IMPacting Research INnovation and Technology or IMPRINT.

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 IMPRINT is a first-of-its-kind Pan-IIT and IISc joint initiative to solve major engineering and technology challenges in selected domains needed by the country.  The ten domains represent the most important areas relevant to our country in order to enable, empower and embolden the nation for inclusive growth and self-reliance.

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15. National Bamboo mission

Context:

On the occasion of the World Bamboo Day, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) said that government plans to promote domestic Bamboo Industry, which is going to play a critical role in shaping the post-COVID economy of India.

Concept:

 It is centrally Sponsored Scheme under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) during remaining period of Fourteenth Finance Commission (2018-19 & 2019-20).  The Mission would ensure holistic development of the bamboo sector by addressing complete value chain and establishing effective linkage of producers (farmers) with industry.  The scheme will benefit directly and indirectly the farmers as well as local artisans and associated personnel engaged in bamboo sector including associated industries.  The Mission will focus on development of bamboo in limited States where it has social, commercial and economical advantage, particularly in the North Eastern region and States including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Details:

The restructured NBM strives to -

 To increase the area under bamboo plantation in non forest Government and private lands to supplement farm income and contribute towards resilience to climate change.  To improve post-harvest management through establishment of innovative primary processing units, treatment and seasoning plants,

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primary treatment and seasoning plants, preservation technologies and market infrastructure.  To promote product development at micro, small and medium levels and feed bigger industry.  To rejuvenate the under developed bamboo industry in India.  To promote skill development, capacity building, awareness generation for development of bamboo sector.

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16. e-Shakthi

Context:

NABARD chairman said women’s self-help groups in the four districts of Tamil Nadu are on its e-Shakthi platform

Concept:

 The project e-Shakthi aims at digitisation of all the SHG accounts to bring SHG members under the fold of Financial Inclusion thereby helping them access wider range of financial services together with increasing the bankers' comfort in credit appraisal and linkage by way of: o Integrating SHG members with the national Financial Inclusion agenda; o Improving the quality of interface between SHG members and Banks for efficient and hassle free delivery of banking services by using the available technology; o Facilitate convergence of delivery system with SHGs using Aadhaar linked identity.

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17. Schemes to bridge the demand-supply gap of skilled workers

Context:

The Government is implementing various sector/group specific schemes for bridging the gap between demand and supply of skilled workers. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has been implementing the following schemes/programmes

Concept:

 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal VikasYojana (PMKVY) imparts short term skill training to youth and recognition of prior learning of informally trained labour in National Skilled Qualification Framework (NSQF) aligned qualifications through the involvement of private training partners.233  Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) to provide vocational training to non-literates, neo-literates, school dropouts, etc by identifying the skills relevant in the local market.  Apprenticeship Scheme makes available industry ready workforce by training youth in the industry through apprenticeship. Government of India shares 25% of the stipend paid to the apprentice, limited to Rs 1500/ pm per candidate for apprenticeship.  Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) to provide long term training in 137 trades through nearly 15000 Industrial Training Institutes.  Ministry has launched ‘Aatamanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASEEM)’ portal, which is a directory of all persons who have been formally skilled, and whose details are made available to the industry for meeting their skilled manpower needs anywhere in the country. This portal seeks to bridge the demand- supply gap in the skilled workforce market by providing real-time data about the demand and supply patterns including - industry requirements, demand per district/ state/cluster, key workforce suppliers, etc.

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18. National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction

Context:

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated and is implementing a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025. This information was given by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Rattan Lal Kataria in a written reply in Lok Sabha

Concept:

 The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has prepared a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) so as to focus on preventive education, awareness generation, identification, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependent persons and training and capacity building of the service providers through collaborative efforts of the Central and State Governments and Non-Governmental Organizations.  Article 47 of the Constitution provides that "The State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and, in particular, the State shall endeavor to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health."  India is a signatory to the three UN Conventions namely, Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 and Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.  The Government of India has enacted the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the year 1985 to make stringent provisions for the control and regulation of operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Objectives of NAPDDR

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1. Create awareness and educate people about the ill-effects of drugs abuse on the individual, family, workplace and the society at large and reduce stigmatization of and discrimination against, groups and individuals dependent on drugs in order to integrate them back into the society; 2. Develop human resources and build capacity for working towards these objectives; 3. Facilitate research, training, documentation, innovation and collection of relevant information to strengthen the above mentioned objectives; 4. Provide for a whole range of community based services for the identification, motivation, counselling, de-addiction, after care and rehabilitation for Whole Person Recovery (WPR) of addicts; 5. Formulate and implement comprehensive guidelines, schemes, and programmes using a multiagency approach for drug demand reduction; 6. Undertake drug demand reduction efforts to address all forms of drug abuse; 7. Alleviate the consequences of drug dependence amongst individuals, family and society at large 8. Components admissible for financial assistance

The following components are admissible for financial assistance under the NAPDDR:

o Preventive Education and Awareness Generation o Capacity Building o Treatment and Rehabilitation o Setting quality standards o Focussed Intervention in vulnerable areas o Skill development, vocational training and livelihood support of ex-drug addicts o Survey, Studies, Evaluation, Research and Innovation on the subjects covered under the Scheme. o Programmes for Drug Demand Reduction by States/UTs

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19. PM-AASHA Scheme

Context:

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan’ (PM-AASHA) is an umbrella scheme to ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers. This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Lok Sabha.

Concept:

 The new Umbrella Scheme includes the mechanism of ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers and is comprised of  Price Support Scheme (PSS) o In Price Support Scheme (PSS), physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments. o It is also decided that in addition to NAFED, Food Cooperation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts. The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms.  Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) o Under Price Deficiency Payment Scheme this scheme (PDPS), it is proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified. o In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process. o All payment will be done directly into registered bank account of the farmer. This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in notified market.  Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS)

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o It has also been decided that participation of private sector in procurement operation needs to piloted so that on the basis of learnings the ambit of private participation in procurement operations may be increased. o Therefore in addition to PDPS, it has been decided that for oilseeds, states have the option to roll out Private Procurement Stockist Scheme (PPSS) on pilot basis in selected district/APMC(s) of district involving the participation of private stockiest. o The pilot district/selected APMC(s) of district will cover one or more crop of oilseeds for which MSP is notified. Since this is akin to PSS, in that in involves physical procurement of the notified commodity, it shall substitute PSS/PDPS in the pilot districts. o The selected private agency shall procure the commodity at MSP in the notified markets during the notified period from the registered farmers in consonance with the PPSS Guidelines, whenever the prices in the market fall below the notified MSP and whenever authorized by the state/UT government to enter the market and maximum service charges up to 15% of the notified MSP will be payable.  Under PM-AASHA, States/UTs are offered to choose either PSS and PDPS in a given procurement season with respect to particular oilseeds crop for the entire State.  Pulses and Copra are procured under PSS. Only one scheme i.e. PSS or PDPS may be made operational in one State with respect to one commodity.  Further, states have the option to roll out PPSS on pilot basis in district/selected APMCs of district involving the participation of private stockist for oilseeds.  Further, wheat paddy and coarse grains are procured under the existing schemes of Department of Food and Public Distribution and Cotton is procured under the existing schemes of Ministry of Textiles. It is helping farmers in getting increased MSP which provides adequate returns over the cost of production.

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 Government fixes MSP for 22 mandated crops which are paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, arhar, moong, urad, groundnut-in-shell, soyabean, sunflower, sesamum, nigerseed, cotton, wheat, barley, gram, masur(lentil), rapeseed/mustard, safflower, jute and copra. In addition, MSP of Toria and de-husked coconut are also fixed on the basis of the MSPs of rapeseed/mustard and copra respectively.

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20. Biomedical park

Context:

Kerala will soon house one of the first medical device parks in the country, focusing on the high-risk medical device sector to provide full range of services for the medical devices industry like R&D support, testing, and evaluation.

Concept:

 MedSpark, the medical devices park envisaged as a joint initiative of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (KSIDC) is going to be established in the Life Science Park, Thiruvananthapuram.  This medical device park will stand out with its emphasis on the high-risk medical device sector involving medical implants and extracorporeal devices, in which SCTIMST scores with its knowledge.  The Medical Devices Park will create an enabling support system for R&D, testing and evaluation of medical devices, manufacturing support, technology innovation, and knowledge dissemination, all of which are the full range of services that the medical devices industry seeks.  These services can be utilized by the medical device industries located within the MedSpark as well from other parts of India. This will benefit small and medium-sized medical devices industries, which dominate the medical devices sector.  When completed, the MedSpark will have: o A Medical Device Testing & Evaluation Centre accredited to international agencies o An R&D Resource Centre for facilitating R&D in medical device domain, the services of which would be shared by the entities within the Park

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o A centralised Knowledge Centre for skill up-gradation with facilities for conducting training and providing support on regulatory issues, clinical trials, etc. o A Technology Business Incubation Centre for promoting start-ups and early-stage companies o A set of Modular Manufacturing Units for lease by the industries coming to the park or land modules for setting up manufacturing units o The business model for the MedSpark is self-sustaining in which its operational expenses will be generated from its revenue streams. Funding from the state and central governments (both Kerala State and Central) through various schemes will meet the capital expenditure and deficit in income against expenses during the initial stages o It is expected that the project would provide direct employment to 1200 people. Besides, employment generation up to 4000 – 5000 jobs through the supporting industries like OEM suppliers, service providers, and marketing/post marketing support activities

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21. YuWaah Context:

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) have signed a “Statement of Intent to establish YuWaah, Generation Unlimited (GenU), a global multi-stakeholder platform in India.

Concept:

As per the Statement of Intent, the objectives of this project are:

 Support young people by providing entrepreneurship classes (online and offline) with successful entrepreneurs and experts, towards establishing entrepreneurial mindset among young people.  Upskilling of young people on 21st century skills, life skills, digital skills through online and offline channels and support them through self- learning, for their productive lives and the future of work.  Create linkages with aspirational economic opportunities to connect young people with employment opportunities, including building pathways to connect them with jobs or self-employment. For this, innovative solutions and technology platforms will be engages to take maximize the scale and reach.  Providing career guidance support to young people through career portal as well as through job-readiness and self-exploration sessions to make young people career-ready.  The role of Department of Youth Affairs in this project is to provide relevant experts to participate on the YuWaah Technical Working Groups/ Task Forces.

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22. National Rural Health Mission

Context:

As per Rural Health Statistics-2019, as on 31.03.2019, a total of 1,57,411 Sub- centres, 24,855 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and 5,335 Community Health Centres (CHCs) have been functional in the rural areas of the country.

Concept:

 The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched on 12th April 2005, to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care to the rural population, especially the vulnerable groups.  NRHM seeks to provide equitable, affordable and quality health care to the rural population, especially the vulnerable groups.  The thrust of the mission is on establishing a fully functional, community owned, decentralized health delivery system with inter-sectoral convergence at all levels, to ensure simultaneous action on a wide range of determinants of health such as water, sanitation, education, nutrition, social and gender equality.  NRHM focuses on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Adolescent (RMNCH+A) Services. The emphasis here is on strategies for improving maternal and child health through a continuum of care and the life cycle approach. It recognises the inextricable linkages between adolescent health, family planning, maternal health and child survival.  Moreover, the linking of community and facility-based care and strengthening referrals between various levels of health care system to create a continuous care pathway is also to be focussed.  The key features in order to achieve the goals of the Mission include making the public health delivery system fully functional and accountable to the community, human resources management, community involvement, decentralization, rigorous monitoring & evaluation against standards, convergence of health and related programmes form village

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level upwards, innovations and flexible financing and also interventions for improving the health indicators.  At the National level, the NHM has a Mission Steering Group (MSG) headed by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and an Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) headed by the Union Secretary for Health & FW. The EPC will implement the Mission under the overall guidance of the MSG.  At the State level, the Mission would function under the overall guidance of the State Health Mission headed by the Chief Minister of the State. The functions under the Mission would be carried out through the State Health & Family Welfare Society

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23. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

Context:

 25th September, 2014 was declared the ‘Antyodaya Diwas’ in honour of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya’s 98th Birth Anniversary.  It was the same day when the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) revamped it’s existing skill development program called Aajeevika Skills as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

Concept:

 The Ministry of Rural Development implements DDU-GKY to drive this national agenda for inclusive growth, by developing skills and productive capacity of the rural youth from poor families.

Features:

 Demand led skill training at no cost to the rural poor  Mandatory coverage of socially disadvantaged groups (SC/ST 50%; Minority 15%; Women 33%)  Pioneers in providing incentives for job retention, career progression and foreign placements  Post-placement support, migration support and alumni network  Guaranteed Placement for at least 75% trained candidates  Nurturing new training service providers and developing their skills  Greater emphasis on projects for poor rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir (HIMAYAT), The North-East region and 27 Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) districts (ROSHINI)  DDU-GKY follows a 3-tier implementation model. The DDU-GKY National Unit at MoRD functions as the policy-making, technical support and facilitation agency. The DDU-GKY State Missions provide implementation support; and the Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) implement the programme through skilling and placement projects.

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24. National Biopharma Mission

Context:

National Biopharma Mission is supporting small and medium enterprises for biopharmaceutical product development, enhancing industry academia inter linkages and providing opportunities to translate knowledge into products/technologies for vaccines, biotherapeutics, devices and diagnostics informed by minister in Lok sabha.

Concept:

 The National Biopharma Mission (NBM) is an industry-Academia Collaborative Mission for accelerating biopharmaceutical development in the country.  Under this Mission the Government has launched Innovate in India (i3) programme to create an enabling ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the sector.  The mission will be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).  The mission was approved in 2017 at a total cost of Rs 1500 crore and is 50% co-funded by World Bank loan.  It is managed through a dedicated Program Management Unit (PMU) at BIRAC. Together with National and International experts, the most promising projects are selected in response to open Request for Applications issued by the PMU.  The oversight to the mission activities is provided by the inter-ministerial Steering Committee chaired by the Secretary-DBT.  The program is promoting entrepreneurship by supporting small and medium enterprises for indigenous product development (Novel Cell lines, indigenously developed Biologics, devices and Raw materials for Biologics manufacturing) and through establishment of shared facilities and Technology Transfer Offices.

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 Innovation is being promoted in India for inclusiveness. This scientifically driven enterprise aims at developing an ecosystem for affordable product development and is focused on the following 4 verticals: o Development of product leads for Vaccines , Biosimilars and Medical Devices that are relevant to the public health need by focussing on managed partnerships. o Upgradation of shared infrastructure facilities and establishing them as centres of product discovery/discovery validations and manufacturing. o Develop human capital by providing specific trainings to address the critical skills gap among the nascent biotech companies across the product development value chain in areas such as Product development, intellectual property registration, technology transfer and regulatory standards. o Technology Transfer Offices: To help enhance industry academia inter-linkages and provide increased opportunities for academia, innovators and entrepreneurs to translate knowledge into products and technologies, 5 Technology Transfer Offices are being considered for funding under NBM.

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25. National Service Scheme (NSS)

Context:

The President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind conferred National Service Scheme Awards 2017-18 in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan

Concept:

 The National Service Scheme (NSS) is a Central Sector Scheme.  It provides opportunity to the student youth of 11th & 12th Class of schools at +2 Board level and student youth of Technical Institution, Graduate & Post Graduate at colleges and University level of India to take part in various government led community service activities & programmes.  The sole aim of the NSS is to provide hands on experience to young students in delivering community service.  Since inception of the NSS in the year 1969, the number of students strength increased from 40,000 to over 3.8 million up to the end of March 2018 students in various universities, colleges and Institutions of higher learning have volunteered to take part in various community service programmes.

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26. Net metering

Context:

States and Union Territories have adopted ‘net metering’ for Roof Top Solar projects

Concept:

 Net Metering is a system that gives solar energy owners credits for the power that they add to the grid.  When solar panels produce excess power, that power is sent to the grid. And this power can be ‘taken back’ when the solar plants are not functioning – example, during the night.  When a unit of solar energy that has been ‘net metered’, the bi-directional electricity meter will run backwards. Customers are billed only for the ‘net’ energy used.

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27. Bharatnet

Context:

 The lack of workers coupled with a shortage of funds has hit the brakes on the BharatNet work in as many as eight states.  These states had written to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) asking for more funds to start work on the second phase of BharatNet.

Concept:

 BharatNet is a project of national importance to establish, by 2017, a highly scalable network infrastructure accessible on a non-discriminatory basis, to provide on demand, affordable broadband connectivity of 2 Mbps to 20 Mbps for all households and on demand capacity to all institutions, to realise the vision of Digital India, in partnership with States and the private sector.  The entire project is being funded by Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF), which was set up for improving telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country.  The objective is to facilitate the delivery of e-governance, e-health, e- education, e-banking, Internet and other services to the rural India.  The project is a Centre-State collaborative project, with the States contributing free Rights of Way for establishing the Optical Fibre Network. The three-phase implementation of the BharatNet project is as follows o The first phase envisages providing one lakh gram panchayats with broadband connectivity by laying underground optic fibre cable (OFC) lines by Decmeber 2017. o The second phase will provide connectivity to all 2,50,500 gram panchayats in the country using an optimal mix of underground fiber, fiber over power lines, radio and satellite media. It is to be completed by March 2019.

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o In the third phase from 2019 to 2023, state-of-the-art, future-proof network, including fiber between districts and blocks, with ring topology to provide redundancy would be created.

Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF)

 The New Telecom Policy (NTP) 1999 had Universal Service as one of its main objectives: Strive to provide a balance between the provision of Universal Service to all uncovered areas, including the rural areas, and the provision of high-level services capable of meeting the needs of the country's economy and encourage development of telecommunication facilities in remote, hilly and tribal areas of the country  The NTP 1999 provided that the resources for meeting the Universal Service Obligation (USO) were to be generated through a Universal Access Levy (UAL), at a prescribed percentage of the revenue earned by the telecom licensees to be decided in consultation with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).  Further, NTP 1999 envisaged the implementation of USO Obligation for rural and remote areas would be undertaken by all fixed service providers who shall be reimbursed from the USOF. Other service providers would also be encouraged to participate in USO provision subject to technical feasibility and would be reimbursed from the USOF.  The Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003 giving statutory status to the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) was passed by both Houses of Parliament in December 2003.

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28. Defence procurement plan 2020

Context:

 Union Defense minister has unveiled the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) – 2020 in New Delhi.  The government has decided not to have an offset clause in procurement of defence equipment if the deal is done through inter-government agreement (IGA)

Concept:

 The first Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP) was promulgated in the year 2002 and has since been revised periodically to provide impetus to the growing domestic industry and achieve enhanced self-reliance in defense manufacturing.  DAP 2020 has been aligned with the vision of the Government of Atmanirbhar Bharat and empowering Indian domestic industry through Make in India initiative with the ultimate aim of turning India into a global manufacturing hub.  With the new Foreign Direct Investment policy announced, DAP 2020 has adequately included provisions to encourage FDI to establish manufacturing hubs both for import substitution and exports while protecting interests of Indian domestic industry. Specific reforms enunciated in Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, have been incorporated as under:- o Notify a List of Weapons/Platforms for Ban on Import. Relevant incorporation has been done in the DAP to ensure that NO equipment as mentioned in the list is procured ex import post timelines notified. o Indigenisation of Imported Spares.  FDI in Defence Manufacturing: With the announcement of new FDI Policy, suitable provisions have been incorporated like new category ‘Buy (Global – Manufacture in India)’ done to encourage foreign OEMs to setup

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‘manufacturing/maintenance entities’ through its subsidiary in India while enabling requisite protections to domestic industry.  Time Bound Defence Procurement Process and Faster Decision Making. As part of the Defence Reforms announced in the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan, setting up of a PMU has been mandated to support contract management. The PMU will facilitate obtaining advisory and consultancy support in specified areas to streamline Acquisition process.

Offset clause

 Offset, in literary sense, is a factor that counterbalances or compensates an act.  In the defence procurement context, it is an element of ‘compensation’ made by the manufacturer that mostly takes place in the form of placing a minimum per cent of value addition in the ordering country.  Defence offset means “a supplier places work to an agreed value with firms in the buying country, over and above what it would have brought in the absence of the offset.”  Hence under defence offset, a foreign supplier of equipment agrees to manufacture a given percent of his product (in terms of value) in the buying country. Sometimes this may take place with technology transfer

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