Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Infodemic Management
Managing the “infodemic” has been a serious challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, says a Chief Scientist at World Health Organization (WHO).
Try this question for mains:
Q.‘Infodemic’ management these days has become a greater challenge than the actual course of pandemic management. Discuss.
Defining Infodemic
- Infodemic implies too much information, including false or misleading information, particularly on social media.
- It has led to confusion, risk-taking and ultimately mistrust towards governments and the public health response.
WHO framework for infodemics
- The WHO has a framework for managing the coronavirus infodemic.
- Infodemiology is now acknowledged by public health organizations and the WHO as an important emerging scientific field and critical area of practice during a pandemic.
- From the perspective of being the first “infodemiolgist” who originally coined the term almost two decades ago, the author posts four pillars of infodemic management:
- Information monitoring (infoveillance)
- Building eHealth Literacy and science literacy capacity
- Encouraging knowledge refinement and quality improvement processes such as fact-checking and peer-review
- Accurate and timely knowledge translation, minimizing distorting factors such as political or commercial influences
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Particulate Matter
Mains level: Pollution induced mortality in India
Air pollution now biggest health risk in India, says the State of Global Air 2020 Report.
State of Global Air Report
- The State of Global Air report brings into one place the latest information on air quality and health for countries around the globe.
- It is produced annually by the Health Effects Institute and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s Global Burden of Disease project.
India’s exposure to pollution
- Long-term exposure to outdoor and household air pollution contributed to over 1.67 million annual deaths from stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases and neonatal diseases in India in 2019.
- Overall, air pollution was now the largest risk factor for death among all health risks, the report noted.
- Outdoor and household particulate matter pollution also contributed to the deaths of more than 1,16,000 Indian infants in their first month of life last year.
- For the youngest infants, most deaths were related to complications from low birth weight and preterm birth.
A comparison with peers
- India faced the highest per capita pollution exposure — or 83.2 μg/cubic metre — in the world.
- It is followed by Nepal at 83.1 μg/cubic metre and Niger at 80.1.
- Countries with the least population exposure are below 8 micrograms (μg) per cubic metre.
Back2Basics: Particulate Matter
- PM is the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye.
- Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.
- Particle pollution includes:
- PM10 : inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometres and smaller; and
- PM2.5: fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometres and smaller.
Sources of PM
- These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
- Some are emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires.
- Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles.
Harmful effects of PM
- Particulate matter contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems.
- Some particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter can get deep into your lungs and some may even get into your bloodstream.
- Of these, particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, also known as fine particles or PM2.5, pose the greatest risk to health.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Kaleshwaram Project, Lift irrigation
Mains level: Kaleshwaram Project
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) wants a relook at Kaleshwaram Project since the Telangana government subsequently changed the design of the project.
Try this question from our AWE initiative:
The Kaleshwaram Project
- The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation System is considered to be one of the world’s largest multi-purpose projects.
- It is designed to provide water for irrigation and drinking purposes to about 45 lakh acres in 20 of the 31 districts in Telangana, apart from Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
- This project is unique because Telangana will harness water at the confluence of two rivers with the Godavari by constructing a barrage at Medigadda in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.
- It would reverse pump the water into the main Godavari River and divert it through lifts and pumps into a huge and complex system of reservoirs, water tunnels, pipelines and canals.
Records to its glory
- The project has set many records with the world’s longest water tunnels, aqueducts, underground surge pools, and biggest pumps.
- By the time the water reaches Kondapochamma Sagar, the last reservoir in the system, the water would have been lifted to a height of 618 metres from its source at Medigadda.
- The total length of the entire Kaleshwaram project is approximately 1,832 km of which 1,531 km is gravity canals and 203 km comprises water tunnels.
How important is KLIS to Telangana?
- The project will enable farmers in Telangana to reap multiple crops with a year-round supply of water wherein earlier they were dependent on rains resulting in frequent crop failures.
- This year, Telangana farmers have already delivered bumper rabi crops of paddy and maize due to better irrigation facilities and an extended monsoon.
- KLIS covers several districts which used to face rainfall deficit and the groundwater is fluoride-contaminated.
- Apart from irrigation, a main component of the project is the supply of drinking water to several towns and villages and also to twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
- Mission Bhagiratha, the Rs 43,000-crore project to supply drinking water to every household in villages, draws a large quantity of water from the KLIS and some quantity from projects on River Krishna.
- There is a burgeoning freshwater fishing industry in the state.
Issues raised by NGT
- The NGT has observed that the Telangana government subsequently changed the design of the project to increase its capacity.
- By increasing its capacity to pump 3 TMC water from 2 TMC, large tracts of forest land and other land was taken over and massive infrastructure was built causing adverse impact on the environment.
- Extraction of more water certainly requires more storage capacity and also affects hydrology and riverine ecology of Godavari River.
- Such issues have to be examined by the statutory authorities concerned.
B2Basics
National Green tribunal
- It is a specialised body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
- With the establishment of the NGT, India became the third country in the world to set up a specialised environmental tribunal, only after Australia and New Zealand, and the first developing country to do so.
- NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same.
- The NGT has five places of sittings, New Delhi is the Principal place of sitting and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are the other four.
Structure of NGT
- The Tribunal comprises of the Chairperson, the Judicial Members and Expert Members. They shall hold office for term of five years and are not eligible for reappointment.
- The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with Chief Justice of India (CJI).
- A Selection Committee shall be formed by central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.
- There are to be least 10 and maximum 20 full time Judicial members and Expert Members in the tribunal.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Plants mentioned in the newscard
Mains level: NA
This newscard is an excerpt from the original article published in DownToEarth.
Explained below are the medicinal properties of 10 valuable plants known to boost natural immunity:
(1) Abrusprecatorius (Indian liquorice, Ratti)
- The bright red ovoid seeds with a black spot weigh 1/10th of a gram, and were hence used as weighing unit called ‘Ratti’ in ancient India by goldsmiths.
- Its seeds are said to have immune-modulating properties.
(2) Artemisia scoparia (Redstem Wormwood)
- These plants have excellent clinical anti-malarial properties due to the presence of artemisinin.
- They possess potent anti-inflammatory properties and help regulate both innate and adaptive immunity.
(3) Azadirachtaindica (Neem)
- It is a well-known tree used in various systems of traditional medicine since time immemorial. In Sanskrit, it is known as Arishtha, which means ‘reliever of sicknesses’.
- Neem bark is known to have strong immunostimulant Neem oil has been shown to possess activity by selectively activating cell-mediated immune mechanisms.
(4) Boerhaviadiffusa (Punarnava)
- In Ayurveda, Punarnava is included in the category of rasayana herbs that possess anti-ageing properties. It helps prevent diseases.
- This means they increase resistance by providing hepatoprotection (the ability of a substance to prevent damage to the liver) and immune-modulation.
(5) Cardaminehirsuta (Hairy Bitter Cress)
- The plants contain vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, beta carotene, antioxidants and sulfur-containing compounds that boost immunity.
(6) Clerodendrumphlomidis (Sage Glory Bower, Arni, Agnimantha)
- It is an essential medicinal plant that is also mentioned in texts since the Vedic period. It is known to boost the immune system, purify the blood and cure urinary tract infection.
- The decoction made from the whole plant is useful in improving strength and immunity following a bout of fever or other ailments.
(7) Phyllanthus tenellus (Mascarene Island leaf-flower)
- It is an annual herb commonly found near wetlands, ditches, wet places, edges of drains and disturbed places. It is known for immune-modulatory properties.
- Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry, Rasbhari) (Family: Solanaceae): It is used in traditional folk medicines as an immunomodulatory drug. It is rich in vitamin C and helps enhance body immunity.
(8) Portulaca oleracea (Purslane)
- Purslane has been used in folk medicine since ancient times and is included in the World Health Organization’s list of most widely used medicinal plants.
- The leaves of the plant are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is important in preventing heart attacks and strengthening the immune system.
(9) Withaniasomnifera (Indian Winter Cherry, Indian Ginseng, Aswagandha)
- Ashwagandha is an important ancient herb and has been used in the indigenous medical system for over 3,000 years.
- It is considered to be one of the best rejuvenating agents in Ayurveda that helps to maintain proper nourishment of the tissues. It possesses antioxidant, mind-boosting and immune-enhancing properties.
Now try this PYQ:
Q.Consider the following statements:
- The Taxus tree is naturally found in the Himalayas
- The Taxus tree is listed in the Red Data Book.
- A drug called “taxol” is obtained from Taxus tree is effective against Parkinson’s disease
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 only
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: MSP, MIP
Mains level: Fixation of MSP and its legal backing
The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for apple procurement in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) for the current season.
UPSC can ask a question on the difference between MSP and MIP. All the agricultural and horticultural commodities for which Minimum Support Price (MSP) are not fixed and are generally perishable in nature are covered under Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).
Market Intervention Scheme
- MIS is a price support mechanism implemented on the request of State Governments for the procurement of perishable and horticultural commodities in the event of a fall in market prices.
- It is implemented when there is at least a 10% increase in production or a 10% decrease in the ruling rates over the previous normal year.
- MIS works in a similar fashion to Minimum Support Price based procurement mechanism for food grains but is an ad-hoc mechanism.
- Its objective is to protect the growers of these horticultural/agricultural commodities from making distress sale in the event of the bumper crop.
- Under MIS, support can be provided in some years, for a limited but defined period, in specified critical markets and by purchasing specified quantities. The initiative has to emerge from the concerned state.
Commodities covered
- The MIS has been implemented in case of commodities like apples, garlic, oranges, grapes, mushrooms, clove, black pepper, pineapple, ginger, red chillies, coriander seed, chicory, onions, potatoes, cabbage, mustard seed, castor seed, copra, palm oil etc.
Remuneration under MIS
- MIS provides remunerative prices to the farmers in case of the glut in production and fall in prices.
- Proposal of MIS is approved on the specific request of State/UT Government, if they are ready to bear 50% loss (25% in case of North-Eastern States), if any, incurred on its implementation.
- Further, the extent of total amount of loss shared is restricted to 25% of the total procurement value which includes the cost of the commodity procured plus permitted overhead expenses.
Implementation of MIS
1) Market Intervention Price (MIP)
- The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation is implementing the scheme.
- Under the MIS, a pre-determined quantity at a fixed MIP is procured by NAFED as the Central agency.
- There are other agencies designated by the state government for a fixed period or till the prices are stabilized above the MIP whichever is earlier.
- The area of operation is restricted to the concerned state only.
2) Funds transfer
- Under MIS, funds are not allocated to the States.
- Instead, central share of losses as per the guidelines of MIS is released to the State Governments/UTs, for which MIS has been approved, based on specific proposals received from them.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NPA
Mains level: Paper 3- Implications of Supreme Court order in the loan waiver.
The article examines the implications of the Supreme Court order dealing with the loan waiver and ban on the recognition of the bad loan.
Significance of common man as a depositor
- India’s Rs 144 lakh crore in bank deposits make our Rs 110 lakh crore in bank loans possible.
- The “common man” is more likely a depositor than a borrower; banks have 21 crore deposit accounts but only 2.7 crore loan accounts.
Issues with the court order
- The Supreme Court has weighed in on the waiver scheme and recognition of the bad loan.
- Waiving interest dues or banning bad loan recognition is economically ignorant because more than 20 per cent of Indians are depositors while less than 2 per cent are borrowers.
- It has nothing to with economic justice defined as the greatest good for the greatest number.
- It sabotages economic justice because fiscally funding banking diverts money from education, health and skilling expenditure.
- It’s commercially ignorant because any “annualised effective rate” is adjusted for interest payment frequency.
- Resources are finite with total central government expenditure at Rs 29 lakh crore, scarce as COVID creates a Rs 3 lakh crore GST shortfall and fragile our fiscal deficit may exceed 12 per cent.
- Also, it is hardly what our Constitution imagined as the role of courts.
- Our Constitution writers made a distinction between fundamental rights and directive principles was not a lack of ambition but a measured assessment of state capacity, resources and sequencing.
- The Constitution also envisaged distinct roles for the judiciary, executive and legislature to balance samaj (society), bazaar (markets) and sarkar (government).
- Courts have become less mindful of these two distinctions.
Cost of credit and availability issue in India
- One of the reasons for small size of Indian enterprises in the availability and cost of credit in India.
- India’s credit-to-GDP ratio stands at dismal 50 per cent — Bihar is 12 per cent and Arunachal is 1 per cent.
- The MSME lending is stuck at Rs 20 lakh crore — needs to rise to 100 per cent.
- Despite lower inflation and fiscal discipline, most borrowers don’t get globally competitive interest rates due to high bad loans and financial statement uncertainty.
- The availability of credit will not rise and cost will not fall till our banking system has strong competition, consistent regulation, effective supervision and non-fiscal sustainability.
Consider the question “How the crisis in the banking sector is different from the crisis in other sectors? Also, examine the issues with the Supreme Court order on the loan waiver and recongnition of bad loan ban?”
Conclusion
Institutional immunity needs balancing of independence and accountability; rising citizen concern about mandates and appointments should trigger court introspection.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: The offset clause
Mains level: Paper 3- Implications of dilutions of offset clause in defence procurement
The ‘offset clause’ could help the country achieve the technological expertise and consequently self-reliance. However, India recently relaxed some norms in the policy. The article discusses the stated reasons for tweaking and its implications for the defence manufacturing industry in India.
Context
- Recently, the government diluted the “offset” policy in defence procurement, reportedly in response to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India’s report tabled in Parliament last month.
Let’s understand ‘offset’ policy
- In order to safeguard national interest, most countries restrict trade in defence equipment and advanced technologies.
- Yet, for commercial gains and for global technological recognition, governments and firms do like to expand the trade through negotiated bilateral sales.
- Restrictions are often imposed on the buyer country on use, modification and resale of such equipment and technologies.
- The product and technology compel buyers to stick to them for: the advantages of bulk purchase, and dependence on the supplier for spares and upgrades.
- The price and the terms of the contract often reflect the government’s relative bargaining strength and also domestic political and economic considerations.
- Large buyers such as India seek to exercise their “buying power” to secure not just the lowest price but also try to acquire the technology to upgrade domestic production and build R&D capabilities.
- The offset clause — used globally — is the instrument for securing these goals.
Changes in the offset policy
- Initiated in 2005, the offset clause has following requirements:
- 1) Sourcing 30% of the value of the contract domestically.
- 2) Indigenisation of production in a strict time frame.
- 3) Training Indian professionals in high-tech skills, for promoting domestic R&D.
- However, the policy has been tweaked many times since.
- According to the recent CAG report, between 2007 and 2018, the government reportedly signed 46 offset contracts worth ₹66,427 crore of investments.
- However, the realised investments were merely 8%, or worth ₹5,457 crore.
- Reportedly, technology transfer agreements in the offsets were not implemented, failing to accomplish the stated policy objective.
- Recently, the government has changed this policy further so that the offset clause will not be applicable to bilateral deals and deals with a single (monopoly) seller, to begin with.
Implications of the changes in offset policy
- The dilution means practically giving up the offset clause, and a setback to India’s prospects for boosting defence production and technological self-reliance.
- The government, however, has defended the decision by claiming a cost advantage.
- Howver, price is but one of many factors in such deals, as explained above.
- The higher (upfront) cost of the agreement due to the offset clause would pay for itself by: reducing costs in the long term by indigenisation of production and the potential technology spill-overs for domestic industry.
- Hence, giving up the offset clause is undoubtedly a severe setback.
How did offset policy work for aerospace industry?
- Despite the heft of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, India is a lightweight in global civilian aircraft manufacturing, as the public sector giant mostly devotes itself to defence production.
- The National Civil Aircraft Development (NCAD) project — to come up with an indigenously designed Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA) — has remained a non-starter from day one.
- However, with the introduction of the offset policy in 2005, things changed dramatically.
- For contracts valued at ₹300 crore or more, 30% of it will result in offsets, implemented through Indian offset partners.
- As aerospace imports rose rapidly, so did the exports via the offsets, by a whopping 544% in 2007, compared to the previous year.
- By 2014, exports increased to $6.7 billion from a paltry $62.5 million in 2005, according to the United Nations Comtrade Database.
- The offset clause enabled India to join the league of the world’s top 10 aerospace exporters; the only country without a major domestic aerospace firm.
- However, exports reduced after the offset clause was relaxed, primarily when the threshold for the policy was raised from the hitherto ₹300 crore to ₹2000 crore, in 2016.
- The offset exports fell to $1.5 billion by 2019.
- The 2005 policy helped promote a vibrant aerospace cluster, mostly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) around Bengaluru.
Consider the question “How far has the offset clause been successful in enhancing the domestic capabilities of India in defence manufacturing? What are the challenges in achieving the objectives of the policy?”
Conclusion
There are successful examples to draw lessons from, as the aerospace industry episode demonstrates. India needs to re-conceive or re-imagine the offset clause in defence contracts with stricter enforcement of the deals, in national interest, and in order to aim for ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’, or a self-reliant India.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Police reforms
The article highlights the challenges facing the police force in India and suggests the measures to deal with them.
Urgency of the police reforms
- In a well-ordered democracy, the police are supposed to be a disciplined force trained to uphold the law and enforce the functioning of democracy on constitutional lines.
- However, police in India suffers from a triad of malaises:
- 1) The lack of sensitisation of police personnel.
- 2) Absence of accountability.
- 3) Politicisation of the police.
Objectives of the reforms:
1) Police sensitisation about their role in society
- The sensitisation module should aim at bringing about attitudinal change in police — especially pertaining to gender and power relations and police behaviour.
- There has to be promptness of action and decency of behaviour.
- They need to be trained in body language and strictly advised to refrain from abusive behaviour.
- It is necessary to increase public confidence in the police by upgrading levels of police service delivery as well as by investigating and acting in cases of police misconduct.
2) Increasing accountability
- Public confidence in police decreases when the public perceives that police abuses are not investigated effectively.
- Enhancing accountability will improve police legitimacy and increase public confidence, which, in turn, will reinforce the integrity of the system.
- The Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland, the Danish Independent Police Complaints Authority are some examples of mechanisms for accountability of the police for acts of abuse of power.
3) De-politicisation of the police
- Linked to accountability is de-politicisation of the police force.
- This is a must for the effective functioning of the country’s criminal justice system.
- The police, as the custodian of maintenance of law and order, must stay away from agenda-driven politics.
Need to resolve the structural issues
In order to achieve the above-stated objectives, structural issues within the force must be given priority.
1) Vacancies and fair representation to women
- According to a report by Common Cause in 2019, the Indian police force is at only 77 per cent of its sanctioned strength.
- India has 144 police personnel for one lakh population and, in some states, the figure is less than 100.
- One in every five posts sanctioned in the Indian Police Service remains vacant.
- In low and middle-rank posts, the vacancies of 5.28 lakh personnel account for nearly one-fourth of the total sanctioned strength of over 22 lakh.
- A fully-staffed police force would only increase India’s police-to-population ratio to 185 against the UN recommended ratio of 222.
- The police-to-people ratio should be improved by at least 50 per cent to meet the challenges faced by the force.
- Women are grossly underrepresented in our police force at less than 7 per cent of our total police strength.
- With the increase in the number of gender crimes, it has become a necessity to augment the strength of police by recruiting more and more women police personnel.
- The situation in Uttar Pradesh is the worst where police are at roughly 50 per cent of sanctioned strength.
- When the numbers are inadequate, police personnel are stretched, leading to shoddy policing.
2) Lack of in-service training
- The existing police personnel are also not adequately trained. Less than 7 per cent police get in-service training.
- Gujarat scores the lowest, with less than one per cent having received any in-service training.
3) Implementation of guidelines and recommendations
- After the National Police Commission in 1977, several committees were set up, including the Gore Committee, Padmanabhaiah Committee and Malimath Committee.
- These commissions and committees have made far-reaching recommendations.
- The top police leadership should be selected by apolitical representatives and an impartial body as suggested by Dharma Vira Commission have farsighted implications.
- It was a strong antidote to opportunistic appointments and transfers.
- Recommendations of the commission, if implemented, along with the Supreme Court directives of 2006 by Justice Sabharwal, in true letter and spirit, will go a long way in police reform.
4) Reforms in criminal justice system
- Reforms in the criminal justice system and separation of law and order from investigation and prosecution are the other areas that need the attention of the authorities.
- These aspects have been highlighted by many commissions and committees constituted by the Centre.
Consider the question “What are the challenges facing the police force in the country? Suggest the measures to deal with these challenges.”
Conclusion
A new role and new philosophy have to be defined for the police to not only make it a capable and effective body but also one accountable to the law of the land and to the people whom they serve.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ceilings on Election expenditure
Mains level: Election expenditure and associated issues
The Law Ministry has increased the ceiling on poll expenditure for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections by 10% following a recommendation by the Election Commission in view of curbs imposed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Try answering this question:
Q.Ceiling on election expenses ends up being counterproductive and encourages candidates to under-report their expenditure. Critically analyse.
New ceiling on poll expenditure
- The ceiling on poll expenditure varies across States, with candidates in Assembly elections in bigger States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu now allowed to spend up to ₹30.8 lakhs as against ₹28 lakhs earlier.
- For a candidate contesting a Lok Sabha poll in these States, the revised ceiling on poll expenditure is now ₹77 lakhs instead of the earlier amount of ₹70 lakhs.
- Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and a few Union Territories, based on the size of their constituencies and population, have a lower ceiling on poll expenditure.
- Here while the enhanced ceiling for a Lok Sabha candidate is now ₹59.4 lakhs those contesting an Assembly can spend up to ₹22 lakhs.
How are such ceilings made?
- Such changes are made by amending the Conduct of Elections Rules.
- The last time the expenditure ceiling was enhanced was in 2014 just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
What doesn’t account to Election expenditure?
- The expenditure incurred by leaders of a political party on account of travel by air or by any other means of transport for propagating programme of the political party is not considered to be the election expenditure.
- Any expenditure which is done for service of the Government and discharge of official duty is also not considered to be election expenditure.
Role of Election Commission
- The EC imposes limits on campaign expenditure incurred by a candidate and not political parties.
- However, it does not cover expenses incurred either by a party or the leader of a party for propagating the party’s programme.
- Also, 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 as per Section 10A of The Representation of the People Act, 1951.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not Much
Mains level: Special provisions for North-east India
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked Assam and Mizoram to maintain peace and display “no aggressive posturing” after violent clashes took place at the border between the two States on Saturday night.
Can you recall the chronology of reorganization of the entire North-East region?
What is the issue?
- Assam has had a boundary dispute with Mizoram for decades and several rounds of talks have been held since 1994-95 to solve the issue.
- Till 1972, Mizoram was a part of Assam and acquired full statehood in 1987.
- The 164.6 km-long border between the States runs along with Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts in Assam and Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl districts in Mizoram.
- There are several border areas where violence have been reported.
How complex is this dispute?
- In the Northeast’s complex boundary equations, showdowns between Assam and Mizoram residents are less frequent than they are.
- The boundary between present-day Assam and Mizoram, 165 km long today, dates back to the colonial era when Mizoram was known as Lushai Hills, a district of Assam.
- The dispute stems from a notification of 1875 that differentiated Lushai Hills from the plains of Cachar, and another of 1933 that demarcates a boundary between Lushai Hills and Manipur.
- Mizoram believes the boundary should be demarcated on the basis of the 1875 notification, which is derived from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act, 1873.
- Mizo leaders have argued in the past argued against the demarcation notified in 1933 because Mizo society was not consulted.
Other boundary disputes in North-East
During British rule, Assam included present-day Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya besides Mizoram, which became separate state one by one. Today, Assam has boundary problems with each of them.
- Nagaland shares a 500-km boundary with Assam.
- In two major incidents of violence in 1979 and 1985, at least 100 persons were killed. The boundary dispute is now in the Supreme Court
- On the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary (over 800 km), clashes were first reported in 1992, according to the same research paper.
- Since then, there have been several accusations of illegal encroachment from both sides, and intermittent clashes. This boundary issue is being heard by the Supreme Court.
- The 884-km Assam-Meghalaya boundary, too, witnesses flare-ups frequently. As per Meghalaya government statements, today there are 12 areas of dispute between the two states.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: FTTH, Ghar tak fibre
Mains level: Internet connectivity, Digital divide
The government’s ambitious ‘Ghar Tak Fibre’ scheme — which aims to connect all the villages with high-speed internet — is off to a slow start in poll-bound Bihar.
Note the features of FTTH connections. They make a perfect case for a statement based prelims question. Also, try this PYQ:
Q.Consider the following statements regarding optical fibres:
- A layer called the cladding, which has a refractive index more than that of the core, surrounds the core of the optical fibre.
- Light is propagated in an optical fibre by refraction and internal reflection.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ghar Tak Fibre scheme
- The Scheme will be implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
- It aims to connect all 45,945 villages of Bihar with high-speed optical fibre internet by 31st March 2021.
- Under the scheme, Bihar has to provide at least five fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) connections per village and at least one WiFi hotspot per village.
What is FTTH?
- Fiber to the home (FTTH), also called fibre to the premises (FTTP), is the installation and use of optical fibre from a central point directly to individual buildings such as residences, apartment buildings and businesses to provide high-speed internet access.
- FTTH dramatically increases connection speeds available to computer users compared with technologies now used in most places.
- FTTH promises connection speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps).
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Ayushman Sahakar Scheme
Mains level: Impact of coronovirus outbreak
The Agriculture Ministry has rolled out the Ayushman Sahakar Scheme to assist cooperatives in the creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country.
Can you find the peculiarity of this scheme? Yes. It’s the Agriculture and not the Health Ministry.
Ayushman Sahakar Scheme
- The scheme is formulated by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), the apex autonomous development finance institution under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- The scheme would give a boost to the provision of healthcare services by cooperatives.
- It specifically covers establishment, modernization, expansion, repairs, renovation of hospital and healthcare and education infrastructure.
Why need such a scheme?
- There is a huge need for medical and nursing education in rural areas. But the problem is a lack of infrastructure.
- Co-ops find it difficult to access credit for such projects as banks may not give them loans for non-agricultural purposes.
Financing the scheme
- NCDC would extend term loans to prospective cooperatives to the tune of Rs 10000 Crore in the coming years.
- Any Cooperative Society with a suitable provision in its byelaws to undertake healthcare-related activities would be able to access the NCDC fund.
- NCDC assistance will flow either through the State Governments/ UT Administrations or directly to the eligible cooperatives.
- Apart from working capital and margin money to meet operational requirements, the scheme will also provide interest subvention of 1% to women majority cooperatives.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Shravathi river, Macaque
Mains level: Not Much
The Union government allowed a geotechnical investigation that involved drilling of 12 boreholes inside Sharavathi Valley Lion-tailed Macaque Sanctuary in the Western Ghats in Karnataka.
Try this PYQ:
Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species?
(a) Great Indian Bustard, Musk Deer, Red Panda, Asiatic Wild Ass
(b) Kashmir Stag, Cheetah, Blue Bull, Great Indian Bustard.
(c) Snow Leopard, Swamp Deer, Rhesus Monkey, Saras (Crane)
(d) Lion Tailed Macaque, Blue Bull, Hanuman Langur, Cheetah
About Lion-tailed Macaque
- Endemic to rainforests of the Western Ghats, the Lion-tailed Macaque (Macaca Silenus) is an Endangered species, according to IUCN assessment.
- It is listed in Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
- It is a Schedule 1 species under WPA, 1972 and thereby, accorded the highest protection under the Indian law.
- Their total (global) population is 2,500 mature individuals.
Why in news?
- Sharavathi is likely one of the most exploited rivers.
- It flows for mere 132 km, but four major power projects on it produce 40 per cent of all hydroelectric power in Karnataka.
- Yet, in an attempt to squeeze more power from the river flowing through the Western Ghats, a new pumped hydro-storage project has been proposed.
- This will only intensify the cumulative adverse impact of previous projects on the biodiversity of the Sharavathi valley.
- In particular, the impacts on the iconic Lion-tailed Macaque are likely to be huge.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Gains against HIV
The article highlights the achievement in the fight against AIDS. Most significant are the achievements in the prevention of transmission from mother-to-child.
Significant gains
- As per recently released 2019 HIV estimates by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO)/Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the technical support of UNAIDS there has been a 66.1% reduction in new HIV infections among children and a 65.3% reduction in AIDS-related deaths in India over a nine-year period.
- The number of pregnant women living with HIV has reduced from 31,000 in 2010 to 20,000 in 2019.
- Overall, antenatal coverage has expanded, and HIV testing has increased over time and within target range.
- Treatment coverage has also expanded.
Progress in preventing mother to child transmission
- Under the leadership of NACO, a ‘Fast-Tracking of EMTCT (elimination of mother-to-child transmission) strategy-cum-action plan’ was outlined by June 2019.
- The plan entailed mobilisation and reinforcement of all national, State and partners’ collective efforts to achieve the EMTCT goal.
- Additionally, in March 2020, we began efforts to minimise challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- From 2010 to 2019, India made important progress in reducing the HIV impact on children through prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
- This was done through education and communication programmes; increased access to HIV services with innovative delivery mechanisms for HIV testing; counselling and care; and treatment and follow-ups.
- India made HIV testing for all pregnant women free and HIV treatment is offered the same way nationwide without cost to pregnant mothers living with HIV through the national ‘treat all’ policy.
- For two years UNICEF has worked with the World Health Organization and NACO to identify high burden districts (in terms of density of pregnant women living with HIV) as the last mile towards disease elimination.
- Since 2002, when the EMTCT of HIV programmes were launched in India, a series of policy, programmatic and implementation strategies were rolled out so that all pregnant women can access free HIV testing and free treatment regimens for life to prevent HIV transmission from mothers to babies.
- This has been made possible in government health centres and grass-root level workers through village health and nutrition days and other grass-roots events under the National Health Mission.
- Indeed, the approach being promoted by UNICEF in focusing attention and resources in high burden districts is supported by the HIV strategic information division of NACO and UNAIDS to better understand the locations and populations most HIV affected, so that technical support and HIV services can be directed towards these areas.
Conclusion
Using data-driven and decision-making approaches it is certain that AIDS will no longer be a public health threat for children in India by the end of 2030, if not before.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: BBIN, SAARC
Mains level: Paper 2- Economic progress of Bangladesh and its implications for the subcontinent
Bangladesh is expected to cross India in terms per capita income. This speaks volumes about the achievements of Bangladesh when contrasted with Pakistan. At the same time, it has several implications for the region. The elaborates on such implications.
What other countries can learn from Bangladesh
- The International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook published recently predicts that Bangladesh’s per capita GDP will overtake that of India this year.
- The projected difference is rather small — $1,888 to $1,877 — and unlikely to last beyond this year.
- International development institutions are convinced that the rest of the subcontinent and developing countries around the world can learn much from Dhaka’s experience — the so-called “Bangladesh model”.
5 Implications for the region
1) Rising global interest in the subcontinent
- Rapid and sustained economic growth in Bangladesh has begun to alter the world’s perception of the subcontinent.
- India and Pakistan dominated the region and other countries were considered small.
- But Bangladesh was far from being small, demographically it’s the eighth-largest nation in the world.
- The economic rise of Bangladesh is changing some of that.
2) Changing economic weights of Bangladesh and Pakistan
- This year, Bangladesh’s GDP is expected to reach about $320 billion.
- The IMF did not have the 2020 numbers from Pakistan to report but in 2019, Pakistan’s economy was at $275 billion.
- The IMF suggests that Pakistan’s economy will contract further this year.
- Bangladesh has controlled its population growth and Pakistan has not.
- Dhaka has a grip over its inflation and Islamabad does not.
- There is no question that Pakistan’s negative geopolitical weight in the world will endure.
- But Bangladesh’s growing economic muscle will help Dhaka steadily accumulate geopolitical salience in the years ahead.
3) Accelerate regional integration
- Bangladesh’s economic growth can accelerate regional integration in the eastern subcontinent.
- The region’s prospects for a collective economic advance are rather dim.
- Due to Pakistan’s opposition to economic cooperation with India and its support for cross-border terror, the main regional forum for the subcontinent, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), is dormant.
- Instead of merely praying for the revival of Saarc, Delhi could usefully focus on the BBIN.
- BBIN is sub-regional forum among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, activated in the middle of last decade — has not advanced fast enough.
- It is time for Delhi and Dhaka to take a fresh look at the forum and find ways to widen the scope and pace of BBIN activity.
- Meanwhile, there is growing interest in Bhutan and Nepal for economic integration with Bangladesh.
4) Increasing importance of Bangladesh in geopolitics of Indo-Pacific
- The economic success of Bangladesh is drawing attention from a range of countries in East Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
- The US, which traditionally focused on India and Pakistan, has woken up to the possibilities in Bangladesh.
- Bangladesh does not want to get into the fight between Beijing and Washington, but the great power wooing of Dhaka is bound to intensify in the new geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific.
5) Development of India’s eastern and north-eastern states could accelerate
- Bangladesh’s economy is now one-and-a-half times as large as that of West Bengal; better integration between the two would provide a huge boost for eastern India.
- Also, connectivity between India’s landlocked Northeast and Bangladesh would provide a boost to the development of north-eastern states.
- Delhi and Dhaka are eager to promote greater cooperation, but there has been little political enthusiasm in Kolkata.
- In Assam, the issue of migration continues to impose major political constraints.
Way forward
- Parliamentary approval of the boundary settlement in 2015, despite the opposition, was a step in the right direction from India.
- So was the acceptance of the 2014 international arbitration award on the maritime boundary dispute between India and Bangladesh.
- But the positive dynamic surrounding the bilateral relationship acquired a negative tone in the second amidst the poisonous rhetoric in India around the Citizenship Amendment Act.
- There is much room for course correction in Delhi and to shift the focus from legacy issues to future possibilities.
Conclusion
Both the countries need to jointly develop and pursue with Dhaka an ambitious framework for shared prosperity.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Doha Accord
Mains level: Paper 3- Threat of terrorism
We have been spared of some unfortunate news of terrorist attacks in the recent past, however, it would be mistake to discount the threat posed by the terrorist organisations especially when we consider the backdrop of Doha Accord. The article deals with the threat of terrorism.
Declining support
- Terrorist organisations like Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) have been dormant during a pandemic.
- This is partly explained by the fact that open terror attacks have been reducing, presumably because:
- 1) Terror outfits lack resources.
- 2) Because of temporary loss of support from those normally hostile to the non-Islamic world and tolerant Muslims.
- However, given their past resilience, they continue to pose threats to modern society, especially to India and its neighbourhood.
But threat persists
- These terrorist organisations continue to be attractive to misguided youth in India whose loyalties are extraterritorial.
- Their numbers may not be formidable, but they can cause a ripple effect that cannot be underestimated.
- Terrorist cells are probably engaged in the quiet process of collecting resources for future lethal assaults against India and other countries in the neighbourhood.
- Once the pandemic eases, we may see a resurgence of terror.
- The aggravation of poverty in developing nations due to COVID-19 could offer a fertile ground for recruitment.
- The al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are carrying out their recruitment undiminished by the problems posed by the pandemic.
- Only these two outfits have an impressive global reach backed by global ambitions.
What are the implications of Doha Accord?
- The Doha Accord signed this year between the Taliban and the U.S., which has brought about an improved relationship between the two.
- The U.S. has agreed to a near-total withdrawal of its troops in return for the Taliban’s promise to preserve peace in Afghanistan.
- The Taliban and the al-Qaeda need each other in many areas.
- Both are friendly towards Pakistan and could pose a problem or two to India in the near future.
- Many recent raids by the National Investigation Agency point to an al-Qaeda network in India.
- Once the situation gets better, the al-Qaeda, in cahoots with other aggressive Islamic outfits in and around Pakistan, is bound to escalate the offensive against India.
- This is one factor that makes the al-Qaeda and other terror outfits still relevant to India’s security calculus.
Consider the question “What are the implications of Doha Acord for India’s security architecture?”
Conclusion
The threat posed by the changing geopolitical landscape is bound to increase in the coming days and hence India should prepare itself to tackle the challenge.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Regulatory sandbox
Mains level: Paper 3- Regulatory sandbox
The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has introduced a framework for Regulatory Sandbox to tap into innovative Fin-tech solutions.
Try answering this simple question:
Q.What is Regulatory Sandbox? What are its salient features?
Regulatory Sandbox
- A regulatory sandbox usually refers to live testing of new products or services in a controlled/test regulatory environment for which regulators may permit certain regulatory relaxations for the limited purpose of the testing.
- The objective of the sandbox is to foster responsible innovation in financial services, promote efficiency and bring benefit to consumers.
- It provides a secure environment for fintech firms to experiment with products under supervision of a regulator.
- It is an infrastructure that helps fintech players live test their products or solutions, before getting the necessary regulatory approvals for a mass launch, saving start-ups time and cost.
Its inception
- The concept of a regulatory sandbox or innovation hub for fintech firms was mooted by a committee headed by then RBI executive director Sudarshan Sen.
- The panel submitted its report in Nov 2017 has called for a regulatory sandbox to help firms experiment with fintech solutions, where the consequences of failure can be contained and reasons for failure analysed.
- If the product appears to have the potential to be successful, it might be authorised and brought to the broader market more quickly.
What is the new framework?
- IFSCA has introduced a framework for “Regulatory Sandbox”.
Under this Sandbox framework, entities operating in the capital market, banking, insurance and financial services space shall be granted certain facilities and flexibilities.
- It will experiment with innovative FinTech solutions in a live environment with a limited set of real customers for a limited time frame.
- These features shall be fortified with necessary safeguards for investor protection and risk mitigation. The Regulatory Sandbox shall operate within the IFSC located at GIFT City (Gandhinagar).
- IFSCA shall assess the applications and extend suitable regulatory relaxations to commence limited purpose testing in the Sandbox.
Other propositions
- As additional steps towards creating an innovation-centric ecosystem, the IFSCA has proposed the creation of an “Innovation Sandbox”.
- It will be a testing environment where Fin-tech firms can test their solutions in isolation from the live market.
- This would be based on market related data made available by the Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) operating in the IFSC.
- The Innovation Sandbox will be managed and facilitated by the MIIs operating within the IFSC.
Back2Basics: GIFT City, Gandhinagar
- GIFT city is India’s first operational smart city and international financial services centre (much like a modern IT park).
- The idea for GIFT was conceived during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit 2007 and the initial planning was done by East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI).
- Currently approximately 225 units/companies are operational with more than 12000 professionals employed in the City.
- The entire city is based on concept of FTTX (Fibre to the home / office).The fiber optic is laid in fault tolerant ring architecture so as to ensure maximum uptime of services.
- Every building in GIFT City is an intelligent building. There is piped supply of cooking gas. India’s first city-level DCS (district cooling system) is also operational at GIFT City.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Countries participating in exerciese
Mains level: Paper 3- Defence exercises
Upping the ante against China amid the ongoing LAC confrontations, Australia has formally accepted India’s invite for the upcoming Malabar Exercise.
About Ex. Malabar
- Exercise Malabar is a trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan and India as permanent partners.
- Originally begun in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States, Japan became a permanent partner in 2015.
- Past non-permanent participants are Australia and Singapore.
- The annual Malabar series began in 1992 and includes diverse activities, ranging from fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers through Maritime Interdiction Operations Exercises.
Significance of Australia’s inclusion
- Earlier, India had concerns that it would give the appearance of a “quadrilateral military alliance” aimed at China.
- Now both look forward to the cooperation in the ‘Indo-Pacific’ and the strengthening of defence ties.
- This has led to a convergence of mutual interest in many areas for a better understanding of regional and global issues.
- Both are expected to conclude the long-pending Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) as part of measures to elevate the strategic partnership.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Cultivation of heeng
Mains level: Paper 3- Heeng cultivation in India
Farmers of the remote Lahaul valley in Himachal Pradesh are taking up cultivation of asafoetida (Heeng) to utilize vast expanses of waste land in the cold desert conditions of the region.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Which one of the following reflects back more sunlight as compared to other three?
(a) Sand desert
(b) Paddy crop land
(c) Land covered with fresh snow
(d) Prairie land
Asafoetida cultivation in India
- Asafoetida is one of the top condiments and is a high-value spice crop in India.
- Raw asafoetida is extracted from the fleshy roots of Ferula assafoetida as an oleo-gum resin.
- Although, there are about 130 species of Ferula found in the world, but only Ferula asafoetidais the economically important species used for the production of asafoetida.
Why cultivate it?
- Heeng is not cultivated in India.
- Government data states that India imports about 1,200 tonnes of raw heeng worth Rs 600 crore from Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
Regions for its cultivation
- Asafoetida best grows in dry and cold conditions.
- The plant can withstand a maximum temperature between 35 and 40 degree, whereas during winters, it can survive in temperatures up to minus 4 degree.
- During extreme weather, the plant can get dormant.
- Regions with sandy soil, very little moisture and annual rainfall of not more than 200mm are considered conducive for heeng cultivation in India.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: District Development Councils
Mains level: Paper 2- DDCs in J and K
The Centre has amended the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, to facilitate the setting up of District Development Councils (DDC).
Tap to read more about: Reorganization of J&K
What are DDCs?
- DDCs structure will include a DDC and a District Planning Committee (DPC).
- The J&K administration has also amended the J&K Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996, to provide for establishment of elected District Development Councils in J&K.
- This system effectively replaces the District Planning and Development Boards in all districts, and will prepare and approve district plans and capital expenditure.
Composition of DDCs
- Their key feature, however, is that the DDCs will have elected representatives from each district.
- Their number has been specified at 14 elected members per district representing its rural areas, alongside the Members of
- Legislative Assembly chairpersons of all Block Development Councils within the district.
Term of reference
- The term of the DDC will be five years, and the electoral process will allow for reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women.
- The Additional District Development Commissioner (or the Additional DC) of the district shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the District Development Council.
- The council, as stated in the Act, will hold at least four “general meetings” in a year, one in each quarter.
What will be the process here onward?
- The 14 constituencies for electing representatives to the DDC will have to be delimited.
- These constituencies will be carved out of the rural areas of the district, and elected members will subsequently elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson of the DDC from among themselves.
Within the third tier, where do the DDCs fit in?
- The DDCs replace the District Planning and Development Boards (DDBs) that were headed by a cabinet minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
- For Jammu and Srinagar districts, as winter and summer capitals, the DDBs were headed by the Chief Minister.
However, for Leh and Kargil districts, the Autonomous Hill Development Councils performed the functions designated for the DDBs.
How will DPC work, then?
- For every district there will be DPC comprising MPs representing the area, Members of the State Legislature representing the areas within the District etc. among others.
- The MP will function as the chairperson of this committee.
- The committee will “consider and guide” the formulation of development programmes for the district.
- It would indicate priorities for various schemes and consider issues relating to the speedy development and economic uplift of the district.
- It would function as a working group for formulation of periodic and annual plans for the district; and formulate and finalise the plan and non-plan budget for the district.
Centre’s objective behind this new structure
- The J&K administration in a statement said that the move to have an elected third tier of the Panchayati Raj institution marks the implementation of the entire 73rd Amendment Act in J&K.
- The idea is that systems that had been made defunct by earlier J&K governments such as the panchayati raj system are being revived under the Centre’s rule in the state through the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.
- In the absence of elected representatives in the UT, senior government officials argue that DDCs will effectively become representative bodies for development at the grassroots in the 20 districts of the UT.
- They hope that this may draw some former legislators in as well.
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