THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. INDIA & UK FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

THE CONTEXT:The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, launched the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the United Kingdom.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The FTA is expected to facilitate the target of doubling bilateral trade between India and United Kingdom by 2030, set by the Prime Ministers of both the nations.
• According to the agreements, the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) on Pharma could provide additional market access. There is also great potential for increasing exports in service sectors like IT/ITES, Nursing, education, healthcare, including AYUSH and audio-visual services. India would also be seeking special arrangements for movement of its people.
• India-UK FTA will also contribute to integrating value chains and help augment our mutual efforts to strengthen the resilience of supply chains. Reminding that the leaders of both nations had envisioned launching the FTA Negotiations in early 2022.

What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

A free trade agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.

Key features of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) :

1. The member nations of FTAs explicitly identify the duties and tariffs that are to be imposed on member countries when it comes to imports and exports.
2. FTAs typically cover trades in (a) merchandise — such as agricultural or industrial products (b)services — such as banking, construction, trading and so forth (c) intellectual property rights (IPRs),(d) investment (e) government procurement (f) competition policy and so on.
3. FTAs additionally, for the most part, provide criterion called the ‘Rules of Origin (ROO)’, required for the determination of product’s country of origin for the imposition of the preferential tariff on international trade.
4. FTAs act as an exception to the Most Favoured Nation principle adopted by WTO (World Trade Organisation).

India-UK bilateral trade

• Bilateral trade between India and UK stood at 3 billion in the year 2020. It was lesser than trade of 23.3 billion pounds in 2019. India and UK have also launched a new Enhanced Trade Partnership. It opened ways for future Free Trade Agreement.
• Currently, India is the largest market with which the UK has committed to negotiating any trade deal. India is the second largest investor in the UK economy.
• About 842 Indian companies in the UK, are employing more than 110,000 people. Combined revenue of Indian companies has increased by 87% in the last five years.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. THE WEF GLOBAL RISKS REPORT 2022

THE CONTEXT:According to Global Risks Report 2022, stated the environmental factors like human environmental damage and natural resource crisis were also believed to be among the top 10 risks in the period.

THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

• The annual report was based on a survey of 1,000 global experts and leaders in business, government and civil society on their perception of long-term risks to the world. Views of over 12,000 leaders from 124 countries who identified their national short-term risks were also analysed.
• Also the report highlighted global economy is to shrink by 2.3% by 2024. However, in developing countries this is to be 5.5%. In rich countries, it will be 0.9%
• The Climate action failure, extreme weather events and biodiversity loss were perceived by experts as the biggest threats for the global population over the next decade.
• Since 2020, the pandemic has compounded the threats of social cohesion erosion, livelihood crises and climate action failure the most, the highest number of experts signalled.
• As many as 23 per cent respondents felt that mental health deterioration and extreme weather events were exacerbated by the pandemic that is in its third year now.
• The global economic gap will widen by 2024, when the developing countries will have fallen 5.5 per cent below their pre-pandemic expected GDP growth and advanced economies would have surpassed the same by almost 0.9 per cent, they underlined.
• Digital inequality and cyber security failure also feature among the critical short- and medium-term threats, the analysis pointed out.

TOP 10 GLOBAL RISKS BY SEVERITY OVER NEXT 10 YEARS

About the Report:

• The Global Risks Report series tracks global risks perceptions among risk experts and world leaders in business, government, and civil society. It examines risks across five categories: economic, environmental, geopolitical, societal, and technological. It publishes annually by WEF.

About WEF:

World Economic Forum (WEF) is a non-profit organisation that was founded in January 1971. WEF is based in Cologny-Geneva, Switzerland, and was formed with an initiative to improve the states of the world. This organisation was formerly known as the European Management Forum.

Other reports are published by WEF are:

• Global Risks Report
• Fostering Effective Energy Transition
• Social Mobility Index
• Global Gender Gap Report
• Global Risks Report
• Regional Risks for Doing Business
• Global Competitiveness Report
• Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report

3. INDIA STATE OF FOREST REPORT 2021

THE CONTEXT:The India State of Forest Report 2021 has found the country’s forest cover has increased by 1,540 sq km since 2019. But a decline in the Northeast, and degradation of natural forests are a concern.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021. The report showed a continuing increase in forest cover across the country, but experts flagged some of its other aspects as causes for concern, such as a decline in forest cover in the Northeast, and a degradation of natural forests.

ISFR 2021: KEY FINDINGS

• ISFR 2021 has found that the forest and tree cover in the country continues to increase with an additional cover of 1,540 square kilometres over the past two years.
• India’s forest cover is now 7,13,789 square kilometres,21.71% of the country’s geographical area, an increase from 67% in 2019. Tree cover has increased by 721 sq km.
• The states that have shown the highest increase in forest cover are Telangana (3.07%), Andhra Pradesh (2.22%) and Odisha (1.04%).
• Five states in the Northeast – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland have all shown loss in forest cover.
• Mangroves have shown an increase of 17 sq km. India’s total mangrove cover is now 4,992 sq km.
• The survey has found that 46 % of the forest cover is prone to forest fires. Out of this, 2.81 % is extremely prone, 7.85% is very highly prone and 11.51 % is highly prone
• The total carbon stock in country’s forests is estimated at 7,204 million tonnes, an increase of 79.4 million tonnes since 2019.
• Bamboo forests have grown from 13,882 million culms (stems) in 2019 to 53,336 million culms in 2021.

What kind of forests are growing?

• Three categories of forests are surveyed –
  • Very dense forests (canopy density over 70%),
  • Moderately dense forests (40-70%) and
  • Open forests (10-40%)
• Scrubs (canopy density less than 10%) are also surveyed but not categorised as forests.
• Very dense forests have increased by 501 sq km. This is a healthy sign but pertains to forests that are protected and reserve forests with active conservation activities.

What explains the decline in the Northeastern states?

• The Northeast states account for 98% of total geographical area but 23.75% of total forest cover. The forest cover in the region has shown an overall decline of 1,020 sq km in forest cover.
• While states in the Northeast continue to have some of the largest forested areas, such as Mizoram (84.5% of its total geographical area is forests) or Arunachal Pradesh (79.3%), the two states have respectively lost 1.03% and 0.39% of their forest cover, while Manipur has lost 1.48 %, Meghalaya 0.43%, and Nagaland 1.88%.

What else does the report cover?

• ISFR 2021 has some new features. It has for the first time assessed forest cover in tiger reserves,tiger corridors and the Gir forest which houses the Asiatic lion.
• The forest cover in tiger corridors has increased by 37.15 sq km (0.32%) between 2011-2021, but decreased by 22.6 sq km (0.04%) in tiger reserves. Forest cover has increased in 20 tiger reserves in these 10 years, and decreased in 32. Buxa, Anamalai and Indravati reserves have shown an increase in forest cover while the highest losses have been found in Kawal, Bhadra and the Sunderbans reserves.
• Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover, at nearly 97%.

What impact has climate change had?

• The report estimates that by 2030, 45-64% of forests in India will experience the effects of climate change and rising temperatures, and forests in all states (except Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland) will be highly vulnerable climate hot spots.
• Ladakh (forest cover 0.1-0.2%) is likely to be the most affected. India’s forests are already showing shifting trends of vegetation types, such as Sikkim which has shown a shift in its vegetation pattern for 124 endemic species.
• In 2019-20, 2 lakh forest fire hotspots were detected by the SNPP_VIIRS sensor, which increased to 3.4 lakh in 2020-21. The highest numbers of fires were detected in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

How comprehensive a picture does the survey present?

• According to the experts, the survey results could be misleading as it includes plantations – such as coffee, coconuts or mango and other orchards – under forest cover.
• These plantations are distinctly different from natural forests where one hectare would be home to hundreds of species of trees, plants and fauna, whereas such plantations house only one species of tree.
• They also stated that the forest survey is carried out as an assessment of India’s biodiversity, but such an overarching survey does not meet that objective.

4. LADAKH, J&K, HIMACHAL MAY WITNESS RISE IN HIGH TEMP IN 2030, 2050 AND 2085: GOVT REPORT

THE CONTEXT: According to the forest Survey of India report, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are likely to witness an increase in high temperature over periods of 2030, 2050 and 2085.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Forest Survey of India (FSI) in collaboration with the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, Goa has performed a study based on ‘Mapping of Climate Change Hotspots in Indian Forests’.
• According to the India State of Forests Report (ISFR) 2021, the collaborative study was carried out with the objective to map climatic hotspots over the forest cover in India, using computer model-based projection of temperature and rainfall data, for the future time periods i.e. year 2030, 2050 and 2085.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

• By analysing scenarios in the study periods that is 2030, 2050, 2085, it has been observed that Ladakh, Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are projected to witness high temperature increase, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands, West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are projected to witness the least temperature rise over these periods.
• According to the report, North-Eastern states and Upper Malabar coast of India are projected to experience highest increase in rainfall,whereas, part of North-Eastern states like Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, North-Western parts of the country namely Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are projected to experience least increase and sometimes even decline in rainfall.

IPCC REFERENCE REPORT:

• According to the IPCC report released in 2021, the mean global temperatures have already risen by a little more than 1 degrees Celsius as compared to pre-industrial times.
• India aims to achieve the target of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
• Under the current assessment, the total carbon stock in the country’s forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes and there is an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of the country as compared to the last assessment of 2019.
• Soil organic carbon (SOC) represents the largest pool of carbon stock in forests, which has been estimated at 4,010.2 million tonnes. The SOC contributes 56% to the total forest carbon stock of the country.
• The report shows that Arunachal Pradesh has the maximum carbon stock of 1023.84 million tonnes (mt) followed by Madhya Pradesh 609.25 mt, Chhattisgarh 496.44 mt And Maharashtra 451.61 mt.
• “The per hectare carbon stock among different states, UTs indicates that Jammu and Kashmiris contributing maximum per hectare carbon stock of 173.41 tonnes per hectare followed by Himachal Pradesh with 167.10 tonnes per hectare, Sikkim 166.24 tonnes per hectare and Andaman and Nicobar Islands 162.86 tonnes per hectare”.

THE COVID CORNER

5. THE WHO RECOMMENDS ELI LILLY, GSK-VIR’S DRUGS FOR COVID-19

THE CONTEXT:A World Health Organisation (WHO) panel recommended use of two drugs by Eli Lilly, and GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology for Covid-19 patients, adding treatment options as the fast-spreading Omicron variant renders many ineffective.

THE EXPLANATION:

• WHO data shows Omicron, which is evading protection provided by many vaccines and therapies, has been identified in 149 countries. It is quickly replacing Delta as the dominant variant in several nations, forcing governments and scientists to bolster defences with testing, shots and therapies.
• The panel strongly recommended Lilly’s baricitinib, sold under brand name Olumiant, for patients with severe Covid-19 in combination with corticosteroids, while conditionally endorsed GSK-Vir’santibody therapy for non-severe patients at the highest risk of hospitalisation.
• GSK-Vir’s monoclonal antibody therapy is the only one that has shown effectiveness against Omicron in lab tests, while similar treatments from Eli Lilly and Co and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals offered lower protection in such tests.
• The drug reduces the need for ventilation and had been found to improve patients’ chances of survival with no sign of an increase in adverse reactions.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY 14^TH JANUARY 2022

Q1. Which of the following are correctly matched?

1. Nuakhai – Andhra Pradesh
2. Wangala – Garo, Meghalaya
3. Bihu – Assam
4. Onam – Kerala

Select the correct answer using code given below:

a) 1, 2 and 3 only

b) 2, 3 and 4 only

c) 1, 3 and 4 only

d) All of them

ANSWER FOR 13^TH JANUARY 2022.

Answer: D

Explanation:

1. CPI for Industrial Workers (IW): Compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
2. CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL): Compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
3. CPI for Rural Labourer (RL): Compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and

Employment.

4. CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined): Compiled by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

1. Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity: In service of God and humans READ MORE
2. Basic Principles of True Success READ MORE

1. Explained: Takeaways from Forest Report READ MORE
2. Global warming: Arctic lightning strikes up drastically in 2021 READ MORE
3. Ladakh, J&K, Himachal May Witness Rise in High Temp in 2030, 2050 and 2085: Govt Report READ MORE

1. Women vs the marriage fatwa: Children become adults at 18. Deciding when to marry is the basic human right of all adults READ MORE
2. Liberal economics creates illiberal societies: A new form of ‘Gandhian’ democratic socialism powered by cooperative economic enterprises is required READ MORE

1. Time to eradicate the rot in immoral political system READ MORE
2. How civil servants tackle retirement phobia—take up service extensions and live in luxury READ MORE
3. We Cannot Forget That India Is a Union of States READ MORE

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. THE EMERGENCE OF LOK ADALAT

THE CONTEXT: According to National Legal Services Authority, that it is committed to deliver prompt and inexpensive justice to the citizens. Recently, it has decided to lay more emphasis on contribution of National Lok Adalat in effectively reducing the number of pending cases through Alternative Dispute Mechanisms.

THE STATUS OF LOK ADALAT:

• To achieve this goal, the Legal Services Authorities shifted to dynamic preparation strategies for organization of the Lok Adalats. As a preparatory measure, NALSA started organization of prior consultative and review meetings with all the State Legal Services Authorities to guide them towards the maximum disposal during such Lok Adalats.

The empirical Data:

• A cumulative effect of all the preparatory and mobilization measures resulted in extraordinary disposal figures during the year 2021. Across the country, a total number of 1,27,87,329 cases were disposed of in four National Lok Adalats, which included a huge number of pending cases i.e., 55,81,117 and a record number of pre-litigation cases i.e., 72,06,212. Through these activities the Legal Services Authorities disposed off a large number of cases giving relief to the common citizens by ending or preventing long lasting legal battles.
• The second in line were the Revenue cases consisting of 11,59,794 pre-litigation and 14,99,558 pending cases. Apart from these, the other disposed of cases were cheque bounce cases under NI Act, Bank Recovery Cases, Motor Accident Claims, Labour Disputes, matrimonial cases, etc.

Technological Advancements:

• In June 2020, the Legal Services Authorities integrated technology with the conventional modes of dispute settlement and introduced virtual Lok Adalats also called as ‘E-Lok Adalats’. Since then, all the Lok Adalats including National Lok Adalats are organized through virtual and hybrid modes.
• Due to these technological advancements, Lok Adalats have reached to the doorsteps of the parties. The parties are now able to join the Lok Adalat proceedings from their homes or workplaces, saving them the hassle of travelling and reserving a full day for an affair, which gets over within minutes.
• The other major factor in the success of Lok Adalats was the formulation of decisive strategies at the National level. Under these strategies, the State Legal Services Authorities were instructed to conduct meetings with various stakeholder across every level with an objective to ensure their full cooperation and coordination. The authorities were guided to follow a litigant friendly approach as well as to persuade such litigants to settle the cases involving settled propositions of law.

Value Addition:

About Lok Adalat

• Lok Adalat is a system of alternative dispute resolution developed in India. It roughly means “People’s Court”, which is established through Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 which came into force on 9th November 1995.
• Article 39 A of the Constitution provides for free legal aid to the poor and weaker sections of the society, to promote justice on the basis of equal opportunity. Article 14 and Article 22 (1), obligates State to ensure equality before law.
• They are held periodically for exercising such jurisdiction as they determine. The first Lok Adalat was held on March 14, 1982, in Gujarat.

What is an ADR?

• Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is designed to settle disputes outside of the courtroom with the help of an impartial third party. The latter means the decision is final and enforceable, while the former implies that the arbitrator’s ruling is advisory and only set in stone if both parties agree to it.
• The ADR techniques mainly include arbitration, conciliation, mediation, and negotiation. In India, Lok Adalat stands as another additional form of ADR mechanism, which combines different techniques like conciliation, mediation, and negotiation.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. THE WORLD’S SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION

THE CONTEXT: Scientists are warning that we are in the early throes of another such annihilation event. Unlike any other, this sixth mass die-off — or Anthropocene extinction — is the only one caused by humans, and climate change, habitat destruction, pollution and industrial agriculture all play a hand.

THE EXPLANATION:

• In mass extinctions, at least three-quarters of all species cease to exist within about 3 million years. Some scientists believe that at our current rate, could be on track to lose that number within a few centuries.
• Over the next few decades alone, at least 1 million species are at risk of being wiped out. That’s according to an estimate in a landmark report published in 2019 — but many scientists say it could well be an undercount.
• Trying to predict the results of a complete collapse in biodiversity is almost a black art — ecosystems are incredibly complex.
• However, that there are several clear predictions should extinctions continue at this rate.

LOSS OF FOOD SECURITY

• Bees play a vital role in ensuring our food security
• About one-third of the world’s food supply relies on pollinators such as bees, and, if they die out, agricultural yields could plummet.
• Some crop pests may thrive as predators drop off, further impacting monoculture harvests.
• And millions of people rely on wild species for nutrition and their livelihoods, particularly on coastal and inland fisheries, which are especially vulnerable to disappearing.
• According to Scientist, this lack of food security, which will also be connected to increased drought and flooding, will hit poorer regions hardest — particularly sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Southeast Asia.

SOIL FERTILITY

• The quality of soil is also expected to deteriorate if critical microorganisms die off. Though underrepresented in the data, some researchers believe they are potentially vanishing at a faster rate than other species. Their disappearance could lead to worsening erosion, which in turn results in more floods, as well as poorer fertility, which again impacts crop growth.
• Healthy soils rely on microorganisms that some scientists say are dying out at rapid rates.

ATER SHORTAGES AND NATURAL DISASTERS

• A lot of the world’s fresh water comes from wetlands that purify and redistribute this life source. The Himalayan water tower for example, which is fed by rivers and wetlands, supplies about two billion people. If systems like these collapse, as a result of impacts including algae blooms and receding vegetation, humanity could lose a lot of water for drinking and agricultural use.
• As forests recede, rainfall patterns are likely to shift as evapotranspiration — the process in which moisture is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration — is affected, further drying out the landscape, as has been seen in the Amazon.
• The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 10 million hectares (24 million acres) of forest were cut down annually from 2015. The Amazon rainforest is under threat from deforestation. And with the loss of trees and vegetation — fundamental regulators of atmospheric carbon dioxide — climate change is expected to worsen, triggering more extreme weather events. Drier conditions and unhealthy forests also increase the risk of wildfire.
• Meanwhile, crop failures and other ecological threats will likely trigger mass migrations as people escape famine and conflict over dwindling resources.

THE SOCIAL AND HEALTH ISSUES

3. THE KALA AZAR DEATH IN JHARKHAND

THE CONTEXT: For the first time in eight years, Jharkhand reported a death due to kala azar in the state, even as the total cases continue to decline. While 752 cases were identified as positive in 2015, the number of provisional cases last year till November 2021 was 242, as per data on the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control portal.

THE EXPLANATION:

• In Jharkhand, it is endemic to four districts, especially their rural areas: Sahebganj, Godda, Dumka and Pakur, covering 33 blocks. The disease is considered endemic if there is more than one case per 10,000 population.
• Jharkhand, in fact, has managed to ensure an uninterrupted decline in cases – 25% on an average annually – despite two waves of Covid-19. “Cases have declined, but the transmission cannot be reduced abruptly.
• Data regarding kala azar in the state is available since 2014. However, even in 2015, when Jharkhand reported a high of 1,358 cases, no deaths were seen.

About the Kala Azar Disease:

• Kala azar (meaning black death) or Visceral leishmaniasis is the second largest parasitic killer in the world—only malaria is more deadly. Along with Chagas disease and sleeping sickness, kala azar is one of the most dangerous neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Initiatives were taken by Government of India

• WHO has set the target for GOI to eliminate it by 2017. A centrally sponsored kala-azar control programme had been launched for endemic states in the year 1990-91.
• National roadmap for Kala-azar has been circulated in all states.
• Treatment of the patient with single day single dose AmBisome injection has improved treatment compliance.
• Regular supply of diagnostic kit.
• 300 being given to ASHA worker or health volunteer to bring cases suspected with Kala-azar and ensures their full treatment.

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

4. THE GRIME-EATING BACTERIA TO RESTORE CLASSICAL ART (BIO CLEANING & BIO RESTORATION)

THE CONTEXT: Scientists from Italy are using grime-eating bacteria to restore classical art. Art restorers have usually employed chemical agents and, more recently laser techniques, to remove dirt, oil, glue, or pollutants from monuments, stone works, and paintings.

THE EXPLANATION:

Since the 1980s, when researchers first used the bacteria Desulfovibrio vulgaris to clean a marble monument at the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, US, the role of micro-organisms has been recognised in protecting the artistic heritage of humanity.

Calling in the bugs 

• The New York Times, which first reported the initially secret restoration in Florence, said the team washed the hair of one of the marble statues with Pseudomonas stutzeri CONC11 bacterium isolated from the waste of a tannery near Naples, and cleaned the residue of casting molds, glue, and oil using Rhodococcus sp. ZCONT, another strain that came from soil contaminated with diesel.

Cleaning of Taj Mahal:

• Researchers from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, and Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and the Archaeological Survey of India is learning the way to exploring the option of employing bio-restoration at the Taj.
• According to the researchers, “first they need to study the marble to understand if it is just dust and particulate carbon causing the dark colour or if there is a biofilm formation.”

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY 13^TH JANUARY 2022

Q1. Which of the following is not compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment?

               a) CPI for Industrial Workers (IW)

b) CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL)

c) CPI for Rural Labourer (RL)

d) CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined)

ANSWER FOR 12^TH JANUARY 2022.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Henley Passport Index ranks world’s passports according to the
• number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa.
• Statement 2 is correct: Ranking is based on data from International Air Transport Association
• (IATA).
• Statement 3 is incorrect: India is ranked 83rd in its 2022 index, climbing seven places from 90th rank last year.

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Forest, tree cover in India up by 2,261 sq km in two years READ MORE
2. News Analysis | Not possible to demilitarise Siachen READ MORE
3. WHO recommends Eli Lilly, GSK-Vir’s drugs, widening Covid-19 treatment pool READ MORE
4. High coal prices to intensify India’s efforts to curb imports, lift domestic supplies READ MORE
5. RBI Governor-headed FSDC sub-committee reviews economic situation READ MORE
6. Environmental crises pose biggest threats to global population over next decade: WEF Global Risks Report 2022 READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Explained: Takeaways from Forest Report READ MORE
2. Women vs the marriage fatwa: Children become adults at 18. Deciding when to marry is the basic human right of all adults READ MORE
3. Dharam Sansad: Dangerous echo READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Time to eradicate the rot in immoral political system READ MORE
2. How civil servants tackle retirement phobia—take up service extensions and live in luxury READ MORE
3. We Cannot Forget That India Is a Union of States READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. Liberal economics creates illiberal societies: A new form of ‘Gandhian’ democratic socialism powered by cooperative economic enterprises is required READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Passport power READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. NBFCs must manage operational risks READ MORE
2. Preventing homeward flight: Workers must be given guarantee of employment, welfare READ MORE
3. Digital change behind IT sector job growth READ MORE
4. Disturbing Portents READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Global warming: Arctic lightning strikes up drastically in 2021 READ MORE
2. Ladakh, J&K, Himachal May Witness Rise in High Temp in 2030, 2050 and 2085: Govt Report READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Space for dreams: Under a new leadership, ISRO willneed to continue innovation READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity: In service of God and humans READ MORE
2. Basic Principles of True Success READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Investigating agencies needs independence in their working, not tenure extension for their directors’. Critically analyse the statement in the light of recent developments.
2. Discuss the pros and cons of the tenure extension of the investigating agencies’ directors.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where your fail.
• A new form of ‘Gandhian’ democratic socialism powered by cooperative economic enterprises is required.
• MoCs unique brand of faith and compassion brings hope and relief to millions of destitute, sick and abandoned people, irrespective of their country, faith, or denomination.
• India is one among a handful of countries that legally protects the rights of transgender people. But far too often, good policy is rendered effete due to hostile social attitudes. It is the government and its many arms that can beget change.
• No country can ever prosper and move forward with the kind of unprincipled political environment that is prevalent in our country.
• Migrant workers need to be given the confidence that even in the case of the pandemic worsening, they would be looked after by their employers and governments.
• The need is to strike a balance between symptom-based and testing-based strategies for ending the isolation of most patients.
• From police to spending, the growing power of the Union government has been the source of continuous conflict between the centre and states.
• A number of unforeseen developments have disturbed the trajectory visualised by the Government at the beginning of its term; a mid-term appraisal and stock taking of the Government’s priorities and policies may be required to sync them with the changed circumstances.

50-WORD TALK

• The digital transformation induced by the pandemic is here to stay. In the year just begun, Indian chief information officers will capitalise on the new interest in digital technology to survive the pandemic and ask and get fresh budgets to make the digital transformation mainstream. And as company IT budgets grow, the IT service providers will thrive. They are prepared and ready to grab this opportunity with their fresh hirings.
• India is now equipped to handle a crisis and the govt’s back is not really broken in doing so. This does not, however, mean that the economy is robust. The growth in the agriculture sector has been impressive and it is for this reason that the govt took the risk of exposing farmers to market risks. Of course, the farmers refused to bite the bait and the govt had to repeal the farm laws.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. DEMAND FOR ‘GREATER TIPRALAND’

THE CONTEXT: The demand has grown louder to carve out a separate state of ‘Greater Tipraland’ for the indigenous communities in Tripura under Article 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• Several tribal outfits in Tripura have joined hands to push their demand for a separate state for indigenous communities in the region, arguing that their “survival and existence” was at stake.
• Among the political parties that have come together for the cause are TIPRA Motha (Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance) and IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura), which had so far been rivals in the electoral fray.

What is their main demand?

• The parties are demanding a separate state of ‘Greater Tipraland’ for the indigenous communities of the north-eastern state. They want the Centre to carve out the separate state under Article 2 and 3 of the Constitution.
• Among the 19 notified Scheduled Tribes in Tripura, Tripuris (aka Tipra and Tiprasas) are the largest. According to the 2011 census, there are at least 5.92 lakh Tripuris in the state, followed by Reangs (1.88 lakh) and Jamatias (83,000).

What does the Constitution say?

• Article 2 of the Constitution deals with admission or establishment of new states. “Parliament may by law admit into the Union, or establish, new States on such terms and conditions, as it thinks fit,” it states.
• Article 3 comes into play in the case of “formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States” by the Parliament.

How did the demand originate?

• Tripura was a kingdom ruled by the Manikya dynasty from the late 13th century until the signing of the Instrument of Accession with the Indian government on October 15, 1949.
• The demand mainly stems from the anxiety of the indigenous communities in connection with the change in the demographics of the state, which has reduced them to a minority. It happened due to the displacement of Bengalis from the erstwhile East Pakistan between 1947 and 1971.
• From 63.77 per cent in 1881, the population of the tribals in Tripura was down to 31.80 per cent by 2011. In the intervening decades, ethnic conflict and insurgency gripped the state, which shares a nearly 860-km long boundary with Bangladesh. The joint forum has also pointed out that the indigenous people have not only been reduced to a minority, but have also been dislodged from land reserved for them by the penultimate king of the Manikya dynasty Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. MALLARD SPOTTED IN HYDERABAD

THE CONTEXT: The Mallard or the wild duck with an iridescent green or blue-headed plumage was spotted in the Hyderabad.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• The Himalayan Mallard belongs to the duck family and is commonly seen in the colder regions of north India but not seen in the western and southern regions of the country. While a few rare sightings have been recorded in the western belt of Maharashtra, there is no recorded sighting to date in Telangana.
• Scientifically known as Anas Platyrhynchos, and commonly called the wild duck, the Mallard belongs to the duck family but has a most distinctive feature in the iridescent green or blue-headed plumage of the male.
• The Mallard is a dabbling duck that feeds on all aquatic plants and vegetation near the surface of the water as well as insects and snails. Mallards are domesticated and are commonly-reared pets in areas where they are easily found and are reared for food.

Presence in India: Mallard is found in the north and central part of India. It can also be spotted in the Madhav National Park, Panna National Park, Nameri National Park, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and Hemis National Park in India.

Habitat: Mallards prefers shallow inland waterways, such as ponds, lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and marshes.

Diet: Mallard are omnivorous and feeds on seeds, plants, shoots, buds, grain, acorns, aquatic invertebrates and insects. In most parts, humans provide them abundant food throughout the year.

Protection Status:

• IUCN: LEAST CONCERN
• Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule-IV

THE ECONOMY

3. CHINA A ‘DEVELOPING’ COUNTRY TAG’ AT WTO

THE CONTEXT: China’s status as a ‘developing country’ at the World Trade Organization (WTO) has become a contentious issue with a number of countries raising concerns over the upper middle-income nation deriving benefits reserved for developing countries under WTO norms.

THE EXPLANATION:   

The concerns have been raised over the ‘least developed country’ (LDC) status, with Bangladesh potentially losing this tag after surpassing India in terms of GDP per capita.

What are the benefits of ‘developing country’ tag?

• Certain WTO agreements give developing countries special rights through ‘special and differential treatment’ (S&DT) provisions, which can grant developing countries longer timeframes to implement the agreements and even commitments to raise trading opportunities for such countries.
• WTO pacts are often aimed at reduction in government support to certain industries over time and set more lenient target for developing nations and grant them more time to achieve these targets compared to developed ones.
• The classification also allows other countries to offer preferential treatment.

How is a ‘developing country’ decided and why are some against China being classified as one?

• The WTO has not defined ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ countries and therefore member countries are free to announce whether they are ‘developed’ or ‘developing’.
• However, given the rise in China’s per capita income to become an upper middle-income country according to the World Bank and the country’s alleged use of unfair trade practices such as preferential treatment for state enterprises, data restrictions and inadequate enforcement of intellectual property rights, a number of nations have called on China to either refrain from seeking benefits available to developing countries or forego its classification as a developing country altogether.
• “One way for China to show leadership would be by refraining from claiming benefits that would correspond to a developing country in ongoing negotiations”.
• The US, EU and Australia had recommended that China relinquish “its access to special and differential treatment”. China’s per capita income was $10,435 in 2020 according to the World Bank while that of India was $1,928.

What are the benefits of LDC classification? 

• The WTO recognises LDCs relying on a classification by the UN based on a criteria that is reviewed every three years. LDCs are often exempted from certain provisions of WTO pacts.
• Bangladesh, currently classified as an LDC, receives zero duty, zero quota access for almost all exports to the EU. It is, however, set to graduate from the LDC status in 2026 as its per capita GDP has risen sharply surpassing that of India in FY21.

Status of India:

India has self-designated itself as a developing nation and is accordingly, classified by the World Bank as a lower-middle-income economy.

THE MISCELLANEOUS

4. UNESCO ON WORLD HINDI DAY

THE CONTEXT: UNESCO announced that on the occasion of World Hindi Day, UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre has agreed to publish Hindi descriptions of India’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites on WHC website.

THE EXPLANATION:

World Hindi Day

• It is also called Vishwa Hindi Divas. It is celebrated on January 10 to mark the first World Hindi Conference held on January 10, 1975. It was held in Nagpur. It was hosted by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Around 30 countries participated in the conference.
• The main aim of celebrating the day is to promote Hindi language all over the world. The decision of celebrating January 10 as World Hindi Day was made during a World Hindi Conference held in 2005. This was announced by the then PM Manmohan Singh. The first World Hindi Day was celebrated in 2006.

How is World Hindi Day different from National Hindi Divas?

• The National Hindi Divas is celebrated on September 14. This day is celebrated to commemorate the adoption of Hindi as the official language. This is celebrated in India. While World Hindi Day is observed by the Indian embassies located in foreign lands.
• Hindi is spoken by more than 260 million people. It is the fourth most spoken language in the world. The most widely spoken language is English. It is followed by Spanish and Mandarin.

World Heritage Sites

• These are natural or man-made areas. These sites require special protection. They have international importance. The World Heritage sites are important for humanity. They hold great cultural value.
• The sites list is maintained by the WHP. It is made of 21 member states. In order become a World Heritage Site, the place should be historically and geographically unique. The site is chosen in the interest of international community and based on national interests.
• However, the recommendations to include a site under the list are made by the member countries.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY 12^TH JANUARY 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements about Henley Passport Index:

1. It ranks world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa.
2. Ranking is based on data from International Air Transport Association (IATA).
3. India is ranked 90 th in its 2022 index.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

            a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 11^TH JANUARY 2022.

Answer: a)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: National Clean Air Program (NCAP) was launched in 2019 to reduce

levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in certain cities (called non-attainment cities) which fail to meet

the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in five year period.

• Statement 2 is incorrect: It aims to reduce particulate matter levels in those cities by 20-30% in 2024.

THE CONTEXT: The two reports – Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (GMPI), 2021 and the All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS), 2019 revealed the high incidence of poverty among the Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Other Backward Class (OBC) segments. In this article, we will look at caste from an economic perspective and see how poverty and wealth both have a caste bias.

FINDINGS OF THE REPORTS

GLOBAL MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX (GMPI), 2021:

1. Five of the six people living in multidimensional poverty in India are from disadvantaged tribes and castes.
2. Poverty levels were highest among the STs(50.6%), followed by SCs (33.3%) and OBCs (27.2%).
3. The poverty level among the other castes (those apart from the SCs, STs, and OBCs) was the lowest at 15.6%.
4. Poverty levels among the STs were more than thrice that of the other advantaged communities, while the poverty of SCs and OBCs was almost double their levels.

ALL INDIA DEBT AND INVESTMENT SURVEY (AIDIS) 2019:

1. In the rural areas :
   1. The ST and SC households were the most disadvantaged. Their average assets of around 9 lakh each were just a little more than half the average assets of 16 lakh for the rural households as a whole.
   2. The average assets of STand SC households were only around one-third of the average assets of other households. This group includes all communities other than STs, SCs, and OBCs.
   3. The average household assets held by the OBCs in rural areas were around `16 lakh, which was similar to the average assets of the rural households in general but less than two-thirds of the average household wealth of the others.
2. In Urban Areas :
   1. The average household wealth of SC was 13 lakh, which was about half that of the 27 lakh averaged by the urban households in general and around two-thirds of the average household assets of 40 lakh.
   2. The average assets of 19 lakh held by the ST households and 21 lakh held by the OBC households in urban areas were around three-fourths of the average assets of the total urban population and just about half of the other social groups.

REASON BEHIND THE ECONOMIC DEPRIVATIONS BASED ON CASTE

1. Market Discrimination: As per a study by Thorat and Katherine in 2009, they showed empirical evidence of market discrimination of the scheduled castes in employment, wages, the purchase of input, and the sale of output by farmers and entrepreneurs.
2. Non-market discrimination: The same study highlighted discrimination in non-market institutions in education, health services, and food from the schools, primary health Centres, and fair price shops.
3. Control of Wealth: In 2013, almost 45% of the only 7% of coue country wealthy’s wealth was owned by high castes, which exceeded their population share of 21%. SC owner.

Convergence between upper and lower castes in education and jobs

1. For centuries, the lower castes have remained locked in unskilled, low-paying occupations in the traditional economy.
2. Affirmative action by the state has led to convergence between upper and lower castes in education and jobs.
3. Particular castes found particular niches in the urban labour market, and once networks in the city were established, they supported the movement of fresh migrants from the hinterland, often over the course of many generations. By this, they empowered their castes.
4. Harish Damodaran’s fascinating book on Indian entrepreneurs documents the movement of castes from agriculture and administrative occupations into business in recent decades.

THE WAY FORWARD

1. Policy Innovation: Policies need to be updated and adapted to the realities of the caste in India. They need to cater to the discriminations in the system and thus make it mandatory for all bodies to have a mix of all caste and classes.
2. Fighting Non-market discriminations: There are non-market discriminations in the education and health sector. These need to be eliminated with a strong legal hand so as to ensure the creation of an egalitarian society.
3. Regulatory Body: A body needs to be created so as to keep a check on economic deprivations based on caste. Any such discrimination needs to be punished under SC&ST Act.

THE CONCLUSION: The recent studies have shown both the continuation of the caste system in India, even in the economic aspect, while other studies have shown convergence between upper and lower castes in education and jobs. This shows that while convergence has started, caste-based discrimination still holds ground in the Indian economic arena. Strong policy interventions are needed to counter it for the creation of an egalitarian society.