THE HEALTH ISSUES

1. EBOLA REARS HEAD AGAIN IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

THE CONTEXT: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported a fresh outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD).

THE EXPLANATION:

The Ministry of Health of the DRC declared an outbreak of EVD on April 22, 2022, after a casualty was confirmed in the country, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

• The WHO warned of the virus spreading within healthcare workers since the IPC measures were not good enough. “The exposure of the first case remains unknown and therefore, it is difficult to assess the extent of the outbreak at this stage,” the global body noted.
• “Some of the improvements achieved by establishing capacities such as IPC measures in health facilities during previous outbreaks have not been maintained over time to tackle the current outbreak.
• “There is a need to support the province’s health professionals to conduct an effective response. In addition, logistical support is needed to reactivate the health infrastructure that was put in place during previous epidemics,” it added.
• EVD is endemic in the country so these cases are not a surprise. Nevertheless, the WHO has assessed the risk to be moderate at the regional level and low at the global level.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Ebola Virus Disease?

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a deadly disease with occasional outbreaks that occur mostly on the African continent. EVD most commonly affects people and nonhuman primates (such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees). It is caused by an infection with a group of viruses within the genus Ebolavirus:

• Ebola virus (species Zaire ebolavirus)
• Sudan virus (species Sudan ebolavirus)
• Taï Forest virus (species Taï Forest ebolavirus, formerly Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus)
• Bundibugyo virus (species Bundibugyo ebolavirus)
• Reston virus (species Reston ebolavirus)
• Bombali virus (species Bombali ebolavirus)

Of these, only four (Ebola, Sudan, Taï Forest, and Bundibugyo viruses) have caused disease in people. Reston virus can cause disease in nonhuman primates and pigs, but there have not been cases in people. Bombali virus was first identified in bats in 2018, and experts do not know yet if it causes disease in either animals or people.

When was the first instance?

• Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, the virus has been infecting people from time to time, leading to outbreaks in several African countries.

Vaccines:

• An experimental Ebola vaccine, called rVSV-ZEBOV proved highly protective against EVD in a major trial in Guinea in 2015.
• The rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine is being used in the ongoing 2018-2019 Ebola outbreak in DRC. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should have access to the vaccine under the same conditions as for the general population.
• The public mistrust and militia attacks have prevented health workers from reaching some hard-hit areas for administering the vaccines.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. OVER 60 COUNTRIES JOIN HANDS FOR OPEN, FREE AND SECURE GLOBAL INTERNET

THE CONTEXT: The US, all the European Union (EU) member states and 32 non-EU countries have signed a “Declaration for the Future of the Internet” that calls for an “open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure” internet.

THE EXPLANATION:

• India is not among the 60 countries that have signed a global declaration to keep the Internet open, free, and neutral. The countries that have signed the declaration include the US, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and France. Called the ‘Declaration for the Future of the Internet’, the document is an agreement to prevent digital authoritarianism.
• According to a White House statement, “Globally, we are witnessing a trend of rising digital authoritarianism where some states act to repress freedom of expression, censor independent news sites, interfere with elections, promote disinformation, and deny their citizens other human rights. At the same time, millions of people still face barriers to access and cyber security risks and threats undermine the trust and reliability of networks”.
• India, China and Russia are among the large nations that are not part of this declaration.
• The Declaration’s principles include commitments to protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, promote a global Internet that advances the free flow of information, advancing “inclusive and affordable” connectivity, promote trust in the global digital ecosystem, including through protection of privacy and protecting and strengthening the multi stakeholder approach to governance that keeps the Internet running for the benefit of all.

POINTS TO REMEMBER: According to the report, total of 182 internet crackdowns were reported globally in 2021. Out of 106 shutdowns in India, 85 were reported in Jammu and Kashmir. India was one of among 18 countries that blocked mobile internet during protests. The number of countries that shut down the internet in 2021 has increased to 34 from 29 in 2020.

3. MISSION SAGAR IX

THE CONTEXT: With the overarching aim of providing critical medical aid to Sri Lanka during the ongoing crisis, INS Gharial as part of Mission SAGAR IX arrived at Colombo on 29 Apr 22 and delivered over 760 kgs of 107 types of critical lifesaving medicines

THE EXPLANATION:

• In line with GoI’s vision of SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region – the Indian Navy undertakes several deployments titled ‘Mission SAGAR’ to assist friendly IOR littorals. Since May 2020, Indian Navy has successfully concluded eight such missions, deploying ten ships to 18 Friendly Foreign Countries.
• With a steadfast intent of delivering a high quantum of humanitarian assistance to our neighbors, personnel from ships and shore organizations of Indian Navy have invested close to a million man-hours to bring succor to our friends, overseas.

Value Addition:

Mission SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)

• SAGAR is a term coined by Prime Minister in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on the blue economy.
• It is a maritime initiative which gives priority to the Indian Ocean region for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of India in the Indian Ocean region.
• The goal is to seek a climate of trust and transparency; respect for international maritime rules and norms by all countries; sensitivity to each other`s interests; peaceful resolution of maritime issues; and increase in maritime cooperation.
• It is in line with the principles of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.

 THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. NABARD PLANS FARMER DISTRESS INDEX

THE CONTEXT: With small and marginal farmers getting a raw deal in farm loan waivers, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is planning to formulate a farmer distress index (FDI) to track, identify and support the real needy and distressed farmers.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to a study jointly conducted by NABARD and Bharat Krishak Samaj (BKS), a farmers producers’ organization, in Punjab, more than 60 percent of the ‘very high’ and ‘high’ distress small and marginal farmers (SMFs) did not receive farm loan waiver (FLW) benefits. The exclusion rate was also 60 percent for the medium distress category SMFs.
• In Maharashtra, SMFs that were relatively better off as they were categorized as ‘low’ distress received the maximum FLW benefits. Close to 42 percent of the SMF whose distress category was ‘very high’ did not receive FLW benefits.
• In UP, 47 percent of the ‘very high distress’ category, and 45 percent of the ‘high distress’ category SMF did not receive FLW benefits. In the three states together, more than 40 percent of the ‘very high distress’ farmers did not receive any FLW benefits.
• NABARD study says this farmer distress index can integrate the available high-frequency data on key agricultural variables like deviation of monsoon rains, excessive rainfall, drought and dry spells, variations in temperature and soil moisture, yield of major crops in the district, proportion of area under irrigation, depth of underground water, unusual frost, marketing opportunities available to the farmer that may include the proportion of wheat, paddy, chana, tur, groundnut, soybean etc. produced and procured at MSP.
• NABARD also noted that “Use of weather data derived from remote sensing technology, automatic weather stations, mobile telephony and artificial intelligence can help in identifying the distressed villages”.
• “Use of data of claims received for crop insurance is also likely to help in identification of distressed regions. These can be tracked on a real-time basis and be used to monitor and predict the level of farmer distress,” the study said.
• Technology breakthroughs like use of space technology, AI and block chain in agriculture can be harnessed to bring dynamism and credibility to the system.
• Further, depending on the kind and severity of distress, the support can be given as a combination of unconditional grants, loan restructuring and/or a complete debt waiver. The assistance to individual farmers can be based on a combination of district index and individual farmers’ distress captured via irrigation status of his land, income from crops grown by him, average productivity of the district and the average price in APMC markets of this district as compared to the average price of the state.

VALUE ADDTION:

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

• NABARD is a development bank focusing primarily on the rural sector of the country. It is the apex banking institution to provide finance for Agriculture and rural development. It headquarter is located in Mumbai, the country’s financial capital.
• It is responsible for the development of the small industries, cottage industries, and any other such village or rural projects.
• It is a statutory body established in 1982 under Parliamentary act-National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981.

NABARD and RBI

• Reserve Bank of India is the central bank of the country with sole right to regulate the banking industry and supervise the various institutions/banks
• This also include NABARD defined under Banking Regulation Act of 1949.
• RBI provides 3 directors to NABARD’s Board of Directors.
• NABARD provides recommendations to Reserve Bank of India on issue of licenses to Cooperative Banks, opening of new branches by State Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).

5. CORE INDUSTRIES GROW BY 10.4% DURING FY 2021-22

THE CONTEXT: According to DPIIT, cumulative growth rate of Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) during April-March 2021-22 was 10.4% (provisional) as compared to the corresponding period of last Financial Year. The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stood at 157.3 in March 2022, which increased by 4.3 per cent (provisional) as compared to the Index of March 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Final growth rate of Index of Eight Core Industries for December 2021 is revised to 4.1% from its provisional level 8%.
• The Office of Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade released the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) for the Month of March 2022. ICI measures combined and individual performance of production in selected eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity. The Eight Core Industries comprise 27 percent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). Details of yearly and monthly indices and growth rates are provided at Annex I & II respectively.
• The production of Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity industries increased in March 2022 over the corresponding period of last year (2021).

The summary of the Index of Eight Core Industries is given below:

1. Coal – Coal production (weight: 10.33 per cent) declined by 0.1 percent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.
2. Crude Oil – Crude Oil production (weight: 8.98 per cent) declined by 3.4 per cent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.
3. Natural Gas – Natural Gas production (weight: 6.88 per cent) increased by 7.6 per cent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.
4. Petroleum Refinery Products – Petroleum Refinery production (weight: 28.04 per cent) increased by 6.2 per cent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.
5. Fertilizers – Fertilizers production (weight: 2.63 per cent) increased by 15.3 per cent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.
6. Steel – Steel production (weight: 17.92 per cent) increased by 3.7 per cent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.
7. Cement – Cement production (weight: 5.37 per cent) increased by 8.8 per cent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.
8. Electricity – Electricity generation (weight: 19.85 per cent) increased by 4.9 per cent in March, 2022 over March, 2021.

VALUE ADDITION:

• The eight industries have a combined share of 27 per cent in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), which gives the growth rates of different industry groups in a specified period.

Eight core industries weightage

• The eight Core Industries in decreasing order of their weightage: Refinery Products> Electricity> Steel> Coal> Crude Oil> Natural Gas> Cement> Fertilizers.

Industry	Weight (In percentage)
Petroleum & Refinery production	28.04
Electricity generation	19.85
Steel production	17.92
Coal production	10.33
Crude Oil production	8.98
Natural Gas production	6.88
Cement production	5.37
Fertilizers production	2.63

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN NEWS

6. GOOGLE SIGNS MOU WITH TELANGANA GOVERNMENT

THE CONTEXT: Technology giant Google signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Telangana government to bring benefits of digital economy to youth and women entrepreneurs.

THE EXPLANATION:

• As part of the partnership, Google will collaborate with the State through its various arms to extend scholarships for Google Career Certificates to Telangana’s youth, support women entrepreneurs through digital, business and financial skills training, and strengthen the government’s school modernization efforts with digital teaching and learning tools and solutions.
• As part of the joint effort, Google will also support the Telangana government’s efforts to improve public transportation and use of digital technologies in agriculture.

Expanding presence in Telangana

• The company also unveiled the design of its ground-up development at the 7.3-acre site it acquired in Gachibowli in 2019. Upon commissioning, the three million square foot building will offer a highly skilled tech workforce a healthy, collaborative workplace that is both resilient and adaptable, designed to serve the city for years to come.

Components of the MoU

Google will collaborate with the Telangana government to:

• Provide Google Career Certificate Scholarships to undeserved youth: Google will collaborate with Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge to provide scholarships and wrap-around training for pursuing Google Career Certificates in high demand fields like IT Support, IT Automation, UX Design, Data Analytics, and Project Management.
• Roll out Women Will programme to equip women with training and tools for their entrepreneurship journeys: Together with WE-Hub, Google will roll out its Women Will programme to deliver digital, business and financial skills to nano, micro and small women-led businesses and entrepreneurs across Telangana.
• Empower public schools with digital education through Google for Education’s shareable devices and collaborative tools: Google for Education will partner in the State’s education modernization efforts through needs assessment, impact demonstrations, and student and educator training on the use of e-Learning technologies for improved learning outcomes.

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Q1. Which of the following statements is correct?

a) The chief justice is appointed by the President after consultation with the chief justice of India and the governor of the state concerned.

b) Constitution has prescribed minimum age for appointment as a judge of a high court.

c) Constitution prescribes a fixed tenure of a judge of a high court.

d) Constitution prescribes the procedure relating to the removal of a judge of a high court by the process of impeachment.

ANSWER FOR 29TH APRIL 2022

Q1. Answer: D

Explanation:

• Odissi dance uses Jayadeva’s ‘Gita Govinda’ extensively.

Q2. Answer: B

Explanation:

• Giddha, Sammi, and Kikli are folk dances from Punjab state.

THE CONTEXT: The Nepal Prime Minister visited India in the first week of April 2022. After taking charge as a Prime Minister, this was the first bilateral abroad visit by the Prime Minister of Nepal. The outcome of the visit might appear modest but what is significant is that India and Nepal effectively managed to steer clear of divisive issues. This article analyses the recent developments in India- Nepal relations.

THE VISIT

PROJECTS LAUNCHED:

• Launch and operationalization of 35 km long cross border rail link from Jaynagar in Bihar to Kurtha in Nepal.
• Inauguration of the 90 km long 132 KV Solu Corridor transmission line built with Indian Line of Credit for INR 200 crore.
• Launch of RuPay Card in Nepal.
• Witnessing a video clip on the progress in the construction of the 132 Health facilities in Nepal, undertaken with US$ 50 million in post-earthquake reconstruction grant.

DOCUMENTS EXCHANGED:

• International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement handover by Nepal.
• Exchange of MoU on enhancing Technical Cooperation in the Railway Sector.
• Exchange of Agreement on Supply of Petroleum Products between IOC (India Oil Corporation) and NOC (Nepal Oil Corporation).
• Exchange of Agreement for sharing of Technical Expertise between IOC and NOC.

INDIA-NEPAL JOINT VISION STATEMENT ON POWER SECTOR COOPERATION:

• Apart from these, India and Nepal issued a joint vision statement on power sector cooperation. According to the statement:
• Joint development of power generation projects in Nepal.
• Development of cross-border transmission infrastructure.
• Bi-directional power trade with appropriate access to electricity markets in both countries based on mutual benefits, market demand and applicable domestic regulations of each country.
• Coordinated operation of the national grids.
• Institutional cooperation in sharing the latest operational information, technology, and know-how.

IMPORTANCE OF THE VISIT:

• At a time when the Russia-Ukraine war is going on, India is facing west criticism for not condemning Russia. This time India needs to improve its relations with neighbouring countries.
• The relations between India-Nepal are as healthy as expected, so the visit shows hope for enhancing the relations.
• It was his first foreign visit as Prime Minister that abiding interest in strengthening ties with India.
• In the recent past, after strong Indian opposition to the Constitution, many Nepali held India responsible for the three-month-long “great blockade” and Madhesi groups’ protest; the visit was the opportunity to repair the India-Nepal relationship.
• The BIMSTEC summit recently concluded that if India wants to minimize the ongoing war impacts, it should have good ties with neighbouring countries.

SUCCESS OF THE VISIT:

• The visit shows many successes in the different sectors. Moreover, it raised confidence in the relations of both countries.
• Cross border projects like technical cooperation in the railway sector, Nepal’s induction into the International Solar Alliance, and between Indian Oil Corporation, Nepal Oil Corporation on ensuring regular supplies of petroleum products were also signed, and a joint vision statement on power sector cooperation provide opportunities for joint development and cooperation.

THE CHALLENGES FACING INDIA-NEPAL TIES

THE OPEN: An important issue is an open border between two countries.

BORDER ISSUE: The open is used for illegal trafficking to India.

FLOOD DUE TO PLAIN: The Nepal plains suffer from massive floods that have also affected downstream areas across the border.

KOSI BARRAGE: The Kosi Barrage and attendant embankments have the possibility of wreaking havoc because the siltation of six decades has raised the riverbed within the levees far above the outlying tracts. The Indian politician is to demand a high dam in the hills of Nepal even as alternatives are not studied, which effected the waters of the Kosi in Bihar.

IMPORT OF ELECTRICITY FROM NEPAL: Nepal has long planned to sell electricity to India, but the completion of the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line was supposed to facilitate that. Indian government directive that it will not allow the import of electricity other than from power companies with more than 51% Indian equity.

ARBITRARY BLOCKAGES AT BORDER POINTS: The arbitrary blockages and go-slow at Indian Customs at border points, the selective use of quarantine for the export of Nepali agricultural produce, the increasing high-handedness of the Sashastra Seema Bal (India’s frontier force in this sector) in dealing with Nepalis crossing over are some of the challenges on the bilateral plane.

2020 BORDER DISPUTE: The Nepalese government issued a new political map placing the disputed territory of Kalapani within its borders. This came as a response to the inauguration of a Jeep track through Lipu Lek by the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

COVID-19: Because of the lock-down in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of poor Nepalese migrant labour working in Indian cities returned home in 2020. This caused a massive spread of the pandemic inside Nepal. This created a negative image of India.

MAOIST: India played a valued role in ending the Maoist insurgency in 2006, but the period after that was marked by escalating micro-meddling in Nepal’s internal affairs.

NEW CONSTITUTION: There were attempts to define the new provincial boundaries according to Indian dictates in Constitution-writing. India criticized it for not addressing the concerns of Madheshis and other marginalized sections.

HUMAN RIGHT ISSUE: India criticized Nepal’s human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, especially in dealing with the Madhesi agitation.

BLOCKADE BY MADHESI: It has halted oil and other essential supplies, which created a humanitarian crisis in Nepal. The Nepal government blames India for this blockade.

RESULT OF THESE ISSUES: CHINESE PRESENCE IN NEPAL

The Great Blockade forced the Kathmandu political leadership to reach out to Beijing, and the result was: 

• India’s relations with Nepal have had both ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often spoken of the “neighbourhood first” policy. After that, both countries’ relations took a nosedive, and China made a strong presence in Nepal.
• Nepal is today connected by air to Chinese cities than to India.
• Nepal is also part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
• In 2016, Mr Oli visited Beijing to negotiate an Agreement on Transit Transportation.
• The first-ever visit of the Chinese Defence Minister took place in March 2017, followed by joint military exercises a month later. Three years later, a Protocol was concluded with China providing access to four seaports and three land ports. A military grant of $32 million was also announced.
• Rather than compete with China, India needs to up its own game. China has overtaken India as the largest source of foreign direct investment. In 2019, China’s President Xi Jinping visited Kathmandu. Annual development assistance has been hiked to $120 million. China is also engaged with airport expansion projects at Pokhara and Lumbini.
• The growing Chinese presence means that India cannot afford to let issues linger but reach out actively to find a resolution.

WHAT CAN BE THE IMPACT OF A VISIT?

WHAT SHOULD BE THE WAY FORWARD?

IMPROVE BILATERAL TRADE WITH NEIGHBOURS:

• India will have to focus on connectivity as leverage to increase its strategic influence in the neighbourhood.
• The trilateral India-Nepal-China corridor offers an interesting opportunity for collaboration to test Beijing’s flexibility and, at the same time, get Kathmandu on board.

BALANCE DEALING WITH SMALL NEIGHBOURS: 

• India will have to abandon the archaic principle of the right of first refusal and invest in expanding its capacity of first delivery.
• Delhi will have to get used to Kathmandu’s new “first-come, first-served” principle. Indian delays and low-quality resources will no longer be tolerated.
• By reviving the Gujral doctrine and India’s willingness to provide non-reciprocal, unilateral, and preferential benefits to its smaller neighbours.

TO CURB CHINA IMPACT:

• Beijing’s current promises of support for Nepal will thus also come with a price.
• New Delhi will have to communicate such expectations more clearly.
• History shows that India will often assume that the Nepalese government is deliberately acting against its advice when, in fact, New Delhi never communicated such concerns in the first place or did not articulate them forcefully enough.

CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE: 

• In 2015, New Delhi may as well have failed on clear communication and used inadequate forms of pressure that were resented in Nepal.
• A permanent bilateral mechanism is required to save the plains population of Nepal from suffering, which can be possible at the present.
•  It has always been our wish to seek peace and prosperity in Nepal because stability in Nepal is in the best interests of India [and] democracy in Nepal is the best guarantee of such stability.

OTHERS: 

• More than defining what Nepal should not do, India will have to grow a thicker skin against Nepalese nationalist rallying cries against India.
• To most Nepalese, the Chinese grass across the Himalayas will naturally look greener than that on India’s Gangetic plains.
• Especially while in opposition, political leaders in Kathmandu will keep tapping into anti-India feelings to mobilize electoral support, a behaviour that India must understand and endure.

CONCLUSION: PM Deuba’s visit has infused new trust and confidence in the relationship and it should be hoped that shared historical, cultural, economic security and other linkages will help the two countries further boost their bilateral ties.

QUESTIONS

1. ‘The Nepal Prime Minister’s visit sparks hope that bilateral ties will find a new equilibrium. Critically discuss.
2. ‘China will emerge as an occasional irritant in Indo-Nepalese relations, tempting Nepal to play the ‘Beijing card’ against India”. In the light of the statement, discuss how India can prevent it?