INDIAN POLITY
1. ‘ONE NATION, ONE UNIFORM’ FOR POLICE
THE CONTEXT: Addressing the first Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) of state home ministers and top police officers Prime Minister pitched the idea of “One Nation, One Uniform” for Indian police forces.
THE EXPLANATION:
Prime Minister’s push for unity
- Prime Minister’s suggestion “One Nation, One Uniform” is in line with his broader attempt to introduce a uniform set of policies across the country. In August 2022 the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers announced that it had implemented the “One Nation One Fertiliser” The Government of India in August 2019 had introduced the “One Nation One Ration Card” scheme.
- The Indian Prime Minister has also repeatedly suggested the implementation of “One Nation, One Election”, and adopting a single voter list for all polls.
- While pitching his new uniform scheme, he said, “There is one important issue for our nation. Currently in our country, there is a ‘one nation, one ration’ card; ‘one nation, one mobility’ card; ‘one nation, one grid’ and a ‘one nation, one sign language’. Just like this, all the states should think of a ‘one nation, one uniform’ policy.”
Law and order is a State Subject
- The Indian Constitution puts police forces under the jurisdiction of state governments, and each of the 28 states have their own police force. Both ‘public order’ and the ‘police’ are placed in List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with the division of powers between the Union and States.
- In the circumstances, it is unclear how the PM’s suggestion, if the government were to take it up seriously, might be implemented.
- While police personnel in India are often associated with the colour khaki, their uniforms do differ in varying degrees in different regions. Since state governments and even an individual force can decide the uniform their personnel wear, there are at times inconsistencies in their official attire. For example:
- The Kolkata Police wear white uniforms.
- Puducherry Police constables wear a bright red cap with their khaki uniforms.
- Delhi Traffic Police personnel wear white and blue uniforms.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
2. WHAT IS ANTI-SEMITISM AND WHY IS IT FINDING A NEW VOICE ACROSS THE GLOBE?
THE CONTEXT: Recently the clothing giant Adidas announced that it would be cutting all ties with Kanye West, now known as Ye, following a series of concerning comments that were that were widely deemed to be anti-Semitic.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is anti-Semitism?
- The term anti-Semitism refers to any form of prejudice against the Jewish people. However, the term itself is a misnomer as Semitic designates a language group, not a race. Though anti-Semitism can linguistically be used to describe a prejudice against speakers of the Semitic languages (including Arabs and Ethiopians,) in practical terms, it is commonly used specifically to pertain to Jews.
- According to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, an intergovernmental organisation formed in 1998, the following should be used as a working definition of anti-Semitism:
- “Anti-semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
- Racial anti-Semitism, most commonly associated with the Nazis, stems from a belief that Jews are a distinct, inferior race with inherent genetic traits. This form usually manifests in the belief that Jews need to be exterminated altogether.
- Religious anti-Semitism traces its roots to the early days of Christianity and is accompanied by a notion that Jews should be converted to other faiths.
Current instances of anti-Semitism
- From far-right demonstrators in the US, attacks on synagogues in Sweden, arson attacks on kosher restaurants in France and an increase in crimes against Jews in the UK, globally, anti-Semitism is exploding once again.
- According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an annual audit of anti-Semitic incidents in the US showed a 34 per cent increase from 2020 to 2021. In Germany, the number of violent anti-semitic attacks surged by more than 60 per cent in 2018 from the year before, while anti-Semitic acts in France that year increased by more than 70 per cent. Reports from Australia and Canada reflect a similar trend.
HEALTH ISSUES
3. WHO GLOBAL TB REPORT 2022
THE CONTEXT: Recently, the WHO released the Global TB Report 2022. The Report notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis, treatment and burden of disease for TB all over the world.
THE EXPLANATION:
- According to the Report, India was among the eight countries accounting for more than two-third of the total TB patient count. The other seven countries were China, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria & the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- However, prior to the publication of the Global Report, India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had communicated to WHO that the Ministry has already initiated domestic studies to arrive at a more accurate estimate. India’s data will be provided after the conclusion of studies by 2023. India is also conducting its own National Prevalence Survey to assess the true TB burden. The WHO Report also noted that India is the only country to have such a survey.
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has stated that India’s TB incidence for the year 2021 is 210 per 100,000 population, compared to the baseline year of 2015 (incidence was 256 per lakh of population in India). In 2021, over 22 crore people were screened for TB in India. The Ministry says that the aim has been to find and detect more cases to arrest onward transmission of the disease in the community which has contributed to the decline in incidence.
Campaigns by India to end the infectious disease:
- The reported number of people newly diagnosed with TB fell from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020. Experts have noted that TB services, among many other services, were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Many people with TB were not diagnosed and treated.
- But in India, even during the pandemic, various measures were taken which led to the National TB Elimination Programme notifying over 21.4 lakh TB cases. The Ministry attributed the success in the detection of disease to the mandatory notification policy to ensure all cases are reported to the government. Further, intensified door-to-door active case finding drives were conducted to screen patients and ensure no household is missed.
Several Initiatives by the government for TB eradication
- ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ to eliminate TB by 2025.
- National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination 2017-2025.
- National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP)- Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
- TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign.
- Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine included in the Indradhanush program.
- National TB Elimination Programme to meet the goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2025 the country, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030
- Two vaccines VPM (Vaccine Projekt Management) 1002 and MIP (Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii) have been developed and are under Phase-3 clinical trial.
- Ni-kshayPoshan Yojana: It provides Rs 500 support through direct benefit transfer to the patients.
- The government has also focused on utilizing technology and creating digital health IDs for TB patients under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission to ensure proper diagnostics and treatment are available.
VALUE ADDITION:
- TB is caused by a bacterium (mycobacterium tuberculosis) that mostly affect the lungs. It can spread when people with TB expel bacteria into the air, for example, by coughing. According to the Report, most people who develop the disease are adults. In 2021, men accounted for 56.5% of the TB burden, adult women (32.5%) and children (11%).
- TB is preventable and curable and around 85% of people who develop the disease can be successfully treated with a 4 to 6 months drug treatment.
ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
4. FOREST DECLARATION ASSESSMENT 2022
THE CONTEXT: According to the 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment report, Deforestation rates worldwide declined only modestly in 2021 by 6.3 per cent compared to the 2018-20 baseline.
KEY FINDINGS OF THE ASSESSMENT
- The report highlighted that, Global Forest loss decreased in 2021, but the crucial climate goal of stopping deforestation by 2030 would still be missed.
- Deforestation rates worldwide declined only modestly in 2021 by 6.3 per cent compared to the 2018-20 baseline, according to the 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment published October 24, 2022.
- Some 145 countries affirmed their commitment to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow (2021).
- According to report, Brazil was the world’s largest contributor to deforestation in 2021. The country marked a 3 per cent rise in the rate of deforestation in 2021 compared to the baseline 2018-2020.
- Bolivia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo underwent deforestation at 6 per cent and 3 per cent, Although Brazil didn’t show a large increase, its total deforestation rates each year remained high — making it the world’s largest contributor.
- Global tree cover increased by 130.9 million hectares over the past two decades. Three-quarters of the global gain was concentrated in 13 countries. The most significant improvements were observed in Russia (28.4 per cent), Canada (13.0 per cent), the United States (10.7 per cent), Brazil (6.2 per cent), and China (5 per cent).
- China showed the largest net gain in tree cover — 2.1 million hectares (Mha). India also marked a gain of 0.87 Mha in tree cover.
- Indonesia reduced deforestation after implementing the forest moratorium and improved enforcement measures.
- Currently, domestic and international mitigation finance for forests averages $2.3 billion per year — less than 1 per cent of the required. Forest funding must increase by up to 200 times to meet 2030 goals.
Environment- As a Living Being:
- Recent years have seen legal interventions in the European Union, Ecuador and India to protect forests.
- In 2021, a constitutional court in Ecuador upheld the rights of nature enshrined in the country’s constitution. The court said mining in protected areas violated the constitutional rights of nature and that the government should revoke the mining licenses.
- In April 2022, the Madras High Court declared nature as a living being with all rights and duties of a living being.
THE GLIMPSES OF INDIA STATE OF FOREST REPORT, 2021
- ISFR 2021 has found that there is an increase of 1,540 square kilometres (0.22%) of forest cover and 721 sq km (0.76%) of tree cover compared to the 2019 report.
- The total forest cover of the country is 21.71% of the geographical area; the tree cover is estimated at 2.91% of the geographical area. Thus, the total forest and tree cover comes to 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.
- Forest cover inside the recorded forest areas/greenwash (RFA/GW) has shown a slight increase of 31 sq km, whereas there is an increase of 1509 sq km of forest cover outside the RFA/GW as compared to the previous assessment of 2019.
- The states with the highest increase in the forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq km) and Jharkhand (110 sq km). The reason for the increase in the forest cover in states like Andhra Pradesh is plantation and agroforestry.
- The ISFR 2021 report attributed the improvement in forest cover to “better conservation measures, protection, afforestation activities, tree plantation drives and agroforestry”.
ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
5. SAFAL (SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION FOR AGRICULTURAL LOANS)
THE CONTEXT: Recently, Odisha Chief Minister launched the common credit portal SAFAL to increase farmers’ access to loans.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is SAFAL?
SAFAL (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) is India’s first online agricultural credit facilitation portal. This common credit portal eases access to over 300 term loan products provided for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. These term loan products will be provided by more than 40 partner banks.
What are the benefits of the SAFAL portal?
- The portal acts as a one-stop solution for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to access loans offered by public and private sector banks, regional rural banks, state cooperative banks and small finance banks. It can simplify the loan application process, benefiting both the banks and farmers. It will minimise information asymmetry by sending real-time notification about the status of the loan to farmers at every stage of the loan application.
- It will also benefit the government by providing complete visibility of demand and disbursal of formal agricultural credit across states. This information will help create a data-backed government policies and schemes in the future. The portal will increase access to agricultural loans, which in turn will boost the farmers’ productivity and growth of agri-businesses. This portal has been integrated with Krushak Odisha. It has access to more than 70 model project reports.
What is Krushak Odisha portal?
- Krushak Odisha is an authentic database of farmers in the state, including small, marginal, and landless cultivators and agricultural labourers. It provides information related to the farmers’ residence, land, crops cultivated, livestock reared, and fisheries practiced. This information has been verified by government extension workers.
- The database aims to reduce paperwork for farmers and ease access to government services and schemes. The integration of Krushak Odisha portal with SAFAL portal will ensure that the banks get authentic information about farmers who are applying for credit facilities.
PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE
6. GARUDA JOINT AIR FORCE EXERCISE
THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Indian and French air forces are undertaking an 18-day military exercise in Jodhpur involving a significant number of combat jets such as Rafale, Tejas, Jaguar and Sukhoi-30s to further enhance operational cooperation.
THE EXPLANATION:
About Garuda joint Air force exercise
- AIM: “This joint exercise will provide a platform for both the countries to enhance operational capability and interoperability, while also sharing best practices”.
- It is the seventh edition of the bilateral exercise, being hosted by India for the fourth time so far. The first, third and fifth editions were conducted in India in 2003, 2006 and 2014 at Air Force stations Gwalior, Kalaikunda and Jodhpur, respectively. The second, fourth and sixth editions were conducted in France in 2005, 2010 and 2019.
India-France military cooperation
- The military cooperation between India and France has witnessed a major expansion in the last few years.
- In August, a French Air and Space Force contingent, including three Rafale jets, made a strategically crucial stopover at the IAF’s Sulur base in Tamil Nadu as part of a mega military operation it carried out in the Pacific Ocean.
- In March, the Indian and French navies carried out a five-day mega wargame in the Arabian Sea, involving frontline ships, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, fighter aircraft and helicopters.
