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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (CEPA)

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the 9th round of the India-Republic of Korea (ROK) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) up-gradation negotiation was held in Seoul.

THE EXPLANATION:

• India raised serious concerns on the growing trade deficit between the two countries and discussed market access issues. Both sides agreed to work closely to address tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepen the relationship in the services sector.
• It was agreed that the 10th round of CEPA upgradation negotiations will be hosted by India in early 2023.

India – ROK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

• ROK and India signed a CEPA in Seoul on 7th August, 2009.
• It commits both countries to lower or eliminate import tariffs on a wide range of goods, over the next 10 years. ROK is reducing tariffs on 90 percent of Indian goods while India will do so on 85 percent of Korean goods.

Types of Trade Agreements:

• Free Trade Agreement: It is an agreement in which two or more countries agree to provide preferential trade terms, tariff concession etc. to the partner country. Here a negative list of products and services is maintained on which the terms of FTA are not applicable.
• Preferential Trade Agreement: In this, two or more partners give preferential right of entry to certain products. This is done by reducing duties on an agreed number of tariff lines. India signed a PTA with Afghanistan.
• Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: It is comprehensive than an FTA. CECA/CEPA also looks into the regulatory aspect of trade.
• Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement: CECA generally covers negotiation on trade tariff and TQR rates only. It is not as comprehensive as CEPA. India has signed CECA with Malaysia.
• Framework agreement: It primarily defines the scope and provisions of orientation of the potential agreement between the trading partners. It provides for some new area of discussions and set the period for future liberalisation. India has previously signed framework agreements with the ASEAN, Japan etc.
• Early Harvest Scheme: It is a precursor to an FTA/CECA/CEPA between two trading partners. At this stage, the negotiating countries identify certain products for tariff liberalization pending the conclusion of actual FTA negotiations.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

BLUE WHALES EAT 10 MILLION PIECES OF MICROPLASTIC A DAY: STUDY

THE CONTEXT: A new study found that the blue whale – the largest mammal on Earth – swallows millions of microplastics each day as do fin and humpback whales.

THE EXPLANATION:

What are the key findings of the report?

• Blue whales may swallow some 10 million microplastic pieces each day or around 95 pounds of plastic
• Fin whales swallow an estimated 6 million microplastic pieces, which is equivalent to 57 pounds of plastic.
• Humpback whales either consume krill or eat small schooling fish. Krill-eating humpback whales are found to consume 4 million microplastic pieces (38 pounds) each day. Those humpback whales favouring small schooling fish are at lesser risk of microplastic consumption since only 200,000 pieces were found.
• In the moderately polluted waters off the West Coast of the US, baleen whales are still ingesting millions of microplastics and microfibers each day.
• About 99 per cent of the microplastic ingestion by the baleen whales is from prey that had previously ingested plastic and not from the water they filter.
• The large amount of microplastic ingestion is also attributed to baleen whales’ habitats overlapping with polluted regions like the California Current that flows south along North America’s western coast.

Why was the study conducted?

• Research recently provided an estimate of the amount of microplastics ingested by three species of baleen whales – blue, fin and humpback – off the coast of the US Pacific. This study was conducted in light to the enormous amount of microplastics currently polluting the oceans.
• Baleen whales are filter feeders. They use baleen plates in mouth made of keratin to strain food such as krill and other small preys. These species are at high risk of microplastic ingestion due to their unique mode of feeding, quantity of food they consume and habitats close to polluted regions.

How was the study conducted?

• The estimates of the daily microplastic consumption by baleen whales was made by assessing the foraging behaviour of 126 blue whales, 65 humpback whales and 29 fin whales using measurements from electronic tag devices suction-cupped on the back of the animal. A camera, microphone, GPS locator and a tracker were used to study the movement of these baleen whales.
• The researchers then factored in the concentration of microplastics in the California Current. They found that the whales mainly feed at the depth of 165 to 820 feet. This depth has the highest concentration of microplastic in the open-ocean ecosystem.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN THE NEWS

INDIA INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT FUND (IIPDF) SCHEME

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance notified Scheme for Financial Support for Project Development Expenses of PPP Projects – India Infrastructure Project Development Fund Scheme (IIPDF Scheme).

THE EXPLANATION:

It is a Central Sector Scheme which will aid the development of quality PPP projects by providing necessary funding support to the project sponsoring authorities, both in the Central and State Governments.

Funding:

• The corpus of the IIPDF shall comprise of initial budgetary outlay of Rs. 100 Crore by the Ministry of Finance. This would be supplemented, should it become necessary, through budgetary support by the Ministry of Finance from time to time.
• Funding under IIPDF Scheme is in addition to the already operational Scheme for Financial Support to PPPs in Infrastructure (VGF Scheme).

Organisational Structure: The IIPDF will be administered by the Empowered Institution. The Empowered Institution will:

• Select projects for which project development costs will be funded.
• Set the terms and conditions under which the funding will be provided and recovered.
• Set milestones for disbursing and recovering (where appropriate) the funding.
• The Public Private Partnership Cell of the DEA will provide support functions examine the applications received for assistance under IIPDF.

GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL INDEX

THE CONTEXT: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) tops Grievance Redressal Index third month in a row.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Grievance Redressal Index is published by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• UIDAI has launched its new AI/ML based Chatbot, Aadhaar Mitra to further enhance residents’ experience. The new Chatbot comes with enhanced features like – check Aadhaar enrollment/update status, tracking of Aadhaar PVC card status etc.
• UIDAI is gradually rolling out advanced and futuristic Open-Source CRM solution.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

BONALU FESTIVAL

THE CONTEXT: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently joined the Budaga Jangalu community of Telangana and whipped himself as part of the ‘Potharajulu’ tradition. The custom is part of the state’s acclaimed Bonalu festival.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Bonalu is a Hindu Festival where Goddess Mahakali is worshiped.
• It is an annual festival celebrated in the twin Cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad and other parts of Telangana state, India.
• Bonalu is ce
• lebrated usually during Ashada Masam that falls in July/August.
• Special poojas are performed for goddess Yellamma during the first and last day of the festival.
• The festival is considered as a form of thanksgiving to the Goddess after the fulfillment of vows.
• Bonam literally means Meal in Telugu, which is an offering to the Mother Goddess.

Celebrations:

Every year, the festival starts at Golconda Fort, and on the second Sunday, it moves to the Balkampet Yellamma temple in Balkampet, and the Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad. On the third Sunday, it moves to the Pochamma and Katta Maisamma temple of Chilkalguda and the Mateshwari temple of Lal Darwaza in Hyderabad.

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