1. ECOWAS AND COUP IN NIGER

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, in a coup in Niger, soldiers in the West African nation of Niger installed Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani as head of state after ousting President Mohamed Bazoum. Apart from the international players, such as Russia and the United States, the regional bloc ECOWAS or the Economic Community of West African States has been playing an active role

EXPLANATION:

• ECOWAS heads of state decided to discuss their next steps after Niger’s military junta defied their August 6 deadline to reinstate the country’s ousted president, and the soldiers closed the country’s airspace.
• There is also apprehension that ECOWAS may choose to intervene militarily.
• Along with the difficult economic conditions already prevailing in the country, what has added to the concern for some in the West are the Nigerien calls for assistance from Russia’s Wagner Group.

COUP IN NIGER

• At an emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on 30 July, the ECOWAS demanded the “immediate release and reinstatement” of Niger’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. He had been held by the military since 19 July.
• The regional bloc gave the military in Niger a one-week ultimatum to comply and warned it would take all measures necessary, including force to restore constitutional order.
• On 28 July, the head of Niger’s presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, declared himself head of state after the military seized power.
• Beyond warning against any regional and foreign interventions, the military leaders in Niger have given no indications of ways forward.
• This coup d’etat will have a significant impact on peace and stability in Niger and the entire Sahel region.
• The current coup plotters have blamed rising insecurity and a lack of economic growth. They stated that the intervention was necessary to avoid “the gradual and inevitable demise” of the country.
• There are other issues that precipitated the latest coup d’etat. These are ethnicity, the presence of foreign forces, and the weakness of regional bodies.

Factors that led to the coup

• There are no doubt that the rise in insecurity and declining economic prospects contributed to fragility in the country.
• Despite the increase in foreign forces, especially from the US and France, and military bases in Niger, the leadership has been unable to stop insurgent attacks.
• There are several insurgent groups, such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates, as well as Boko Haram operating in the country.
• These attacks have resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements in the last decade.
• Hundreds of youths in the capital, Niamey, gathered to celebrate the July coup, waving Russian flags and chanting “Wagner”.
• The debate over the ethnicity and legitimacy of Bazoum was an issue during the last election campaign. Bazoum is from Niger’s ethnic Arab minority and has always been labelled as having foreign origins.
• This did not sit well within the military circle, which is predominantly composed of the larger ethnic groups, even though Bazoum got about 56% of the vote and is from the same party as former president Mahamadou Issoufou.
• The large number of foreign military troops and bases in the country has not been well received by the military. They believe this undermines them.
• Niger is a key ally of Western countries in the fight against insurgency in the region. France’s huge investments in Niger’s mining sector are another reason for its interest in security.
• Failure of regional organisations such as ECOWAS and the African Union to take a firm stance against military power seizures in Guinea, Burkina Faso and Mali emboldened the Nigerien military.

What is the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)?

• It is also known as CEDEAO in French; the regional group was established in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty with a mandate of promoting economic integration among its members.
• ECOWAS now has 15 members: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.
• Although, following coups in recent years in some of the biggest countries in the bloc, namely Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, it suspended the three members and refused to recognise their new governments.
• ECOWAS’ larger aims are to have a single common currency and create a single, large trading bloc in areas of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, financial issues, and social and cultural matters.
• According to its website, the vision of ECOWAS is the creation of a “borderless region” that is well-integrated.
• ECOWAS is meant to be a region governed in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance, but it has also intervened militarily in the region in the past.
• At the helm of its organisation structure is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
• The Chairman is the current Head of State and Government and is appointed by other Heads of State and Government to oversee its affairs for one year.

What kind of a role has ECOWAS played in the region so far?

• Beyond the goals of economic cooperation, ECOWAS has attempted to quell military conflicts in the region.
• ECOWAS also operated a regional peacekeeping operation known as ECOMOG, led by Nigeria in the 1990s and early 2000s, like in Liberia when forces were first deployed in 1990 and in Sierra Leone in 1997.
• In 2017, it intervened in the Gambia after longtime President Yahya Jammeh refused to step down after losing the elections, which eventually led to the winner Adama Burrow coming to power. It has sent its troops to other countries but never to Niger.
• The ongoing Niger coup’s leader, Gen. Tchiani, has previously served as battalion commander for ECOWAS peacekeepers in Ivory Coast after a ceasefire between government and rebel forces in 2003.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/ecowas-west-africa-niger-coup-explained-8882492/

2. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

TAG: GS 1: ART AND CULTURE

THE CONTEXT: Annually, on August 9th, the world observes International Day of the world’s indigenous people or world tribal day, dedicated to advocating for and safeguarding the rights of indigenous populations.

EXPLANATION:

• It is a day to recognize their valuable contributions and accomplishments that have enhanced global living conditions and offer a prime opportunity to actively work towards safeguarding the fundamental rights of tribal communities worldwide.
• It also aims to promote a better understanding of indigenous issues among governments, non-governmental organizations, and the general public.
• The concept of designating a day to honor indigenous people started within the United Nations. The primary goal was to safeguard the rights of these populations and ensure their voices received global recognition.
• On 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly decided, in its resolution 49/214, that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year.
• The date was chosen to coincide with the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982.

Tribal Day 2023 Theme

• This year’s theme is Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination.
• Climate Action and the Green Transition
• Mobilizing for Justice
• Intergenerational connections
• This theme highlights the important role that indigenous youth play in promoting and protecting the rights of their people.
• Indigenous youth are often at the forefront of movements for social change, and they are using their voices to raise awareness of the challenges facing their communities. They are also using their skills and talents to build a better future for their people.

Indigenous Peoples around the world

• Indigenous Peoples live in all regions of the world and own, occupy or use some 22% of global land area. There are over 476 million indigenous peoples in the world, representing 5% of the global population.
• They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures. Indigenous peoples live in every region of the world, but they are concentrated in the Americas, Asia, and Africa
• Many Indigenous Peoples continue to be confronted with marginalization, extreme poverty and other human rights violations; they account for about 19% of the extremely poor.
• Over the last 30 years, Indigenous Peoples’ rights have been increasingly recognized through the adoption of international instruments such as the  United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007, the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2016, the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escazú Agreement) in 2021 and the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention from 1991.
• At the same time, global institutional mechanisms have been created to promote Indigenous peoples’ rights, such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNSR).

Indigenous people of India

• In India, the term ‘Adivasi’ is used to encompass a diverse range of ethnic and tribal communities that are regarded as the original inhabitants of the country.
• These tribal groups make up approximately 8.6% of India’s overall population, which amounts to around 104 million individuals as per the 2011 census.
• Although the most substantial tribal communities are concentrated in central India, they constitute merely about 10% of the total population in that region.
• In India, there are 705 ethnic groups officially recognized as “Scheduled Tribes”.
• India has several laws and constitutional provisions, such as the Fifth Schedule for Central India and the Sixth List for certain areas of northeastern India, that recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples to land and self-government, but their implementation is far from being satisfactory.
• India voted in favour of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on the condition that after independence, all Indians are Indigenous.
• Therefore, it does not consider the concept of “Indigenous Peoples”, and therefore the UNDRIP is applicable to India.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples-know-date-theme-significance-history-11691551738120.html

3. FIVE YEARS OF AYUSHMAN BHARAT SCHEME

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: As AB-PMJAY completes its fifth year, it is time to reflect on its strengths and achievements, including its reducing out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and efficient utilisation of the government budget.

EXPLANATION:

• India took a giant leap toward ensuring access to quality healthcare services agnostic of economic status by launching the flagship health protection scheme, Ayushman Bharat Scheme. The scheme has taken the country closer to Sustainable Development Goal 3.8, which envisions universal health coverage.
• The scheme’s success nudged the states/UTs who are accountable for ensuring effective public health as it is a state subject to extend it to more beneficiaries. About 15.5 crore families are covered under AB-PMJAY, and states’ schemes are being implemented in convergence with it.
• This amounts to potential coverage for half of India’s population. Eleven states/UTs have pushed for 100 per cent coverage of their respective population.
• The scheme has tried to bridge the shortfall between healthcare providers and service-takers. The commercialisation of healthcare hurts common people.
• The Ayushman Card is like a pre-paid card worth Rs 5 lakh, which can be used to avail free treatment at more than 27,000 empanelled hospitals. So far, more than 24 crore Ayushman Cards have been created.
• The scheme has catered to more than 5.39 crore admission events worth Rs 66,284 crore in the last five years. If the beneficiaries had availed the same care outside AB-PMJAY’s ambit, the total cost of treatment would have been nearly two times higher.
• This has resulted in savings of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. Currently, daily, nearly 45,000 hospital admissions are authorised under the scheme. In other words, roughly 31 treatments per minute. It is heartening that 48 per cent of treatments under the scheme have been availed by women.
• The success of the scheme can also be attributed to different stakeholders, especially service providers. To elicit the participation of private service providers, health benefit packages (HBPs) covering all in-patient treatment  have been revised five times in the last five years.

Ayushman Bharat Scheme

• Ayushman Bharat is a flagship scheme of the Government of India, launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017 to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
• This initiative has been designed to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its underlining commitment, which is to “leave no one behind.”

Features:

• It covers all hospitalisation expenses with cashless transactions to beneficiaries.
• Accommodation during hospitalisation.
• Pre and post-hospitalisation costs.
• Any complications arising during the treatment.
• It can be used by all family members.
• No cap on family size, age or gender.
• Pre-existing conditions are included from day one

Eligibility

It is an entitlement-based scheme with entitlement decided on the basis of deprivation criteria in the SECC database.

Rural Beneficiaries

• Only one room with kucha walls and kucha roof
• No adult member between ages 16 to 59
• Households with no adult male member between ages 16 to 59
• Disabled member and no able-bodied adult member
• SC/ST households
• Landless households deriving a major part of their income from manual casual labour

Urban Beneficiaries

The following 11 occupational categories of workers are eligible for the scheme:

• Ragpicker
• Beggar
• Domestic worker
• Street vendor/Cobbler/Hawker/Other service provider working on streets
• Construction worker/Mason/Plumber/Mason/Labour/Painter/Welder/Security guard/Coolie and other head-load worker
• Sweeper/Sanitation worker/Mali
• Home-based worker/Artisan/Handicrafts Worker/Tailor
• Transport worker/Driver/Conductor/Helper to drivers and conductors/Cart puller/Rickshaw puller
• Shop worker/Assistant/Peon in small establishment/Helper/Delivery Assistant/Attendant/Waiter
• Electrician/Mechanic/Assembler/Repair worker
• Washerman/Chowkidar

As per the SECC 2011, the following beneficiaries are automatically excluded:

• Households having motorized 2/3/4 wheeler/fishing boat
• Households having mechanized 3/4 wheeler agricultural equipment
• Households having Kisan Credit Card with a credit limit above Rs. 50,000/ –
• The household member is a government employee
• Households with non – agricultural enterprises registered with the government
• Any member of the household earning more than Rs. 10,000/ – per month
• Households paying income tax
• Households paying professional tax
• House with three or more rooms with pucca walls and roof
• Owns a refrigerator
• Owns a landline phone
• Owns more than 2.5 acres of irrigated land with 1 irrigation equipment
• Owns 5 acres or more of irrigated land for two or more crop seasons
• Owning at least 7.5 acres of land or more with at least one irrigation equipment

Ayushman Bharat has two components:

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), earlier known as the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS)
• Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)

1) Ayushman Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)

Benefits

• AB-PMJAY guarantees cashless secondary and tertiary inpatient care for almost all health conditions to its beneficiaries.
• This ambitious scheme has extraordinary potential to protect people from serious health hazards and safeguard families against financial shocks due to healthcare expenditure.
• The scheme provides a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to more than 12 crore families (bottom 40 per cent of the population), making it the world’s largest health assurance scheme.
• An important feature of AB-PMJAY is interstate portability. This means a patient registered in one state is entitled to receive care in any other state that has an AB-PMJAY programme. This has proved helpful to migrants, especially in emergencies.
• To ensure that nobody is left out (especially women, children and elderly), there is no cap on family size and age in the scheme.
• The benefit cover also includes pre and post-hospitalisation expenses. All pre-existing conditions will be covered from day one of the policy. A defined transport allowance per hospitalization will also be paid to the beneficiary.
• The beneficiaries can avail benefits in both public and empanelled private facilities. All public hospitals in the States implementing AB-PMJAY will be deemed empanelled for the Scheme. Hospitals belonging to Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) may also be empanelled based on the bed occupancy ratio parameter. As for private hospitals, they will be empanelled online based on defined criteria.

2) Health and Wellness Centres

• Under this, 1.5 lakh, existing sub-centres aims to bring the health care system closer to the homes of people in the form of Health and wellness centres.
• These centres provide comprehensive health care, including for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services.

List of Services to be provided at Health & Wellness Centre

• Pregnancy care and maternal health services
• Neonatal and infant health services
• Child health
• Chronic communicable diseases
• Non-communicable diseases
• Management of mental illness
• Dental care
• Eye care
• Geriatric care Emergency medicine

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ayushman-bharat-health-care-services-pmjay-health-coverage-8882892/

4. ENDEMIC BIRDS OF INDIA

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently a publication titled “75 Endemic Birds of India,” was released by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).

EXPLANATION:

• It was released on the 108th foundation day of the ZSI.
• It pointed out that about 5% of birds found in the country are endemic and are not reported in other parts of the world.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT

• India is home to 1,353 bird species, which represents approximately 12.40% of global bird diversity.
• Out of these 1,353 bird species, 78 (5%) are endemic to the country.
• The report pointed out that out of 78 species,three species have not been recorded in the last few decades. These are:
  • The Manipur Bush Quail (Perdicula manipurensis) which is listed as ‘Endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Its last recorded sighting was in 1907.
  • The Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa) which is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ with its last recorded sighting in 1876.
  • The Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus), which is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ with its last confirmed sighting in 2009.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES

• The report pointed out that the 75 bird species belong to 11 different orders, 31 families, and 55 genera, and exhibit remarkable distribution patterns across various regions in India.
• The highest number of endemic species have been recorded in the Western Ghats, with 28 bird species.
• Species recorded in this bio-geographic hotspot are:
  • Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus);
  • Malabar Parakeet (Psittacula columboides);
  • Ashambu Laughing Thrush (Montecincla meridionalis);
  • White-bellied Sholakili (Sholicola albiventris).
• 25 bird species are endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Bird species which are only found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are:
  • Nicobar Megapode (Megapodius nicobariensis);
  • Nicobar Serpent Eagle (Spilornis klossi);
  • Andaman Crake (Rallina canningi);
  • Barn Owl (Tyto deroepstorffi).
• Four species of birds are endemic to the Eastern Himalayas, and one each to the Southern Deccan plateau and central Indian forest.

CONSERVATION STATUS OF THESE ENDEMIC SPECIES

• Of the 78 endemic species, 25 are classified as ‘Threatened’ by the IUCN.
• Three species (Bugun Liocichla or Liocichla bugunorum; Himalayan Quail or Ophrysia superciliosa; Jerdon’s Courser or Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’.
• Five of the endemic birds in India are categorised as ‘Endangered’, and 17 as ‘Vulnerable’, while 11 are categorised as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List.

ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA (ZSI)

• It was founded in 1916 and currently, it works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• It is a premier Indian organisation in zoological research.
• Its objective is to promote the survey, exploration, and research of the fauna in the country.
• It also acts as the custodian of the National Zoological Collections which include species from neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/5-of-birds-in-india-are-endemic-reveals-zoological-survey-of-india-publication/article67162268.ece

5. WHAT INDIA CAN LEARN FROM THE CHIPS ACT OF USA?

TAG: GS 2: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The CHIPS Act of USA completes one year.

EXPLANATION:

• The Act authorises $52.7 billion over five years to boost American competitiveness, innovation and national security in semiconductors.
• As India sharpens its semiconductor industry focus, it needs a whole-of-government approach and India can learn strategies and valuable lessons from the working of the CHIPS Act.

OBJECTIVES BEHIND THE CHIPS ACT

• It is designed to boost US competitiveness, innovation, and national security.
• It aims to catalyse investments in domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity.
• It also seeks to jump-start R&D and commerciali­zation of leading-edge technologies, such as quantum computing, AI, clean energy, and nanotechnology.
• It also aims to create new regional high-tech hubs and a bigger, more inclusive science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce.

What India can learn from the CHIPS Act?

• Cooperation and Coordination
• The Act involves cooperation and coordination between several arms of the government. Four separate funds have been created for the execution of the Act.
• The Department of Commerce is the lead agency administering the $50 billion CHIPS for America Fund for accelerating semiconductor manufacturing and research.
• In India, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is mainly managed by semiconductor industrial policy.
• The schemes for manufacturing, assembly, displays and compound semiconductors have been assigned to an independent division called India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) within a non-profit company set up by MeitY. The policy for chip design is being administered by C-DAC, an R&D organisation again under the MeitY.
• The ISM Committee comprises largely MeitY bureaucrats. While the committee is a good beginning, ensuring that the semiconductor strategy survives beyond government terms requires a whole-of-government approach along the lines of the CHIPS Act.
• By integrating efforts across different government departments, India can prioritize and execute its semiconductor strategy more efficiently.
• Workforce Developmental Plans and Collaborations
• Under the CHIPS Act, Companies are required to submit workforce development plans. A nodal agency, the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), has been created to collaborate with industry and educational institutions.
• This must become a focus area for India as well. A competent semiconductor engineering workforce is India’s quickest route to gaining leverage in the semiconductor industry.
• MeitY has begun a Chips2 Startup (C2S) programme, collaborating with over 100 universities and colleges.
• Like the NSTC, C2S needs to continuously scale up workforce expansion by supporting existing quality training programmes.
• Structuring Accountability
• The CHIPS Act introduces the CHIPS Program Office (CPO) responsible for assessing project financial viability and attracting private sector investments.
• India needs to enhance transparency by publishing regular monthly progress reports on its semiconductor program.
• Transparent reporting not only manages expectations but also instills confidence in India’s semiconductor plans, fostering stakeholder trust.

INDIA’S INITIATIVES IN SEMICONDUCTORS

1. INDIA SEMICONDUCTOR MISSION (ISM)

• India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is a specialized and independent Business Division within the Digital India Corporation.
• It aims to build a vibrant semiconductor and display ecosystem.
• It aims to enable India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.
• The mission aims to serve as a focal point for the comprehensive and smooth development of Semiconductor in consultation with the Government ministries / departments / agencies, industry, and academia.

2. INDIA’S SEMICON PROGRAMME.

• The Union Cabinet had approved the comprehensive Semicon India programme with a financial outlay of INR 76,000 crore for the development of a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in 2021.
• Semicon India Program aims to provide attractive incentive support to companies that are engaged in Silicon Semiconductor Fabs, Display Fabs, Compound Semiconductors, Silicon Photonics etc.
• The program will give an impetus to semiconductor and display manufacturing by facilitating capital support and technological collaborations.

3. CHIPS2 STARTUP (C2S) PROGRAMME

• An umbrella programme “Chips to Startup(C2S)” was in line with the objective and vision of National Policy on Electronics 2019 (NPE-2019).
• It aims at developing Specialized Manpower in VLSI/Embedded System Design domain.
• It also addresses each entity of the Electronics value chain via Specialized Manpower training, Creation of reusable IPs repository, Design of application-oriented Systems etc.
• The programme would be implemented at about 100 academic institutions/R&D organizations across the Country.
• Start-ups and MSMEs can also participate in the programme by submitting their proposals.
• Under the programme, the project would be initiated in following key areas:
  • Energy & Environment
  • Healthcare
  • Agriculture
  • Disaster Management
  • Intelligent Transport System
  • Emerging Technology etc.

For further details one can refer to our editorial discussion on this topic scheduled to be held in August second week.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/learning-from-the-chips-act-of-the-us/article67172378.ece

1. GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (GMP)

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE; GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The government recently directed all pharmaceutical companies in the country to implement the revised Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), bringing their processes to par with global standards.

EXPLANATION:

• Larger companies with a turnover of over Rs 250 crore have been asked to implement the changes within six months, while medium and small-scale enterprises with a turnover of less than Rs 250 crore have been asked to do so within a year.
• This comes at a time when India is promoting itself as the global manufacturing hub for generic medicines.

What is GMP?

• It is a system that consists of processes, procedures and documentation that ensures manufacturing products, such as food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical goods, are consistently produced and controlled according to set quality standards.
• Implementing GMP can help cut down on losses and waste, and avoid recall, seizure, fines and jail time. Overall, it protects both company and consumer from negative food safety events.
• GMPs examine and cover every aspect of the manufacturing process to guard against any risks that can be catastrophic for products, such as cross-contamination, adulteration, and mislabeling.
• Some areas that can influence the safety and quality of products that GMP guidelines and regulation address are the following :
• Quality management
• Sanitation and hygiene
• Building and Facilities
• Equipment
• Raw materials
• Personnel
• Validation and qualification
• Complaints
• Documentation and recordkeeping
• Inspections & quality audits

What are the 5 Main Components of Good Manufacturing Practice?

• It is paramount to the manufacturing industry to regulate GMP in the workplace to ensure consistent quality and safety of products.
• Focusing on the following 5 P’s of GMP helps comply with strict standards throughout the entire production process.

What are the 10 Principles of GMP?

• Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Enforce / Implement SOPs and work instructions
• Document procedures and processes
• Validate the effectiveness of SOPs
• Design and use working systems
• Maintain systems, facilities, and equipment
• Develop job competence of workers
• Prevent contamination through cleanliness
• Prioritize quality and integrate into workflow
• Conduct GMP audits regularly

Benefits of the improved standards:

• Implementation of the new norms will bring the Indian industry on par with global standards.
• The improved standards will ensure that pharmaceutical companies follow standard processes, and quality control measures and do not cut corners, improving the quality of medicines available in India as well as sold in the global market.
• Implementation of the revised good manufacturing practices (GMP) will act as one of the measures to solve the string of incidents where other countries have reported alleged contamination of India-manufactured drugs.
• This will bring uniformity across states on processes followed for licensing and inspection, ensuring that the quality of medicine manufactured anywhere in the country would be the same.
• Instituting the same quality across the industry will give confidence to regulators from other countries.
• It will make India a quality pharmaceutical hub of the world. In addition, it will ensure that our citizens also receive export-quality medicines.

 What are the major changes?

• The revised GMP guidelines focus on quality control measures, proper documentation, and IT backing to maintain the quality of medicines produced.
• The new guideline introduces a pharmaceutical quality system, quality risk management, product quality review, and validation of equipment. This will mean companies will have to carry out regular quality reviews of all their products, verify the consistency of the quality and the processes, and implementation of any preventive actions.
• It also suggests a change control system to evaluate all changes that may affect the production or quality of the product.
• The companies will also have to carry out stability studies as per the climate conditions. “Most companies at present keep their samples stored under recommended conditions and test for various parameters from time to time.
• The guidelines also state that companies should have GMP-related computerised systems, which ensure that there is no tampering of data related to the processes. Such GMP systems will prevent unauthorised access and changes to the data.
• In addition, the new schedule M also lists out the requirements for additional types of products, including biological products, agents with radioactive ingredients, or plant-derived products.
• The new schedule also lists the requirement for investigational products being manufactured for clinical trials.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-health/revised-manufacturing-rules-for-drug-firms-what-changes-and-why-8879305/

2. NEW ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ODR) OF SEBI

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE; GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: SEBI is considering implementing a new online dispute resolution (ODR) system involving institutions, conciliators and arbitrators for the capital market.

EXPLANATION:

• Recently, SEBI issued a circular streamlining the existing dispute resolution mechanism in the securities market under the aegis of stock exchanges and depositories Market Infrastructure Institutions (MII) by establishing a common ODR portal.
• The new system will harness online conciliation and online arbitration for resolution of disputes arising in the securities market.
• The introduction of ODR to resolve securities market disputes serves to revolutionize both the process and timeframes for the resolution of such disputes.

What are ODR institutions?

• According to SEBI, each MII will identify and empanel one or more independent ODR institutions.
• These institutions will have qualified conciliators and arbitrators.
• MIIs will, in consultation with their empanelled ODR institutions, establish and operate a common ODR portal.
• All listed companies specified intermediaries and regulated entities in the securities market (referred to as market participants) would enrol on the ODR portal.

SEBI’s Adoption of ODR:

• The adoption of ODR by SEBI is more than just an incremental increase in the reach of ODR.
• It is a revolutionary change that has the potential to fundamentally disrupt the landscape of ADR and ODR, not just in India but globally.
• The adoption of ODR by SEBI is among the first of its kind globally, where statutory conciliation and arbitration with private ODR players has been provided for.
• Securities market disputes can range from the super-simple to extremely complex. The fact that ODR has now been provided for the entire spectrum of disputes represents a marked shift in attitude.
• The adoption by SEBI marks an important milestone of regulatory/government bodies delegating the power of appointment of neutrals to private ADR/ODR participants while also imposing sufficient checks and balances on the exercise of such power.
• This is particularly relevant in a country like India where appointment of arbitrators by courts (in ad hoc arbitrations) and government-run facilitation councils and equivalent (in cases like MSME disputes) has been among the largest contributors of delay in dispute resolution.
• This opens up the possibility of using private sector participants with a degree of ongoing accountability that any long-term engagement with one or more participants cannot achieve.

Salient features of the SEBI ODR Circular

• The SEBI ODR Circular provides a detailed framework for the escalation of cases to ODR, the manner of selection of ODR institutions, the conduct of various ODR processes, the timelines for each process and the cost of each process.
• The SEBI ODR Circular enables resolution of disputes arising out of securities market transactions by ODR institutions capable of undertaking time-bound online conciliation and/or arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• Under the Circular, each Market Infrastructure Institution (MII) has to empanel one or more ODR institutions and establish and operate on a common Online Dispute Resolution Portal (ODR Portal), whose creation will be overseen by the various MIIs together.
• The ODR portal shall establish due connectivity with the SEBI SCORES portal/ SEBI Intermediary portal.
• All Market Participants are required to enrol on the ODR portal within a specific timeline identified in the Circular.
• They are also required to clearly communicate the availability of the SCORES portal and the ODR portal to the investor to resolve their disputes if the investor is unsatisfied with the response (or the lack thereof) of the Market Participant.
• The ODR portal will have the following features- Enrolling an investor and market participant, filing a complaint, uploading documents and papers, and status update on the complaint, which would be provided by the ODR institution.
• A complaint initiated through the portal will be referred to an ODR institution empanelled by an MII and the allocation system on a market-wide basis to govern the allocation of each such dispute among all such empanelled ODR institutions.

SCORES (SEBI Complaints Redress System)

• SCORES is a web-based centralized grievance redress system of SEBI. SCORES enables investors to lodge and follow up their complaints and track the status of redressal of such complaints online from the above website from anywhere.
• This enables the market intermediaries and listed companies to receive complaints online from investors, redress such complaints and report redressal online.
• All the activities starting from the lodging of a complaint till its closure by SEBI, would be online in an automated environment, and the complainant can view the status of his complaint online.
• An investor, who is not familiar with SCORES or does not have access to SCORES, can lodge complaints in physical form at any of the offices of SEBI. Such complaints would be scanned and also uploaded in SCORES for processing.

What types of complaints can be registered in the SCORE portal?

• Entities against which complaints are handled by SEBI include:
• Listed companies / registrar & transfer agents
• Brokers / stock exchanges
• Depository participants / depository
• Mutual funds
• Portfolio Managers
• Other entities (KYC Collective investment scheme, Merchant banker, Credit rating, Foreign institutional investor etc)

Source: https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/sebi-to-launch-online-dispute-resolution-mechanism-for-investors-on-august-15-11691339001139.html

3. AMRIT BHARAT STATION SCHEME

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: In a bid to keep it safe for passengers as well as freight transportation, it is essential to modernise its infrastructure with the latest technologies, amenities and others from time to time. In this context, the government is working to transform the railway stations across the country under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS).

EXPLANATION:

• Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was launched by the Ministry of Railways in 2022 for the development of stations with a long-term vision.
• The scheme involves creating a Master Plan for each station, considering its long-term requirements and the needs of its passengers.
• This will guarantee that the modernization process is efficient and tailored to the specific demands of each station.
• Out of the 508 stations whose redevelopment has started, 48 are of Bihar, 31 are of Assam, and 18 of Andhra Pradesh.

The broad objectives of the Amit Bharat Station Scheme are:

• To prepare Master Plans for railway stations and implement them in phases to improve facilities, including beyond the Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA).
• To aim for the creation of Roof Plazas and city centres at stations in the long run.
• To prioritize stakeholder needs and station usage studies based on available funds.
• To introduce new amenities and upgrade or replace existing ones.
• To cover stations where techno-economic feasibility studies have been conducted.
• To focus on implementing Master Plans in phases, with special emphasis on relocating structures and utilities as needed.

The scope of work under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme includes the following:

• Improve the structure and create aesthetically pleasing entrance porches in a cost-efficient manner.
• Relocate old buildings efficiently to make space for priority passenger activities and future development.
• Minimize new building construction, except for necessary relocations or improvements.
• Provide combined waiting halls and good cafeteria/retail facilities where possible.
• Allocate space for at least two stalls for “One Station One Product.”
• Improve station approaches with widened roads, proper signages, pedestrian pathways, parking areas, and better lighting.
• Incorporate landscaping, green areas, and local art and culture to enhance the station experience.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/railways-what-is-the-amrit-bharat-station-scheme-how-is-it-modernising-the-infrastructure-of-indian-railway-stations-know-its-objectives-and-scope-3201199/

4. OPTICAL FIBERS BASED CONNECTIVITY

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE; GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The cabinet has approved a last-mile broadband connectivity plan under the BharatNet project for 6.4 lakh villages across the country with a financial outlay of Rs 1.39 lakh crore.

EXPLANATION:

• The Union Cabinet has approved an allotment of ₹1,39,579 crore for the next phase of Bharat Net to make 5G network available to remote areas of the country.
• Its plan is to reach 6.4 lakh villages within the next two years from the current 1.94 lakh connected villages.

BHARATNET PROJECT

• BharatNet is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world.
• It is implemented in a phased manner to all Gram Panchayats (approximately 2.5 lakh) in the country for providing non-discriminatory access to broadband connectivity to all the telecom service providers.
• Objective is to enable access providers like mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Cable TV operators, content providers to launch various services such as applications like e-health, e-education, and e-governance in rural and remote India.
• The project has been approved by Union Cabinet in 2011.
• The project is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
• BBNL has been incorporated in 2012 under Indian Companies Act 1956.
• In 2016, the Telecom Commission approved to implement the project in three phases.

NATIONAL OPTICAL FIBRE NETWORK (NOFN)

• National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) is an ambitious initiative to trigger a broadband revolution in rural areas.
• NOFN was envisaged as an information super-highway through the creation of a robust middle-mile infrastructure for reaching broadband connectivity to Gram Panchayats.
• The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) aims to connect all the 2,50,000 Gram panchayats in the country and provide 100 Mbps connectivity to all gram panchayats (GPs).
• To achieve this, the existing fibres of PSUs (BSNL, Railtel and Power Grid) were utilised and incremental fibre was laid to connect to Gram Panchayats wherever necessary.
• Dark fibre network thus created was lit by appropriate technology thus creating sufficient bandwidth at the Gram Panchayats.

OPTICAL FIBERS

• Fiber optics, or optical fiber, refers to the technology that transmits information as light pulses along a glass or plastic fiber.
• A fiber optic cable can contain a varying number of these glass fibers from a few up to a couple hundred. Another glass layer, called cladding, surrounds the glass fiber core.
• The buffer tube layer protects the cladding, and a jacket layer acts as the final protective layer for the individual strand.
• Fiber optic cables are commonly used because of their advantages over copper cables. Some of those benefits include higher bandwidth and transmit speeds.
• Fiber optics is used for long-distance and high-performance data networking.
• It is also commonly used in telecommunication services, such as internet, television, and telephones.
• For example, Verizon and Google use fiber optics in their Verizon FIOS and Google Fiber services, respectively, providing Gigabit internet speeds to users.

Source:https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/cabinet-approves-rs-1-39-lakh-cr-for-last-mile-bharatnet-connectivity/articleshow/102451866.cms?from=mdr

5. REINTRODUCTION OF RHINO CONSERVATION SCHEME

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Bihar government is constituting a ‘Rhino Task Force’ for suggesting measures for the reintroduction of the terrestrial mammals in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran district of Assam.

EXPLANATION:

• A committee was set up to assess the habitat and security conditions in VTR of Assam and to suggest measures for reintroduction of rhinos in the reserve, about two years back.
• The committee recently submitted its report to the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (DEFCC).
• Based on the recommendations, State government is preparing to constitute a ‘Rhino Task Force’ for suggesting measures for the reintroduction of rhinos in the VTR.
• The process of the reintroduction of the rhino scheme in VTR will start based on the recommendations of the task force.
• It has been decided to increase the rhino-bearing areas in VTR by 5% in the next two years.
• As per the plan rhinos will be taken out of crowded habitats and shifted to identified areas in the VTR.
• The objective is to provide more room for the rhinos to breed and multiply.
• The potentially identified areas for the reintroduction scheme in VTR are — Ganauli and Madanpu.

INDIAN RHINO VISION 2020 (IRV2020) / PROJECT RHINO

• IRV2020 was initiated as a collaboration between the Assam Forest Department, International Rhino Foundation, and WWF India.
• The program was established in 2005 for the purpose of increasing the rhino population in Assam to 3,000 by establishing populations in seven protected areas.
• In 2021, a final translocation of two rhinos from Kaziranga National Park to Manas National Park was completed.
• Rhinos are now found in four Protected Areas in Assam: Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park.
• In 2022, the IRV2020 partners met to outline goals for the coming years, with plans to build on the successes and learnings from the previous program.
• Meetings to approve the plan, known as IRV 2.0, have been delayed due to the global pandemic.
• The New Program is scheduled to begin soon under the leadership of Assam Forest Department, along with supporting partners, and translocations could begin again by the end of the year.

WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO RESTORE HABITAT IN INDIA

• Local community members successfully restored 50 acres of prime rhino habitat under the supervision of our on-the-ground partner, Aaranyak, and Manas National Park officials.
• It planned to restore another 250 acres over the next two years.
• Engagement of local people in removal of invasive plant species also offers them livelihood and, in that way, it helps park officials to garner better support from local communities along with improvement of grassland habitats.

VALMIKI TIGER RESERVE (VTR)

• The VTR occupies a core area of 909.86 sq. km of the Valmiki Sanctuary located in the West Champaran district of Bihar.
• VTR has been selected as one of the potential sites under the National Rhino Conservation strategy where rhinos may be brought from other reserves in the country.
• The VTR was established as the 18th tiger reserve in 1990 and ranked fourth in the density of the tiger population.
• The rivers Gandak and Masan flow through this area.

SOURCE:https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/bihar-to-constitute-rhino-task-force-for-reintroduction-of-rhino-conservation-scheme-in-valmiki-tiger-reserve/article67164420.ece

1. SELF RELIANT INDIA (SRI) FUND

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: As a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package, the Rs 50,000 crore  Self Reliant India (SRI) Fund has been set up to infuse Rs. 50,000 crore as equity funding in those MSMEs which have the potential and viability to grow and become large units.

EXPLANATION:

• Under this fund, there is a provision of Rs 10,000 Crore from the government and Rs 40,000 crore through private equity and venture capital funds.
• The fund operates through a mother-fund and daughter-fund structure for equity or quasi-equity investments.
• NSIC Venture Capital Fund Limited (NVCFL) operates as Mother Fund in SRI Fund.
• It is registered as a Category-II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) with SEBI.
• The fund aims to enhance equity support to MSMEs and improve listing on stock exchanges as more enterprises get into the formal sector.
• The fund’s tenure is 15 years which may be extended as per AIF guidelines and subject to approvals from NVCFL and contributors.

How does the SRI fund work? 

• Employing a fund-of-funds strategy, the SRI fund invests in SEBI-registered Category I and Category II AIFs called daughter funds, which in turn invest in MSMEs.
• The government is the sole anchor investor in the fund, with the initial support of Rs 10,006 crore as the mother fund.
• The corpus is expected to be enhanced to Rs 50,000 crore with Rs 40,000 crore from daughter funds during the 15-year tenure of the fund, while the investment or commitment period is 13 years.

How many daughter funds are empanelled? 

• According to NSIC Venture Capital Fund (NVCFL), there are 44 daughter funds viz., TATA Capital Healthcare Fund, Aavishkaar India Fund, SVL-SME Fund, Gaja Capital India Fund, Avaana Sustainability Fund, ICICI Ventures’ India Advantage Fund S5 I and more.
• The investment manager of the fund is SBICAP Ventures – the private equity arm of State Bank of India (SBI).
• The target return for the daughter fund is a gross IRR (internal rate of return) of 12 per cent per annum. Gross IRR is referred to the return on investment without taking into account any management fees and costs.
• Management fees for daughter funds should not be more than 2 per cent per annum.

Are there preferred sectors for investment under SRI fund?

• According to NVCFL, SRI is a sector-agnostic fund to support MSMEs in agriculture, pharma, auto, chemicals, etc., undertaking manufacturing or services business except for investments in gambling, self-help groups, and any illegal or unlawful activities.

What type of MSMEs will be targeted for investments? 

• As per the fund’s guidelines, MSMEs with a “defined business plan for growth indicating positive funds flow” will be targeted.
• Moreover, compound annual growth of the business for the previous three years will also be considered.
• The Fund will also factor in non-monetary aspects in terms of employment, reduction in regional disparity, overall economic development and establishment of supply chains with depth and resilience.
• The investment made and equity diluted is based on the assessment of the MSME borrower.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/sme/self-reliant-india-sri-fund-equity-infusion-in-msmes-nears-rs-5000-crore/3190674/

2. ULLAS: NAV BHARAT SAKSHARTA KARYAKRAM

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: The Union Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship,  at the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam 2023 introduced the mobile application the ULLAS: Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram. The occasion coincided with the third anniversary of NEP 2020.

EXPLANATION:

• The ULLAS initiative aims to revolutionise education and literacy across the nation by fostering a comprehensive learning ecosystem that caters to every individual, bridging gaps in basic literacy and critical life skills.
• Its focus extends to promoting functional literacy, vocational skills and essential life skills such as financial literacy, legal literacy, digital literacy and empowerment of citizens to participate in nation-building.
• The newly-unveiled logo and slogan, “ULLAS: Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram”, symbolise the campaign’s enthusiasm and vigour in spreading knowledge and education to every corner of the country.
• The initiative aims to ignite the flame of curiosity and continuous learning in each individual, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing in communities across India.
• It also fosters a culture of continuous learning and knowledge-sharing in communities across India.

Target Group of the initiative:

• The app serves as a digital gateway to engage learners with diverse educational resources through the DIKSHA portal of NCERT.
• Learners and volunteers can register through self-registration or via surveyors.
• The programme primarily targets citizens aged 15 and above who missed the opportunity to attend formal schooling.
• It operates through volunteerism, encouraging volunteers to participate as DUTY or Kartavya Bodh towards nation-building.
• Student volunteers will be incentivised with credits in school/university and appreciation through certificates, letters of appreciation, felicitation, among other means.

The National Policy on Education 2020:

• The NEP 2020 is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the thirty-four-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.
• It is built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability and is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• It aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary.

Outcomes of NEP 2020:

• Universalization from Early childhood care and education (ECCE) to Secondary Education by 2030, aligning with SDG 4
• Attaining Foundational Learning & Numeracy Skills through National Mission by 2025
• 100% GER in Pre-School to Secondary Level by 2030
• Bring Back 2 Cr Out of School Children
• Teachers to be prepared for assessment reforms by 2023
• Inclusive & Equitable Education System by 2030
• Board Exams to test core concepts and application of knowledge
• Every Child will come out of School adept in at least one Skill
• Common Standards of Learning in Public & Private Schools

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/centre-launches-ullas-mobile-application-promote-basic-literacy-check-whom-it-is-for-11690766375585.html

3. GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION (GI) TAG ACCORDED TO SEVEN PRODUCTS

TAG:  GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Seven products from across India, including four from Rajasthan, were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.

EXPLANATION:

• Seven products from across India, including four from Rajasthan, were given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.
• The GI tags were secured by ‘Jalesar Dhatu Shilp’ (a metal craft), ‘Goa Mankurad Mango’, ‘Goan Bebinca’, ‘Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft’, ‘Bikaner Kashidakari Craft’, ‘Jodhpur Bandhej Craft’, and ‘Bikaner Usta Kala Craft’.

1. Goa Mankurad Mango: This variety of mango is also known as malcorada, cardozo mankurad, corado, and Goa mankur. The Portuguese named the fruit malcorada, which means ‘poor coloured’, and with time, it became mank urad aam (mango) in Konkani.

1. Goan Bebinca: Bebinca, also known as the ‘queen of Goan desserts’, is a traditional Indo-Portuguese pudding.

1. Jalesar Dhatu Shilp: This craft belongs to Jalesar in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district. These include gurus (anklets), giants (bells) and other decorative metal craft and brassware. The Thatheras community, which resides in a mohalla (locality) named Hathuras, makes these products.

1. Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft: According to the documents submitted to the GI Registry, weapons are exquisitely ornamented by a complicated process of etching designs, heating, and then cooling, intertwined with embedding gold and silver wire and finally polishing it.

1. Bikaner Kashidakari Craft: These are traditionally created on cotton, silk or velvet with a variety of fine stitches and mirror-work, mainly for objects associated with marriage, especially gift items. The mirrors are believed to repel the ‘evil eye’ with their reflective surfaces. The weaving of fabrics by hand used to be done by the Meghwal community in Bikaner and nearby districts.

1. Jodhpur Bandhej Craft: It is the Rajasthani art of tying and dyeing. Bandhej is one of the most famous textile art forms in Rajasthan. The fabrics used for Bandhej are muslin, silk and voile. Cotton thread is used for tying the fabric.

1. Bikaner Usta Kala Craft: It is also known as gold Takashi or gold manual work due to the prominence of its long-lasting golden colour. Untreated raw camel hide is processed and moulded by the Dapgar community of leather craftspeople for the requirements of the Usta.

What is Geographical Indications Tag?

• A geographical indication (GI) tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
• The following types of goods are covered under the ambit of GI –

1. Agricultural (example, Basmati rice)
2. Natural (example, Makrana marble)
3. Handicrafts or of any industry (for example, Kashmiri pashmina)
4. Foodstuff (example, Dharwad pedha)

• The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, along with the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2002 govern GI registrations and goods.
• It is in compliance with the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights

(TRIPS ) The agreement of WTO  prescribes minimum standards for the protection of GI that all WTO members must provide.

• According to Section 58(1) of the GI Act, in any case where the validity of the registration of a geographical indication is questioned, the case would be under the jurisdiction of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
• Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai has complete jurisdiction over the GI goods in India, including, but not limited to, their registration and application process.

Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB):

• It is a quasi-judicial body that was constituted in September 1958 and entrusted with the task of adjudication of disputes pertaining to copyright registration, and assignment of copyright.
• The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has the appellate jurisdiction.
• It grants licenses in respect of works withheld from public, unpublished Indian works, production and publication of translations and works for certain specified purposes.
• It also hears cases in other miscellaneous matters instituted before it under the Copyright Act of 1957.
• The website of the IPAB boasts of being the only tribunal in India which has an international influence.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/gi-tags-for-goan-mangoes-and-bebinca-crafts-from-rajasthan-and-up/article67147303.ece

4. PAHARIS AND PADDARIS PROPOSED FOR THE SCHEDULED TRIBES STATUS IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR.

TAG: GS 1: SOCIETY; GS 2: POLITY

THE CONTEXT:  Justice G D Sharma Commission was appointed by Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir in March 2020 to identify groups that were socially, educationally, and economically backward.

The Commission in its report recommended ST status for Gadda Brahmins, Kolis, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group.

EXPLANATION:

• The government has brought a Bill to include four communities, Gadda Brahmin, Koli, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group, in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is one of the four Bills relating to the Union Territory that were introduced in Lok Sabha.

STATUS OF ST COMMUNITIES IN J&K

• The dominant ST communities in J&K are the Gujjars and Bakerwals.
• They live in the districts of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Bandipora, Ganderbal, and Kupwara.
• Bakerwals are nomadic and they migrate with their livestock to the higher reaches in the summer and return before the onset of winter.
• Gujjar-Bakerwals are the third largest group after Kashmiris and Dogras in J&K.
• They were given ST status in 1991, along with the two smaller groups of Gaddis and Sippis.
• This entitled these four communities to 10% reservation in government jobs and admission to educational institutions.
• In 2019, they were empowered politically after the Centre announced a 10% quota for them in Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in J&K.
• The proposed expansion of the ST list has triggered unrest among the Gujjar-Bakerwal, who apprehend a shrinking of their share of the quota benefits pie. The Bill says the amendment “may entail additional expenditure on account of benefits to be provided to persons belonging to the said [four] communities”.
• Gujjar-Bakerwal leaders are especially agitated with the proposed ST status for Paharis and Paddaris.
• Gadda Brahmins and Kolis are very small communities. Gadda Brahmins are a branch of the Gaddis while Kolis are a sub-caste of Sippis, and both these communities are already in the ST list.

PAHARI ETHNIC GROUP

• The Paharis are Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, and people of Kashmiri origin who settled in the districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
• In 1989, the J&K government recommended that Paharis should be included in the list of STs along with the Gujjars, Bakerwals, Gaddis, and Sippis.
• It was rejected on the ground that there was no caste/ tribe of that name in its records.
• An Advisory Board was setup for Development of Pahari Speaking People. The Board defined Paharis as all people living in Rajouri and Poonch except those who were STs.
• The Paharis finally got 4% reservation in jobs and educational institutions in 2019.
• Justice G D Sharma Commission was appointed which recommended ST status for Gadda Brahmins, Kolis, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group.
• The report was sent to the Tribal Affairs Ministry, and the Registrar General approved it in 2022.

PADDARI TRIBE

• They live in the remote Paddar area of the hilly Kishtwar district, which is spread over two tehsils, the Paddari homeland borders Zanskar (Ladakh) in the north and the east, Pangi in Himachal Pradesh in the south, and the rest of J&K in the west.
• The 2011 census recorded the Paddari population at 21,548, comprising 83.6% Hindus, 9.5% Buddhists, and 6.8% Muslims.
• The people of the area, including those who have come from elsewhere to settle there, speak the Paddari language.
• Gujjar-Bakerwal opposition to the proposed inclusion of the Paddari Tribe in the ST list is based on the argument that they do not constitute a single ethic group but are a mix of individuals from different castes and religions who speak a particular language.
• Justice G D Sharma Commission recommended ST status for Paddari Tribe.

THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SCHEDULED TRIBES (NCST)

• It was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003.
• By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions namely- (i) the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), and (ii) the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) w.e.f.19 February 2004.
• Consultations by the union and the states
• Under Art. 338A: Union and every State Govt. to consult the Commission on all major Policy matters affecting Scheduled Tribes.

CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS FOR STs

• EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL SAFEGUARDS

• Art. 15(4) – Special provisions for advancement of other backward classes (which includes STs).
• Art. 29 – Protection of Interests of Minorities (which includes STs).
• Art. 46 – The State shall promote, with special care, the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, of the Scheduled Castes, and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
• Art. 350 – Right to conserve distinct Language, Script, or Culture.
• Art. 350 – Instruction in Mother Tongue.
• SOCIAL SAFEGUARD
• Art. 23 – Prohibition of traffic in human beings and beggar and other similar form of forced labour.
• Art. 24 – Forbidding Child Labour.
• ECONOMIC SAFEGUARDS
• Art.244 – Clause (1) Provisions of Fifth Schedule shall apply to the administration & control of the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in any State other than the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura which are covered under Sixth Schedule, under Clause (2) of this Article.
• Art. 275 – Grants in-Aid to specified States (STs &SAs) covered under Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution.
• POLITICAL SAFEGUARDS
• Art.164 (1) – Provides for Tribal Affairs Ministers in Bihar, MP, and Orissa.
• Art. 330 – Reservation of seats for STs in Lok Sabha.
• Art. 332 – Reservation of seats for STs in State Legislatures.
• Art. 334 – 10 years period for reservation (Amended several times to extend the period.
• Art. 243 – Reservation of seats in Panchayats.
• Art. 371 – Special provisions in respect of NE States and Sikkim.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/who-are-the-paharis-and-paddaris-proposed-for-st-status-in-jk-8870220/

5. SUB-CATEGORISATION OF OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES (OBCs)

TAG: GS 2: POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Over the years, a perception has taken root that only a few affluent communities among all the OBCs have benefited from the quota. There is an argument that a “sub-categorisation” of OBCs quotas within the 27% quota is needed in order to ensure “equitable distribution” of the benefits of reservation.

EXPLANATION:

• Commission set up to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has submitted its report to the President.
• The Commission consisted of four-members was headed by Justice G Rohini, a retired Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.
• The commission was tasked with suggesting corrective actions regarding the benefits available under the 27% quota for OBCs cornered by a few castes.

NEED FOR SUB-CATEGORISATION OF OBCS

• OBCs get 27% reservation in central government jobs and admission to educational institutions.
• There are more than 2,600 entries in the Central List of OBCs.
• Few affluent communities among all have benefited from the quota.
• Sub-categorisation of OBCs (quotas within the 27% quota) is needed to ensure “equitable distribution” of the benefits of reservation.
• Justice Rohini Commissionwas examined the matter, intervened in the sub-categorisation debate, and ruled that the 2005 decision of ‘E V Chinnaiah vs State of Andhra Pradesh’ must be revisited.
• ‘Chinnaiah’ had held that no special sub-quota can be introduced within the quota for SCs and STs for the benefit of castes or tribes that were more backward than the others on these lists.

TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE ROHINI COMMISSION

• The commission’s brief was originally to:
• Examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities.
• Work out the mechanism, criteria, norms, and parameters in a scientific approach for sub-categorisation within such OBCs.
• To identifying the respective castes or communities in the Central List of OBCs and classifying them into their respective sub-categories.
• The commission wrote to the government that it had noted several ambiguities in the list and recommended for the rectification before the sub-categorised central list is prepared.

FINDINGS OF THE COMMISSION

• The commission analysed the data of 1.3 lakh central government jobs under the OBC quota over the preceding five years.
• They also analysed OBC admissions to central higher education institutions, including universities, IITs, NITs, IIMs and AIIMS, over the preceding three years.
• The analysis showed 97% of all jobs and education seats have gone to 25% of OBC castes.
• 95% of these jobs and seats have gone to just 10 OBC communities.
• 37% of the total 983 OBC communities were found to have zero representation in jobs and educational institutions.
• 994 OBC sub-castes had a representation of only 2.68% in recruitments and admissions.
• This analysis suffered from limitations due to the absence of updated population data.

SOURCE:https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/rohini-panel-report-what-is-sub-categorisation-of-obc-8871628/

1. AKIRA RANSOMWARE

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNAL SECURITY

THE CONTEXT: The Computer Emergency Response Team of India issued an alert for ransomware dubbed “Akira.”

EXPLANATION:

• The ransomware targets both Windows and Linux devices, steals and encrypts data, forcing victims to pay double ransom for decryption and recovery.
• The group behind the ransomware has already targeted multiple victims, mainly those located in the U.S., and has an active Akira ransomware leak site with information, including their most recent data leaks.

What is the Akira ransomware?

• It is designed to encrypt data, create a ransomware note and delete Windows Shadow Volume copies on affected devices.
• The ransomware gets its name due to its ability to modify filenames of all encrypted files by appending them with the “.akira” extension.
• The ransomware is designed to close processes or shut down Windows services that may keep it from encrypting files on the affected system.
• It uses VPN services, especially when users have not enabled two-factor authentication, to trick users into downloading malicious files.
• Once the ransomware infects a device and steals/encrypts sensitive data, the group behind the attack extorts the victims into paying a ransom, threatening to release the data on their dark web blog if their demands are not met.

How does Akira ransomware work?

• The ransomware deletes the Windows Shadow Volume copies on the affected device.
• These files are instrumental in ensuring that organisations can back up data used in their applications for day-to-day functioning.
• Each victim is given a unique negotiation password to be entered into the threat actor’s Tor site.
• Unlike other ransomware operations, this negotiation site just includes a chat system that the victim can use to communicate with the ransomware gang, a report from The Bleeping Computer shares.

What is Ransomware?

• Ransomware is a type of malware attack in which the attacker locks and encrypts the victim’s data, important files and then demands a payment to unlock and decrypt the data.
• This type of attack takes advantage of human, system, network, and software vulnerabilities to infect the victim’s device, which can be a computer, printer, smartphone, wearable, point-of-sale (POS)terminal, or other endpoint.

How does ransomware infect devices?

• Ransomware is typically spread through spear phishing emails that contain malicious attachments in the form of archived content files.
• Other methods used to infect devices include drive-by-download, a cyber-attack that unintentionally downloads malicious code onto a device, and specially crafted web links in emails, clicking on which downloads malicious code.
• The ransomware reportedly also spreads through insecure Remote Desktop connections.

Ransomware Attack Examples

WannaCry

• WannaCry is an encrypting ransomware that exploits a vulnerability in the Windows SMB protocol and has a self-propagation mechanism that lets it infect other machines.
• WannaCry is packaged as a dropper, a self-contained program that extracts the encryption/decryption application, files containing encryption keys, and the Tor communication program.

Cerber

• Cerber is ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) and is available for use by cybercriminals, who carry out attacks and spread their loot with the malware developer.
• Cerber runs silently while it is encrypting files and may try to prevent antivirus and Windows security features from running to prevent users from restoring the system.

NotPetya and Petya

• Petya is ransomware that infects a machine and encrypts an entire hard drive by accessing the Master File Table (MFT).
• This makes the entire disk inaccessible, although the actual files are not encrypted. Petya was first seen in 2016 and was spread mainly through a fake job application message linking to an infected file stored in Dropbox. It only affected Windows computers.
• Petya requires the user to agree to give it permission to make admin-level changes. After the user agrees, it reboots the computer, and shows a fake system crash screen while it starts encrypting the disk behind the scenes. It then shows the ransom notice.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/what-is-the-akira-ransomware/article67134462.ece

2. PRADHAN MANTRI AWAS YOJANA – URBAN (PMAY-U)

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: A total of 75.51 lakh houses have been completed, out of which 71.39 lakh have been occupied till now under the Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana (PMAY-U), the Centre’s flagship programme to provide housing to the urban poor.

EXPLANATION:

• Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs informed the Rajya Sabha that Uttar Pradesh had the largest number of houses completed, and Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh were other high-performing states.
• The release of central assistance is incumbent upon the fulfilment of mandatory compliances by the concerned States and UTs.
• This includes the submission of Utilization Certificates (UCs) for central assistance released earlier, commensurate physical progress and Aadhaar seeding of beneficiaries in the Management Information System (MIS).

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Programme

• It is a flagship Mission of the Government, which is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). It was launched in 2015.
• The mission aimed to address the urban housing shortage among the economically backward sections, including the slum dwellers, by ensuring a ‘pucca’ house to all eligible urban households by the year 2022.
• The scheme period though, has now been extended up to December 2024 in order to complete all the houses sanctioned without changing the funding pattern and implementation methodology.

Beneficiaries

• The mission seeks to address the housing requirement of urban poor, including slum dwellers.
• Beneficiaries include Economically weaker sections (EWS), low-income groups (LIGs) and Middle Income Groups (MIGs).
• The annual income cap is up to Rs 3 lakh for EWS, Rs 3-6 lakh for LIG and Rs 6 + -18 lakhs for MIG. The EWS category of beneficiaries is eligible for assistance in all four verticals of the Missions, whereas LIG and MIG categories are eligible under only Credit linked subsidy scheme (CLSS) component of the Mission.
• For identification as an EWS or LIG beneficiary under the scheme, an individual loan applicant will submit a self-certificate/ affidavit as proof of income.
• A beneficiary family will comprise a husband, wife, unmarried sons and/or unmarried daughters.
• The beneficiary family should not own a pucca house either in his/her name or in the name of any member of his/her family in any part of India to be eligible to receive central assistance under the mission.
• The ownership of houses is provided in the name of the female member or in a joint name.
• Preference is also given to differently-abled persons, senior citizens, SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities, single women, transgender and other weaker & vulnerable sections of society.
• All eligible beneficiaries under all components of the scheme should have an Aadhaar/ Aadhaar Virtual ID which should be integrated with the details of beneficiaries

Scope:

• The Mission covers the entire urban area consisting of Statutory Towns, Notified Planning Areas, Development Authorities, Special Area Development Authorities, Industrial Development Authorities or any such authority under State legislation which is entrusted with the functions of urban planning & regulations.
• The mission will be implemented as Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) except for the component of credit-linked subsidy, which will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme.

Implementation Methodology

• The Mission will be implemented through four verticals giving options to beneficiaries, ULBs and State Governments. These four verticals are as below.

Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs)

• Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has initiated Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs), a sub-scheme under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U).
• This will provide ease of living to urban migrants/ poor in the Industrial Sector as well as in the non-formal urban economy to get access to dignified, affordable rental housing close to their workplace.
• Beneficiaries for ARHCs are urban migrants/ poor from EWS/ LIG categories.
• ARHCs will be a mix of single/double bedroom Dwelling Units and Dormitory of 4/6 beds, including all common facilities, which will be exclusively used for rental housing for a minimum period of 25 years.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-proceedings-7551-lakh-houses-completed-under-pmay-u/article67142907.ece

3. CORPORATE DEBT MARKET DEVELOPMENT FUND (CDMDF)

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Union government has approved a scheme providing complete guarantee cover for debt raised by the Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF), a backstop facility for investment-grade corporate debt.

EXPLANATION:

• SEBI released guidelines for investment by mutual fund schemes and asset management companies in CDMDF units.

Guarantee Scheme for Corporate Debt (GSCD):

• This scheme aims to provide a safety net for the Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF), established under SEBI Regulations, and facilitate investments in corporate debt securities.
• The scheme, managed by the Guarantee Fund for Corporate Debt (GFCD), seeks to stabilize markets and foster investor confidence.
• It operates as a Trust Fund formed by the DEA, Ministry of Finance, and is managed by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd. (NCGTC).

Purpose of the Scheme

• The primary objective of the Guarantee Scheme for Corporate Debt (GSCD) is to offer a 100% guarantee cover against debt raised or to be raised by the Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF) during market dislocation.
• By providing this safety net, the government aims to instil confidence in investors, thereby stabilizing the corporate debt market and fostering economic growth.
• The guarantee extends to the principal amount, interest accrued, and other bank charges up to a limit of Rs. 30,000 crore.

Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF)

• The CDMDF is a fund wherein the corpus of Rs 3000 crore will be created by contributions from the fixed-income schemes of mutual funds and asset management companies
• The government will provide a guarantee of up to Rs 30,000 crore additionally.
• In times of market dislocation and drying up of liquidity in secondary markets, the CDMDF can buy investment-grade corporate bonds of up to 5-year maturity from the mutual funds to the extent of the enlarged corpus.

Access to the fund

• The respective mutual funds shall have access to sell corporate debt securities during market dislocation, held in the portfolio of contributing schemes, to the CDMDF.
• Access to the fund shall be in proportion to the contribution made to the Fund at a mutual fund level (i.e., in the ratio of total units of CDMDF held by all specified debt schemes of each mutual fund).

Key benefits

• The CDMDF will become a lender of last resort to mutual funds and enable them to meet redemptions in extraordinary times when there is little or no secondary market liquidity in the corporate bond market.
• CDMDF, an alternative investment fund, will act as a backstop for the purchase of investment-grade corporate debt securities.
• It will enhance secondary market liquidity by creating a permanent institutional framework for activation in times of market stress. The fund will be launched by Finance Minister.
• During normal times, CDMDF will deal in low-duration government securities (G-sec), treasury bills, tri-party repo on G-secs, and guaranteed corporate bond repo with a maturity not exceeding seven days.
• Corporate debt securities to be bought by CDMDF during market dislocation include listed money market instruments, for which the long-term rating of issuers will be considered, Sebi said.
• CDMDF will buy only investment-grade securities from secondary markets, listed and having residual maturity of up to five years. 1It will not buy any unlisted, below-investment-grade or defaulted debt securities or securities in respect of which there is a material possibility of default or adverse credit news or views.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/govt-clears-guarantee-scheme-for-corporate-debt-sebi-issues-guidelines-8864175/

4. AMOUNT OF PLASTIC EXCEEDING THE GLOBAL WASTE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY AS PER PLASTIC OVEERSHOOT DAY REPORT 2023.

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Earth saw its first Plastic Overshoot Day on July 28, 2023.

Plastic Overshoot is the point at which the amount of plastic exceeds the global waste management capacity.

EXPLANATION:

• Swiss-based research consultancy Earth Action (EA), published The  Plastic Overshoot Day Report 2023.
• Swiss-based research consultancy Earth Action (EA), pointed out that nearly 68,642,999 tonnes of additional plastic waste will end up in nature this year.
• India is among the 12 countries, along with China, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Russia, Mexico, the United States, Saudia Arabia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, and Kazakhstan, which are responsible for 52 per cent of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste.
• Increased production of plastics will lead to global plastics pollution tripling by 2040.
• The report pointed out that 159 million tonnes of plastics are to be produced globally in 2023, and 43 per cent (68.5 million tonnes) will end up causing pollution.
• Plastic Overshoot Day sheds light on a critical aspect of the world’s plastic consumption: Short-life plastics, encompassing plastic packaging and single-use plastics.
• These categories account for approximately 37 per cent of the total plastic commercialised annually.
• According to the report, three countries (followed by India) with the highest mismanaged waste are Mozambique, Nigeria and Kenya, all belonging to Africa.
• According to Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment  (CSE) report, The Plastic Life Cycle, India recycles 12.3 per cent of its plastic waste and incinerates 20 per cent.
• Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change also suggest India has a cumulative capacity to process 14.2 million tonnes of plastic waste annually.
• This includes recycling and incineration, indicating that the country has the capacity to process 71 per cent of all the primary plastic that is produced.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES

The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 aim to:

• Increase the minimum thickness of plastic carry bags from 40 to 50 microns and stipulate a minimum thickness of 50 microns for plastic sheets.
• Expand the jurisdiction of applicability from the municipal area to rural areas because plastic has reached rural areas also.
• To bring in the responsibilities of producers and generators.
• To introduce a collection of plastic waste management fees through pre-registration of the producers, importers of plastic carry bags/multilayered packaging and vendors selling the same for establishing the waste management system.
• To promote the use of plastic waste for road construction as per Indian Road Congress guidelines or energy recovery, or waste to oil etc., for gainful utilization of waste.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2021 aim to:

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.
• It did not override 2016 rules and subsumed its provisions.
• Littered plastic impacts adversely on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
• The rules prohibit identified single-use plastic items which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.
• The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st of July 2022: –
• earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, and polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration.
• plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns, stirrers.
• In order to stop littering due to lightweight plastic carry bags, the thickness of plastic carry bags has been increased from fifty microns to seventy-five microns and to one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st of December 2022.
• This will also allow reuse of plastic carry due to increase in thickness.

MITIGATION:

• To mitigate plastic pollution, India must Invest in waste management policies like Extended producer responsibility (EPR).
• Plastics that are not designed for circular use must be phased out.
• India was among the few countries in 2019 to propose a global ban on single-use plastics.
• The idea was later widened, and the world agreed in March 2022 to draw up a global treaty on plastic pollution by 2024.
• The UN Plastic Treaty represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spark global action against plastic pollution.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/india-among-the-12-countries-responsible-for-52-of-the-world-s-mismanaged-plastic-waste-report-90927

5. CELL FREE DNA (cfDNA): A USEFUL TOOL TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN DISEASES.

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The world is increasingly finding cfDNA to be a useful tool to understand human diseases and to use the knowledge to improve diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis.

EXPLANATION:

• In the human body, most of the DNA in a genome is neatly packed inside cells with the help of specific proteins, protecting it from being degraded.
• Some fragments of DNA are ‘released’ from their containers and are present outside the cell in the body fluids.
• These small fragments of nucleic acids are widely known as cell-free DNA (cfDNA).
• Scientists have been aware of degraded fragments of nucleic acids in body fluids since 1948.
• Since genome sequencing technologies started to become more accessible.

CELL FREE DNA (cfDNA)

• cfDNA can be generated and released from a cell in several possible situations:
• When a cell is dying, the nucleic acids become degraded.
• An array of processes modulates the degradation; the amount, size, and source of the cfDNA can vary across a range as well.
• The release of cfDNA could occur together with a variety of processes, including those required for normal development, those related to the development of certain cancers, and those associated with several other diseases.
• One of the initial reports of the levels of cfDNA in diseases came from studies that were taking a closer look at an autoimmune disease: systemic lupus erythematosus – where the body’s own immune system attacks specific cells.

APPLICATIONS OF cfDNA:

 Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing:

• cfDNA has been widely used in screening foetuses for specific chromosomal abnormalities, an application known as non-invasive prenatal testing.
• The application stems from one of the first reports of cfDNA in pregnancies, published in The Lancet in August 1997.
• The availability of affordable genome-sequencing approaches will allow clinicians to sequence cfDNA fragments that correspond to foetal DNA.
• They can then use it to understand specific chromosomal abnormalities that involve changes in the chromosomal copy number.
• Such changes can lead to conditions like Down’s syndrome, which is due to a change in chromosome 21 (there are three copies of chromosome 21 in place of two, so it is also called trisomy 21).
• cfDNA-based technique helps clinicians to screen mothers from a few millilitres of blood obtained after nine or ten weeks of pregnancy to ensure the developing foetus is devoid of such chromosomal abnormalities.
• The test is almost 99% accurate for trisomy 21 or Down’s syndrome and a bit less so for other common trisomies (of chromosomes 13 and 18).
• Earlier screening for such abnormalities would have entailed inserting a fine needle into the body to retrieve the amniotic fluid and cells covering the developing foetus lab, which carried risks to both the foetus and the mother.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancers:

• The application of cfDNA is the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers.
• Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Centre, Maryland, reported developing a new test they have dubbed ‘Genome-wide Mutational Incidence for Non-Invasive Detection of Cancer’, or ‘GEMINI’.
• They adopted a whole-genome-sequencing approach to cfDNA extracted from patients.
• They examined a type of genetic mutation, when combined with machine-learning approaches, that could provide a way to detect cancer early.
• Using a particular machine-learning model, some genomic data, and data from a computed tomography (CT) scan, the researchers have successfully detected lung cancer, including those with early-stage disease, in more than the 90% of the 89 people they studied.
• They found that combining the new approach with the existing approaches could significantly enhance their ability to detect cancers early.
• The researchers also identified seven individuals who did not have cancer but had a high chance of developing it – and subsequently did so 231 to 1,868 days after the initial test.
• The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Genetics.

Other Applications:

There are several emerging applications of cfDNA:

1. Understanding of a body rejecting a transplanted organ.
2. Some cfDNA obtained from the donor who is donating the organ called donor-derived cfDNA, dd-cfDNA could provide an early yet accurate estimate of how well the organ is being taken up.
3. This is an attractive proposition because changes in the levels of cfDNA in the blood would precede any biochemical or molecular markers that researchers currently use as a proxy for organ acceptance.
4. cfDNA could send a signal earlier than other markers if something is going to go wrong.
5. cfDNA could be used as a biomarker for neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, neuronal tumours, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and even metabolic disorders like type-2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

In a true sense, cfDNA genomics promises to set us on the path of more effective disease screening and early diagnosis and on course for a healthy world.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/cell-free-dna-cancer-screening-high-risk-pregnancy/article67135117.ece

1. DS-SAR SATELLITE

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently successfully launched the PSLV-C56 carrying Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite and six other satellites.

EXPLANATION:

About DS-SAR satellite:

• The PSLV-C56 carrying DS-SAR satellite, along with six co-passengers, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and successfully placed in the right orbit. This is a PSLV mission for New Space India Limited (NSIL).
• The DS-SAR satellite is developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.
• It will be used to support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore.
• It will also be used for multi-modal and higher responsiveness imagery and geospatial services for their commercial customers.
• It carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This allows the DS-SAR to provide for all-weather day and night coverage and is capable of imaging at 1m resolution at full polarimetry.
• It carried

1. VELOX-AM, a technology demonstration microsatellite
2. ARCADE Atmospheric Coupling and Dynamics Explorer (ARCADE), which is an experimental satellite
3. SCOOB-II, a 3U nanosatellite flying a technology demonstrator payload
4. NuLIoN by NuSpace, an advanced 3U nanosatellite enabling seamless IoT connectivity in both urban and remote locations
5. Galassia-2, a 3U nanosatellite that will be orbiting at low earth orbit
6. ORB-12 STRIDER, which is a satellite developed under an International collaboration.

New Space India Limited (NSIL):

• It is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India and commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• It is responsible for producing, assembling and integrating the launch vehicle with the help of an industry consortium.
• It was established in 2019 under the administrative control of the Department of Space (DoS) and the Company Act 2013.

Objectives:

• The main objective of NSIL is to scale up private sector participation in Indian space programmes.
• Transfer of Small Satellite technology to industry: NSIL will obtain license from DoS/ISRO and sub-license the same to industry
• Manufacture of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in collaboration with private sector
• Production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through Indian industry
• Production and marketing of Space-based products and services, including launch and application
• Transfer of technology developed by ISRO Centres and constituent units of DoS
• Marketing of spin-off technologies and products/services, both in India and abroad

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV):

• It is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
• After its first successful launch in October 1994, PSLV emerged as the reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle of India, with 39 consecutively successful missions by June 2017.
• Features:
• It is a four-stage launch vehicle.
• A large solid rocket motor forming the first stage,
• An earth-storable liquid stage is the second stage,
• A high-performance solid rocket motor is the third stage, and
• A liquid stage with engines as the fourth stage.
• The vehicle successfully launched two spacecraft – Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isro-launches-pslv-c56-carrying-singapores-ds-sar-and-six-other-satellites/article67137876.ece

2. MAPPING INDIA’S CHIP DESIGN ECOSYSTEM

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: As part of the second phase of the Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme for the domestic semiconductor industry, the Indian government is considering a proposal to pick an equity stake in domestic chip design-making companies.

EXPLANATION:

• The idea behind the scheme is to ensure a stable ecosystem alongside building a few “fabless companies”.
• Fabless companies are entities that design chips but outsource the manufacturing.

Scenario of domestic chip industry:

• India is an important destination for global semiconductor companies primarily because of its highly-skilled talent pool of semiconductor design engineers, who make up about 20% of the world’s workforce as part of global teams or working independently.
• About 2,000 integrated circuits and chips are designed in India every year, with engineers involved in varied aspects of design and verification.
• However, India owns a much smaller portion of the intellectual property (IP) relating to the designs, which are mostly retained by the global companies.
• The DLI scheme for chip designing introduced in December 2021 endeavoured to indigenise innovations.

Challenges:

• There is a lack of venture capitalists in the private sector focused on semiconductors in India
• The cumulative annual revenue of domestic semiconductor design companies is meagre at ₹150 crore.
• There are higher gestation periods which imply design firms are not able to attract potential investors and venture capitalists as software companies have.

DLI scheme:

• The DLI scheme aims to provide financial and infrastructural support to companies setting up fabs or semiconductor-making plants in India.
• It offers fiscal support of up to 50% of the total cost to eligible participants who can set up these fabs in the country.
• It also offers fiscal support of 30% of the capital expenditure to participants for building compound semiconductors, silicon photonics and sensors fabrication plants in India.
• It is expected to facilitate the growth of at least 20 such companies, which can achieve a turnover of more than ₹1500 crore in the coming five years.

Benefits of the scheme:

• The sudden surge in demand of chips and semiconductor components has underpinned the need to establish a robust semiconductor ecosystem in India. Several sectors, including auto, telecom, and medical technology, suffered due to the unexpected surge leading to the scarcity of chips manufactured by only a few countries.
• Schemes like the DLI are crucial to avoid high dependencies on a few countries or companies. The inception of new companies will help in meeting the demand and supply and encourage innovation in India, Sanjay Gupta, Vice President and India Managing Director, NXP India, a semiconductor multinational, said to The Hindu .
• The DLI scheme aims to attract existing and global players as it will support their expenditures related to design software, IP rights, development, testing and deployment.
• It will boost the domestic companies, start-ups, and MSMEs to develop and deploy the semiconductor design. It will also help global investors to choose India as their preferred investment destination, Gupta said to The Hindu .
• The firm reckons that this is a big step to bring India on the world map for semiconductor manufacturing.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/explained-mapping-indias-chip-design-ecosystem/article67136594.ece

3. MINES AND MINERALS (DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATION AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Lok Sabha passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks larger participation of the private sector in mineral exploration and production, including lithium.

EXPLANATION:

• Amendments in mining legislation are being brought to make mineral exploration and production more attractive for investors.
• The Bill brings lithium out from the list of restrictive atomic minerals, which require mining grants from the centre, with only government companies given licences.
• The amendment would allow the auction of this critical mineral, used extensively for making batteries for electric vehicles.
• The Centre will have the power to give concessions for these minerals to both public and private mining companies.
• The Bill empowers the central government to exclusively auction mining leases and composite exploration licences for certain critical high-value minerals such as gold, silver, platinum, and copper.
• The Bill also dispenses with cumbersome forest clearances for mine reconnaissance and prospecting operations, making it easier for private firms to participate in exploration of the country’s mineral resources.
• Changes in mining legislation are being brought to make mineral exploration and production more attractive for investors.
• The reform proposals in the legislation include allowing states to grant composite mineral licences without having to get a central nod. This is expected to enable state governments to put up blocks for auction at a faster pace.
• It will also raise and fix mineral-wise maximum area limits for mineral concessions to provide larger and economic mines to investors.
• The proposal on a single exploration licence has been inserted in Bill to promote specialized mineral exploration companies for reconnaissance and prospecting of mineral resources and earn revenue from its discovery after the mine is put to auction.
• At present, the MMDR Act provides for the grant of two types of mineral concessions to private entities through auction, including a mining lease for undertaking mining operations and a composite licence for undertaking prospecting operations followed by mining operations.
• The legislation has also raised and fixed mineral-wise maximum area limits for mineral concessions. Accordingly, for prime minerals such as iron ore, the maximum area for prospecting licence and mining lease has been doubled to 50 sq km and 20 sq km, respectively.
• This would allow private entries to get same land area for mining as was earlier being given to government companies and that also by the state governments itself without any need for central approval.
• The Centre has decided to exclude duties and levies (ex-mine price) such as GST, export duty, royalty, District Mineral Foundation (DMF), and National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) while calculating the Average Sale Price (ASP) of minerals.
• This will restrict the charge of royalty over royalty and limit the tax burden on companies and improve realizations for the government in mineral concession auctions.
• The changes on the sale of minerals from captive mines have also been provided to do away with the existing provision where the sale of 50% of minerals can commence only after the need of end use plant is met.

Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act (1957):

• It is an act of the Parliament of India enacted to regulate the mining sector in India.
• This act is applicable to all minerals except minor minerals and atomic minerals.
• It details the process and conditions for acquiring a mining or prospecting licence in India. Mining minor minerals come under the purview of state governments.
• It was amended in 2015 and 2016.

2015 Amendment:

• The amendment was proposed to bring transparency to the allocation of the mining licence process by auctions. The amendment seeks to introduce a system of auctions to allocate mining licenses.
• A fixed percentage of the revenue of any mine will be allocated to the development of the area around it in District Mineral Foundation. The state government will set the rates, and it will be in addition to the royalty.
• Under this, a National Mineral Exploration Trust was set up to explore and promote non-coal minerals.
• The licences have a validity of 50 years, compared to the previous 30 years, with no renewal of licences, only re-auction.
• The bill contains a new license for prospecting-cum-mining, replacing a two-stage process.

2016 Amendment:

• The amendment allows transfer of captive mining leases not granted through auction.
• Transfer of captive mining leases, granted otherwise than through auction, allow mergers and acquisitions of companies.
• It facilitates ease of doing business for companies to improve profitability and decrease costs of the companies dependent on the supply of mineral ore from captive leases.
• The transfer provisions also facilitate banks and financial institutions to liquidate stressed assets where a company or its captive mining lease is mortgaged.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/industry/lok-sabha-passes-mmdr-amendment-bill-allowing-auction-of-lithium-others-to-pvt-sector-11690540478316.html

4. WORLDCOIN: A BIOMETRIC PROJECT

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took to Twitter to formally re-introduce Worldcoin, a project of his that was eclipsed by the popularity of ChatGPT. The Worldcoin venture runs on a simple model: allow your eyes to be scanned in order to prove your human uniqueness.

EXPLANATION:

WORLDCOIN

• Worldcoin is an initiative to create a digital network in which everyone can claim some kind of stake and join the digital economy.
• A Device called “Orb” is used and Worldcoin volunteers are known as ‘Orb operators.’
• It scans a person’s iris pattern to collect their biometric data and help them get a World ID through the World app.
• With the World app, scanned participants can collect a cryptocurrency called Worldcoin [WLD] at regular intervals.
• Transactions with the World ID is possible everywhere.
• The process is called “proof of personhood” and makes sure that people do not sign themselves up multiple times in exchange for crypto.
• Beta version of Worldcoin was introduced in October 2021.
• Altman launched OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT, in December 2022.

WORKING OF WORLDCOIN

• To make the Worldcoin network possible, users need to be willing to scan irises and get their own irises scanned.
• Volunteers sign up to be “Orb operators” and receive basic training and a biometric device with which to scan irises.
• Those who have their irises scanned and collect a World ID can use this to claim the WLD crypto.
• WLD crypto then used for transactions (if possible and legal) or hold on to the asset in the hope that its price might rise.
• However, users can also buy or sell WLD without getting scanned or using the app. In this sense, it resembles a standard digital currency.
• This is based on Ethereum Blockchain Technology.
• The company claimed that India had “proven the effectiveness of biometrics” through its Aadhaar system.
• Worldcoin notes that Aadhaar IDs stopped people from signing up multiple times to benefit from social welfare schemes.

ETHEREUM BLOCKCHAIN.

• A blockchain is a distributed, immutable, and decentralized ledger at its core that consists of a chain of blocks and each block contains a set of data.
• The blocks are linked together using cryptographic techniques and form a chronological chain of information.
• Ethereum has a native coin, Ether, which is the second-largest crypto by market capitalisation.
• Anyone can create a token which runs on the Ethereum blockchain. WLD is one such cryptocurrency.

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

• Blockchain is a shared immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets across a business network.
• A Blockchain is a distributed database, which is shared over a computer network.
• Blockchain stores information electronically in a digital format to make transactions secure.
• Blockchain is a new technology, which is known as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT).
• With the help of Blockchain technology, currency as well as anything can be converted into digital format and stored.
• It is an exchange process, which works on data blocks.
• In this, one block is connected to another block. These blocks cannot be hacked.
• Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency which is built based on Block technology.
• Blockchain has since been used in the creation of various cryptocurrencies, decentralized finance applications, non-fungible tokens and smart contracts.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/worldcoin-what-is-sam-altman-biometric-project-how-does-it-work-in-india/article67134353.ece/amp/

5. INDIA AIMS TO REDUCE TUBERCLOSIS (TB) DEATHS BY 90% BY 2025.

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE; GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: A randomised trial is being carried out in India to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an all-oral, short-course treatment for TB which is coordinated by the Chennai-based National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT).

EXPLANATION:

• The trial, which has enrolled 400 participants in all, began in October 2021 and is underway at eight sites across the country.
• The trial uses just three drugs — bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid (BPaL) — and the treatment lasts only for 26 weeks.
• This is in contrast to eight-nine tablets each day for 18 months in the case of conventional treatment for drug-resistant TB. .
• Target audience is people with pre-XDR TB or treatment intolerant/non-responsive MDR pulmonary TB.
• A person with pre-XDR TB on BPaL regimen will consume over 500 tablets over 26 weeks compared with over 4,300 tablets over 18 months with conventional treatment for drug-resistant TB.
• The more the number of tablets a day and longer the treatment duration the lower will be the treatment adherence, thus resulting in poor outcomes.
• The interim results show a cure rate of over 85% which establishes the superiority of the BPaL short-course therapy, according to scientists conducting the trial.
• The the BPaL regimen, which has been approved by the WHO but yet to be implemented in India, can help India to reduce TB incidence by 80% and TB deaths by 90% by 2025, the targets set by the GoI.

INDIA’S TUBERCLOSIS REPORT 2023

• India continues to be the largest contributor to global TB cases.
• India is targeting to reduce TB incidence by 80% and TB deaths by 90% by 2025.
• National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) is a centrally sponsored programme.
• It is being implemented under the aegis of the National Health Mission (NHM) with resource sharing between the State Governments and the Central Government.
• Despite the devastating impact of pandemic in the country, under the guiding light of National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2017-2025, NTEP shifted gears in 2022 and accelerated its pace towards ending TB by 2025.
• The four key pillars being implemented through strategic interventions under the NSP are DETECT, TREAT, PREVENT and BUILD.
• This led to various achievements by the programme as well as implementation of innovative strategies and interventions for the benefit of patients and the community.

BEDAQUILINE

• Bedaquiline is a member of the diarylquinoline class of drugs.
• It has a unique mechanism of action, targeting the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase enzyme of the TB mycobacteria.
• ATP-synthase is used in the process by which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb)generates its energy supply.
• It is active against both  tband the drug-resistant TB bacteria that cause Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
• Laboratory tests and clinical trials have shown it to have strong bactericidal and sterilizing properties.
• Bedaquiline is used in many of the new TB and drug-resistant TB treatment regimens currently in development by TB Alliance.

PRETOMANID

• Pretomanid is a nitroimidazole, a class of novel anti-bacterial agents.
• It has been developed by TB Alliance.
• It is used to treat Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR TB) or treatment-intolerant/non-responsive.
• MDR-TB, in combination with bedaquiline and linezolid, as part of the BPaL regimen.
• Early in pretomanid’s development, it was known as “PA-824.”

 LINEZOLID

• It is member of the oxazolidinone class of drugs.
• Linezolid is active against most Gram-positive bacteria that cause disease, including tuberculosis, streptococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
• It was discovered in the 1990s and first approved for use in 2000.
• Linezolid was the first commercially available 1,3-oxazolidinone antibiotic.
• As a protein synthesis inhibitor, it stops the growth of bacteria by disrupting their production of proteins, that is, it is a bacteriostatic agent, not bactericidal.
• Many antibiotics work this way, the exact mechanism of action of linezolid appears to be unique.
• It blocks the initiation of protein production, and Bacterial resistance to linezolid has remained very low.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES TO ELIMINATE TB:

• National TB Control Programme:
• It was started in 1962 with the aim to detect cases earliest and treat them.
• In the district, the programme is implemented through the district Tuberculosis Centre (DTC) and the Primary Health Institutions.
• The District Tuberculosis Programme (DTP) is supported by the state level organization for the coordination and supervision of the programme.
• Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP):
• It was based on the Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course (DOTS) strategy, began as a pilot project in 1993.
• It was launched as a national programme in 1997 but rapid RNTCP expansion began in late 1998.
• The nation-wide coverage was achieved in 2006.
• RNTCP is being implemented with decentralised services of TB diagnosis through 13,000+ designated microscopy centres and free treatment across the nation through 4 lakh DOT centres.
• National Strategic Plan for 2012-17:
• RNTCP’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2012-17 was part of the country’s 12th Five-year Plan.
• The theme of the NSP 2012-17 was “Universal Access for quality diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients in the community” with a target of “reaching the unreached”.
• The major focus was early and complete detection of all TB cases in the community, including drug resistant TB and HIV-associated TB.
• The NSP was backed up by GoI’s commitment for substantial increase in the investment for TB control, with a four-fold increase in budgetary allocation.
• National Strategic Plan for 2017- 25 for TB elimination in India:
• It encapsulates the bold and innovative steps required to eliminate TB in India by 2030.
• It is crafted in line with other health sector strategies and global efforts, such as the draft National Health Policy 2015, World Health Organization’s (WHO) End TB Strategy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN).
• Vision:TB – Free India with zero deaths, disease, and poverty due to tuberculosis.
• Goal: To achieve a rapid decline in burden of TB, morbidity and mortality while working towards elimination of TB in India by 2025.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/tb-over-85-cure-rate-seen-in-modified-bpal-regimen-trial/article67132762.ece/amp/

1. RESOURCE EFFICIENCY CIRCULAR ECONOMY INDUSTRY COALITION

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Union Minister launched Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition on the sidelines of 4th G-20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) and Environment and Climate Ministers’ meeting in Chennai.

EXPLANATION:

• Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition is conceived during India’s G20 Presidency, is an industry-led initiative with a global focus on promoting resource efficiency and circular economy practices.
• 39 multinational corporations (MNCs) from sectors such as steel, FMCG, and electronics came together to pledge to adopt resource efficiency and circular economy principles.
• The ECSWG has been involved in discussing environmental issues and promoting global collaboration towards a sustainable and resilient future.
• Embracing a circular economy model enables the transition from the linear “take-make-waste” paradigm and embraces a more sustainable and regenerative approach.

Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition:

• Designed as an autonomous body, the coalition is projected to continue operations beyond India’s G20 tenure, thereby facilitating a sustainable environmental impact.
• The coalition would be led by industries, and the government would only play a supporting role. The coalition includes “39 founding members from 11 different nations.”
• It aims to address environmental challenges arising from waste, including plastics, microplastics, e-waste, and chemical waste.
• It is designed to be a platform for knowledge and best practice exchange, fostering sustainable practices among its participating industries.
• Its core principles revolve around partnership for impact, technology cooperation, and finance for scalability.
• The coalition is structured around the 3 guiding pillars of partnerships for impact, technology cooperation and finance for scale.

The mission of this coalition is to:

• Facilitate and foster greater company-to-company collaboration,
• Build advanced capabilities across sectors and value chains,
• Bring learnings from the diverse and global experiences of the coalition members, and
• Unlock on-ground private sector action to enhance resource efficiency and accelerate circular economy transition.

Significance of RECEIC:

• It would play a pivotal role in promoting alliances, encouraging technological cooperation and knowledge transfer, fostering innovation, and facilitating the exchange of insights to enhance access to finance.
• It will contribute towards progress on key global goals and priorities set by the G20 and other international fora.
• RECEIC will also act as an overarching platform enabling industries to address information gaps and coordination challenges across the G20 members.

What is a circular economy?

• It is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended.

• In practice, it implies reducing waste to a minimum. When a product reaches the end of its life, its materials are kept within the economy by recycling. These can be productively used again and again, thereby creating further value.

Benefits:

• To protect the environment: Reusing and recycling products would slow down the use of natural resources, reduce landscape and habitat disruption and help to limit biodiversity loss.
• Reduction in GHG emission: Another benefit of the circular economy is a reduction in total annual greenhouse gas emissions. According to the European Environment Agency, industrial processes and product use are responsible for 9.10% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, while the management of waste accounts for 3.32%.
• Reduce raw material dependence: Recycling raw materials mitigates the risks associated with supply, such as price volatility, availability and import dependency.
• Create jobs and save consumers money: Moving towards a more circular economy could increase competitiveness, stimulate innovation, boost economic growth and create jobs.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/39-mncs-come-together-for-circular-economy-coalition/article67128308.ece

2. DIGITAL PAYMENTS INDEX

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India’s Digital Payments Index has increased across all parameters, driven by significant growth in payment infrastructure and payment performance across the country over the period.

EXPLANATION:

• The Reserve Bank of India’s Digital Payments Index rose to 57 in March 2023 from 377.46 in September 2022 and 349.30 in March 2022.
• The RBI introduced the composite Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) in January 2021 to capture digitisation of payments. The index has since been steadily rising, crossing the 300-point mark in September 2021.
• As per the Economic Survey 2022-23, India has the highest fintech adoption rate of 87 per cent among the public compared to the global average of 64 per cent.
• Further, India has gained the third place in digital payments, coming only after US and China.
• The increase in RBI’s Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) highlights the remarkable surge in digital payment adoption in India, predominantly propelled by the success of UPI.

Digital Payments Index (DPI):

• RBI is publishing the Digital Payments Index (DPI) semi-annually from March 2021 onwards for measurement of the deepening and penetration of digital payments in the country over different time periods.
• The RBI-DPI is a first-of-its-kind index to measure the spread of digital payments across the country.The Base period of the RBI-DPI has been set as March 2018, at a score of 100.
• The DPI index comprises five broad parameters to evaluate the penetration of digital payments in the country.
• These parameters are –

(i) Payment Enablers

(ii) Payment Infrastructure – Demand-side factors

(iii) Payment Infrastructure – Supply-side factors

 (iv) Payment Performance

(v) Consumer Centricity.

• Out of all the indicators, payment performance has the highest weight of 45%, followed by Payment Enablers with a weight of 25%, and Payment Infrastructure- supply side and demand side with a weight of 15% and 10%, respectively.
• Lastly, the indicator Consumer Centricity has a weight of 5%. This is an important indicator to track the development in all aspects of the digital payments index.
• Each indicator has various sub-parameters, as listed in the table below:

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/rbis-digital-payments-index-jumps-to-39557-in-march-from-37746-in-sept/article67128759.ece

3. IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL AQUIFER MAPPING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME (NAQUIM)

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Government has recently informed the parliament that mapping of acquifers under National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme has been completed by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).

EXPLANATION:

National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM)

• It is a pioneer programme for the scientific management of aquifers, where a large amount of data is being collected and analyzed.
• It aimed to delineate aquifer (water-bearing formations) disposition and their characterization for preparation of aquifer/ area specific groundwater management plans with community participation.
• The management plans are shared with the respective State Governments for suitable implementation.
• The management plans are subject to a three-tier review, including a review by a National Level Expert Committee (NLEC) before finalization.
• It aims to make expeditious availability of groundwater-related information for suitable interventions to the stakeholders.
• It has been taken up by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation.
• Out of the total geographical area of nearly 33 lakh km² of the entire country, an area of around 25 lakh km² has been identified to be covered under the NAQUIM programme in phases.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)

• It is a multi-disciplinary scientific organization of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.
• It is the National Apex Agency entrusted with the responsibility of providing scientific inputs for the management, exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation and regulation of groundwater resources of the country.

Mandate:

• To develop and disseminate technologies and monitor and implement national policies for scientific and sustainable development.
• Management of India’s groundwater resources, including their exploration, assessment, conservation, augmentation, protection from pollution, and distribution, based on principles of economic and ecological efficiency and equity.

Its Mission:

• To develop groundwater policies, programmes and practices to monitor and enable the effective use of the country’s groundwater resources in a sustainable manner with the active involvement of all stakeholders.
• To put into place scientific systems and practices which would result in a sustained increase in groundwater use efficiency.
• To disseminate information, skills and knowledge, which would help in capacity building and mass awareness in the ground water sector.

Organization Setup:

• It is headed by the Chairman and has six Members. The central headquarters is at Faridabad.
• The administrative and financial matters of the Board are dealt with by the Director (Administration) and Member(Finance), respectively.
• For undertaking the activities in the field, 18 Regional Offices, each headed by a Regional Director, have been established in the country.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1943353

4. SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (SSLV)

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The government’s effort to privatise part of its space programme by opening bids to build its small satellite launch rocket has attracted initial interest from 20 companies.

EXPLANATION:

• Under a policy driven by Prime Minister, India is following NASA’s lead in opening launch and other space businesses to private investment. The bid to take over the manufacturing and development of the SSLV rocket programme was the first privatisation of its kind under that policy.
• India’s newly created space regulatory body, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, known as IN-SPACe, opened the process by allowing qualified companies to register an interest.
• In this respect, 20 companies had submitted an “expression of interest” (EOI) in the rocket programme.
• To be eligible to bid, companies have to be profitable, and the lead bidder in a consortium has to have at least five years of manufacturing experience and annual revenue of Rs 400 crore.
• India is aiming to increase its share of the global satellite launch market by fivefold within the next decade.

Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV):

• Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a low-cost means of launching satellites weighing up to 500 kg into low-earth orbit.
• It was developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation, the national space agency, and had its first successful satellite launch in February 2023.
• It serves a market experiencing a surge in demand for launching clusters of satellites for communication and data.
• A small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a 3-stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage.
• SSLV is 2m in diameter and 34m in length with a lift-off weight of ~120 tonnes. SSLV is capable of launching a ~500kg satellite in a 500km planar orbit from SDSC/SHAR.
• The key features of SSLV are Low cost, with low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, Launch on demand feasibility, minimal launch infrastructure requirements, etc.
• The SSLV was developed with the aim of launching small satellites commercially at drastically reduced prices and higher launch rates compared to Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

Key Features:

• Low cost
• Low turn-around time
• Flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites
• Launch demand feasibility
• Minimal launch infrastructure requirements, etc.

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe):

• It is a single-window, independent, nodal agency that functions as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS).
• It is formed following the Space sector reforms to enable and facilitate the participation of private players.
• It is responsible for promoting, enable, authorising and supervising various space activities of non-governmental entities, including building launch vehicles & satellites and providing space-based services
• Its mandate includes sharing space infrastructure and premises under the control of DOS/ISRO, and establishing new space infrastructure and facilities.
• The agency acts as an interface between ISRO and Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) and assesses how to utilize India’s space resources better and increase space-based activities.
• It also assesses the needs and demands of private players, including educational and research institutions, and explores ways to accommodate these requirements in consultation with ISRO.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/indias-offer-to-privatise-rocket-has-20-potential-bidders/articleshow/102162635.cms?from=mdr

5. AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION (ABDM)

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: To promote digital health adoption and make healthcare more accessible, the National Health Authority (NHA) has launched 100 Microsites Project under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

EXPLANATION:

• These microsites will serve as clusters for small and medium-scale clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, labs, pharmacies, and other healthcare facilities that are ABDM-enabled and offer digital health services to patients.
• The microsites will be established across the country in various states/union territories.
• It will primarily be implemented by State Mission Directors of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, while the National Health Authority will provide financial resources and overall guidance.
• The main goal of these microsites is to create a small ecosystem in specific geographic areas where complete ABDM adoption is present and the entire patient journey is digitized.
• Patients visiting these centres will also become part of ABDM, with their health records linked to their ABHA.
• The ABHA(Ayushman Bharat Health Account) Number will be used for the purposes of uniquely identifying persons, authenticating them, and threading their health records (only with the informed consent of the patient) across multiple systems and stakeholders.
• The project intends to raise awareness about ABDM and its benefits among small and medium-scale healthcare providers, encourage them to register on ABDM’s core registries, use ABDM-certified digital solutions and ultimately link digital health records.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM):

• It aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.
• It will bridge the existing gap among different stakeholders of the Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways.

Vision:

• To create a national digital health ecosystem that supports universal health coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely and safe manner.
• It provides a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems, and ensures the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

Objectives:

• To establish state-of-the-art digital health systems, to manage the core digital health data and the infrastructure required for its seamless exchange.
• To establish registries at appropriate levels to create a single source of truth in respect of clinical establishments, healthcare professionals, health workers, drugs and pharmacies.
• To enforce the adoption of open standards by all national digital health stakeholders.
• To promote development of enterprise-class health application systems with a special focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for health.
• To adopt the best principles of cooperative federalism while working with the States and Union Territories for the realization of the vision.

Building blocks of ABDM

• Health ID – It standardizes the process of identification of an individual across healthcare providers to ensure that the created medical records are issued to the correct individual or accessed by Health Information User through appropriate consent.
• Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) – It is a comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals involved in the delivery of healthcare services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
• Health Facility Registry (HFR) – It is a comprehensive repository of health facilities of the nation across different systems of medicine. It includes both public and private health facilities, including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and imaging centres, pharmacies, etc.
• ABHA Mobile App (PHR) – A PHR is an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards, and that can be drawn from multiple sources while being managed, shared, and controlled by the individual.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/national-health-authority-launches-100-microsites-project-for-digital-health-adoption-in-ayushman-bharat-digital-mission-11690542056171.html

1. ZOMBIE FIRES

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Canada’s extreme wildfire season offers a glimpse of new risks in a warmer, drier future. As global temperatures rise, zombie fires are also spreading farther north and into the Arctic.

EXPLANATION:

• Earlier, the blanket of wildfire smoke spread across large parts of the U.S. and Canada, signifying apocalyptic orange skies and air pollution levels.
• These fires are not just burning in trees and grasses. New research on the exceptional Arctic fire seasons of 2019 and 2020 points to fires moving into the ground as well. These underground fires are known as “zombie fires”.
• First, as the organic-rich Arctic soils dry up because of changing climate conditions, they can burn slowly and release vast amounts of smoke into the atmosphere.
• Second, soil fires that spread underground are harder for firefighters to tame and extinguish, thus demanding more resources for longer periods of time.
• In areas where carbon-rich peatlands are common, people are dealing with fires smouldering to depths dozens of feet underground.
• As these soil fires don’t die easily, as recent research finds that Arctic soil fires can smoulder through the winter and reignite during early spring when temperatures rise, hence the nickname “zombie fires.”

What is a zombie fire?

• Most people picture wildfires as catastrophic flames consuming trees and grasses.
• Zombie fires are ground fires that do not flame but burn more slowly and have the tendency to spread deep into the ground and spread laterally.
• The result is that ground-smoldering fires are not only less visible, but they are also less accessible and require digging up and dousing with lots of water.
• These smouldering fires also produce more smoke because of their lower temperature of combustion.
• Ultra-fine particles in smoke are particularly harmful to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and can be carried far and wide by winds.
• Because of the slow combustion process and the abundance of fuel in the form of carbon and oxygen, smouldering ground fires can also burn for months and sometimes years.
• Some of these ground fires can become so massive that they release smoke plumes that cover vast geographical regions.
• In 1997, peat fires in Indonesia sent dangerous levels of smoke across Southeast Asia and parts of Australia and increased carbon emissions. They were ignited by slash-and-burn activities to plant palm plantations and amplified by drought conditions during a severe El Niño event.

Reasons:

• Wildfires have been a natural part of the northern forest and tundra ecosystems for thousands of years.
• Rising temperature: The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the world, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification, i.e. the Arctic has already exceeded a 2 C (3.6 F) increase compared with pre-industrial times.
• Changes in atmospheric circulation: It creates periods of extreme heat, dry out vegetation and reduces moisture in soils, and, importantly, leads to more frequent lightning strikes that can spark blazes.
• Lightning: Although lightning remains infrequent at very high latitudes, it is expected to increase and expand over larger territories into the far north as the climate warms and generates more storms that can produce lightning. In 2022, thousands of lightning strikes helped spark one of Alaska’s worst fire seasons on record.
• Peatleads: As the Arctic warms and fires move farther northward, peat soils rich in dead plant material burn at an accelerated rate. Northern ecosystems store twice as much carbon in their peat and permafrost as the atmosphere, and both are increasingly vulnerable to fire.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/climate-change/-zombie-fires-in-the-arctic-canada-s-extreme-wildfire-season-offers-a-glimpse-of-new-risks-in-a-warmer-drier-future-90711

2. BACTERIOPHAGES

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: With antibiotic resistance rising, scientists think bacteriophages which hunt and kill bacteria could cure bacterial infections.

EXPLANATION:

• Outbreaks of viral diseases, such as smallpox, influenza, HIV, and COVID-19, have killed billions and fundamentally shaped societies throughout human history.
• But not all viruses are bad; similar to bacteria, “good” or “friendly” viruses can also be beneficial for health.
• Scientists now talk of a virome which is all the different types of viruses that a human body hosts in bodies which contribute to health, much like the bacterial microbiome.
• A person has 380 trillion virus particles living (or existing) in the body right now, i.e. 10 times more than the number of bacteria.
• These viruses lurk in our lungs and blood, live on our skin and linger inside the microbes in our guts.
• There are viruses that kill cancer cells and help break down tumours, others that train our immune system and help them fight pathogens and even some that control gene expression in pregnancy.

Bacteriophages: Anti-bacterial guard dogs

• The vast majority of viruses inside us are bacteriophages which are the viruses that kill bacteria in our microbiomes.
• Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are harmless to human cells as they do not recognize them as their bacterial prey.

Mechanism of Bacteriophages:

• They work by hunting down bacteria and attaching themselves to the surface of a bacterial cell before injecting viral DNA material into the cell.
• The viral DNA then replicates inside the bacteria, sometimes by borrowing the DNA replication hardware of the bacteria.
• Once enough new viruses have been created inside the bacterial cell, the cell then bursts to release the new viral particles.
• All this takes just 30 minutes, meaning one virus can become many in a couple of hours.

Phage therapy:

• The advantages of phages lie in their effectiveness against every multi-resistant pathogen. Phages are extremely precise in their elimination of bacterial strains that won’t disturb the gut microbiome, as is the case with antibiotics.
• Phages could be a huge boon in our fight against antibacterial resistance.
• Due to the scarcity of antibiotics in Soviet-era Russia, phages were used to treat bacterial infections, and their use has continued in countries like Georgia, Ukraine and Russia for decades.
• However, Phage therapy must be precisely tailored to the bacteria that cause an infection in a patient, as bacteria do also develop resistance to phage therapies.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/bacteriophages-good-viruses-fight-bacteria-8848914/

3. WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT INDEX (WEI) AND THE GLOBAL GENDER PARITY INDEX (GGPI)

TAG: GS 1: SOCIETY; GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: According to a UN report, only 1% of women live in countries with high gender parity, and female empowerment. In India, women empowerment, gender parity was found to be ‘low’ despite ‘medium’ human development.

EXPLANATION:

• They are a first-of-its-kind report that presents a comprehensive analysis of the progress made in the human development of women and girls was jointly created by two UN agencies, i.e. UN Women and UN Development Programme.
• The bodies collated data from 114 countries and analysed them based on the twin indices of the Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) and the Global Gender Parity Index (GGPI).
• This report highlights the global challenges faced by women and provides a roadmap for targeted interventions and policy reforms. The report introduces two new indices:
• The Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) measures women’s power and freedom to make choices.
• The Global Gender Parity Index (GGPI) evaluates the status of women relative to men in core dimensions of human development and exposes gaps in parity between women and men.
• Combined, these indices offer a comprehensive assessment of countries’ progress in achieving gender equality.
• The WEI focuses solely on women, measuring their power and freedom to make choices and seize opportunities in life.

Findings of the report:

• According to the report by the United Nations, only an abysmal 1% of women across the world live in countries that have managed to achieve both high women empowerment and gender parity.
• The report noted leadership roles and decision-making still mostly lie with men and are unavailable to women.
• As per WEI, on average, women are empowered to achieve only 60 per cent of their full potential.
• As measured by the GGPI, women were also found to achieve 28 per cent less than men across key human development dimensions.
• None of the 114 countries analysed achieved full women’s empowerment or complete gender parity.
• More than 90 per cent of the global population of women live in countries with low or middle women’s empowerment and low or middle performance in achieving gender parity.
• In India, women’s empowerment and gender parity were both found to be ‘low’, although it was assessed to be in the ‘medium’ category in terms of human development.
• It was found that about 8 per cent of women and girls live in countries with low or middle women’s empowerment but high performance in achieving gender parity.
• The report identified areas where comprehensive policy action is needed:

1. Health policies: Support and promote long and healthy lives for all, with a focus on universal access to sexual and reproductive health
2. Equality in education: Address gaps in skills and quality of education, especially in fields such as STEM, to empower women and girls in the digital age
3. Work-life balance and support for families: Invest in policies and services that address work-life balance, including affordable quality childcare services, parental leave schemes, and flexible working arrangements
4. Women’s equal participation: Set targets and action plans for achieving gender parity in all spheres of public life and eliminate discriminatory laws and regulations that hold women back
5. Violence against women: Implement comprehensive measures focused on prevention, changing social norms, and eliminating discriminatory laws and policies

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT INDEX (WEI)

• The WEI is a composite index designed to measure progress in the multi-dimensional aspects of women’s empowerment.
• Empowerment is considered a factor of both women’s achievements as well as of gender parity with men.
• WEI measures progress on women’s empowerment by aggregating results across five key areas (or “domains”). Each domain is comprised of a series of metrics (or “indicators”) which quantifies performance in this domain.

THE GLOBAL GENDER PARITY INDEX (GGPI)

• It is a socioeconomic index usually designed to measure the human development of males and females.
• It measures attempts to eliminate gender disparities and emphasizes the plight of girls with unequal access in third-world countries.
• It is often used in order to identify nations and regions that are in need of economic development and equality.
• For any development indicator, one can define the GPI relative to this indicator by dividing its value for females by its value for males.
• A GPI value less than one is an indication that gender parity favours males, while a GPI value greater than one designates that gender parity is in favour of females.
• The closer a GPI is to one, the closer a country is to achieving equality of access between males and females. A nation is said to have achieved gender parity when its GPI value falls within the range of 0.97 and 1.03.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/world/only-1-women-live-in-countries-with-high-gender-parity-female-empowerment-un-report-90685

4. U.S.-INDIA STRATEGIC CLEAN ENERGY PARTNERSHIP (SCEP)

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: India and the US emphasized the need for joint action and collaboration to navigate the global energy transition during the Ministerial meeting of the U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP).

EXPLANATION:

Highlights of the meeting:

• A joint statement said that both sides renewed their commitment to work towards a just, orderly and sustainable energy transition, which prioritizes access to reliable, affordable, and clean energy supply.
• The statement said that during the meeting, both the countries noted the growing importance of bilateral energy cooperation between the countries while underscoring the critical importance of bilateral clean energy engagement.
• They highlight the achievements of the SCEP in strengthening energy security, creating opportunities for clean energy innovation, addressing climate change and creating employment generation opportunities.
• They reviewed the mandates of SCEP, which over the years has deepened collaboration across a wide breadth of clean energy work streams, including clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency, and increased collaboration in emerging technologies.
• Both sides recognised the importance of producing green/clean hydrogen as a critical energy source for global decarbonisation and agreed to support each other’s national hydrogen missions.
• The sides also acknowledged that successfully achieving ambitious climate and clean energy aspirations necessitates coordinated efforts on development of energy transition roadmaps, capacity building, job skilling, and sharing of best practices at all levels of government.
• In that context, the sides agreed to work toward development of net zero villages in India to support the clean energy transition.”

Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP):

• A high-level U.S.- India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership was announced jointly by the Indian Prime Minister and US President on the margins of the April 2021 Leaders’ Summit on Climate.
• It aims to advance shared climate and clean energy goals.
• The Agenda 2030 Partnership includes two tracks in the form of the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) and the Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue.
• The SCEP was earlier established as the Strategic Energy Partnership in 2018 and had replaced the U.S.-India Energy Dialogue, the previous intergovernmental engagement for energy cooperation.
• The SCEP advances energy security and innovation with greater emphasis on electrification and decarbonization of processes and end uses, scaling up emerging clean energy technologies while finding solutions for hard-to decarbonize sectors.
• Engagement with the private sector and other stakeholders will remain a priority.

• The Strategic Clean Energy Partnership’s Renewable Energy Pillar objectives are aligned to drive faster deployment of renewable energy for inclusive and resilient development, taking into account national circumstances and sustainable development priorities.
• The overarching goal is to enhance equitable economic development, universal energy access, and energy security in India, with broader benefits through South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region as a whole.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/industry/energy/india-us-stress-on-joint-action-for-global-energy-transition-11689709121376.html

5. BURA CHAPORI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, in  Assam’s Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary, violence erupted, leaving one woman, Rahima Khatun, dead and six others, including three forest guards, injured.

EXPLANATION:

• The picturesque location first made news in February,2023 when it was at the centre of a massive eviction exercise during which the forest department cleared 1,282 hectares of land where more than 2,000 people had set up homes.

Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is a protected area located in the state of Assam in India. It is located in Sonipat district, 40 km from Tezpur town and 181 km away from Guwahati.
• This wildlife sanctuary covers 44.06 km2 on the south bank of the Brahmaputra River.
• The area was declared a Reserved forest in 1974; it became a sanctuary in 1995.
• It comprises of a mosaic of wet alluvial grassland, riparian and semi-evergreen forests dotted by wetland and river systems.
• It forms an integral part of the Laokhowa-Burachapori ecosystem and is a notified buffer of the Kaziranga Tiger reserve.

Biodiversity

• This sanctuary is home to the different mammals. Reptiles and fish are also found here.
• Mammals: Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, wild buffalo, hog deer, wild pig, and elephants.
• Several wetlands within the wildlife sanctuary also make it an ideal breeding place for several species of migratory birds during the winter season.
• Bird: Bengal Florican, Black-necked Stork, Mallard, Open billed Stork, Teal, and Whistling Duck among others.
• The grassland is also rich in various kinds of medicinal herbs and plants.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-assam-eviction-flare-up-leaves-mother-of-2-dead-what-was-the-need-to-shoot-8847244/

1. RAJASTHAN MINIMUM GUARANTEED INCOME BILL, 2023

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: Aiming to support individuals and households of the state with an “additional income”, the Rajasthan govt tables Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023 to guarantee minimum income.

EXPLANATION:

Provisions of the Bill introduced:

• The Bill largely covers three broad areas: Right to Minimum Guaranteed Income, Right to Guaranteed Employment and Right to Guaranteed Social Security Pension.
• Right to Minimum Guaranteed Income
• It is under the Mahatma Gandhi Minimum Guaranteed Income Yojana or MGMGIY.
• Under this, state government shall provide to eligible persons a minimum guaranteed income through:

1. Employment in urban areas through the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (IGUEGS)
2. Employment in rural areas through Chief Minister Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (CMREGS)
3. Pension to an eligible category of old age/specially abled/widow/single woman.

• Right to Guaranteed Employment
• Under this, every adult person residing in the rural areas shall have a right to get guaranteed employment for doing permissible work of at least additional 25 days in a financial year on completion of maximum days of work as prescribed by the MGNREGA.
• To receive minimum wages weekly or, in any case, not later than a fortnight.
• For urban areas, every adult person of the state shall have a right to get guaranteed employment for doing permissible work of at least 125 days in a financial year and to receive minimum wages weekly or, in any case, not later than a fortnight.
• The Right to Guaranteed Social Security Pension
• It entitles every person falling in the category of old age/especially abled/widow/single woman, with prescribed eligibility, to a pension.
• An important component of the pension would be an automatic increase of 15 per cent annually on the base rate in two instalments, i.e., 5 per cent in July and 10 per cent in January of each financial year, starting from financial year 2024-2025.

Universal Basic Income:

• In India, UBI was first tried out in rural Madhya Pradesh in 2011-12 with heartening results.
• It was also put forward in the 2017 Economic Survey and in a recent report by the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council as a potent social policy tool for India.
• Related Pros and Cons:

Pros	Cons
Simple and efficient to administer	Could encourage laziness
Avoids poverty	Could discourage part-time work
Reduces inequality	Cost higher than current benefit system leading to higher taxes
Encourage social security for old, disabled and other vulnerable sections.	Higher-income taxes could disincentives to work
Encourage the individuals to take risks in entrepreneurship.	This could lead to welfare for undesirable criminals.

• UBI in other countries:

Government Initiatives in social security:

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005:

• It is a social welfare measure that aims to guarantee the ‘right to work’.
• It aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to at least one member of every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
• Women are guaranteed one-third of the jobs made available under the MGNREGA.
• Another aim of MGNREGA is to create durable assets (such as roads, canals, and wells).
• Employment is to be provided within 5 km of an applicant’s residence, and minimum wages are to be paid. If work is not provided within 15 days of applying, applicants are entitled to an unemployment allowance.
• If the government fails to provide employment, it must provide certain unemployment allowances to those people. Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement.

Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009:

• Enacted in 2009, It describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children.
• The Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools.
• It requires all private schools to reserve 25% of seats for children (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the public-private partnership plan).
• There is also a provision for special training of school drop-outs to bring them up to par with students of the same age.

National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013:

• It marks a paradigm shiftin the approach to food security from a welfare to a rights-based approach.
• The Act legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized foodgrains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
• About two-thirds of the population therefore is covered under the Act to receive highly subsidized foodgrains.
• As a step towards women’s empowerment, the eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards under the Act.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/rajasthan-govt-tables-bill-to-guarantee-minimum-income-8847272/

2. THE COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (CGRFA)

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Delegates from across the world have gathered at the 19th session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) in Rome, Italy to deliberate on biodiversity, nutrition & human health. During the 5-day session, members will also discuss the commission’s future work.

EXPLANATION:

Highlights of the meeting:

• The meeting is taking place at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) headquarters in Rome.
• Delegates and observers will deliberate on three matters:
• A review of work on biodiversity, nutrition and human health
• Access and benefit-sharing for food and agriculture
• Digital sequence information for food and agriculture.
• Delegates will discuss biodiversity for food and agriculture, the role of genetic resources for food and agriculture in mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, forest genetic resources, and animal genetic resources.
• Other than working on the diversity of domesticated crops, livestock and farmed fish and aquatic invertebrates, forest trees and aquatic species, the commission also covers the diversity of all the non-domesticated species that enable production to occur.
• These include pollinators, soil-dwelling organisms, the natural enemies of pests and the microorganisms that enable ruminant animals to digest their food.

Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA):

• It is the only permanent forum for governments to discuss and negotiate matters specifically relevant to biological diversity for food and agriculture.
• The commission was established in 1983, and on July 16, it completed 40 years of existence.
• Its headquarters is located in Rome, Italy.
• Its membership comprises 179 countries and the European Union.
• Its functions:

– It has a coordinating role and deals with policy, sectorial and cross-sectorial matters related to the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources of relevance to food and agriculture.

– It monitors the state of the world’s genetic resources for food and agriculture.

– It strives to reach international consensus on policies and action programmes to ensure the conservation and sustainable utilization of genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their use.

– It contributes to the strengthening of national and regional policies on biodiversity for food and agriculture and promotes cooperation in capacity-building.

– It continues and strengthens cooperation and partnerships on biodiversity for food and agriculture.

Access and benefit-sharing:

It ensures that appropriate genetic resources with relevant traits are available and accessible is crucial for food security.

Globally, the issue of access and benefit-sharing (ABS) is addressed, in varying degrees of detail, by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Treaty) and the Nagoya Protocol, a supplementary agreement to the CBD.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD):

• Itis the international legal instrument for “the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources” that has been ratified by 196 nations.
• The CBD’s governing body is the Conference of the Parties (COP). This ultimate authority of all governments (or Parties) that have ratified the treaty meets every two years to review progress, set priorities and commit to work plans.

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Treaty):

• The objectives of the treaty are the conservation and sustainable use of all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use.
• It is in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity for sustainable agriculture and food security.
• It also calls for protecting the traditional knowledge of these farmers, increasing their participation in national decision-making processes and ensuring that they share in the benefits from the use of these resources.

The Nagoya Protocol

• The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/genetic-resources-commission-gathers-in-rome-to-deliberate-on-biodiversity-nutrition-human-health-90700

3. GLOBAL BIOFUEL ALLIANCE

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The upcoming 14th Clean Energy Ministerial and Eighth Mission Innovation (CEM14/MI-8) conference, scheduled to take place in Goa from July 19-22, 2023, is likely to establish the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA).

EXPLANATION:

• Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) serves as a prominent international platform, bringing together influential figures to promote clean energy technology and knowledge exchange and facilitate the global transition towards a clean energy economy.
• Under the leadership of India during its G20 Presidency and with the support of Brazil and the United States, the alliance will focus on fostering international collaboration and cooperation to encourage the widespread acceptance and utilisation of biofuels.

Global Biofuel Alliance:

• It can power India’s energy transition drive but must have time-bound targets.
• The focus of the group will be on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuel trade, sharing concrete policy lessons and providing technical support for national biofuel programmes.
• It will collaborate and complement existing regional and international agencies and energy transition initiatives, including the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform, the Mission Innovation Bioenergy initiatives and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP).
• This alliance aims to promote cooperation and accelerate the adoption of sustainable biofuels.

India’s Green Fuel Push:

• In the fiscal year 2020-21, India achieved a significant milestone by producing 4.08 billion litres of ethanol, resulting in a blending rate of 10.02 per cent.
• This accomplishment led to a reduction of 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and saved approximately Rs 41,500 crore in foreign exchange.
• The current target for 2022-23 is to achieve a blending rate of 12 per cent. However, to reach the goal of 20 per cent blending by 2025, the production capacity for ethanol needs to be expanded to 17 billion litres.

• The Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) programme has played a crucial role in establishing 46 CBG plants and the sale of around 16,164 tonnes of CBG as of March 2023.
• India successfully conducted its first commercial passenger flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend produced domestically to address decarbonisation in the aviation sector. The flight, which took place from Pune to Delhi on May 19, 2023, marked a significant milestone.
• The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has established the Bio-Aviation Turbine Fuel Programme Committee to further advance the programme in the country.
• The establishment of the GBA could assist India in achieving greater energy independence and reduce its reliance on foreign oil by promoting the increased utilisation of biofuels.
• In the context of India, immediate objectives could involve strengthening the biomass supply chains, transferring technology for the efficient production of second-generation ethanol from agricultural residue and promoting sustainable financial support for bioenergy initiatives.

National biofuel programmes.

• National Biofuel Policy 2018: The policy is aimed at taking forward the indicative target of achieving 20% blending of biofuels with fossil-based fuels by 2025-26. The Policy categorises biofuels as ‘Basic Biofuels’ viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel and ‘Advanced Biofuels’ Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.
• GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resource)-DHAN Yojana: The scheme aims to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste. It also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers and other rural people. It was launched under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).
• SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) Scheme: The scheme aims to extract economic value from bio-mass waste through Compressed Biogas (CBG) and bio-manure. It aims to cut down on import dependence and reduce vehicular emissions and pollution from the burning of organic waste.

Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform

• It was launched to lead global actions to accelerate development, scale-up, and deployment of sustainable bio-based alternatives to fossil-based fuels, chemicals, and materials.
• It is chaired by the U.S. Department of Energy and coordinated by the IEA, provides a forum for policy dialogue and collaboration among leading countries, organizations, academia, and the private sector.
• Partners include key organizations such as the IEA Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP).

Strategic goals of the Biofuture Platform Initiative:

• Foster consensus on biomass sustainability, availability and governance.
• Promote policy best practices and convergence
• Enable supportive financing mechanisms.
• Promote cooperation on policy, regulation and technology.

Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP)

• GBEP was founded in 2006 to implement the Gleneagles Plan of Action of the G8 +5 (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa) to promote the continued development and commercialisation of renewable energy.
• It is a forum where voluntary cooperation works towards consensus amongst governments, intergovernmental organizations and other partners to advance bioenergy for sustainable development, climate change mitigation and food and energy security.
• It also provides a platform for raising awareness, sharing information and examples of good practice on bioenergy.

The main objectives of the Global Bioenergy Partnership are to:

• Promote global high-level policy dialogue on bioenergy and facilitate international cooperation
• Support national and regional bioenergy policy-making and market development
• Favour the transformation of biomass use towards more efficient and sustainable practices
• Foster exchange of information, skills and technologies through bilateral and multilateral collaboration.

Source:https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/energy/global-biofuel-alliance-can-power-india-s-energy-transition-drive-but-must-have-time-bound-targets-90694

4. GM CROPS

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: There is a determined battle by environmentalists in the Supreme Court of India against Delhi University’s genetically modified (GM) herbicide-tolerant (HT) mustard which is causing an issue between GM food and Indian farmers and consumers.

EXPLANATION:

Issues regarding GM crops in India:

• India has seen a robust debate on GM crops in the last two decades. Environmentalists, scientists, politicians, farmers, consumers and the higher judiciary have asked probing questions about the safety, efficacy and even the very necessity of GM food.
• Many have been alarmed by the experience with Bt cotton, the first and only GM crop approved in the country. Long-term research suggests that Bt cotton has provided only fleeting benefits to farmers while enormously increasing their costs of cultivation and risk. On the other hand, some seed companies have profited handsomely from the expensive GM seeds.
• In the wake of the fierce debate, two Standing Committees of the Parliament independently and comprehensively examined GM crops and food. The Supreme Court also appointed a Technical Expert Committee (TEC) in the public interest litigations filed separately by the non-government organisation Gene Campaign.

Findings of Standing Committees of the Parliament:

• The Committee recommended that the central government, in consultation with states should ensure that the process of field trials is done in a closed environment and in consultation with agricultural universities. This will ensure bio and health safety and minimise the scope of fudging primary data.
• It stated that the Ministry should review the functioning and organisational setup of GEAC and take necessary corrective measures. This will ensure that the process of assessment and approval is transparent.

Findings of Supreme Court appointed Technical Expert Committee (TEC):

• It has recommended an indefinite moratorium on open field trials of genetically-modified (GM) crops till the deficiencies in the regulatory and safety systems are effectively addressed.
• A deeper understanding of the process of risk assessment is needed within the regulatory system for it to meet the needs of a proper bio-safety evaluation.
• The committee has suggested setting up a secretariat comprising dedicated scientists with area and bio-safety expertise.

GM Crops:

• GM crops are quite different from conventional varieties and hybrids, such as those developed by farmers, agricultural research institutions and companies.
• Biotechnologists insert select genes at a random location in the DNA of a plant to develop a GM crop. The insertion makes a GM crop express traits that it ordinarily would not.

• For instance, GM mustard has been altered to withstand the broad-spectrum plant-killer or herbicide glufosinate. This makes it easier to develop hybrid mustard seeds for higher yields. And farmers growing GM mustard can spray the herbicide to kill all plants except the mustard.

Regulations of GM Crops in India:

• In India, the regulation of all activities related to GMOs and products thereof are regulated as per “Rules for the Manufacture/Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms, Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989” under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• It covers the entire spectrum of activities involving GMOs and products thereof, including sale, storage, exportation, importation, production, manufacturing, packaging, etc.
• These rules are implemented by the MoEFCC, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India and State Governments.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC):

• It functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• As per Rules, 1989, it is responsible for appraisal of activities involving large-scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle.
• It is also responsible for the appraisal of proposals relating to the release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the environment, including experimental field trials.
• It is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of MoEF&CC and co-chaired by a representative from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
• Presently, it has 24 members and meets every month to review the applications in the areas indicated above.

Regulations in other countries:

Benefits of GM Crops:

• Improve yields
• Reduced costs for food or drug production
• Reduced need for pesticides
• Enhanced nutrient composition and food quality
• Resistance to pests and disease
• Greater food security
• Medical benefits to the world’s growing population.

Risks Associated with GM Crops:

• Serious harm to the environment
• Long-term health risks
• Loss of nutrition
• Antibiotic resistance

Source:https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-push-for-gm-mustard-disregarding-science-the-law/article67095116.ece#:~:text=In%20recent%20hearings%20in%20the,it%20was%20to%20improve%20yields

5. WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT MECHANISM

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: One of the significant outcomes of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the U.S. was the decision of the two countries to end six long-standing trade disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

EXPLANATION:

Issues:

• The WTO Appellate Body has been redundant since 2019, which led to the exaggeration of disputes between India and the US.
• Three cases settled as part of the deal are before the defunct Appellate Body, while the rest could have potentially been ‘appealed into the void’.

The disputes

• A challenge of the domestic content requirements under India’s National Solar Mission.
• While disagreements persisted regarding India’s compliance with the WTO treaty obligations, with the U.S. seeking authorisation from the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body for trade retaliation, which India contested.
• India, too, challenged certain sub-federal programmes implemented in the U.S. in the renewable energy sector and won the case.
• The challenges also involved some of its foreign trade policy schemes, including the special economic zone (SEZ) and export-oriented unit schemes.
• Another dispute between the two nations was over India’s export subsidy programmes, such as Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), Export Oriented Units Scheme, and sector-specific schemes, including Electronics Hardware Technology Park Scheme, Special Economic Zones, and Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme.
• A challenge by India against the controversial Section 232 tariffs imposed under the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, 1962. The U.S. had imposed an additional duty of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium, triggering a series of WTO challenges and unilateral trade responses.
• India considered these as safeguard measures and imposed retaliatory measures. The U.S. considered India’s retaliatory duties excessive, while India believed that it could retain these duties as long as the Section 232 tariffs remained.
• India will now revert to the currently applied ‘most favoured nation’ (MFN) rate for eight products. India is only removing the retaliatory duties on these eight products and not offering any preferential concessions on them. The MFN-applied rates would continue to apply to these products.
• Against that backdrop, settling disputes in all six cases shows a pragmatic approach on the part of two strong trading partners. They have accepted each other’s domestic challenges in dispute compliance and realised the importance of burying differences.

WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism:

• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is responsible for maintaining the free flow of trade between its member countries.
• WTO, in the form of Dispute Settlement Undertaking (DSU), provides an instrument for the settling of trade disputes between the parties.
• The dispute generally arises when any member country violates any provision of the WTO agreement which other member countries think unreasonable.
• This dispute settlement process is the outcome of the Uruguay round (1996-1994). This mechanism provides a speedy resolution of a trade dispute.
• This settlement system applies to all disputes covered under the WTO agreement.

Dispute Settlement Body (DSB)

• It is a body established for resolving the disputes between the conflicting parties by overseeing the entire dispute settlement mechanism.
• The General Council of WTO, which carry out the functions of the Ministerial Conference, renders its obligations under the Dispute Settlement Understanding through Dispute Settlement Body.
• The Dispute Settlement Body consists of a Chairman and representatives of all WTO members (usually government representatives).
• The Chairman is usually a leader of the permanent mission of one of the member countries of WTO. The Chairman is elected with the consent of all WTO members.
• The Dispute Settlement Body shall be responsible for the establishment of the Appellate Body.

Appellate body:

• Where the parties are not satisfied with the decision of the panel report, then either of the parties may appeal to the Appellate Body.
• The Appellate body consists of seven persons. But only three of them shall serve in one case.
• These three people shall be selected based on rotation.
• The appointed person shall be in service for four years and can be re-appointed once. Therefore, a member can serve for a maximum of eight years.
• The persons comprising the Appellate body shall be persons of a recognized authority having expertise in the field of law, international trade and subject matter of the agreement in dispute.
• The person shall not be part of any governmental service. They shall be made available till the end of the dispute.

Problems with WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism:

• Reduced Manpower: The AB generally consists of seven members, but as of mid-2017, it was reduced to three members, which is the minimum number of members required for its functioning. The US has blocked the appointment of new members to the Appellate Body, and thus it has not been able to conduct its work.
• Time-taking process: While over half of all disputes are settled during the consultation period, the time taken for dispute resolution has grown from the original six months to an average of fifteen months.
• Biasness: It is believed that the WTO dispute settlement body is functioning transparent and favouring developed countries which gets more stakes in the dispute resolution process.

Way Forward:

• There is a need to find mutually agreed solutions to long-standing disputes. A greater use of diplomacy and bilateral negotiations can be more practically useful when adjudicatory outcomes are not immediately available or politically infeasible.
• There is a need for reforms by bringing transparency in existing WTO dispute to make the process inclusive and addresses the developmental concerns of developing and least developing countries.

Source:https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/dispute-settlements-that-have-no-parallel/article67089892.ece

1. THE BAY OF BENGAL INITIATIVE FOR MULTI-SECTORAL TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION (BIMSTEC)

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the first-ever Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) concluded in Bangkok, Thailand. Areas of coordination challenges, including health and energy security, were discussed.

EXPLANATION:

What is BIMSTEC?

• BIMSTEC is a regional organisation that was established in 1997 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration.
• The member countries are India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka.
• Initially known as BIST-EC (Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation), the organisation is now known as BIMSTEC, with Myanmar joining towards the end of 1997 and Bhutan and Nepal in 2004.
• Around 22% of the world’s population lives in the seven countries around the Bay of Bengal, with a combined GDP close to $2.7 trillion.
• All seven countries have sustained average annual rates of growth between 3.4% and 7.5% from 2012 to 2016. A fourth of the world’s traded goods cross the bay every year.
• Cooperation within the BIMSTEC had initially focused on six sectors in 1997 (trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism, and fisheries) and expanded in 2008 to other areas.
• India gave the forum a renewed push in October 2016, a month after the terrorist attack in Uri. Alongside the BRICS summit in Goa, India hosted an outreach summit with leaders of BIMSTEC countries.
• In 2021, a reorganisation led to each of the Member States leading certain sectors. India focuses on security, along with counter-terrorism and transnational crime, disaster management and energy.

India and BIMSTEC:

• With shared values, histories, ways of life, and destinies that are interlinked, BIMSTEC represents a common space for peace and development.
• For India, it is a natural platform to fulfil our key foreign policy priorities of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra had said BIMSTEC not only connects South and Southeast Asia, but also the ecologies of the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal.

BIMSTEC and other countries:

• Bangladesh views BIMSTEC as a platform to position itself as more than just a small state on the Bay of Bengal.
• Sri Lanka sees it as an opportunity to connect with Southeast Asia and serve as the subcontinent’s hub for the wider Indo-Pacific region.
• Nepal and Bhutan aim to connect with the Bay of Bengal region and escape their landlocked geographic positions.
• For Myanmar and Thailand, “connecting more deeply with India would allow them to access a rising consumer market and, at the same time, develop an alternative to China’s massive inroads into Southeast Asia”.

Countering China:

• The Bay of Bengal is crucial for an increasingly assertive China in maintaining its access route to the Indian Ocean.
• As China has undertaken a massive drive to finance and build infrastructure in South and Southeast Asia through the Belt and Road Initiative in almost all BIMSTEC countries except Bhutan and India.
• BIMSTEC is a new battleground in the India-China battle for dominance.
• BIMSTEC could allow India to push a constructive agenda to counter Chinese investments and instead follow best practices for connectivity projects based on recognised international norms. The Chinese projects are widely seen as violating these norms.
• The Bay of Bengal can be showcased as open and peaceful, contrasting it with China’s behaviour in the South China Sea. It could develop codes of conduct that preserve freedom of navigation and apply existing laws of the seas regionally.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/jaishankar-bimstec-explained-members-significance-8843569/

2. COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (CPTPP)

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Britain has formally signed a treaty to join a major Indo-Pacific trading bloc through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Supporters of Brexit say the move will boost UK growth, but opponents say the benefits are marginal compared with EU trade.

EXPLANATION:

• It is said the pact would boost UK exports by 1.7 billion pounds (€1.9 billion, $2.23 billion), imports to the UK by 1.6 billion pounds and gross domestic product (GDP) by £1.8 billion pounds in the long term. The pact is expected to take effect in the second half of 2024.

What is CPTPP?

• The CPTPP is a landmark pact agreed upon in 2018 that cuts trade barriers among 11 countries, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
• The pact requires countries to eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs and make strong commitments to opening services and investment markets.
• It also has rules addressing competition, intellectual property rights and protections for foreign companies.
• CPTPP is seen as a bulwark against China’s dominance in the region, although Beijing has applied to join, along with Taiwan, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Ecuador.

Why is the CPTTP so important to the UK?

• CPTTP will cut tariffs for UK exports to Asia Pacific countries, and with UK membership, the trading bloc will have a combined GDP of 12 trillion pounds and account for 15% of global trade.
• It will help Britain to deepen trade ties in the Pacific after Brexit in 2020, as the UK has been pushing a “Global Britain” strategy since it gave up EU membership.
• Since Brexit, the UK has sought other trade deals with countries and trading blocs around the world and is struggling to achieve free trade deals with large powers like China and the United States.
• CPTTP can compensate for the economic damage sustained by leaving the now-27-member EU the world’s largest trading bloc and collective economy.
• The UK already has trade deals with 10 of the 11 other CPTPP members, and the eventual economic boost is likely to increase GDP by just 0.08% annually.

Highlights of the CPTTP meeting:

• The grouping is currently undertaking a membership process by information-gathering process on whether aspirant economies can meet the CPTPP’s high standards, taking into account their experience on their trade commitments.
• A decision on who will join and when will be made collectively.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/uk-signs-biggest-trade-deal-brexit-8842214/

3. GAMBUSIA FISH

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The Andhra Pradesh government has released approximately 10 million Gambusia fish into the state’s water bodies to combat mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.

EXPLANATION:

• Andhra Pradesh is reporting high dengue and malaria cases in the state, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (MoHFW).
• State Government released this fish to combat mosquito-borne diseases.
• However, the release of these invasive alien fish species has raised concerns about the potential harm that will be sustained by native species that are present in the state’s freshwater bodies.

Gambusia Fish:

• The fish is known as mosquitofish and is widely used as a biological agent for controlling mosquito larvae.
• Gambusia affinis (G affinis) is native to the waters of the southeastern United States.
• G affinishas a sister species, Gambusia holbrooki (G holbrooki), also known as the eastern mosquito fish.
• A single fully grown fish eats about 100 to 300 mosquito larvae per day.
• Gambusia has been a part of mosquito-control strategies for over a century in various parts of the world, including India.
• Mosquitofish has been part of various malaria control strategies in India since 1928, including the Urban Malaria Scheme.
• Fish has a high breeding capacity as a single female may produce between 900 and 1,200 offspring during its lifespan. The young females have two gestations per season, while the older females may have up to six generations per season. A season lasts about 30 days, and young ones are released in broods of 25-30 at a time.
• The fish can also survive in diverse environments. It is this adaptability that has allowed the fish to survive on six out of seven continents and has made the International Union for Conservation of Nature declare Gambusia one of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world.

Concerns:

• The fish are generally understood to be a good biological control method against mosquito breeding but can only be a part of an integrated approach that involves various other methods like chemical spraying and, most importantly, source reduction.
• There are also studies that reported that Gambusia’s predatory efficacy reduced when they were introduced in running water streams, water bodies with high insecticide levels and waterbodies with thick vegetation.
• Multiple countries, including India, have listed Gambusia as invasive species. Known to outcompete and prey upon native species, Gambusia also get aggressive in environments where they need to compete with other species for resources. They are known to eat the eggs of competing fishes and frog tadpoles.
• In India, mosquitofish affected the ecosystem health of the lake after its introduction into the Nainital Lake in the 1990s to control malaria.

Steps that can be taken:

• Instead of relying on Gambusia, it has been suggested to encourage “biologists and fish taxonomists to come up with river basin-based lists of native fish species that can control mosquito larvae and release them into the natural environment.”
• Reducing the number of mosquito breeding sources like puddles and open drainages and clearing vegetation that mosquitoes feed on must be prioritised over releasing fish into waterbodies.

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/gambusia-this-solution-could-actually-be-an-invasive-problem-90665

4. THE NATIONAL MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: The National Multidimensional Poverty Index says 13.5 crore people came out of multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21 with Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh top the list in index.

EXPLANATION:

Findings of the index:

• It is prepared based on the latest National Family Heath Survey of 2019-21 and is the second edition of the National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
• Marked improvement is witnessed along all the indicators of the index.
• According to the‘National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023’, India has registered a significant decline of 9.89% in the number of multidimensionally poor, from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021.
• The report said rural areas witnessed the fastest decline in poverty, from 32.59% to 19.28%, primarily due to a decrease in the number of multi-dimensionally poor in States such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
• Delhi, Kerala, Goa and Tamil Nadu have the least number of people facing multidimensional poverty along with the Union Territories.
• Multidimensional poverty in urban areas, during the same period, saw a decrease from 8.65% to 5.27%.
• Uttar Pradesh registered the largest decline in a number of poor, with 3.43 crore people escaping multidimensional poverty.

• According to the report, between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the MPI value has nearly halved from 0.117 to 0.066 and the intensity of poverty has reduced from 47% to 44%.
• The remarkable progress achieved through extremely low deprivation rates, especially for electricity, access to bank accounts and drinking water, reflects the Government’s unwavering commitment to improving citizens’ lives.

The National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI):

• It is released by NITI Aayog, which ranks States and Union Territories based on their performance.
• It is aimed at deconstructing the Global MPI and creating a globally aligned and yet customised India MPI for drawing up comprehensive Reform Action Plans with the larger goal of improving India’s position in the Global MPI rankings.
• The National MPI measures simultaneous deprivations across the three equally weighted dimensions of health, education, and standard of living that are represented by 12 SDG-aligned indicators.
• These include nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, maternal health, years of schooling, school attendance, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, assets, and bank accounts.

• With our own national MPI, India is poised to gain a deeper understanding of poverty’s complexities and forge solutions that ensure inclusivity for all.
• The district-wise estimation of the national MPI will also prioritise reaching out to the furthest behind first through focused efforts on specific indicators and dimensions.
• The results and findings of the index provide valuable insights for both policymakers and the wider community.
• It helps the country to achieve the target of reducing multidimensional poverty as per the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, also known as Agenda 2030.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/niti-aayog-report-claims-decrease-in-multidimensional-poverty/article67091078.ece

5. CRIMEAN-CONGO HAEMORRHAGIC FEVER (CCHF)

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: As Europe is already facing heatwave and wildfires, the rising temperatures have also raised fears of the spread of viruses such as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), which is generally not found in colder climates.

EXPLANATION:

• Scientists are warning that CCHF can kill between 10% and 40% of patients, and is spreading northward and westward in Europe. Cases have so far been reported in Spain, Russia and Turkey, and the UK.
• In India, one person succumbed to CCHF in June 2023 in Gujarat, the state that reports the majority of the country’s cases of this disease.

What is CCHF?

• According to the WHO, it is a viral haemorrhagic fever usually transmitted by ticks and has a high fatality rate ratio (10–40%).
• It is endemic to Africa, the Balkan countries, the Middle East, and parts of Asia.
• The disease was first detected among soldiers in the Crimean Peninsula (near the Black Sea) in 1944; in 1969, it was found that an ailment identified in the Congo Basin was caused by the same pathogen. Thus, the disease was named the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
• The first fatality from the disease in Europe was in Spain in 2016.
• The virus is present in the tick family of insects. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares “serve as amplifying hosts for the virus.
• It can be contracted through contact with viraemic animal tissues (animal tissue where the virus has entered the bloodstream) during and immediately post-slaughter of animals.
• Transmission to humans occurs through contact with infected ticks or animal blood.
• It can be transmitted from one infected human to another by contact with infectious blood or body fluids, such as sweat and saliva.
• The ticks can also be hosted by migratory birds, thus carrying the virus over long distances.

What are the symptoms, cure of CCHF?

• According to the WHO, its symptoms include fever, muscle ache, dizziness, neck pain, backache, headache, sore eyes and sensitivity to light.
• There may be nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sore throat early on, followed by sharp mood swings and confusion. After 2–4 days, the agitation may be replaced by sleepiness, depression and lassitude.
• There is no vaccine for the virus in either humans or animals, and treatment generally consists of managing symptoms.
• According to the WHO, the antiviral drug ribavirin has been used to treat CCHF infection with apparent benefit.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-health/climate-change-aiding-spread-of-deadly-virus-in-europe-what-is-cchf-8844383/

1. NARI ADALAT

TAG: GS 2: JUDICIARY

THE CONTEXT: The Centre is launching a unique initiative of setting up women-only courts at the village level as an alternate dispute resolution forum for issues like domestic violence, property rights and countering the patriarchal system.

EXPLANATION:

• The scheme would be launched on a pilot basis in 50 villages each in Assam and Jammu and Kashmir from August and would be extended to the rest of the country over the next six months.
• The Nari Adalat though does not hold any legal status.
• This platform leverages their potential as advisers and leaders within their communities, functioning as a pressure group.
• The Nari Adalat of each village would have 7-9 members, half of which would be the elected members of the gram panchayat and the other half women like teachers, doctors and social workers would be nominated by the villagers.
• It will cater to individual cases of all women and girls who require assistance or have grievances within the local community.
• Its main functions include raising awareness about the government schemes and legal rights and entitlements of women and resolving cases falling within its jurisdiction.
• The services provided will include alternate dispute resolution and grievance redressal, counselling, evidence-based decision making, pressure group tactics, negotiation, mediation among others.
• Additionally, the platform will engage with citizens, promoting awareness about women’s rights, legal opinions, various schemes and collecting public feedback.
• Members known as Nyaya Sakhis or legal friends will be nominated or selected by the gram panchayat. The head of Nari Adalat called the Mukhya Nyaya Sakhi or chief legal friend will be chosen among the Nyay Sakhis. The tenure of the head will be generally six months after which a new one will be selected.
• The scheme would be run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development under the Sambal sub-scheme of Mission Shakti, which is dedicated to strengthening women’s safety, security and empowerment.
• The implementation process will be done in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Ministry of Rural Development and Common Service Centers operated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information technology.
• The matters redressed through these Lok Adalats are related to family affairs, matrimonial disputes, bigamy, succession, and motor vehicle accident disputes related to labour.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR):

• The concept of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism is capable of providing a substitute to the conventional methods of resolving disputes.
• ADR offers to resolve all type of matters including civil, commercial, industrial and family etc., where people are not being able to start any type of negotiation and reach the settlement.
• Generally, ADR uses neutral third party who helps the parties to communicate, discuss the differences and resolve the dispute.
• It is a method which enables individuals and group to maintain co-operation, social order and provides opportunity to reduce hostility.

Few important provisions related to ADR:

• The Acts which deals with Alternative Dispute Resolution are Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 and, The Legal Services Authority Act, 1987
• Section 89 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 provides elements of settlement outside the court and refers to methods as : Arbitration, Conciliation, Mediation or Lok Adalat.

Lok Adalat:

• Lok Adalat is called ‘People’s Court’ presided over by a sitting or retired judicial officer, social activists or members of Legal profession as the chairman.
• National Legal Service Authority(NALSA) along with other Legal Services Institutions conducts Lok Adalats on regular intervals for exercising such jurisdiction.
• Any case pending in regular court or any dispute which has not been brought before any court of law can be referred to Lok Adalat.
• There is no court fees and rigid procedure followed, which makes the process fast.

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996: This Act unites and manages the laws associated with domestic arbitration, international business arbitration, and the enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. It also defines the law related to conciliation

The Legal Services Authority Act, 1987: The Act envisions that no one will be denied access to justice because of disability or economic reasons, and aims to educate the public about the law, offer free legal aid, and establish Lok Adalats.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coming-women-only-courts-for-alternative-dispute-resolution/article67053956.ece

2. OUTCOMES OF THE RECENT GST COUNCIL MEETING

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY; GS 2: POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, 50^th meeting of GST council took place in which decision to levy a uniform 28 per cent tax on full face value for online gaming, casinos and horse-racing among others were taken.

EXPLANATION:

Highlights of the meeting:

• Decision taken to levy a uniform 28% tax on full face value for online gaming, casinos and horse-racing to align it with the regulation of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Tax on online gaming companies would be imposed without making any differentiation based on whether the games required skill or were based on chance.
• There will be an amendment to Schedule III of the GST Act and bringing in online gaming into the actionable claim list. However, betting, gambling and lottery are already in it and online gaming and horse racing will be included also into it.
• Decision was taken to reduce the rate for uncooked/ unfried snack pellets and imitation zari thread.
• The GST Council exempted GST on import of cancer drug Dinutuximab, and food used in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), along with satellite launch services provided by private operators.
• Food and beverages consumed in cinema halls will attract a GST of 5 per cent, equivalent to the levy charged in hotels and restaurants, instead of 18 per cent which was being charged by many cinema halls for composite food packages.
• The Council also recommended setting up of mechanism for appellate tribunals .
• Demands for state-wise benches were presented by various states, and the Council approved setting up of as many as 40 benches in phases.
• The definition of utility vehicles has been tweaked to allow the levy of 22 per cent cess over and above the 28 per cent GST rate.

GST Council 

• GST council was established under Article 279A of the Indian Constitution.
• It serves as the apex committee responsible for recommending modifications, reconciliations, and exemptions related to GST.

Objectives of GST Council 

• To ensure a smooth implementation of the GST, regulate the goods and services tax regime in India.
• To harmonize tax laws across states, to simplify the tax structure, eliminate cascading taxes, and reduce compliance costs.
• To monitor all the taxation processes to avoid fraudulent processes.

Regulation of Online gaming in India:

IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023) enacted for online gaming regulations:

• It mark an important milestone for the Indian online gaming industry.
• It contains rules for safeguarding Indian gamers and their funds against online scams and frauds,.
• It aims to encourage responsible gaming, and protect young and vulnerable users against online abuse and indecency.
• It has introduced the following concepts:
• Permissible online game:  This includes permissible online real money games and all other online games which are not real money games.
• Permissible online real money game:  This includes only such games which have been verified by a self-regulatory body (“SRB”)

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/business/gst-council-impose-28-per-cent-tax-online-gaming-firms-8827305/

3. MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX (MPI)

TAG: GS 1: SOCIETY; GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: As per UNDP Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), 415 million Indians came out of multidimensional poverty in 15 years. The UN report noted that deprivation in all indicators declined in India.

EXPLANATION:

Highlights of the index:

• The UN report noted that deprivation in all indicators declined in India and “the poorest States and groups, including children and people in disadvantaged caste groups, had the fastest absolute progress.
• A total of 415 million people moved out of poverty in India within just 15 years from 2005-2006 to 2019-2021 highlighting the remarkable achievement by the world’s most populous nation.
• It said that 25 countries, including India, successfully halved their global MPI values within 15 years, showing that rapid progress is attainable. These countries include Cambodia, China, Congo, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Serbia, and Vietnam.
• According to the report, people who are multidimensionally poor and deprived under the nutrition indicator in India declined from 44.3% in 2005/2006 to 11.8% in 2019/2021, and child mortality fell from 4.5% to 1.5%.
• Those who are poor and deprived of cooking fuel fell from 52.9% to 13.9% and those deprived of sanitation fell from 50.4% in 2005/2006 to 11.3% in 2019/2021.
• In the drinking water indicator, the percentage of people who are multidimensionally poor and deprived fell from 16.4 to 2.7 during the period, electricity (from 29% to 2.1%) and housing from 44.9% to 13.6%.
• According to the 2023 release, 1.1 billion out of 6.1 billion people (just more than 18%) live in acute multidimensional poverty across 110 countries. Sub-Saharan Africa (534 million) and South Asia (389 million) are home to approximately five out of every six poor people.
• Nearly two-thirds of all poor people (730 million people) live in middle-income countries, making action in these countries vital for reducing global poverty. Although low-income countries constitute only 10% of the population included in the MPI, these are where 35% of all poor people reside.

The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

• It was developed in 2010 by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United Nations Development Programme .
• The Global MPI is released annually by UNDP and OPHI.
• The MPI is published along with the Human Development Index (HDI) in the Human Development Report.
• It measures poverty uses health, education and standard of living indicators to determine the incidence and intensity of poverty experienced by a population. It has since been used to measure acute poverty across over 100 developing countries.
• The global MPI monitors poverty reduction and informs policy, showing how people experience poverty in different aspects of their daily lives from access to education and health to living standards such as housing, drinking water, sanitation and electricity.
• The MPI as a poverty index can be pictured as a stacked tower of the interlinked deprivations experienced by poor individuals, with the aim of eliminating these deprivations.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/india-registers-remarkable-reduction-in-poverty-with-415-million-people-coming-out-of-it-in-15-years-united-nations/article67066698.ece

4. ENFORCEMENT DIRECTORATE (ED)

TAG: GS 2: POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Supreme Court asks ED chief to quit; but upholds amendments

Bench holds that back-to-back service extensions given to the ED chief in 2021 and 2022 were both invalid and illegal; it however, gave him time till July 31 to quit office for “smooth transition

EXPLANATION:

What is the issue?

• The Supreme Court asked Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director to quit four months before his third extension ends. However, court upheld statutory amendments which facilitate the tenures of Directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED to be stretched piecemeal.
• CBI and ED chiefs have fixed tenures of two years. However, amendments enacted in 2021 to the Central Vigilance Commission Act, the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act and the Fundamental Rules allow them a maximum three annual extensions.
• Earlier the court had directed the government to stop giving extensions which was overruled by the government through amendments.
• By upholding the 2021 amendments, the court disagreed with the submissions made by its own amicus curiae, which had urged the court to strike down the amendments. As the amendments went against the very principle of insulating the Central investigative agencies from government pressure.

High Level Committees

• 2021 amendments require High Level Committees to recommend the officers for service extensions.
• A five-member panel composed of the Central Vigilance Commissioner and Vigilance Commissioners had to recommend if an ED Director was worthy of an extension in service.
• In case of the CBI Director, a High-Level Committee of the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and the Chief Justice of India had to recommend.
• Besides, the committees were required to record reasons in writing in support of their recommendations.
• The court further said the 2021 amendments were enacted by the Parliament. They could not be declared unconstitutional lightly.

Enforcement Directorate (ED):

• The Directorate of Enforcement is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with investigation of offence of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
• It functions under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
• ED with its headquarters at New Delhi, is headed by the Director of Enforcement.
• The statutory functions of the Directorate include enforcement of following Acts:

1. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA): It is a criminal law enacted to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from, or involved in, money-laundering. ED has been given the responsibility to enforce the provisions of the PMLA by conducting investigation to trace the assets derived from proceeds of crime.
2. The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA): It is a civil law enacted to consolidate and amend the laws relating to facilitate external trade and payments and to and maintenance of foreign exchange market in India. ED has been given the responsibility to conduct investigation into suspected contraventions of foreign exchange laws and regulations.
3. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 (FEOA): This law was enacted to deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts. It is a law whereby Directorate is mandated to attach the properties of the fugitive economic offenders and provide for the confiscation of their properties to the Central Government.
4. Sponsoring agency under COFEPOSA: Under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), this Directorate is empowered to sponsor cases of preventive detention with regard to contraventions of FEMA.

Directorate of Enforcement

• Recruitment of the officers is done directly and by drawing officers from other investigation agencies.
• It comprises officers of IRS (Indian Revenue Services), IPS (Indian Police Services) and IAS (Indian Administrative Services) and others.
• The tenure of the Director is fixed for two years, but can be extended from two to five years by giving three annual extensions.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-holds-piecemeal-extensions-given-to-ed-director-illegal-invalid-in-law/article67067194.ece

5. GREEN WASHING AND THE FOREST (CONSERVATION) AMENDMENT BILL, 2023

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT.

THE CONTEXT: Recently proposed  Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, is leading to complex challenges of greenwashing as various concerns have been raised by environmentalist against the provisions of the bill.

EXPLANATION:

• Industrialisation inevitably means usurping greater tracts of forest land and ecosystems, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 has been the legislation that has empowered the state to regulate this and impose costs on such industrial exploitation.
• However, India’s forest cover has seen only marginal increases, as biennial reports of the Forest Survey of India illustrate.
• Growth in forest cover inside officially recorded forests is stagnant, or at best incremental. It is tree cover in orchards, plantations and village homesteads that has been on the rise and supplementing India’s claim that 24% of its area is under forest and tree cover.
• India has committed to increasing this number to 33% and adding a carbon sink of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide this way, by 2030, as part of its international climate commitments.
• The existing Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was insufficient for these ends, as it did not incentivise private agro-forestry and tree plantation activities.

Provision of the Forest (conservation) Amendment bill, 2023:

• The Bill amends the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 to make it applicable to certain types of land. These include land notified as a forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 or in government records after the 1980 Act came into effect.
• The Act will not be applicable for land converted to non-forest use before December 12, 1996.
• It also exempts certain types of land from the purview of the Act. These include land within 100 km of India’s border needed for national security projects, small roadside amenities, and public roads leading to a habitation.
• The state government requires prior approval of the central government to assign any forest land to a private entity.  The Bill extends this to all entities, and allows the assignment to be made on terms and conditions specified by the central government.
• The Act specifies some activities that can be carried out in forests, such as establishing check posts, fencing, and bridges.  The Bill also allows running zoos, safaris and eco-tourism facilities.
• Forest land authorised by States for non-forestry uses between 1980-1996 would not come under the provisions of the Act.
• The amendments effectively mean States can no longer classify unclassified forest land, or patches of trees with forest-like characteristics as ‘forest land’.
• The amendments also allow forest land, up to 100 km near India’s borders, to be appropriated, without central approval, for “strategic and security” purposes.

Need of the bill:

• The aim is to bring clarity to the country’s forest conservation law by increased provisions and guidelines.
• It aims to increase the forest area and to achieve 33% under forest area and adding a carbon sink of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide this way, by 2030,
• Certain exemptions under act can fast-track strategic and security-related projects.

Criticism of the bill:

• There are no specific conditions laid by the environment ministry for outrightly denying permission for deforestation for development projects.
• The amendment Bill, instead of completing the demarcation process on the ground, seeks to limit the applicability of the FC Act only to land recorded as ‘forest’.
• The amendment also proposes to redefine the ambit of “non-forest purpose” exemptions. This allows enumerated activities to be carried out on the forest land without prior approval of the central government.

Green Washing

• It is a term used to describe a false, misleading action or set of claims made by an organization about the positive impact that a company, product or service has on the environment.
• It was first coined in 1986 by environmentalist Jay Westerveld .
• In an era where increasing numbers of consumers as well as governments are interested in taking environmentally responsible actions, there has been a growing emphasis on environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives in companies.
• The need to demonstrate ESG efforts has led to many organizations making environmental claims that have turned out to be greenwashing.

How the Bill leads to green washing?

• The Bill removes the mandatory central government approval for diversion of forests in certain cases and a blanket exemption for projects like zoos, eco-tourism facilities, and reconnaissance surveys has been proposed. Such activities will disturb the forest and end up bringing down the total green cover.
• The proposed exemptions leave the Center with a lot of discretionary authority and fewer projects will need to seek forest clearance. It will also assist developers in obtaining necessary forest clerances.
• Therefore, these amendments do not really contribute to regenerating natural forest, but rather incentivise afforestation for commercial ends.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/green-washing-the-hindu-editorial-on-amendments-and-the-forest-conservation-amendment-bill-2023/article67067924.ece