MONTHLY NEWS DAIRY - Sosin Classes...Supreme ourts verdict in Shankari Prasad case(1951) and Sajjan...

MONTHLY NEWS DIARY SEPTEMBER -2020

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MONTHLY NEWS DAIRY (MnD)

(FOR UPSC – PRELIMS & MAINS)

SEPTEMBER -2020

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Dear Student,

Warm Greetings.

MnD aims to provide news analysis of monthly events in sync

with the UPSC pattern.

It is targeted at UPSC – Prelims & Mains

The articles are provided in the form of Question and

Answers

To have a bank of mains questions.

Providing precise information that can he carries

straight to the exam, rather than over dumping.

Enjoy reading.

THE HINDU - TH

INDIAN EXPRESS - IE

BUSINESS LINE - BL

ECONOMIC TIMES - ET TIMES OF INDIA - TOI




INDEX

ESSAY PAPER

EDITORIAL

1. ‘Supreme Court’s sentence on lawyer - Prashant Bhushan diminishes its stature, exposing intolerant side’…………………………………………………………….05

2. Emotional Intelligence………………………………………………………………………….…06

3. Kesavananda Bharati Case……………………………………………………………………..07

4. How important is it to rethink the Indian defence doctrine…………………….07

5. “Farmers protest on the 3 ordinances that will 'corporatize' agriculture’……………………………………………………………………………………………..09

6. The present international system and how its structure poses enormous obstacles to the global peace………………………………………………….10

7. Problematic content abounds in the digital space……………………………………13

8. How to Practise and achieve Environment Sustainability…………………………14

9. GST reforms and the current compensation stand………………………………….16

“Vaccine development is not about winning a race”………………….....…….….17

10. The ‘National Cancer Registry Programme Report of August 2020’……......18

11. New labour codes…………………………............................................................19

12. What the need is and how India should leverage its monopsony to the

benefits of a carbon tax...............................................................................20

13. Reading between the lines of SC’s verdict on Adjusted Gross Revenue

(AGR) ............................................................... ..........................................21

14. The government’s fiscal response so far has been far more tight-fisted than

that of other countries................................................................................22

15. Inter-Governmental Negotiations and other reforms in UN.......................23

16. Sri Lanka’s majoritarian turn, appeals to address Tamil aspirations

ineffectually.................................................................................................24

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GS 1

HISTORY

1. Renati Chola Inscription……………………………………………………………………………..…25

2. The age-old Kashmiri culinary tradition that the pandemic put a hold to……..26

GEOGRAPHY

1. The rainfall record in India this monsoon………………………………………………………26

2. The Life Harbouring Gas that has been found on Venus……………………………….27

GS 2

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation…………………………………………………………..…28

2. The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict………………………………..…………………………………29

3. The Malabar Exercise………………………………..………………………………..………………..31

GOVERENCE

1. Parliamentary Form Of Government merits and demerits………………………….…31

2. “The young child outcomes index” ………………………………………………………………32

3. ‘Digital Divide’ in post-pandemic education scenario……………………………………33

4. Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) …………………………………………………..34

5. The growing opposition in Tripura to large scale Bru enclaves………………………35

6. UN’s Commission on Status of women (UNCSW) …………………………………………36

7. Mission Karmayogi and it’s Modus Operandi………………………………………………..36

SNIPPET

1. 1st Indo-Pacific Trilateral Dialogue……………………………………………………………….38

2. G4 and the steps taken by them to further the cause of UN reforms……………39

3. Peace pact between Gaza and Israel…………………………………………………………….40

4. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill………………………….41

5. ‘Gorkhaland’ demand and why is it in news now………………………………………….41

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6. Shuchi Scheme…………………………………………………………………………………………..…42

7. National Medical Commission………………………………………………………………………43

GS3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. The National Statistical Office (NSO) estimates for the GDP this fiscal………….44

2. Steps taken by RBI to ramp up funding to the Agricultural Sector…………………45

3. Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020…………………………….46

ENVIRONMENT

1. Need for framing guidelines for the disposal of Cigarette butts……………………45

2. Cause of death behind that of 330 Botswana elephants and why is it raising

more questions………………………………………………………………………………………….…46

3. World Bamboo Day………………………………………………………………………………………47

4. Recently declared 600 acres of Aarey as Reserved Forest…………………………….49

5. Explain Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD)…………………………….…………………….….49

6. Wetlands and recent steps taken by the Rajasthan government to conserve its

diversity……………………………………………………………………………………………………..…50

7. Innovative steps taken by Punjab government to curb stubble Burning……….51

SECURITY

1. Cyber Crime………………………………………………………………………………………………….53

2. ‘Freedom of Navigation’ And QUAD grouping………………………………………………53

3. How India has joined the elite club by possessing the Hypersonic

Weaponry…………………………………………………………………..………………………………..54

4. The Rafale deal………………………………………………………………………………..……………55

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SNIPPET

1. CAROTAR………………………………………………………………………………………………………56

2. Government security (G-Sec) ……………………………………………………………………….56

3. Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-Slls) ……………………………………….57

4. Navy’s first women airborne tacticians…………………………………………………………58

EDITORIAL

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1. Explain how ‘Supreme Court’s sentence on Bhushan diminishes its stature,

exposing intolerant side’?

The Supreme Court initiated suo moto contempt proceedings against lawyer

Prashant Bhushan. The SC bench of Justice Arun Mishra, BR Gavai and

Krishna Murari issued a notice for contempt of court for two tweets.

The SC has stated that the tweet have brought the administration of justice in

disrepute and are capable of undermining the dignity and authority of the

institution of SC in general and the office of the Chief Justice of India in particular, in

the eyes of public at large.

WHAT IS CONTEMPT OF COURT:

Any conduct that tends to bring the authority and administration of law into

disrespect or disregard is considered to be contempt of court.

Two types of Contempt of Court:

Civil Contempt: Willful disobedience to any judgement, decree, direction, order, writ or other process of a court or wilful breach of an undertaking given to a court.

Criminal Contempt: the publication (word, spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise) of any matter or the doing of any other act whatsoever which-

1. Scandalizes or tends to scandalize, or lowers or tends to lower the authority of any court.

2. Prejudices or interferes or tends to interfere with the due course of any judicial proceeding.

3. Interferes or obstruct the administration of justice in any other manner.

The Bhushan have to pay Rupee 1 by September 15, he would be jailed for three

months and debarred for three years — having tried and failed to extract an apology,

the court has attached to its token fine an unbecoming or-else.

Bhushan has respectfully accepted the punishment while reserving his right to seek a review. The court will have yet another chance to reconsider — it must not miss it again. These are not the best of times for the court –

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1. In recent months, it has invited questions about its lack of alacrity on cases that

involve the liberties of the citizen and encroachment by the state.

2. On matters ranging from habeas corpus to electoral bonds, it has attracted

criticism for giving the benefit of doubt, and delay, to a powerful executive.

3. It has also been ill at ease within — Monday’s order recalled the unprecedented

January press conference of four senior-most judges in 2018.

In such times, it is even more necessary for the court to acknowledge that its

prestige as the custodian of constitutional values and individual rights is best

protected not by rushing to use its punitive powers against those who would criticise

it, but by living up to its most capacious institutional self. And by showing its ability

to self-correct. Bhushan has admirably held his ground, he should now seek a review

so that the Honourable Court has the option to strike down the conviction — and

erase this blot.

2. “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to make your emotions work for you instead

of against you.” Do you agree with your with this view? Discuss.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE:

Yes, I agree with the above statement that, “ Emotional Intelligence is the ability to

make your emptions work for you instead of against you. Recently, Novac Djokovic

did the same mistake, where he could not control his outrage and accidentally hit

the line judge with the tennis ball, which ultimately led to his disqualification from

the U.S Open.

Emotional Intelligence is the ability of a person to manage and control his as well as

other’s emotions. It is critical to manage our behaviour and decision making. Some

of the major components of emotional intelligence are Self-Awareness, Self-

Regulation, Self Motivation, Empathy and Social skills.

In today’s world, where many people are dealing with the mental health problems

due to economic as well as social pressure of humans, EI helps in taking a better

decision making and also ensure better focus and stability of mind.

In the backdrop of COVID 19, EI is playing a pivotal role in the Leaders life as they are

going through one of the toughest phases of the century, better EI ensure:

Realistic goal setting

Development of Empathy towards the people who are suffering

Management of stressful situation

Conflict resolutions

Self-motivation

Ability to bounce back from adversity

From the above discussion, it is clearly seen that EI is a very important aspect of

human life, as a human we are naturally gifted with EI, and we can control out

thoughts and actions, unlike animals. We should always take care of our EI as it the

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precious gift of life, which make us capable to deal with any issue in our as well as

other’s life.

3. Briefly describe the Kesavananda Bharati Case.

Background = main petitioner, Kesavananda Bharati Sripadagalvaru and Ors V State

of kerala Case, 1973 (known for the basic structure doctrine of the supreme court),

passed away.

4. In face of the Indo-China Stand-Off how important is it to rethink the Indian defence

doctrine?

INTRO = four months ago, the Chinese army entered territory that India has long

considered its own, and never left. In effect, the multiple incursions have changed the

Line of Actual Control (LAC) and India has lost territory, at least for the time being.

Current Indian Doctrine – The Army’s prevailing doctrine is designed to deter and

defend against major conventional invasions. This determines how the Army is

organised, what equipment it operates, and where it is deployed. The Army expects

KESHAVANANDA BHARATI:

He challenged the kerala land reforms legislation in 1970, which imposed restrictions on

the management of religious property.

The cases was challenged under A-26, concerning the right to manage religiously owned

property without government interference.

A 13-judge bench was set up by the SC, the biggest so far, to hear the case.

Question underlying the case also include: was the power of the parliament to amend

the constitution unlimited? In other words, could parliament alter, amend, abrogate

any part of the constitution even to the extent of taking away all fundamental rights?

Supreme Court’s verdict in Shankari Prasad case(1951) and Sajjan Singh case (1965)

ruled that the term “law” in A-13 must be taken to mean rules or regulations made in

exercise of ordinary legislative power and not amendmens to the constitution made in

exercise of constituent power under A368. Which means parliament had the power to

amend any part of the constitution including Fundamental rights. In the Golaknath

Case (1967), Parliament could not amend FR was stated by SC. Finally, court ruled that

the amendment would not violet the “basic structure” of the constitution

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to win wars, against Pakistan or China, by launching its own punitive offensives after

an enemy attack, to either destroy enemy forces or seize enemy land. In this

mindset, the Army expected that any Chinese bid to capture Indian territory would

come as a major conventional invasion, as it did in 1962. The Indian response would

accordingly involve large formations, with planning and command decisions made at

the Corps headquarters or higher.

But the Chinese army’s initial forays in April and May did not look like a guns-blazing

invasion. It crossed the LAC in several places nearly simultaneously, and in larger

numbers than usual. Still, the Indian Army probably expected the stand-off would

repeat the pattern of years past: China would make its point with a temporary

transgression and retreat after talks. In the meantime, Indian forces would reinforce

their positions but hold back. Indian forces were under strict instructions from New

Delhi that any aggressive response must be avoided as it would inflame the

situation.

It is now clear that the national security leadership and the Army miscalculated.

China has no interest in launching a major conventional invasion, but this is not just a

typical probe either. Rather, its quick land grab looks increasingly permanent, like an

attempt to change the border without triggering war. This fait accompli leaves India

with two awful choices: either start a war by launching its own reprisal attack, or do

nothing and accept a new status quo.

Addressing this type of security threat requires preventing, not reversing, such fait

accompli land grabs. This requires a fundamental shift in the Army’s doctrinal

thinking, from strategies revolving around punishing the adversary, to strategies that

prevent its adventurism in the first place. Thus, this is the perfect time to rethink

about a new defence doctrine because of other reasons such as –

1) In part, it was a failure of the warning-intelligence system. Either Indian

intelligence services did not collect sufficient data of Chinese intentions and early

moves, or they did not interpret it correctly, or their policy and military customers

failed to take the warning seriously. Wherever the fault lay, the system apparently

failed.

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2) In part, however, the problem also lay in the Army’s concepts for defending the

country’s borders. It is, as the current crisis shows, simply not postured or prepared

for the type of security threat China presents.

The New Doctrine needs to Include –

1) Greater investment in persistent wide-area surveillance to detect and track

adversary moves

2) Devolved command authority to respond to enemy aggression

3) And rehearsed procedures for an immediate local response without higher

commanders’ approval.

4) In countering China’s ‘grey zone’ tactics of quick land grabs, speed is of the

essence. The military must be able to detect adversary action and react

quickly, even pre-emptively, to stop attempted aggression from becoming a

fait accompli.

5) In peacetime, local commanders must have the authority and gumption to

take anticipatory action and go on the offensive or fill forward defensive

positions.

Reversing China’s initial occupation will require a remarkable feat of Indian

statecraft. A military solution is decreasingly likely as China reinforces its

deployments. Taking strident offensive actions now, amidst a heavily militarised

crisis, may be hazardous because it carries new risks of unintended escalation. The

challenge for India is to learn the right lessons and be alert to similar tactics in other

regions, like the Indian Ocean. It must not rely on doctrines forged in wars half a

century ago.

5. Explain what and why of the “Farmers protest on the 3 ordinances that will

'Corporatize' agriculture”?

Intro = farmer protests that erupted in punjab and haryana have already spread to

parts of uttar pradesh. This is because farmers are angry over three ordinances that

the government is likely to promulgate and pass through the two houses of the

parliament in this monsoon session, that are —

The government claims that these ordinances will help farmers get better prices for

their crops, by legalising contract farming. According to the prime minister these

ordinances will give farmers "the freedom to produce, hold, move, distribute and

1. Essential commodities (amendment) ordinance

2. Farmers (empowerment and protection) agreement on price assurance and farm

services ordinance, 2020

3. And the farmers’ produce trade and commerce (promotion and facilitation)

ordinance

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supply and will lead to harnessing of economies of scale and attract private

sector/foreign direct investment into agriculture sector. It will help drive up

investment in cold storages and modernisation of food supply chain."

Two things are striking about the ongoing farmer protests – 1) Farmer organisations

say that the ordinances — particularly the one that allows sale and purchase of crops

outside the premises of APMC (agricultural produce market committee) mandis —

will sound the death knell of minimum support price (MSP)-based government

procurement. This fear has no basis. The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce

(Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, which is to be approved in the current

Parliament session, merely provides an additional marketing channel. Farmers, if

they choose, can now sell directly to processors, retailers or exporters.

They can, of course, still take their produce to mandis. Government agencies, too,

can continue to procure grain from these state regulated market yards. The

ordinance only dismantles the monopoly of the APMCs.

2) The current protests are happening largely in Punjab and Haryana, states that

have well-established systems of mandis and MSP-based wheat and paddy

procurement, valued at Rs 80,000-90,000 crore annually. The benefits of it are

obvious not only to their farmers, but also the powerful lobby of arhatiyas

(commission agents) who extend crop loans and “facilitate” procurement at the

APMCs. Any threat to the existing order is bound to face resistance. One shouldn’t

be surprised to see the stir finding support among farmers in other states that have

also built strong public grain procurement systems.

Way Forward – The government should explicitly clarify that the ordinances, while

they are being presented and debated in Parliament, will not affect MSP

procurement operations. That, in any case, is not the intent behind the present

legislation. These only seek to remove intra- and inter-state movement and

stockholding restrictions on agricultural produce, apart from enabling farmers to

enter into contracts for supplying directly to organised agri-businesses.

6. Write a note on the present international system and how its structure poses

enormous obstacles to the global peace?

INTRO = The International Day of Peace (September 21) is an occasion for deep

reflection about the prevalence of war, violence and insecurity in many parts of the

world.

In the last calendar year, eight countries — Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Turkey,

Somalia, Iraq, Mexico and Libya — suffered at least 1,000 deaths each (mainly

civilians) through militarised attacks and battles, according to the World Population

Review.

If one includes the Maghreb and Sahel regions of North and West Africa, over 25

countries are being ravaged by deadly wars today. To boot, 79.5 million were

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displaced at the end of 2019, due to armed conflicts, persecution and other reasons,

according to the UN Refugee Agency.

The way the present international system is structured poses enormous obstacles

to peace. The countries that are escalating violence are predominantly the great

powers who have military and economic might.

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Fuelling Instability – On paper, the U.S., Russia and China uphold peace and stability

as the permanent members of the UN Security Council. But in practice, they fuel

instability or have a finger in the pie of most on-going wars.

1. For example, the tragedy in Yemen, which the UN has declared as the world’s

worst humanitarian disaster, is the outcome of indiscriminate attacks by the U.S.-

backed coalition of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, whose geopolitical goal is to

counterbalance Iran. Yet, undaunted by the moral burden, the Donald Trump

administration is eagerly selling copious quantities of lethal weapons to its Gulf

allies in the name of their ‘security’.

2. War is at once a geopolitical game and big business. This holds true not only for

the U.S. but also Russia. Libya’s descent into chaos is the product of the active

involvement of mercenaries and weapons pumped in by Russia and the U.S.-

allied Gulf Arab monarchies to push back Turkey’s influence.

3. Like the calamity in Syria, Yemen and Libya are victims of the conduct of great

powers who arm and finance regional actors to prey upon weak states for

counterbalancing rivals and sustaining profits of their military industrial

complexes.

4. Not to be left behind the U.S. and Russia, China has catapulted into the ranks of

top sellers of weapons. Chinese small arms enable ethnic violence and extreme

human rights abuses from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo to

Pakistan and Myanmar.

5. China also aims to tighten its grip over developing countries through ‘internal

security’ aid, a code for technological tools of domestic surveillance and

repression, which in turn build up societal pressure and armed revolts against

authoritarian regimes. Moreover, China’s own hegemonic expansionism against

its neighbours and its ‘new Cold War’ with the U.S. have significantly raised risks

of military clashes in Asia.

This year, the UN Secretary General is campaigning for a “global ceasefire” so that

everyone’s attention shifts to fighting the COVID19 pandemic. The UN as well as

regional organisations like the African Union and the European Union are trying to

negotiate cessation of hostilities in various war zones.

On the International Day of Peace, we should diagnose the core problem — the

unjust structure which privileges great powers and permits their ghastly

machinations — and challenge it. Altering the structure and nature of world politics

is not child’s play. But we must strive for it.

Remember that if one fire is doused in Afghanistan through a peace process, 10

more fires can be lit as long as the global ‘system’ that reproduces violence and

aggression is in place. Intellectuals, social movements and responsible states should

prioritise struggling for an equitable world order. Nothing less will suffice to silence

the guns.

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7. With Problematic content abounds in the digital space, what are the regulatory

steps taken and to be taken by India to counter balance them?

INTRO = The Government has signalled that more rules to tackle the problems of

unlawful content and harm-causing disinformation in the digital media space are in

the offing.

Recently, in an affidavit filed in the case involving Sudarshan TV, responding to

the Supreme Court’s call for suggestions to improve the self-regulatory

mechanism for electronic media, the Centre said that the regulation of web-

based digital media is the need of the hour, instead. Without any checks, it told

the Court, digital media can spread “venomous hatred”, terror and violence.

As a result, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT Sanjay Dhotre said in a written

reply to the Lok Sabha that his ministry is working to amend the Information

Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011, to make intermediaries more

responsive and accountable. It is difficult to disagree with the view that the Internet is

a space where finding truthful facts can be often challenging, and that polarising

opinions, hate speech, and disinformation abound.

Many lives have been lost to such disinformation-fuelled violence in India in recent

years. But it is also difficult to agree with the view that more rules are an answer to an

age-old problem, only, now amplified by technology-based platforms. That more

regulation will solve this is a fanciful idea –

1) The laws to tackle incendiary content and hate speech that fuels violence are already

in place

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2) What is seen lacking is a will to uniformly apply these rules, irrespective of political

affiliations.

3) The flip side is that the net is a place where there is a free sharing of information

and ideas. So, the question worth asking is if it is possible to ever regulate the

Internet without throttling it, like China has done.

4) The fear that bringing more rules is a euphemism for censorship cannot be

brushed away.

These questions are all the more important because there has been a wave of

investments in the digital news media space in recent years. A large number of these

media sites and magazines pursue legitimate journalism initiatives, which not only

have the proper mechanisms to deliver quality but also operate with a high degree

of accountability.

Way Forward- Attempts at making new rules for intermediaries such as Google and

Facebook need to be well thought-out and measured. Earlier attempts at imposing a

high degree of liability on them for content posted on their platforms have not

survived legal scrutiny, with Section 79(1) of the IT Act, 2000, giving them some

immunity in this regard. An intervention that is light and well considered is what will

work.

8. How to Practise and achieve Environment Sustainability through green supply

chain-based learning systems in manufacturing?

INTRO = The United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the World Bank

Group’s global practices have recognised sustainability as an essential issue of

global importance. Economic, social and other forms of sustainability have evolved

over the years, but it is environmental sustainability that has gained significant

popularity.

Environmental sustainability is understood as buying greener products, avoiding hazardous materials, energy optimisation, and waste reduction. While some firms are still reluctant to engage in environmentally beneficial activities as they are afraid to compromise on the economic benefits, some others have positioned environmental practices at the forefront due to legislation, and industry and government commitments.

Short Term Benefits - In several firms, high importance has been given to

environmentalism due to compelling regulatory norms, and a potential to manage

costs, risks and optimise eco-friendly practices. However, in this process,

organisations, especially in the manufacturing sector, get so serious about the low-

hanging fruits of waste reduction and energy efficiency improvements that they fail

to recognise the need for restructuring their learning imperatives and see the big

picture of environmentalism.

And government norms, organisational policies and corporate environmental

responsibility projects drive environment-friendly practices, these are merely short-

term actions towards environmental sustainability.

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Long Lasting Practices - Only through organisational learning can people be urged to

work towards long-lasting benefits. In this context, green supply chain practices are

useful. These include green procurement, green manufacturing, green distribution,

and reverse logistics. With practices starting from acquisition of eco-friendly raw

material to disposal/ reuse/ recycle of used products ,employees, suppliers,

distributors, retailers and customers will be able to integrate environmental

concerns in the daily operations of a firm. Thus, green supply chain practices enable

organisational learning in environmental sustainability.

Long Lasting Benefits - Our research, based on a survey of 220 respondents across 21 manufacturing units in India, points to the inter-linkages between green supply chain practices, organisational performance and learning.

1. We found that these inter-linkages not only lead to a long-lasting natural drive towards environmental performance, but also to higher economic performance.

2. The resultant learning system smoothens the knowledge flow in the organisation and help firms to strategise for better performance, bearing in mind the environmental aspects.

3. This further promotes environmentalism across all players in manufacturing supply chains.

4. Thus, environmental sustainability is ensured from the source (willingness) and not through force (regulations).

Understanding links Drawing linkages between green supply chain practices,

corporate environmental performance, corporate economic performance and the

dimensions of learning organisations in firms is necessary for an organisation’s

progress and environmental protection in society. Understanding these inevitable

links will enable managers and experts to shape their organisational values, work

practices, and performances for the greater good of society.

We infer that when the different players of a manufacturing supply chain realise the

inherent benefits associated with organisational learning dimensions, their drive

towards environmentalism increases.

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Policymakers should support this thinking by not merely imposing environmental

practices as regulatory norms but by emphasising on the creation of green supply

chain-based learning systems in manufacturing.

9. Give a brief introduction of the GST reforms and the current compensation

stand-off the centre is struggling to handle?

INTRO = Three years after India’s new indirect tax regime was introduced with a

slogan of ‘One Nation, One Tax’, it faces an existential crisis. Despite its patchy

structure with too many complex compliance requirements and multiple mid-

course changes, the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST),

overseen together by the Centre and the States, had begun to almost serve as an

exemplar of co-operative federalism. All of those gains have quickly unravelled as

the slowdown in the economy, exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdowns, has

thrown all revenue calculations to the wind.

Why the Compensation Stand-off?

The Centre has to pay to the States, for a period of five years, compensation for

revenue shortfalls in return for their having ceded the power to levy the multiple

taxes that were subsumed into the GST.

Last week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted, at what may have been

the most tenuous GST Council meeting so far, that the Centre will not be able to

meet the compensation shortfall. With GST collections sharply undershooting all

targets this year.

Issue in Process - In July, the Centre paid out the last instalment of compensation

for the last fiscal and is yet to pay for this year. States have now been given two

options, both requiring them to borrow from the market. The Centre contends

that only ₹97,000 crore of the revenue shortfall is from implementation of the

GST, while ₹1.38-lakh crore is due to extraordinary circumstances posed by an

‘Act of God’ (the pandemic) –

1) States can either borrow ₹97,000 crore, without having it added to their debt

and with the principal and interest paid out from future cess collections.

2) or they can borrow the entire ₹2.35-lakh crore shortfall, but will have to

provide for interest payments themselves.

Argument by the Centre – The Finance Ministry has argued that higher borrowing

by the Centre will push up interest rates and dent India’s fiscal parameters. At

best, this is specious — total government debt, including States’, is what rating

agencies look at.

Counter-argument by the states – Several States have rejected both options and

some, including Tamil Nadu, have urged the Centre to rethink in view of their

essential and urgent spending needs to curb the pandemic and spur growth.

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A staring match is in the offing. It is up to the Centre to resolve this impasse in a way

that future GST reforms do not fall victim to the trust deficit engendered by this

stand-off, the pandemic response is strengthened and all-round government capital

spending to bolster sagging demand not derailed.

For now, the only certainty is that the compensation cess levied on demerit goods

will stay on beyond 2022, and may even be raised, affecting several businesses,

including the jobs-intensive auto sector.

10. “Vaccine development is not about winning a race”. Discuss?

INTRO = The global pharma major AstraZeneca announced that it is putting a halt to

the ongoing clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine, after a volunteer developed

inflammation in her spinal cord.

The Swedish-British company, which is developing the vaccine in collaboration with

Oxford University, has confirmed that the volunteer from the UK, who developed the

adverse reaction, was administered the vaccine, not the placebo. It has said that an

independent panel will investigate what went wrong.

The pharma company’s Indian collaborator, the Pune-based Serum Institute of India,

has also put the vaccine’s trials on hold. It is too early to say if these suspensions

amount to a setback in the global efforts to develop a preventive against the novel

coronavirus. But there are enough reasons to suggest that there is no need to jump

to pessimistic conclusions. The review should, instead, be seen as a part of the

rigorous scrutiny that vaccine candidates must go through.

Adverse events during vaccine tests are not rare —

In 2014, work on the Ebola vaccine was temporarily stopped because some

volunteers suffered arthritis. Unlike the first two phases of the trials, in which

healthy adults are administered the vaccine, Phase 3 trials involve a large number of

participants some of whom could have an underlying medical condition — Oxford

AstraZeneca’s UK trials reportedly include volunteers over 70 years of age, which

increases the risk of adverse events. The volunteer who fell ill after being

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administered the vaccine candidate developed symptoms of transverse myelitis — a

rare neurological disorder that is treated with steroids, though serious cases are

known to leave lasting disabilities. There is also the possibility that the volunteer’s

illness has no direct connection with the vaccine — in fact, in July, preliminary trials

of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine were temporarily stopped because a volunteer

developed neurological symptoms, later found unrelated to the jab. The review

process will tease out whether the latest adverse reaction was coincident with the

trial or caused by it.

Global Concerns - The pause in the Oxford-AstraZeneca trials comes at a time when

there is a virtual scramble to develop a vaccine against the novel coronavirus. There

are concerns in the US that the country’s regulatory agencies could be pressured to

approve a vaccine before the presidential elections in November. US President

Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that the country’s vaccination drive could

begin in late October.

The adverse event at the Oxford-AstraZeneca trials — and the vaccine developers’

response — is a sobering reminder that vaccine development is not about winning a

race. Science must be followed and due procedures should take their course.

11. What does the ‘National Cancer Registry Programme Report of August 2020’

entail, about the cancer burden in India?

INTRO = The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Centre for Disease

Informatics and Research (NCDIR) National Cancer Registry Programme Report of

August 2020 has estimated that – 1) The number of cancer cases in India in 2020 is

13.9 lakh. India has seen a steady rise in cancer cases over many decades.

2) A 2017 report showed that India’s cancer burden increased 2.6 times between

1990 to 2016, and deaths due to cancers doubled during the time.

3) Types of cancer – a) Almost two-thirds of these cancer cases are at late stages. In

men, the most common cancers are of the lung, oral cavity, stomach and

oesophagus, while in women, breast, cervix, ovary and gall bladder cancers are the

most common.

b) Tobacco use (in all forms) is a major avoidable risk factor for the development of

cancer in 27% of cancer cases.

c) Other important risk factors include alcohol use, inappropriate diet, low physical

activity, obesity, and pollution.

Cancer causes loss of lives and also has a tremendous socioeconomic impact.

Reducing cancer is a prerequisite for addressing social and economic inequity,

stimulating economic growth and accelerating sustainable development. But merely

investing in cancer treatment is not an economically viable option.

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Making cancer a notifiable disease could be one of the ways to help drive this

research further by providing greater access to accurate, relevant data that can drive

policy decisions.

12. Why the need for greater deliberation required in case of the new labour codes?

INTRO = Some laws are far too important and have far too much impact on the

people to be passed in haste or without sufficient deliberation. The three codes

aimed at consolidating diverse labour laws and ushering in reforms fall in this

category. The codes were passed in both Houses after a limited debate and in the

absence of the Opposition.

The Industrial Relations Code, the Social Security Code and the Occupational

Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, are an updated version of

the respective Codes of 2019, Which were scrutinised by a Standing Committee.

Therefore, there is considerable merit in the argument that the fresh drafts,

introduced a few days before their passage, ought to have been sent back to the

panel for an assessment.

History – The root of the idea of consolidated labour codes goes back to the June

2002 report of the Second National Commission on Labour. The broad vision has

been to give an impetus to economic activity without adversely affecting the

interests of workers. Whether this is adequately reflected in the new provisions will

be tested by the experience of administering the Codes.

Debated Features –

1) It is significant that the most contentious feature — the increase in the threshold

for an establishment to seek government permission before closure, lay-off or

retrenchment from units that employ 100 workers to 300 — was not found in the

Three key aspects to focus on:

Risk reduction - a) Community empowerment through a multi sectoral approach that

brings together government, private practitioners and civil society to increase health

literacy and promote certain behaviour can go a long way in reducing potential risk

factors.

b) Improved awareness can also prevent stigma attached to the disease. We need to

ensure that health systems are strengthened so that there is greater access to

screening and vaccination, early detection, and timely, affordable treatment.

Early detection and programmatic a) Cancer occurrence is a complex interplay of host

and environmental determinants, which makes it difficult to predict it at an individual

level. But it is estimated that nearly 50%-60% of cancer cases can be avoided by

tackling the known risk factors effectively.

policy solutions a) Population health approaches are also relevant for large-scale

impact. Programmatic and policy-level solutions need to be driven by data.

b) The information collected through the National Cancer Registry Programme has

been used effectively over the years to advocate for better access to screening, early

detection, referral, treatment and palliative care services.

c) It has also helped shape cancer research in the country, which is of crucial

importance to guide our efforts on cancer prevention and control.

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2019 draft, but has been introduced now. This gives establishments greater freedom

in their termination and exit decisions.

2) A contentious section allows the appropriate government to exempt any new

factory from all provisions of the Code on occupational health, safety and working

conditions.

3) A positive feature is that the Social Security Code promises the establishment of

social security funds for unorganised workers, as well as gig and platform workers,

and also says their welfare would be addressed by the National Social Security

Board.

4) While again the threshold for considering any premises as a factory has also

been raised from 10 to 20 workers without the use of power, and from 20 to 40

with power.

5) However, the very fact that it involves a voluminous body of legislation should

have meant that the final version was widely discussed with the stakeholders, and

given sufficient time and opportunity to give their views.

Thus the need for greater deliberation – It is significant that almost all major trade

unions are opposing the new codes. This reflects a genuine fear that expansive

powers of exemption have been conferred on the respective governments and there

has been excessive delegation of rule-making powers. The threshold for lay-offs, as

well as for various social security schemes can be raised by executive order; safety

standards can be changed. There is much reason to fear that conferring wide

discretion to the central and State governments may not be conducive to the

interests of workers.

13. Explain what the need is and how India should leverage its monopsony to the

benefits of a carbon tax?

INTRO = With China, the largest carbon dioxide emitter, announcing that it would

balance out its carbon emissions with measures to offset them before 2060, the

spotlight is now on the U.S. and India, countries that rank second and third in

emissions. The need is as spelt out –

One way to cut effluents while earning revenues is to price the carbon content of

domestic production and imports, be it energy or transport

With the International Monetary Fund endorsing the European Union’s plan to

impose carbon levies on imports, India can be among the first movers in the

developing world in taxing and switching from carbon-intensive fuels (like coal),

the main sources of climate change.

Record heat waves in Delhi, floods in southwest China, and catastrophic forest

fires in California this year are indicative of the existential danger from global

warming.

India ranks fifth in the Global Climate Risk Index 2020.

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Between 1998 and 2017, disaster-hit countries reported $2.9 trillion in direct

economic losses, with 77% resulting from climate change, according to a

United Nations report. The U.S. faced the highest losses, followed by China,

Japan, and India.

Carbon dioxide, the chief culprit in global warming, was 414 parts per million

in August 2020 because of past accumulation. As one half comes from the

three top carbon emitters, they need to drive decarbonisation.

India’s Goals –

India has committed to 40% of electricity capacity being from non-fossil fuels by

2030, and lowering the ratio of emissions to GDP by one-third from 2005 levels.

It is in the country’s interest to take stronger action before 2030, leading to no net

carbon increase by 2050. A smart approach is –

1) Pricing carbon, building on the small steps taken thus far, such as plans by some

40 large companies to price carbon

2) Government incentives for electric vehicles

3) An environmental tax in the 2020-21 budget

14. ‘Reading between the lines of SC’s verdict on Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR)’.

Discuss?

INTRO = The Supreme Court’s decision to allow telecom service providers 10 years’

time to settle their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues to the government comes as a

partial relief to the debt-laden industry.

Advantage - This will give the older providers, especially Vodafone Idea, the crucial

breathing space to figure out how they can reconfigure their business plans to stem

the relentless flow of operational losses and garner the resources to make the

sizeable annual payments to the Centre over the next decade.

Process of the verdict - However, in setting a time frame, the Court, which

acknowledged the troubled landscape facing the lynchpin industry, seemed to brush

aside both the companies’ requests for a longer horizon as well as the Centre’s well-

deliberated recommendation for a 20-year repayment period, merely terming it

“excessive”. The government having realised the enormity of the problem and its

potential for significantly disruptive consequences to not just the industry but the

larger economy as a whole had thrashed out the matter at various levels, including

within the Cabinet, before submitting its view.

Without naming any company, the Centre had made clear that were the AGR

dues to be sought at one go, it could well push a service provider into insolvency

proceedings.

Such a turn could potentially impact millions of subscribers, with the surviving

operators finding their capacities stretched to handle a sudden surge of mobile

portability requests while simultaneously maintaining quality of service.

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The Court, in its order, did take cognisance of the multiple threats to the industry’s

well-being:

1) The depressed levels of average revenue per user

2) The fraught competitive landscape where a new entrant’s tariffs had triggered a

price war hurting revenues

3) A surge in data usage even as the price of such data plans remained almost

unviably low

4) And an overall diminishing ability to continue to invest in capital spending for

infrastructure upgradation and new technology including the upcoming adoption of

5G networks.

Role of the Indian Banks Association (IBA) – The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had

also explained its position in seeking a judicious and non-disruptive outcome. The

IBA represented the various lenders, who have much at stake given that industry

debt including that which is under resolution as part of the Insolvency and

Bankruptcy Code process amounts to over ₹4-lakh crore.

Way Forward - While the companies themselves are yet to decide on whether to

seek a curative review of the latest verdict, the future of India’s ambitious dreams of

enabling a pan-Indian digital ecosystem that seamlessly connects the remotest rural

inhabitant with a plethora of e-enabled services hinge on ensuring the industry stays

healthy and vibrant. For that, the government needs to look beyond the AGR issue

and reimagine the way it prices and seeks to monetise the precious yet immutable

public asset of radio spectrum in future.

15. “The government’s fiscal response so far has been far more tight-fisted than that of

other countries.” Explain how?

INTRO = The central government accounts for the first four months of the current

financial year suggest that despite imposing one of the most stringent lockdowns in

the world and in spite of facing one of the severest economic slowdowns in recent

history, the government’s response so far has been far more tight-fisted than that of

other countries. Because –

1) At the aggregate level, the Centre’s total spending rose by 11.3 per cent in the

April-July period — lower than even its budgeted projection of 12.7 per cent for the

full year. This is nowhere close to the scale of spending required to compensate,

even partly, for the economic loss during this period. 2) The GDP data released

earlier this week revealed that both private consumption and investments fell by

roughly Rs 5.3 lakh crore each (at 2011-12 prices) during the first quarter over the

same period last year. In comparison, government consumption expenditure rose by

a mere Rs 68,387 crore — nowhere near enough to offset, even partly, the fall. It is

possible that the Centre may ramp up spending in subsequent months. However, at

the current juncture, given the scale of the collapse in economic activity, there is a

strong case for not only front-loading its budgeted allocations, but also for drastically

expanding the scale of its spending.

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Importance of Capital Spending – Much of the rise in the Centre’s spending till now has been driven by revenue expenditure, which rose by 12 per cent in the April-July period.

However, in comparison, the Centre’s capital expenditure grew by a mere 3.9 per cent over the same period. Worryingly, capital spending has declined on roads and defence.

Considering that the capital expenditure multipliers for both Centre and state governments are much higher than the revenue expenditure multipliers — the latter are, in fact, less than one — there is a strong case for ramping up capital spending to crowd in private sector investments. This, as the RBI notes, “induces more than proportionate increase in investments in the economy”.

Way Forward – A crisis of this magnitude needs to be tackled at multiple levels. The fiscal response should involve a combination of measures —

1) Enhanced cash transfers for providing immediate but temporary relief.

2) While at the same time, ramping up capital spending.

So far, however, there has been no indication from the government on either the size or the composition of a package, if one is on the way.

16. How important are Inter-Governmental Negotiations and other reforms in

UN, to reflect the altered geopolitical realities in order to stay relevant?

INTRO = As the United Nations commences the 75th session of the General

Assembly, the need for internal reforms to suit the 21st century could not be starker.

Volkan Bozkir, the Turkish diplomat and politician who is the incoming president of

the UNGA, has voiced concern that the structure of the 15-member Security Council

ought to be more democratic and representative.

Why Reforms?

But action has been long overdue on the demand, especially from the so-called Group of 4 (G4) countries — Brazil, Germany, India and Japan — which advocate a permanent seat for all of them.

Meanwhile, the veto powers that the UNSC’s five permanent members enjoy is an anachronism in this age. This instrument is often wielded as a blunt weapon to shore up their geopolitical interests, regardless of the disastrous consequences for the victims of armed conflict.

India Opines - India’s election in June as a non-permanent member of the UNSC,

obtaining 184 votes, was a diplomatic triumph, notwithstanding that it was the lone

contestant for the Asia Pacific seat. But in a sign of the difficulties ahead to achieve

New Delhi’s ultimate objective, reforms to the UN figured no more than as part of a

broader vision in the declaration to commemorate the organisation’s 75th

anniversary.

The political and economic architecture of the emerging global order that the allied

powers shaped at the end of World War II has been altered since then. The UN

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remains unreflective of the current trajectory, especially in the strategic and

economic arenas. The multilateral framework now faces an unprecedented

challenge — to fashion a collective response to humanity’s biggest problems, which

include global warming and the pandemic.

Paradoxically though, the post-war order faces an existential threat to its stability

from the revival of nationalism across the globe, with some of the powers that

enshrined common principles and rules willing to discard them. All countries must

have the voice to influence policy.

17. Explain how Sri Lanka’s majoritarian turn, appeals to address Tamil aspirations

ineffectually?

INTRO = The first meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan

premier Mahinda Rajapaksa after the latter’s landslide victory in last month’s

parliamentary election showed up starkly the differences between the two

neighbours on a key issue that has dogged the bilateral relationship. It also showed

how little India can do to change this.

Since 1988, India has wanted Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment of its

Constitution to devolve political power to the Tamil dominated areas in the north

and east.

The amendment came out of the 1987 India-Sri Lanka Accord and remains the

only constitutional measure that gives the Tamil minority a smidgeon of

autonomy within a unitary constitution.

But the paradox is that while the second tier of devolved provincial councils

came up across the island-nation, the minorities-dominated north and east

(earlier North-East), from where the demand for asymmetric devolution first

arose, did not get these elected councils until some years ago, and then too, with

curtailed powers.

Now there is talk in Colombo of abolishing the amendment altogether.

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The meeting of the premiers ended predictably. The Sri Lankan leader went on to

issue a separate statement in Colombo that made no mention of the Tamil issue. It is

as if both sides now know they must pay lip service to Sri Lanka’s yet unresolved

Tamil question, while being aware that it is a charade that isn’t going anywhere.

Why the distance between India-Sri Lanka – Colombo knows its proximity to Beijing

rattles Delhi. The Modi government has not been able to get any of the

infrastructure projects agreed upon in July 2017 moving. Joint statement mentions

offer no guarantee that the situation on the ground in Sri Lanka will change, either

for Tamils or for the projects. The Rajapaksas, who speak the language of militaristic

Sinhalese nationalism, are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Despite strong

cultural links, the challenges in the relationship with Sri Lanka are a test case for

Delhi’s “Neighbourhood First” policy.

GS 1 HISTORY

1. Where was the Renati Chola Inscription recently unearthed from and what did its

contents mean?

BACKGROUND = A rare inscription dating back to the Renati Chola era has been

unearthed in a remote village of Kadapa district that has kindled interest among the

fraternity of archaeology and history.

Going by the language and characters, the inscription was written in archaic Telugu, which

was readable in 25 lines — the first side with 11 lines and the remaining on the other side.

It was assigned to the 8th Century A.D., when the region was under the rule of the Chola

Maharaja of Renadu.

The inscription seems to throw light on the record of a gift of six marttus (a measuring

unit) of land gifted to a person Sidyamayu, one of the Brahmins serving the temple at

Pidukula village.

The last lines are indicative of the priority given to morality in those days - “It says the

people who safeguard this inscription for future generations will acquire the status of

conducting Aswamedha Yaga, and those destroying it will incur sin equivalent to causing a

death in Varanasi”.

The inscription has been shifted from the spot to be preserved in the State Archaeological

Museum at Mylavaram in Jammalamadugu mandal, in the vicinity of the famed Gandikota

project.

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2. Describe the age-old Kashmiri culinary tradition that the pandemic put a hold to?

BACKGROUND = The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which is wreaking havoc

the world over, has hit the Kashmir Valley’s centuries-old culinary tradition of

‘trami’ — eating together from one plate during weddings. But Kashmiris have

learnt to adapt to the situation, understanding what social distancing means.

GEOGRAPHY

1. What is the rainfall record in India this monsoon? And why is it the highest since

1926?

BACKGROUND = August rainfall this year has been the highest since 1926 with 32.7

cm — or about 27% more than what is normal for the month, according to data from

the India Meteorological Department (IMD). IMD officials said that though August

rainfall was in excess, the figure for this year’s monsoon as a whole were likely to be

within the department’s June forecast of a normal (96 to 104% of the long period

average) rainfall.

In ‘trami’, four guests join in simultaneously to have their portion of food from around a

circular 2X2 ft decorated copper plate.

Replacing ‘trami’ with individual copper utensils was the only option. “It was praised by

the guests as it reduced their close contact with each other,” the trend seems to be

picking up fast.

There were instances where guests would enquire about how the food will be served. If it

was a ‘trami’, people would avoid the function for obvious reasons

Many find the new trend more comfortable. “A guest is bound by the ‘trami’ culture to

start at a particular time. Anyone who misses a ‘trami’ is supposed to wait. However, the

copper utensil gives flexibility. In COVID-19 crisis, it is a healthy alternative too.

In rare scenes in Kashmiri weddings this year, the ‘dastarkhan’ (long cloth spread on the

floor), saw guests with face-shields and masks holding their own copper utensils around

three metres away, as seven dishes were served by ‘Wazas’ (chef) from one utensil to

another.

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Low-pressure systems

The heavy rain in August was due to several long-lasting low pressure systems, or

rain-bearing winds, that formed in the Bay of Bengal and were vigorous enough to

travel all the way from the south-eastern coast up to north-west India.

Climate change

Long periods of heavy rain followed by extended dry periods are a feature of climate

change and is part of a general change in monsoon patterns over India, the IMD had

previously stated.

This year the IMD launched urban flood forecasting services for Mumbai and

Chennai and it would extend it to Bengaluru and Kolkata. “We can provide these

forecasts for other cities too but require detailed maps of the cities. The [four cities]

that we provided services were extremely cooperative and forthcoming with such

data.

North-West India has seen 10% less rainfall than what is normal; Central India has

seen a 17% surplus; South India a 20% surplus and Northeast India received exactly

what it normally gets. Cooler than normal conditions in the equatorial Central

Pacific contributed to the increased rainfall.

2. What is the Life Harbouring Gas that has been found on Venus?

Conditions on Venus are often described as hellish with daytime temperatures hot enough to melt lead and an atmosphere comprised almost entirely of carbon dioxide.

A team of experts used telescopes in Hawaii and Chile’s Atacama Desert to observe Venus’ upper cloud deck, around 60 km from the surface.

They detected traces of phosphine, a flammable gas that on Earth occurs from

the breakdown of organic matter.

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GS 2 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Prepare a short note on SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation).

SCO Defence minister conference:

Combined meeting of Defence Ministers of the SCO, Collective Security

Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and Common wealth of Independent States (CIS)

Member States in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of victory in the

Second World War in Moscow.

As we know that India and China from past 4 months are facing standoff at

LAC which resultant to massive build-up of Military. On this back drop,

Defence Minister reiterated “peaceful, stable and secure region of SCO

member states, home to over 40% of the global population, demands a

climate of trust and cooperation, nonaggression, respect for international

rules, sensitivity to each other’s interest and peaceful resolution of

differences.”

WHAT IS SCO:

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), or Shanghai Pact, is a Eurasian

political, economic, and security alliance, the creation of which was announced on

Phosphine is a colourless, flammable, and

explosive gas at ambient temperature that

has the odor of garlic or decaying fish.

It is slightly soluble in water. It is known

to be produced only through biological

process.

Venus is closest planet to Earth. It is the

second planet from the Sun.

It is similar in structure but slightly smaller

than Earth.

Venus is wrapped in a thick, toxic

atmosphere that traps in heat. Surface

temperature is 880 degrees Fahrenheit.

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15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,

Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

SNIPPET

SNIPPET

2. What circumstances in the past led to the Armenia Azerbaijan Conflict and what is

the mediation role to be played by Moscow?

CONTEXT: Recently, territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the

Nagorno-Karabakh region has re-erupted with heavy clashes.

Armenia and Azerbaijan are part of Transcaucasia or South Caucasia (geographical

region in the vicinity of the southern Caucasus Mountains on the border of Eastern

Europe and Western Asia consisting of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan).

Objectives Strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member

states. Promoting effective cooperation in -politics, trade & economy, research &

technology and culture. Enhancing ties in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental

protection, etc. Maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region. Establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political

& economic order.

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REASON FOR DISPUTE:

Territorial: Nagorno-Karabakh region has 95% of the population as ethnically

Armenia and is controlled by them but it is internationally recognized as a part of

Azerbaijan.

Religious: Armenia is a Christian majority, while Azerbaijan is Muslim majority

country.

Domestic Politics: The leaders of both the nation fuelled the issue time and again for

their vested political interests.

EFFECT ON INDIA:

INDIA-ARMENA: In recent years, Indian-Armenia bilateral cooperation has

seen rapid growth.

The then Vice-President of India visited Yerevan (Armenia) in 2017.

Armenia bought the India SWATHI military system in March 2020.

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Many Indian students study in Armenian medical Universities and in recent years

Armenia has witnessed an increasing flow of Indian labour migrants.

For Armenia, close relations with India are vitally important as India provides a

counter balance to the rival strategic axis between Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey.

WAY FORWARD:

The conflict between the two countries has reached alarming levels and the

international mediators should intervene immediately and push sides for substantive

negotiations to prevent any further escalations.

Growing Pakistan- China-Turkey’s influence in the South Caucasus region is a source

of concern for India. It is important for it to strengthen its ties with both the

countries in line continuing its non-aligned stance, and call for peace in the region.

3. What is the Malabar Exercise and explain why is the Inclusion of Australia into it

necessary?

BACKGROUND = Exercise Malabar is a trilateral naval exercise involving the United

States, Japan and India as permanent partners. Originally begun in 1992 as a

bilateral exercise between India and the United States, Japan became a permanent

partner in 2015.

India will discuss its decision on whether to allow Australia into the Malabar trilateral

exercise at the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting in Tokyo. This year’s edition of the

exercise consisting of India, Japan and the U.S. is scheduled to take place in mid-

November. India and the U.S. are also scheduled to hold the next round of 2+2

ministerial dialogue. After years of reluctance due to Beijing’s sensitivities India said

it was open to Australia’s inclusion in the Malabar, due to its affinity in the QUAD

group.

GOVERENCE

1. Discuss the merits and demerits of the Parliamentary form of the government.

Merits of Parliamentary System:

Better coordination between the executive and the legislature: Since the executive is a part of the legislature, and generally the majority of the legislature support the government, it is easier to pass laws and implement them.

Prevents authoritarianism: Since the executive is responsible to the legislature, and can vote it out in a motion of no confidence, there is no authoritarianism. Also, unlike the presidential system, power is not concentrated in one hand.

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Responsible government: The members of the legislature can ask questions and discuss matters of public interest and put pressure on the government. The parliament can check the activities of the executive.

Representing diverse groups: In this system, the parliament offers representation to diverse groups of the country. This is especially important for a country like India.

Flexibility: There is flexibility in the system as the PM can be changed easily if needed. During the Second World War, the British PM Neville Chamberlain was replaced by Winston Churchill. This is unlike the presidential system where he/she can be replaced only after the entire term or in case of impeachment/incapacity.

Demerits of Parliamentary System

No separation of powers: Since there is no genuine separation of powers, the legislature cannot always hold the executive responsible. This is especially true if the government has a good majority in the house. Also, because of anti-defection rules, legislators cannot exercise their free will and vote as per their understanding and opinions. They have to follow the party whip.

Unqualified legislators: The system creates legislators whose intention is to enter the executive only. They are largely unqualified to legislate.

Instability: Since the governments sustain only as long as they can prove a majority in the house, there is instability if there is no single-largest party after the elections. Coalition governments are generally quite unstable and short-lived. Because of this, the executive has to focus on how to stay in power rather than worry about the state of affairs/welfare of the people.

Ministers: The executive should belong to the ruling party. This rules out the hiring of industry experts for the job.

Failure to take a prompt decision: Because there is no fixed tenure enjoyed by the Council of Ministers, it often hesitates from taking bold and long-term policy decisions.

Party politics: Party politics is more evident in the parliamentary system where partisan interests drive politicians more than national interests.

Control by the bureaucracy: Civil servants exercise a lot of power. They advise the ministers on various matters and are also not responsible to the legislature.

2. What is the objective of “the young child outcomes index” and what is the

suggested way forward?

BACKGROUND = The young child outcomes index measures health, nutrition and

cognitive growth with the help of indicators such as infant mortality rate, stunting

and net attendance at the primary school level. The index is part of the ‘State of

the Young Child’ in India report released the 50-year-old NGO, which works in the

field of early childhood care and development by ensuring services at construction

sites and slum settlements across several cities. The index has been constructed for

two time periods (2005–2006 and 2015–2016) to enable inter-State comparisons

as well as provide an idea of change over time.

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The report has also developed another index called the young child environment

index to understand the policy and environment enablers that influence a child’s

well-being.

According to the index, Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh secured

the top five positions. It uses five policy enablers that influence child well-being

outcomes, including poverty alleviation, strengthening primary healthcare,

improving education levels, safe water supply and promotion of gender equity.

The eight States that have a below average score on the outcomes index are

Assam, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar

Pradesh and Bihar.

Way Forward – The report calls for an increase in public spending on children.

According to its analysis on expenses towards child nutrition, healthcare, education

and other necessary protection services, India spent ₹1,723 per child in 2018–2019,

an amount that is insufficient and fails to reach the entire eligible population.

The report points out that while the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of

Women and Child Development has increased; all the additional funds have been

allocated towards nutrition delivery under the Integrated Child Development

Scheme (ICDS). While the population of children less than six years of age is 158.8

million, the ICDS covers only 71.9 million children as calculated from the total

number of beneficiaries across States.

3. According to the National Statistical Organisation Survey how deep is the ‘Digital

Divide’ in post-pandemic education scenario of the country?

INTRO = A recent report of National Statistical Organisation (NSO) survey shows

just how stark is the digital divide across States, cities and villages, and income

groups. The survey on household social consumption related to education was

part of the NSO’s 75th round, conducted from July 2017 to June 2018.

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Schools across the country have now been closed for six months due to COVID-19.

For the child in urban Himachal Pradesh, where Internet penetration is higher than

70%, online schooling, Zoom classes and digital textbooks are easily available and on

the other side rural Odisha where less than 6% of households have Internet

facilities, such options are out of the question.

Across India, only one in 10 households have a computer — whether a desktop,

laptop or tablet. However, almost a quarter of all homes have Internet facilities,

accessed via a fixed or mobile network using any device, including smartphones.

Most of these Internet-enabled homes are located in cities, where 42% have Internet

access. In rural India, however, only 15% are connected to the Internet.

The biggest divide is by economic status, the Centre has directed State Education

Departments to map the online access available to all their students in order to

adequately plan curriculum and teaching methods that can reach such students.

Although much of the focus has been on digital platforms, television and radio are

also being used to deliver lessons.

Even as digital literacy is likely to grow during this pandemic, concerns remain about

basic literacy, with September 8 celebrated as International Literacy Day. More than

one in five Indians above 7 years still cannot read and write in any language. Over the

last decade, literacy rates have increased from 71.7% to 77.7%, with the highest gains

coming among rural women.

4. Prepare a short note on Pradhan mantra Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

Conrext: PMJDY – National Mission for Financial Inclusion, completed its six years

of successful implementation.

PMJDY was launched by Narendra Modi on 28th August 2014. It is a national mission with an aim to provide access to various financial services including Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Pension, Banking Savings & Deposit Accounts in an affordable manner. Prime Minister Narendra Modi first announced this scheme during his Independence Day speech on 15th August 2014.

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5. Explain in brief the growing opposition in Tripura to large scale Bru enclaves

resettlement? BACKGROUND = The Joint Movement Committee (JMC) comprising the Bengali-

dominated Nagarik Suraksha Mancha and the Tripura Mizo Convention said the

State government’s move to settle 4,900 Bru families in Kanchanpur and Panisagar

subdivisions of North Tripura district would have “negative social, cultural, political,

environmental and ecological impacts”.

BENEFITS:

With the outbreak of Covid-19 in India, the Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman made an announcement to provide Rs. 500 per month to every Women Jan-Dhan Account Holders for the next three months. This announcement was made on 26th March 2020 as an initiative towards the loss caused by the outbreak.

A relief package worth Rs 1.70 lakh crore will also be provided by the government to tackle the financial difficulties arising from Covid-19 outbreak under the PM Garib Kalyan Scheme. The 21 days lockdown is expected to cost the Indian Economy a cost of around 9 lakh crores.

The scheme covers both the urban as well as the rural areas and provides an indigenous Debit Card (RuPay card) to each of its account holders.

No minimum balance is required for opening an account under this scheme. The beneficiary can open his/her account in any bank branch or Business Correspondent outlet at zero balance.

It ensures to provide on Core Banking System (CBS) along with mobile banking using USSD facilities. A facility of call centre and a toll-free number is available nationwide.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana provides each beneficiary with basic banking accounts with a debit card with inbuilt accident insurance.

Rs. 5,000 overdraft facility for Aadhar-linked accounts as well as a RuPay debit card with inbuilt Rs. 1 lakh accident insurance cover is one of the main features provided by this scheme.

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Settlement of Brus:

Before 1997 ethnic clashes Brus stayed in Mizoram and then stayed in Tripura Relief

Camp, from here few moved back to Mizoram and few where settled in Tripura. As

Brus is vulnerable tribal group who depends on Pre-agriculture level technology and

there population is decline with extreme low literacy.

The demand is that these refugees must be equally distributed across all districts of

Tripura instead of turning North Tripura district into Bru refugees ghettos. As more

than 40,000 Brus – also called Reangs - have been living in relief camps in Tripura

since 1997 after escaping ethnic violence in Mizoram.

6. Prepare a short note on UN’s Commission on Status of Women.

Background= Recently India has been elected as the member of the Commission on

Status of Women (CSW), a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The CSW is the principle global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the

promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women which was

established in 1946 and headquarter in New York, USA.

It is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council

(ECOSOC), one of the main UN organs within the United Nations.

It promotes women’s rights, highlights the reality of women’s lives throughout the

world and helps in shaping global standards on gender equality and the

empowerment of women.

45 member states of the United Nations serve as members of the Commission at any

one time.

7. What is Mission Karmayogi? And what are it’s Modus Operandi?

BACKGROUND = ‘Mission Karmayogi’ or National Programme for Civil Services

Capacity Building (NPCSCB), will be steered by four new bodies, and will be available

for civil servants from the rank of assistant section officer to Secretary, across

services. The new entities will be –

Prime Minister’s Public Human Resources Council

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A Capacity Building Commission

A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will own and operate the digital assets

and technological platform for online training.

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And a Coordination Unit, which will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary. An

Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT)-Karmayogi platform will be developed

for the project.

Mission Karmayogi is endeavour to reincarnate a government servant as an ideal

karmayogi to serve the nation, by enabling him to be creative, to be constructive, to

be proactive, and technically empowered”. It is also to end the culture of working in

the silos” and to “overcome the multiplicity of training curriculum which we have

because of the institutions spread all over the country. Mission Karmayogi will shift

the focus from rule-specific to role specific, and training programmes will be

available to all civil servants across services and ranks, etc. The project, which will

cover around 46 lakh central government employees, will be set up at a cost of Rs

510.86 crore over the next five years. Initial funding to the tune of $50 million will

come from multilateral agencies including the World Bank and Asian Development

Bank.

SNIPPETS

1. Who held the 1st Indo-Pacific Trilateral Dialogue and what are its objectives?

With a focus on enhancing cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, India, Australia and

France held the first trilateral dialogue where they discussed “economic and

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geostrategic challenges and cooperation” in the region, particularly in the context of

the COVID19 pandemic and domestic responses to it.

The three countries also had an exchange on the priorities, challenges and trends in

regional and global multilateral institutions, including the best ways to strengthen

and reform multilateralism

The three sides expressed their shared will “to successfully conclude concrete

cooperation projects in the maritime sector and those promoting global commons

(climate, environment and biodiversity, health)”.

2. What countries constitutes the G4 and list the steps taken by them to further the

cause of UN reforms?

The Group of 4 — India, Brazil, Japan and Germany — a group that is seeking

permanent membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC), met virtually recently to

further their objective. The four countries stressed delivering concrete outcomes, in

writing and within a time frame.

a) They called for a decisive push for UNSC reforms during #UN75. b) Unanimous call for text-based negotiations in a fixed time frame. c) Reformed Multilateralism guides India’s approach to the United Nations The Ministers reaffirmed their common resolve to “finally take decisive steps

towards the early and comprehensive reform of the Security Council that was

envisaged by Heads of State and Government in the 2005 World Summit”.

India, in January, will commence a two-year nonpermanent term on the UNSC, has

long sought a permanent seat at the Council and is a proponent of other UNSC

reforms — such as increasing the number of permanent (currently five) and

nonpermanent (currently 10) seats and ensuring greater representation for Africa.

Africa needs to be represented in both the permanent and non-permanent

categories of membership of a reformed and expanded Security Council to correct

the historical injustice against this continent with regard to its underrepresentation

in the Security Council.

3. How has the pandemic brought up a peace pact between Gaza and Israel?

Gaza’s Hamas rulers reached an agreement through international mediators led by

Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar to end the latest round of cross-border

violence with Israel.

Under the deal, Hamas would halt the launches of explosivesladen balloons and

rocket fire into Israel, while Israel said it will ease a blockade that has been

tightened in recent weeks. The Israeli restrictions have worsened living conditions in

Gaza at a time when it is coping with COVID-19 outbreak.

Under previous, unofficial understandings reached through intermediaries, Hamas

has sought a broader easing of restrictions on movement, increased power supplies

from Israel and large-scale economic projects to help lower unemployment

hovering around 50%. It accuses Israel of moving too slowly or not honouring its

commitments.

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COGAT, an Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, announced

that it would reopen Gaza’s only cargo crossing and resume fuel shipments into the

territory. It also said it would reopen a 25-km fishing zone off Gaza’s coast.

4. What are the content of the recently passed Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

(Second Amendment) Bill?

BACKGROUND = The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill,

provides that insolvency proceedings against defaulting companies will not be

initiated for at least six months starting from March 25.

1) Responding to the issues raised by the members during the discussion, Finance

Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Code was not a recovery law.

2) The creditors, including MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), had

several other options to recover their claims.

3) The proposed amendments, brought in the form of an Ordinance on June 5,

suspended the application of three provisions to prevent any company, stressed due

to the COVID-19 situation, from being pushed into insolvency proceedings.

4) A proviso for further extension of six months has also been given. The initial six-

month period would end on September 24.

5) Comparing the performance, Ms. Sitharaman said the recovery rate under the

Code was 42.5%, while under Lok Adalat (2018-19), the figure was 5.3%; DRT

proceedings had led to 3.5% recovery and under the SARFAESI Act, 14.5% of the

dues were recovered.

6) The proposed amendments had a lot of grey areas, leaving loopholes for large

debtors. The worst casualty would be the MSME sector, which employed 1.2 million

people and catered to large corporates.

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5. What is the ‘Gorkhaland’ demand and why is it in news now?

The Bharatiya Gorkha Parishad (BGP) has lauded Meghalaya Chief Minister

Conrad K. Sangma for supporting the demand for a separate Gorkhaland State,

saying the Gorkhas deserve their “Bas Bhoomi” (homeland) and their “just and

legitimate demand” should be considered.

The BGP is the highest body of the Gorkhas in India.

About 10.5 million Gorkhas who have long-pending constitutional demand of the

Gorkhas for a separate Gorkhaland state. The Gorkhas have made India their

home for a very long period. The contributions of the Gorkhas towards India, their

motherland, have been immeasurable and they have made supreme sacrifices in

protecting this beloved country.

6. Comment on Shuchi Scheme.

Context: The Karnataka government has not allowed funds to the Shuchi Scheme (a

menstrual hygiene project), in its budget for 2020-21.

As a result, the distribution of sanitary napkins has come to halt under the Scheme,

affecting over 17 lakh school and college girls.

The shuchi scheme, started in 2013-14, was initially a centrally-sponsored one.

However, the centre asked states to take over the scheme from 2015-16.

The central government has supported had states/UTs through National Health

Mission(NHM) in their programme implementation plans for decentralised

procurement of sanitary napkin packs.

It is aimed at instilling awareness about menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls.

A national level scheme- Kishore Shakti Yojana (KSY) of the Union Ministry of Women

and Child Development seeks to empower adolescent girls, so as to enable them to

take changes of their lives.

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The broad objectives of the scheme are to improve the nutritional, health and

development status of adolescent girls, promote awareness of health, hygiene,

nutrition and family care, link them to opportunities for learning life skills, going

back to school, help them gain a better understanding of their social environment

and take initiatives to become productive members of the society.

7. Prepare a note on National Medical Commission (NMC)

Context: The Union government has set up the National Medical Commission (NMC)

along with 4 other autonomous boards while abolishing the MCI.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION:

The centre as notified the 33-members NMC, which will be chaired for three

years by Suresh Chandra Sharma.

Apart from the chairman, the NMC will consist of 10 ex-officio members and 22

part-time members appointed by the Central government.

FUNCTIONS OF NMC:

Laying down policies for regulating medical institutions and medical

professionals.

Assessing the requirements of human resources and infrastructure in

healthcare.

Ensuring compliance by the State medical Councils with the regulations made

under the Bill.

AUTONOMOUS

BOARDS

1. Undergraduate Medical Education

Board.

2. Postgraduate Medical Board.

3. Medical assessment and Rating

Board.

4. Ethics and Medical Registration

Board.

(These boards have been constituted

to help the NMC in day-to-day

functioning)

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Framing guidelines for determination of fee for up to 50% of the seats in the

private medical institutions.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Discuss the National Statistical Office (NSO) estimates for the GDP this fiscal and

the recommended way forward?

BACKGROUND = The Indian economy saw its worst contraction in decades, with

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shrinking by a record 23.9% in the April to June

quarter in comparison to the same period last year. The contraction reflects the

severe impact of the COVID19 lockdown, which halted most economic activities, as

well as the slowdown trend of the economy even pre-COVID-19.

The contraction in the latest quarter is estimated based on limited indicators mostly

pertaining to the formal sector. The estimate will be revised in the next release.

Some indicator used to estimate includes – coal production, steel consumption, sales

of commercial vehicles, passengers handled at the airports, aggregate bank deposits

and bank credits.

Data collection was hampered due to the lockdown and may have implications on

the estimates – a note by the National Statistical Office.

According to the Indian Economic advisory, India is expecting a V-shaped recovery

after unlocking of economic activities.

V-shape recovery is an economic term, which means a steep decline in the economy

followed by a study rise and growth, which positively helps in the recovery of the

country’s economy. In the first quarter of 2020, India’s GDP has shrunken to -23%

which is very unpleasant news for the future growth of Indian economy. To regain

the momentum of economic growth, the government should first focus on balancing

the demand and supply factor.

In the previous stimulus package of the government, they emphasized on the supply

side but now there is a crucial need for monetary stimulus for the individuals, as

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large portions of the society has lost their jobs. Thus it’s the high time where the

government come up with better package for the general public. Now, the

government should emphasize on reopening schools and other sectors like

transportation with proper precaution and guidelines, as they act as an ecosystem

foe various businesses, the general public should strictly follow the norms and

guidelines specified by the government and should work upon improving their

immunity, as this is the only way to ensure sustainable health with a wealth of the

country and its people.

2. What are the steps taken by RBI to ramp up funding to the Agricultural Sector?

BACKGROUND = The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released revised priority sector

lending guidelines to augment funding to segments including start-ups and

agriculture.

Priority Sector Lending is an important role given by the Reserve Bank of India

(RBI) to the banks for providing a specified portion of the bank lending to few

specific sectors like agriculture and allied activities, micro and small enterprises,

poor people for housing, students for education and other low income groups

and weaker sections.

Bank finance of up to ₹50 crore to start-ups, loans to farmers both for

installation of solar power plants for solarisation of gridconnected agriculture

pumps, and for setting up compressed biogas (CBG) plants have been included

as fresh categories eligible for finance under the priority sector.

Higher weightage has been assigned to incremental priority sector credit in

‘identified districts’ where priority sector credit flow is comparatively low.

The targets prescribed for ‘small and marginal farmers’ and ‘weaker sections’ are

being increased in a phased manner and higher credit limit has been specified for

farmer producer organisations (FPOs)/farmers producers companies (FPCs)

undertaking farming with assured marketing of their produce at a pre-

determined price.

Besides, loan limits for renewable energy have been doubled. Commercial banks

have been instructed to adhere to the revised guidelines.

The RBI’s revision in PSL guidelines will incentivise credit flow to specific

segments like clean energy, weaker sections, health infrastructure and credit

deficient geographies.

The RBI move, which comes at a time when credit growth has remained sluggish

at 6.7% and GDP for the first quarter contracted by 23.9%, is aimed at enabling

better credit deficient areas, increasing the lending to small and marginal

farmers and weaker sections and boosting credit to renewable energy and health

infrastructure.

3. What are the additions and changes that have been introduced in the FCRA with

the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020?

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BACKGROUND = The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020, was

introduced in the Lok Sabha and the Centre is set to amend the Foreign

Contribution (Regulation) Act by –

1) Proposing to make Aadhaar a mandatory identification document for all the

office-bearers, directors and other key functionaries of an NGO or an

association eligible to receive foreign donations.

2) The Bill says the amendment is required to enhance transparency and

accountability in the receipt and utilisation of foreign contributions worth

thousands of crores of rupees every year and facilitating the “genuine” non-

governmental organisations or associations who are working for the welfare of

society.

3) The Bill proposes to include “public servant” and “corporation owned or

controlled by the government” among the list of entities who are not eligible to

receive foreign donations.

Ex - In 2016, the Home Ministry had cancelled the licence of Lawyers Collective, run

by noted lawyers Indira Jaising and Anand Grover for various violations. The

Ministry, in its suspension notice, had said that Ms. Jaising — as a government

servant — had received foreign funds over ₹96 crore when she held the post of

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) between the years 2009 and 2014, in violation of

FCRA norms.

ENVIRONMENT

1. What is the need for framing guidelines for the disposal of Cigarette butts?

BACKGROUND = Following a report filed by the Central Pollution Control Board

(CPCB), the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the board to lay down

guidelines pertaining to disposal of cigarette and beedi butts within three months.

The report, based on a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Toxicology

Research (IITR), however, says that concentration of various parameters analysed

are lower than the prescribed limits and “will not be toxic to humans and

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environment”. While tobacco is undoubtedly harmful and the concerned authorities

are seized of the remedial action, the tribunal is mainly concerned with the manner

of disposal of cigarette and beedi butts.

The analysis reflects that concentrations detected will not be toxic to human

and environment. Cellulose acetate is a major component (95%) of the

cigarette butts along with the wrapping paper and rayon. In general, the

toxicity date are not available for cellulose acetate.

Cellulose acetate is a major component of the cigarette and beedi butts and

its degradation studies show that it will persist for a longer duration.

Recycling of cellulose acetate after recovery from cigarette butts may be

suggested as one among the immediate solution to the problem until the

degradation and safety data are generated.

Natural environmental conditions and laboratory stimulating conditions

would be required to conclude the safety or toxicity of cigarette butts to

further correlate with human and environmental health risk assessment.

2. What is the cause of death behind that of 330 Botswana elephants and why is it

raising more questions?

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BACKGROUND = Toxins in water produced by cyanobacteria killed more than 300

elephants in Botswana, announcing the result of an investigation into the deaths

which had baffled and alarmed conservationists.

Cyanobacteria are microscopic organisms common in water and sometimes

found in soil. Not all produce toxins but scientists say toxic ones are occurring

more frequently as climate change drives up global temperatures.

The number of dead elephants had risen to 330, from 281 reported in July.

However we have many questions still to be answered such as why the elephants

only and why that area only? Other animals in the Okavango Panhandle region

appeared unharmed.

Climate change-

Some cyanobacterial blooms can harm people and animals and scientists are

concerned about their potential impact as climate change leads to warmer water

temperatures, which many cyanobacteria prefer.

Southern Africa’s temperatures are rising at twice the global average, according to

the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “It amounts to having the right

conditions, in the right time, in the right place and these species will proliferate”.

3. ‘The tallest grass on earth among the cheapest immunity boosters for increasing

the human body’s resistance to viral attacks’. Discuss?

Context: World Bamboo Day is celebrated every year on 18th September

Theme of 2020: Bamboo Now

World Bamboo Day: It was officially established by the World Bamboo organization

at the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009.

World Bamboo Organization: it was set up at the 1992 International Bamboo

Congress in Japan.

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It is an international coordinating body for bamboo practitioners dedicated to

promoting the use of bamboo and bamboo products for the snake of the

environment and economy.

PROPERTIES OF BAMBOO

Versatile Uses: Bamboo cab be used in 1,500 different ways including as food, a

substitute for wood, building and construction material, for handicrafts and paper.

Due to its versatile nature and multiple uses, it is also called ‘poor man’s timber’.

Environmental Benefits: It can be planted to reclaim severely degraded sites and

wastelands. It is a good soil binder owing to its peculiar clump formation and fibrous

root system and hence also plays an important role in soil and water conservation. It

is the fastest growing canopy, releasing 35% more oxygen than trees and can

sequester 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide from per hectare.

Use in COVID-19: Bamboo has been a key ingredient in new antimicrobial soaps and

hand mists developed by scientists from the Philippines to fight the novel

coronavirus.

WAY FORWARD: India needs to promote Bamboo Shoots as a super-food. It will help

in alleviation of malnutrition and hunger.

Global Market:

The present global market of bamboo shoots is around 1,700 million USD.

More than 3 millions tonnes of bamboo shoots are consumed across the earth annually

According to the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), China exports

68% of the worlds bamboo and rattan (a type of Palm Fibre) products valued at 1,112

million USD.

INBAR is a multilateral development organization, founded in 1997 which promotes

environmentally sustainable development using bamboo and rattan.

INDIAN SCENARIO:

According to National Bamboo Mission, India has the highest area (13.96 million

hectares) under bamboo.

The annual production of bamboo in India is 14.6 million tonnes and the bamboo rattan

industry in the country was worth Rs. 28,005 crore in 2017.

India Is the second richest country after China in terms of bamboo diversity with 136

species.

Bamboo shoot production and consumption in India are confined mostly to the north-

eastern states.

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Value-addition in Bamboo shoots which enhances storage and diversification in new-

age food products like vegetables protein concentrates can enhance its market

potential and consumer acceptability.

States need to take forward the objectives of the National Bamboo Mission which

would contributr to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan through Aatmannirbhar Krishi

(self-reliant farming).

4. Which state has recently declared 600 acres of Aarey as Reserved Forest?

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the reservation of 600

acres of Aarey land near Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) as forest, claiming it

as the first instance of an extensive forest blossoming within the limits of metropolis

anywhere in the world.

In a meeting of Aarey, which falls under Dairy Development Department, and the

Forest and Environment departments, it was decided to apply Section 4 of Indian

Forest Act (IFA) to almost 600 acres of the land.

He said around 600 acres of open land will be declared as forest, ensuring all rights

of tribal communities which reside within it, stand protected. “Rehabilitation of

slums within the area would be expedited. This will be Phase 1, for which Forest

Department will move a proposal.

Phase 2 survey for additional open/forest land in Aarey will begin after this. “This

would help the State protect the flora and fauna existent in SGNP and Aarey

Aarey Colony falls within the eco sensitive zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and is

an urban, unclassed and degraded forest. It is classified as mixed moist deciduous

type forest. It acts as a buffer between SGNP and the city, being one of the few

green spaces left in Mumbai.

5. Explain Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD) and its effects?

BACKGROUND = India’s sandalwood trees, the country’s pride — particularly of

Karnataka — are facing a serious threat with the return of the destructive

Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD). The natural population of sandalwood in

Marayoor of Kerala and various reserve forests in Karnataka, including MM Hills, are

heavily infected with SSD for which there is no cure as of now.

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Presently, there is no option but to cut down and remove the infected tree to

prevent the spread of the disease, caused by phytoplasma — bacterial parasites of

plant tissues — which are transmitted by insect vectors. The present rapid spread

of the infection is largely due to restrictions on green felling in forests, which has

allowed vectors to spread the disease to healthy trees.

HISTORY:

SSD has been one of the major causes for the decline in sandalwood production in

the country for over a century. The disease was first reported in Kodagu in 1899.

More than a million sandalwood trees were removed in the Kodagu and Mysuru

region between 1903 and 1916, prompting the Maharaja of Mysuru to announce a

reward in 1907 of ₹10,000 for anyone finding a remedy. Later 98,734 trees were

extracted during 1917-1925 in Salem also due to SSD. Such was the impact of this

disease in Karnataka that the growing stock had been reduced to 25% of its initial

level between 1980 and 2000. The devastating impact in natural habitats resulted in

sandalwood being classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for

Conservation of Nature in 1998.

Effects –

1) With between 1 and 5% of sandalwood trees lost every year due to the disease,

scientists warn that it could wipe out the entire natural population if measures are

not taken to prevent its spread.

2) Also, they fear that any delay in arresting the trend may result in the disease

spreading to cultivated sandalwood trees.

6. What are wetlands and describe the recent steps taken by the Rajasthan

government to conserve its diversity?

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The wetlands, which have played an important role in the storage of sediment and

nutrients, are being identified in Rajasthan for ensuring their utilisation, stopping

encroachments on them and enabling the local authorities to maintain them.

1) While six wetlands are already identified in the State, 52 more have been

earmarked for time-bound development.

2) Ministry of Environment & Forest said that the wetlands would be strengthened

for increasing vegetation of aquatic plants and protecting biodiversity.

3) No waste would be allowed to be dumped at the wetlands and effective steps

would be taken for water conservation. He said strict action would be taken against

those running submersible pump sets for illegal salt mining in the world-famous

Sambhar Lake, where a large number of migratory birds had died last year.

4) The State Government's Directorate of Environment and Climate Change will

function as the secretariat of the State Wetland Authority.

5) The environment committees would take up the works for conservation of

wetlands and water bodies, which were home to a wide range of plant and animal

life, at the district level.

6) The fresh and saline lakes supporting unique ecosystems in the State would be

protected with the strict implementation of the Wetlands (Conservation and

Management) Rules, 2019.

7. What are the innovative steps taken by Punjab government to curb stubble

burning?

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To check stubble burning this kharif (summer) season, the Punjab government has

appointed 8,000 nodal officers in villages that grow paddy.

Over 23,000 crop residue management machines are being given to farmers for on-

site management of straw.

And besides the State was taking measures to sensitise the farmers to the problem

and it had been pressing the Centre for ₹100 per quintal to farmers for managing the

paddy straw without burning it.

Farmers are being appealed not to burn crop residue because the practice could

aggravate the conditions helping COVID-19 to spread, besides causing pollution.

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SECURITY

1. Guidelines related to Cyber Crime.

2. What does ‘Freedom of Navigation’ mean? And what role has QUAD grouping got

to play in it?

BACKGROUND = India wants the Quad to become a system to “ensure freedom of

navigation (FoN) and freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS)” in the Indian

Ocean and around, highlighting the threat of a combined challenge from Pakistan

and China on two fronts, and cautioning Pakistan against taking any advantage of

the tensions with China. Freedom of Navigation is the right recognized in

international law especially by treaties or agreements for vessels of one or all

states to navigate streams passing through two or more states.

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The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is an informal strategic forum between the

United States, Japan, Australia and India that is maintained by semi-regular

summits, information exchanges and military drills between member countries

Recently, General Rawat stated “we are very keen to ensure that there is complete

FoN (freedom of navigation) on the seas and in the airspace above. And CDS cautions

Pakistan against taking advantage of India China tensions

3. Explain how India has joined the elite club by possessing the Hypersonic Weaponry.

And its functions?

BACKGROUND = The hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology was successfully

demonstrated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with

a flight test of the hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle (HSTDV), which will

lead to the development of hypersonic cruise missiles and vehicles in future.

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HYPERSONIC: Relating to speeds of more than 5 times the speed of sound.

DRDO stated that it has successfully flight tested the Hypersonic Technology

Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), which is unmanned scramjet vehicle that can travel

at six times the speed of sound.

WHAT IS SCRAMJET:

Scramjets are a variant of a category of jet engines called air-breathing engines.

When an engine can handle airflows of speeds in multiples of speed of sound, the

vehicle can operate at those speeds. Hypersonic speeds are five times the speed of

sound, or more. The critical events like fuel injection and auto ignition of scramjet

demonstrated technological maturity. The scramjet engine performed in a textbook

manner. It was launched around 11:30 am at Dr A P L Abdul Kalam Laucnch Complex

at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha. A solid rocket motor of the Agni missile

was used to take it to an altitude.

After the Anti-Satellite Test, this is the biggest achievement recently. And our PM

Narendra Modi has stated that the scramjet engine developed by our scientists

helped the flight achieve a speed six times the speed of sound! Very few countries

have such capability today.

4. In the rafale deal, what are the various offset commitments made by the foreign vendors to qualify for the main supply contract but later were not earnest about fulfilling them?

BACKGROUND = French aerospace major Dassault Aviation and European missile

maker MBDA have till date “not confirmed” the transfer of technology for the

indigenous development of engine for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) by the

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), under the offset contract

relating to the ₹60,000 crore deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets.

The report on offset clauses in defence deals observed that in October 2019, the

Ministry of Defence (MoD) informed that the vendor had not yet been able to

confirm their capability for doing the requisite upgradation.

“Thus, it is not clear if this technology transfer will take place, and there is need for

MoD/DRDO to identify and acquire the right technologies in order to comply with

the directions of Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) given in September 2016”.

In September 2015, Dassault Aviation and MBDA initially proposed to discharge 30%

of their offset obligation in the Rafale deal by offering high technology to the DRDO,

and as per the contract, acquisition of technology by the DRDO is envisaged, subject

to discussions between the vendor and the DRDO.

The 6 Technologies - The DRDO identified six new technologies to be obtained from

the firms under the offset obligations, but the vendors “did not agree on transfer of

five technologies as most of them were not within the vendor’s core competence”.

The sixth proposal of the DRDO was to obtain technical assistance for the indigenous

development of an engine (Kaveri) for the LCA, which also has not been confirmed so

far.

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SNIPPET

1. Prepare a short note on CAROTAR.

Context: The Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements)

Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR, 2020), has came into from 21st September 2020.

CARORAR is set of guidelines for enforcement of the ‘rules of origin’ for allowing preferential rate on imports under free trade agreements.

They supplement the existing operational certification procedures prescribed under different trade agreements (FTA/PTA/CECEA/CEPA).

CAROTAR RULES:

An importer is now required to do due diligence before importing the goods to

ensure that they meet the prescribed originating criteria.

A list of minimum information which the importer is required to possess has also

been provided in the rules along with general guidence.

An importer would now have to enter certain origin related information in the Bill of

Entry, as available in the Certificate of Origin.

FREE TRADE AGTEEMENT: it is an arrangement between two or more countries or

trading blocs that primarily agree to reduce or eliminate customs tariff and non-tariff

barriers on substantial trade between them.

COVERAGE: it covers trade in goods (such as agricultuer or industrial products) or

trade in services (such as bamking, comstruction, trading etc). it also covers other

areas such as intellectual property rights (IPRs), incestment, government

procurement and competition policy etc.

India has inked FTAs with several countries, including Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka

and ASEAN members.

2. Prepare a short note on Government security (G-Sec).

A government security (G-Sec) is a tradable instrument issued by the central

government or state governments.

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3. Prepare a short note on Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-Slls)

Three insurance - Life insurance of India (LIC), General Insurance Corporation of

India (GIC) and New India Assurance Co – have been recognised as Domestic

Systemically Important Insurance (D-Slls) for 2020-21 by Insurance Regulator and

development Authority of India (IRDAI).

WHAT ARE D-Slls:

D-Slls refers to insurance of such size, market importance and domestic and global

inter-connectedness whose distress or failure would cause a significant dislocation in

the domestic financial system.

D-Slls are perceived as insurance that are “too big or too important to fail” (TBTIF).

THEREFORE, the continued functioning of D-Slls is critical for the uninterrupted

availability of insurance services to the national economy.

Key Features:

It acknowledges the government’s debt obligations.

Such securities can be both short term (treasury bills – with original maturities of less

than one year) or long term (governments bonds or dated securities – with original

maturity of one year or more).

The central government issues both: treasury bills and bonds or dated securities.

Science they are issued by the government, they carry no risk of default, and hence, are

called risk-free gilt-edged instruments.

FPIs are allowed to participate in the G-Secs market within the quantitative limits

prescribed from time to time.

WHY ARE G-Secs volatile?

G-Sec prices fluctuate sharply in the secondary markets. Factors affecting their prices:

Demand and supply of the securities.

Changes in interests rates in the economy and other macro-economic factors, such as,

liquidity and inflation.

Developments in other markets like money, foreign exchange, credit and capital

markets.

Developments in international bonds markets, specifically the US Treasuries.

Policy actions by RBI like change in repo rates, cash-reserve ratio and open-market

operations.

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HOW ARE THEY CLASSIFIED?

To identify such insurance and put them to enhance monitoring mechanism, IRDAI

has developed a methodology for identification and supervision of D-Slls.

The parameters, as per the methodology, includes:

Size of operations in terms of total revenue, including premium underwritten and

the value of assets under management.

Global activities across more than one jurisdiction.

IMPLICATIONS:

The three insurance will now be subjected to enhance regulatory supervision.

They have also been asked to raise the level of corporate governance, identify all

relevant risks and promote a sound risk management culture.

4. Who are Navy’s first women airborne tacticians to operate from a warship?

Sub Lt. Kumudini Tyagi and Sub Lt. Riti Singh will be the first women airborne tacticians

(combatants) in the country who will operate from the deck of warships.

They passed the Indian Navy’s Observer Course from the Southern Naval Command, Kochi.

And they will operate helicopters on board the ships, where male officers have reigned so

far.

Both are B.Tech holders in computer science and were commissioned into the Navy in 2018.

Women in the Navy were hitherto restricted to operating fixed-wing aircraft that operate

from land.

For the first time in the history of naval aviation in India, women officers will be joining

helicopters and subsequently operating from the decks of warships

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