Edge · 3.8 SC allows abortion of ailing foetus17 ... 4.23 National strategic plan for malaria...

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CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS EDGE

This Document was prepared under the supervision of Mr. Pramod Singh, Academic Head, IAS Edge.

Current Affairs, July 2017

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eContents

1 Monthly Article: Intolerance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2 GS1a: HISTORY|SOCIETY|CULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2.1 PM’s gifts to PM Benjamin Netanyahu 10

3 GS1b: Social Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3.1 Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) 11

3.2 Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana(AGEY) 12

3.3 Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) 13

3.4 Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their RehabilitationAct, 2013 13

3.5 India performs miserably in war on inequality 15

3.6 Lok Sabha passes The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education(Amendment) Bill, 2017 16

3.7 FSSAI bans stapler pins in tea bags from January 2018 17

3.8 SC allows abortion of ailing foetus 17

3.9 Guidelines for Planning and Implementation of Family Participatory Care 18

3.10 Policy boosts care for blood disorders 19

3.11 World Hepatitis Day 19

3.12 Supreme Court puts end to immediate arrests in dowry cases 20

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e4 GS2a: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4.1 Ram Nath Kovind elected as the 14th President of India 21

4.2 BharatNet deadline pushed to March 2019 22

4.3 Government launches 4 digital initiatives to push e-education 23

4.4 Vibrant Democracy, dormant Parliament 23

4.5 Bill on mob violence 25

4.6 Cabinet nod for IWAI bond issue 25

4.7 DIPP to set up India’s first TISC in Punjab 27

4.8 India ranks 116 out of 157 nations on 2017 SDG index 27

4.9 Cabinet approves interpretative notes between India, Bangladesh 29

4.10 New Railway initiatives 29

4.11 MoHUA is the new name for Urban Development and housing ministry 30

4.12 Innovate in India (i3) 30

4.13 Times when the Parliament convened for a session at midnight 31

4.14 Presidential assent for Kambala Bill 31

4.15 Centre may partially lift AFSPA 32

4.16 No-detention policy to go from 2018 33

4.17 National ST Commission to take action on video films of Jaravas on YouTube33

4.18 Mekedatu: Karnataka replies to CWC 34

4.19 National Anti-profiteering Authority 35

4.20 Nai Roshni Scheme 36

4.21 Parliament passes Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017 36

4.22 Union Cabinet clears minimum wage code bill 37

4.23 National strategic plan for malaria elimination 37

4.24 Making the House rules 38

4.25 Lateral entry in civil services 40

5 GS2b: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

5.1 Sri Lanka bans bottom-trawling 43

5.2 India gives USD 100,000 to UN Tax Fund 43

5.3 Standoff at the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction. 44

5.4 Why Bhutan is special to India 46

5.5 Beijing’s Bhutan gambit 46

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e5.6 US rolls out expedited entry for ‘low-risk’ Indian travellers 47

5.7 Trans-Pacific Partnership 48

5.8 BRICS ‘Beijing Declaration On Education’ Adopted For More Academic Co-operation 49

5.9 A European Union Army: Objective or Chimera? 50

5.10 G20 Summit 51

5.11 G-20 leaders propose Hamburg Action Plan at summit conclusion 52

5.12 122 countries adopt global treaty banning nuclear weapons 52

6 GS3a: ECONOMICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

6.1 Unique irrigation project in South 54

6.2 Integration of oil and gas majors 55

6.3 First Maize Based Mega Food Park in Punjab 55

6.4 SEBI to move against non-compliant firms 56

6.5 Centre eases pre-merger filing norms 57

6.6 India will soon get a seat on the Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC)57

6.7 e-NAM, derivatives markets linkages can benefit farmers 58

6.8 EU, India set up fund for investments 60

6.9 Centre to grant NIIF Rs 20,000 cr. 60

6.10 The challenge of a small farmer economy 60

7 GS3b: ENVIRONMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

7.1 Eco-bridges for the movement of Tigers 63

7.2 NGT directs Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh to submit guidelines on forestfires 64

7.3 Sensor Network to Map and Predict Pollution, effluents in Godavari River 65

7.4 New sites get UNESCO heritage tag 66

7.5 NGT bans nylon, synthetic manja 66

7.6 Assam to raise Special Rhino Protection Force for rhino protection 67

7.7 Sunderbans mangrove depleting alarmingly: Study 67

7.8 Environment Minister launches plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav 68

7.9 Nine more bird, biodiversity areas in Kerala 69

7.10 Plastic Threats 70

7.11 China produces gas from ‘flammable ice’ under South China Sea 70

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e8 GS3c: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

8.1 Worlds sharpest Laser 72

8.2 JIGYASA 72

8.3 Tata Motors Unveils India’s first Bio-CNG Bus 73

8.4 Scientists develop 3D-Printed soft Silicone Heart 74

8.5 SOHUM: Indigenously developed low-cost hearing screening device for newborns launched 74

8.6 Scientists for first time store small movie clip in DNA of living bacteria 75

8.7 Saraswati: Supercluster of Galaxies 75

8.8 Smallest star in the Universe: EBLM J0555-57Ab. 76

8.9 Indigenously developed S-band Doppler Weather Radar commissioned inKochi 76

8.10 Juno Spacecraft Completes flyby over Jupiter’s Great Red Spot 77

8.11 Scientist create mini Saturn from charged liquid droplets 78

8.12 Drug-resistant TB higher among children than expected: Report 78

8.13 India declares itself free from Bird Flu 79

8.14 GM mustard policy: SC gives govt. time 80

8.15 Govt. panel to study cow derivatives 81

8.16 India to host 2017 Global Conference on Cyber Space 82

8.17 Google’s machine-raised mosquitoes to shrink vector’s numbers 82

8.18 Rukmini’ keeps eye on dancing ‘dragon’ at sea 83

9 GS3d: INTERNAL SECURITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

9.1 Mizoram celebrates 31st anniversary of Mizo peace accord 84

9.2 Petya ransomware 84

9.3 NSG organises first International Aviation Security seminar 85

9.4 India ranks 23rd in second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2017 85

9.5 Internal security Doctrine 86

10 MISCELLANEOUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

10.1 World’s 1st Laser Weapon 88

10.2 Gujarat retains top slot of states with most investment potential 88

10.3 India’s first solar-powered 1600 HP DEMU train launched 89

10.4 IROAF wins Golden Peacock Award for Eco Innovation for the year 2017 89

10.5 Raipur Airport ranknked first in customer satisfaction 90

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10.6 Antarctica iceberg break off 90

10.7 World Youth Skills Day-July 15 90

10.8 Theatre Olympics 91

10.9 ISARC in Varanasi 91

10.10 Cabinet approves SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program 91

10.11 Minimum qualifications for coop. societies’ polls 92

10.12 Malabar 2017 92

10.13 Aaykar Setu 93

10.14 World’s first wind farm being built off Scotland coast 93

10.15 New giant ocean sunfish species discovered 93

10.16 Ninth Edition of Delhi Dialogue 95

10.17 Maitree 2017 95

10.18 Nasr 95

10.19 Mother Teresa’s Blue-Bordered Sari declared an Intellectual Property 95

10.20 India Quake 95

10.21 Sagar Vani 97

10.22 India’s First Blood Bank for Cattle to Come up in Odisha 97

10.23 UNESCO crowns Sharjah as World Book Capital 98

10.24 India in 88th place in money hoarded in Swiss banks 98

10.25 World Petroleum Congress at Istanbul, Turkey 98

10.26 “Programme 17 for 17” 98

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e1. Monthly Article: Intolerance

“We must, not only tolerate other religions, but positively embrace them, as truth is the basis of allreligions.” - Swami Vivekananda

“Our tradition teaches tolerance; our philosophy preaches tolerance; our Constitution practisestolerance; let us not dilute it.”Regrettably, over the years, tolerance has been replaced by the rising menace of intolerance whichstrikes at various fields of human endeavour and creativity: writings, music, drama, paintings andmovies.Intolerance stems from an invincible assumption of the infallibility of one’s beliefs and a dogmaticconviction about their rightness. An intolerant society cannot tolerate expression of ideas and viewswhich challenge its current doctrines and conventional wisdom.Extent of dissentOne criterion to determine whether a country is truly democratic is the extent of dissent permitted.A liberal democracy is one in which all groups in the country accept the fact that in a free country,people can have different opinions and beliefs and shall have equal rights in voicing them withoutfear of legal penalties or social sanctions. Right to dissent and tolerance of dissent are sine qua nonof a liberal democratic society.Today we have reached a stage where expression of a different point of view is viewed with re-sentment and hostility and there are vociferous demands for bans. The banning itch has becomeinfectious. Sikhs are offended by certain words in the title of a movie; Christians want the movie,The Da Vinci Code, banned because they find some portions hurtful. The ban was struck down bythe Andhra Pradesh High Court. No one dare write an authentic and critical biography of a reveredreligious or political leader. The exhibition of M.F. Husain’s paintings was stopped by intimidationfollowed by vandalism of the premises. The exhibition The Naked and the Nude at the Art Galleryin Delhi is threatened with dire consequences because it is considered obscene by the Vishwa HinduParishad women’s wing. The musical performance by a teenage girl rock band in Kashmir wascoerced into silence because the music was termed un-Islamic by a popular religious leader. Onewonders whether we are hell bent on emulating the Taliban.

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Fortunately, our Supreme Court has been a valiant defender of freedom of expression. The wellknown actor Khushboo faced several criminal prosecutions on account of her remarks on premaritalsex and its prevalence in metropolitan cities which were considered to be against the dignity ofTamil women and ruined the culture and morality of the people of Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Courtquashed the criminal proceedings on the ground that “under our constitutional scheme differentviews are allowed to be expressed by the proponents and opponents. Morality and criminality are farfrom being coextensive. An expression of opinion in favour of non-dogmatic and non-conventionalmorality has to be tolerated and the same cannot be a ground to penalise the author.”

Exhibition of movies is included in the fundamental right of freedom of expression guaranteed bythe Constitution. One of the reasons frequently assigned for imposing a ban is that it hurts thesentiments of a certain section of people in society. ‘Hurt feelings’ is a slippery slope for banningexpression. Any book or movie or play which criticises certain practices and advocates reformswill ‘hurt’ the sentiments of the status-quoists. For example, the abolition of Sati or the abolition ofcertain superstitious practices in the name of religion. Criticism should not be equated with causingoffence. In the context of hurt feelings, the Supreme Court has repeatedly laid down that the standardto be applied for judging the film should be that of an ordinary man of common sense and prudenceand not that of “hypersensitive” persons who sense offence in every scene or perceive hurt in everystatement. The right method is to vigorously refute the criticism by rebutting its reasoning and dataon which its conclusions are based.

Banning of the movie Vishwaroopam by the State of Tamil Nadu was clearly in contraventionof the law laid down by our Supreme Court. The sad part is that Kamal Haasan, producer of themovie, agreed to carry out cuts in the movie as demanded by certain Muslim groups. It was nota settlement but surrender by Mr. Haasan albeit for pragmatic reasons. However it lays down abad precedent because it concedes to certain intolerant groups demanding a ban, a veto or appellatepower over the decision of an expert body like the Censor Board.Our Constitution prescribes certain fundamental duties to be performed by citizens (Article 51-A).One duty of paramount importance which should be performed is the duty to practise tolerance.Otherwise democracy, a basic feature of our Constitution, will be under siege and the cherished rightto freedom of expression will be held hostage by an intolerant mindless mob.

Question:Tolerance is a main principle of Modern Democratic Rule, in this context answer thefollowing questions:

1. What do you mean by tolerance and discuss its importance in public service ?2. Being a civil servant, how can you initiate the culture of tolerance in your organization?

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e2. GS1a: HISTORY|SOCIETY|CULTURE

2.1 PM’s gifts to PM Benjamin NetanyahuThe Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Prime Minister of Israel Mr. Benjamin Netanyahureplicas of 2 sets of relics from Kerala that are regarded as key artifacts in the long Jewish history inIndia.

What you need to know about these artefacts?• They comprise two different sets of copper plates that are believed to have been inscribed in

9-10th century C.E.• The first set of copper plates is a cherished relic for the Cochini Jews in India. It is regarded as

a charter describing the grant of hereditary royal privileges and prerogatives by the Hindu King,Cheraman Perumal (often identified as Bhaskara Ravi Varma) to the Jewish leader JosephRabban. According to traditional Jewish accounts, Joseph Rabban was later crowned as thePrince of Shingli, a place in or equated with Cranganore. Cranganore is where Jews enjoyedreligious and cultural autonomy for centuries, before they moved to Cochin and other placesin Malabar. Local Jews once placed in each coffin a handful of earth from Shingli/Cranganorethat was remembered as a holy place and a “second Jerusalem”. The replica of these plateswas made possible with the cooperation of the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry, Kochi.

• The second set of copper plates is believed to be the earliest documentation of the history ofJewish trade with India. These plates describe the grant of land and tax privileges by the localHindu ruler to a church and oversight of trade in Kollam to West Asian and Indian tradingassociations. West Asian association included Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians, as also agroup of Jews who signed in Judeo-Persian and possibly also in Arabic and Pahlavi (MiddlePersian). The plates bear their signatures that appear to have been cut into the plates by a localworkman unfamiliar with the script. The replica of these plates was made possible with thecooperation of Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Thiruvalla, Kerala.

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e3. GS1b: Social Issues

3.1 Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)

• Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a pension scheme exclusively for seniorcitizens, has been launched.

• PMVVY is a Pension Scheme exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above.• The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation

(LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme.

Figure 3.1: PMVVY

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e12 Chapter 3. GS1b: Social Issues

Benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)• Scheme provides an assured return of 8Percent p.a. payable monthly (equivalent to 8.30Percent

p.a. effective) for 10 years.• Pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the

frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time ofpurchase.

• The scheme is exempted from Service Tax/ GST.• On survival of the pensioner to the end of the policy term of 10 years, Purchase price along

with final pension installment shall be payable.• Loan upto 75Percent of Purchase Price shall be allowed after 3 policy years (to meet the

liquidity needs). Loan interest shall be recovered from the pension installments and loan to berecovered from claim proceeds.

• The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical/ terminal illness ofself or spouse. On such premature exit, 98Percent of the Purchase Price shall be refunded.

• On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the Purchase Price shall be paidto the beneficiary.

3.2 Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana(AGEY)

The Ministry of Rural Development will launch a new sub-scheme under Deendayal AntyodayaYojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) which will be named as “AajeevikaGrameen Express Yojana (AGEY)”.About AGEY

• The main objectives of AGEY are to provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members ofSelf Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transportservices in backward rural areas.

• This will provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services likee-rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles to connect remote villages withkey services and amenities including access to markets, education and health for the overalleconomic development of the area.

Implementation• The sub-scheme will be implemented in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis for a period

of 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20. The States have been informed about the number ofblocks allocated to them to take up this sub-scheme in the pilot phases.

• One of the options proposed to be given under the sub-scheme is that the Community BasedOrganisation (CBO) will provide interest free loan from its own corpus to Self Help Groupmember for purchase of the vehicle.

About Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)• The Government is implementing DAY-NRLM across the country in all States and Union

Territories (except Delhi and Chandigarh).• The financial support under the programme is mainly in the form of Revolving Fund and

Community Investment Funds, given as grants to the Self Help Groups (SHGs) and theirfederations.

• DAY-NRLM also focuses on bank linkage of the institutions.• The programme has a special focus on women empowerment including a dedicated component

for promoting farm and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas.

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e3.3 Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) 13

• In addition, start-up enterprises at village levels are also supported to promote entrepreneurialactivities in those areas.

3.3 Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

Draft guidelines for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) have beenprepared by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.The draft guidelines inter-alia provide Aadhaar linkage, Direct Benefit Transfer of Rs. 5000 inbeneficiary’s bank/post office account in three instalments at the stage of early registration ofpregnancy, after six months of pregnancy on at least one antenatal check-up and registration of childbirth and first cycle of immunisation of the child.About Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), previously Indira Gandhi Matritva SahyogYojana (IGMSY), is a maternity benefit program run by the government of India.

• This benefit advanced to pregnant woman falls under Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana(IGMSY) which was started by the UPA government in 2010.

• The scheme was started on a pilot basis in 53 districts.• However, the National Food Security Act of 2013 made its universal coverage compulsory.

Section 4(b) of the National Food Security Act states that every pregnant and lactating womenis entitled to maternity benefits of not less than Rs. 6000

• IGMSY originally provided a benefit of Rs. 4000 which was increased to Rs. 6000 withNational Food Security Act, 2013. This cash transfer scheme is applicable to pregnant andlactating women of age 19 and above for up to 2 living children.

• All pregnant women are eligible unless they have already received paid leave or maternitybenefits from their employers in the private or government sector.

3.4 Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their RehabilitationAct, 2013

Despite the most stringent penal provisions in the law against manual scavenging, it continues inparts of India. The recent order of the Madras High Court asking the Centre and the Tamil Nadugovernment to ensure the strict enforcement of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengersand their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 points to the malaise.Background

• Caste based discrimination is deeply entrenched in the Indian society even today. Thediscrimination subjugates the lower castes of their right to better opportunities.

• Manual scavenging has been the job of the lower caste i.e. Dalits.• The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act,

1993 sets imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of Rs 2000 rupees for pushing a person tomanual scavenging.

• The law was re-enacted as The Prohibition of Employment As Manual Scavengers and TheirRehabilitation Act in 2013.

• In March 2014, Supreme Court ruled that for death caused by entering a sewer even in anemergency situation, a compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs must be given to the family of thedeceased.

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• Amendments to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2016 made it a criminal offence tomake a Dalit/ Adivasi do manual scavenging.

• A monetary compensation of Rs. 1 lakh is to be paid to the victim upon registration of a FIR.• According to the socio-economic caste census data of 2015, there are as many as 1, 80,675

households that are engaged in manual scavenging.• Despite tighter norms and laws, manual scavenging is a reality today.

Why manual scavenging still persists?• Manual scavenging persists mainly because of the continued presence of insanitary latrines, of

which there are about 2.6 million that require cleaning by hand.• In spite of a legal obligation to do so, State governments are not keen to demolish and rebuild

old facilities lacking sanitation, or conduct a full census of both the latrines and the peopleengaged in clearing such waste.

• Many communities still regard the inclusion of a sanitary toilet as ritual and physical pollutionof the house, and even the less conservative are ready to accept only large, expensive andunscientific structures much bigger than those recommended by the WHO.

• More pernicious is the entrenched belief in the caste system that assumes Dalits will readilyperform the stigmatised task of emptying latrines. Clearly, the law on punishment exists onlyon paper.

• The Central government, which directly runs the self-employment scheme for the rehabilitationof these workers, has also reduced funds from Rs. 448 crore in the 2014-15 budget to Rs. 5crore this year. High allocation in the past has not meant substantial or effective utilisation.

Ethical Issues/Challenges• Is it fair to make a human clean another human’s waste and excreta? It promotes structural

superiority and violence.• Manual scavenging is closely related to caste discrimination. People are made to do these jobs

just because they were born in a certain caste.• Thus it gives no value to human potential and his inherent qualities.• It puts a person’s life at risk thereby violating his right to live with human dignity.

What needs to be done?• A determined approach to end the scourge requires a campaign against social prejudice that

impedes solutions. Change now depends on the willingness of the courts to fix responsibilityon State governments, and order an accurate survey of the practice especially in those Statesthat claim to have no insanitary latrines or manual scavenging.

• Raising the confidence level among those engaged in manual cleaning is vital; even officialdata show their reluctance to take up self-employment.

• Empowerment holds the key to change, but that would depend on breaking caste barriersthrough education and economic uplift.

• Compensation sanctioned should be paid immediately; only a fraction of those with verifiedclaims have received it.

Recommendations• Manual scavenging and dry latrines must be completely abolished. Stringent laws and cross

check systems must be put in place to ensure compliance.• Mechanical cleaning of sewers, toilets must be adopted. Proper drainage system must be put

in place.• Penalty should be imposed for the ones who do not have septic tanks or who do not maintain

proper drainage and cleaning systems.

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e3.5 India performs miserably in war on inequality 15

• Social influencing through prominent personalities and film stars must be done so as to promoteself-cleaning.

• Compensation and rehabilitation of the manual scavengers must be done.• Better jobs for manual scavengers through MNREGA and Skill India initiative.• Waste management systems must be adopted. Research and Development must be carried out

to use the excreta as compost and harness energy through it.

3.5 India performs miserably in war on inequality• The index and the inequality report was recently released by the international NGO Oxfam

and Development Finance International.• It measures the efforts of governments that had pledged to reduce inequality as part of the

sustainable development goals.• The index mainly focusses on redistributive actions governments can take, rather than those

that would prevent rising inequality in the first place.Performance of various countries:

• India has been ranked 132 out of 152 countries.• OECD countries headed by Sweden ranked the highest while Nigeria was at the bottom.• The US had the highest level of inequality among developed countries, though it is the

wealthiest country in history.• Bhutan, known for coining the term ‘Gross National Happiness’, is ranked even lower than

India at 143.• Of India’s immediate neighbours, all but Nepal (81) and China (87) ranked between 138 and

150.

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3.6 Lok Sabha passes The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education(Amendment) Bill, 2017

The Lok Sabha has passed The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment)Bill, 2017. The Bill amends the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE),2009 to extend the deadline for teachers to acquire the prescribed minimum qualifications forappointment. Through the amending measure inadequately qualified teachers as on March 31, 2015,working after enactment of the RTE Act, 2009 are being given last chance to acquire minimumqualifications within a period of four years i.e. by March 31, 2019 to hold their jobs as teachers.Key FactsThe amendments to RTE Act, 2009 will enable the in-service untrained elementary teachers tocomplete their training and ensure that all teachers at the elementary level have certain minimumstandard of qualifications. It will ensure that all teachers attain minimum qualifications as considerednecessary to maintain the standard of teaching quality. It will ultimately result in improvement inoverall quality of teachers, teaching processes and learning outcomes of children. It will reinforceGovernment’s emphasis on improvement of quality of elementary education.RTE ActThe Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution ofIndia to provide free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteenyears as a Fundamental Right in such a manner as the State may, by law, determine. It means thatevery child has a right to full time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in aformal school which satisfies certain essential norms and standards. It came into effect on 1 April2010.The RTE Act provides for the

• Right of children to free and compulsory education till completion of elementary education ina neighbourhood school.

• It clarifies that ‘compulsory education’ means obligation of the appropriate governmentto provide free elementary education and ensure compulsory admission, attendance andcompletion of elementary education to every child in the six to fourteen age group. ‘Free’means that no child shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses which mayprevent him or her from pursuing and completing elementary education.

• It makes provisions for a non-admitted child to be admitted to an age appropriate class.• It specifies the duties and responsibilities of appropriate Governments, local authority and

parents in providing free and compulsory education, and sharing of financial and otherresponsibilities between the Central and State Governments.

• It lays down the norms and standards relating inter alia to Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs),buildings and infrastructure, school-working days, teacher-working hours.

• It provides for rational deployment of teachers by ensuring that the specified pupil teacher ratiois maintained for each school, rather than just as an average for the State or District or Block,thus ensuring that there is no urban-rural imbalance in teacher postings. It also provides forprohibition of deployment of teachers for non-educational work, other than decennial census,elections to local authority, state legislatures and parliament, and disaster relief.

• It provides for appointment of appropriately trained teachers, i.e. teachers with the requisiteentry and academic qualifications.

• It prohibits (a) physical punishment and mental harassment; (b) screening procedures foradmission of children; (c) capitation fee; (d) private tuition by teachers and (e) running of

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e3.7 FSSAI bans stapler pins in tea bags from January 2018 17

schools without recognition.• It provides for development of curriculum in consonance with the values enshrined in the

Constitution, and which would ensure the all-round development of the child, building onthe child’s knowledge, potentiality and talent and making the child free of fear, trauma andanxiety through a system of child friendly and child centred learning.

3.7 FSSAI bans stapler pins in tea bags from January 2018

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the use of stapler pins in teabags from January 2018. FSSAI ban order issued under Section (15) FSS Act, 2006 has deemed thatany loose staple pin consumed inadvertently with tea may cause a serious health hazard.Key FactsCurrently, tea bags are either stapled or knotted. According to industry estimates, the tea bag segmentcontributes 3-4Percent by value of total tea sales but it is one of the fastest growing segments at50-60Percent year-on-year. The FSSAI order directs the concerned food business operators todiscontinue the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of stapled tea bags by 1 January2018. It also directs all food safety commissioners to take action to prevent the use of unsafepackaging materials by companies and take up measures for enforcement of its order.About Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is an autonomous body established underthe Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

• It has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which is a consolidatingstatute related to food safety and regulation in India.

• FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation andsupervision of food safety.

• Its headquarters are located at New Delhi.

3.8 SC allows abortion of ailing foetus

The Supreme Court has permitted a woman, who is in her 26th week of pregnancy, to abort herfoetus that is suffering from severe cardiac ailments.BackgroundThe order came after the woman and her husband had approached the apex court seeking permissionto abort her foetus on grounds of abnormalities which could be even fatal to her. They had alsochallenged the constitutional validity of section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy(MTP) Act which prohibits abortion of a foetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy.Abortion in IndiaAbortion in India is legal only up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, under specific conditions and situations,which are defined as:

• If the continuance of pregnancy risks the life of the woman or may result in grave physical ormental injury.

• If there is a substantial possibility of the child being born with physical or mental abnormalities,as to be seriously handicapped.

Who has the right to abort?• The pregnant woman has the right to adopt; she does not need anyone’s acknowledgement or

support if she’s above 18 years of age and is mentally stable.

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• If a woman is married, her own written consent is sufficient. Her husband’s consent is notrequired.

• If a woman is unmarried and over 18 years of age, she can provide her own written consent.• If a woman is unmarried and under 18, she must provide written consent from her guardian/parent.• If a woman is mentally unstable, a written consent is required from her guardian/parent.

Laws governing abortion in India• According to the IPC abortion falls under ‘Offences Affecting the Human Body’, and provides

that causing a miscarriage with or without consent for a purpose other than saving the life ofthe woman is punishable.

• However, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTP Act) makes for a quantum differ-ence in approach, as if by a legislative sleight through a non-obstante clause, by decriminalisingabortion without bringing an amendment to the IPC or abrogating the penal provisions.

MTP Act• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act in India came into existence in 1971. It was

amended in 2003 to facilitate better implementation and increase access for women especiallyin the private health sector.

• The MTP Act sets some limitations regarding the circumstances when abortion is permissible,the persons who are competent to perform the procedure, and the place where it could beperformed. Outside the ring of protection that the Act draws, the IPC still operates.

• The MTP Act overrides the IPC by allowing a woman to get an abortion within the first 12weeks of pregnancy, provided a registered medical practitioner diagnoses grave danger to thepregnant woman’s physical and mental health. If the foetus is between 12 and 20 weeks old,then the procedure requires permission from two medical practitioners. The Act also allowsabortion if the foetus will be born with severe abnormalities.

• To determine the risk of physical and mental harm to a pregnant woman seeking abortion, theAct takes into account the woman’s actual as well as reasonably foreseeable environment.

• It also defines circumstances which can constitute grave injury to the mental health of awoman. The mentally grievous situations include pregnancy resulting from rape as well ascontraceptive failure – of any contraception used by a married woman or her husband – if amarried couple is attempting to limit their number of children.

• Abortion beyond 20 weeks is also legal if a registered medical practitioner, in good faith,thinks that emergency termination is necessary to save a pregnant woman’s life.

3.9 Guidelines for Planning and Implementation of Family Participatory Care

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released Operational Guidelines for Planning andImplementation of Family Participatory Care (FPC) for improving newborn health.Salient Highlights

• The guidelines will serve as a guiding document for those intending to introduce FPC in theirfacility as an integral part of facility based newborn care.

• The operational guidelines of FPC are for all stakeholders involved in the process of planningand delivering newborn care.

• Under the guidelines—Operational Guidelines for Planning and Implementation of Family Par-ticipatory Care (FPC)—parent-attendants will be trained in newborn care through a structuredprogramme including an audio-visual module and a training guide. The staff at a newborncare unit would provide continuous supervision and support.

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e3.10 Policy boosts care for blood disorders 19

• The guidelines address various aspects of attitudes, infrastructural modifications and practicethat will help in establishing FPC at Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU) such as sensitizationof State and District Managers on FPC, prioritization of SNCUs for initiating FPC etc.

BackgroundFPC has emerged as an important concept of health care which provides for partnership betweenhealth care staff and families for care of sick newborns. Under FPC, the capacities of parents-attendants are built in newborn care through a structured training programme (audio -visual moduleand a training guide). The staff at newborn care unit will provide continuous supervision and support.Provisions for infrastructure and logistics strengthening required for implementing FPC are ensuredin the annual state Program Implementation Plan (PIP).Family participation

• Sick and newborn are highly vulnerable and require careful nurturing in order to survivethe neonatal period and first year of life. In recent years, health experts have found that ifparents are trained during the stay of their babies in hospital to provide supportive care to sicknewborns, it helps in not only improving survival of babies after discharge but also providesfor psycho-social and developmental needs of the newborn.

• In this regard, Family Participatory Care has emerged as an important concept of health carewhich provides for partnership between health care staff and families in care of sick newbornsadmitted in the SNCU. The move is expected to bring down infant mortality.

3.10 Policy boosts care for blood disorders

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry’s recently released a policy on the Prevention andControl of haemoglobinopathies in India. With this, people living with thalassaemia, sickle cellanaemia and other haemoglobin disorders can now look forward to better screening and treatment.Aim: The policy aims at creating treatment protocol benchmarks, to improve the quality of life ofpatients.Background

• Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry recently released a policy on the Prevention andControl of haemoglobinopathies in India.

• People living with Thalassaemia, sickle cell anaemia and other variant haemoglobins can nowlook forward to better screening and treatment.

• The guidelines provide for screening of pregnant women during antenatal check-up, pre-maritalcounselling at college level and one-time screening for variant anaemia in children.

Significance• It is a guide to reduce the incidence of live haemoglobin disorder births (currently pegged at

10,000-15,000 live births a year).• The guidelines include the creation of a national registry to plan future patient services.• The registry will also collect useful data, such as the location of patients to identify areas of

high concentration, ethnicity or other characteristics, age distribution, records of deaths andtheir cause.

3.11 World Hepatitis Day

The World Hepatitis Day is being observed every year on July 28 around the world by World HealthOrganisation (WHO) to spread awareness about viral hepatitis. This year the theme of the Day is –

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“Eliminate Hepatitis”.HepatitisHepatitis is a viral infection which causes inflammation in the liver. It is a group of infectiousdiseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. According to WHO, Hepatitis affects hundreds ofmillions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic disease and killing close to 1.4 millionpeople every year.

3.12 Supreme Court puts end to immediate arrests in dowry casesThe Supreme Court has ruled that the police cannot arrest the accused without conducting a prelimi-nary inquiry under dowry harassment cases. With this, apex court put an end to immediate arrest ofthe husband and his family members in the dowry harassment cases filed under Section 498A ofIndian Penal Code (IPC). The Supreme Court passed the order keeping in view the fact of suspectedmisuse of the anti-dowry harassment law framed in 1983.Highlights of SC orderNow cases under Section 498A of IPC will be referred to Family Welfare Committees (FWC) mustbe constituted at every district and no arrest will be effected till the committee’s report is received.Such report may be then considered by the investigating officer or the magistrate on its own merit.FWC must comprise 3 members who may be social workers, retired persons, para-legal volunteers,wives of working officers and other citizens who are found suitable and willing. However, thesecommittee members will not be considered as witnesses. There must be adequate material to showthat the arrest is necessary to prevent the accused from committing any further offence. Moreover,designated police officer should be appointed to deal with such complaints. These directions willnot apply to the offences involving tangible physical injuries or death. There will be also no routineimpounding of passports or issuance of Red Corner Notice for the accused NRI. The personalappearance of all family members and particularly outstation members will be also not be required.

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e4. GS2a: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

4.1 Ram Nath Kovind elected as the 14th President of India

Former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind is the 14th President of India. He won with over 7 lakhvotes against Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.Article 54: Election of President

Figure 4.1: Newly Elected President

The President shall be elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of

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e22 Chapter 4. GS2a: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

• The elected members of both Houses of Parliament; and• The elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States.

In this article and in article 55, “State” includes the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Unionterritory of Pondicherry.Article 58: Qualifications for election as President

• No person shall be eligible for election as President unless he –– is a citizen of India;– has completed the age of thirty-five years, and– is qualified for election as a member of the House of the People.

• A person shall not be eligible for election as President if he holds any office of profit underthe Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local or other authoritysubject to the control of any of the said Governments.

For the purposes of this article, a person shall not be deemed to hold any office of profit by reasononly that he is the President or Vice-President of the Union or the Governor of any State or is aMinister either for the Union or for any State.Voting Pattern

• Article 55 of Indian Constitution lays the guidelines about the way Indian President is to beelected. It says, “The election of the President shall be held in accordance with the system ofproportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting at suchelection shall be by secret ballot.”

• Under The Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, a candidate, to be nominatedfor the office of president of India needs 50 electors as proposers and 50 electors as secondersfor his or her name to appear on ballot.

Other Facts• The general principle in Indian Presidential election is that the total number of votes cast by

Members of Parliament equals the total number of votes cast by State Legislators.• There are a total of 776 voters in both the Houses of Parliament. The Electoral College also

consisted of 4120 MLAs in the states.• The formula to determine the value of the vote of an MLA = Population of the state / (No. of

M.L.A.s in the state X 1000).• The formula to determine the value of the vote of an MP = Total value votes assigned to all

the M.L.A.s / Total number of MPs.• Nominated members cannot vote in Presidential election. But they can participate in Presi-

dent’s impeachment.• Nominated members can participate in Vice-President’s election and removal.• MLAs are involved in Presidential election, but they have no role in President’s impeachment.

President’s impeachment resolution requires special majority of both houses of the parliamentto pass.

4.2 BharatNet deadline pushed to March 2019

The Union Cabinet has approved the second phase of the BharatNet project that forms the backbonefor the government’s Digital India initiative. The deadline for the delay-marred project has beenpushed to March 2019.Background The Centre is still working on completing the first phase of the BharatNet projectfor which the deadline was March 2017. It had been able to lay optical fibre in nearly one-lakh

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e4.3 Government launches 4 digital initiatives to push e-education 23

GPs, however, only about 22,000 GPs have been provided Internet connectivity due to equipmentprocurement issues. The second phase aims at covering the remaining 1.50 lakh GPS.About BharatNet project

• BharatNet project aims to connect all households of India, particularly in rural areas, throughbroadband (2-20 Mbps) by 2017. It is a remodelled version of National Optical Fibre Network(NOFN) started in 2011 to connect all 2,50,000 gram panchayats.

• Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), a special purpose vehicle, has been set up underthe telecom ministry for the establishment, management and operation of NOFN.

• BSNL, Railtel and Power Grid are executing agencies for the project in the ratio of 70:15:15.• It proposes broadband connectivity to households under village panchayats and even to

government institutions at district level.• The project is being funded through the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)USOF was formed by the Central Government to help fund projects to boost connectivity in ruralareas. The money for this fund comes through a ‘Universal Access Levy,’ charged from the telecomoperators as a percentage of various licenses fees being paid by them.

4.3 Government launches 4 digital initiatives to push e-education

President Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of Guru Purnima launched four major digital initiativesin to push e-education. They are Swayam, Swayam Prabha, National Academic Depository andNational Digital Library. All these digital initiatives are operational under Union Ministry of HumanResource and Development.Key Facts

• Swayam: It an indigenously designed massive open online course (MOOC), It will host allthe courses, taught in classrooms from 9th class till post-graduation and can be accessed byanyone, anywhere at any time. It aims to bridge the digital divide for students in e-education.

• Swayam Prabha: It will provide high quality educational contents, developed by experts,through 32 DTH (direct to home) Television Channels with an aim to bring uniformity instandards of education. It will cover diverse disciplines of all levels of education in variouslanguages. It will be available to all and will be having new content of 4 hours to be telecasted6 times a day.

• National Academic Depository: It is a digital depository of academic awards for authenticat-ing all certificates issued by institutions. NAD will directly integrate with Boards/Universitieswhich issue Certificates which will be verified, authenticated, accessed and retrieved in adigital depository for purpose of employment, higher education, and loans.

• National Digital Library: It is a large online library containing 6.5 million books. It providesfree access to many books in English and the Indian languages.

4.4 Vibrant Democracy, dormant Parliament

As an institution, Parliament is central to the very idea of democracy and was assigned a pivotalrole in our Constitution by the founding fathers of the republic. Parliament is responsible forlegislation—laws of the land—by which people govern themselves. It must ensure accountabilityof governments—on policies or actions—to the people. It should engage in discourse and debateon issues that concern the nation and the citizens. However, the significance of the parliament

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has diminished in stature and significance. Indeed, it is now more a symbol than the substanceof a vibrant democracy that has taken deep roots among our people. How can we say that thesignificance of Parliament has diminished over the years?

• The process of legislation has become slow and lagged. Laws are often passed in rush withlittle scrutiny and no follow- up rules. In some cases, it takes sessions together for a bill tobecome law.

• Parliament, which was meant to invoke accountability, has almost forgotten its role. Now, theonly means are questions asked by MPs, many of which are pedantic, unclear or on behest.Besides, these questions are often answered with less or hidden facts by the government.

• Discourse and debate on issues of national importance were an attribute and highlight of Par-liament during the first two decades of the republic, until around 1970. But this has eroded anddiminished with the passage of time. There is discussion but it is often partisan—sometimes adialogue of the deaf—between groups where party lines are sharply drawn. Thus, differenceslead to protests in the form of walk-outs or rushing to the well of the house.

• Number of days when the parliament meets and discusses the relevant issues have also gonedown. Even when the Parliament sits and meets, there is more noise than debate, moreshouting than listening, and more statements than engagement or debate.

• The criminalization of politics is another concern. Reports show that 34 percent of the MPsin the 2014 Lok Sabha faced criminal charges, as compared with 30 percent in 2009 and 24percent in 2004. Across parties, candidates facing criminal charges were more than twice aslikely to win as compared to those with a clean record.

Reasons for the diminishing role of the parliament• The factors underlying these developments and deterioration are not rocket science. The

barriers to entry in politics are formidable. The only access comes from kinship or money.And muscle power matters as a determinant of success.

• Also, there are institutional constraints on the performance of MPs as well. The allocation oftime for MPs to speak is proportional to the strength of their political party in the house andits leadership decides who gets to speak and for how long. The speaker of the Lok Sabha orthe chairman of the Rajya Sabha have little discretion in the matter.

• The only other opportunities for MPs are during question hour or zero hour. Answers tounstarred questions are simply laid on the table of the house. Starred questions are too many.Only a few come up for discussion. And these are just not taken up if the concerned MP is notpresent at the time. In zero hour, the speaker or the chairman have the discretion to invite anMP to speak, but time is too little and speeches are often drowned out in pandemonium.

• MPs also do not quite have the freedom to speak in our Parliament as in other democracies.For one, they are afraid of what the party leadership might think, which could affect theirfuture. For another, party whips are a problem. Any violation of whip could lead to an MP’sexpulsion from the house.

• Parliament also does not meet or work long enough and there are institutional constraints onits performance while working.

What can be done?It is essential to recognize the complexity of this problem before we can find or design solutions.The answers lie, inter alia, in electoral reform through public funding of elections, combined withpolitical reform that mandates disclosure on the sources of financing for political parties, and setsrules for elections within political parties to foster intra-party democracy that has been stifled notonly by dynasties but also by oligarchies. Conclusion

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e4.5 Bill on mob violence 25

Almost 70 years after we began life as a republic, there is a clear and present danger that we couldbe the world’s most vibrant democracy with the world’s least effective, and perhaps most dormant,Parliament. It is time for MPs in India to reclaim their rights in Parliament as representatives of thepeople. Also, the time has come for citizens, whom it represents, to evaluate that performance.

4.5 Bill on mob violence

Asaduddin Owaisi, MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief, has sent notice for aprivate members Bill in the Lok Sabha to combat mob violence.Highlights of the bill

• Definition: Mob violence include any act in which two or more persons injure, harm, oppressor threaten a person on the basis of his identity or prevent his enjoyment of a Constitutionalright.

• The Bill criminalises mob violence as well as acts of omission by public servants.• Special courts: The Bill proposes special courts for trying cases of mob violence, with judges

appointed by a collegium of five senior-most High Court judges. These courts will receivecomplaints of mob violence, set up special investigation teams and appoint public prosecutors.The SIT and public prosecutor will also be under Supreme Court supervision.

• Punishment: Punishment up to life imprisonment, special compensation and witness protec-tion are built into the Bill.

• Public servants under purview: It proposes to award penalties to public servants whensuch cases are not properly investigated, either due to malafide intentions or wilful neglect.It proposes to award a minimum 10 years’ imprisonment to public servants for “acts ofomission”.

4.6 Cabinet nod for IWAI bond issue

The Union Cabinet gave its nod to Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to raise Rs.660 crorein bonds for extra budgetary resources (EBRs) in 2017-18. The proceeds from the bonds will beutilised by IWAI for development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs) under NationalWaterways Act, 2016. Moreover, the funds received will be used exclusively for capital expenditureto improve infrastructure funding.The principal and interest in respect of the EBRs will be financed by the Union Government bymaking suitable budgetary provisions in the demand of the Union Ministry of Shipping. The interestpayment on the bonds will be on semi-annual basis and the principal on maturity. The whole exercisewould be undertaken by IWAI through appointment of lead managers and coordination with SEBI.BackgroundGross budgetary support from the Union Government and external financial support for fundingdevelopment and maintenance of 106 new National Waterways under National Waterway Act, 2016,is grossly inadequate. So far, the World Bank has sanctioned a loan of USD 375 million (around Rs2,421 crore) for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) along with other sources. But still there is fundinggap which may be bridged by raising bonds.About Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)IWAI is the statutory body in charge of the waterways in India. Its headquarters is located in Noida,UP. Its main function is to build the necessary infrastructure in the inland waterways, surveying theeconomic feasibility of new projects and also carrying out administration and regulation.

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Figure 4.2: National Waterways

• Allahabad-Haldia stretch (1620 km) of the Ganga- Bhagirathi- Hooghly river system asNational Waterway No-1;

• Sadiya-Dhubri stretch (891 km) of Brahmaputra river as National Waterway No-2;• Kollam-Kottappuram stretch of West Coast Canal along with Champakara canal and Udyog-

mandal canal (205 km) as National Waterway No-3;• Kakinada-Puducherry stretch of Canals and the Kaluvelly Tank, Bhadrachalam-Rajahmundry

stretch of river Godavari and Wazirabad- Vijayawada stretch of river Krishna (1078 km) asNational Waterway-4; and

• Talcher-Dhamra stretch of rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi Delta rivers (588 km) as National Waterway-5.

IWAI is taking up the development of the first three National Waterways in a phased manner with aview to provide it as an alternative mode of transport. Action has already been initiated to developcommercially viable stretches of NW-4 and NW-5 under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode

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e4.7 DIPP to set up India’s first TISC in Punjab 27

with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB)/ Viability Gap Funding (VGF).Besides, IWAI is developing and maintaining the Indian side of Sunderbans waterways under theIndo-Bangladesh Protocol for Transit and Trade under which the inland vessels of one country cantransit through the specified routes of the other country.

4.7 DIPP to set up India’s first TISC in Punjab

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry,Government of India, has signed an Institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Scienceand Technology to establish India’s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) at PatentInformation Centre, Punjab, under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) TISCprogram.Key facts

• The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National FocalPoint for the TISC national network.

• As the national focal point, CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions, assess theircapacities and support them in joining the TISC program.

• CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions andcoordinate all the activities of the national TISC network.

• Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institu-tions an access to the global network.

About TISC program• WIPO’s Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) program provides innovators in

developing countries with access to locally based, high quality technology information andrelated services, helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create, protect, andmanage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).

• The objective of the TISC is to stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Prop-erty Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promotingentrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing anetwork of TISCs in India.

Services offered by TISCs include• Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related

publications.• Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information.• Training in database search.• On-demand searches (novelty, state-of-the-art and infringement).• Monitoring technology and competitors.• Basic information on industrial property laws, management and strategy, and technology

commercialization and marketing.

4.8 India ranks 116 out of 157 nations on 2017 SDG index

India has been ranked low 116 out of 157 nations on the 2017 Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) Index and Dashboard report released by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)and Bertelsmann Stiftung. The index assesses the performance of countries towards achieving theambitious SDGs. It ranks countries based on their performance across the 17 SDGs.

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Figure 4.3: SDG Index

India’s performance India with a score of 58.1 was ranked 116th on the index, behind countriessuch as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and China. Pakistan was ranked 122. In 2016, India was ranked110th.Global ScenarioRising trend of nationalism and protectionism is impeding the implementation of the goals andindustrialised countries are not serving as role model in the implementation of the goals. Many of therichest countries in the world are nowhere near achieving objectives of goals but also deteriorating

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e4.9 Cabinet approves interpretative notes between India, Bangladesh 29

the implementation process for poorer countries because of negative spill over effects.Need for urgent action The report calls for urgent need for action on the part of G20 countries inmaking sustainable development goals a reality both within and beyond their borders. All countriesmust take up the goals as part of their national development strategies if the SDGs are to be achievedglobally.About Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)The SDGs are the set of 17 non-binding goals featuring 169 targets to be implemented from 2015to 2030. They were adopted by member countries of United Nations at the 2015 UN SustainableDevelopment Summit held in New York. These goals intend to achieve sustainable development andare more comprehensive than earlier Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).For More Information Refer June Issue of Current Affairs.

4.9 Cabinet approves interpretative notes between India, Bangladesh

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the Joint Interpretative Notes (JIN) on the agreementbetween India and Bangladesh for the promotion and protection of investments between the twocountries.What is Joint Interpretative Notes (JIN)

• The JIN includes interpretative notes to be jointly adopted for many clauses.• It includes the definition of investment, exclusion of taxation measures, Fair and Equitable

Treatment (FET), National Treatment (NT) and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) treatment.• It also includes the interpretations of expropriation, essential security interests and settlement

of disputes between an investor and a contracting party.Significance of the JIN

• Joint Interpretative Statements play an important supplementary role in strengthening theinvestment treaty regime. With increasing Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) disputes, issuanceof such statements was likely to have strong persuasive value before tribunals.

• The JIN would impart clarity to the interpretation of the existing agreement between India andBangladesh for the Promotion and Protection of Investments (BIPA).

4.10 New Railway initiatives

Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu launched various initiatives namely RailCloud Project,NIVARAN-Grievance Portal and Cashless treatment Scheme in Emergency (CTSE) Scheme.RailCloud Project

• The Phase-I of the RailCloud was sanctioned with Rs 53.55 crore cost.• RailCloud is another step towards the Digitization of Railways with an aim of single digital

platform for Indian Railways.• It is a strategic IT initiative for enterprise wide digital single platform with an aim to improve

customer satisfaction, improve revenue and effective, efficient and safe operations.• It works on popular Cloud Computing system. Cloud Computing is the emerging technology

for faster deployment of Server resources which result in reduced cost.• It will pave the way for swifter deployment of application within 24 hrs. At the same time the

cloud hardware and environment will be available for rigorous testing of the new applications.• Its technology will enable maximising the usage of the available server and storage resulting

in accommodation of bigger data and more applications within same server space.

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• The existing resources available with railway will be subsumed in RailCloud to ensure thatexpenditure is minimized in acquiring new resources.

• Server and storage space will scale up and down as per the demand and its cloud will beequipped with security features as per the latest guidelines and the security features can beupdated in one go.

• It will not only save on the expenses but also ensure better user experience.NIVARAN-Grievance Portal

• NIVARAN-Grievance Portal is the first IT application to be launched on the RailCloud.• It is aimed for the resolution of service related grievances of serving and former railway

employees.• The existing NIVARAN-Grievance application was hosted on a conventional server; it has

now been made cloud-ready and is made as the first cloud application of Indian Railways.Cashless treatment Scheme in Emergency (CTSE)

• With an aim to provide immediate care to its retired employees in Golden Hour, the RailwayBoard has rolled out a Cashless treatment Scheme in Emergency (CTSE) in empanelledhospitals for retired employees and their dependent family members.

• A web based system of communication between private hospitals and railway authorities hasbeen developed wherein identity of the beneficiary will be established using biometrics storedin Aadhar (UIDAI) server.

• The eligibility of the patient will be determined using Railway Data Base and emergency willbe verified by Railway Medical Officer based on private hospital’s clinical report.

• This scheme will provide help to the retired railway employees at the time of need and at thesame time, it will have a morale boosting effect on the serving employees.

• At present, the scheme was rolled out in four metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata andChennai.

• The whole system is online and even the bill processing shall be online.

4.11 MoHUA is the new name for Urban Development and housing ministry

The government has merged the urban development and housing and urban poverty alleviationministries. Now this will be known as Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). This isthird time the ministries have been merged. With this merger, the government now has 51 ministries.

4.12 Innovate in India (i3)

The first ever Industry-Academia mission to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in Indiawill be formally launched by the Cabinet Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences,Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi on 30th June 2017.About (i3)

• The program named Innovate in India (i3) will witness an investment of USD 250 millionwith USD 125 million as a loan from World Bank and is anticipated to be a game changer forthe Indian Biopharmaceutical industry. It aspires to create an enabling ecosystem to promoteentrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the sector.

• Despite, these advances Indian biopharmaceutical industry is still 10-15 years behind theircounterparts in the developed countries and faces stiff competition from China, Korea and

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e4.13 Times when the Parliament convened for a session at midnight 31

others. The lacuna primarily exists due to disconnected centers of excellence, less focus ontranslational research and staggered funding.

• The aim of the Mission is to “Enable and nurture an ecosystem for preparing India’s technolog-ical and product development capabilities in biopharmaceuticals to a level that will be globallycompetitive over the next decade, and transform the health standards of India’s populationthrough affordable product development”

Significance A flagship programme in collaboration with World Bank, it promises to boost thegrowth curve for domestic biopharma by accelerating translation of research concepts into viableproducts, supporting clinical validation, enabling sustainable networks for collaboration betweenindustry and academia, and supporting entrepreneurial ecosystem amongst many others.BackgroundCurrently India has only 2.8 Percent share in the global bio pharmaceutical market, the programwould elevate this to 5Percent resulting in an additional business opportunity of 16 Billion USD.In February, NITI Aayog, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and CII togetherlaunched a mega initiative “India Innovation Index” to rank states on innovations through country’sfirst online innovation index portal that will capture data on innovation from all Indian states oninnovation and regularly update it in real time.The India Innovation Index Framework is being structured based on the best practices followed inGlobal Innovation Index (GII) indicators and additionally by adding India-centric parameters thattruly reflect the Indian innovation ecosystem.

4.13 Times when the Parliament convened for a session at midnight

The midnight session of Parliament to launch the goods and services tax (GST) marked a first inIndia’s history. While Parliament was convened for a midnight session several times in the past, allthose occasions were celebratory in nature. It’s the first time that a session has been convened tomark the implementation of a government policy, the GST.Midnight sessions in the past

• August 14-15, 1947: The Constituent Assembly of India met in the Constitution Hall (now theCentral Hall of Parliament) on the eve of the country’s Independence. It started at 11 p.m. andwent on till after midnight.

• August 14-15, 1972: To celebrate the silver jubilee of India’s Independence.• August 9, 1992: To mark 50th anniversary of Quit India Movement.• August 14-15, 1997: To celebrate the golden jubilee of India’s Independence.

4.14 Presidential assent for Kambala Bill

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2017, has finally receivedPresidential assent. With this, all the hurdles for resuming Kambala — the traditional slush-trackbuffalo race of the coastal districts — are cleared.Background The Karnataka Legislative Assembly had cleared the Bill in February 2017. Governorhad referred the Bill to the President for his assent. The Bill seeks to exempt kambala and bullock-cart racing from the ambit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.About Kambala

• Kambala in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one afteranother in paddy fields, which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the

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animals from diseases.• Over the years, it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming

that the buffaloes run in the race due to fear of being beaten, which the organisers dismiss,saying no violence is involved and that several modifications had been made to ensure that itis an animal friendly event.

4.15 Centre may partially lift AFSPA

The Centre is considering partial removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) fromAssam and Arunachal Pradesh. The Home Ministry has asked the States for their views on AFSPAwithdrawal and said that it was open to reviewing the stringent law in other States like Manipur.What is AFSPA?

• AFSPA, enacted in 1958, gives powers to the army and state and central police forces to shootto kill, search houses and destroy any property that is “likely” to be used by insurgents in areasdeclared as “disturbed” by the home ministry.

• The Act provides army personnel with Constitutional safeguards against malicious, vindictiveand frivolous prosecution.

• Security forces can “arrest without warrant” a person, who has committed or even “about tocommit a cognizable offence” even on “reasonable suspicion”.

Which states are under AFSPA?It is in force in Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland and Manipur (except the Imphal municipalarea). In Arunachal Pradesh, only the Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts plus a 20-km beltbordering Assam come under its purview. And in Meghalaya AFSPA is confined to a 20-km areabordering Assam.What are ‘disturbed’ areas?The state or central government considers those areas as ‘disturbed’ “by reason of differences ordisputes between members of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes orcommunities.”How a region is declared ‘disturbed’?Section (3) of the Afspa empowers the governor of the state or Union territory to issue an officialnotification in The Gazette of India, following which the Centre has the authority to send in armedforces for civilian aid. Once declared ‘disturbed’, the region has to maintain status quo for a minimumof three months, according to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976.What is state government’s role? The state governments can suggest whether the act is required tobe enforced or not. But under Section (3) of the act, their opinion can be overruled by the governoror the Centre.Is the act uniform in nature?Initially, it was meant only for Assam and Manipur, where there was an insurgency by Naga militants.After the reorganisation of the northeast in 1971, the creation of new states like Manipur, Tripura,Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh paved the way for the AFSPA to be amended, so that itcould be applied to each of them. The amendments contain different sections as applicable to thesituation in each state.

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e4.16 No-detention policy to go from 2018 33

4.16 No-detention policy to go from 2018

The government has decided to do away with the no-detention policy for students from the nextacademic session.Why this move?The decision was taken following representation from most of the States as they said the standard ofeducation had deteriorated because of the policy.What the law says?Under the Right to Education Act, 2009, no child admitted to a school will be held back in any classor expelled till the completion of elementary education covering Classes 1 to 8.What is no detention policy?According to this provision “no child admitted in a school shall be held back in any class”. Thistranslates into automatic promotions to the next class every year until Class VII. Instead of exams,schools are supposed to hold Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluations (CCE) for every child.

4.17 National ST Commission to take action on video films of Jaravas on YouTube

Taking Suo-moto cognizance of objectionable video films and pictures of protected Jarava and othertribal communities of Andaman Islands on YouTube social media platform, the National Commissionfor Scheduled Tribe (NCST) has initiated action on it.The commission has decided to take up the matter with Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry ofExternal Affairs, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and ChiefSecretary of Andaman and Nicobar Island for removal of these objectionable video films fromYouTube and initiate action on those who uploaded these video clips on social media platform.Laws protecting these tribes

• As per provisions of Andaman and Nicobar Island (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation,1956 (PAT), the Andamanese, Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese, Nicobarese and Shom Pens havebeen identified as “aboriginal tribes”.

• The PAT contains the provisions of protection of these communities from the outside interfer-ence.

• Penalty provisions for promoting tourism through advertisement relating to aboriginal tribeshas also been made in the year 2012.

• Whoever enters these areas in contravention of the notification under section 7 (which prohibitsentry into reserve areas) for taking photographs or making videos shall be punishable withimprisonment up to three years.

• Besides, Section 3 (i) (r) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention ofAtrocities Act) also accords protection.

About NCST• NCST was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the

Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003. By this amendment, theerstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced bytwo separate Commissions namely-

– the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), and– the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

• The term of office of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and each member is three years fromthe date of assumption of charge. The Chairperson has been given the rank of Union Cabinet

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Minister and the Vice-Chairperson that of a Minister of State and other Members have theranks of a Secretary to the Government of India.

• NCST is empowered to investigate and monitor matters relating to safeguards provided forSTs under the Constitution or under other laws or under Govt. order. The Commission is alsoauthorized to inquire into specific complaints relating to rights and safeguards of STs and toparticipate and advise in the Planning Process relating to socio-economic development of STsand to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and States.

• The commission submits its report to the President annually on the working of safeguards andmeasures required for effective implementation of Programmers/ Schemes relating to welfareand socio-economic development of STs.

4.18 Mekedatu: Karnataka replies to CWC

The Karnataka State government has replied to clarifications sought by the Central Water Commission(CWC) on its proposal to build a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery at Mekedatu at a cost of Rs.5,912 crore.BackgroundKarnataka had sought the CWC’s permission to start work on Mekedatu project, which has beenopposed by Tamil Nadu alleging that it violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal order. TheState had submitted the Detailed Project Report on Mekedatu to the chief engineer of CWC in June,2017. After this, the CWC had sought a few clarifications on the DPR, including whether the projectviolates the final award of Tribunal and whether the construction of a balancing reservoir wouldaffect flow of water to Tamil Nadu.What is Mekedatu dispute all about?Karnataka intends to build a reservoir across river Cauvery near Mekedatu in Kanakapura taluk.It was first proposed along with Shivanasamudra hydro power project at Shimsa in 2003 with anintention to use the water for a hydro power station and supply drinking water to Bengaluru city.However, Tamil Nadu objected saying Karnataka had not sought prior permission for the project. Itsargument was that the project would affect the flow of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.Know about CWC

• The Central Water Commission is the apex technical organisation in the country for develop-ment of water resources and is attached organization of the Ministry of Water Resources.

• The Commission is responsible for initiating, coordinating and furthering, in consultation withthe State Governments, the schemes for control, conservation, development and utilizationof water resources throughout the country for the purpose of irrigation, flood management,power generation, navigation etc.

• Implementation of the National Water Policy is another important concern of the Commission.• Over the years, the Commission has developed the technological knowhow in planning,

investigation, appraisal, design and construction of projects, monitoring and management ofprojects, hydrological observations and flood forecasting.

• Central Water Commission has presence in almost all the aspects of water resources develop-ment and management.

• Central Water Commission CWC is headed by a Chairman, with the status of Ex-OfficioSecretary to the Government of India.

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e4.19 National Anti-profiteering Authority 35

4.19 National Anti-profiteering AuthorityThe GST Council has formed a Selection Committee under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretaryto identify and recommend eligible persons for appointment as the Chairman and Members of theNational Anti-profiteering Authority under GST.What you need to know about the National Anti-profiteering Authority?

• The National Anti-profiteering Authority is tasked with ensuring the full benefits of a reductionin tax on supply of goods or services flow to the consumers.

• When constituted by the GST Council, the National Anti-profiteering Authority shall beresponsible for applying anti-profiteering measures in the event of a reduction in rate of GSTon supply of goods or services or, if the benefit of input tax credit is not passed on to therecipients by way of commensurate reduction in prices.

• The National Anti-profiteering Authority shall be headed by a senior officer of the level of aSecretary to the Government of India and shall have four technical members from the Centreand/or the States.

• The constitution of the National Anti-profiteering Authority is expected to bolster consumerconfidence and ensure all stakeholders reap the intended benefits of GST.

Powers and functions of the authorityIn the event the National Anti-profiteering Authority confirms the necessity of applying anti-profiteering measures, it has the power to order the business concerned to reduce its prices orreturn the undue benefit availed along with interest to the recipient of the goods or services. If theundue benefit cannot be passed on to the recipient, it can be ordered to be deposited in the ConsumerWelfare Fund. In extreme cases the National Anti-profiteering Authority can impose a penalty on the

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defaulting business entity and even order the cancellation of its registration under GST.

4.20 Nai Roshni Scheme

NITI Aayog had conducted a study on ‘Nai Roshni’- the scheme for Leadership Development ofMinority Women in 2015-16. The main objective of the study was to assess the impact of thescheme on minority women and to identify policy/ programme impediments in implementation ofthe scheme.Performance of the schemeAccording to NITI Aayog, majority of the findings of the study indicate that the programme hasbeen appreciated by most of the segments of the population of the society and it has assisted increating confidence among minority women and developing leadership spirit in them. Moreover, thetrained women are also utilizing their enriched knowledge within their surroundings and therebyhelping their families as well as neighbours in raising their essential demands and claims fromvarious Government authorities.About Nai Roshni scheme

• The scheme aims to empower and instill confidence among minority women by providingknowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, Banks and otherinstitutions at all levels.

• The scheme is implemented through Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The schemeis implemented with the involvement of the Gram Panchayat at village level and Local Urbanbodies at the District level.

4.21 Parliament passes Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017

The parliament has passed The Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017 after it was approvedby the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha has passed it earlier. The bill aims at amending the Collectionof Statistics Bill, 2008, which facilitates the collection of statistics related to social, economic,demographic, scientific and environmental aspects, by central, state and local governments. It alsoallows the appointment of statistics officers to collect information and contains provisions to ensuresecurity of information.Salient features of bill

• Jurisdiction of the 2008 Act: The Bill extends jurisdiction of the parent act to the stateJammu and Kashmir for the collection of statistics pertaining to subjects under the Union(List-I) or the Concurrent list (List-II) of the Constitution. These subjects include citizenship,banking, education, labour and forests as applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.

• Nodal officer: It adds provisions for the appointment of a nodal officer by the Union or stategovernment. The function of nodal officer is to coordinate and supervise statistical activitiesunder the government which has appointed him. Further, the Union government can alsodetermine the powers and duties of the nodal officer.

• Use of information: The Bill removes provision from parent act dealing with informationcollected under it only is used for statistical purposes. It also allows the Union government todetermine the manner in which such information collected will be used for statistical purposes.

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e4.22 Union Cabinet clears minimum wage code bill 37

4.22 Union Cabinet clears minimum wage code bill

The Union Cabinet has approved the new wage code bill which will ensure a minimum wage acrossall sectors by integrating four labour related laws. The proposed legislation is expected to benefitover 4 crore employees across the country. Labour is on the concurrent list.BackgroundAt present, laws on wages do not cover workers getting monthly wage of more than Rs 18,000.Moreover, these laws are only applicable for scheduled industries or establishments. Even there areabout half a dozen definitions of wages in various acts across the Centre and states, which employershave to grapple with. The Second National Commission on Labour has recommended that theexisting labour laws should be broadly grouped into four or five labour codes on Wages; IndustrialRelations; Social Security and Welfare and Safety and Working Conditions on functional basis.Highlights of the Bill

• The bill seeks to empower the Centre to set a minimum wage across all sectors in the countryand states will have to maintain that. However, states will be able to provide for higherminimum wage in their jurisdiction than fixed by the central government.

• The minimum wage would be applicable on all classes of workers. At present, it is applicablefor scheduled industries or establishments in the law.

• The wage code will empower the Centre to notify a ‘national minimum wage’ (below whichno state can fix their minimum wages) and this will be revised every two years (five years ifthe dearness allowance becomes part of the minimum wages).

4.23 National strategic plan for malaria elimination

The ambitious National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) has been launched.The NSP, a year-wise roadmap for malaria elimination across the country, is based on last year’sNational Framework for Malaria Elimination, which was, in turn, spurred by World Health Organisa-tion’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.What is the plan to eradicate malaria?

• The NSP divides the country into four categories, from 0 to 3. Zero, the first category, has 75districts that have not reported any case of malaria for the last three years.

• Category 1 has 448 districts, in which the annual parasite incidence (API, or the number ofpositive slides for the parasite in a year) is less than one per 1,000 population. In Category2, which has 48 districts, the API is one and above, but less than two per 1,000 population.Category 3 has 107 districts, reporting an API of two and above per 1,000 population.

• The plan is to eliminate malaria (zero indigenous cases) by 2022 in all Category 1 and 2districts. The remaining districts are to be brought under a pre-elimination and eliminationprogramme.

• The NSP also aims to maintain a malaria-free status for areas where transmission has beeninterrupted. It seeks to achieve universal case detection and treatment services in endemicdistricts to ensure 100Percent diagnosis of all suspected cases, and full treatment of allconfirmed cases.

• The plan has four components, based on WHO recommendations:– Diagnosis and case management– Surveillance and epidemic response– Prevention — integrated vector management;

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– ‘cross-cutting’ interventions, which include advocacy, communication, research anddevelopment, and other initiatives.

What kind of challenges is the NSP likely to face?One of the biggest challenges is the shortage of manpower. According to the Health Ministry,there are only about 40,000 multipurpose health workers (MPWs) against the approximately 80,000sanctioned posts in the 1,50,000 sub-centres in the country. Other problems include access to conflict-affected tribal areas, and to areas with a high malaria endemicity and insecticide resistance. Highendemicity states include those in the Northeast, which share borders with neighbouring countrieslike Bangladesh, where the prevalence of malaria is high.BackgroundIn India, malaria is caused by the parasites Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and Plasmodium Vivax(Pv). Pf is found more in the forest areas, whereas Pv is more common in the plains. The diseaseis mainly concentrated in the tribal and remote areas of the country. The majority of reportingdistricts are in the country’s eastern and central parts — the largest number of cases are found inChhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and the North-eastern states of Tripura, Mizoramand Meghalaya.

4.24 Making the House rules

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has found two journalists guilty of breach of its privilege andsentenced them to jail. This followed certain articles written by the journalists which were alleged todefame some legislators. This case once again raises the question of what should constitute privilegeof the legislative bodies.The Speaker authorized penal action for something that should have, at best, attracted admonition.While the sentencing is technically within the legislature’s powers, whether the framers of theConstitution envisaged ‘breach of privilege’ to lead to a prison sentence—a power usually exercisedonly by the courts—is open to question.Constitutional provisions in this regard

• The Indian Constitution specifies the powers and privileges of Parliament in Article 105 andthose of State legislatures in Article 194. In brief, they:

• Provide freedom of speech in Parliament subject to other provisions of the Constitution andstanding orders of the House. Give immunity for all speeches and votes in Parliament fromjudicial scrutiny.

• Allow Parliament (and State legislatures) to codify the privileges, and until then, have thesame privileges as the British Parliament had in 1950.

• Till now, Parliament and State legislatures have not passed any law to codify their privileges.What are the origins of the privileges?These are derived from the British House of Commons. The privileges are reported to have originatedwhen a nascent British parliament was attempting to establish itself in the light of monarchy.“The legislatures in India claim to be the sole and exclusive judges of their privileges. This claimis based both on their status as coordinate organs of the state under the broad separation of powersamong the executive, the legislature and the judiciary and their entitlement to all the privilegesenjoyed by the British House of Commons on January 26, 1950. However, this claim is not supportedby the constitutional scheme in India or by the situation in Britain in 1950,” a Supreme Court projecton restatement of Indian law said in a publication on legislative privilege in India in 2011.What constitutes a breach of privilege?

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e4.24 Making the House rules 39

While the Constitution accords special privileges and powers to parliamentarians and legislators tomaintain the dignity and authority of Parliament and the legislatures, these powers and privileges arenot codified. There are no clearly laid out rules on what constitutes breach of privilege and whatpunishment it entails.Concerns associated

• The Constitution confers certain privileges on legislative institutions with the idea of protectingfreedom of speech and expression in the House and ensuring that undue influence, pressureor coercion is not brought on the legislature in the course of its functioning. Unfortunately,breach of privilege is invoked for the ostensible reason of protecting the image of the House onthe whole or its individual members; too often, it is a thinly disguised mechanism to insulateelected representatives from criticism.

• Without a law codifying the legislative privileges, there is little merit in subjecting anyone,leave alone a journalist, to penal action for allegedly breaching a legislator’s privilege, unlessthere is a move or attempt to obstruct the functioning of either the House or its members.The problem also stems from the Constitution’s provisions on privileges and powers of thelegislature. These provisions are loosely worded—Article 194 (3) states that “the powers,privileges and immunities of a House of the Legislature of a State, and of the members andthe committees of a House of such Legislature, shall be such as may from time to time bedefined by the Legislature by law, and, until so defined, shall be those of that House and of itsmembers and committees”.

• It is sometimes used to counter media criticism of legislators and as a substitute for legalproceedings. All persons have a right to trial by a competent, independent and impartialtribunal. Breach of privilege laws allow politicians to become judges in their own cause,raising concerns of conflict of interest and violating basic fair trial guarantees.

Way ahead• Though dozens of people are summoned every year before the privileges committees of

Parliament and state legislatures on charges of breach of privilege of legislators, it is rare thatpunitive action like imprisonment has been ordered. With no codified laws for what constitutesa breach of privilege offence or prescriptions for punishment, this is largely a grey area inlegal terms.

• The legislature must use the power to punish for contempt or breach of privilege sparingly,invoking it mainly to protect the independence of the House and not to take away the liberty ofcritics. Legislators are in a position to clarify facts and refute misconceived criticism. There isno reason for them to seek imprisonment for contempt.

• There are many unsettled questions about the very nature of legislative privileges. The absenceof codification gives the House the freedom to decide when and how breach of privilegeoccurs. Even if it is conceded that the House has such a right, a moot question is whether thelegislature, through its Committee of Privileges, should be a judge in its own cause. Whetherthe legislature’s power to punish for breach of privilege extends to handing down a prison termis still an open question. Perhaps, it is better to restrict the use of privilege to proceedings ofthe legislature. Any member who is falsely accused of any impropriety can use the defamationroute through courts.

Conclusion• The time has come for the legislature to codify privileges and for the higher judiciary to lay

down the limits of penal action for breach of privilege. It may also be time for the courts torevisit the earlier judgments and find the right balance between fundamental rights of citizens

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and privilege of the legislature. The recent case in Karnataka gives another opportunity toexamine the issue.

• The Karnataka government must consider the public odium it would attract if it acted on theresolution. If the Chief Minister and the Speaker take the lead in getting the Assembly torescind the resolution, that would better safeguard the dignity of the august House.

4.25 Lateral entry in civil services

With a Committee of Secretaries favouring lateral entry into the civil service, the Department ofPersonnel and Training (DoPT) has been instructed to put up a proposal on the induction of outsidersin the middle rung of ministries that deal with economy and infrastructure.Instructions have come from the Prime Minister’s Office to prepare a broad outline of modalitiesfor selecting private individuals for appointment in the ranks of deputy secretary, director and jointsecretary. The move was in response to a central government staffing policy paper where the DoPThad indicated a huge shortage of officers in the middle management level.The idea of lateral induction is not new. It was recommended by the 2nd Administrative ReformCommission, high level committees appointed by different governments and a plethora of thinktanks.Need for lateral entry in civil services

• Shortfall in numbers: There is an overall 20 percent shortfall of IAS cadre officers alone in24 state cadres. The Baswan Committee (2016) has shown how large states such as Bihar,Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have a deficit of 75 to over 100 officers and their unwillingnessto sponsor officers to go to the Centre on deputation is understandable. Lateral inductionis, therefore, a small step towards essential housekeeping in central government staffing andought to be supported.

• Target oriented: Outside talent from the private sector is more likely to be target-oriented,which will improve the performance of the government. Also, more competition will encouragecareer civil servants to develop expertise in areas of their choice.

• Improved governance: The conventional wisdom on lateral entry is that it infuses fresh energyand thinking into an insular, complacent and often archaic bureaucracy. It enables the entry ofright-minded professionals and the adoption of best practices for improving governance.

Why this may not be a good idea?• Disturbed balance: The proposal for lateral entry at senior decision-making levels, besides

increasing the disconnect between policymaking and implementation, will also result ininequitable sharing of the benefits and burdens of government service, with permanent civilservants left to bear the burden of “humble” implementation and lateral entrants getting accessto “glamorous” policymaking positions, without having roughed it out in remote and ruralIndia in the rough and tumble of Indian democracy. While there would certainly be a beelinefor lateral entrants to join top policymaking positions, there would be no such great desire toserve the country at the ground level.

• Previous experiences: While there may be exceptions, the experience of inducting private-sector managers to run public-sector enterprises is not particularly satisfactory. Whiz-kidsfrom the private sector who ran Air India, Indian Airlines and Vayudoot proved to be failures.Clearly, performance is vitally influenced by the enabling environment and the best managerialcapability cannot deliver results in an adverse operating environment. A major part of thedisillusionment (if any) with civil servants can be attributed to this enabling environment

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e4.25 Lateral entry in civil services 41

where innovation and risk-taking have been at a heavy discount.• Deters the available talent: The best talent can be attracted only if there is reasonable

assurance of reaching top level managerial positions. This is true for government service asmuch as the private sector. Any dilution of the potential horizon for growth would discouragecompetent and motivated people. By suggesting a contract-based system for positions of jointsecretary and above, the signal would be sent out that only mid-career positions would bewithin reach in about 15-18 years of service and there would be considerable uncertainty aboutcareer progression thereafter. Coupled with unattractive salary scales and non-entitlement todefined pension since 2004, this would become a potent trinity to deter talented persons fromaspiring to civil service careers.

• Discontent among the government personnel: Large-scale lateral induction would, in fact,amount to a vote of no-confidence in the government personnel management system, ratherthan in the highly dedicated, motivated and talented officers who have chosen to join the civilservices.

• Difficulty in assessing performance: The difficulty in measuring performance in governmentis another obstacle to be reckoned with. It is not easy to assess the performance of a secretaryto the government, given the sheer complexity and amorphous nature of the job. The inductionof lateral entrants would not by itself suffice for better performance orientation and enhancedaccountability. It would be as difficult to measure the performance of lateral entrants as itwould of career civil servants.

What can be done?• A good managerial system encourages and nurtures talent from within instead of seeking to

induct leadership from outside. Any failure in this matter is primarily a failure of the systemto identify and nurture talent at the appropriate stage. For this, the remedy lies not throughlateral induction but through more rigorous performance appraisal and improved personnelmanagement.

• In this context, the government could contemplate hiring outside talent to head certain pre-identified mission-mode projects and public-sector entities where private-sector expertisecould be invaluable — like in the case of Nandan Nilekani and Aadhaar. Similarly, leadershippositions in large infrastructure projects could be filled through open competition betweencivil servants and market talent.

• The recruitment and service rules for such posts have to be clearly defined and made incentive-compatible, and the processes managed transparently. A credible statutory agency like theUnion Public Service Commission or an autonomous agency like the Bank Board Bureau,established to hire heads of public-sector banks, should be entrusted with the responsibility ofrecruitment.

• All this, coupled with competition among both serving bureaucrats and market participants,would help avoid many of the aforementioned pitfalls associated with general lateral entry.Further, this would be in line with the lateral entry strategy adopted by more developedparliamentary democracies like the UK.

• Such an approach would have to be complemented with liberalised norms that allow civilservants to work outside government — with multilateral agencies, nonprofits and corporations— for short periods. By enabling exposure to market practices and fresh ideas, this, as muchas infusing outside talent into government, is likely to help achieve the objectives of lateralentry itself.

Conclusion

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India’s civil services need reform. There is little argument about this. Internal reforms—such asinsulation from political pressure and career paths linked to specialization—and external reformssuch as lateral entry are complementary, addressing the same deficiencies from different angles.Thus, lateral entry cannot be a panacea for everything. It has been an exception in the Indian civilservice system and should continue to be so.

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e5. GS2b: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

5.1 Sri Lanka bans bottom-trawling• Sri Lanka has banned the destructive fishing practice of bottom-trawling in their waters,

making violators liable for a fine of LKR 50,000 (approximately Rs20,000) and face two yearsimprisonment. In this regard, an Amendment to the country’s Fisheries and Aquatic ResourcesAct was passed unanimously, in effect declaring the fishing method an offence.

Why the ban? Bottom trawling is a destructive fishing practice which affects the marine ecosystem.The practice, which involves trawlers dragging weighted nets along the sea floor, is known to causegreat depletion of fishery resources, and curbing it is in the interest of sustainable fishing.Concerns raised by Tamil Nadu: The development could directly impact a section of fishermenfrom Tamil Nadu, who engage in bottom-trawling and have often been found trespassing into SriLanka’s territorial waters.

5.2 India gives USD 100,000 to UN Tax FundIndia has contributed USD100,000 to a UN fund to help developing countries actively participate inthe discussion of tax issues, becoming the first country to make the contribution.What you need to know about the UN Tax Fund?

• The UN Tax Trust Fund aims to support the work of the Committee of Experts on InternationalCooperation in Tax Matters (the UN Tax Committee).

• Voluntary contributions for the fund have been called for by the UN and the committee sinceits establishment in 2006.

• The call for contributions was also emphasised in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda adopted atthe third International Conference on Financing for Development in 2015.

• Through the fund, the UN expects that more developing countries will draw upon the bestpractice of other bodies, ensuring that global tax cooperation norms and rules will work moreeffectively and efficiently for all countries and all stakeholders.

What it does?The UN Tax Committee, a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ESOSOC), has

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e44 Chapter 5. GS2b: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

provided guidance on current issues such as double taxation treaties, transfer pricing (profit shifting)taxation of the extractive industries and taxation of services.The committee also provides a framework for dialogues with a view to enhance and promoteinternational tax cooperation among national tax authorities, while making recommendations oncapacity-building and the provision of technical assistance to developing counties and countries witheconomies in transition.About Addis AgendaThe Addis Agenda provides a global framework to ensure the effective mobilisation of resourcesat the national and international level for sustainable development. Implementation of the AddisAgenda supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is an integralpart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the historic and transformational agenda thatcountries unanimously adopted in 2015.

5.3 Standoff at the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction.

China has ratcheted up pressure on India by officially publicising a military standoff at the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction. Though the standoff between both the armies is quite common, eventsthis time have raised concerns. This time the matter is more contentious. To begin with, it is thefirst occasion that the Chinese have blocked access to the holy Mount Kailash through the Nathu-Laroute since it was opened in 2006 to facilitate both trade and pilgrimage.Know about the dispute

• Indian troops have blocked a road under construction by China in a part of territory underdispute. It’s called the Donglang region by China, Bhutan calls it Doklam Plateau and Indiarefers to it as Doka La.

• The standoff with China is in Bhutan’s territory and in a disputed area which is controlled byThimphu but coveted by Beijing.

• The 89-square-km patch of territory in the Chumbi valley — sitting between Sikkim andBhutan — is an unresolved boundary dispute Beijing has with Thimphu. The two countrieshave failed to resolve it despite 24 rounds of negotiations since 1984.

• The same plateau extends to the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction at the southern tip of Chumbivalley. The border with China is accepted by India along Sikkim, so there is no disputebetween the two.

Importance of Doklam RegionThe region holds immense strategic importance for India and China. Lying east of Sikkim, it has acommanding view of the Chumbi valley and overlooks the narrow Siliguri Corridor that links theNorth-East to the rest of India. If the Chinese gain control of Donglang, they gain the ability toessentially cut off India’s access to the North-eastern states in case of a conflict. In 1996, Beijingindicated it was ready to swap territorial claims in northern Bhutan in lieu of Donglang.Border disputes between India and China

• India and China share about 3,488-km long border, which is yet to be fully delineated. Theborder is classified under 14 divisions. There is a Line of Actual Control in Aksai Chin ofLadakh region that China captured during 1962 war.

• Till 2003, China claimed Sikkim was an independent country whose monarch had in the pastaccepted Beijing’s suzerainty. This make-believe assertion was finally dropped by Chinaduring then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Beijing in 2003. It was also agreedduring that visit that the two countries would progress rapidly to formally delineate unmarked

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e5.3 Standoff at the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction. 45

portions of the Line of Actual Control as the first step towards settling the long-standing borderdispute.

• India and China appointed two Special Representatives to take the negotiations forward.Informally, the two countries agreed to demarcate a permanent border “without unsettlingsettled populations”. Shorn of diplomatic verbiage, this was interpreted to mean China givingup its claim on 90,000 sq. kms of Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the district of Tawang(which was well-populated), in exchange for India officially recognizing China’s occupationof the unpopulated cold desert of Akasi Chin, most of which has been under Chine occupation.

• This still left the issue of the slice of Indian territory seized by Pakistan and subsequently“gifted” or ceded to China by Islamabad. It is through this piece of mountainous terrain thatthe controversial China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is being built to give China access to thewarm waters of the Arabian Sea through the Gwadar port.

Intentions behind China’s aggressive moves• Beijing has always aspired to be the Asian hegemon. It is intensely distrustful of its two

economically powerful neighbours – Japan across the sea and India across the mountains.India, however, is a huge market for Chinese consumer goods. And that is an opportunityBeijing does not want to forgo. But India’s growing economic and diplomatic clout rufflesChina. The evident camaraderie between two tough-talking leaders, President Trump andPrime Minister Modi disturbs China’s long-term goals.

• India’s unflinching opposition to China’s grandiose One Belt One Road (OBOR) idea marks asetback for Beijing’s strategic economic and political pursuits. Clearly, China wants to keepIndia engaged in territorial issues with it and its ally Pakistan. Since it has surged way aheadof India in terms of economic development, China wants to zealously guard the advantage,pricking India from time to time to register its military superiority.

• In Beijing’s view, India is a critical ‘swing State’ that increasingly is moving to the US camp,undercutting Xi’s ambition to establish a Sino-centric Asia through an expanded tianxia systemof the 15th century. Given India’s vantage geographical location, China needs its participationto plug key gaps in Xi’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) project. But India not only boycottedXi’s OBOR summit but has also portrayed OBOR as an opaque, neo-colonial enterpriseseeking to ensnare smaller, cash-strapped states in a debt trap.

Why should India be worried?China is already stepping up its direct and surrogate threats against India. One example is theproliferation of incursions and other border incidents since the 2005 India-US nuclear deal, whichlaid out a strategic framework for the US to co-opt India. China is also waging a psy-war throughmedia. With Chinese forces aggressively seeking to nibble away at Indian territory, India’s Himalayanchallenge has been compounded by a lack of an integrated approach that blends military, economicand diplomatic elements into a coherent strategy.Way aheadWhile the latest hostile action on the Nathu La Pass and the verbal conflagration that followed maynot escalate into something bigger, India needs to clearly size up China’s Big Power aspirations.Arguably, India has to both compete and, in many cases, cooperate with China and cannot affordpermanent hostility. But there is an in-built economic conflict between the two countries that isbound to spill over into active hostility, spurred mainly by China. Beijing prides itself for settlingborder disputes with all its neighbours except India. But these settlements have mostly been amongunequals (barring Russia). India’s status in the world today nettles China but New Delhi too needs totread cautiously without escalating tensions. Despite the cosy ties with Washington, India, essentially,

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is on its own against China. It needs to bolster its border defences and boost its nuclear and missiledeterrent capabilities.Conclusion

• India and China are the two ancient civilisations, who have had centuries of cultural exchangesbut in modern times, their relationship has been more adversarial than friendly. As bigeconomic and military powers, India and China are key strategic players in the world. Bothnations have several similar attributes and problems including large population, huge rural-urban, rising economy and conflict with neighbours.

• Disruption of the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra may seem humiliating, but if China insists onflexing its muscles in this manner, we may need to ignore it for the present and await a suitableopportunity to demonstrate our growing clout in the world. But for that, India’s economicgrowth must catch up with China at least in the medium term. Resolving the border issuecannot be our priority till then.

5.4 Why Bhutan is special to India

The recent standoff between India and China over Doklam issue has highlighted India’s specialrelationship with Bhutan, which includes military responsibilities towards it.BackgroundChina’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently attempted to construct a road in the disputedDoklam region unilaterally. However, Bhutan had strongly opposed this.Relationship between India and Bhutan

• India- Bhutan friendship treaty 2007 has been guiding the bilateral relations between thetwo countries. Under the 2007 India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty, the two sides have agreedto “cooperate closely with each other on issues relating to their national interests. NeitherGovernment shall allow the use of its territory for activities harmful to the national securityand interest of the other.”

• Under the previous treaty, India was to “guide” Bhutan on foreign and defence policies.The language of the 2007 treaty is meant to respect the sensitivities of Bhutan regarding itssovereignty. But the reality is that the Indian military is virtually responsible for protectingBhutan from the kind of external threat that the Chinese military poses.

• The Eastern Army Command and the Eastern Air Command both have integrated protectionof Bhutan into their role. The Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), headed by a MajorGeneral, plays a critical role in training Bhutanese security personnel.

5.5 Beijing’s Bhutan gambit

The recent skirmishes with China near the Bhutan border bring home one thing loud and clear: thedanger is clear and present. The question is: how do we defuse this, and what options does Indiahave on the table?China’s hidden message

• The recent spate of deliberate incursions seems to have had multiple triggers and multipledesirables. All Chinese actions invariably are multi-causal.

• In conjunction with ongoing provocations by China in the South China Sea, the first messageis clearly aimed at the United States to show that China can activate multiple fronts to makeWashington’s life miserable and bog it down in many theatres of action. More importantly, this

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also demonstrates that the US’s regional allies are security lightweights, and that the benefitsthey bring are outweighed by the security baggage they lug along.

• The second is aimed at India — the message that any closer proximity with the US comeswith consequences, and should those consequences escalate militarily, there is very little thatthe US can realistically do to help India.

• The third message is also to India — and it has to do with India’s furious rejection of the‘One Belt One Road’ (Obor) initiative — something President Xi has associated his personalprestige with and the rejection of which he seems to have taken quite personally as well.

• The final message is to Bhutan. To Bhutanese policymakers, it is to demonstrate the limits ofIndian help.

what can India do?• The response has to be divided in two: the tactical talking down of China, and the strategic

containment of China.• The tactical involves appeasing China to some degree and assuaging Xi by pursuing the

Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Forum for Regional Cooperation vigorously. Thisenables Xi to portray this initiative as a subset of Obor for the purposes of the 19th Congressof Communist Party of China later this year, and in so doing ‘save face’. India, too, savesface by not joining Obor, while ignoring the domestic messaging in China of BCIM being‘Obor-minus’.

• The strategic containment borrows from a US Cold War template. The closest point betweenthe US and the Soviet Union was in the Bering Straits, where the two were separated by amere 90 km. Yet, the US kept the Soviet Union bogged down in Europe, seldom — if at all —paying attention to the straits. In the Indian iteration, India needs to turn the South China Seainto the Fulda Gap and the Himalayas into the Bering Straits. India’s fear has always been‘What if China does the same in the Indian Ocean’? This is where our policymakers have aclear decision to make and cannot afford to dither.

5.6 US rolls out expedited entry for ‘low-risk’ Indian travellers• The US has started rolling out for India its Global Entry programme which allows for expedited

clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travellers.• Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna has become the first Indian national to enroll in

the programme.What you need to know about the Global Entry Programme?

• On landing at select airports, the programme members enter the United States through au-tomatic kiosks, instead of queueing up to clear the immigration by meeting an immigrationofficer.

• At these airports, the members proceed to the Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or US permanent resident card, place their fingerprints on the scanner forfingerprint verification and complete a customs declaration.

• The kiosk then issues the traveller a transaction receipt and directs him or her to the baggageclaim and the exit.

• Travellers must be pre-approved for the Global Entry programme. All applicants undergo arigorous background check and in-person interview before enrolment.

• With this India has becomes only the 11th country whose citizens are eligible to enroll in theCustoms and Border Protection (CBP) initiative. Global Entry is currently available at 53 US

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airports and 15 pre-clearance locations.

5.7 Trans-Pacific Partnership

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was thought to be a finished deal after the withdrawal ofUS, is now gaining fresh momentum. Many relevant players, eager to prevent the TPP from crum-bling, have begun to discuss moving forward without the US. Japan and New Zealand have showninterest to take the bloc forward. If they succeed, TPP signatories will benefit substantially—and theUS may find that it has missed a massive opportunity.What is TPP?The Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP is one of the biggest trade deals in history. It was signedin February in New Zealand by 12 Pacific Rim countries. The TPP involved 12 nations (the US,Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singa-pore and Vietnam). Together these countries account for the 40Percent of the global economy and26Percent of world trade.What it does?

• It would set new terms for trade and business investment among the United States and 11 otherPacific Rim nations.

• It would phase out thousands of import tariffs as well as other barriers to international trade.• It also would establish uniform rules on corporations’ intellectual property, open the Internet

even in communist Vietnam and crack down on wildlife trafficking and environmental abuses.Which goods and services are involved in the TPP?

• Most goods and services traded between the countries are named in the TPP, but not all tariffs– which are taxes on imports – were going to be removed and some would take longer thanothers. In all, some 18,000 tariffs were included.

• For example, the signatories said they would either eliminate or reduce tariffs and otherrestrictive policies from agricultural products and industrial goods.

• Under the agreement, tariffs on US manufactured goods and almost all US farm productswould have gone almost immediately. But some “sensitive” products would have been exemptuntil a later agreed date.

What’s good about TPP?Those in favour say this trade deal will unleash new economic growth among countries involved.It is being said that the TPP has high potential to promote economic growth and improve people’sliving standards by facilitating the free cross-border movement of key factors of economic activity,such as goods, people, money, and information. Failure to bring the TPP into force would be a greatloss to not only the TPP countries such as Japan and the US but also the global economy they argue.Why Trump is against this deal?

• Trump thinks such deals will hurt American workers and undercut US companies. His stanceon trade is protectionist: he has vowed to shield Americans from the effects of globalised tradeby slapping hefty tariffs on cheap Chinese imports of up to 45Percent.

• Trump says, “The TPP creates a new international commission that makes decisions theAmerican people can’t veto, making it easier for our trading competitors to ship cheapsubsidised goods into US markets – while allowing foreign countries to continue puttingbarriers in front of our exports.”

Way ahead

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• The mega-regional approach may have one more advantage, shared with the WTO: theinvolvement of more parties can dilute the authority of a major country and thus limit itsability to strong-arm its negotiating partners into an unbalanced agreement. Indeed, this maybe precisely why Trump, with his penchant for “deal-making” and promises of an “Americafirst” trade policy, rejected the TPP. In his view, bilateral negotiations put the US, as a politicaland economic hegemon, in a stronger bargaining position.

• What Trump fails to recognize is that, while a small country may feel intimidated by the USat the negotiating table, it can still stand up and walk away. More important, even if the UScan use its weight to secure more favourable provisions in a bilateral negotiating context, thebenefits do not necessarily outweigh those of larger-scale agreements.

• That is certainly the case with the TPP, which contained some provisions that were highlybeneficial for the US economy. And when the new TPP, excluding the US, begins to flourish,US businesses will be wishing Trump had not cancelled their tee time.

ConclusionIt is hard to see who exactly benefits from the United States’ withdrawal from TPP. Certainly, U.S.industry and other TPP members are disappointed. Indeed, this could be seen as a massive self-goalfor the United States. Trump will gain credibility with some of his base by actually fulfilling oneof his more contentious campaign promises, but that base is weak to begin with, and unless thereare tangible gains in manufacturing jobs (due to other factors), the electoral impact is likely to benegligible.

5.8 BRICS ‘Beijing Declaration On Education’ Adopted For More Academic Co-operation

BRICS ministers of education and assigned representatives have adopted ‘Beijing Declaration onEducation’ in a recently held 5th meeting of BRICS Ministers of education at Beijing.About Beijing Declaration on Education

• According to the declaration, members states – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa –are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4)-Education 2030 whichaims to“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learningopportunities for all” that was set within The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• The declaration reiterated support for the BRICS Network University (NU) to collaborate inthe fields of education, research and innovation. It also encouraged universities to participatein the BRICS University League.

• With the Beijing declaration, BRICS member states also decided to increase cultural coop-eration through language education and multilingualism to promote mutual understandingof the history and culture of BRICS member states and to undertake initiatives to promoteprofessionalization of academics in higher education through the BRICS Network Universityas a focus of future education development.

• The declaration emphasises to encourage more teachers and educational administrators tolearn from experience of other countries in improving teacher quality and performance, andpromoting the development of education through international exchanges.

• It was also decided to strengthen cooperation in the field of Technical and Vocational Educationand Training (TVET), share ideas and experiences in the development of vocational educators,and develop projects that are of common interests to BRICS Member States.

• The declaration also encouraged to expand the number of scholarship opportunities to students

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across BRICS Member States.

5.9 A European Union Army: Objective or Chimera?

The European Union has again become preoccupied with the idea of building an army of its own.That is a very significant shift in attitude. Until now, the European countries had been content tochannel security matters through NATO and to focus the EU’s attention on economic issues.Need for it’s own army

• It is being said that one of the ways of addressing the problem of European security after‘Brexit’ is a deep integration between the armed forces of member countries. The idea to buildsuch a European army was also supported by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, FrenchPresident Francois Hollande and several other ‘Old World’ political figures.

• It is believed that an independent army would enable the union to be taken more seriously asan international force.

• At a time when the EU is involving itself more in undertaking security operations, such astackling people-smuggling gangs in the Mediterranean and piracy in Somalia, it clearly makessense for participating states to work together. A single EU military force offers a betteranswer than the status quo to the host of security problems that beset the UK, the EuropeanUnion and the region as a whole.

Concerns associated with this move• Such a proposition is dangerous because, by establishing its own command structure, the EU

is setting itself up as a direct rival to Nato.• It is also being said that creating a two-tier defence alliance that would split resources and

benefit no one but Russia.• Also, there are not enough human resources for the new army.

Challenges ahead• Up until today, a “joint force” has always meant a force composed of separate national military

units put together into a bigger force and commanded jointly, where all participating countrieshave their own representatives and the decisions are made on the political level based onconsensus, and then translated into common military action on the ground.

• However, speaking about the more ambitious type of “joint force”, which is a commoncapability, it usually means that there would be individual servicemen and women, employedby a supranational body – in this case the European Union. This is very difficult to achieve inthe defence realm because there has never been, in modern history, this kind of common armywhere you have an institution like the European Union having its own army. It has alwaysbeen the first kind of “joint force”, where you have states having own army and co-operatingtogether.

• The proposed army also cannot be a panacea for the “terrorist disease.” The fight againstterrorists does not need more troops, but extensive and professional law enforcement agencies,a wide network of agents and other anti-terrorist structures. These cannot be in a regular armywith rockets, tanks, bombers and fighters – one does not fight against terrorists with heavyarmour and military equipment.

• The EUA’s deployment and operations in support of common military objectives within oroutside the EU territorial domain may also pose a dilemma for such member nations whofollow what can be termed ‘neutral’ foreign policies.

Way ahead

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• It is high time that Europeans cooperated more in defence, and delivered more in terms ofdefending Europe from different threats.

• They need more cooperation, they need to procure armaments together and integrate militaryunits so that they are more effective when deploying them to fight threats, including instabilityin Europe’s southern neighbourhood, connected with terrorism, but also threats posed byRussian provocative force posturing and manoeuvres in Eastern Europe. That would be myreaction.

• Europeans need to deliver more in defence, particularly after so many years of cuts in defencebudgets, after years of shrinking military spending and armed forces.

Conclusion• Special formations are created for specific combat missions, to which each member country

allocates units from its national armed forces. Some provide tank crews, some allocate missilepersonnel, some supply motorized infantry, signalers, repairers, rear troops, nurses and so on.It is unclear on what principle an integrated European army should be created. It would morelikely appear that talk about a European army and its joint headquarters is another attemptto set up a new bureaucratic structure for European officials to comfortably exist, producingpaperwork and public declarations, just as it is done in the EU and PACE.

• The success of nascent efforts within the EU towards military integration will depend onthe clarity that can be obtained on the latter‘s role in a dynamic security context, strategicconsensus within the union, and the ability of member countries to reconcile their existingcommitments within the NATO framework vis-à-vis a EUA. Due cognizance of US perceptionson the matter will also be of utmost relevance. The role of the strongest economic and militarypowers in EU, namely Germany and France, will also be the most onerous in this respect.

5.10 G20 Summit• 12th G20 Summit was recently held at the German city of Hamburg.• The theme chosen for this year’s G20 Summit is “Shaping an Inter-connected World”.• Issues like free and open trade, migration, sustainable development and global stability came

up during the discussions.Action agenda at G20 to counter terrorismIndia’s PM presented an 11-point action agenda for counter-terrorism at the summit. The importantagenda includes:

1. Deterrent action against nations supporting terrorism must be made compulsory, such nationsshould be barred from G20.

2. G20 nations must exchange lists of suspected terrorists and their supporters.3. Legal processes such extradition should be simplified and expedited.4. Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism should be adopted soon.5. UNSC resolutions and other international processes should be effectively implemented.6. G20 nations should give emphasis to de-radicalisation programmes and exchange best prac-

tices.7. Terror financing should be curtailed by means of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and

other means.8. Weapons and Explosive Action Task Force (WEATF) should be constituted on lines of FATF

so that sounrce of weapons to the terrorists is stopped.9. G20 nations should cooperate in cyber security, with a focus on terrorist activities.

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10. National Security Advisors on Counter Terrorism mechanism should be constituted.G20: The ‘Group of Twenty’ is made up of 19 countries and the European Union. The countriesare Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the US.The G20, with its ministerial-level beginnings in 1999, first met for a summit in 2008 in Washingtonto discuss ways to achieve balanced and sustainable world economic growth.

5.11 G-20 leaders propose Hamburg Action Plan at summit conclusion

The two-day G-20 summit that took place in Germany’s Hamburg city ended with the leadersproposing the Hamburg Action Plan to address major global challenges, including climate change,harnessing digitalisation, and to contribute to prosperity and well-being.Highlights of the action plan

• The leaders pledged to progress towards their joint objective in the G20, which is strong,sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth. They resolved to tackle common challenges tothe global community, including terrorism, displacement, poverty, hunger and health threats,job creation, climate change, energy security, and inequality including gender inequality, as abasis for sustainable development and stability.

• In order to improving sustainable livelihoods, the G-20 leaders collectively committed tomitigate greenhouse gas emissions through, among others, increased innovation on sustainableand clean energies and energy efficiency, and work towards low greenhouse-gas emissionenergy systems.

• The Leaders of the other G-20 members also agreed that the Paris Agreement is irreversiblereiterated the importance of fulfilling the UNFCCC commitment by developed countries inproviding means of implementation including financial resources to assist developing countrieswith respect to both mitigation and adaptation actions in line with Paris outcomes.

• The leaders stressed on the importance of harnessing the benefits of globalisation, reaffirm theimportance of transparency for predictable and mutually beneficial trade relations, harnessdigitalisation to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• The leaders underlined to boost employment by improving sustainable global supply chains,which have been recognised as an important source of job creation and balanced economicgrowth.

• The leaders resolved to make a resilient global financial system in agreed internationalstandards, to support sustainable growth.

• The G-20 leaders also called for safeguarding against health crises and strengthening healthsystems. The leaders called on the United Nations to keep global health high on the politicalagenda and strive for cooperative action to strengthen health systems worldwide, includingthrough developing the health workforce.

• The leaders also stressed on combatting Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), which is a growingthreat to public health and economic growth.

5.12 122 countries adopt global treaty banning nuclear weapons

A global treaty banning nuclear weapons was recently adopted at the United Nations. The treatywas adopted by a vote of 122 in favour with one country — NATO member The Netherlands voting

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against —while Singapore abstained.Key facts

• Led by Austria, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and New Zealand, 141 countries joined indrafting the treaty that they hope will increase pressure on nuclear states to take disarmamentmore seriously.

• The treaty prohibits a full range of nuclear-weapon related activities, such as undertaking todevelop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or othernuclear explosive devices, as well as the use or threat of use of these weapons.

• None of the nine countries that possess nuclear weapons — the United States, Russia, Britain,China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel — took part in the negotiations or thevote.

• Even Japan — the only country to have suffered atomic attacks, in 1945 — boycotted the talksas did most NATO countries.

Why is it being opposed?Nuclear powers argue their arsenals serve as a deterrent against a nuclear attack and say they remaincommitted to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). They said a purported ban on nuclearweapons that does not address the security concerns which continue to make nuclear deterrencenecessary cannot result in the elimination of a single nuclear weapon and will not enhance anycountry’s security, nor international peace and security.

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e6. GS3a: ECONOMICS

6.1 Unique irrigation project in South

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) of the Telangana government has gained much attentionin recent times.Why is it important?Claimed to be the costliest irrigation project to be taken up by any State till date with an estimatedcost of Rs. 80,500 crore, the project holds the key to the government’s promise of providing irrigationfacility to one crore acres of land under all projects/tanks. The government has already spent Rs.10,000 crore on the project, including land acquisition, and has allocated Rs. 7,000 crore in thecurrent budget, besides tying up a Rs. 7,400 crore loan from a consortium of banks. Notwithstandingits share of controversies, particularly related to land acquisition for the Mallannasagar reservoir,one of the key components of the project for storage of 50 tmc ft water, the project is making swiftprogress.What’s the project?

• The Kaleshwaram project is an off-shoot of the original Pranahitha-Chevella Lift IrrigationScheme taken up by the Congress government in 2007 when Andhra Pradesh was not divided.After the formation of Telangana in 2014, the TRS government redesigned the project on theground that the original plan had too many environmental obstacles and had very low waterstorage provision — only about 16.5 tmc ft.

• After conducting a highly advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey for a coupleof months, the government separated the original component serving the Adilabad area asthe Pranahitha project and renamed the rest as Kaleshwaram by redesigning the head works,storage capacity and the canal system based on the data of availability of water at differentlocations along the course of the Godavari and its tributaries.

• The Kaleshwaram project has provision for the storage of about 148 tmc ft with plans ofutilising 180 tmc ft by lifting at least 2 tmc ft water every day for 90 flood days. The project isdesigned to irrigate 7,38,851 hectares (over 18.47 lakh acres) uplands in the erstwhile districtsof Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Medak, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy.

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What’s unique?According to engineers, KLIP has many unique features, including the longest tunnel to carry waterin Asia, running up to 81 km, between the Yellampally barrage and the Mallannasagar reservoir. Theproject would also utilise the highest capacity pumps, up to 139 MW, in the country to lift water.

6.2 Integration of oil and gas majors

The idea of an integrated oil major has surfaced again in 2017 even after being rejected twice earlier.BackgroundThe idea first made its appearance during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government in 1998. The proposalwas then rejected for encouraging a monopolistic scenario in distribution of essential goods likeLPG, petrol, kerosene etc. In 2005, the Krishnamurthy committee formed by the UPA governmentdebunked the idea as it would reduce competition and manpower in the oil and gas sector.An integrated oil major is good for the following reasons:

• Better capacity to bear higher risks.• Avail economies of scale.• Create more shareholder value.• Make better investment decisions and be more competent globally.

Counter arguments- Why an integrated oil major is not suitable for India?• Indian firms are much smaller in size compared with top international oil companies. Also, the

Government’s track record of consolidating state run firms has not borne good results. Besides,in oil and gas, minimum political interference and liberalisation have proven better in creatingmore shareholder value compared with integration. Therefore, with oil firms facing suchallegations and inefficiencies, giving complete autonomy to one entity can risk the nation’senergy security.

• Another concern is employment generation. The sector has seen a continuous decline in man-power since FY11. The Krishnamurthy Committee had earlier deduced that such integrationwill result in manpower reduction. At a time when the government is struggling with jobcreation, it will be difficult to justify job losses due to restructuring.

Way aheadAny decision that creates a monopoly in the oil and gas sector must be carefully thought through.An important question here is whether a bigger oil company will help reform the sector. Or, will itcreate new problems for the Indian people at large?

6.3 First Maize Based Mega Food Park in Punjab

The foundation stone for First Maize based Mega Food Park was recently laid in Kapurthala, Punjab.Kapurthala has been declared as a Dark Zone district where slow desertification is happening becauseof overexploitation of water due to cash crops. Establishment of this Mega Food Park will result inthe development of this Dark Zone which includes Job opportunities, Environmental Conservation.Significance of Maize based Mega food park

• Maize is an amazing cereal and is an alternate to Jhona (paddy) and Kanak (wheat). Maize isrich in protein, provides nutritional requirements that India needs and Maize consumes muchlesser water and could contain the problem of further water depletion.

• Maize Based Mega Food Park is the first major and serious step in the history of India forcontaining the desertification problem of Punjab and would make farmers turn to maize

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cultivation which need less water for more production.• Maize is being used by different industries for seed, starch, brewery, food additives, sweeteners

etc and it is also a basic raw material to thousands of industrial products like oil, proteins,pharmaceutical, cosmetics, beverages, film, textile, gum, value added foods, paper industries,bio-ethanol etc.

About Mega Food Parks• To give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage

at each stage of the supply chain with particular focus on perishables, Ministry of FoodProcessing Industries is implementing Mega Food Park Scheme in the country.

• The Scheme of Mega Food Park aims at providing a mechanism to link agricultural productionto the market by bringing together farmers, processors and retailers so as to ensure maximizingvalue addition, minimizing wastages, increasing farmers’ income and creating employmentopportunities particularly in rural sector.

Mode of operation• The Scheme has a cluster based approach based on a hub and spokes model. It includes

creation of infrastructure for primary processing and storage near the farm in the form ofPrimary Processing Centres (PPCs) and Collection Centres (CCs) and common facilities andenabling infrastructure at Central Processing Centre (CPC).

• The PPCs are meant for functioning as a link between the producers and processors for supplyof raw material to the Central Processing Centres.

• CPC has need based core processing facilities and basic enabling infrastructure to be used bythe food processing units setup at the CPC. The minimum area required for a CPC is 50 acres.

• The scheme is demand-driven and would facilitate food processing units to meet environmental,safety and social standards.

6.4 SEBI to move against non-compliant firms

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has initiated action against non-compliant “Ex-clusively Listed Companies (ELCs) on Dissemination Board (DB),” and its directors and promoters.Non- compliant firmsThese are companies which were earlier listed on regional stock exchanges (RSEs) that have beende-recognised by the regulator. Such companies were allowed to be part of the national exchangesthrough a dissemination board but were directed to submit a plan of action for listing or providing anexit option to shareholders.What’s the issue?These firms were supposed to submit their plan of action. The deadline to submit the plan of actionwas extended until June 30. As per SEBI, of the 2,000 companies listed on dissemination board ason June 30, there are 536 entities that are traceable and yet not submitted a plan of action.SEBI’s powers to punish non- compliant firmsSEBI can bar such promoters and companies from accessing the securities market for a period of 10years apart from freezing the shares held by promoters and directors. The regulator can even attachthe bank accounts and other assets of promoters and directors to compensate the investors.BackgroundThe Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulator for the securities market in India.It was established in the year 1988 and given statutory powers on 12 April 1992 through the SEBIAct, 1992.

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Important functions performed by SEBI• Approve bylaws of stock exchanges.• Require the stock exchange to amend their bylaws.• Inspect the books of accounts and call for periodical returns from recognized stock exchanges.• Inspect the books of accounts of financial intermediaries.• Compel certain companies to list their shares in one or more stock exchanges.• Register brokers.

6.5 Centre eases pre-merger filing norms

In a move that is likely to boost mergers and acquisitions (MandA) in the country, the Centre hasdone away with the thirty-day time period to submit before the Competition Commission of India(CCI) an application for pre-merger clearance.As per the latest notification, every person or enterprise who is a party to a combination is exemptedfrom giving notice within thirty days. This new provision (exemption from the 30-day time period)will be valid for five years starting June 29, 2017.The notification means that parties can make a CCI application at any time in course of an acquisitionbut cannot effect or close an acquisition before obtaining the CCI’s approval.Background The earlier norms had specified that an application to obtain the CCI’s prior approvalfor an acquisition, merger or amalgamation had to be filed within thirty days of: board approval ofthe proposed merger or amalgamation by each of the respective parties; execution of any agreementor other document of a binding nature conveying a decision to acquire shares, control, voting rightsor assets; execution of any document by the acquiring enterprise conveying a decision to acquireshares, control, voting rights or assets, in case the acquisition is without the consent of the enterprisebeing acquired; or date of the public announcement under India’s takeover regulations applicable toacquisitions of listed entities.Significance of this move

• It will give parties the liberty and flexibility to decide at what stage they want to make the CCIfiling, depending on the deal parameters and commercial terms.

• Besides, this will specifically benefit large, multi-jurisdiction transactions where parties maybe burdened with regulatory requirements in several jurisdictions and, therefore, need moretime to assess the Indian law implications and prepare a comprehensive CCI application.

6.6 India will soon get a seat on the Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC)• A newly-constituted forum of central bankers and experts working towards promotion of a

robust and transparent forex market.• The newly expanded and formalised GFXC, which will meet regularly, replaces a similar

but more informal organisation of eight foreign exchange committees — namely those fromAustralia, Canada, Euro area, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, UK and the US.

• The GFXC will also now include representatives from existing, or soon to be established,foreign exchange committees or similar structures in Brazil, China, India, Korea, Mexico,South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland.

About GFXCThe Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC) was established in May 2017 as a forum bringingtogether central banks and private sector participants with the aim to promote a robust, liquid,

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open, and appropriately transparent foreign exchange market in which a diverse set of participants,supported by resilient infrastructure, are able to confidently and effectively transact at competitiveprices that reflect available information and in a manner that conforms to acceptable standards ofbehaviour.The committee has been set up under the guidance of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS),an international financial organisation owned by 60 member central banks, representing countriesfrom around the world.The objectives of the GFXC are

• To promote collaboration and communication among the local foreign exchange committees(FXCs) and non-GFXC jurisdictions with significant FX markets;

• To exchange views on trends and developments in global FX markets, including on thestructure and functioning of those markets, drawing on information gathered at the variousFXCs; and

• To promote, maintain and update on a regular basis the FX Global Code (the Code) and toconsider good practices regarding effective mechanisms to support adherence.

6.7 e-NAM, derivatives markets linkages can benefit farmers

At a time when policymakers are focussed on cleaning up the government’s balance-sheet, agrariandistress seems to throw the carefully crafted budgetary discipline off-balance. Farmers, in state afterstate, have been demanding relief.Reasons behind the agrarian distress in the country

• Indebtedness and prolonged low profitability of farming, ineffective support prices, lack ofprocurement by para-statal agencies have pushed farming in the country to a new low level.

• Competition in labour, input prices that are increasingly marked to market, and the lack ofoptions other than selling in opaque markets dominated by organised traders have added to thecurrent distress.

• In a nutshell, it is the result of the friction between inefficient markets for agri-output andefficient markets for their inputs.

Hasn’t the APMC Model helped?The Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) model was supposed to provide an efficientsolution, but has instead fuelled the distress, leading to a clamour for amendment of state APMCActs. Since 1991, with liberalisation, the industrial sector can buy from, and sell to, anyone in theworld, but farmers in many states must buy and sell only in the government-designated APMCmarket-yards.How can e-NAM be useful here?

• The electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) initiative could prove a big leap forwardif it succeeds in breaking the traders’ nexus.

• The initiative can be a panacea for all anomalies including fragmented markets, restrictions onmovement of farm commodities, varying state taxes, etc.

• Transparent and robust electronic physical markets such as e-NAM, backed by greater stan-dardisation and quality awareness will stimulate PPP for standardised infrastructure, assets,warehousing and logistics, etc.

• Additionally, farmers can access buyers from across states and can offer prices after a completereview.

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e6.7 e-NAM, derivatives markets linkages can benefit farmers 59

• The principle of ‘One Trader One License’ will enable growth of secondary trading amongtraders, throwing light on the ‘price discovery’ process as it attracts participation.

• Bulk-buyers like large retailers, processors or exporters, will save on costs of intermediationbuying through eNAM if supported by a robust logistics network and a well-developed qualitytesting mechanism.

What you need to know about eNAM?It is an online platform with a physical market or mandi at the backend. NAM is not a parallelmarketing structure but rather an instrument to create a national network of physical mandis whichcan be accessed online. It seeks to leverage the physical infrastructure of mandis through an onlinetrading portal, enabling buyers situated even outside the state to participate in trading at the locallevel.What else needs to be done?

• There have been calls for closer linkage between spot markets like e-NAM and derivativesmarkets to benefit farmers. e-NAM authorities can work with derivatives industry stakeholdersto introduce exchange-specific quality standards alongside other broad grades to be introducedto encourage the farmers not only to grade and sell their produce, but also to encourage themto produce better quality crop and meeting exchange standards.

• The best practices and their demonstrable benefits of the futures market can be taken to e-NAM.As exchanges work to expand their product portfolio and there are common commodities beingtraded on both the platforms, integration of players of both ecosystems can be considered bypermitting traders, aggregators, FPOs, and hedgers to register under a common license.

• Cost-effective price dissemination, through the e-NAM terminals and to the participants ofe-NAM associated APMC market-yards, should be the first step of this integration aspiration.Price disseminated through mobile phones could serve as a reliable reference price for farmers.

• Likewise, allowing warehouse receipts generated by the Warehousing Development andRegulatory Authority-regulated repositories to be traded and delivered in both e-NAM andcommodity derivative exchanges will go a long way in integrating both the markets, besidescontributing to the healthy development of warehousing infrastructure.

• Financial institutions that may lend against such warehouse receipts should be encouraged tolook at e-NAM/exchange platform for receipts-based delivery in case of defaults when allowed.In all, the financial/market institutions and intermediaries, viz. exchanges, warehouses,financial institutions, repositories and APMC market-yards, can cohesively function to promoteintegration of the two markets.

Way ahead: There are a total of 2,477 APMC market-yards in the country and 4,843 APMC-regulated sub-market yards. So far, 417 mandis in 13 states have joined the e-NAM platform againstthe target of connecting 585 mandis with e-NAM by March 31, 2018. Now, it’s the responsibility ofstates to carry this forward and ensure that all mandis are connected.Conclusion: Indian agriculture needs robust institutions and transparent, price-based signals tothe stakeholders. A lot in terms of infrastructure, institutional (markets and finance) connectivity,infrastructure and logistics, quality and standards would have to be looked into if e-NAM wereto deliver long-term benefits. Although e-NAM’s implementation has been slow owing to someoperational challenges, the farmer needs access to competitive market channels and e-NAM is amajor step in this direction.

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6.8 EU, India set up fund for investmentsThe European Union (EU) and India have announced the establishment of an Investment FacilitationMechanism (IFM) for EU investments in India. What you need to know about IFM?

• The IFM has been established with the key objectives of paving the way for identifying andsolving problems faced by EU companies and investors with regard to their operations inIndia.

• The mechanism will allow for a close coordination between the European Union and theGovernment of India with an aim to promote and facilitate EU investment in India. The IFMwill cover new investors as well as those already established in India.

• The IFM is also going to serve as a platform for discussing general suggestions from the pointof view of EU companies and investors with regard to ease of doing business in India. Ease ofdoing business is a fundamental priority of the Indian Government’s Make in India Campaignand the establishment of IFM for facilitating EU investments in India is another step to achievethis goal.

• As part of the IFM, the EU Delegation to India and the DIPP will hold regular high levelmeetings to assess and facilitate “ease of doing business” for EU investors in India. This willinclude identifying and putting in place solutions to procedural impediments faced by EUfirms and investors in establishing or running their operations in India.

BackgroundThe IFM builds on the Joint Statement of the 13th EU-India Summit held in Brussels in March 2016,where the EU had welcomed India’s readiness to establish such a mechanism and leaders from bothsides had reaffirmed their shared commitment to oppose protectionism and to work in favour of afair, transparent and rule-based trade and investment environment.

6.9 Centre to grant NIIF Rs 20,000 cr.The Department of Economic Affairs has signed an agreement with the NIIF for a Rs20,000 crorecontribution to the Fund. About NIIF

• The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) was proposed in Union Budget 2015.In the last week of December, the government has set up this Rs. 40000 crore fund to providelong term capital for infrastructure projects.

• The objective of NIIF is to maximise economic impact through infrastructure development inviable projects both greenfield and brownfield, including stalled projects, mainly in the coreinfra sector.

• NIIF has been structured as a fund of funds and set up as Category II Alternate InvestmentFund (AIF) under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Regulations.

6.10 The challenge of a small farmer economyThough agriculture now accounts for less than 15Percent of gross domestic product (GDP), it isstill the main source of livelihood for nearly half our population. Agriculture is still the core of ourfood security. With over 1.3 billion mouths to feed, imports will not solve our problem if there isa severe drought and food shortage. However, the rising frequency of farmers’ agitations in TamilNadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere and the high incidence of farmer’s suicides aresymptoms of a deep malaise in the sector.What are the roots of this crisis?

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e6.10 The challenge of a small farmer economy 61

• Fragmentation of land: Demographic pressure has pushed down the land: man ratio to lessthan 0.2 hectares of cultivable land per head of rural population. It has also progressivelypushed down the size structure of landholdings. Around 83Percent of rural households areeither entirely landless or own less than 1 hectare of land. Another 14Percent own less than 3hectares. At the opposite end, less than 0.25 of rural households own more than 10 hectares ofland and a minuscule 0.01Percent own over 20 hectares.

• Shortage of money: Landless or marginal farmers lack the resources to either buy or leasemore land or invest in farm infrastructure—irrigation, power, farm machinery, etc.—to com-pensate for the scarcity of land.

• Weather: The large majority of small farmers are dependent on the rains. A weak monsoonor even a delayed monsoon—timing matters—means a significant loss of output. Soil fertility,pests and plant diseases is another risk.

• Price variations: Farmers are usually at the mercy of traders. The better the crop the lowerwould be the price. Net income sometimes collapses if there is a very good crop of perishables.The highly distorted and exploitative product market is the second most important factorresponsible for the misery of the small farmer.

• MSP: small farmers usually do not benefit from the government assured MSPs. It mainlybenefits the large traders who sell grain to the government. Small farmers typically do nothave enough marketable surplus to justify the cost of transporting the crop to governmentcorporations in the towns. Their crop is usually sold to traders at rock bottom post-harvestprices in the village itself or the nearest mandi.

• APMCs: Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs), which were supposed to protectthe farmer, have had the opposite effect. Farmers have to sell their produce through auctionsin regulated markets controlled by cartels of licensed traders, whose licences give themoligopolistic market power. These cartels fix low purchase prices, extract large commissions,delay payments, etc. According to a study, the farmers may typically get as little as 25Percentof the price that consumers finally pay. A consolidated mark-up of 300Percent.

• Migration: The rural youth, especially young males, are migrating to the towns and cities fora better future. But their dreams are quickly shattered. There is not much employment growthanyway and they lack the skills required for a decent job. What remains is a burgeoning armyof unemployed, miserable and frustrated young men.

What can be done?An idea that has gained much traction in recent days is cooperative farming. This is already popularin France, Germany, Romania, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Kenya, and Bangladesh among others. Thereare several variants of cooperation ranging from collective action in accessing credit, acquiringinputs and marketing to production cooperatives that also include land pooling; labour pooling; jointinvestment, joint water management and joint production.Advantages of cooperative farmingThe advantages of aggregating small farms into larger, voluntary, cooperatives include greatercapacity to undertake lumpy investment in irrigation and farm machinery, more efficient farmingpractices, greater bargaining power and better terms in the purchase or leasing of land, access tocredit, purchase of inputs and the sale of produce.Way aheadThe cooperative approach also has its problems, such as internal conflict, free riding, etc., but farmingcommunities have also found institutional solutions to these problems. The conditions for successof such cooperative approaches include voluntariness, cooperative units of small groups, relative

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socioeconomic homogeneity of cooperating households, transparent and participatory decision-making, checks and penalties against free riding, and group control over the fair distribution ofreturns.Conclusion: The agrarian crisis is morphing into a social nightmare. Its time for a complete overhaul.There are many lessons of successful cooperative farming in India and abroad that will have to belearned for the institutional transformation of our small farmer economy into cooperative farmingsystems on a national scale to address the agrarian crisis.

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e7. GS3b: ENVIRONMENT

7.1 Eco-bridges for the movement of Tigers

• For the first time, Telangana State is planning to construct eco-friendly bridges over a canalcutting across the tiger corridor linking the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in theChandrapur district of Maharashtra with the forests in Telangana’s Kumram Bheem Asifabaddistrict.

• The Telangana Irrigation Department has given its consent for the construction of the eco-bridges. Recommendations on the size and locations of the bridges are awaited from theNational Board of Wildlife.

What’s the plan?The ‘eco-bridges’ will be constructed at key spots along the 72 km-long, and at some places overa kilometre wide canal. The plan involves laying of fertile soil to grow grass and plants over thestructure, so that fragmentation of the reserve forest is camouflaged.BackgroundThe concept of building eco-bridges came up after visits by experts from the Wildlife Board of Indiaand the Wildlife Institute of India. The experts were concerned about the large-scale destructionof forest along the corridor, which would result in cutting off tiger movement between TATR andBejjur.Key highlights

• The eco-bridges will be constructed at key spots along the 72 km-long right flank canal of thePranahita.

• One of the locations tentatively assigned for the eco-bridge is a spot close to Sulgupalli in theBejjur forest range. In this area, the canal is over a kilometre wide, which urgently calls forfacilitation for the movement of wild animals.

Why there’s a need to build eco-bridges?• In recent years, tigers from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve have strolled into the mixed

and bamboo forests of the Bejjur range via the Sirpur forests.• The TATR and its buffer area, which are adjacent to the Sirpur forests, boast of a speedily

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multiplying tiger population, which turns out to be the cause of the frequent migration oftigers into Sirpur and Bejjur.

7.2 NGT directs Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh to submit guidelines on forestfires

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradeshgovernments to submit the national forest fire prevention and control guidelines.

• The court has also asked both the state governments to inform it about the total number offorest fires till date starting from 2016.

• The tribunal had earlier directed the states to submit crisis management plan for preventionand control of forest fires to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

BackgroundIn Himachal Pradesh during 2016-17, there were 1,545 forest fires which affected 13,069 hectarecausing loss of Rs.1.53 crore, whereas, in 2015-16, there were 672 fire incidents which caused harmin 5,749.95 hectare area causing loss of Rs.1.34 crore.Major Recommendations to prevent forest fires

• Planting of broad tree leaves in forests, and after a period of five years, systematic replacementof chir pine trees in forests by broad leaves.

• Procurement of sweeping machines to clear roadsides of chir pine needles and dry leaves invulnerable areas.

• Advocated large-scale incentives and programmes (including under the MGNREGA) to collectpines for use as fuel, and other incineration.

• A dedicated toll-free number for reporting incidents of forest fire in each state.• Use of corporate social responsibility funds for creating awareness campaigns on forest fires.• Environment ministry should train fire brigade officers of all states and equip them with forest

fire equipment so that in the event of forest fires they do not have to depend on outside agencieslike NDRF.

• Creation of ponds and other water harvesting structures within the forest area to not onlyreduce river bank erosion but also as a handy tool for supply of water to douse forest fires.

About National Green Tribunal (NGT)It has been established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.

• It has been established for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmentalprotection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.

• It also includes enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief andcompensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith.

• It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputesinvolving multi-disciplinary issues.

• The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure,1908, and is guided by principles of natural justice.

• The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals finallywithin 6 months of filing of the same.

• New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata andChennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal.

• It adjudicates matters relating to following Acts-– Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

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e7.3 Sensor Network to Map and Predict Pollution, effluents in Godavari River 65

– Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974– Environment (Protection) Act, 1986– The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991– Forest Conservation Act– Biological Diversity Act

Any person aggrieved by an award, decision, or order of the Tribunal may appeal to the SupremeCourt within 90 days of commencement of award but Supreme Court can entertain appeal even after90 days if appellant satisfied SC by giving sufficient reasons.Tribunal prohibits dumping of waste near Ganga banks: An area of 100 metres from the edgeof the Ganga between Haridwar and Unnao has been declared a ‘No Development Zone,’ with theNational Green Tribunal (NGT) recently prohibiting dumping of waste within 500 metres of the river.An environment compensation of Rs.50,000 will be imposed on anyone dumping waste in the river.Key facts

• The NGT also directed the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to formulate guidelinesfor religious activities on the ghats of the Ganga and its tributaries.

• It also directed the authorities concerned to complete projects, including a sewage treatmentplant and cleaning of drains, within two years.

• The court also appointed a supervisory committee, headed by the Secretary of the Water Re-sources Ministry and comprising IIT professors and officials of the Uttar Pradesh government,to oversee implementation of the directions passed in its verdict. The committee is to submitreports at regular intervals.

7.3 Sensor Network to Map and Predict Pollution, effluents in Godavari River• A group of U.S. researchers is working on a system to map undulating pollution trends in the

Godavari, India’s second longest river. About Sensor Network• Using a mix of methods, including satellite-monitoring, traversing stretches of the river to

collect water samples and using special sensors to measure bacterial and chemical pollution,the researchers are trying to develop a cost-effective forecast system.

• Through cloud-based data collection and real-time mapping systems, the research and imple-mentation teams intend to demonstrate the importance and value of detecting and anticipatingpollutants that enter the river in the form of human waste, organic materials, and chemicalcontaminants.

• The exercise is part of a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation project to support the programme ofthe Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) to provide city-wide sanitation improvementsin urban Andhra Pradesh. Sensors to monitor river pollution are an emerging technologicalapproach in India.

Objectives of the project• The long-term objective is to be able to inform State officials and citizens of a probable spike

in, say, levels of dangerous microbes or effluents, similar to weather and air pollution forecasts.• Also, it is to be able to access “raw data” that could be used to inform the efficacy of a proposed

faecal sludge treatment plant and whether behavioural interventions — including incentives orpunishments — to restrict activities that pollute the river could actually work.

About Godavari River• The Godavari is the second longest river in India after the river Ganges having its source at

Tryambakeshwar, Maharashtra.

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• It starts in Maharashtra and flows east for 1,465 kilometres emptying into Bay of Bengal drain-ing the Indian states Maharashtra (48.6 percent), Telangana(18.8 percent), Andhra Pradesh (4.5percent), Chhattisgarh (10.9 percent), Madhya Pradesh (10.0 percent), Odisha (5.7 percent),Karnataka (1.4 percent) and Puducherry through its extensive network of tributaries.

• Measuring up to 312,812 km2 (120,777 sq mi), it forms one of the largest river basins in theIndian subcontinent, with only the Ganges and Indus rivers having a drainage basin larger thanit in India.

• Important tributaries include Pravara, Purna, Manjira, Pranhita, Indravati and Sabari.

7.4 New sites get UNESCO heritage tag

The United Nations’ cultural agency has added 22 new heritage treasures to its list of World Heritagesites.The UNESCO designation, which recognizes the outstanding universal values of the sites, ismeant to draw attention to them and the need to preserve them.New additions

• The UNESCO World Heritage List Committee designated Britain’s Lake District, the Baden-Wuerttemberg caves in Germany, and the modernist architecture in Asmara — the capital cityof Eritrea — to the roster of places with special recognition.

• Among the other new sites on the UNESCO list are: the underground mines in TarnowskieGory in Poland, the historic city of Yazd, in Iran; Japan’s sacred and restricted-access islandof Okinoshima, and Los Alerces National Park in Argentina.

• Also added were Turkey’s 3rd century B.C. Aphrodisias temple and the Valongo WharfArcheological Site in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

UNESCO world heritage site1. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as of special cultural or physical significance.2. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the

UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 UNESCO member states which areelected by the General Assembly.

3. Each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the site islocated and UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserveeach site.

7.5 NGT bans nylon, synthetic manja

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed nationwide blanket ban on the use of kite strings(manja), made of nylon or any synthetic material on the grounds that it poses a threat to animals andhumans. The judgement of Tribunal came on a plea filed by animal rights body People for EthicalTreatment of Animals (PETA) and others.Threats Caused by Manja mentioned in the Petition:The petition had contended that ‘manja’ poses a grave threat to humans and animals as a numberof deaths are caused by it every year. It has also alleged that sometimes these strings coated withsharp metals, traps and kill migratory birds. It also claimed that minor children were engaged by thecottage industry for the manufacture of ‘manja’, which caused respiratory problems as they inhaledharmful substances which were detrimental to their health.

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e7.6 Assam to raise Special Rhino Protection Force for rhino protection 67

7.6 Assam to raise Special Rhino Protection Force for rhino protectionThe Assam government is going to raise a new Special Rhino Protection Force (SRPF) for betterprotection of the one-horned rhinos in Assam. State government has already started the process ofrecruitment for the proposed force. The cadre for the force will selected from local youths hailingfrom the fringe areas of the Kaziranga national park. After initial selection, recruits will be givennecessary training. They will be also provided with arms and ammunition for better protection of theone horned rhinos.About one-horned rhinosThe greater one-horned rhinoceros is the largest of the Asian Rhinos. Its preferred habitat is alluvialflood plains and areas containing tall grasslands along the foothills of the Himalayas. Formerly, theywere extensively distributed in the Gangetic plains, but today they are restricted to small habitatsin Indo-Nepal terai and North Bengal, and Assam. They are found in Kaziranga, Orang, Pobitara,Jaldapara (in Assam), Dudhwa (UP) National Park. Kaziranga National Park hosts two-thirds of theworld’s Great One-horned rhinoceros (68 percent of worldwide population). It has been listed asVulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020)

• Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020) is a partnership between the Assam Forest Department,the Bodoland Territorial Council, WWF, IRF, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

• Its goal is to have a wild population of at least 3,000 Greater one-horned rhinos in the Indianstate of Assam – spread over seven protected areas – by the year 2020.

• IRV 2020 is an ambitious rhino range and population expansion programme.• There are only approximately 3,333 Greater one-horned rhinos left in the world (as at 31

December 2012), with about 75 percent of those found in the Indian state of Assam. Throughthe concentrated efforts of the IRV2020 programme, the species is increasing in number onceagain, despite the continued threats of poaching and habitat loss. IRV 2020 is an exceptionallysignificant and inspirational programme that has captivated imaginations and support locallyin Assam and nationally in India.

• The project also aims to reduce the rhino population pressures in any single habitat by ensuringa better distribution of the rhino population over suitable ranges.

• In addition, the project concentrates on integrating the local communities into the conservationeffort. It aims to provide jobs for people living around the national parks (in conservationor tourism), to help to protect crops from being raided and to implement further educationalmethods.

• Phase 1 of IRV 2020 was conducted from 2005 to 2008.

7.7 Sunderbans mangrove depleting alarmingly: StudyData obtained from latest study conducted using remote sensing and GIS for the first time has offereddefinite proof that the mangrove forest cover in Indian Sunderbans has been depleting alarmingly.From 1986 to 2012, 124.418 sq km or about 5.5 percent of the mangrove cover of Sunderbanswas lost. Moreover, variable degrees of erosion were also observed in at least 18 islands. Thecontinuation of this process is a serious ecological threat.Impact and their Control

• The continuation of this process in response to climate change and sea level rise poses a seriousthreat to the carbon sequestration potential and other ecosystem services of this mangroveforest in future.

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• The mean sea level rise is considered a driving factor for coastal erosion, coastal flooding andincrease in the number of tidal creeks and losing land.

• The loss land, including mangrove forest is mainly due to decrease in fresh water flow andsediment supply in the western (Indian) part of the delta, and the rate of sea level rise is higherthan sediment supply.

• However, the eastern (Bangladesh) side of the Sunderbans delta is gaining land because of thehuge amount of sediment and water flow from the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers.

• Critical minimal inflow of freshwater is necessary for the luxuriant growth of mangroves.• Decrease in freshwater inflow results change in mangrove succession where freshwater loving

species of mangroves are replaced by salt-water loving ones.• This immediate impact of salinity will also have negative impact on the fishing community, as

commercially sought fish species will be replaced by fish that does not have as much marketvalue.

About Sundarbans• The Sundarbans is a cluster of low-lying islands in the Bay of Bengal, spread across India

and Bangladesh, famous for its unique mangrove forests. This active delta region is amongthe largest in the world, measuring about 40,000 sq.km. It is the largest single block of tidalhalophytic mangrove forest in the world.

• The Sundarbans forest is about 10,000 sq.km across India and Bangladesh, of which 40 percentlies in India, and is home to many rare and globally threatened wildlife species such as theEstuarine Crocodile, Royal Bengal tiger, Water monitor Lizard, Gangetic dolphin and Oliveridley turtle. The forest in India is divided into the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve and 24 Parganas(South) Forest Division, and together with the forest in Bangladesh is the only mangrove forestin the world where tigers are found.

• The Sundarbans delta in India has been a priority region for WWF-India since 1973 due to itsunique biodiversity. While it supports a sizeable population of wild tigers and other wildlife,it is also an ecologically fragile and climatically vulnerable region that is home to over 4.5million people. Securing the future of the Sundarbans, its biodiversity and people requiresa long term vision that can integrate climate adaptation and conservation strategies alongwith shorter term interventions such as ensuring sustainable livelihoods, access to clean andsustainable energy and effective human wildlife conflict management.

7.8 Environment Minister launches plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav

The Union Environment Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched a month-long plantation drive tomark Van Mahotsav on 5 July 2017. The Minister planted a sapling and also distributed saplings forplantation to local residents.

• He further advised that native trees, which have a high survival rate, should be planted as theyreadily adapt to the local climate and integrate well into the eco-system.

• He also added that in order to meet goals set by India under the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCC), initiatives such as plantation drives with large scaleactive participation from people are important.

What is Van Mahotsav?• The festival of tree plantation was initiated in 1950 by Dr. KM Munshi, the then Union

Minister for Agriculture and Food to create enthusiasm among masses for forest conservationand planting trees.

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e7.9 Nine more bird, biodiversity areas in Kerala 69

• It began with a tree plantation drive that saw participation from several national leaders. Itwas simultaneously celebrated in other states in India.

• The main objective behind celebrating Van Mahotsav is to keep local people involved inplantation drives and spread environmental awareness.

• It is usually observed in the first week of July every year and is celebrated on different days indifferent parts of India.

• The occasion is also marked with programmes like screening of short films and documentaries,seminars and exhibition, painting and poster competitions.

7.9 Nine more bird, biodiversity areas in Kerala

Nine more locations in Kerala have been identified as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs).Key facts

• The new list was released by the Bombay Natural History Society, a partner of BirdLifeInternational, in its recent publication, Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas in India Prioritysites for conservation.

• With the latest addition, Kerala now has 33 IBAs. Kerala IBAs are home to three criticallyendangered species — Whiterumped Vulture, Indian Vulture, and Red-headed Vulture.

• The newly identified IBAs of Kerala are Achencoil Forest Division; Anamudi Shola NationalPark; Camel’s Hump Mountain, Wayanad; Kurinjimala Wildlife Sanctuary; MalayattoorReserve Forest; Mankulam Forest Division; Mathikettan Shola National Park; Muthikulam-Siruvani; and Pampadum Shola National Park.

What are IBAs? The IBAs are “places of international significance for the conservation of birdsand other biodiversity” and are “distinct areas amenable to practical conservation action,” accordingto BirdLife International.Declaring a site as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area does not ensure that the site gets legalprotection or becomes inaccessible to people. Instead BirdLife International encourages nationaland State governments to recognise the areas as sites of vital importance for conservation of wildlifeand to empower local community-based conservation initiatives.Conservation Threats faced by IBAs

• Anthropogenic pressure on the forests are very intense.• The “birds of the low altitude evergreen forests seem to have suffered the most in Kerala,

mainly due to human interventions.• These ‘sky islands’ are now surrounded by tea estates or plantations, leaving very limited

habitat for species such as White-bellied Blue Robin, Nilgiri Blue Robin, and Black-and-Orange Flycatcher.

Know about Birdlife international• BirdLife International (formerly the International Council for Bird Preservation) is a global

partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats andglobal biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.It is the world’s largest partnership of conservation organisations, with over 120 partnerorganisations.

• BirdLife International publishes a quarterly magazine, World Birdwatch, which containsrecent news and authoritative articles about birds, their habitats, and their conservation aroundthe world.

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• BirdLife International is the official Red List authority for birds, for the International Unionfor Conservation of Nature.

7.10 Plastic Threats

The use of plastic has become so ubiquitous that even birds, animals and fish have unwittingly madeit part of their diet. Disposed plastic degrades slowly, its chemicals getting leached into surroundings.Further it breakdown into smaller components overtime, entering our food chain and landing up onour plates. Though, various regulations are in place to curb the overuse of plastics, hardly anythinghas changed on the ground.Threats posed by the overuse of plastics

• Environmental threats: These bags pollute the environment, especially soil and water, asthey take about 200 years to decompose naturally.

• Food chain: The use of plastic has become so ubiquitous that even birds, animals and fishhave unwittingly made it part of their diet. Disposed plastic degrades slowly, its chemicalsgetting leached into surroundings. Further, it breaks down into smaller components over time,entering our food chain and landing up on our plates.

• Microbeads: Microbeads have emerged as a new form of threats. First patented in 1972 foruse in cleansers, microbeads began to replace natural material like ground almonds, oatmealand sea salt in the area of cosmetics. Many cosmetics and toiletry products — ranging fromfacewashes to toothpastes — use it today. Their abrasive nature lends itself to use in industriessuch as petroleum, textiles, printing and automobile. BIS has classified them as unsafe forconsumer products.

What needs to be done?People’s participation: This multifaceted problem cannot be dealt with by the government alone.While the government should take measures to strengthen the recycling economy and recycle themost plastic bags in use, people have to learn to sort the garbage they produce every day so thatwaste management facilities and businesses can easily separate the recyclable waste to turn theminto resources again.The problem of plastic bags is not only related to social governance, but also to our idea aboutmodern society. As such, the government must take multiple measures to make the ban on plasticbags truly effective, and reverse the current polluting trend, which will not only help protect theenvironment but also restore the credibility of the legal system.

7.11 China produces gas from ‘flammable ice’ under South China Sea

China has successfully produced natural gas from methane hydrate, also known as “flammableice”, in an experimental project in the South China Sea. The government has promised to “activelydevelop” natural gas hydrate over the 2016-2020 five-year plan period. What is flammable ice?

• Flammable ice consists of methane trapped within water crystals, and has been identified as apotential new gas source for China, with the South China Sea thought to contain some of theworld’s most promising deposits.

• Officially known as methane clathrates or hydrates, they are formed at very low temperaturesand under high pressure. They can be found in sediments under the ocean floor as well asunderneath permafrost on land. Despite the low temperature, these hydrates are flammable.

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e7.11 China produces gas from ‘flammable ice’ under South China Sea 71

• By lowering the pressure or raising the temperature, the hydrates break down into water andmethane – a lot of methane. One cubic metre of the compound releases about 160 cubic metresof gas, making it a highly energy-intensive fuel.

• Many countries including the US and Japan are working on how to tap those reserves, butmining and extracting are extremely difficult.

ImportanceMethane hydrates are thought to have the potential to be a revolutionary energy source that could bekey to future energy needs – likely the world’s last great source of carbon-based fuel. Vast depositsexist basically underneath all oceans around the the globe, especially on the edge of continentalshelves. Countries are scrambling for a way to make the extraction safe and profitable.Accessing the power of this flammable ice has been difficult, for two reasons.

1. First, these reserves are often distributed over a large area rather than concentrated in one spotas oil or natural gas reserves often are.

2. The bigger problem, however, is that, true to their moniker as flammable ice, methane hydratesare unstable and potentially explosive. Drilling into the seafloor could destabilize the methaneice crystals and cause explosions, spewing vast troves of methane into the atmosphere, whereit is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2).

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e8. GS3c: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

8.1 Worlds sharpest LaserScientists from Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany have developed theworld’s sharpest laser with record-breaking precision. This precision can be useful for variousapplications such as optical atomic clocks, radio astronomy and precision spectroscopy, testing thetheory of relativity and carry out new precision measurements on ultra-cold atoms.What is Laser?Laser is an acronym for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”. It is a coherent,unidirectional beam of perfectly monochromatic light (therefore having greater energy than normallight) having a range of application like sensors, optical communication sources etc.Laser light is used in numerous applications in industry, medicine and information technologies. Italso brought about a real revolution in fields of research.Features of sharpest laserTheoretically, laser light has only one colour, wavelength or frequency. In reality, however, there isalways a certain linewidth. This newly developed laser has linewidth of only 10 milihertz (0.01 Hz),— closer to the ideal laser than ever before. In addition to the new laser’s extremely small linewidth,researchers also have found out that the emitted laser light’s frequency was more precise than whathad ever been achieved before.

8.2 JIGYASAJigyasa, a student- scientist connect programme has been launched by the government in New Delhi.The programme would be implemented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)in collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).Salient FactsThe main focus of the programme is to connect school students and scientists as well as to extendstudent’s classroom learning to a very well-planned research laboratory based learning. The pro-gramme has been inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a new India and “ScientificSocial Responsibility (SSR)” of scientific community and institutions. The JIGYASA programme is

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expected to inculcate the culture of inquisitiveness and scientific temper on the minds of childrenand school teachers.The programme will connect 1151 Kendriya Vidyalayas with 38 National Laboratories of CSIR andwill target 100,000 students and 1000 teachers every year. Under this programme, the CSIR wouldlaunch a talent hunt among the visiting students for furthering the cause of scientific development.“JIGYASA” programme would be one of the major initiatives of the CSIR at the national level duringits Platinum Jubilee Celebration Year.The program will also enable the students and teachers to practically live the theoretical conceptstaught in science by visiting CSIR laboratories and by participating in mini-science projects. Themodel of engagement includes:

• Student Residential Programmes;• Scientists as Teachers and Teachers as Scientists;• Lab specific activities / Onsite Experiments;• Visits of Scientists to Schools/Outreach Programmes;• Science and Maths Clubs;• Popular Lecture Series/ demonstration programme at Schools;• Student Apprenticeship Programmes;• Science Exhibitions;• Projects of National Children’s Science Congress;• Teacher Workshops.

“JIGYASA” is one of the major initiative taken up by CSIR at national level, during its PlatinumJubilee Celebration Year. CSIR is widening and deepening its Scientific Social Responsibility furtherwith the programme.

8.3 Tata Motors Unveils India’s first Bio-CNG Bus

India’s largest Commercial Vehicles manufacturer Tata Motors has unveiled country’s first Bio-CNG(bio-methane) bus. The bus was rolled out at the Urja Utsav, bio-energy programme, organised bythe Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.Key FactsIn the Urja Utsav, Tata Motors showcased its designed and developed bio-methane engines (5.7 SGIand 3.8 SGI) for LCV, ICV and MCV buses. It also displayed three engines, along with the leadmodel viz. Tata LPO 1613 with 5.7 SGI NA BS-IV IOBD-II compliant bus. The first of its kindbio-methane bus will provide an alternate fuel technology to cater the need for a greener country. Itsuse will also contribute in a positive manner to the Smart Cities Mission. It will also serve as a goodoption for wet garbage management.Bio-MethaneBio-Methane is a naturally occurring gas which is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic mattersuch as dead animal and plant material, manure, sewage, organic waste, etc. This gas gets producedout of natural degradation process, escapes into the atmosphere unused. If it is trapped and used inautomobile engines, it reduces the impact on the environment.Benefits of the Bio-Methane

• The bus will help in catering to the need for a greener country by providing an alternate fueltechnology. Its use will contribute in a positive manner to the Smart Cities proposition ofkeeping them clean. It is also a good option for wet garbage management.

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e74 Chapter 8. GS3c: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Operating engines on bio-methane will also help promote Government of India’s Smart Cityinitiative.

8.4 Scientists develop 3D-Printed soft Silicone Heart

Scientists from Switzerland have developed a 3D-printed soft silicone heart that closely resemblesand functions like the human organ. It is not exact biological replica of the actual, but can help tosave lives of people who suffer from cardiac failure. It can be also used as an artificial heart in caseswhen patient is awaiting a heart transplant.Key Facts

• The 3D-printed soft artificial heart is a silicone monoblock with complex inner structure.• It weighs 390 grams and has a volume of 679 cubic centimetres.• It is made of silicone using a 3D printed mold.• It represents one of the most advanced replicas yet created of one of human’s most important

organs.• The artificial heart has a right and a left ventricle which are not separated by a septum but by

an additional chamber.• This chamber is inflated and deflated by pressurised air required to pump fluid from the blood

chambers.• This current model is not yet stable enough to be used in an actual patient.• At present, it can only work for several thousand beats, lasting around 30 to 45 minutes.

3D Printing Technology 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), refers to variousprocesses used to synthesize a three-dimensional object. In 3D printing, successive layers of materialare formed under computer control to create an object. These objects can be of almost any shape orgeometry, and are produced from a 3D model or other electronic data source. A 3D printer is a typeof industrial robot.

8.5 SOHUM: Indigenously developed low-cost hearing screening device for newborns launched

The Union Ministry of Science and Technology has launched SOHUM, an indigenously developedlow-cost hearing screening device for new-borns. The innovative medical device has been developedby the School of International Biodesign (SIB) start up Sohum Innovation Labs India Pvt Ltd underDepartment of Biotechnology (DBT) supported (SIB).Features of SOHUMThe Sohum aims to make this battery-operated non-invasive screening device available across thecountry to minimise or reverse the hearing loss damage. It is a low cost portable device whichuses brain-stem auditory evoked response, a best screening choice recommended by the AmericanAssociation of Pediatrics and National Health Services of UK. It measures auditory brain waves viathree electrodes placed on the baby’s head. When stimulated, electrodes detect electrical responsesgenerated by the brain’s auditory system. If there is no response, it indicates child cannot hear.Once it is detected at quite an early age, measures can be taken to prevent other problems such asimpaired communication skills and even possible mental illness. It is battery operated device and isnon-invasive, it doesn’t require babies to be sedated, which is risky, testing in process at present. Ithas in-built algorithm that filters out ambient noise from the test signal. This is important becausehealth clinics can be crowded and noisy.

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e8.6 Scientists for first time store small movie clip in DNA of living bacteria 75

School of International Bio-design SIB is a flagship Program of the DBT aimed to developinnovative and affordable medical devices as per India’s unmet clinical needs and to train the nextgeneration of medical technology innovators in India. It is implemented jointly at All India Institutesof Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and IIT Delhi in collaboration with International partners. BiotechConsortium India Limited manages techno-legal activities of the Program. It serves as a valuablecontribution to the Make in India campaign of the Government.

8.6 Scientists for first time store small movie clip in DNA of living bacteria

Scientists from Harvard Medical School for first time have encoded a small movie clip in the DNA ofliving bacterial cells and then played it back. They had used the CRISPR gene-editing technique toencode and retrieve reconstructed frames of a classic 1870s racehorse in motion sequence of photosinto the genome of common gut bacteria E. coli. Scientists have found out that despite the geneticmodification, the bacteria thrived and multiplied. The film stored in the DNA of bacteria was alsowell preserved and was intact even in new generation of bacteria.How DNA store information?The information in the DNA is stored in strings i.e. in the form four-letter DNA code. It is basicallysequences of four building blocks (nuclear strands) abbreviated as A (Adenine), C (Cytosine), T(Thymine) and G (Guanine) found in DNA molecule. Specific sequences of these blocks give thebody directions for creating particular proteins. Basically digital devices store information in binaryformat (1s and 0s) i.e. in a two-letter code that produces strings of 1s and 0s. For ex. capital ‘A’stored as 01000001 in binary format. In case of converting and storing digital information in DNAinvolves translating between the two sequences or codes of four building blocks.For example capital ‘A’ converted and stored as AATATG. The DNA digital data storage technologyuses artificial DNA made using oligonucleotide synthesis machines for storage and DNA sequencingmachines for retrieval of stored data. Using this technology strings of DNA can be custom-madethat can carry the new code, and store information that code contains. DNA digital data storagetechnology has very long durability i.e. scientists can store digital information in DNA sequencesfor thousands of years. Information stored in DNA consumes very little space. However, makingthis technology practical and much cheaper using current technology is hugely expensive.CRISPR gene-editing technique: CRISPR is short form of “Clustered Regularly Interspaced ShortPalindromic Repeats”. It allows to selectively edit genome parts and replace them with new DNAstretches. Cas9 is an enzyme that can edit DNA, allowing the alteration of genetic patterns bygenome modification. CRISPR is a collection of DNA sequences that direct Cas9 where to cut andpaste. CRISPR-Cas9 technology has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of blood diseases,tumours and other genetic diseases.

8.7 Saraswati: Supercluster of Galaxies

A team of Indian astronomers have identified previously unknown, extremely large supercluster ofgalaxies located in the direction of constellation Pisces. It has been named “Saraswati”.What is Supercluster?A supercluster is a chain of galaxies and galaxy clusters. It bound by gravity consisting of tens ofthousands of galaxies. It often stretches several hundred times the size of clusters of galaxies. Thus,it can be said, galaxies are made of billions of stars and planets and grouped into clusters. Theseclusters of galaxies, in turn, are grouped together to form superclusters. The Milky Way, the galaxy

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in which earth is located is part of a supercluster called the Laniakea Supercluster.About Saraswati SuperclusterSaraswati supercluster is one of the largest known structures in the nearby universe. It is 4 billionlight years away from Earth and may contain the mass equivalent of over 20 million billion suns. Ithas 43 galaxies that may contain thousands of suns, besides having billions of stars, planets, otherbodies, gases and dark matter. It is estimated to be stretched over 650 million light years in distance.The discovery of Saraswati supercluster will help astronomers in understanding galaxy formationand evolution, effect of superclusters on environment of the galaxies.

8.8 Smallest star in the Universe: EBLM J0555-57Ab.

Scientists from University of Cambridge, UK have discovered the smallest star in the universe. Ithas been named as EBLM J0555-57Ab. The star was identified by SuperWASP, a planet-findingexperiment run by several universities. It was detected when it passed in front of its larger parentstar, forming an eclipsing stellar binary system.Key Facts

• EBLM J0555-57Ab is located about 600 light years away.• It is slightly larger than Saturn in size and may possibly have Earth-sized planets with liquid

water in its orbit. It is likely as small as stars can possibly become, as it has just enough massto enable the fusion of hydrogen nuclei into helium at its centre.

• The gravitational pull at EBLM J0555-57A’s stellar surface is about 300 times stronger than onEarth. It is likely colder than many of the gas giant exo-planets that have so far been identified.

• The discovery of EBLM J0555-57A also makes the best possible candidate for detectingEarth-sized planets which can have liquid water on their surfaces, such as TRAPPIST-1, anultra cool dwarf surrounded by seven temperate Earth-sized worlds.

About SuperWASP• SuperWASP is the UK’s leading extra-solar planet detection programme. It is run by a

consortium of eight academic institutions.• It consists of two robotic observatories that operate continuously all year around, to cover both

hemispheres of the sky.• The first robotic observatory, SuperWASP-North is located on La Palma Island (in Atlantic

Ocean) amongst the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes (ING).• The second observatory, SuperWASP-South is located at the site of the South African Astro-

nomical Observatory (SAAO), Sutherland, South Africa. The observatories each consist ofeight wide-angle cameras that simultaneously monitor the sky for planetary transit events.These cameras can monitor millions of stars simultaneously to detect the rare transit events.

8.9 Indigenously developed S-band Doppler Weather Radar commissioned inKochi

A state-of-the-art, indigenously developed S-band Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) of India Meteo-rological Department (IMD) was commissioned at Palluruthy in West Kochi, Kerala. It has beenmanufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) based on the indigenous technology provided byISRO. It joins the latest in a chain of 27 such advanced radars already installed in various parts ofthe country. The S-band DWR is capable of predicting weather events such as storms and cyclones,

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e8.10 Juno Spacecraft Completes flyby over Jupiter’s Great Red Spot 77

other severe weather conditions occurring in 500-km radius from Kochi with increased accuracy.Doppler Weather Radar

• Doppler weather radar is an observational tool for monitoring and predicting severe weatherevents such as hailstorms, thunder storms, cyclones and tornados.

• It uses the Doppler Effect by bouncing a microwave signal off a desired target to producevelocity data. This data helps in analysing object’s motion by altered the frequency of thereturned signal.

• It mainly gives information about wind velocity and also about precipitation.• DWR can provide area specific rain and storm warnings which are beneficial for disaster

management and emergency response, aviation and related services.• It can be used for wind speed measurements during cyclones and thunderstorms which is not

possible in conventional weather radar.

Thus, it helps in providing improved warning and better weather forecasts.Doppler Effect: It is an increase (or decrease) in the frequency of sound, light, or other waves asthe source and observer move towards (or away from) each other.

8.10 Juno Spacecraft Completes flyby over Jupiter’s Great Red Spot

NASA’s unmanned spacecraft Juno has successfully peered into the Jupiter’s giant storm known asthe Great Red Spot. It became first space probe to complete flyby of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.Jupiter’s Great Red SpotThe Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a massive storm (cyclone) measuring about 16,000 km in diameter.It is largest known storm in the solar system. It has been monitored since 1830 and has possiblyexisted for more than 350 years. The winds in the storm are clocked at hundreds of km an houraround its outer edges. Little is known about the forces driving it. The spot appears as a deep, red orbsurrounded by layers of pale yellow, orange and white. The storm is believed to have been shrinkingin recent years.About Juno spacecraftNASA had launched unmanned spacecraft Juno on August 5, 2011 from Cape Canaveral, Florida aspart of its New Frontiers program. It has been orbiting Jupiter, solar system’s largest planet fromJuly 2016.Salient Features

• The spacecraft’s name comes from Greco-Roman mythology.• To understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter.• Investigate the existence of a solid planetary core.• Map Jupiter’s intense magnetic field,• Measure the amount of water and ammonia in the deep atmosphere and observe the planet’s

aurora• It will orbit Jupiter from pole to pole, 5,000 kilometers above planet’s cloud tops.• Mission Life: Juno will have mission life of 20 months from July 2016 to Feb 2018.• It is second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, after Galileo probe that had orbited from 1995–2003.• Galileo probe in its mission had found evidence of subsurface saltwater on Jupiter’s moons

Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

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8.11 Scientist create mini Saturn from charged liquid droplets

Scientists from Northwestern University in the United States have created miniature versions ofSaturn, complete with rings, by electrifying tiny droplets of fluids.Electrospraying EffectWhen a drop of electrically conductive liquid is exposed to an electric field, the droplet responds byforming two electrically charged poles. In the previous research it was found that these poles can getpulled towards the sources of the electric field, taking on cone shapes. If the pull is strong enough,the tips of the cones can spray jets of droplets. This effect is known as electrospraying.Latest ExperimentIn the latest experiments, researchers explored the outcomes seen after drops of liquid is submergedin more electrically conductive fluids-specifically, drops of silicone oil suspended in castor oil. Whenan electric field is applied to drop of silicone oil, it was observed that drop flattens and emits rings offluid from its equator that break up into droplets. If an electric field is strong enough, the equatorsof these squashed drops emit concentric rings of droplets, making the drops look like miniatureversions of Saturn. In these experiments, drops of silicone oil about 1 millimetre wide generateddroplets that were about 100 times smaller.Significance of ResearchThe future advance research may pave the way for generating microscopic and uniform particles andcapsules which are used in products such as drugs, inks, cosmetics and paints. It will also explorenew materials that can be used to produce “ring of particles” effect.

8.12 Drug-resistant TB higher among children than expected: Report

Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB is higher among children than expected. This has been describedas a “worrying trend” by the Union Health Ministry. As many as 5,500 of over 76,000 childrentested in nine cities have been diagnosed with TB. 9Percent of these paediatric TB cases have beendiagnosed to have MDR TB.What is MDR TB?Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a form of TB where the bacteria and thus the patient doesnot respond to the first line of medication. DR-TB is one of the leading preventable causes of untoldmisery, great suffering, and back-breaking poverty and economic loss to those who are already livingbelow poverty line. It is a human-made disease resulting from incomplete treatment or missed doses.There are 2 types of TB

• DS-TB or Drug Sensitive-TB• DR-TB or Drug Resistance-TB

There are 3 types of DR-TB• MDR – Multi-Drug-Resistant TB: resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin.• XDR – Extensively-Drug-Resistant TB: further resistant to fluoroquinolone (injectable).• XXDR (Also sometimes referred to as TDR) – Extremely or Totally Drug Resistant: resistant

to more than one injectable.How does drug resistance develop?

• MDR-TB is a man-made phenomenon – poor treatment, poor drugs and poor adherence totherapy for DS-TB leads to the development of MDR-TB.

• When a patient is not given the correct dosage of drugs for the prescribed treatment period, thebacteria has the opportunity to evolve and mutate against the drugs, rendering them ineffective.

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e8.13 India declares itself free from Bird Flu 79

• MDR is treated by second-line drugs. Incomplete and erratic treatment for MDR leads tostronger resistance and XDR-TB. Incomplete treatment of XDR leads to XXDR, for whichthere is no treatment at all. These are people who are doomed to die a lingering, painful death.

Treatment of DR-TBFor MDR-TB, the treatment is second-line drugs, but detection rates are very low because of a lackof testing–only 19Percent of those who develop drug-resistant TB get proper treatment. Treatmentitself is a daunting task: drugs are toxic, side effects are more serious, and the treatment lasts for twoyears, including six months of daily injections.Only 50 Percent of patients getting proper treatment are cured, and the psychological impact of thedisease combined with the social stigma against it leads to a horrifying scenario. The situation isworse for patients of XDR, who are forced to buy expensive medicines, some of which are not eveneasily available.

8.13 India declares itself free from Bird FluIndia has declared itself free from Bird Flu (highly pathogenic Avian Influenza – H5N1 and H5N8)and notified it to the World Organisation for Animal Health. The move will help it resume export ofpoultry products to the countries which had banned trade in such items early this year.Know about World Organization for Animal Health

Figure 8.1: Bird Flue

The World Organisation for Animal Health is recognised as a reference body by the World TradeOrganization. It has 181 countries as its members. This global body keeps tab on animal healthissues and advises countries on best practices to be followed during such outbreaks.

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This organisation also supports countries to help them control animal diseases that cause livestocklosses and pose a risk to public health. Under its norms, ban can be lifted after 90 days of surveillance.Avian influenza or Bird fluAvian influenza, commonly called bird flu, is an infectious viral disease of birds with a tendencyof causing large-scale outbreaks of serious disease. Although most influenza viruses do not infecthumans, A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) have caused serious infections in people.

8.14 GM mustard policy: SC gives govt. time

The government has informed the Supreme Court that a policy decision on the commercial releaseof the Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop is yet to be finalised. It said it was poring throughthe various suggestions on and objections to the commercial rollout of the GM crops.The court has granted the government one week to report back on when the policy would be finalised.It said the policy should be good-intentioned and well-informed.What is GM Mustard?

• Mustard DMH-11 (Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11), a genetically modified (GM) crop, is a trans-genic crop developed by Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants at Delhi Universityand partly funded by the National Dairy Development Board.

• The resulting GM mustard, it is claimed, gives 25-30 per cent more yield than the best varietiessuch as ‘Varuna’ currently grown in the country

Technology behind GM mustard• It has been created using GM technology (alteration of DNA), involving incorporation of

“Barnase” gene isolated from a soil bacterium called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.• It codes for a protein that impairs pollen production and renders the plant into which it has

been introduced male-sterile.• This male-sterile plant is crossed with a fertile parental line, containing, in turn, another gene,

“Barstar”, from the same bacterium that blocks the action of the “Barnase” gene.• The resultant progeny, having both the foreign genes, is a hybrid mustard plant that is not only

high-yielding, but also fertile and capable of producing seed/grain.Background:The court had on October 17, 2016, extended the stay on the commercial release of the GM mustarduntil further orders. It had asked the Centre to collect public opinion before the release. Thegovernment had assured the court that there would be no commercial release of GM seeds till theviews of the public were collected and placed before the appraisal committee.What is a GM crop?A GM or transgenic crop is a plant that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained throughthe use of modern biotechnology. For example, a GM crop can contain a gene(s) that has beenartificially inserted instead of the plant acquiring it through pollination. The resulting plant is said tobe “genetically modified” although in reality all crops have been “genetically modified” from theiroriginal wild state by domestication, selection, and controlled breeding over long periods of time.Arguments in support of GM mustard

• In 2014-15, India imported 14.5 million tonnes of edible oils valued at USD10.5 billion.Therefore, the need to raise domestic crop yields and cut dependence on imports.

• Country’s cotton production has gone up more than 2.5 times since Bt hybrids were firstplanted in 2002. Also, no adverse effects on human have reported (consumption of cottonseed oil, etc).

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e8.15 Govt. panel to study cow derivatives 81

• We import edible oil from GM crop using countries.• Delhi University’s CGMCP has pledged to distribute the GM mustard for free.

Key Concerns• Impacts could GM crops have on the environment and wildlife are not researched properly.• Insect resistant crops may affect non-target and helpful insects like butterfly, honey bee etc.,• Also pests and insects could develop resistance to the toxin• There is also a chance that herbicide resistant plants produce uncontrollable weeds or so called

“super weeds” Barnase and Barstar genes are used for engineering male sterility in plants.Targets the TA29 gene. Bio informatics: is the application of computer technology to themanagement of biological information.

• They increase the yield but there are concerns about GM crops increasing input costs in acountry where there is widespread farmer indebtedness and suicides.

• Terminator seeds: One of the major issues with the GM crops is that the biotech companies(despite a global moratorium via UN Convention on Biological Diversity) can resort to theGenetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT) and produce the terminator seeds which makescrops die off after one harvest without producing offspring.This would force the farmers to buy new seeds for each planting, which reduces their self-sufficiency and makes them dependent on major seed and chemical companies.

Also it is dangerous to keep in the hands of private companies, such technologies which may affectfuture food security.

• The farmers also oppose the ‘seed monopolies’, which are causing price distortion and notadhering to government guidelines on price control in case of Bt Cotton. They are also notbeing made accountable for the losses due to pest attacks like the recent pink bollworm.

• GM crops effect on soil health and soil organisms is not known.• Effects on plant (and animal) biodiversity is not recorded.• Human Health may be effected: by inserting genes from organisms which have never been

eaten as food, new proteins are introduced into the human and animal food chains. There isconcern that these could cause allergic reactions or other health effects.

• Many GM crops contain genes which provide resistance to commonly used antibiotics such asampicillin. There is concern that these genes could be passed from food to bacteria in the gutsof humans and animals.

8.15 Govt. panel to study cow derivatives

The government has set up a 19-member panel to carry out what it says will be scientifically validatedresearch on cow derivatives including its urine, and their benefits.The committee will select projects that can help scientifically validate the benefits of panchgavya —the concoction of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee — in various spheres such as nutrition,health and agriculture.Key facts

• The government has given the project the acronym SVAROP, which stands for ScientificValidation and Research on Panchagavya, and says it is a “national programme” that’s beingconducted by the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, andthe Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of the Ministry of Science andTechnology in collaboration with IIT-Delhi.

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• This multi-disciplinary programme will involve participation of other related ministries,government departments, academic institutions, research laboratories, voluntary organisationsand others to carry out research and development and also build capacities, and cover fivethematic areas including scientific validation of uniqueness of indigenous cows.

• It will cover “scientific validation of ‘panchagavya’ for medicines and health, scientificvalidation of ‘panchagavya’ and its products for agriculture applications, scientific validationof ‘panchagavya’ for food and nutrition.

8.16 India to host 2017 Global Conference on Cyber Space

India will host Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) 2017, the world’s largest conference oncyber space and related issues in New Delhi in November 2017. This is for the first time GCCS istaking place outside Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations.The fifth conference, planned to be the biggest in magnitude, shall take place at New Delhi, India on23-24 November 2017.The theme for the GCCS 2017 is ‘Cyber4All: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safeand Secure Cyberspace‘. The cyber security will be one of the major focus areas in GCCS 2017.It will serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas with global think thanks and promote closerco-operation among the international community.Goal of GCCS 2017 is to promote an inclusive Cyber Space with focus on policies and frameworksfor inclusivity, sustainability, development, security, safety and freedom, technology and partnershipsfor upholding digital democracy, maximizing collaboration for strengthening security and safety andadvocating dialogue for digital diplomacy’. It will be an opportunity to showcase the “Digital India”program as a positive, sustainable and scalable model for use of ICTs for addressing developmentalchallenges and growth opportunities. It can help provide vision of inclusive digital society forinclusive growth, education, healthcare especially for developing world.About Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS)

• The Global Conference on Cyberspace (GCCS) aims to deliberate on the issues related topromotion of cooperation in cyberspace, norms for responsible behaviours in cyberspace andto enhance cyber capacity building.

• The first was held in London in 2011 and is sometimes also referred as the London Process.The conference presented a set of principles “for governing behaviour in cyberspace” that wasdiscussed by around 700 participants. Not only were there more civil society representatives inattendance, but a more prominent representation was given to the civil society in the sessions.Several pre-conference events included civil society capacity building and strategy sessionstoo.

8.17 Google’s machine-raised mosquitoes to shrink vector’s numbers

Google’s parent company Alphabet and scientists in the US have teamed up to release 20 millionmachine-raised mosquitoes to shrink the numbers of the disease-carrying ones.What you need to know about the project?

• The project, called Debug Fresno, is being undertaken by Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet,Google’s holding company.

• The goal is to cut the numbers of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes — the species responsible forspreading zika, dengue and chikungunya.

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• For 20 weeks, the company plans to release a million of the sterile, non-biting male mosquitoesin two neighbourhoods in Fresno County.

• The male mosquitoes are bred and infected with Wolbachia, a bacterium that is naturally foundin at least 40 percent of all insect species. The bacterium used to sterilise mosquitoes “is notknown” to infect humans.

• In a phenomenon called cytoplasmic incompatibility, matings between Wolbachia-infectedmales and uninfected females result in embryo lethality or low hatch rates.

8.18 Rukmini’ keeps eye on dancing ‘dragon’ at seaWith China increasing its naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region amid the ongoing Sikkimstand-off, the Indian Navy is keeping an eye on the ‘dragon’ with the help of its ‘eye in the sky’,GSAT-7 also called Rukmini, the Navy’s own dedicated military satellite that was launched inSeptember 2013.What you need to know about Rukmini?

• It has helped the Navy monitor the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as it has a nearly 2,000 nauticalmile ‘footprint’.

• The multi-band communication-cum surveillance satellite, which is operating from the geo-stationary orbit (at 36,000km altitude), provides real-time inputs to naval warships, submarinesand maritime aircraft and networking capabilities to its naval assets on the high seas.

• With the help of the shore-based operational centres, ‘Rukmini’ (also called INSAT-4F) has notonly helped the Navy keep an eye on both Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal but also helped theforce increase its communication and surveillance capabilities from Persian Gulf to MalaccaStrait, which together is equivalent to almost 70 percent of the IOR.

• Rukmini, which provides wide range of service spectrum from low bit rate voice to high bitrate data communication, has given the Navy an integrated platform and helped it overcomethe limitation of ‘line of sight’ (the straight path of signal when unobstructed by the horizon).With the help of this ‘eye in the sky’, the Army, too, gets vital inputs about over-the-landmovements.

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9.1 Mizoram celebrates 31st anniversary of Mizo peace accordThe 31st anniversary of the signing of the historic Mizo peace accord between the Union governmentand the erstwhile underground Mizo National Front (MNF) was celebrated on 30th June in Mizoram.The Mizo Accord was signed on June 30, 1986 ushering in an era of peace after 20 years of violenceand disturbance in the state.What you need to know about Mizo peace accord?

• Under the Accord, the government agreed to grant full statehood to Mizoram, along with itsown High Court. A university was proposed. The Accord promised constitutional protectionfor Mizo religious and social customs, and laws of the Mizo people. Mizo was notified as anofficial Indian language. The MNF agreed to break all contact with other insurgent groups inthe Northeast.

• The signatories were Laldenga, leader of the movement, R. D. Pradhan, Home Secretary, andLalkhama, Chief secretary.

9.2 Petya ransomwareA new ransomware going by the name Petya has had a major impact on the operations in India.Cyber security experts claim India’s critical infrastructure remains vulnerable to such attack evenas the country’s largest container port – Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) – has been affected,prompting authorities to contain the disruption in emergency mode.What is Petya?

• Petya relies on the same NSA-leaked EternalBlue exploit that was used by WannaCry, butthat’s only one of its strategies to burrow itself across computers.

• Petya infects computers and locks down their hard drives. It demands a ransom of USD300(Rs 19,000) in Bitcoins. The email associated with the ransomware has been blocked, so evenif victims pay, they won’t get their files back.

• Once it infects a computer, Petya waits for 10-60 minutes, and then reboots the computer. Itthen encrypts the master file table and then overwrites the master boot record with a custom

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loader. It places a ransom note to explain what users must do to regain control.How is Petya different from Wannacry?Unlike Wannacry, Petya does not encrypt individual files, but overwrites the master boot record andencrypts the master file table, thus rendering the system inoperable until the ransom has been paid.What is ransomware?A piece of malicious software which takes control of your system and files. Upon taking over,it applies encryption on those files and asks for money for a key that can restore the files. Theransomware often scrambles file names and changes their extension.

9.3 NSG organises first International Aviation Security seminar

NSG has organised the first International Aviation Security seminar. National Security Guard(NSG) has organised the seminar, with the aim of bringing all major stakeholders under one roofand facilitate them sharing views/opinion, discussions, brain storming with the matters concerningAviation Security.About NSG

• It is a security force of India constituted “for combating terrorist activities with a view toprotect States against internal disturbances“.

• It was set up in 1984 as a Federal Contingency Deployment Force to tackle all facets ofterrorism in the country.

• It is under the authority Ministry of Home Affairs.• The force is a unique combination of personnel on deputation from Indian Army and Central

Armed Police Forces.• The two components of NSG are the Special Action Group (SAG), which consists entirely of

Indian Army personnel; and the Special Ranger Groups (SRG), which comprises personneldrawn from Central Armed Police Forces and State Police Forces.

• The chief of the force designated as a Director General is an officer from the Indian PoliceService.

9.4 India ranks 23rd in second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2017

The UN telecommunications agency, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), recently re-leased its second edition of the Global Cybersecurity Index (CGI) which ranks countries of theworld depending on their national policy against cybercrime — which ascertains there cybersecuritycommitment.What you need to know about the Global Cybersecurity index?The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) is a multi-stakeholder initiative to measure the commitmentof countries to cybersecurity. Cybersecurity has a wide field of application that cuts across manyindustries and sectors. Each country’s level of development will therefore be analyzed within fivecategories: Legal Measures, Technical Measures, Organizational Measures, Capacity Building andCooperation.Performance of IndiaThe index has placed India at a high 23rd position. India is ranked 23rd on the index with a score of0.683 and has been listed in the “maturing” category. Maturing category refers to 77 countries thathave developed complex commitments to cyber security and engage in cyber security programmesand initiatives.

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Way ahead: The findings show that there is “space for further improvement in cooperation” at alllevels. The report advocates for encouraging governments to consider national policies that take intoaccount cybersecurity and encourage private citizens to make smart decisions online.

9.5 Internal security Doctrine

The internal security situation of the country has not shown any marked improvement in the lastfew years. In the recent past, a growing number of incidents have led to increased visibility of thedeteriorating internal security situation as well as signal, what could well be seminal changes inIndia’s approach to its security mechanism.Need for reforms

• Successive governments have not cared to codify the country’s internal security doctrine.There is no long-term policy, nor is there any strategic vision to tackle the Maoist insurgency.

• The absence of an institutional response with whatever mechanisms are or were in place. TheNational Security Advisory Board (NSAB) was liquidated.

• The police continues to be in a shambles. The Supreme Court gave historic directions in 2006for police reforms, but the states have been dragging their feet and now the apex court is alsotaking it slow. The prime minister’s concept of a SMART police could never take off becauseof the indifference of the states.

• A new formula of SAMADHAN has been evolved to tackle the Naxalites problem with Sstanding for smart leadership, A for aggressive strategy, M for motivation and training, Afor actionable intelligence, D for dashboard-based key performance indicators and key resultareas, H for harnessing technology, A for action plan for each theatre and N for no access tofinancing. However, it is unlikely that this approach would lead to a resolution of the problem.The Naxal problem is much too complex and requires a very comprehensive strategy whichcannot be capsuled in an acronym.

What can be done to improve the situation?

• Clear statement of intent: All successful human and organizational initiatives stem froman explicit, visible, widely accepted statement of intent and direction. In this case it wouldmean a national security policy with adjuncts from the states. While the specific roles ofagencies are clear, the policy would need to lay stress on the collaborative process betweenagencies. Annual and multiyear tactical plans could ebb and flow, to suit current tacticalneeds, but always under the long term policy direction – thereby ensuring aligned efforts andaccumulation of investments and benefits.

• Invest in people: The internal security market currently has an estimated spend in the regionof USD12-15 billion and its growing in double digits. Large investments have been earmarkedand deployed in initiatives like the Police.

• Force Modernization plan, Mega City policing and several other security initiatives: Besidesinvestments in equipment and infrastructure there is a need to further invest in human capitaland processes. Trained and motivated personnel can provide the winning edge – a factevidenced in various organizations. Whilst several security units have their own trainingcentres, some of which are truly best in class; for several others there is a need to further investin training.

• Continuity of policy and direction: Typical tenures of service in a post are 2-3 years forsecurity officers and while this rotation is desired, from many aspects, it can have a down

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side too -discontinuity leading to choppiness in initiatives. In equipment procurement it canresult in mismatched pieces of equipment and technology that do not form part of a holisticsystem. A documented longer term policy direction would help maintain coherence and focusover tenure changeover’s resulting in more effective outcomes and maximisation of effort andinvestment.

• Communication and Collaboration: In a security framework that is diffracted across multi-ple operational and intelligence agencies; information sharing, rapid and frequent communica-tions and collaborative planning, assume great importance. While the roles, responsibilitiesand areas of operation for various agencies are clearly demarcated; the challenge lies in oper-ating in a unified coordinated manner. The current working of the Multi Agency centre andState Multi Agency centres need to be widened and accelerated to aid systemic informationcollation and dissemination. Specifically the sharing of actionable intelligence in real time –upwards and laterally – would make quantum difference to event outcomes.

• Community involvement: Community outreach and involvement needs to be expanded andaccelerated. Whether this is by state police with citizen groups or by central agencies withfocused attention groups – like in the case of the Naga Peace Accord. This element ofcommunication and inclusion can be a great force multiplier and help build strong alignmentswith the citizenry who are a major stakeholder in the security process. A crucial elementof community inclusion is measures taken to improve welfare and economic independence.Especially applicable in the far flung regions which have seen limited economic developmentand are also hot spots for rebel groups. Whether state funded development, health, andeducation projects or private industry driven investments – all help in forming an economicallyself reliant community that is resistant to break away thinking.

• Technology adoption and upgradation: The two new frontiers – cyber and space, bringnew challenges and the old tools will not suffice to cope with them. There is a need tounderstand, assimilate, modify and adopt technologies, existing and emerging, to combat thenew threats. Personnel will need to be trained in these technologies on a war footing –not oncebut repeatedly. Burgeoning communication and surveillance technologies pose additionalchallenges for agencies as we move to dealing with non conventional threats. A commontechnology road map is critically needed.

Way aheadThe scale of the internal security challenge is truly massive. Given the size and scope of the securityarena – 3.2 million square kms of area, 7,500 km of coast line and another 6,000 km of land border,the growing intensity and frequency of security ‘triggers’ and the asymmetrical force aspect – moreneeds to be done as a multi pronged approach to sustain and accelerate improvements in the securityenvironment. A federal system with multi and regional party system also throws open the challengeof centre and state co-ordination. Given the constraints, successive governments face a formidabletask in identifying and containing security threats.ConclusionIndia now stands at an inflexion point where it can take quantum steps to further improve andstrengthen its internal security mechanisms. It’s a task well begun but needs supporting acceleratorsto build momentum and achieve greater effectiveness. While the frequency and severity of secu-rity threats increases; greater inclusion, communication, investment in personnel and technologyleveraging -is the way ahead. Time, is clearly of the essence.

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10.1 World’s 1st Laser Weapon

• The US has launched the world’s first laser weapon known as the Laser Weapons System(LaWS). The LaWS is currently deployed aboard the USS Ponce, an amphibious transportship, in the Persian Gulf.

• Operationally, it works just like a laser pointer. There’s a chamber inside with special materialsthat release photons.

• The LaWS laser beam is completely silent and invisible. It’s also fast: The laser travels at thespeed of light (186,000 miles per second, or about 300,000 kilometers per second), meaningit’s about 50,000 times the speed of an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile.

• In addition to being able to take down threats in the air, the LaWS can hit and disable objectsin the water.

10.2 Gujarat retains top slot of states with most investment potential

• Gujarat has retained the top position in the list of 21 states and UTs with most investmentpotential, according to a report by economic think-tank NCAER.

• The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) State Investment Potential In-dex (N-SIPI 2017) report ranks states on their competitiveness in business and their investmentclimate. The ranking of 20 states and one Union Territory of Delhi was based on six pillars —labour, infrastructure, economic climate, governance and political stability, perceptions andland — and 51 sub-indicators.

• Gujarat is followed by Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala,Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

• While Gujarat topped in economic climate and perceptions, Delhi ranked one in infrastructure.While Tamil Nadu topped the chart in labour issues, Madhya Pradesh ranked one in land pillar.

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10.3 India’s first solar-powered 1600 HP DEMU train launched

Indian Railways launched its first 1600 HP solar-powered DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit)train from Safdarjung railway station on Friday. The train will run from Sarai Rohilla in Delhi toFarukh Nagar in Haryana. In line with the Indian Railways ‘Solar Mission’ to reduce dependency onfossil fuels, Railways launched its first 1600 HP solar-powered DEMU (Diesel Electric MultipleUnit) train. The train has six trailer coaches, with 16 solar panels fitted in each of them. The solarpanels will power all the electrical appliances inside.Railways’ first DEMU rake with solar power hotel load system, based at Shakurbasti shed, waslaunched by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. Shakurbasti DEMU shed has provisioned dual fuelarrangement in 16 of the total holding of 1400 HP Driving Power Cars.Presenting the Railway Budget for 2016-17, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced plans togenerate 1000 MW solar power in the next five years.

• Annually, the Railways are hoping to reduce 239 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions by savingapproximately 90,800 litres of diesel per rake.

• The Railways have already undertaken steps to install solar panels on rooftops of at railwaystations and at level crossings across the country.

10.4 IROAF wins Golden Peacock Award for Eco Innovation for the year 2017

• Indian Railways Organization for Alternate Fuel (IROAF) on 10 July 2017 won the GoldenPeacock Award for Eco Innovation for the year 2017 for introducing eco-friendly and costsaving Dual Fuel 1400 HP Diesel engines on DEMU trains.

• With this, Indian Railways achieved a major milestone in the field of eco-friendly fueltechnologies. IROAF substituted fossil fuels (Diesel) by environment friendly CNG in DEMUpassenger train services. The use of CNG in Train Sets for passenger transportation was donefor the first time in the world.

• This innovation is expected to reduce emissions by bringing down NOx by 16 per cent, CO2by 6 per cent and Particulate Matter by 18 per cent besides achieving economy in fuel cost by8 per cent.

• Till now, 19 engines of DEMUs have been successfully converted into CNG based dual fuelengines with this technology.

• This technology of 20 per cent substitution of diesel by CNG, has potential to save up toRs 1360 crores annually if implemented over entire fleet of Diesel Locomotives of IndianRailways.

About Golden Peacock Awards• Golden Peacock Awards were instituted by the Institute Of Directors (IOD), India in 1991.• The awards are now regarded as a benchmark of Corporate Excellence worldwide and have

become a hallmark of excellence, both locally and globally.• Based on internationally recognised criteria, the credibility of these awards lies in the trans-

parency depth and impartiality of the assessment process.About Indian Railways Organization for Alternate Fuel (IROAF)

• IROAF is a unique organization under the Ministry of Railways which was established toexplore new environment friendly fuels and eco- friendly technologies like substitution ofdiesel with CNG/LNG in train sets, replacing acetylene/LPG by CNG/LNG for metal cuttingin Railway Workshops, etc.

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• The organization is a premier single window agency of Indian Railways to work as a knowledgebase and explore and prove out new fuels and technologies for Indian Railways with a viewto bring down Indian Railways fuel bill and at the same time achieve a shift towards greenerfuels.

10.5 Raipur Airport ranknked first in customer satisfaction

• Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport was ranked first in Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI)Survey among 49 airports in the country. The airport in the Chhattisgarh capital was followedby those at Udaipur, Amritsar and Dehradun.

• This is third consecutive time in the past two years, Raipur airport has received this recognition.• The survey, which was carried out by an independent agency appointed by AAI, covers a wide

range of parameters like transportation, parking, passenger facilities and cleanliness, amongothers.

10.6 Antarctica iceberg break off

• A massive iceberg has broken away from Antarctica. The Trillion-tonne iceberg is consideredas the one of the largest ever. The 5,800 square kilometre iceberg left the Larsen C Ice Shelfin Antarctica and has changed the landscape of the region.

• The final breakthrough of the rift was detected in data from NASA’s Aqua MODIS satelliteinstrument, which images in the thermal infrared at a resolution of one kilometre and confirmedby NASA’s Suomi VIIRS instrument. The development of the rift over the last year wasmonitored using data from the European Space Agency Sentinel-1 satellites – part of theEuropean Copernicus Space Component.

• Although the remaining ice shelf will continue naturally to regrow, researchers have previouslyshown that the new configuration is potentially less stable than it was prior to the rift. Thereis a risk that Larsen C may eventually follow the example of its neighbour, Larsen B, whichdisintegrated in 2002 following a similar rift-induced calving event in 1995.

10.7 World Youth Skills Day-July 15

The World Youth Skills Day is observed globally on 15 July every year to raise awareness aboutthe importance of investing in youth skills development. Observance of the day aims to create moreawareness on training and the development of skills for the youth of today and also create betteremployment opportunities for the youth.2017 Theme is “Skills for All”.On the occasion, United Nations along with WorldSkills.org have organised campaigns "SkillsForAll"and "WYSD". These campaigns aim to raise awareness about the importance of youth developingskills.BackgroundThe United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had established World Youth Skills Day in November2014 to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development.

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10.8 Theatre Olympics

• India will host 8th Edition of Theatre Olympics ‘The Biggest Theatre Celebration of the World’from February 17 – April 08, 2018.

• The Theatre Olympics, being held in India for the first time, is being organised by NationalSchool of Drama, under the aegis of Ministry of Culture.

• The Theatre Olympics was established in 1993 in Delphi, Greece, as the first internationaltheatre festival. With the tagline ‘Crossing Millennia’, this is an initiative to connect thecultural past with the present and future, bringing the richness and diversity of theatre heritageto the experiments and research of contemporary theatre. The first country to host the TheatreOlympics was Greece in 1995

10.9 ISARC in Varanasi

• The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute(IRRI), South Asia Regional Center (ISARC) at campus of National Seed Research andTraining Center (NSRTC) in Varanasi.

• Under the proposal, a Centre of Excellence in Rice Value Addition (CERVA) will be set up inVaranasi. This will include a modern and sophisticated laboratory with capacity to determinequality and status of heavy metals in grain and straw. The Centre will also undertake capacitybuilding exercises for stakeholders across the rice value chain.

• This Center will be the first international Center in the eastern India and it will play a majorrole in harnessing and sustaining rice production in the region. It is expected to be a boonfor food production and skill development in the eastern India and similar ecologies in otherSouth Asian and African countries.

Benefits from ISARC: The Centre will help in utilizing the rich biodiversity of India to developspecial rice varieties. This will help India to achieve higher per hectare yields and improvednutritional contents. India’s food and nutritional security issues will also be addressed. The Centrewill support in adopting value chain based production system in the country. This will reducewastage, add value and generate higher income for the farmers. The farmers in Eastern India willbenefit in particular, besides those in South Asian and African countries.

10.10 Cabinet approves SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister has given its approvalfor upgradation and widening of 65 kms of Imphal-Moreh Section of NH-39 in Manipur. The projectis being developed with ADB’s loan assistance under the South Asian Sub-Regional EconomicCooperation (SASEC) Road Connectivity Investment Program.The project corridor is also a part of the Asian Highway No. 01 (AH01) and acts as India’s Gatewayto the East. Thus trade, commerce and tourism in the region will get a boost. About SASEC

• Established in 2001, the SASEC program is a project-based partnership to promote regionalprosperity by improving cross-border connectivity, boosting trade among member countriesand strengthening regional economic cooperation.

• ADB is the secretariat and lead financier of the SASEC program, which to date has supporteda total of 46 projects worth USD9.17 billion in transport, trade facilitation, energy andinformation and communications technology (ICT).

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• The SASEC OP, endorsed in June 2016 by the SASEC member countries, is SASEC’sfirst comprehensive long-term plan to promote greater economic cooperation among themember countries in the areas of transport, trade facilitation, energy, and economic corridordevelopment.

• Bringing regional cooperation to a higher level, the SASEC OP plans to extend physicallinkages not only within SASEC but also with East and Southeast Asia by the next decade.

10.11 Minimum qualifications for coop. societies’ polls

Rajasthan has become the first State in the country to lay down the minimum educational qualifica-tions for contesting elections to village cooperative societies and various other cooperative bodies. Inthis regard, state government has amended State Cooperative Societies Rules, 2003. The new ruleswould benefit about 10,000 cooperative and agricultural credit societies. Moreover, the benefit ofeducation will accrue to the societies as their management will go to expert hands.Key FactsThe minimum educational qualification will be compulsory for the members of the Directorate ofBoard of the cooperatives to ensure the management is assigned to skilled hands. The requirededucational qualifications will range from Class V to Class VIII for election as members of governingboards of various cooperative societies. The minimum qualifications for the primary committeemembers will be class VIII, for district-level committees, it will be class X and graduation for thestate level committee. The elections to various posts in the societies after a certain level would beconducted through the State Cooperative Election Authority. Rajasthan will be also the first statein the country to establish Recruitment Board by the Cooperative Committees, which will recruitpersonnel for the cooperative committees. This move will ensure more employment in the field ofcooperatives. It will also ensure competent and talented personnel are selected in a transparent way.BackgroundIn October 2016, Rajasthan Government had enforced the Rajasthan Cooperative Society (Amend-ment) Act, 2016 for making minimum educational qualification mandatory for election of thecooperative committees in the state. The act mandated to frame rules to define minimum qualifi-cation. Prior to enforcing this act, state government had made minimum educational qualificationmandatory in panchayat polls.

10.12 Malabar 2017

• Malabar Exercise is a trilateral naval exercise involving the US, Japan and India as permanentpartners, aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations. It is the 21stedition of the Malabar exercise

• It is the fourth consecutive year Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) has taken partin the Malabar Exercise, conducted annually by the US and India in the Bay of Bengal since1992.

• Originally bilateral exercise between India and the US, Japan became a permanent partner in2015.

• The primary aim of this exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the three navies anddevelop common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations.

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10.13 Aaykar Setu

The Union Finance Ministry has launched Aaykar Setu, a new tax payer service module. The newe-initiative literally means taxpayer’s bridge and will be available in android phones. It compilesvarious tax tools, dynamic updates, live chat facility and important links to various processes withinthe Income Tax Department (ITD) in a single module.Key Facts

• This e-initiative aims provide better taxpayer services and also help in reducing the directphysical interface between assesses and tax assessing authorities.

• It will allow IDT to directly communicate with the taxpayers on a range of multiple informativeand useful tax services.

• The tax payers will also be able to receive regular updates regarding important tax dates, formsand notifications on mobile numbers registered with the ITD.

• The mobile app will allow entities track TDS, pay taxes and apply for permanent accountnumber (PAN).

• It will also help people link their 12-digit biometric identifier Aadhaar with PAN card.• To avail this service, all taxpayers will have to register their mobile numbers in the Aaykar

Setu module in order to receive such SMS alerts.

10.14 World’s first wind farm being built off Scotland coast

The world’s first full-scale floating wind farm is being built off the coast of Scotland. The windfarm, known as Hywind, is a trial project which will bring power to 20,000 homes. The technologywill allow wind power to be harvested in waters that are too deep for the existing bottom-standingturbines.

10.15 New giant ocean sunfish species discovered

• Researchers have discovered a new species of giant ocean sunfish, the heaviest type of bonyfish that can weigh over two tonnes and grow to three metres long.

• The new species, named as the hoodwinker (mola tecta), was discovered by an Australianresearcher.

• Marianne Nyegaard, from Murdoch University in Perth, found the species while researchingsunfish in the Indo-Pacific region as part of her PhD.

Key highlights• The new species has so far been found around New Zealand, around the southeast coast of

Australia, off Africa and southern Chile.• The species prefers cold water.• The latin name for the species is Mola tecta from the Latin tectus meaning disguised, because

the species has gone undiscovered for so long.About ocean sunfish

• The ocean sunfish or common mola is the heaviest known bony fish in the world.• Adult ocean sunfish typically weighs between 247 and 1000 kilograms.• The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe.• It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally.• Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.

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Figure 10.1: Sun Fish

• Sunfish live on a diet consisting mainly of jellyfish, but because this diet is nutritionally poor,they consume large amounts to develop and maintain their great bulk.

Textiles India 2017• PM Modi recently inaugurated ‘Textiles India 2017’ In Gandhinagar,Gujarat. This is India’s

first-ever mega trade event for the textiles sector, showcasing the nation as a global sourcinghub and investment destination for manufacturers world-wide.

• The three-day conference ‘Textiles India 2017’ will see participation from 2,500 internationalbuyers.

• India’s first-ever mega trade event for the textiles sector tomorrow, showcasing the nation as aglobal sourcing hub and investment destination for manufacturers world-wide.

• The fair has been organised by Union Ministry of Textiles.India’s textiles sectorIndia’s textiles sector is one of the oldest industries in Indian economy dating back several centuries.Even today, it is one of the largest contributors to India’s exports with approximately 11Percent oftotal exports (exports during FY 2015-16 stood at USUSD 40 billion). It contributes approximately5Percent to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 14Percent to overall Index of IndustrialProduction (IIP). It is also labour intensive and is the second largest employer after agriculture.

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Government has allowed 100Percent FDI in the Indian textiles sector under the automatic route.

10.16 Ninth Edition of Delhi DialogueThe ninth edition of Delhi Dialogue was held recently. It is being held annually since 2009 andis a premier event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement betweenASEAN and India.The theme of Delhi Dialogue this year was “ASEAN-India Relations: Charting the Course forthe Next 25 Years”.Background

• Recognising the need for greater engagement with the ASEAN region, India’s Ministry ofExternal Affairs (MEA) supported the first Delhi Dialogue I, on 21-22 January, 2009. Thiswas organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) andthe SAEA Group Research (SAEA).

• Delhi Dialogue is an annual Track 1.5 forum for discussing politico-security, economic andsocial-cultural issues between ASEAN and India.

Significance of Delhi DialogueThe Delhi Dialogue is a key element of India’s ‘Act East’ policy. India shares extremely cordialcultural and commercial links with countries of ASEAN. The Dialogue provides a platform forexperts from various fields in India and ASEAN countries to exchange views on a wide variety ofsubjects.

10.17 Maitree 2017• A joint military training exercise Maitree 2017 between Indian Army and Royal Thailand

Army commenced at Bakloh in Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh.• The aim of 14 day long exercise is to build and promote closer relations while exchanging

skills and experiences between the two armies.• The Maitree series of bilateral exercises has been one of the major defence cooperation

initiatives between India and Thailand. It is an annual event. The previous edition of theexercise was held at Krabi in Thailand in 2016.

10.18 NasrPakistan has successfully test-fired short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile ‘Nasr’. ‘Nasr’ is ahigh-precision weapon system with the ability to be deployed quickly. It has a range of 60-70 Km.

10.19 Mother Teresa’s Blue-Bordered Sari declared an Intellectual PropertyAfter a series of strict legal proceedings, it was granted. This is the first time that a uniform has beenmade intellectual property. It has obtained “distinctive symbolic identity” of the Missionaries ofCharity.

10.20 India Quake“India Quake” is a mobile app launched recently on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry ofEarth Sciences.

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About India QuakeIndia Quake Mobile App has been developed by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) for

automatic dissemination of earthquake parameter (location, time and magnitude) after the occurrenceof earthquakes.

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10.21 Sagar Vani“Sagar Vani”, a mobile app, was launched recently on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry ofEarth Sciences.About Sagar VaniThe ‘Sagar Vani’ is a software platform where various dissemination modes will be integrated on a

single central server. The ‘Sagar Vani’ includes Multi Lingual SMS, Voice Call / Audio Advisory,Mobile Apps (User / Admin modules), Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), Email, GTS, Fax,Digital Display Boards, Radio / Television broadcast units, IVRS, Cloud Channels, etc.

10.22 India’s First Blood Bank for Cattle to Come up in OdishaOdisha is all set to become the first state in the country to have a blood bank for the cattle. The firstof its kind blood bank would be established at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.25 crore.The project will have a 60:40 sharing between the Centre and the state government.The cattle farmers will provide blood voluntarily. The blood bank will also go and collect bloodfrom centres. Blood transfusion facility for cattle blood will also be done at the proposed blood bank.This will prevent death of cattle during deliveries and other ailments, he said.The storage facility would come in handy for the veterinarians to save lives of the domesticatedanimals.

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10.23 UNESCO crowns Sharjah as World Book Capital• Sharjah has been crowned with the prestigious the World Book Capital for 2019 by UNESCO

for the quality of its literary and cultural activities and for its efforts to make books accessibleto the entire population of the nation.

• The emirate was selected because of its innovative and inclusive application, with a community-focused activity programme containing creative proposals to engage the very large migrantpopulation.

• The accolade is an important addition to Sharjahs existing portfolio of milestones like, Capitalof Arab Culture (1998), Capital of Islamic Culture (2014), and Capital of Arab Tourism (2015).The Sharjah is the first in the GCC and third in the Arab world and Middle East, to havereceived this recognition.

• Sharjah is the 19th city to become World Book Capital.

10.24 India in 88th place in money hoarded in Swiss banksIndia has slipped to the 88th place in terms of money parked by its citizens with Swiss banks. Indiawas placed at 75th position in 2015 and at 61st in 2014.

10.25 World Petroleum Congress at Istanbul, TurkeyThe 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference has begun at Istanbul, Turkey.India is also taking part in the conference.What you need to know about WPC conference?The tri-annual WPC Conference is widely recognized as the ‘Olympics‘ of the oil and gas industry.It attracts Ministers, CEOs of Oil and Gas MNCs, experts and academics from the hydrocarbonsectors and provides an ideal forum to showcase potential of countries’ hydrocarbon sector.It also provides a platform to interact with policy makers, technologists, scientists, planners andmanagement experts.

10.26 “Programme 17 for 17”• It is a 17 point action plan for 2017 – for building digital campuses and high quality education.• The action plan covers measures like universal adoption of digital education, digital financial

transactions in the campuses from the current academic year.• It was adopted at the end of the recently concluded National Convention of Vice Chancellors

of all Universities in the Country, and Heads of IISc/IITs/IIMs/NITs/IIITs.

Wish you all the best, IAS Edge.

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