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Time: 45 min Date: 21-10-2021

Polity and Governance

Election of Deputy Speaker

Syllabus :GS 2/Indian Constitution/Parliament & State Legislatures/Conduct of

Business

In Context

● Hardoi MLA Nitin Agrawal has been elected Deputy Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh

Assembly, which has barely five months left in its tenure.

About

● The developments raise several questions and refocus attention on the 17th Lok

Sabha which remains without a Deputy Speaker for more than two years.

● A petition before the Delhi High Court has argued that the delay in the election of

the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker violates Article 93 of the Constitution.

● There is no precedent of a court forcing the legislature to elect the Deputy Speaker.

○ However, experts said the courts do have jurisdiction to at least enquire

why there has been no election to the post of Deputy Speaker since the

Constitution does envisage an election “as soon as maybe”.

○ In general, the courts do not intervene in the procedural conduct of

Parliament.

■ Article 122(1) says: “The validity of any proceedings in Parliament

shall not be called in question on the ground of any alleged

irregularity of procedure.”

About Deputy Speaker ● Article 93 and Article 178 of the Constitution of India:

○ The House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respective Speaker and Deputy Speaker thereof and, so often as the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the House shall choose another member to be Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.

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■ Article 178 contains the corresponding position for Speaker and

Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of a state

○ Constitutional experts point out that both Articles 93 and 178 use the words

“shall” and “as soon as may be” — indicating that not only is the election

of Speaker and Deputy Speaker mandatory, it must be held at the earliest.

● Election:

○ In the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of the Indian Parliament, both Presiding

Officers - the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are elected from among its

members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the

House.

■ The election of the Deputy Speaker usually takes place in the second

session, even though there is no bar on having this election too in the

first session of the new Lok Sabha/Assembly.

■ In Lok Sabha, the election of Deputy Speaker is governed by Rule 8

of The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.

● According to the Rule, the election “shall be held on such date

as the Speaker may fix”, and the Deputy Speaker is elected

once a motion proposing his name is carried.

■ There are similar provisions in the State Legislative Assembly Rules.

■ Once elected, the Deputy Speaker usually continues in office until

the dissolution of the House.

● Independent from Speaker:

○ The Deputy Speaker is independent of the Speaker, not subordinate to

him, as both are elected from among the members of the House.

○ When he presides over a sitting, he has all the powers of a Speaker.

○ In general, the Deputy Speaker has the same powers as the Speaker when

presiding over a sitting of the House.

■ All references to the Speaker in the Rules are deemed to be references

to the Deputy Speaker when he presides.

● Gaining importance:

○ In addition to presiding over the House in the absence of the Speaker, the

Deputy Speaker chaired committees both inside and outside of Parliament.

● Ensures continuity of Speaker’s office:

○ The Deputy Speaker ensures the continuity of the Speakers office by acting

as the Speaker when the office becomes vacant:

■ Illness, or

■ by death, or

■ because of resignation or

■ any other reason.

○ When the Speaker’s post falls vacant, it is the Deputy Speaker who assumes

all the powers of the Speaker and exercises both legislative powers and

administrative powers.

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● Presiding officer in specific cases: ○ When a resolution for removal of the Speaker is up for discussion, the

Constitution specifies that the Deputy Speaker presides over the proceedings of the House.

○ A Deputy Speaker is also the ex-officio chairman of some committees by virtue of his position.

● Vacate: Under Article 94 (Article 179 for state legislatures), the Speaker or Deputy Speaker “shall vacate his office if he ceases to be a member of the House of the People”.

○ They may also resign (to each other), or “maybe removed from…office by a resolution of the House of the People passed by a majority of all the then members of the House”

Issues ● No specific timeline for Deputy Speaker’s appointment: Article 93 for Lok Sabha

and Article 178 for state Assemblies state that these Houses “shall, as soon as may be”, choose two of its members to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The Constitution and the Assembly rules do not specify a time frame for filling a vacancy in the post.

● Maintaining Neutrality: It would be unrealistic to expect a Presiding Officer to completely abjure all party considerations while functioning as there are structural issues regarding the manner of appointment of the Speaker and his/her tenure in office.

Conclusion ● The aforementioned points show how the government is ignoring the legislature. ● It should be held accountable, and the general public should ask questions about

the functioning of Parliament. ● Therefore, in the present circumstances, the post of Deputy Speaker is desirable to

maintain neutrality and smooth functioning of the Parliament. Source: IE

Art & Culture

Buddhist Pilgrimage Circuit

Syllabus: GS1/ Indian Culture - Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

In News ● Recently, the third international airport in Uttar Pradesh, Kushinagar was

inaugurated which will mainly service the Buddhist tourism circuit.

Kushinagar and the Buddha ● Mahaparinirvana of Buddha:

○ Among the most important of Buddhist pilgrimages, Kushinagar is the place where the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana (ultimate salvation) in 483 BC.

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● Ancient linkage: ○ Today’s Kushinagar is identified with Kusinara, capital of the ancient Malla

republic, which was one of the 16 mahajanapadas of the 6th-4th centuries BC.

○ The area went on to be part of the kingdoms of the Mauryas, Shungas, Kushanas, Guptas, Harshavardhana, and the Palas.

○ Kushinara is believed to have been inhabited until at least the 12th century. ● Excavation:

○ The first excavations in Kushinagar were carried out by Alexander Cunningham and ACL Carlleyle, who unearthed the main stupa and the 6-metre-long statue of the Reclining Buddha in 1876.

○ Kushinagar is among the very few places in India where the Buddha is depicted in reclining form.

Image Courtesy: IE

● Mahaparinirvana Sutra: ○ In the Mahaparinirvana sutra, the Buddha tells his followers that they can

attain merit and a noble rebirth by going on pilgrimage to the places where he was born Lumbini, gained enlightenment Bodhgaya, first taught Sarnath, and attained Nirvana Kushinagar.

Buddhist Circuit ● The holy places of Buddhism, where Lord Buddha was born and He taught,

preached, and attained ‘Enlightenment’ and ‘Nirvana’, are termed as Buddhist Circuit.

● Vision: ○ The Buddhist Circuit is transformed from a collection of sites to a holistic

tourism experience that appeals to various traveller segments from which revenues and jobs generated make a measurable contribution to improving the quality of local life.

● Religious Significance: ○ These are the spiritual homes of Buddhism, housing temples and

monasteries of high religious significance, where followers of Buddhism associate themselves with the teachings of Lord Buddha.

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○ The Buddhist Circuit has evolved as tourist centres for not only the followers of Buddhism but also others.

● International Circuit: ○ In 2016, the Ministry of Tourism announced the Buddhist Circuit as the

country’s first transnational tourism circuit, covering sites in Nepal and Sri

Lanka alongside those in India. ● Buddhist Tourism Sites:

○ The ministry’s map of the Buddhist Circuit includes: ■ Bodh Gaya, Vaishali, and Rajgir in Bihar, ■ Kushinagar, Sarnath, and Shravasti in UP, and ■ Lumbini in Nepal.

● The major strengths of the Buddhist Circuit are: ○ It is “known” to Buddhists. ○ Already well-established as a major pilgrimage route. ○ A global market of 450 million Buddhists. ○ All countries with strong Buddhist cultures have monasteries on the circuit. ○ The importance of the Buddhist Circuit makes it attractive to non-

Buddhists.

Image Courtesy: Maps of India

Threats to the Buddhist Circuit ● Destruction and Pollution of Buddhist Heritage:

○ Population pressures and competition for resources may lead to encroachment of Buddhist sites

○ Traffic congestion around sites is potentially hazardous.

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○ Air pollution may damage ancient relics (this is already happening in some places)

○ Destruction of relics and sites due to a lack of awareness and sensitivity towards the fragility of ancient sites

● Conflict of Traditions and Practices: ○ Buddhist sites set in Hindu and Muslim dominated communities may

dilute Buddhist character and experience. ○ Lack of understanding among locals and pilgrims of respective lifestyles,

needs, and traditions may cause insensitivity and conflict. ● Compromised Visitor Safety:

○ Hazardous road conditions may compromise the transportation safety of tourists.

○ Lack of hygiene and poor food safety standards may threaten visitor health and taint the circuit’s brand.

● Overlapping Government Mandates Result in Inaction: ○ There are multiple government agencies at the village, municipal, district,

state and federal with unclear and in some cases overlapping mandates over sites on the Buddhist Circuit, aspects of connectivity, infrastructure development and market development;

○ This threatens the viability of collective actions that might contribute to the transformation envisaged by stakeholders

Cultural Diplomacy: Significance ● Boosting Revenues:

○ There is an awareness in the government that the absence of tourist infrastructure is a major reason why India loses out to Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia and Thailand.

○ The hope is that world-class facilities will be able to attract Buddhist tourists to India and boost revenues and employment generation.

● Buddhist Circuit Train: ○ A Buddhist Circuit tourist train covers all destinations in 14 days, and

helicopter services and more airports are in the pipeline. ● Cultural Connect:

○ The internet, the social networking sites, our television channels, Indian movies, especially Bollywood, and visits by acclaimed musical and cultural troupes and theatre groups have contributed to the cultural connectivity across borders.

● India - Original centre of Buddhism: ○ The push is intended to assert and consolidate India’s position as the

original centre of Buddhism, against the claims from China.

Challenges ● Low Footfall:

○ It is surprising that while Buddhism originated in India and seven of the eight main Buddhist pilgrimage sites are in India, India gets not even 1 per cent of Buddhist pilgrims in the world.

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● Poor Amenities: ○ Lack of proper infrastructure and basic amenities, poor road conditions and

absence of direct air connectivity have proved to be bottlenecks for Buddhist travellers.

● Barriers for Businesses: ○ The tourism industry on the Buddhist Circuit has built up a solid

foundation that can now be leveraged for expansion. However, there are barriers to the entry and expansion of new businesses.

○ According to surveys in several economies, most tourism operators consider taxes (both in terms of high rates and compliance costs) as substantial obstacles to business and investment.

Way Ahead ● Cultural diplomacy and soft power are important instruments in regional and

international cooperation and are of particular relevance in South Asia. ● Culture and cultural diplomacy have emerged as the force to connect and to build

bilateral relations. ● India needs to disseminate its soft power through the institutions of cultural

diplomacy for greater international understanding, peace and harmony. ● Also, Indians have a responsibility to understand, nurture, strengthen and

conserve this heritage for our future generations.

Gautam Buddha ● Buddha was born as the prince Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BC in Lumbini, and

he lived until the age of 29 with his parents in the Shakya capital of Kapilavastu. ● He attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya and gave his first

sermon at Sarnath near Varanasi. ● He taught in the area around Rajgir, where he was living in a forest monastery

built by king Bimbisara of Magadha, and he lived the largest part of his life as The Buddha in Shravasti.

● He delivered his last sermon in Vaishali.

Reclining Buddha ● A reclining Buddha statue or image represents the Buddha during his last illness,

about to enter Parinirvana, the stage of great salvation after death that can only be attained by enlightened souls.

● The Buddha’s death came when he was 80 years old, in a state of meditation, in Kushinagar in eastern Uttar Pradesh, close to the state’s border with Bihar.

● The Reclining Buddha comes from this very well-recorded final moment of the Buddha’s life, which is why it could be recreated visually with such distinct details in statues and paintings.

● This also signifies the Buddha’s last Deeksha — even while on his deathbed, he took a follower into the fold.

● Statues and images of the Reclining Buddha show him lying on his right side, his head resting on a cushion or on his right elbow. It is a popular iconographic depiction in Buddhism and is meant to show that all beings have the potential to

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be awakened and be released from the cycle of death and rebirth. ● The Reclining Buddha was first depicted in Gandhara art, which began in the

period between 50 BC and 75 AD, and peaked during the Kushana period from the first to the fifth centuries AD

● Since the Buddha was against idol worship, in the centuries immediately following his parinirvana (483 BC), his representation was through symbols. As the devotional aspect subsequently entered Buddhist practise, however, iconographic representations of The Buddha began.

Reclining Buddha outside India ● In Sri Lanka and India, the Buddha is mostly shown in sitting postures, while

the reclining postures are more prevalent in Thailand and other parts of South-East Asia.

● The largest reclining Buddha in the world is the 600-foot Winsein Tawya

Buddha built-in 1992 in Mawlamyine, Myanmar. ● In the late 15th century, a 70-metre statue of the Reclining Buddha was built at

the Hindu temple site of Baphuon in Cambodia’s Angkor. ● The Bhamala Buddha Parinirvana in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,

which dates back to the 2nd century AD, is considered the oldest statue of its kind in the world.

● There are several statues of the Reclining Buddha in China, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Source: IE

Art & Culture

Bhaskarabda Calendar

Syllabus: GS1/ Indian Culture - Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

In News ● The Bhaskarabda calendar will be added to the Saka and Gregorian in the official

calendar of the Assam government.

About ● Bhaskarabda is an era counted from the date of the ascension of Bhaskar Varman,

7th-century local ruler of Kamrup and contemporary of Harshavardhana. ● It is a lunisolar calendar. ● Bhaskarabda began when Bhaskaravarman was crowned ruler of the Kamrupa

kingdom. ● The themes of this calendar could be wildlife, plants, culture, cuisine and other

aspects of Assam. ● Unlike the Gregorian, where a day starts at midnight, the Assamese calendar

begins and ends at sunrise over 24 hours.

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● While the Gregorian goes by the solar cycle, the Saka and Bhaskarabda use a lunisolar system based on both the phases of the moon and the solar year.

● The gap between Bhaskarabda and Gregorian is 593 years. ● In addition to Saka and Gregorian, Bhaskarabda will be used in the official

calendar by the Assam government.

Bhaskar Varman (600–650 AD) ● Bhaskar Varman, the last of the Varman dynasty, was perhaps the most illustrious

of the kings of the medieval Kamarupa. ● After being captured by the Gauda king during the reign of his father, he was able

to re-establish the rule of the Varman's. ● He made political alliances with Harshavardhana of Thaneswar, against the

alliance of the Gauda and East Malwa. He is known for this alliance against Shashanka, the first major ruler of Bengal (Karna suvarna).

● He was visited by Chinese pilgrims, Xuanzang and Li Yi-piao, the envoy of the Tang dynasty who has left accounts of the king and the kingdom.

● Bhaskaravarman came to power after his brother Supratisthitavarman had died. He was the first Kamarupa king to claim descent from the mythical Narakasura, Bhagadatta and Vajradatta.

● He issued the Dubi and Nidhanpur copper plate grants, re-issued after his ancestor Bhutivarman, and a clay seal found in Nalanda.

Type of Calendars

● Solar ● Any dating system is based on the seasonal year of approximately 365 1/4 days, the time it takes the Earth to revolve once around the Sun.

● Lunar ● Any dating system is based on a year consisting of synodic months—i.e., complete cycles of phases of the Moon.

● Luni-Solar ● In the lunisolar calendar, months are lunar but years are solar, it was used in the early civilizations of the whole Middle East and in Greece.

Various Calendars in India ● In India, four types of calendars are followed:

○ Vikram Samvat (Hindu lunar calendar) ○ Saka Samvat (Hindu Solar calendar) ○ Hijri Calendar (Islamic lunar calendar) ○ Gregorian Calendar (Scientific solar calendar)- followed universally

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● Vikram Samvat: ○ Dates back to 57 B.C. ○ Introduced by King Vikramaditya to mark his victory over the Saka rulers. ○ 57 B.C. is the zero years. ○ It is a lunar calendar as it is based on the movement of the moon. ○ Every year is divided into 12 months and each month is divided into two

phases. ○ The bright half is called the Shuklapaksha (15 days). It starts with the new

moon and ends with a full moon. ○ The dark half is called the Krishna paksha (15 days). It starts with the full

moon and ends with a new moon. ○ The month begins with the dark half. ○ There are 354 days in a year. ○ Hence every third and fifth year in a cycle of five years has 13 months (the

13th month is called Adhik Mass). ● Saka Samvat:

○ The zero year of Saka Samvat is 78 A.D. ○ It was started by Saka rulers to mark their victory over Kushanas. ○ It is a solar calendar. ○ It was adopted by the Government of India as the official calendar in the

year 1957. ○ Every year has 365 days. ○ The names of the months in Saka Calendar are:

■ Chhaitra (March 21 – April 20) ■ Vaishakha (April 21-May 21) ■ Jyeshtha (May 22-June 21) ■ Ashadha (June 22- July 22) ■ Shravana (July 23-August 22) ■ Bhaadra (August 22-September 22) ■ Ashwin (September 23-October 22) ■ Kartika (October 23-November 21) ■ Agrahayana (November 22-December 21) ■ Pausha (December 22-January 20) ■ Magha (January 21- February 19) and ■ Phalguna (February 20-March 20/21)

● Hijri calendar: ○ It is a lunar calendar. ○ The zero year is 622 A.D. ○ It was initially started and followed in Saudi Arabia. ○ Every year has 12 months and 354 days. ○ The first month is called Muharram. ○ Ninth month is called Ramadan. During this month, Muslims observe a fast

for the purification of souls. The morning breakfast is called Shehri and evening food is called Iftar.

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○ The 12 months of the calendar are: ■ Muharram ■ Safar ■ Rabi’ al-awwal (Rabi’ I) ■ Rabi’ al-thani (Rabi’ II) ■ Jumada al-awwal (Jumada I) ■ Jumada al-thani (Jumada II) ■ Rajab ■ Sha’ban ■ Ramadan ■ Shawwal ■ Dhu al-Qi’dah ■ Dhu al-Hijjah

● Gregorian calendar: ○ Scientific calendar. ○ Every year has 364.25 days. ○ It is a solar calendar and is followed universally.

Source: TH

International Relations

India, Israel to renew negotiations on FTA

Syllabus: GS 2, International Relations, India- Israel Relation

In News

● Recently, India and Israel agreed to resume long-pending negotiations on a free

trade agreement, as External Affairs Minister met his Israeli counterpart in

Jerusalem

○ Israel accepts travel for Indians with Covishield jab.

Key Highlights of the recent meeting between Foreign Ministers of two Nations

● Free Trade Agreement:

○ The push for an FTA between the two countries is the latest in a series of

attempts to negotiate a trade agreement over the past 14 years.

○ Both in 2007, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and in 2017, Prime

Minister Narendra Modi announced that an FTA would be completed,

■ But talks have lapsed over a number of issues, including Israel’s

reluctance to include an agreement on services in trade.

○ During the last round of talks, both sides explored the possibility of a

Preferential Trade Agreement for about 200 goods.

■ It had also not been concluded.

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● Vaccine Diplomacy:

○ India and Israel have agreed to mutually recognise each other’s vaccination

process “in principle”.

○ Although for the moment Israel will only allow Indians vaccinated with

Covishield to travel there.

○ As Covaxin is still awaiting an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) from

the World Health Organisation.

● Quadrilateral Meeting:

○ The quadrilateral meeting is an outcome of last year’s Abraham Accords.

○ Which was brokered by the U.S. to establish diplomatic ties between UAE

and Israel,

○ It also underlines India’s close relationships with both the West Asian

countries and Washington.

Reasons for Trade Negotiations

● The latest effort for an FTA with Israel comes on the back of the government’s

recent drive to resume a number of trade negotiations

● The government has so far committed to resuming talks with the U.K., Australia

and the European Union,

○ Expressing the hope they would also be concluded in 2022.

● It will open the Israeli market for Indian businesses in a more favourable way.

India-Israel Cooperation

● Both the countries have helped each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. The

bilateral relations between India and Israel are extensive.

● Green Growth - Green Economy:

○ Israel would join the India-France led International Solar Alliance (ISA),

ahead of the next U.N. Climate Change COP26 summit in Glasgow.

○ It will help tackle climate change and also cooperation on technology to

mitigate its effects.

● Military Relations:

○ Both are trying to create a new QUAD with UAE and USA.

○ India is the largest buyer of military equipment from Israel

■ While Israel is the second-largest supplier of military equipment

to India following Russia.

○ Military and strategic ties also extend to joint military training and

intelligence-sharing on terrorist groups.

● Water and Agriculture:

○ Israel is one of the foremost technology superpowers in areas like

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■ rainwater harvesting,

■ use of oceanic water and

■ using that for irrigation in the driest land.

○ It helps India to face its water-stressed condition.

● Economic Relations:

○ India is one of the largest Asian trade partners of Israel.

○ Both the countries are negotiating an extensive bilateral free-trade

agreement that focuses on areas like

■ biotechnology,

■ information technology and

■ agriculture.

Way Ahead

● Expedite talks on FTA:

○ The two sides must expedite talks on trade and investment in an effort to

take bilateral ties to the next level.

○ A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as well as a Bilateral Investment Treaty

(BIT) at the “earliest” would forge greater business-to-business ties.

● Enhancing Global Impact:

○ Indian and Israeli innovation ecosystems together can create a global

impact.

○ It will scale up India's manufacturing sectors.

○ It will also bring greater partnership in new R&D projects in India in areas

like digital healthcare, agriculture and water.

● Shifting gears into a new phase:

○ Benjamin Netanyahu, previous PM of Israel, termed Israel’s relations with

India as a "marriage made in heaven but consecrated here on earth".

New QUAD ● Members:

○ India ○ UAE ○ Israel ○ USA

● The group will act as an “international economic forum”. ○ It will work on furthering the economic and political ties between the four

countries. ● Agenda of the group

○ Geopolitical Cooperation: ■ It is likely to be India’s only new coalition in the region. ■ It will provide a thrust to new regionalism to the west involving

India.

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○ Extended neighbourhood: ■ It will open the door for extending the collaboration with other

common regional partners like ● Egypt (Suez Canal), which will lend great strategic depth to

the Indo-Abrahamic accords. ○ Technology cooperation:

■ Beyond trade, there is potential for India, UAE and Israel to collaborate on

● semiconductor design, fabrication to space technology etc ○ Economic Cooperation:

■ Focus on non-military issues like trade, energy, and environment and focus on promoting public goods.

● It will open up new opportunities for India to go for deeper engagement with Israel without risking its relations with the other Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

Source: TH

Indian Economy

Shortage of DAP Fertilizer in India

Syllabus: GS3/Indian Economy & related issues

In News

● Farmers from some of the biggest agricultural states (Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana

& Karnataka) are facing a severe shortage of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) &

muriate of potash (MOP) fertilizers.

Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) Fertilizers

● After urea, Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser is the most widely used one

in the country.

● It contains both Nitrogen and Phosphorus which are primary macro-nutrients.

● It was applied just before or at the beginning of sowing.

● Composition of DAP: N-18% and P2O5 -46%.

Reasons for Shortages

● Spike in the cost of raw materials used to manufacture fertilizers

● Rise in global prices due to logistic issues

● Fixed Subsidies to the Fertilizer Companies

Implications

● Dampers the plantings of Rabi Crops ( Wheat, mustard, potato, onion etc) despite

surplus rains.

● Impact production target due to non-availability of raw materials

● Sharply hike retail prices

● Impact upcoming political elections

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Way Ahead

● Improve Logistics (Ports to the consumption centres)

● Prevent "cartelisation" among fertiliser companies

● Farmers are advised to use a mixture of urea-single super phosphate instead of

DAP.

● Bring urea under nutrient-based subsidy and let farmers think beyond DAP and

MOP.

Source: HT

Polity and Governance

Global Food Security Index 2021

Syllabus: GS 2/Issues Relating to Poverty & Hunger/Issues Relating to Development

In News

● Recently, the Global Food Security index 2021 was released by Economist Impact

and Corteva Agriscience.

○ It is the tenth edition of the index.

About Global Food Security Index (GFSI)

● It considers the issues of food affordability, availability, quality and safety, and natural

resources and resilience across a set of 113 countries.

● The index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model

constructed from 58 unique indicators that measure the drivers of food security

across both developing and developed countries.

● It calls attention to systemic gaps and actions needed to accelerate progress toward

the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030.

● This edition of the GFSI incorporates the "Natural Resources and Resilience"

category into the main index.

■ This category assesses a country’s exposure to the impacts of a

changing climate; its susceptibility to natural resource risks; and

how the country is adapting to these risks, all of which impact the

incidence of food insecurity in a country.

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Image Courtesy:impact.economist.com

Major Highlights of Index

● Top Rankers:

Image Courtesy: impact.economist.com

● Ireland, Australia, the UK, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada,

Japan, France and the US shared the top rank with the overall GFS score in

the range of 77.8 and 80 points on the index.

● India’s Ranking:

○ India is ranked at 71st position with an overall score of 57.2 points but the

country lags behind its neighbours Pakistan and Sri Lanka in terms of food

affordability.

○ Overall, India fared better than Pakistan (75th position), Sri Lanka (77th

Position), Nepal (79th position) and Bangladesh (84th position). But the

country was way behind China (34th position).

● Issues:

○ The findings of the GFS Index 2021 also showed that global food security

has decreased for the second year in a row after seven years of progress

towards the Sustainable Development Goal of achieving zero hunger by

2030.

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○ The index shows that, while countries have made significant strides toward

addressing food insecurity in the past ten years, food systems remain

vulnerable to economic, climatic, and geopolitical shocks.

● Suggestions:

○ Action is imperative at all levels–local, national, and global–to end hunger

and malnourishment and ensure food security for all.

○ The Index shows that to meet these present and emerging future challenges

requires that investments in food security are sustained – from innovation

in climate-resilient crop yields to investing in programs to assist the most

vulnerable.

What is Food Security?

● It is access to enough food by all people at all times for an active and healthy life.

● Three Dimensions: Food availability, Food accessibility & Food affordability.

Importance of Food Security

● 101st position among 116 countries in the GHI 2021 (serious level)

● Nearly 47 million or 4 out of 10 children in India are not meeting their full human

potential because of chronic undernutrition and stunting: UN

Challenges to Food Security in India

● Overpopulation & Poverty: High per cent of people under BPL.

● Lack of storage facilities: Improper storage facilities for grains & cold storage

facilities.

● Transportation infrastructure: Poor roads and inefficient transport systems &

limited reach of Mandies.

● Food Wastage: India being the 2nd largest vegetable producer, encounter a

waste of close to 18% worth INR 44,000 crore ($7 billion) of produce

● Policy & adm issues: Fragmented approach & improper implementation & lack

of monitoring.

● Climatic Change: Like unreliable rainfall, flash floods, cyclones etc

● Lack of Awareness: About food security programmes

● Shift from cultivation of food crops to cultivation of fruits

Indian Initiatives For Food Safety and Security

● “Save Food, Share Food, Share Joy”:

○ It was launched by the FSSAI in December 2017.

○ It aims to promote food sharing among consumers and food businesses

in India, while also targeting the coalition of food collection partners in

the country to fight the issue of hunger and preventing food loss and food

waste.

Web: www.nextias.com 18 Ph. 011-49858612, 8800338066

○ Eat Right India Movement:

■ It was launched by FSSAI in July 2018.

■ Tagline: ‘Sahi Bhojan. Behtar Jeevan’.

■ It aims to improve public health in India and combat negative

nutritional trends to fight lifestyle diseases.

● State Food Safety Index:

■ FSSAI has developed the State Food Safety Index to measure the

performance of states on various parameters of Food Safety.

■ This index is based on the performance of State/ UT on five

significant parameters, namely, Human Resources and

Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing – Infrastructure and

Surveillance, Training & Capacity Building and Consumer

Empowerment.

● Eat Right Mela:

○ The Eat Right Mela would be conducted annually by FSSAI

headquarters in New Delhi.

● This is an infotainment model of a street food festival to engage,

excite and enable citizens to make the right food choices.

● The Mela provides an opportunity to learn about safe food and

healthy diets, including quick tests for adulterants, health and

nutrition benefits of food, dietary advice by experts, information

on Government programmes and initiatives, and much more.

● Poshan (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition)

Abhiyaan:

● It aims at improving nutritional outcomes for children, adolescent

girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

● The programme was launched by the Prime Minister on March 8,

2018, on the occasion of International Women’s Day from

Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.

● It directs the attention of the country towards the problem of

malnutrition and addresses it in a mission mode.

● Mission Poshan 2.0

○ It is an integrated nutrition support programme, to

strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and

outcomes with a focus on developing practices that nurture

health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition.

● National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013:

Web: www.nextias.com 19 Ph. 011-49858612, 8800338066

● It was enacted in July, 2013 which gives legal entitlement to 67% of

the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) to

receive highly subsidized foodgrains.

● Under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), foodgrain

is sold at highly subsidized prices of Rs. 1/-, Rs. 2/- and Rs. 3/-

per kg for nutri-cereals, wheat and rice respectively.

● Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS):

○ It was launched on 2nd October 1975 and it represents one of the

world’s largest and unique programmes for early childhood care

and development.

○ The beneficiaries under the Scheme are children in the age group

of 0-6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers

○ Ministry of Women and Child Development is the implementing

agency

Way Forward

● Agriculture development for small and marginal farmers.

● Infrastructure creation & proper monitoring

● Crop Diversification, establishing Food grain banks

Source: IE

Facts In News

Valmiki Jayanti (Pragat Diwas)

Syllabus: GS1/ Personalities/ Art & Culture

In Context

● Every year, Valmiki Jayanti (Pragat Diwas) is celebrated on the full moon day of

the Ashwin month to mark the birth anniversary of Maharishi Valmiki.

About Maharishi Valmiki

● He is also famous as Adi Kavi and considered as the first poet of the Sanskrit

language and author of the epic Ramayana.

● According to the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama met Valmiki during his period of

exile and interacted with him. Later, Valmiki provided shelter to Devi Sita in his

hermitage when Lord Rama banished her.

● In his hermitage, Kusha and Luv, the twin sons of Lord Rama were born. It is also

believed that Valmiki taught Ramayana to both twins.

Source: TH

Web: www.nextias.com 20 Ph. 011-49858612, 8800338066

Defence

Exercise Konkan Shakti

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

In News

● The UK and India will launch their biggest joint military exercise, Konkan Shakti,

with the re-entry of the UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG) into the western Indian

Ocean waters.

○ Konkan Shakti is the first triservice exercise between the two nations.

○ Another army exercise with the UK, Ajeya Warrior is ongoing in

Uttarakhand.

About

● In the exercise, there will be the re-entry of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG)

into western Indian Ocean waters.

● The CSG, along with HMS Queen Elizabeth, has been on deployment in the Indo-

Pacific waters for all summer.

● Military of the UK engaged with their counterparts in Singapore and Bangladesh.

They also did a “non-provocative deployment” in the South China Sea.

● Deployment of CSG is significant for the UK as it is the biggest deployment after

the end of the Cold War.

Source: TH

Art and Culture

Mahaparinirvana Temple

Syllabus: GS 1/Architecture

In News

● Recently, the Prime Minister of India participated in an event marking

Abhidhamma Day at the Mahaparinirvana Temple in Kushinagar.

About Mahaparinirvana Temple

● It is located in Kushinagar in UP.

● The reclining nirvana statue of Lord Buddha inside the temple is 6.10 mt. long and

is made of monolith red sandstone of the 5th century A.D.

● It represents the ‘Dying-Buddha’ reclining on his right side with his face towards

the west.

● Being the death- place of Lord Buddha, it is a holy place for pilgrimage.

Web: www.nextias.com 21 Ph. 011-49858612, 8800338066

What is Abhidhamma Day?

● The day marks the end of a three-month rainy retreat - Varshavaas or Vassa -

for the Buddhist monks and nuns during which time they stay at one place and

pray.

● The Union culture ministry and International Buddhist Confederation, in

association with the government of Uttar Pradesh, is organising the

Abhidhamma Day on the auspicious occasion of Ashwin Poornima.

● This day is mostly celebrated in countries where Buddhism is practised by the

majority of the population.

○ According to widely held belief, this is the day when Lord Buddha came

back to earth from heaven.

○ He is believed to have gone to heaven to teach Abhidhamma Pitaka (a

basket of ultimate things) to his mother.

○ The teaching took three months after which Buddha came back to Earth.

His followers too mark the three-month time by staying at one place and

praying.

Source: PIB

Biodiversity and Environment

Micro Snail Species

Syllabus: GS 3/Species in News

In News

● A micro snail species named Georissa mawsmaiensis has recently been

discovered from Mawsmai caves.

○ The last time a species of the Georissa genus was discovered in India was

170 years ago in 1851.

About

Image Courtesy:DTE

Web: www.nextias.com 22 Ph. 011-49858612, 8800338066

● New species of snail were discovered in Meghalaya by a team of scientists at

ATREE.

● Five species of cave-dwelling snails have been reported from the caves of

Meghalaya.

● The researchers, however, worry that the high tourist influx to the cave will be a

major threat to the species.

● The members of the Georissa genus are widely distributed across and reported

from Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

○ However, they are confined to microhabitats consisting of limestone caves

or karst landscapes formed by the dissolution of limestone.

● Distribution: Georissa is found in soil or subterranean habitats in lowland

tropical forests as well as high altitude evergreen forests or on rock surfaces rich

in calcium.

Mawsmai Cave

● It is a limestone cave and is situated in the small village of Mawsmai, around

four kilometres from Cherrapunjee (Sohra) in the East Khasi Hills district of

Meghalaya.

● The term ‘Mawsmai’ means ‘Oath Stone’ in the Khasi language. The Khasi

people use the local term ‘Krem’ for the cave.

● Mawsmai cave is located at an altitude of 1,195 metres above sea level and is indirectly influenced by the streams of the Kynshi river originating from the East Khasi Hills.

● The Mawsmai cave is one of the major tourist attractions in Meghalaya.

● Some changes have been made to increase the aesthetics of the cave, such as

artificial lights and cemented floor and steps.

● These changes, along with the high tourist influx, may pose threat to this micro

snail species including other cave faunas.

Source: DTE

Science and Technology

Mastitis

Syllabus: GS 3/Developments, Applications & Effects on Everyday Life/Achievements

of Indians in S&T/Indigenisation of Technology

In News

● A poly-herbal and cost-effective medicine has been developed to treat Mastitis.

Web: www.nextias.com 23 Ph. 011-49858612, 8800338066

About

● The medicine called Mastirak Gel was developed by National Innovation

Foundation (NIF).

● It has been developed utilising indigenous knowledge systems shared by a farmer

from Gujarat.

○ It has been commercialized through the industry partner Rakesh

Pharmaceuticals.

● A gel preparation has been developed for topical application over the affected

udder surface.

● Benefits :

○ It was found that the medication could minimize Somatic Cell Count (SCC)

and improve the udder health.

■ The Somatic Cell Count is a parameter noted globally, and efforts

are fine-tuned in reducing the SCC in milk at the standard limit.

○ Polyherbal medicine reduces inflammation which is detrimental to the

udder.

■ Dairy owners in eight states of the country --- Gujarat, Rajasthan,

Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and

Chhattisgarh have benefited by adopting Mastorak-anti mastitis

herbal medication. It has reduced the use of antibiotics and helped

in the cost-effective management of the disease.

About Mastitis

● It is an infectious disease of dairy cattle resulting in an inflammatory reaction in

the mammary gland of the cow.

● It is characterized by various degrees of severity - ranging from a mild disease

with no gross changes in the secretion (milk) but an increase in inflammatory cells

(somatic cells) in the milk.

● It may be accompanied by signs of inflammation in the mammary gland including

swelling, redness, and painfulness.

● It affects farm productivity due to a fall in milk quality, thus impacting income-

generating activities.

Source: PIB

Web: www.nextias.com 24 Ph. 011-49858612, 8800338066

Places In News

Tigray Region

Syllabus: GS1/Places In News

In News

● Recently, airstrikes hit the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region in an ongoing

internal armed conflict.

Tigray Region

● Tigray is the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia ( Africa’s second-most

populous country).

● Tigray region is known for its mountainous terrains that have often helped the

people protect their territory from invaders, such as the Greeks, the Turkish, and

the Italians.

● It is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob and Kunama peoples.

● It is also known as Region 1 according to the federal constitution.

● Capital and largest city: Mekelle.

● Border Areas: Eritrea (North), Sudan (West), the Amhara Region (South), and the

Afar Region (East and South East).

Image Courtesy: VOA

Tigray War

● In early November 2020, the region and the Ethiopian federal government entered

into conflict.

● The conflict escalated in September when Tigray held local elections in

insubordination to the Ethiopian federal government.

● These elections were considered “illegal” by the federal government, further

leading to conflict with Tigray authorities.

Source: TH