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Weekly Current Affairs – February Second Week

1. Teen Age Girls in India – Problems and measures

2. Lion Conservation

3. GSAT-31

4. Rohingya deportation

5. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) facility

6. Mega Food Parks

7. Forest Rights Act

8. Good Jobs – Challenges and Measures

9. Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)

10. Mains- based question - African countries - Natural resources -poor economic

development

11. National Deworming Day (NDD)

12. Arundhati Scheme

13. Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)

14. International IP Index 2019

15. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Teen Age Girls in India – Problems and measures

Context

Teen age girls in India face peculiar challenges in life and need separate attention of the

government.

Teen age is usually referred to as the age between 13 and 19. Recently, Teen Age Girls

(TAG) Report 2018, was released by ‘Nanhi Kali’, a project by the Naandi Foundation,

which works with adolescent girls. As per report there are about 80 million teenage girls

in India.

Some findings of teen age girls report:

Every second teenage girl is anaemic and underweight with a low Body Mass Index.

Girls in wealthy households are likely to have normal haemoglobin levels.

Tripura performed the worst with only 35.5% teenage girls having normal haemoglobin

levels, followed by Punjab (40.7%), Gujarat (41.3%) and Telangana (42%). Manipur had

the best score at (89.4%).

Problems faced by teen age girls in India:

Gender discrimination

National Family Health Survey1 (NFHS-4) shows that only 41% women have freedom of

mobility in India, the Economic Survey highlighted the ‘meta preference’ for sons.

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TAG report found that only 23% teenage girls have access to a mobile phone.

About 47% women aged between 20 and 24 were married before the age of 18 in India,

as per government figures.

Indian society puts young women on the lowest rung of the social ladder, as patriarchal

setup considers girls to be a burden.

Indian girls experience about one and a half month shorter breastfeeding duration than

boys.

Inadequate physical and mental health:

Low weight and anemia in teen age girls is a result of inadequate nutrition.

Government schemes usually focus on calorie intake whereas supply of essential

nutrients is insufficient in government rations.

Pregnant women in rural areas cook family meals but often eat only leftovers, which

affects their physical health.

Inadequate menstrual hygiene awareness leads to infections like urinary tract infection,

urogenital, yeast and fungal infections.

Underfed and overworked women give birth to stunted and malnourished children which

causes mental agony in case of child mortality.

Adolescence related bodily changes: Teen age is a phase of rapid transition of mental and

physical growth. Menstruation, for example, often strikes as a phase of trauma for girls

who experience intense pain and in some cases hormonal imbalance during this phase.

Lack of emotional support: Indian society does not promote open deliberations and

counseling between parents and girl child on issues like menstruation, feelings of

depression and emotional turmoil which characterize teen age. Suicides among

adolescents are higher than any other age groups in India.

Sexual abuse

Teen age girls face sexual abuse within homes which leads to severe mental trauma and

helplessness.

Sexual abuse outside homes is a major cause of teen age girl’s school dropouts and

hampers girl education.

Considering the multifarious and deep-rooted problems faced by teen age girls in India,

there is a need to consider this section as a high risk and high vulnerability lot which

demands urgent attention through affirmative action by the government.

Some analysts have suggested a separate allocation for teen age girls in the budget which should

focus on following aspects:

Education of girl child: Although female literacy in India is around 65% but it is highly

skewed among states. Female education in India is best approached as a half-hearted

exercise which lacks long term women empowerment and independence vision.

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Give girls a strong foundation through early childhood development (ECD) programs to

remove early childhood disadvantages. These programs include administering better

nutrition, stimulation, and basic cognitive skills.

Income related hindrances to girl education could be reduced through conditional cash

transfers. One such program in Yemen has been able to capture 40,000 girls from

disadvantaged communities.

Providing girls with job-relevant skills that employers actually demand, or that they can

use in launching their own business. This would also improve female LFPR.

Health related interventions: Addressing the needs of girls and women throughout their

lives i.e. “life cycle approach” should be adopted which includes:

Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of an infant’s life, which benefits both

mother and child. Breastfeeding for up to two years can also help mothers keep their iron

levels up by delaying the return of menstruation.

During childhood girls should receive appropriate food including supplements of iron and

other nutrients like iodine.

During adolescence girls need access to information and services related to nutrition,

reproductive health, family planning, and general health through avenues like schools,

workplaces, marriage registration systems, and youth-oriented health programs.

Teaching girls to use their knowledge of nutrition when preparing and handling food can

also improve their health and that of their families.

Behavioral change and parental support: Government efforts must be directed at parent

education and their role in providing the scaffold that a child needs during teen age.

Parents should engage more with their children who experience identity crisis during

adolescence. This would be helpful in managing child’s emotional turmoil and prevent

them from developing mal-adaptive attitudes.

Parental engagement would open a girl to report instances of child abuse within family

and also outside homes.

Efforts of the government for teen age girls in India

Weekly Iron folic acid supplementation (WIFS): The Programme envisages

administration of supervised weekly IFA Supplementation and biannual deworming

tablets to approximately 13 crore rural and urban adolescents through Government aided

and municipal school and anganwadi Kendra to combat the intergenerational cycle of

anemia.

Menstrual hygiene scheme: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has

introduced a scheme for promotion of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the

age group of 10-19 year in rural areas by providing sanitary napkin packs.

Kishori Shakti Yojna: Under this, unmarried and school drop outs of the BPL families are

selected and in the local Anganwadi centers, they are included in the teaching and

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training activities for 6 months. The purpose of this scheme is to provide confidence and

to increase the spirit of enthusiasm and self-esteem of teen age girls between 11 and 19

years.

Balika Samridhi Yojana: The scheme’s aims at changing the negative attitude of families

and communities towards the girl child, to increase enrolment and retention of girls in

schools, to raise the marriage age of girls and to create income opportunities and

activities. A series of incentives are incorporated into the Yojana, such as a gift of Rs.

500/- on delivery of a baby girl and the condition of an annual scholarship for the girl

child education.

Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA): The scheme

Sabla aims at empowering Adolescent Girls (AGs) (11-18 years) through nutrition, health

care and life skills education. Girls are provided Supplementary Nutrition and health

check-up & referral services, nutrition & health education, life skill education.

Lion Conservation

Context

Three months after at least 20 lions in Gujarat succumbed to a virus, the Centre and the

Gujarat governments have announced a ₹97.85 crore Asiatic Lion Conservation Project.

Details of the project

A key outcome of the project is to have a dedicated veterinary institute, “lion

ambulances”, and back-up stocks of vaccines that may be required. There are close to 600

lions in Gujarat, according to State forest officials at the meeting. However, there has

been no move yet to translocate lions to a location outside Gujarat.

Key aspects of the conservation project include undertaking “habitat improvement”

measures, making more sources of water available, creating a wildlife crime cell, and a

task force for the Greater Gir region.

It would also involve having in place a GPS-based tracking system, which would look at

surveillance tracking, animal and vehicle tracking. There would also be an automated

sensor grid that would have magnetic sensors, movement sensors and infra-red heat

sensors.

Translocation of lions

The big cat population in Gujarat is the last of the Asiatic lions in the wild. In 2013, the

Supreme Court had issued an order in this regard. Under this, lions from Gujarat are to be

relocated to the Kuno sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. This was ordered as a check against

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the threat of epidemic. A smaller population with limited genetic strength are more

vulnerable to diseases and calamities than a large and widespread population.

The court noted how 30% of the lion population in Tanzania’s Serengeti was killed due

to an outbreak of a viral disease. Asiatic lion has been restricted to only one single habitat

i.e. the Gir National Forest and its surrounding areas.

So an outbreak of possible epidemic or natural calamity might wipe off the entire species.

Very recently, after the series of deaths, the Supreme Court has asked the Central

government to look into it.

Gujarat has been unwilling to relocate its lions, calling them “its pride”. Gujarat has

responded that lions are now spread over the Greater Gir region and this reduces the

threat.

When ill, lions are routinely picked up, medically treated, and then released. It thus said

that good conservation practices and intensive wildlife healthcare had lead to epidemic

free regime.

It has also said that the lions there are metapopulations in the State, which may be

geographically separate but have interactions and an exchange of individuals. So the

current Asiatic lion population is not a single population confined to one place. It consists

of “metapopulation spread over several locations within the Greater Gir Region”.

When wild animals go extinct locally, they are reintroduced as in the case of tigers in

Sariska, Rajasthan. When hungry, they are fed artificially, and even provided salts as

supplements. In other parts of India, wild animals are funnelled through artificial

trenches, barriers and fences.

But this is wildlife conservation in the age of man, where protected areas sometimes

resemble zoos. In nature, wildlife conservation concerns itself with maintaining

ecological processes and reducing threats to endangered species.

This does not entail treating wild animals for disease as done for domestic animals. As it

is not conducive to the ‘natural’ process of life and death, goes against the natural

selection processes, and ultimately compromises immunity. So intensive artificial

medical treatment of wild animals does not augur well for long-term sustainability

There is a committee of experts from both States examining the suitability of Madhya

Pradesh as a potential lion reserve. Secondly, we also have to comply with certain

guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (on selecting suitable

habitat, translocation),” said Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Gujarat.

The Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh was identified to be the most

suitable for reintroducing the species, according to a Supreme Court-appointed technical

expert committee, but there has been no progress on the proposal.

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GSAT-31

Context

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched its 40th communication

satellite GSAT-31 by an Ariane 5 rocket from the spaceport in French Guiana on

February 6.

What is the GSAT-31 communication satellite?

With a mission life of 15 years, the GSAT-31 will aim to provide continuity to

operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites and augment the Ku-band

transponder capacity in Geostationary Orbit. Weighing around 2,535 kg, the satellite

provides Indian mainland and island coverage.

What purpose will it be used for?

As per ISRO, the GSAT-31 will be used for supporting VSAT networks, television

uplinks, digital satellite news gathering, DTH television services, cellular back haul

connectivity and many such applications.

It will also provide wide beam coverage to facilitate communication over large oceanic

region comprising vast swathes of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian

Ocean using wideband transponder. Besides, two Ku-band beacon downlink signals are

transmitted for ground tracking purpose.

From where was it launched?

The GSAT-31 was launched onboard the Ariane-5 (VA247) from Kourou in French

Guiana.

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Rohingya deportation

Context

India deported a few Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar in October 2018 by handing

over them to Myanmar authorities.

Rohingyas migrants were staying in India since 2012 in a detention center in Assam. As

per Indian government more than 14,000 Rohingya people, registered with the UN

refugee agency UNHCR, stay in India. However, unofficial agencies estimate about

40,000 Rohingya people in the country.

The Rohingya are Burma’s Muslim minority who reside in the northern parts of the

Rakhine region (historically known as Arakan), a geographically isolated area in western

Burma, bordering Bangladesh.

The Rohingya are ethnically, linguistically, and religiously different from Myanmar’s

dominant Buddhist community. About 1.1 million Rohingyas are said to live in

Myanmar’s Rakhine region, which is Myanmar’s least developed region, with more than

78 per cent of households living below the poverty line.

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The government’s stand to deport Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar has been criticized on

following grounds:

Against international law: Although India is not a party to Refugee Convention 1951 or

its 1967 protocol but as per Advisory Opinion on the Extraterritorial Application of Non-

Refoulement Obligations, UNHCR, 2007, the principle of non-refoulement is binding on

all States, including those which have not yet become party to the 1951 Convention or its

Protocol.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 14 of the Declaration provides that

everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. The

UN believes that Indian government has an international legal obligation to acknowledge

the persecution and gross human rights violations these people have faced in their

country.

Against constitutional ethos:

Article 51 of the Constitution mandates the state to promote international peace and

security.

Article 51(c) talks about promotion of respect for international law and treaty obligations.

Therefore, the Constitution conceives of incorporation of international law into the

domestic realm.

Foreign citizens are entitled to the right to equality and the right to life, among others, in

Indian constitution. Sending them back to Myanmar is akin to depriving them of their

right to life and personal liberty and ensuring their near-certain death.

Citizenship (Amendment) Bill of 2019:

The bill excludes Muslims from its purview and seeks to provide citizenship only to

Hindu, Christian, Jain, Parsi, Sikh and Buddhist immigrants persecuted in Bangladesh,

Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This limitation on the basis of religion is against ‘equality’ under Article 14 of the

Constitution and against the basic feature of secularism.

Denial of citizenship rights: None of the 12 persons who have been deported so far have

been given citizenship rights in Myanmar, although the Union government had assured

the Supreme Court that they would be given these rights once they were returned.

Diverts from India’s cultural principles: Indian culture has always accepted the world as

an extended family (Vasudeva Kutumbakam) and Rohingya are among world’s least

wanted and most persecuted people who seek shelter in India, but their deportation is

against established principles.

However Indian government’s deportation of Rohingyas can be justified on the basis of

following facts:

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Illegal immigrants: Rohingyas sneaked into India as illegal immigrants thus violating the

Foreigners Act.

Socio-economic crisis: Sustaining a large population of Rohingyas is difficult for a

country like India which already faces extreme poverty and has resulted into social unrest

in North Eastern states.

Non-signatory to Refugee Convention: India is neither a signatory to the Refugee

Convention 1951 nor its 1967 Protocol, hence is not bound to follow the principle of non-

refoulement.

Relations with Myanmar: India’s support to Rohingyas and censure of Myanmar would

antagonize Myanmarese government which will be an opportunity for China to forge

closer ties with Myanmar. Also geo-strategic concerns like security to North East and its

economy are closely linked with Myanmar.

National security threat: Rohingya Muslims have constituted a few terrorist

organisations, including the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation etc. to wage war and

establish an independent Muslim state under the guidance of few Pakistan based terrorist

organisations.

Supported by Supreme Court: SC allowed deportation of Rohingyas as the court found

them illegal immigrants who have been accepted by their country of origin (Myanmar) as

citizens.

India’s actions make it clear that it would not compromise with the security concerns of

the country while dealing with Rohingya issue. But simultaneously, India has also taken

some measures to ensure safety of Rohingyas:

Taking a clear stand on the issue and a shift from its complacent stand, India, last year,

categorically conveyed to Myanmar that it wants the “safe, secure sustainable” return of the

Rohingya refugees.

Indian government extended help to Bangladesh in providing amenities to the fleeing

Rohingyas, who are being relocated in camps there. India has sent relief materials for

300,000 Rohingyas in September last year under ‘Operation Insaniyat’ to support

Bangladesh in its humanitarian efforts.

India and Myanmar have signed a Rakhine State Development Programme agreement in

January 2018, with an objective of restoration of normalcy in Rakhine State, under which

India would take up a project to build prefabricated housing in Rakhine State for

returning Rohingyas.

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Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) facility

Context

In a boost to energy security of the country, PM recently dedicated to the nation, 1.33

MMT Visakhapatnam Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) facility of Indian Strategic

Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL). The cost of the Project is Rs. 1125 crore. The

Facility has the largest underground storage compartment in the country.

About SPR programme

To ensure energy security, the Government of India had decided to set up 5 million

metric tons (MMT) of strategic crude oil storages at three locations namely,

Visakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur (near Udupi). These strategic storages would be in

addition to the existing storages of crude oil and petroleum products with the oil

companies and would serve as a cushion during any external supply disruptions.

In the 2017-18 budget, it was announced that two more such caverns will be set up

Chandikhole in Jajpur district of Odisha and Bikaner in Rajasthan as part of the second

phase.

The construction of the Strategic Crude Oil Storage facilities is being managed by Indian

Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL), a Special Purpose Vehicle, which is a

wholly owned subsidiary of Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) under the Ministry

of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

Need for strategic oil reserves

In 1990, as the Gulf war engulfed West Asia, India was in the throes of a major energy

crisis. By all accounts India’s oil reserves at the time were adequate for only three days.

While India managed to avert the crisis then, the threat of energy disruption continues to

present a real danger even today.

It is unlikely that India’s energy needs will dramatically move away from fossil fuels in

the near future. Over 80% of these fuels come from imports, a majority of which is

sourced from West Asia. This is a major strategic risk and poses a massive financial drain

for an embattled economy and its growing current account deficit.

To address energy insecurity, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government mooted the concept

of strategic petroleum reserves in 1998. Today, with India consuming upwards of four

million barrels of crude every day (January 2015 figures), the case for creating such

reserves grows stronger.

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Mega Food Parks

Context

Cremica Food Park is the first mega food park of Himachal Pradesh. The Park is located

at Village Singhain Una District of Himachal Pradesh. It is set up at a cost of Rs 107.34

crore.

India’s first mega food park ‘Srini Mega Food Park’, sprawling 147-acre space, was

opened in Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh in 2012.

Mega Food Park Scheme

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, the

Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing Mega Food Park Scheme in the

country.

The Mega Food Park Scheme is based on “Cluster” approach and envisages creation of

state of art support infrastructure in a well-defined agri/ horticultural zone for setting up

of modern food processing units along with well-established supply chain.

Common facilities and enabling infrastructure is created at Central Processing Centre and

facilities for primary processing and storage is created near the farm in the form of

Primary Processing Centers (PPCs) and Collection Centers (CCs). Under the Scheme, the

Centre provides financial assistance up to Rs 50 crore per mega food park project.

Problems with Indian food parks

Promoters have faced difficulties in selling the new concept to banks and, as a result,

have failed to secure loans to build the parks.

Acquiring the 50 acres of land, which is mandatory under MFPS, has been another

challenge that most developers have failed to address.

Convincing small enterprises to set up shop at these facilities has not been easy.

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Forest Rights Act

Context

The Odisha State Food Commission has again asked the State government to expedite

implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, that would help ensure food and

nutritional security to the vulnerable section of society.

About Forest Rights Act (FRA)

The act was passed in December 2006. It deals with the rights of forest-dwelling

communities over land and other resources. The Act grants legal recognition to the rights

of traditional forest dwelling communities, partially correcting the injustice caused by the

forest laws.

Rights under the Act

Title rights – Ownership to land that is being farmed by tribals or forest dwellers subject

to a maximum of 4 hectares; ownership is only for land that is actually being cultivated

by the concerned family, meaning that no new lands are granted.

Use rights – to minor forest produce (also including ownership), to grazing areas, to

pastoralist routes, etc.

Relief and development rights – to rehabilitation in case of illegal eviction or forced

displacement; and to basic amenities, subject to restrictions for forest protection.

Forest management rights – to protect forests and wildlife.

Eligibility - Eligibility to get rights under the Act is confined to those who “primarily

reside in forests” and who depend on forests and forest land for a livelihood. Further,

either the claimant must be a member of the Scheduled Tribes scheduled in that area or

must have been residing in the forest for 75 years.

Process of recognition of rights

The Act provides that the gram sabha, or village assembly, will initially pass a resolution

recommending whose rights to which resources should be recognised.

This resolution is then screened and approved at the level of the sub-division (or taluka)

and subsequently at the district level.

The screening committees consist of three government officials (Forest, Revenue and

Tribal Welfare departments) and three elected members of the local body at that level.

These committees also hear appeals.

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Good Jobs – Challenges and Measures

Good Job

The definition of a good job depends on a country’s level of economic development.

It is typically a stable formal-sector position that comes with core labour protections such

as safe working conditions, collective bargaining rights, and regulations against arbitrary

dismissal.

It enables at least a middle-class lifestyle, by that country’s standards, with enough

income for housing, food, transportation, education and other family expenses, as well as

some saving.

Why create good jobs?

To achieve inclusive economic prosperity

To provide productive and dependable employment for the vast majority of a country’s

workforce.

Challenges to the creation of good jobs

Low-skilled labour force: Production is becoming increasingly skill-intensive while the

bulk of the labour force remains low-skilled. This generates a gap between the types of

jobs that are created and the types of workers the country has.

Technology and globalization have conspired to widen that gap, with manufacturing and

services becoming increasingly automated and digitized.

Intensification of economic dualism: Every economy is divided between an advanced

segment, typically globally integrated, employing a minority of the labour force, and a

low-productivity segment that absorbs the bulk of the workforce, often at low wages and

under poor conditions. The former one is often at the safer side.

What needs to be done?

Need to improve employment conditions.

Invest in skills and training.

For time being, convince successful firms to employ more unskilled workers.

Boosting an intermediate range of labour-intensive, low-skilled economic activities.

Tourism and non-traditional agriculture are the prime examples of such labour-absorbing

sectors.

Way ahead

Government policy in developed and developing countries alike is too often preoccupied

with boosting the most advanced technologies and promoting the most productive firms.

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But failure to generate good, middle-class jobs has very high social and political costs.

Reducing those costs requires a different focus, geared specifically toward the kind of

jobs that are aligned with an economy’s prevailing skill composition.

Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)

Context

The 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on the conservation of

migratory species of wild animals (CMS) is going to be hosted by India during 15th to

22nd February, 2020 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

India has been a Party to the CMS since 1983. The Conference of Parties (COP) is the

decision-making organ of this convention.

About CMS

In order to protect the migratory species throughout their range countries, a Convention

on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), has been in force, under the aegis of

United Nations Environment Programme.

Also referred to as the Bonn Convention, it provides a global platform for the

conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats and brings

together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the

legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a

migratory range.

Classification of species: Under this convention, migratory species threatened with

extinction are listed on Appendix I and Parties strive towards strictly protecting these

animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to

migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them. Migratory species that

need or would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix

II of the Convention.

CMS is only global and UN-based intergovernmental organization established

exclusively for conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory

species throughout their range.

What are migratory species? Why protect them?

Migratory species are those animals that move from one habitat to another during

different times of the year, due to various factors such as food, sunlight, temperature,

climate, etc.

The movement between habitats, can sometimes exceed thousands of miles/kilometres

for some migratory birds and mammals. A migratory route can involve nesting and also

requires the availability of habitats before and after each migration.

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Why many of the African Countries are poor despite rich in Natural resources?

National Deworming Day (NDD)

Context

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is conducting its eighth round of

National Deworming Day (NDD).

NDD is observed bi-annually on 10th February and 10th August in all states and UTs

followed by mop-up activities. This year the NDD is being conducted on 8th February

and mop up day on the 14th February.

About the National Deworming Day

The National Deworming Day is a single fixed-day approach to treating intestinal worm

infections in all children aged 1- 19 years.

It will mobilize health personnel, state governments and other stakeholders to prioritize

investment in control of Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infections one of the most

common infections.

All the children are provided deworming tablet in schools and anganwadis. Besides the

deworming tablet, various health promotion activities related to Water, Sanitation and

Hygiene (WASH) are organised in schools and anganwadis.

The NDD program is a cost-effective program at scale that continues to reach crores of

children and adolescents with deworming benefits through a safe medicine Albendazole.

Background

India carries the highest burden of worm infestation and 64% of Indian population less

than 14 years of age are at risk of Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) or worms’

infestation (WHO).

Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) interfere with nutrients uptake in children; can lead to

anaemia, malnourishment and impaired mental and physical development.

The situation of undernutrition and anaemia which is linked to STH ranges from 40% to

70% in different population groups across the country (WHO). They also pose a serious

threat to children’s education and productivity later in life.

About Intestinal parasitic worms

They are large multicellular organisms, which when mature can generally be seen with

the naked eye. They are also known as Helminths. They are often referred to as intestinal

worms even though not all helminths reside in the intestines.

Why this is a cause for concern?

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Parasitic worms in children interfere with nutrient uptake, and can contribute to anaemia,

malnourishment, and impaired mental and physical development. Parasitic worms have

also debilitating consequences on the health and education of children, and on their long-

term earning potential.

According to the 2012 report ‘Children in India’, published by the Ministry of Statistics

and Programme Implementation, 48% of children under the age of 5 years are stunted

and 19.8% are wasted, indicating that half of the country’s children are malnourished.

Significance of NDD

Anganwadi and school-based mass deworming program is safe, cost-effective, and can

reach crores of children quickly. Deworming has been shown to reduce absenteeism in

schools; improve health, nutritional, and learning outcomes; and increase the likelihood

of higher-wage jobs later in life.

Deworming with the safe and beneficial Albendazole tablet is an evidence-based,

globally-accepted, and effective solution to controlling worm infections. National

Deworming Day has, thus, been designed to reach all children, regardless of socio-

economic background.

Arundhati Scheme

Context

The government of Assam has announced a new scheme called Arundhati to provide gold

at free of cost to the brides.

Key features

Under the scheme, the government of Assam aims to provide 1 Tola Gold to brides

belonging to all such communities of Assam where it is customary to provide gold at the

time of the wedding.

The scheme is named after Arundhati, wife of great sage Basistha. The government has

set aside Rs 300 cr has been for the implementation of the Arundhati Scheme.

The benefit under Arundhati scheme can be availed upon formal registration of marriages

under Special Marriage (Assam) Rules, 1954.

The scheme is limited for economically weaker sections, whose annual income is below

Rs 5 lakh.

Significance of the scheme

Gold forms an inherent part of Indian weddings. With the introduction of the Arundhati

Scheme, the government wants to stand with those fathers who cannot afford to gift a set

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of gold ornaments to their daughters and would to resort to borrowings and put

themselves in the vicious cycle of debt.

Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)

Context

Vowing to reduce the U.S. deficit with large economies, President Trump is planning to

withdraw the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) from India, the world’s largest

beneficiary of a scheme that has been in force since the 1970s.

Background

The trigger for the latest downturn in trade ties was India’s new rules on e-commerce that

restrict the way Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart-backed Flipkart do business in a rapidly

growing online market set to touch $200 billion by 2027.

That, coming on top of a drive to force global card payments companies such as

Mastercard and Visa to move their data to India and the imposition of higher tariffs on

electronic products and smartphones, left a broader trade package the two sides were

working on through last year in tatters.

Implications

With this, India could lose a vital U.S. trade concession, under which it enjoys zero tariffs

on $5.6 billion of exports to the United States.

Generalised System of Preferences (GSP):

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a U.S. trade program designed to

promote economic growth in the developing world by providing preferential duty-free

entry for up to 4,800 products from 129 designated beneficiary countries and territories.

What is the objective of GSP?

The objective of GSP was to give development support to poor countries by promoting

exports from them into the developed countries. GSP promotes sustainable development

in beneficiary countries by helping these countries to increase and diversify their trade

with the United States. GSP provide opportunities for many of the world’s poorest

countries to use trade to grow their economies and climb out of poverty.

Benefits of GSP

Indian exporters benefit indirectly – through the benefit that accrues to the importer by

way of reduced tariff or duty free entry of eligible Indian products.

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Reduction or removal of import duty on an Indian product makes it more competitive to

the importer – other things (e.g. quality) being equal.

This tariff preference helps new exporters to penetrate a market and established exporters

to increase their market share and to improve upon the profit margins, in the donor

country.

International IP Index 2019

Context

The International IP Index 2019 has been released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s

Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC).

What is IIP index?

Released by GIPC, the Index evaluates the IP infrastructure in each economy based on 45

unique indicators, which are critical to the growth of effective IP systems.

The indicators encompass 8 categories of IP protection: patents, copyrights, trademarks,

trade secrets, commercialization of IP assets, enforcement, systemic efficiency, and

membership and ratification of international treaties.

The 2019 Index demonstrates the close correlation between effective IP protection and

economic growth, global competitiveness, and the creation of 21st century knowledge-

based economies.

Performance of India and the factors responsible

India is placed at rank 36th this year. In 2018, India was ranked 44 out of 50 countries. In

the first edition of the report in 2014, India had ranked last in the ranking of 25 countries.

Among major global economies, most substantial movement can be seen from India,

which has surged almost 20% and climbed eight places in the IP Index rankings from

44th to 36th.

The increase in India’s ranking is a result of specific reforms that better align India’s IP

environment with the international IP system, including its accession to the WIPO

Internet Treaties, the agreement to initiate a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) with

Japan, a dedicated set of IP incentives for small business, and administrative reforms to

address the patent backlog.

Challenges ahead for India

The improvement is a “real accomplishment” but substantial challenges persist,

particularly regarding the country’s patenting and IP enforcement environments.

The weakness of India as highlighted in the report are barriers to licensing and

technology transfer, including strict registration norms, limited framework for the

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protection of biopharmaceutical IP rights, patentability rules outside international

standards, lengthy pre-grant opposition proceedings and previously used compulsory

licensing for commercial and non-emergency situations as key hurdles.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Context

Macedonia has signed accession papers with NATO. The signing of accession papers

allows Macedonia take part in NATO ministerial meetings as an invitee.

To acquire full membership, all 29 current members must ratify the accession protocol.

Why is Russia worried about these developments?

Russia has raised concerns against Macedonia becoming part of NATO. Russia has

always accused NATO of destabilising the Balkans by pushing Macedonia and

Montenegro to join NATO.

Russia sees Balkan nations as its sphere of influence and is against NATO or any other

body led by US or EU making inroads to these Balkan countries.

Russia is mainly concerned because NATO’s membership provides a guarantee of mutual

defence, provides a welcome insurance policy against possible incursions. Russia

perceives this as an attempt by the west to contain it by making inroads to the areas

which Russia considers its sphere of influence.

About North Atlantic Treaty Organization (North Atlantic Alliance):

It is an intergovernmental military alliance.

Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949

Headquarters — Brussels, Belgium.

Headquarters of Allied Command Operations — Mons, Belgium.

Significance: It constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its independent

member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.

Objectives

Political – NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and

cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the

long run, prevent conflict.

Military – NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic

efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. These

are carried out under the collective defence clause of NATO’s founding treaty – Article 5

of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation

with other countries and international organisations.