The Assam Tribune Analysis

30-11-2020

ARTICLE CONTENTS

NEP aimed to transform India into global knowledge superpower: Pokhriyal

Chinese Defence Minister in Nepal

33 dead, 36 injured in Afghan suicide bombings

A ‘provocative measure’, says US lawmaker

Farmers reject Centre’s talk offer

New farm laws helping farmers: PM

‘World’s smallest atom-memory unit created’

‘Kulhad’ to replace plastic tea cups at railway stations

Finmin asks PSU general insurers to rationalise branches, cut expenses

Demand to go beyond 100 mn pieces annually: Industry

Pradhan invites investors to join India’s renewable energy journey

FPIs invest record Rs 60,358 cr into equities in Nov

RBI likely to maintain status quo on inflation concerns

No primary classes in schools this year

Mushroom cultivation can solve hunger problem in NE, says expert

Per capita fish consumption up by more than 2 kg

JJM Assam, ASDM start skill devp training for local youths

EDITORIAL DISCUSSION

Vaccine strategy

Living in a world of post-national entity

Raimona National Park

Remembering Jananeta Bhimbar Deori

GENERAL STUDIES 2: GOVERANCE

1. NEP aimed to transform India into global knowledge superpower: Pokhriyal

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has asserted that the National Education Policy (NEP),

2020 is aimed at transforming India into a global knowledge superpower. He also praised Assam

Government for its action of issuing instruction to educational institutions to teach local language

up to Class V.

In an interview with The Assam Tribune, the Union Education Minister dwelt at length on various

aspects of the National Education Policy. Following are the excerpts of the interview:

The Assam Tribune:

How will the National Education Policy, 2020 help the students, right from pre-primary to post

graduate level?

Ramesh Pokhriyal:

From school education to higher education, NEP proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects

of the education structure, including its regulation and governance, to create a new system that is

aligned with the aspiration goals of 21st-century education, while remaining consistent with India’s

traditions and value systems. In school education, the policy focuses on overhauling the curriculum,

“easier” Board exams, a reduction in the syllabus to retain “core essentials” and thrust on

“experiential learning and critical thinking”.

In a significant shift from the 10+2 structure of school education, the new NEP pitches for a

“5+3+3+4” design corresponding to the age groups 3-8 years (foundational stage), 8-11

(preparatory), 11-14 (middle), and 14-18 (secondary) in two phases – grades 9-10 in the first and

grades 11-12 in the second.

This brings early childhood education (also known as preschool education for children of ages 3 to

5) under the ambit of formal schooling. To help students learn as per their will, the new policy has

introduced a holistic & multidisciplinary undergraduate education approach. It allows students with

a flexibility to combine multi-disciplinary subjects along with integration of vocational courses.

UG programmes can be of either 3 or 4 years. The new element is that students will be given

‘multiple exit options’ & appropriate ‘certification’ will be given to them within their graduation

tenure. There will be introduction of academic banks along with four year undergraduate degree.

In a nutshell, NEP aims at building an education system rooted in Indian ethos, thereby

transforming India into a global knowledge superpower.

The Assam Tribune:

Is the Centre planning to hold periodical meetings with the Education Departments of the States

on implementation of the Policy?

Ramesh Pokhriyal:

To achieve the goals and objectives of NEP 2020, Department of School Education and Literacy has

prepared an indicative and draft implementation plan and Task-list linking each recommendation of

NEP with tasks, responsible agencies to carry out the task, timelines and outputs.

The major focus of this draft implementation plan is to define activities in such a manner that

cohesive implementation and joint monitoring can be done by the Centre and States. The task list

of 297 tasks prepared on the NEP recommendations has also been shared with the States, Union

Territories and Autonomous Bodies for providing feedback.

Further, in order to ensure effective and efficient implementation of NEP 2020, the Department

has set up theme-wise implementation committees under the chairpersonship of concerned Joint

Secretaries.

States/ UTs have also been requested to set-up similar subject-wise implementation committees of

experts, both to fine-tune implementation plans and to ensure implementation of the Policy as per

the principles laid down in NEP 2020.

In addition to above, a series of workshops have also been initiated with States and UTs since

November 9 to address their concerns and also to discuss innovative ideas for NEP implementation.

Regular review meetings will be conducted to see the progress of the implementation.

The Assam Tribune:

Will it be possible to make at least one State language compulsory for school students?

RP: I am pleased that Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has passed the directive to

teach students in vernacular languages up to Class five in the educational institutions operating in

the State as per the National Education Policy, 2020. It is good to see that the recommendations of

NEP are coming into action.

The NEP recommends that wherever possible, “the medium of instruction until at least grade 5, but

preferably till grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language, mother tongue, local language or

regional language”, to be followed in both public and private schools.

Further, the policy has clearly mentioned that the three-language formula will continue to be

implemented while keeping in mind the Constitutional provisions, aspirations of the people,

regions, and the Union, and the need to promote multilingualism as well as promote national unity.

However, there will be a greater flexibility in the three language formula, and no language will be

imposed on any State.

The Assam Tribune:

States like Assam and the other North East States will have to augment educational

infrastructure in a big way to fully implement the new policy. Will the Centre provide financial or

other help to the States in this regard?

Ramesh Pokhriyal:

States and UTs have been requested to prepare 10-year projection report on the need for

adequate resources in all schools, including infrastructure and other resources for children with

disabilities, through efficient sharing of available school resources.

The Assam Tribune:

Are the States of the North East properly utilizing the funds provided by the Centre for

infrastructure development of educational institutions?

Ramesh Pokhriyal:

Under different schemes of Ministry of Education (MoE), proper monitoring is being conducted to

review of progress on regular basis.

GENERAL STUDIES 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Chinese Defence Minister in Nepal

China’s Defence Minister Gen Wei Fenghe on Sunday met Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and

held talks with Nepal Army chief Gen Purna Chandra Thapa on issues of bilateral interest, aimed at

bolstering military cooperation.

Gen Wei, also a State Councillor, held talks with Gen Thapa at the army headquarters during his

day-long “working visit”, said a statement by the Nepal Army.

“The two held a cordial discussion on various issues of bilateral interest. Discussions were held at

the delegationlevel on issues pertaining to resumption of training and student exchange

programme and follow up on defence assistance impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the

statement said.

2. 33 dead, 36 injured in Afghan suicide bombings

At least 30 military personnel were killed and 24 others wounded in a suicide car bombing that

took place near a military camp in Afghanistan’s Ghazni city on Sunday, officials have confirmed. In

southern Afghanistan, officials said a suicide car bomber targeted the convoy of a provincial council

chief in Zubal, killing at least three people and wounding 12 others, including children.

The provincial council chief survived the Sunday attack with minor injuries. Confirming the

casualties and injuries, Baz Mohammad Hemat, director of Ghazni Civil Hospital, told Xinhua news

agency that the death toll might increase as some of the wounded are in serious condition.

The explosion occurred when a suicide bomber rammed into an explosiveladen hijacked military

vehicle near the army camp along a road connecting Ghazni city to the neighbouring Dih Yak, a

security official told Xinhua.

“The killed and wounded were all military personnel. The camp homes a battalion of Afghan

National Army (ANA). The facility was belonging to police forces in the past, but now it is converted

to a battalion of ANA and all the victims were ANA soldiers,” he said. Earlier reports said that the

killed and wounded were police personnel.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but local officials blamed Taliban militants.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attacks. – Agencies

3. A ‘provocative measure’, says US lawmaker

Continuing Chinese construction activities along Indian border

An influential US lawmaker has expressed concern over reports of China’s continuing construction

activities along the Indian border in Ladakh, saying if the reports are true, it is a “provocative

measure” on the part of Beijing and fits the pattern of its conduct in the South China Sea. India and

China have been locked in a military standoff, which began in May, along the Line of Actual Control

(LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Armies of both countries have deployed a large number of troops along the LAC. Multiple rounds of

talks between the two sides to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome. “If it

(reports) turns out to be true, it would be yet another provocative measure by the Chinese military

to change the facts on the ground,”

Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told PTI. “It would also fit the pattern of their

conduct in the South China Sea, where they build islands, where they try to change the facts as we

previously understood them, and they would be deeply disturbing, to say the least,” said

Krishnamoorthi, who is the first-ever Indian-American to be on the US House Permanent Select

Committee on Intelligence.

China claims almost all of the 1.3-million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. It

has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia,

the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Beijing has also impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like

Vietnam and the Philippines in the resourcerich region, claiming that the ownership of the territory

belonged to China for hundreds of years. Krishnamoorthi, who was recently re-elected to the

House of Representatives for the third consecutive time, said the US stands with India.

The Congressman from Illinois said reports including satellite images are his source of information

about Chinese construction activities.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: ECONOMY

1. Farmers reject Centre’s talk offer

Rejecting the Centre’s offer to hold talks once they move to the Burari ground, the farmers who are

protesting at Delhi’s borders for four days against the new farm laws on Sunday said they will not

accept any conditional dialogue and threatened to block all five entry points to the national capital.

The Home Ministry too assured the farmers’ organisations that a high-level team of Union

Ministers will talk to them once the protesters move to the designated site. A meeting of over 30

farmer groups was held to discuss Union Minister Amit Shah’s offer for talks before the scheduled

date of December 3 once they move to Burari in the city, but the thousands of protesters refused

to budge and prepared for spending another night in the cold at the Singhu and Tikri border points.

Their representatives said Shah’s condition that they shift the protest is not acceptable and claimed

Burari ground is an “open jail”.

Opposition parties too pressed the government to initiate an unconditional dialogue with the

farmers.

“The condition laid down by Home Minister Amit Shah is not acceptable to us. We will not hold any

conditional talks. We reject the government’s offer. The blockade will not end. We will block all five

entry point to Delhi,” Surjeet S Phul, Bhartiya Kisan Union's Punjab president, told reporters. “The

condition put for talks is an insult to farmers. We will never go to Burari. It is not a park but an open

jail,” he added.

Gurnam Singh Chadhoni, Haryana unit president for the Bhartiya Kisan Union, said they were ready

to talk “but will not accept any condition now”.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in a letter to 32 farmers organisations sent on Saturday

cited the cold conditions and the COVID-19 outbreak and said the farmers should move to the

Burari ground where adequate facilities have been made for them.

2. New farm laws helping farmers: PM

Amid protests by a section of farmers against the recently enacted farm laws, Prime Minister

Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that these reforms have opened doors of new opportunities for

peasants and bestowed on them new rights.

In his monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast, Modi said the farm laws have begun mitigating the troubles

of farmers in a short period of time since their enactment in September. He cited the example of a

Maharashtra farmer who used their provisions to get the money a trader had promised but not

paid to him in time. New dimensions related to agriculture and related fields have emerged as the

recently enacted farm reforms have opened doors of new possibilities for farmers, he said.

“The demands, which were made by farmers for years and regarding which every political party at

some point of time had made promises, have been fulfilled. These reforms have not only freed

them of various shackles but also given them new rights and new opportunities. These rights have

begun mitigating farmers’ problems in a very short span of time,” he said.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

1. ‘World’s smallest atom-memory unit created’

Researchers have created the smallest memory device yet, an advance that may lead to faster,

smaller, and more energy-efficient electronic chips for consumer electronics and brain-inspired

computing.

The scientists from the University of Texas at Austin in the US also found the physics that unlocks

dense memory storage capabilities for these tiny devices. In the research, published recently in the

journal Nature Nanotechnology, the scientists reduced the size of what was then the thinnest

memory storage device, shrinking the cross section area down to just a single square nanometre.

According to the researchers, getting a handle on the physics that pack dense memory storage

capability into these devices enabled them to make the device much smaller.

They said ultrasmall holes in the material provide the key to unlocking the high-density memory

storage capability.

“When a single additional metal atom goes into that nanoscale hole and fills it, it confers some of

its conductivity into the material, and this leads to a change or memory effect,” explained Deji

Akinwande, a co-author of the study. Though they used the compound molybdenum disulfide –

also known as MoS2 – as the primary nanomaterial in their study, the researchers believe the

discovery could apply to hundreds of related atomically thin materials.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: ENVIRONMENT

1. ‘Kulhad’ to replace plastic tea cups at railway stations

Tea will be sold in environmentfriendly ‘Kulhads’ (earthen cups) in place of plastic cups at all

railway stations in the country, Railway minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday. Speaking at an event

organised at the Digawara railway station in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, the minister said the

initiative will be the contribution of the Railways towards a plastic-free India.

“Tea is given in ‘Kulhads’ at nearly 400 railway stations in the country today, and in future, it is our

planning that tea will be sold only in ‘Kulhads’ at all the railway stations in the country. This will be

the contribution of the Railways towards a plasticfree India,” he said.

The minister said before addressing this gathering, he was having tea in a ‘Kulhad’ and the taste

was really different.

‘Kulhad’ saves the environment and lakhs of people get employment from it, he said. The minister

was speaking at an event to mark the inauguration of the newly electrified DhigawaraBandikui

section under north-western Railways.

The minister said before the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014, the railway sector

was ignored in Rajasthan as electrification had not been taken up in the last 30 years after the

electrification of Delhi-Mumbai route.

He said the investment by Railways and infrastructure development projects in Rajasthan have

increased multiple times between 2014- 2020 as compared to that between 2009-2014. Goyal said

65 underpasses were constructed from 2009- 14 while 378 underpasses have been constructed

from 2014- September 2020.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: ECONOMIC DEVELOPEMENT

1. Finmin asks PSU general insurers to rationalise branches, cut expenses

The Finance Ministry has asked public sector general insurance firms, especially National Insurance,

Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance, to rationalise branches and cut down avoidable

expenses to improve their financial health, sources said.

Earlier this year, the Union Cabinet decided to halt the merger process of three stateowned general

insurance companies due to weak financial positions of these three companies. Instead, the

government approved fund infusion of Rs 12,450 crore to meet regulatory parameters.

The Finance Ministry has asked these companies to cut the flab by rationalizing branches and rein

in other avoidable expenses like guest houses, etc., sources said. Besides, sources said, they have

been asked to expand their business through digital medium.

As part of capital infusion exercise, the government also approved raising authorised share capital

of National Insurance Company Ltd (NICL) to Rs 7,500 crore and that of United India Insurance

Company Ltd (UIICL) and Oriental Insurance Company Ltd (OICL) to Rs 5,000 crore each. The Rs

12,450-crore capital infusion approved by the Cabinet in July includes Rs 2,500 crore provided to

these companies during 2019-20.

During this year, the government infused Rs 3,475 crore while announcing infusion of the balance

Rs 6,475 crore in one or more tranches. The government in Budget 2020-21 had made a provision

of Rs 6,950 crore for capital infusion in these three insurance companies in order to maintain the

requisite minimum solvency ratio.

The three PSU general insurers, with their large underwriting losses of Rs 14,443 crore, together

have been responsible for the overall losses of over Rs 7,118 crore in 2019-20. NICL, with a

combined ratio of 160.8 per cent and underwriting losses of Rs 5,759 crore, has suffered losses of

Rs 4,108 crore while OICL (141 per cent, Rs 4,197 crore) and UIIL (132 per cent, Rs 4,487 crore)

have been hit with losses of Rs 1,524 crore and Rs 1,486 crore respectively in 2019-20.

However, New India Assurance, the only exception out of the four public sector general insurers,

posted a profit of Rs 1,418 crore in 2019-20

2. Demand to go beyond 100 mn pieces annually: Industry

BIS-certified 2-wheeler helmets

The helmet manufacturing industry expects the demand for BIS-certified two-wheeler helmets to

skyrocket after the Centre implemented new norms.

The Centre, in a recent notification, mandated that only BIS-certified two-wheeler helmets would

be manufactured and sold in the country for two-wheelers.

As per the notification: “QCO would mean that only BIS-certified two-wheeler helmets would be

manufactured and sold in the country for the two-wheelers. This would help in avoiding sale of

low-quality two-wheeler helmets in the country which would, in turn, help in protecting citizens

involved in twowheeler accidents from fatal injuries.”

After the implementation of new norm, the industry now estimates that the total demand of BIS-

certified helmets in India will go beyond the current 100 million pieces annually. “While the sale of

the helmets will sprout as the total number of two-wheelers being manufactured in India is nearly

1.7 crore... but now it’s time for helmet manufacturers to take responsibility,” the Two-Wheelers

Helmet Manufacturers Association said in a statement.

According to Rajeev Kapur, Managing Director, Steelbird Hi-Tech India and President, Two-

Wheelers Helmet Manufacturers Association, all branded players need to enhance R&D investment

to develop new products to meet the BIS norms and customer requirements. “The estimated

demand for helmets is around 100 million pieces per annum currently which will further rise with

the recent notification. “

But the good news is that the gap will be filled by those players who are conforming to the BIS

norms, since with the enforcement of compulsory certification, the manufacturing of any kind of

two-wheeler helmet not under IS 4151:2015 is an offence. As the law is enforced, manufacturers

and big organisations should be encouraged to come forward and invest in this field,” Kapur said.

3. Pradhan invites investors to join India’s renewable energy journey

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, has invited investors,

developers and businesses to be part of India’s renewable energy journey. He assured them that it

will be a highly rewarding and mutually beneficial venture.

In the valedictory address at the third RE-INVEST 2020, he said that India is progressively becoming

a favoured destination for investment in renewables.

During the last six years, over $64-billion investment has been made in renewable energy sector in

India, the minister said. Pradhan said that India has a very liberal FDI policy in energy sector,

including renewables. “Foreign investors can either invest on their own or enter into joint ventures

with an Indian partner for financial and/or technical collaboration for setting up of renewable

energy-based power generation projects,” he said.

The minister said that “ease of doing business” is the government’s utmost priority. “Our

continuous focus is on maintaining sanctity of contracts and safeguarding investments. We have

established dedicated Project Development Cells (PDC) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cells in

all ministries for handholding and facilitating domestic and foreign investors,” Pradhan said.

Adequate measures and safeguards have also been undertaken to address the concerns of

businesses and investors arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, he added. Pradhan said that India

is in the midst of a major transformative shift in its energy sector, to end energy poverty in India.

4. FPIs invest record Rs 60,358 cr into equities in Nov

Foreign portfolio investors (FPI) remained net buyers for the second consecutive month in

November by pumping in a whopping Rs 62,951 crore in Indian markets. For equities segment, this

is the highest quantum of money invested ever since the FPI data has been made available by the

National Securities Depository Ltd.

According to depositories data, FPIs invested a net Rs 60,358 crore into equities and Rs 2,593 crore

in debt segment, taking the total net investment to Rs 62,951 crore between November 3-27.

In October, FPIs were net buyers to the tune of Rs 22,033 crore. Global investors are preferring to

invest in emerging markets more than developed markets as the potential upside is much higher in

emerging markets, said Harsh Jain, Co-Founder and COO at Groww.

Inflows into other emerging markets like South Korea and Taiwan show a similar trend, he added.

“FPIs have invested into top bluechips of India in a big manner. A bulk of the investment that has

come in has been into the banking sector. So, the inflow has been concentrated in a few stocks,”

Jain further said.

Himanshu Srivastava, Associate Director - Manager Research, Morningstar India, said that “few

uncertainties have been behind us in November with the major one being the outcome of US

Presidential election”. Attractive valuation compared to the developed markets and weakness in

the dollar also supported buying, Srivastava said.

Going forward, the biggest challenge on domestic front will be to bring down COVID- 19 cases and

get the economy back on the growth trajectory, he said.

There has been improvement in the macroeconomic scenario which has so far ensured that FPI

flow remain intact, Srivastava noted.

Continuation of accommodative stance by global central banks may ensure flow of foreign

investments into emerging markets, including India, he added

5. RBI likely to maintain status quo on inflation concerns

The Reserve Bank is likely to keep the benchmark interest rates unchanged in its next monetary

policy review in view of heightened retail inflation which has persistently remained above its

comfort level, feel experts.

However, with the economic growth continuing to remain in the negative territory for the second

consecutive quarter ending September, the central bank is likely to continue with the

accommodative monetary stance keeping the hope alive for a rate cut as and when needed.

The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by RBI Governor is scheduled to meet

for two days starting December 2. The resolution of the sixth bimonthly MPC meeting would be

announced on December 4.

In its last MPC meeting in October, the RBI kept policy rates unchanged to help tame inflation that

in the recent times has surged past 6 per cent mark. The RBI projected the country’s GDP to

contract 9.5 per cent in the current financial year due to the pandemic. It has cut policy rates by

115 basis points since February.

With inflation continuing to trend well above RBI’s medium-term target of 4 per cent, there is

limited room for a rate cut in the upcoming policy. We have seen encouraging signs of a pick-up in

economic activity and a return of consumer demand, buoyed by the festive season,” Kotak

Mahindra Bank Group President, Consumer Banking Shanti Ekambaram said.

The next few months are critical as it needs to be seen whether demand levels will sustain and the

central bank will closely monitor the growth trajectory and high-frequency data prints, she added.

Retail inflation, calculated on the basis of Consumer Price Index (CPI), continued to rise for the

ninth month in a row in October, reaching 7.61 per cent on the back of high food prices.

This is the highest level of retail inflation since May 2014 when the inflation was at 8.33 per cent.

The government has mandated the RBI to keep retail inflation at 4 per cent (+/- 2 per cent). On

concerns of elevated level of inflation, CRISIL Chief Economist Dharmakirti Joshi said the RBI policy

will be on hold. Echoing similar views, CARE Ratings Chief Economist Madan Sabnavis said, “I think

RBI has no choice but to go for a pause now because inflation is still very high. Also, the scope for

rate cut is more or less exhausted for this financial year. The RBI will address the issue more

through OMOs operation twists to influence the G-sec yields rather than the repo rate cut.”

According to M Govinda Rao, Chief Economic Advisor, Brickwork Ratings, considering that CPI

inflation remains at an elevated level, the MPC is likely to continue with the pause in the rate.

GENERAL STUDIES 5: ASSAM POLITY

1. No primary classes in schools this year

Hostels for final year students to reopen on Dec 15

Classes 1 to 5 will not resume this year, but the State government has decided to reopen hostels

for students of Class 10 and 12, engineering final year, polytechnic final year, degree final year, etc.,

from December 15.

“The Government of India advisory for the COVID-19 pandemic says that children below 10 years of

age and the elderly should stay at home. This advisory is effective till December 31 and so we

cannot resume classes for students up to Class 5,” official sources said here.

However, the Education department is preparing an SoP to reopen hostels. “Hostels for Class 10

and 12 students, engineering final year, polytechnic final year, degree final year, etc., will reopen

from December 15,” the sources said, adding that there will be a set of guidelines which will be

notified in a few days.Meanwhile, it has been learnt that attendance in Classes 6 to 10 which

resumed this month has been extremely low.

“Reports indicated that initially the turnout was pathetic and as low as 2-5 per cent. However, it

picked up later. But even today, it is not more than 20-30 per cent,” the sources said.

It has been learnt that teachers are persuading students in classes 9 and 10 to attend regular

classes and hence the attendance in these two standards are a bit high. But other classes are

recording very low attendance.

GENERAL STUDIES 5: ASSAM ECONOMY

1. Mushroom cultivation can solve hunger problem in NE, says expert

With hunger and malnutrition widespread in India, specially in the North East, mushroom

cultivation can solve the problem to a large extent.

Assam and the rest of the Northeastern states are ideally placed climatically to contribute in a large

way to produce mushrooms in huge quantities and reduce hunger. This was stated by Mushroom

Development Foundation general secretary Pranjal Baruah, while delivering a talk on “Mushroom

cultivation as a social enterprise” organised by the Guwahati Management Association (GMA) as

part of its monthly talks programme here on Saturday, stated a press release.

Baruah told the participants of the virtual meeting that mushroom cultivation is environmentally

sustainable and one of the easiest agricultural practices.

Assam and the other Northeastern states are not only suitable for mushroom cultivation, the cost

of production is also about 25 per cent less compared to the rest of the country, he said. He said

that mushroom cultivation is ideally suited for small and marginal farmers of the region as such

farming required very little land and low capital.

“Mushrooms can even be cultivated indoors,” he added. Baruah said mushroom cultivation held

the key to ameliorating the condition of poor farmers of the region. He said the Foundation was

working in this field for the last 25 years, providing training, support and marketing links to

farmers.

“Our target by 2025 is to cover one lakh farmers to produce over 8 lakh kg of mushrooms,” he

stated. GMA secretary Bhabesh Hazarika and joint secretary Bibhuti Dutta were present on the

occasion.

2. Per capita fish consumption up by more than 2 kg

The per capita fish consumption in the State has increased from 8.5 kg per annum in 2015-16 to

11.12 kg per annum in 2019-20.

During the period, fish production in the State increased from 2.94 lakh MT to 3.73 lakh MT, a jump

of 26.87 per cent, Fishery Minister Parimal Suklabaidya informed today.

He said Assam has also become the first State in the NE to attain self sufficiency in fish seed

production. Fish seed production in the state was recorded at about 9519 million fish seed (fry

stage) during 2019-20 as against 5678 million fry during 2015-16, with an increase of 67.65 per

cent.

"That the State has achieved almost selfsufficiency was reflected during the lockdown period," he

said. The ‘Ghare Ghare Pukhuri Ghare Ghare Maach’ scheme is expected to give an additional

production of 5,000 MT.

“Under the scheme, 1430 hectares of ponds and tanks will be targeted for construction in all the

126 LACs of the state covering more than 9300 individual beneficiaries and village community

groups. More than Rs 68 crore has been released so far out of Rs 100 crore to the beneficiaries," he

said.

Excavation of more than 6000 individual ponds and 280 village community tanks has been

completed so far and the overall physical progress is 85 per cent.

There are 216 identified fish species in the State. Fifty species have ornamental value. The quantity

of fish imported from outside the State during the year is 20073 MT while 9737 MT was exported

to neighbouring States.

3. JJM Assam, ASDM start skill devp training for local youths

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Assam has initiated collaboration with the Assam Skill Development

Mission (ASDM) to facilitate empanelment of training providers to conduct skill development

training for local youths throughout the state.

Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Rihon Daimary on Friday inaugurated a skill

development training programme organised centrally under JJM, Assam, in Guwahati. JJM, a

flagship programme of the Government of India, aims to provide safe drinking water through

Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every household of the country.

JJM Assam aims to provide safe drinking water to a targeted 63.35 lakh households by 2024. By the

end of the financial year 2020-21, around 13 lakh FHTCs have been targeted to be covered under

JJM Assam.

“Hence a large numbers of Public Water Supply Schemes (PWSS) will be in operation by 2024 to

provide piped potable water supply at the rate of 55 litres per capita per day (LPCD) to every

household of the state under JJM. A total of 8,033 existing PWSS will be retrofitted while another

15,000 to 20,000 new PWSS will be installed to achieve the target by 2024,” an official release said.

To implement such a huge number of PWSS in the state in a short span of time a huge pool of

skilled human resources will be required, and as operation and maintenance in the post-

implementation phase would be undertaken by the Gaon Panchayats (GP) at village level, there

would be a need of high-quality human resources at the local level on a very large scale for long-

term sustainability of the schemes.

“To meet the need of skilled manpower in large quantum both in the implementation and

operation and maintenance phase, JJM Assam initiated collaboration with ASDM to facilitate

empanelment of training providers to conduct skill development training of local youths

throughout the state.

The training will be imparted in three phases considering the skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled

persons by training providers empanelled by ASDM,” it added.

In the first phase of training, 60 workers in each division and two subdivisions (Kamalabari and

Hatsingimari) will be trained. This will include 30 persons in each job role of plumbing and masonry.

The total number of trainees is 2,640 in the first phase. On successful completion of training,

certification will be done as per National Skills Qualifications Framework with an insurance cover of

Rs 2 lakh.

The inauguration programme was attended by JJM mission director and PHED secretary Adil Khan;

Manin Kumar Das, chief engineer (Water), PHED and Additional MD(T), JJM; Gauri Sankar Sarmah,

additional MD(NT), JJM; Hanis Noorani, additional MD, ASDM and representatives of NSDC, Skill

India, ASDM officials, training providers and 60 participants.

In his inaugural speech, the Minister said he looked forward to successful implementation of JJM,

and that skill development training for local youths in different job roles and their further

engagement in the implementation of JJM Assam would pave the way for addressing the

unemployment issue in the state.

The Minister said JJM Assam plans to train 50,000 persons in different job roles. “For the purpose,

JJM Assam will continue to collaborate with ASDM to conduct further training on skill

development,” he said.

EDITORIAL DISCUSSION

GENERAL STUDIES 2: GOVERANCE

1. Vaccine strategy

If the year 2020 was blighted by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which has afflicted millions

of people and killed lakhs, 2021 promises to be one of hope that mankind might see the light at the

end of the tunnel. Such optimism has been generated by the fact that scientists, working

indefatigably day and night, have been able to develop a number of vaccines which will play a vital

role in stemming the novel coronavirus.

Global pharmaceutical giantslike Pfizer and Moderna are on the verge of rolling out vaccines that

have around 95% efficacy and are awaiting clearance from the US Food & Drugs Administration. If

they get the go ahead the beginning of a mass immunization programme would be launched in the

US, the most severely affected nation in the world, as early as December 12.

Things are also looking up for a less developed nation like India, which has had the second largest

number of Covid-19 cases in the world and is bracing for a ‘second wave’. Naturally enough, high

costs and logistics of storage and transportation at extremely low temperature make the Pfizer and

Moderna candidates unviable for use in India when they are available.

But, as reflected in the recent visits to Covid-19 vaccine development and manufacturing facilities

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has alternative options which will assist her in combating

the pandemic. Modi, significantly, visited the Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad, Bharat Biotech in

Hyderabad and Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune, all three entities being integral to India’s fight

against Covid-19.

Zydus Biotech and Bharat Biotech are developing indigenous vaccines which at the moment are

undergoing Phase 3 trials and it might be a few months before test results are available and they

could be certified for mass use.

For the purpose of more urgent commencement of a vaccination drive, the PM’s visit to SII is of

greater significance since it partnered with AstraZeneca to produce the Covid-19 vaccine,

Covishield, by University of Oxford and reportedly will be applying for emergency authorization in

next two weeks. There is also the Sputnik-V vaccine, developed by Gamaleya Research Institute of

Epidemiology and Microbiology under the Russian Health Ministry, the test result data for which

are being studied. However, given the enormous size and population of India, having vaccine

candidates alone is not enough and the need of the hour is a viable vaccination strategy. Experts

have pointed out that if at least 20% of the most high-risk population is immunized, then a rein can

be placed on the lethal assault of the virus.

But 20% of India’s 1.3 billion people works out to millions, testifying to the enormity of the

challenge, and requiring a vaccination strategy tackling issues like prioritization of population

groups, immunization methodology, et al

GENERAL STUDIES 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Living in a world of post-national entity

The stabbing spree by Islamist-fascist in France has been continuing on over the issue of Charlie

Hebdo cartoon of the Prophet, as there are attacks on a security guard in the French consulate in

Jeddah and in Istanbul.

The nature of the attack since mid-October this time is somewhat different in which the terrorists

used non-explosive tactics in perpetuating their acts as ‘reaction’ to the ‘insult’ to Islam by the

cartoon defended by the French establishments as freedom of expression. The reaction of these

heinous acts has been echoing differences and disunity among the world community that reflects

the emergence of a new age of a dystopian world of post-nation entities.

Like any other western military powers with a colonial legacy, France had its contact with the

Muslim world in the continents of Africa and Asia where vast swathes of land was under their

occupation for centuries.

Prominent among them were Algeria and other West African nations. Thus Muslims-Arabs and

Black Africans were arriving in France as early as the early 19th century. It was on the glorious

French principle of the Revolution – Liberty, Equality and Fraternity – inspired the Algerians to

wage an armed independent struggle against the occupation by France resulting in the only

politically liberated Arab nation from a European power in 1962.

Colonialism also brought thousands of Muslims to Britain from the Indian subcontinent for the

same legacy. So was the case in Italy from Libya and Ethiopia, the Netherlands from Southeast Asia.

The Axis Germany had a special relation with Ottoman Turkey since the beginning of the 20th

century so it has a large Muslim population from that region. In the post-WWII western Europe,

Muslims from various African, Arab and Asian countries migrated for reconstruction work.

On the other hand, the Communist Block Eastern European nations, including the USSR until 1991,

had no Muslim immigrants. Notably these countries have indigenous Muslim populations like

Turks, Tatars, Circassians, Albanians, Chechens, Dagestanis, etc., who pledged their allegiance to

their respective nations under the banner of hammer and sickle most of the time prior to 1991.

But migrant Muslims, already living in the periphery of the British, French, West German or in

Dutch, Danish and Belgian societies were allowed to crowd fund and accommodate radical

Islamism of Egyptian Hassan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutb and Pakistani Maulana Mawdudi in a bid to

empower the Mujahideen that fought the Soviet troops in Afghanistan from 1979.

The Islamism for non-national Ummah brought Osama bin-Laden to Afghan Mujahideen which was

backed by the CIA with Saudi money and Pakistani military infrastructure. The British authorities

allowed the Finsbury Park mosque at London to preach radical Islam which created Abu Hamza

alMasri, a notorious jihadi to fight against the Soviets and later to become a strategic asset for MI5.

Similarly German authorities too did not prevent the al-Quds mosque in Hamburg from producing

the perpetrators like Mohammad Atta of 9/11 terror attack.

France, which has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe, also remained lenient over the

same issue for its strategic interests. The US and all other western military powers also supported

Gen Zia-ul-Haq’s dictatorship in Pakistan from 1977 that destroyed the country’s liberal and

vernacular Islamic heritage by bringing Arab practices in the name of Islamization.

Earlier liberalism and diversity in Islam suffered a jolt from the secular perspective too when

Ataturk Kemal Pasha banned, destroyed and purged many Sufi and vernacular heritage of Islam in

Turkey.

Turkey, being a NATO member, enjoyed full support from the Pentagon as it was a frontline state

against the USSR in the south Caucasus. The USSR too, for its non-religious views, destroyed many

of the rich, diverse and vernacular images of Islam from its Central Asian republics which had been

thriving for more than five centuries with their spread as far as the Indian subcontinent. Thus,

liberalism in Islam found it very hard to exist with so many powerful world establishments either

supporting the radical and militant Islam based on a homogenous entity or crushing their existence

by states that did not like them.

The western support to corrupt, undemocratic, autocratic oil-rich Gulf monarchies further

supplemented the strength of the radicals worldwide with pumping of petrodollars. On the other

hand, the secular Arab dictators in Egypt, supported by the west and in Libya, Algeria, Syria and

Iraq, backed by Moscow, created a political vacuum in the opposition circles of these countries

which were filled by the Islamists.

The West’s selective attitude towards the Islamist militancy vis-à-vis the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,

backing the anti-Soviet Mujahideen while targeting the PLO and Hezbollah created more hatred by

radicals against them in the post-Cold War era. In the last two decades, Western Europe is

experiencing a massive economic crisis in a post-national world order called globalism where the

flow of the financial assets in trade matters most.

The multinational borderless EU and the burden by the flow of people from the Eastern Bloc

countries created unprecedented problems related to labour, employment and race relations. The

already existing immigrant population of African and Arabs (Muslims) under the new economic

hardship coupled with the 9/ 11 strike created widespread Islamophobia across Europe.

The failure of mainstream centre-right, centreleft and green parties to find a solution has led to the

rise of the farright, neo-Nazi and neo-fascist parties in Europe and also a cultural reaction seen in

cartoons against Islam from 2005 onwards in Denmark and later in France.

The failure to accommodate Turkey to the EU fold due to the apprehension of its massive Muslim

population, despite its seven-decade-long alliance with NATO created divisive politicians like Recep

Tayyip Erdogan who has consolidated his position by banking on Islam by fishing in this troubled

waters from the Rohingya issue to that of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Renegade liberal Dr Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia and beleaguered Imran Khan of Pakistan

have also taken up these unfortunate events to regain their relevance by invoking religious passion

infused with toxic rhetoric.

So long the western military-corporate establishments maintain their post-colonial strategic

alliances with the undemocratic and pro-Islamist regimes in the ‘Muslim world’ and keep a blind

eye on secular-democratic oppositions while taking a selective stand on terrorism, the streets and

public spaces in Europe won’t be safe from the lunatics of bigoted Islam.

It is a time-tested fact that nationalism based on colour and faith and a false world of post-national

Islam are both detrimental for the progress of humankind.

GENERAL STUDIES 5: ASSAM ENVIRONMENT

1. Raimona National Park

The State Government’s decision to create the Raimona National Park – which will be the State’s

sixth national park – by upgrading a 422-sq km area of Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve is a welcome

move that assumes a lot of significance for the future well-being of the State’s invaluable forests

and wildlife.

This is because reserve forests lack an effective legal protection mechanism – something enjoyed

by national parks and wildlife sanctuaries – and only a minuscule portion of the State’s total forest

cover are covered under these protected forests. This needs to change now and the State

Government should do a careful assessment of upgrading some more reserve forests with good

wildlife populations into wildlife sanctuaries and national parks before those suffer complete

annihilation in the face of encroachment, illegal logging, poaching, etc.

The immediate priority for the Government is to enhance the area of the existing Dehing Patkai

Wildlife Sanctuary and upgrade the entire complex into a national park before it is too late. The

Government also needs to take a policy decision to ban opencast coal mining in the Dehing Patkai

Elephant Reserve which constitutes the State’s last remaining stretches of rainforests.

While a decision to that effect was announced several months back, things seem to have

developed cold feet and any more delay in declaring the national park with additional areas could

spell doom for Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary.

Both legal and illegal coal mining in the elephant reserve besides widespread illegal logging and

encroachment have severely eroded these life-giving rainforests that also shelter wide-ranging

fauna, many of those being endemic to the region.

The ecological worth of such forests is immeasurable in monetary terms and exposing those to

wanton vandalism only exposes the sheer stupidity of the Government.

Aside the tangible benefits which would exceed thousands of crores of rupees annually if these

forests are managed sustainably, they are singularly responsible for ensuring clean air and water

besides regulating the climate. Disturbingly, this simple reality fails to dawn upon our insensitive

and stupid governments, as they are simply letting these forests to vanish in the face shocking

illegalities.

Shrinking forest cover in Assam remains a disturbing concern, with the State routinely parting with

a substantial portion of its invaluable natural heritage over the years. Notwithstanding tall claims

by the State Government and the Forest Department, shrinking green cover – dense forests in

particular – is a harsh reality as corroborated by the biennial assessments by the State of Forest

Report.

While the need is to convert a sizeable part of the reserve forests into protected forests, the

remaining reserve forests too need to be zealously safeguarded from illegal logging and

encroachment. That the reserve forests lack the protective mechanism enjoyed by national parks

and sanctuaries should not be a pretext for turning a blind eye to their rampant destruction.

GENERAL STUDIES 5: ASSAM HISTORY

1. Remembering Jananeta Bhimbar Deori

Bhimbar Deori was a freedom fighter, tribal rights activist and an advocate by profession. Gopinath

Bordoloi had labelled him as the ‘Jananeta’ (leader of the masses), as Bardoloi was of the opinion

that this son of the soil was not only a leader of the tribals per se but was also a true leader of

Assam.

Bhimbar was born in a Deori family of Upper Assam; his father was Godram Deori who belonged to

the family of chief priest of Sadiya’s Tamreswari temple. Bhimbar was a bright student all

throughout and had got admission into the prestigious Cotton College.

This turned out to be a turning point in his life. He saw how only the caste Hindus were allowed in

the first mess and tribals were accommodated in the second mess. Moreover, the tribal students

who had a proof of initiation by the Satraadhikars were allowed in the first mess. Bhimbar who had

the proof of initiation refused the privilege. This incident could be regarded as the initiation of the

tribal movement in Assam.

Witnessing this discrimination, the tribal students of Cotton College revolted against the authorities

and Bhimbar was also one of the participants. Bijoy Chandra Bhagawati, a renowned Assamese

freedom fighter who was a student of Cotton College, was also a part of the agitation.

Bhimbar Deori passed the Assam Civil Services examination and was also selected for the post of

the Extra Assistant Commissioner. The appointment, however, did not come his way. The Deoris

(ineligible based on caste lines) were not included in the government service list till then.

His not being appointed despite being successful in the Civil Services examination left a negative

impact on his mind and he vowed never to take up a government job. Subsequently, he devoted

himself to the practice of law in Dibrugarh.

He felt that, only if Deoris, Sonowals, Muttocks, Kacharis, Misings, Bodos, Tiwas, Rabhas, etc.,

would all unite, the tribals could benefit. Under his initiative, representatives of all tribal

communities of Assam assembled in a conference in Raha in Nagaon in 1933 and formed the Assam

Backward Plains Tribal League. Bhimbar was elected secretary.

After assuming the charge as the secretary of the Tribal League, Bhimbar organized the tribals of

various places of Assam and highlighted the backwardness of the tribals to the Government of

Assam.

The Tribal League placed demands for reservation of Assembly seats for the tribals to the

Government of Assam and in response to it in 1935, four out of 104 seats were reserved for the

tribals.

However, Bhimbar was quick to sense that to end discrimination towards the tribals and to uphold

their rights, they had to carve out their own identity. He appealed to his tribal brothers that they

project their identity as ‘tribals’ in a meeting of the Muttocks, as the caste Hindus were trying to

influence them to introduce themselves as Hindus by race.

He justified it by saying that it was an attempt by the caste Hindu leaders who always tried to

deprive the tribes from getting opportunities by identifying these tribal communities as Hindus by

religion and race. This son of the soil was also a visionary when it came to important issues such as

immigrants. Just like Gopinath Bardoloi, he had termed the policy adopted by Sir Saadulla’s

successive governments as a ‘policy of invitation’ of new immigrants. For this he blamed the

Saadulla Ministry for encouraging these immigrants. He was of the opinion that “Saadulla wants to

satisfy the indigenous people requiring protection and at the same time provide room for settling

landless immigrant populations (from East Bengal). The difficulty is that there is no end to the

number of landless immigrant populations.”

Bhimbar was able to sense the vitality of the then Line System as he had witnessed how the

immigrants had grabbed the lands of the tribals at throwaway prices as the poor tribals were

unable to pay even Rs 5 as premium per bigha of land (Government Land Development Scheme,

1941).

The members of the Muslim League such as Maulana Hamid Khan Bhasini even attempted to

garner support through public opinion and tried to eliminate the Line System. Bhimbar and his

allies such as Bardoloi were determined to protect the tribal identity.

He suggested to create ‘tribal belts and blocks’ and it was accepted in the Assam Assembly with the

support of Bardoloi. Deori felt that only such tribal belts and blocks could provide protection to the

backward tribal people of Assam. The mission of Bhimbar Deori was to work for the welfare of the

tribals but at the same time, he was the champion of greater Assamese nationalism.

He had underlined this belief even in personal letters to intimate friends like Sonaram Hazarika.

Even his worthy successor Bishnu Rabha had underlined the imperatives of following his ideals of a

unified Assamese community. But even this advocate of Assamese unity and harmony had been

vilified as a ‘traitor’. Prominent Bodo leaders like Sitanath Brahma Choudhury, Promod Chandra

Brahma, Narendranath Brahma and others disliked the Tribal League for supporting the Saadulla

Ministry.

The Tribal League, Bhimbar and others were labelled as the supporters of Pakistan in some

newspapers too. However, these allegations were in stark contrast to reality as can be gauged from

the fact that Bhimbar was against the ulterior motive of Saadulla to annex Assam to Pakistan.

Gopinath Bardoloi, accompanied by Bhimbar Deori and others, met Gandhi to apprise him of their

solidarity and to oppose the bid to bifurcate Assam. Bhimbar Deori sacrificed his life for the cause

of the tribal people of Assam. In his death on November 30, 1947, a void was definitely felt. He

asserted the rights of his community and the tribals in general not from a combative stance but

from the vantage of his inclusive vision which worked for harmony among all the Assamese

communities.