Civil Services Monthly JAN 2021

CIVIL
SERVICES
ONE STOP SOLUTION FOR CIVIL SERVICES

MONTHLY
JANUARY 2021
Ram setu
NITI index
H1B visa rules
“UDYOG MANTHAN” BEGINS
Jallikattu: pride & politics
Caste, covid and the city: the problem of people
Issues of Poverty and malnutrition
FOOD MATHS
Vaccine route to healthy India
NEW INDIA, NEW DALIT
THE WHATSAPP FIX
Misunderstanding the MSP
The post-Covid priority
Economic Survey 2020-21
INDEX
PRELIMS
Ram setu 1
Sexual assault under POCSO 8
NITI index 11
Old pig painting 18
H1B visa rules 27
“UDYOG MANTHAN” BEGINS 36
DRDO facility develops Quantum Random Number Generator 47
RBI’s digital payments index 50
GENERAL STUDIES – 1
INDIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE, HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF THE WORLD
AND SOCIETY
Jallikattu: pride & politics 55

Caste, covid and the city: the problem of people 60
Issues of Poverty and malnutrition 62
GENERAL STUDIES-II
GOVERNANCE, CONSTITUTION, POLITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS
FOOD MATHS 66
Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure 69
Vaccine route to healthy India 72
NEW INDIA, NEW DALIT 80
Clear connection 82
GENERAL STUDIES-III
TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BIO-DIVERSITY, ENVIRONMENT,
SECURITY AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT
THE WHATSAPP FIX 87
New investments in science 90
Misunderstanding the MSP 94
Balance sheet of a bad bank 97
The post-Covid priority 100
Economic Survey 2020-21 101
PRELIMS
Ram Setu
IN NEWS:
1. The historicity and the date of ‘Ramayana’

remain a debatable subject among
historians, archaeologists and scientists.
Hence, the government has approved an
underwater research project to ascertain the
origins of the Ram Setu — a 48-km-long
chain of shoals between India and Sri
Lanka.
2. Ram Setu’s age will be ascertained through
the study of fossils and sedimentation
to see if it correlates with the Ramayana
period.
GHTC-India
CONTEXT:
 Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of
ABOUT: six Light House Projects in six cities as part
of the Global Housing Technology
1. Ram Setu, also known as Adam’s Bridge Challenge-India (GHTC-India)
or Nala Setu, holds religious significance initiative.
because of the Ramayana.
2. The central advisory board on ABOUT:
archaeology, which functions under the o The aim of the programme is to build
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has around 1,000 houses each in Indore
approved the proposal for this underwater (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat),
exploration project. Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi
3. The study — to be conducted by the (Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and
Council for Scientific and Industrial Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) over a period
Research (CSIR) and National of 12 months. Modern construction
Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Goa practices from countries such as France,
— will focus on the process behind Ram Germany and Canada would be adopted.
Setu’s formation and also whether there are o About Global Housing Technology
any submerged habitations around the Challenge-India (GHTC-I): It was
structure. launched in 2019 under Pradhan Mantri
4. The agency’s research vessel named Awas Yojana Urban(PMAY-U)
Sindhu Sadhana will be deployed to  It intends to get the best globally
collect samples of sediment from 35-40 available innovative construction
metres below the water level. Sindhu technologies through a challenge
Sadhana is an indigenous exploration process.
vessel which can stay underwater for  It aims to demonstrate and deliver
up to 45 days. ready to live-in houses in
5. The proposed study will be based on minimum time and minimum cost
archaeological antiquities, radiometric and with high-quality of construction
thermoluminescence (TL) dating for in a sustainable manner.
geological timescale and other supporting  This challenge seeks to promote
environmental data. future potential technologies
through Incubation support and
accelerator workshops, in order to
foster an environment of research
and development in the country.
CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 1 | 104
DFCCIL(Dedicated Freight
Corridor Corporation of India)
Composite Digital Payments Index(DPI) with the World Bank loan. There are
CONTEXT: two such corridors being built in India:
 DPI constructed by Reserve Bank of India 1. Eastern Dedicated Freight
(RBI) aims to capture the extent of Corridors (EDFC) will connect
digitisation of payments across the country. Ludhiana-Khurja-
Dankuni(Kolkata), with a
ABOUT: dedicated Freight corrior line. It
The RBI-DPI has been constructed with March would have two stretches Dadri-
2018 as the base period with score 100. The DPI Khurja-Kanpur, Kanpur-
for March 2019 and March 2020 work out to 153.47 Mughal-Sarai respectively.
and 207.84 respectively, indicating appreciable 2. Western Dedicated Freight
growth. Corridor(WDFC) functions
o It comprises five broad between Khurja and JNPT
parameters, including: Mumbai.
 Payment Enablers - 25% weightage
 Payment Infrastructure –
Demand-side factors - 10% India Justice Report 2020
weightage CONTEXT:
 Payment Infrastructure – Supply-
side factors -15% weightage 1. Recently, India Justice Report 2020 has
 Payment Performance -45%
been released. The report was an initiative
weightage of Tata Trusts, along with the Centre
 Consumer Centricity -5%
for Social Justice, Common Cause,
weightage CHRI, DAKSH and TISS-Prayas and
o Latest Digital Transaction Data: Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.
According to the RBI data, digital HIGHLIGHTS:
transactions exhibited a sustained
recovery and momentum picked up in 1. At 25.3 per cent, Bihar leads the list of
November 2020, supported by both 25 states for employing most women
wholesale and retail transactions. in its police force, according to the second
annual survey on police, prisons, judiciary
REWARI-MADAR and legal aid.
CONTEXT: 2. The state finished ahead of Himachal
 306 km long Rewari - Madar section Pradesh (19.2%) and Tamil Nadu
of the Western Dedicated Freight (18.5%).
Corridor (WDFC) inaugurated by PM. 3. However, although it is the only state to
ABOUT: have more than 20 per cent women in the
o He also flagged off world’s first 1.5 km- police force, women account for only 6.1 per
long electrified double stack container cent in the officer category. Tamil Nadu
train. He said with the flag off of the first has the highest percentage of women
double stacked container freight train police officers (24.8%) , followed by
from New Ateli in Haryana to New Mizoram (20.1%).
Kishanganj in Rajasthan, India has 4. On diversity, Karnataka is the only state
joined the select nations in the world. to meet its quotas for SC, ST and OBC
o Since its launch in December 2020,the in both officer cadre and
New Bhaupur - New Khurja section constabulary, Chhattisgarh being the
of the Eastern DFC or EDFC average only other state that meets the
speed of the freight train has tripled in diversity requirements for
that particular section. constabulary.
o Dedicated Freight Corridors: It is a 5. The lack of representation of women
freight only railway corridor being built as judges in high courts is telling.
to ease the movement of freight traffic. Sikkim tops the list with 33.3 per cent
It is being implemented by
women – Sikkim High Court has just Sexual assault under POCSO
three judges. CONTEXT:
6. Only 29 per cent judges in HCs across the
country are women, but no state except 1. The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court
Sikkim has over 20 per cent women judges. acquitted a man of sexual assault on the
grounds that pressing the breasts of a child
7. Andhra Pradesh tops the list with 19 over her clothes without direct “skin to skin”
per cent, followed by Punjab and Haryana, physical contact does not constitute “sexual
where the common HC for the two states assault” under the Protection of Children
has 18.2 per cent women judges. from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
8. Four states — Bihar, Uttarakhand,
Tripura and Meghalaya — have no
woman judge in its high courts.
9. Despite the low figures, women’s ABOUT:
representation has marginally increased in 1. It could have implications on a range of
police, prisons and the judiciary. cases. It set aside the ruling of a lower court
10. Women account for 10 per cent of all police under Section 8 of POCSO applicable to
personnel, up from 7 per cent in January “sexual assault” on children, against convict.
2017; 13 per cent prison staff (10% in 2. Section 8 of POCSO provides for stringent
December 2016); 29.3% of judges (26.5% in punishment of five years’ of rigorous
2017-18). imprisonment (RI), the High Court
11. Overall, Maharashtra retained the top observed that “stricter proof and serious
spot on delivery of justice to people allegations are required”.
among 18 large and mid-sized states, 3. As such there is no direct physical contact
followed by Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab i.e. skin to skin with sexual intent without
and Kerala. penetration".
12. An overwhelming two-thirds of all prisoners 4. The bench observed that "the act of pressing
are undertrials awaiting a conviction. breast can be a criminal force to a
woman/girl with the intention to outrage
her modesty."
5. This Court holds that the appellant is
acquitted under Section 8 of the POCSO Act
and convicted under minor offence u/s 354
of IPC and sentenced him to undergo RI.
The maximum sentence is five years and the
minimum one year for an offence under this
section.
6. POCSO's definition of sexual assault:
As per the definition, the offence involves
ABOUT REPORT: following necessary ingredients — act must
have been committed with sexual intent, act
1. The report analysed expenditure, vacancies, must involve touching the vagina, penis,
representation of women and members of anus or breast of the child or making the
SC, ST and Other Backward Classes, across child touch the vagina, penis, anus or breast
18 large and mid-sized states with a of such person or any other person or doing
population of over 1 crore and eight smaller any other act with sexual intent which
states. involve contact without penetration."
7. As per the definition of ‘sexual assault’, a
‘physical contact with sexual intent without
penetration’ is an essential ingredient of the
offence.
8. The words ‘any other act’ encompasses
within itself the nature of the acts which are
similar to the acts which have been
specifically mentioned in the definition on
the premise of the principle of ejusdem
generis (of the same kind). The act should
be of the same nature or close to that."
E-EPIC (Electoral photo identity card)

CONTEXT:
1. Recently, on National Voter’s Day on 25

January 2021, e-EPIC has been launched.
ABOUT:
1. e-EPIC will be a non-editable secure

portable document format (PDF) version of
the EPIC which can be downloaded on
mobile or in a self-printable form on the
computer.
2. A voter can thus store the card on his CSR-like policy for scientific community
mobile, upload it on Digi locker or print it
and self-laminate it. CONTEXT:
3. This is in addition to PVC EPIC being issued
for fresh registration. 1. The Ministry of Science and
Technology has drafted a policy on the
lines of the mandatory corporate social
responsibility model for the country's
scientific community, this was necessitated
by scientists’ “isolation" from societal needs.
2. The “Scientific Social Responsibility”
policy, under consultation for a year now,
has been finalised and will soon be sent to
the Union cabinet for approval.
ABOUT:
1. As per the draft policy, every “knowledge

worker” has to devote atleast 10 person-
days each year to SSR activity, which can
BENEFITS TO CITIZENS: include giving lectures in schools and
colleges, sharing infrastructure, conducting
1. Alternate and faster mode of obtaining skill development workshops, and coming
Electoral Photo Identity Card in a digital up with solutions to local environmental or
format. health issues.
2. Equally valid as a proof of document for 2. Beneficiaries can include students, school
voter identification. and college teachers, local bodies,
3. Can be printed at the convenience of the communities, women’s groups, NGOs and
voter and can bring it as proof during MSMEs, among others.
poling. 3. While the knowledge worker would be given
4. Self-service model. wide latitude in choosing the SSR activity, it
should necessarily pertain to the
transmission of scientific knowledge to
society.
4. The policy envisages an SSR monitoring
system in each institution to assess
institutional projects and individual activity.

5. Institutes are also to publish their SSR Exercise Kavach
activity as part of their annual reports.
Individual SSR work is to be given due CONTEXT:
weightage in “performance evaluation of the
knowledge worker, such as the 1. A large scale Joint Military exercise
performance-based assessment system the ‘Exercise Kavach’ involving assets of Indian
output of university and college teachers”. Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and
Indian Coast Guard will be conducted in
January 2021 under the aegis of the
Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC),
the only Joint Forces Command of the
country.
ABOUT:
1. The exercise would involve participation

and deployment of elements of Army’s
Amphibious Brigade along with supporting
forces including Special Forces of Navy,
Armour/Mechanised components, Naval
Ships comprising Destroyers, ASW
Smart Anti Airfield Weapon Corvettes and Landing Ships with ship-
CONTEXT: borne helicopters of Eastern Naval
Command and ANC, Jaguar Maritime Strike
1. DRDO successfully conducted captive and and Transport aircrafts from Indian Air
release trial of indigenously developed Force and assets of Coast Guard.
Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from 2. The exercise involves synergised application
Hawk-I of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited of maritime surveillance assets, coordinated
(HAL) off the Odisha coast. air and maritime strikes, air defence,
submarine and landing operations.
ABOUT: 3. Concurrently Joint Intelligence Surveillance
1. The smart weapon was successfully test and Reconnaissance (ISR) exercise
fired from Indian Hawk-Mk132 of HAL. involving various technical, electronic and
human intelligence from three services will
2. This was the 9th successful mission of be conducted.
SAAW conducted by DRDO till now. 4. The ISR exercise will validate the
capabilities of intelligence gathering from
3. It was a text book launch, which met all space, air, land and sea-based assets/
mission objectives.
sensors, its analysis and sharing to achieve
4. SAAW is indigenously designed and battle field transparency for quick decision
developed by DRDO’s Research Centre making at different stages of operations.
Imarat (RCI) Hyderabad. 5. The joint force would execute multi domain,
high intensity offensive and defensive
5. This is 125 Kg class smart weapon, capable manoeuvres in the Andaman Sea and Bay of
of engaging ground enemy airfield assets Bengal and carry out amphibious landing
such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks, and operations, air landed operation,
runways etc. up to a range of 100 kms. helicopters-borne insertion of Special
6. The high precision guided bomb is light Forces from sea culminating in tactical
weight as compared to weapon system of follow-on operations on land.
the same class. The weapon was earlier 6. The tri-services exercise aims to fine tune
successfully test fired from Jaguar aircraft. joint war-fighting capabilities and SOPs
towards enhancing operational synergy.

K-SHAPED RECOVERY:
World Economic Outlook 1. The global economy is projected to

grow 5.5% in 2021 and 4.2% in 2022.
IN NEWS: 2. For the Emerging Market and Developing
Economies category, Asian economies are
1. Recently, the International Monetary projected to do much better – at 8.3 percent
Fund (IMF) has issued the World overall, leading by India (11.5 percent) and
Economic Outlook Update. China (8.1 percent), compared with Sub-
Highlights: Sahara Africa at only 3.2 percent.
3. India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will
1. According to the IMF, multiple vaccines grow by 11.5% in the Financial Year (FY)
currently being rolled out around the world 2021-22 , 2.7% higher than the projection
raised the prospect of an eventual end to the made in October, 2020. In FY 2022-23, the
coronavirus pandemic in 2021. economy will likely grow 6.8%.
2. Like 2020, 2021 economic outlook is still 4. This revision for the current fiscal is
closely related to COVID-19, which is still higher than the government’s first
the only factor driving everything at this advance estimate of 7.7% and also
point. the RBI’s estimate of 7.5%.
3. BAD NEWS: The strength of the projected 5. This great divergence in growth in the
recovery varies across countries, "depending aftermath of a major pandemic has historic
on the severity of the health crisis, the precedents, and the economics academic
extent of domestic disruptions to across the world termed it as the K-shaped
activity (related to the structure of the recovery, valid across different social strata
economy and its reliance on contact- within the same country.
intensive sectors), the exposure to cross-
border spillovers, and effectiveness of
policy support to limit persistent
damage."
4. The pandemic-induced acceleration in
inequality by reiterating that close to 90
million people are likely to fall below
the extreme poverty threshold during
2020-21
Anaemia
IN NEWS:
1. A study, titled ‘The Association Between

Ambient PM 2.5 Exposure and
Anaemia Outcomes Among Children
Under Five Years of Age in India’,
published in the journal Environmental
Epidemiology, conducted by IIT-Delhi
has found that extended periods of exposure
to PM 2.5 can lead to anaemia among
children under the age of 5 years.

ABOUT:
ABOUT:
1. The study has found that for every 10 1. This decision will take effect on 19 February
micrograms per meter cube increase in 2021. In 2001, the U.S., under George W.
PM2.5 levels exposure, there is a decrease Bush, had pulled out of the previous pact,
of 0.07 grams per dL in average the Kyoto Protocol.
haemoglobin levels. 2. Joining the Paris Agreement meant that the
2. This is the first study to have been carried U.S. is now bound by its national pledge
out in India, where an association between made under the pact: to achieve an
exposure to PM 2.5 and anaemia in children economy-wide reduction of its GHG
under the age of 5 years has been examined emissions by 26%-28% below the 2005 level
and established, even as numerous other in 2025.
studies have looked at other detrimental 3. Earlier, with the withdrawal from the Paris
health impacts of particulate matter. Agreement, America also stopped its
3. The study is important because so far contribution to the UN’s Green Climate
anaemia has been looked at through the Fund, to which it had pledged $3 billion,
prism of nutrition deficiency, specifically after transferring an estimated $1 billion.
that of iron. 4. US has promised an “enforcement
4. If government programmes like Poshan mechanism to achieve net-zero emissions
Abhiyan were strengthened, till air no later than 2050”, including a target no
pollution is curtailed or exposure of children later than the end of his term in 2025, aided
to PM 2.5 is brought down, anaemia is likely by a planned federal investment that will
to continue to persist. total $1.7 trillion over ten years, besides
private investments.
5. The plan revolves around 10 million well-
paying clean energy jobs with a focus on
solar and wind power.
6. This year’s UN climate conference in
Glasgow will see the new administration
engaging UNFCCC member-nations to raise
global ambition.
Paris climate agreement
CONTEXT:
1. New President of the United States signed

an order to restore America’s participation
in the United Nations Paris Agreement on
climate change.

New ant species
CONTEXT:
2. Two new species of a rare ant genus have

been discovered in India. The species of the
ant genus Ooceraea found in Kerala, and
Tamil Nadu add to the diversity of this rare
genus. They differ from others of the same
genus on the basis of the number of
antennal segments.
ABOUT:
Sunderbans
1. One of them found in the Periyar Tiger
Reserve of Kerala, has been CONTEXT:
named Ooceraea joshii, in honour of Prof.
Amitabh Joshi, a distinguished evolutionary 1. According to a recent publication (Birds of
biologist from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve) of the
for Advanced Scientific Research Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the Indian
(JNCASR) an autonomous institute of the Sunderbans, which is part of the largest
Department of Science & Technology (DST), mangrove forest in the world, is home to
Government of India. 428 species of birds.
2. New species are typically named after some ABOUT:

distinguishing attribute or location but are 1. The Indian Sunderbans, which covers 4,200
often named after scientists as a means of sq. km, also includes the Sunderban Tiger
honouring their research contributions to Reserve of 2,585 sq. km — home to about 96
biology, especially in the fields of royal Bengal tigers (as per the last census in
evolutionary and organismal biology, 2020). It is a world heritage site and a
ecology or systematics. Ramsar site (a wetland site designated to be
3. The two new species, the first ones spotted of international importance).
with ten-segmented antennae among this 2. 428 birds listed, some, like the masked
rare genus, were discovered. finfoot and the Buffy fish owl, are recorded
4. The genus is currently represented by 14 only from the Sunderbans.
species of which eight possess nine- 3. The area is home to nine out of 12 species of
segmented antennae, while five possess kingfishers found in the country as well rare
eleven- segmented antennae and one species such as the Goliath heron and the
species has recently been reported with spoon-billed sandpiper.
eight-segmented antennae.
4. India has over 1,300 species of birds and if
5. In India, the genus was so far represented 428 species of birds are from the
by two species with nine- and eleven- Sunderbans, it means that one in every
segmented antennae respectively. three birds in the country is found in the
6. The newly discovered ant species with ten unique ecosystem.
segmented antennae discovered, establish 5. Sunderbans are the most diverse of natural
an old world lineage that contains a species landscapes and accounts for 60% of all
emerging as the only model organism mangrove forests in the country.
among the ant subfamily.
6. The mudflats exposed in the low tides, rich
in microorganism deposited during tidal
activity, are ideal feeding for migratory
birds.
7. The mudflats and wetlands of the Ensure scientific management of e-waste,
Sunderbans act as a stopover site for environmental crimes as serious as assault:
migratory flight south [southwards] and NGT to CPCB
back.
Biomedical waste sites must get
authorisation: NGT
S-400 training CONTEXT:
CONTEXT: 1. National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently
1. The first Indian group of military specialists ordered central and all state pollution
will soon depart for Moscow (Russia) to control boards that scientific disposal of e-
undergo training courses on the S-400 waste should be ensured as per rules citing
Triumf missile defence system. huge gaps in compliance of electronic waste-
management rules.
WHY? 2. NGT has directed biomedical waste
management facilities in the country to
1. Despite objections from the US and the obtain authorisation from State pollution
threat of sanctions under Countering control boards to ensure compliance from
America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions the biomedical waste management facilities
Act (CAATSA), India signed a 5.43 billion due to regular fines being imposed on
USD deal with Russia for the S-400 Triumf various healthcare facilities and biomedical
missile system in October 2018. waste treatment facilities.
S-400 TRIUMF MISSILE SYSTEM: ABOUT ORDER RELATED TO E-WASTE

MANAGEMENT:
1. A mobile, surface-to-air missile system
(SAM) designed by Russia. 1. To reduce damage to the public health,
2. Engage all types of aerial targets including environment and meaningful enforcement
aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) of rule of law, all the state pollution control
and ballistic and cruise missiles within the boards need to identify the hotspots by
range of 400km, at an altitude of up to constant vigil and to coordinate with the
30km. District Administration at local levels.
3. Track 100 airborne targets and engage six of 2. Large number of accidents takes place in
them simultaneously. residential areas due to unscientific
handling of e-waste, which needs special
SIGNIFICANCE: attention for constant vigilance in such
hotspots.
1. Most dangerous operationally deployed 3. Further steps should be taken for scientific
modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM) in the enforcement of E-Waste Management
world Rules, 2016 (EWMR) in the light of the
2. Considered much ahead of the US- reports of the CPCB.
developed Terminal High Altitude Area
Defense system (THAAD)
3. India’s acquisition is crucial to counter
attacks in a two-front war, including even BIO-MEDICAL WASTE GUIDELINES
high-end F-35 US fighter aircraft.
1. CPCB: Ensure strict compliance of
biomedical waste management rules and
scientific disposal of the waste.
2. The Chief Secretaries of all the States/UTs
to oversee compliance and ensure that
authorisation is secured by every health care
facility in their respective jurisdiction and
there is adherence to the norms.
3. Groundwater contamination does not take
place while permitting deep burials.
4. Hazardous bio-medical waste is not mixed costs and lead to efficient resource
with the general waste. allocation in this segment.
5. Frequent Violation of Rules: The direction
came as a result of
6. Differentiation of COVID-19 biomedical
waste from general garbage is a must to India’s Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope Spots
avoid further contamination adversely Rare UV-bright Stars
affecting public health. CONTEXT:
1. Rare hot Ultra Violet (UV)-bright stars have

RBI: Cost of green bonds issuance high in been spotted by astronomers with the help
India of India's first multi-wavelength space
satellite AstroSat in the massive intriguing
CONTEXT: globular cluster in the Milky Way Galaxy
called NGC 2808.
1. A study by Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
noted that the cost of issuing green bonds
has generally remained higher than other
bonds in India, largely due to asymmetric ABOUT:
information. 1. Scientists combined data of Ultraviolet
Imaging Telescope (on board AstroSat) with
observations made using other space
ABOUT: missions like the Hubble Space Telescope
and the Gaia telescope along with ground-
1. The average coupon rate for green bonds based optical observations.
issued since 2015 with maturities between 5 2. Hot UV-bright stars have been
to 10 years have generally remained higher differentiated from the relatively cooler
than the corporate and government bonds red giant and main-sequence stars.
with similar tenure. 3. One of the UV-bright stars was about 3000
2. For the US dollar-denominated green bonds times brighter than the Sun with a surface
with tenure of more than or equal to 10 temperature of about 1,00,000 K.
years, the coupon rate was, however lower 4. Most of the stars were found to have evolved
than the corporate bonds. from a solar stage called the horizontal
3. It may be mentioned that most of the green branch stars with hardly any outer
bonds in India are issued by the public envelope.
sector units 17 or corporates with better 5. Thus, they were bound to skip the last major
financial health. phase of life called the asymptotic giant
4. It is evident from the fact that the private phase (it is one of the last major
sector issuers of green bonds, on average, phases in the life of stars) and directly
reported lower debt-to-assets ratio become dead remnants or white dwarfs.
compared to the non-issuers of green bond.
5. Green bonds constituted only 0.7percen to RBI moots scale-based tighter regulatory
fall the bonds issued in India since 2018, framework for NBFCs
and bank lending to the non-conventional
energy constituted about 7.9 percent of CONTEXT:
outstanding bank credit to the power sector, 1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
as of March 2020. suggested a tougher regulatory framework
6. High borrowing cost has been perhaps the for the non-banking finance companies’
most important challenge and analysis (NBFC) sector to prevent recurrence of any
indicates that it could be due to the systemic risk to the country’s financial
asymmetric information system.
7. Therefore, developing a better information
management system in India may help in
reducing maturity mismatches, borrowing

ABOUT:
1. The banking regulator released a discussion NITI index

paper on the revised regulatory framework
which is formulated on a scale-based CONTEXT:
approach.
2. It will be based on a four-layered structure 1. The Innovation Index has been released by
— the base layer (NBFC-BL), middle layer the NITI Aayog.
(NBFC-ML), upper layer (NBFC-UL) and ABOUT:
the top layer.
3. If the framework is visualised as a pyramid, 1. These rankings were part of NITI Aayog's
the bottom of the pyramid, where least India Innovation Index Report 2020. The
regulatory intervention is warranted, can exercise was initiated in 2019 and is on the
consist of NBFCs currently classified as lines of the Global Innovation Index (GII),
non-systemically important NBFCs (NBFC- which ranks countries annually.
ND), NBFCP2P lending platforms, 2. The framework of the index includes
NBFCAA, NOFHC and Type I NBFCs. globally considered parameters for
4. Moving up, the next layer may comprise measuring innovation, such as the
NBFCs currently classified as systemically percentage of GDP spent on research and
important NBFCs (NBFC-ND-SI), deposit- development, while keeping them specific to
taking NBFCs (NBFC-D), HFCs, IFCs, IDFs, the Indian economy.
SPDs and CICs. 3. The indicators that the survey uses includes
5. The regulatory regime for this layer shall be the level and quality of education especially
stricter compared to the base layer. Adverse in research, number of PhD students,
regulatory arbitrage vis-à-vis banks can be enrolment in engineering and technology,
addressed for NBFCs falling in this layer in number of highly skilled professionals,
order to reduce systemic risk spill-overs, investment in R&D, FDI inflows, internet
where required. subscribers, knowledge intensive
6. The next layer may consist of NBFCs employment, number of patents and
identified as ‘systemically significant’. This trademark applications filed, business
layer will be populated by NBFCs having a environment, and safety and legal
large potential of systemic spill-over of risks environment, among others.
and the ability to impact financial stability.
7. The extant regulatory framework for NBFC- GII: The Gender Inequality Index (GII)
NDs will now be applicable to base layer
NBFCs, while the extant regulatory 1. In 2015, India ranked 81 among 141
framework applicable for NBFC-NDSI will countries in the GII. By 2020 it ranked 48
be applicable to middle layer NBFCs. NBFCs among 131 countries.
residing in the upper layer will constitute a 2. There were a number of areas in which
new category. India needed to improve to meet global
8. The revisions applicable to lower layers of competitiveness in innovation, including
NBFCs will automatically be applicable to increased expenditure in R&D by the private
NBFCs in the higher layers, unless there is a sector.
conflict or otherwise stated. 3. The Indian government is a major spender
in R&D, while the investment of the private
9. The current threshold for systemic sector is very low.
importance, which is ₹500 crore now, is 4. Compare this to Israel where private
proposed to be revised to ₹1,000 crore. companies account for 70 percent of private
investment in R&D, In 2017-18, the Indian
10. As per the proposals, the extant NPA government had the lion's share of
classification norm of 180 days will be investment in R&D at 41 per cent.
reduced to 90 days. The regulatory 5. India also spends only 0.7per cent of its
framework for NBFCs needs to be GDP on R&D, much lower than the top
reoriented to keep pace with changing spenders such as Israel (4.95 per cent).
realities in the financial sector.

PERFORMANCE OF STATES: Centre nod for Chenab hydel project despite
Pak objections
1. The Innovation Index is divided in to three
categories—major states, Union Territories, CONTEXT:
and hill and North East states.
2. Karnataka has been ranked the most 1. The Centre decided to go ahead with the
innovative among major states by the NITI long pending 850 megawatt Ratle
Aayog with a score of 42.5 for the second hydroelectric power project for the Rs 5,822
year running. crore on the river Chenab in Jammu and
3. As states become more innovative, they Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, despite
have higher per capita GDP. The state's objections raised by the Pakistan
success has been attributed to a high government over the same.
number of venture capital deals, registered
GIs and ICT exports, and high FDI inflow. BACKGROUND:
4. Delhi has scored the highest on the index in 1. The Project to be built near Drabshalla
the country with a score of 46.6, while village in Kishtwar, the then Prime Minister
Lakshwadeep has the lowest score at 11.7. had laid the foundation stone for the project
Delhi recorded the highest number of on June 25, 2013.
trademark and patent applications, along 2. However, the Pakistan government had
with the establishment of new start-ups and objected to the construction of the dam,
companies in the last financial year. claiming that it was not in conformity with
5. Delhi also stood out as the top performer the Indus Water Treaty.
among both states and UTs. 3. In August 2017, the World Bank allowed
6. The Index pointed out a North-South divide India to construct the dam and the following
in the findings of the report, with the year, the erstwhile state government
southern states having fared much better. approached the Centre with a proposal to
7. Maharashtra follows with a score of 38, resume construction.
while Bihar finishes last at 14.5. Four 4. An MoU was signed between the National
southern states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) and the
Telangana and Kerala —occupy the top Jammu and Kashmir State Power
positions on the index, apart from Development Corporation Limited
Maharashtra. (JKSPDCL) at Vijaypur in Samba district on
8. Amongst North East and hill states, February 3, 2019 and work on the project
Himachal Pradesh has the highest score of began in December 2019.
25.
ABOUT:
1. The project will be a joint venture between

the NHPC and the JKSPDC having an equity
of 51 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively,
and will be completed in five years.
2. The JKSPDCL equity will be paid by the
Centre.
3. The power share of J&K from the project
will start from 8 per cent and increase to 12
per cent in the 12th year. It will be the first
hydel power project in the country from
which we will start getting power from the
day it gets commissioned.
4. If calculated in terms of money, Jammu and
Kashmir will get electricity worth Rs 5,289
crore free of cost and the Union Territory
will also get water usage charges worth Rs
9,581 crore over a period of 40 years.

5. The project will generate direct and indirect 6. The new management cannot be the
jobs for 4,000 people in addition to the disguised avatar of the old management. It
2,000 jobs created directly and indirectly in cannot even be the related party of the
the commissioning of the 540 MW K war corporate debtor.
hydroelectric power project on the Chenab. 7. The new management cannot be the subject
matter of an investigation which has
SC upholds IBC’s Section 32A resulted in material showing abetment or
conspiracy for the commission of the
CONTEXT: offence and the report or complaint filed
1. The Supreme Court held that the successful thereto.
bidders for a corporate debtor under the Why is the SC upholding Section 32A
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) important?
would be immune from any investigations 1. Since the IBC came into being in 2016, the
being conducted either by any investigating implementation of resolution plan of several
agencies such as the Enforcement big ticket cases has been delayed because of
Directorate (ED) or other statutory bodies various challenges mounted by its own
such as Securities and Exchange Board of agencies and regulators.
India (SEBI). 2. With the Supreme Court upholding the
WHAT DID THE SUPREME COURT SAY IN validity of Section 32 A, the delayed cases
ITS JUDGMENT? are expected to be completed soon. This will
give confidence to other bidders to proceed
1. The apex court upholded the validity of with confidence while bidding on such
Section 32A of IBC as it was important for disputed companies and their assets.
the IBC to attract bidders who would offer
reasonable and fair value for the corporate
debtor to ensure the timely completion of
corporate insolvency resolution process
(CIRP). ‘Too big to fail’ list: SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC
1. Such bidders, however, must also be Bank
granted protection from any misdeeds of the
past since they had nothing to do with it. CONTEXT:
2. Such protection must also extend to the
assets of a corporate debtor, which form a 1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
crucial attraction for potential bidders and retained State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI
helps them in assessing and placing a fair Bank and HDFC Bank as Domestic
bid for the company, which, in turn, will Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) or
help banks clean up their books of bad banks that are considered as “too big to
loans. fail”.
3. The extinguishment of the criminal liability
of the corporate debtor is apparently
important to the new management to make ABOUT:
a clean break with the past and start on a
clean slate. 1. Some banks, due to their size, cross-
4. As far as protection afforded to the property jurisdictional activities, complexity, lack of
is concerned there is clearly a rationale substitutability and interconnectedness,
behind it. become Systemically Important Banks,
5. The protection to successful bidders and the which are perceived as ‘Too Big To Fail
assets of a corporate debtor are provided by (TBTF)’.
the rules under Section 32A of the IBC. Such 2. D-SIB framework is based on the
immunity would be applicable only if there assessment conducted by the national
is an approved resolution plan, and a authorities, who are best placed to evaluate
change in the management control of the the impact of failure on the local financial
corporate debtor. system and the local economy.

3. In case a foreign bank having branch Questions can also be asked to the private
presence in India is a Global Systemically members.
Important Bank (G-SIB). 4. The presiding officers of the both
4. The RBI had issued the framework for Houses (Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha) are
dealing with D-SIB in 2014. the final authority with respect to the
5. The D-SIB framework requires the Reserve conduct of Question Hour.
Bank to disclose the names of banks 5. It is regulated according to parliamentary
designated as D-SIBs starting from 2015 rules.
and place these banks in appropriate
buckets depending upon their Systemic
Importance Scores (SISs). ZERO HOUR:
1. It is an Indian parliamentary
Exercise Desert Knight-21 innovation. It is not mentioned in the
parliamentary rules book.
CONTEXT: 2. MPs can raise matters without any
1. Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and prior notice.
Space Force conducted a bilateral Air 3. Starts immediately after the question hour
exercise, Exercise Desert Knight-21 at Air and lasts until the agenda for the day
Force Station Jodhpur from 20 to 24
January 2021.
In 2020, Rajya Sabha sat for just 33 days in
ABOUT: 2020, its lowest-ever tally of sittings in a year. The
Budget and the monsoon sessions had to be cut
1. Unique exercise as it includes fielding of short as COVID-19 positive cases even in
Rafale aircraft by both sides. supporting staff kept spiralling. The winter session
2. Indicative of the growing interaction
was cancelled, which was last done 36 years ago in
between the two premier Air Forces. 1984.
3. Presently, the French detachment for Ex o There are only three other occasions
Desert Knight-21 is deployed in Asia as part when the Rajya Sabha met for fewer
of their 'SKYROS Deployment'. than 50 sittings in a year — 48 in 1999
and 46 each in 2004 and 2008.
o In overall parliamentary history, there
Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha to have 5-hour have been only three instances in 1979,
sessions with Question Hour, Zero Hour 1975 an 1984 when the winter session
was cancelled.
CONTEXT: o As per an analysis by the Rajya Sabha
Secretariat, the limited number of
1. Budget session of Parliament is going to sittings did not hurt the productivity.
start on 29 January 2021, Lok Sabha “During the year 2020, the annual
Speaker said both Houses will have five- productivity has been 82.7%, the highest
hour sessions each with Question Hour and annual productivity during the last 11
Zero Hour. years.” A total of 39 Bills have been
passed by the House during 2020,
QUESTION HOUR: including 12 during the Budget session
1. The first hour of every parliamentary sitting and 27 during the monsoon session. The
is slotted for the Question Hour. list of legislation includes the three
2. In 2014, it was shifted in the Rajya Sabha controversial farm laws.
from 11 am to 12 noon. Source: The Hindu News Page: In 2020,
3. Members of Parliament (MPs) ask questions RS saw lowest number of sittings ever.
to ministers and hold them accountable for
the functioning of their ministries.

‘Explore crowdfunding to help two children 3. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy :
with rare disease’ Genetic disorder characterized by
progressive muscle degeneration and
CONTEXT: weakness due to the alterations of a protein
called dystrophin that helps keep muscle
1. Delhi High Court (HC) has ordered the cells intact.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to
explore “crowdfunding” to help two
children, who are suffering from a Rare
Disease known as Duchenne Muscular What is 5G and how prepared is India to
Dystrophy. adapt to this tech?
2. HC also give a specific timeline to the
Ministry in respect of the finalisation and CONTEXT:
notification of the Draft Health Policy for
Rare Diseases, 2020. The draft policy has a 1. The Department of Telecommunications
section where the government proposed (DoT) has sought inputs from telcos and
crowdfunding for treatment of high-cost other industry experts on the sale and use of
Rare Diseases. radio frequency spectrum over the next 10
years, including the 5G bands.
WHAT IS CROWDFUNDING?
WHAT IS 5G TECHNOLOGY AND HOW IS
1. Method of raising capital through the IT DIFFERENT?
collective effort of a large pool of
individuals, primarily online via social 1. 5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade
media and crowdfunding platforms and in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile
leverages their networks for greater reach broadband networks.
and exposure. 2. 5G mainly works in 3 bands: ( all of which
2. The 3 primary types are donation-based, have their own uses as well as limitations)
rewards-based, and equity crowdfunding. a) Low band spectrum has shown great
3. Donation-based crowdfunding – Any promise in terms of coverage and
crowdfunding campaign in which there is no speed of internet and data exchange,
financial return to the investors or the maximum speed is limited to 100
contributors. Mbps (Megabits per second). This
4. Rewards-based crowdfunding – Any means that while telcos can use and
crowdfunding campaign that involves install it for commercial cellphone
individuals contributing to business in users who may not have specific
exchange for a “reward,” typically a form of demands for very high speed internet,
the product or service your company offers. the low band spectrum may not be
5. Equity-based crowdfunding – Any optimal for specialised needs of the
crowdfunding campaign that allows industry.
contributors to become part-owners of your b) The mid-band spectrum offers higher
company by trading capital for equity speeds compared to the low band, but
shares. has limitations in terms of coverage
area and penetration of signals.
RARE DISEASE: Telcos and companies, which have
taken the lead on 5G, have indicated
1. There is no universally accepted that this band may be used by
definition of rare diseases and the industries and specialised factory
definitions usually vary across different units for building captive networks
countries. that can be moulded into the needs of
2. A rare disease is a health condition of that particular industry.
low prevalence that affects a small c) The high-band spectrum offers the
number of people compared with other highest speed of all the three bands,
prevalent diseases in the general but has extremely limited coverage
population. and signal penetration strength.
Internet speeds in the high-band
spectrum of 5G has been tested to be way back in 2011, has, on the other hand,
as high as 20 Gbps (giga bits per taken the lead when it comes to building the
second), while, in most cases, the hardware for 5G networks for several
maximum internet data speed in 4G companies.
has been recorded at 1 Gbps.
WHERE DOES INDIA STAND IN THE 5G

TECHNOLOGY RACE? G7 summit
1. India had, in 2018, planned to start 5G CONTEXT:

services as soon as possible, with an aim to
capitalise on the better network speeds and 1. British Prime Minister invited the Indian
strength that the technology promised. Prime Minister to the UK for the G7 summit
2. All the three private telecom players, in June 2021.
Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel and Vi, ABOUT:
have been urging the DoT to lay out a clear
road map of spectrum allocation and 5G 1. The proposed summit will be the first in-
frequency bands, so that they would be able person G-7 summit in almost two years, as it
to plan the roll out of their services will be held in the English region of
accordingly. Cornwall from June 11 to 13.
3. One big hurdle, however, is the lack of flow 2. Besides India, Australia and South Korea
of cash and adequate capital with at least have also been invited as guest countries as
two of the three players, namely Bharti a testament to UK’s commitment to
Airtel and Vodafone Idea. ensuring multilateral institutions better
4. Reliance Jio plans to launch an indigenously reflect today’s world.
built 5G network for the country as early as 3. G7 PLUS India, Australia and South Korea
the second half of this year. The company is is seen as a gathering of D-10 —10 leaders
said to have a complete end-to-end 5G who represent over 60% of people living in
solution prepared by the company itself that democracies around the world. This is also
is ready for deployment once the networks seen as a signal to China.
are in place. This solution can also be 4. India had attended the G-7 summit in
deployed by other telecom operators as a Biarritz in France in August 2019 and was
complete managed service. also invited for the 2020 summit hosted by
the US — which could not take place due to
WHAT IS THE GLOBAL PROGRESS ON 5G? the pandemic.
1. More than governments, global telecom 5. This is expected to be second G-7 summit in
companies have started building 5G the tenure of present PM; his predecessor
networks and rolling it out to their had attended the G-8 summit (it became G-
customers on a trial basis. In countries like 7 from G-8 with the expulsion of Russia in
the US, companies such as AT&T, T-mobile, 2014) five times between 2005 and 2009.
and Verizon have taken the lead when it 6. G7 is the most prominent grouping of
comes to rolling out commercial 5G for their democratic countries, and it has long been
users. the catalyst for decisive international action
2. While some such as AT&T had started to tackle the greatest challenges. From
testing and deploying the technology as cancelling developing world debt to our
early as 2018, other companies such as universal condemnation of Russia’s
Verizon have followed suit, expanding their annexation of Crimea, the world has looked
5G ultra-wide broadband services to as to the G7 to apply our shared values and
many as 60 cities by the end of 2020. In diplomatic might to create a more open and
other countries such as China, some of the prosperous planet.
telcos such as China Unicom had started 5G 7. The G7, which includes UK, Canada, France,
trials as early as 2018, and have since rolled Germany, Italy, Japan, the USA and the EU,
out the commercial services for users. is the only forum where the world’s most
3. South Korean company Samsung, which influential and open societies and advanced
had started researching on 5G technology economies gather for discussions.
8. The summit itself will be held in the coastal 3. Extraction and mining of rare earth metals
town of Carbis Bay, supported by involves similar land-use exploitation,
neighbouring St. Ives and other towns environmental damage and ecological
across the Cornwall region. burden as any other mining operation. They
9. In February, UK will assume the Presidency are mined using extremely energy-intensive
of the UN Security Council, and, later this processes, spewing carbon emissions into
year, it will host the COP26 climate summit the atmosphere and toxins into the ground.
in Glasgow and a global education
conference. 4. Many of these metals, which include
mercury, barium, lead, chromium and
cadmium, are extremely damaging to the
health of several ecosystems, including
Rare earth metals humans.
CONTEXT:
1. A survey done by United Nations University GLOBAL SCENARIO:

(UNU) and the World Health Organisation
(WHO) on the impact e-waste has on child 1. Until 1948, India and Brazil were the
health, raised concerns around chemical world’s primary producers of rare earth
burns, cancer and stunted growth. metals.
2. The countries with the most rare earth
2. Eradicating these substances from metals currently are China (the largest
discarded products is difficult and costly, reserves in the world), the United States,
which is why much of the e-waste exported Brazil, India, Vietnam, Australia, Russia,
to the developing world under the pretence Myanmar, and Indonesia.
of being reused or refurbished ends up 3. Due to ambitious renewable energy
being dumped. initiatives resulting from many nations
pursuing renewable technologies, there is a
3. Naturally abundant wind, geothermal, solar, need for caution.
tidal and electric energy are being hastened 4. Especially when the largest reserves in the
as the future of the planet's energy needs. world, the largest users and the country
And rare earth elements are used in a bevy which is involved in a majority of the supply
of technolgies to generate this cleaner, chains is China.
renewable energy like wind turbine
magnets, solar cells, smartphone
components, cells used in electric vehicles,
among others. Bike ambulances
CONTEXT:
ABOUT: 1. Defence Research and Development

Organisation (DRDO) hands over Motor
1. Rare earth metals, they comprise Bike Ambulance ‘Rakshita’ to Central
seventeen chemical elements — 15 Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
lanthanides (anthanum, cerium,
praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, ABOUT:
samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium,
dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, 1. Rakshita is handed by the Institute of
ytterbium, and lutetium), Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences
scandium and yttrium. (INMAS), Delhi based DRDO laboratory, to
CRPF.
2. Despite the name, rare earth elements are 2. Rakshita is a bike-based casualty transport
found abundantly in the Earth's crust. They emergency vehicle and is fitted with a
are widely dispersed and found in low customized reclining Casualty Evacuation
concentrations that are not economically Seat (CES), which can be fitted in and taken
exploitable. out as per requirement.

3. The bike ambulance will help in overcoming 9. Rock art produced in limestone caves can
the problems faced by Indian security forces sometimes be dated using Uranium-series
and emergency healthcare providers. analysis of calcium carbonate deposits
4. It will provide life-saving aid for evacuation (‘cave popcorn’) that form naturally on the
of injured patients from low intensity cave wall surface used as a ‘canvas’ for the
conflict areas. art.
5. This bike ambulance is useful not only for
the paramilitary and military forces but has
potential civil applications too.
Lumpy skin disease

CONTEXT:
Old pig painting
1. Lumpy skin disease (LSD) has prevailed
CONTEXT: over the village of Kammana in Kerala’s
Wayanad district since the beginning of the
1. Archaeologists have discovered the world’s year.
oldest known cave art — a life-sized picture
of a wild pig that was painted at least 45,500 ABOUT:
years ago in in the limestone cave of Leang 1. A viral illness that causes prolonged
Tedongnge in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. morbidity in cattle and buffaloes. It appears
as nodules of two to five centimetre
diameter all over the body, particularly
around the head, neck, limbs, udder and
ABOUT: genitals.
1. The cave painting consists of a figurative 2. The lumps gradually open up like large and
depiction of a warty pig, a wild boar that is deep wounds. In some cases — under 10 per
endemic to this Indonesian island. cent according to the Food and Agriculture
2. The finding also represents some of the Organization (FAO) — the infected animal
earliest archaeological evidence for modern succumbs to the disease.
humans in the region.
3. The cave is in a valley that is enclosed by 3. While the LSD virus easily spreads by
steep limestone cliffs, and is only accessible blood-sucking insects like mosquitoes, flies
by a narrow cave passage in the dry season, and ticks and through saliva and
as the valley floor is completely flooded in contaminated water and food, no treatment
the wet season. is available for the disease, that is being
4. It shows a pig with a short crest of upright reported for the first time in India.
hairs and a pair of horn-like facial warts in
front of the eyes, a characteristic feature of
adult male Sulawesi warty pigs.
5. Painted using red ochre pigment, the pig
appears to be observing a fight or social
interaction between two other warty pigs.
6. These pigs were the most commonly
portrayed animal in the ice age rock art of
the island, suggesting they have long been
valued both as food and a focus of creative
thinking and artistic expression.
7. The previously oldest dated rock art ‘scene’
at least 43,900 years old, was a depiction of
hybrid human-animal beings hunting
Sulawesi warty pigs and dwarf bovids.
8. It was discovered by the same research team
at a nearby limestone cave site.

Polar Vortex the Arctic and result in the onset of
CONTEXT: extremely harsh winters.
1. Polar vortex is splitting into two and
swirling southward and this will lead to a NCAVES India Forum 2021
chilling deep freeze in the US and European CONTEXT:
countries. Earlier, such vortex developed in 1. The Ministry of Statistics & Programme
2014. Implementation is conducting three live
WHAT IS POLAR VERTEX? sessions of “Natural Capital Accounting and
1. The polar vortex is a large area of low Valuation of Ecosystem Services” (NCAVES)
pressure and cold air surrounding both of India Forum 2021 are scheduled to be held
the Earth’s poles. It ALWAYS exists near the on January 14, 21 and 28, 2021 in
poles, but weakens in summer and collaboration with United Nations Statistics
strengthens in winter. Division (UNSD), European Union and UN
2. The term "vortex" refers to the counter- Environment.
clockwise flow of air that helps keep the 2. It aims to disseminate the activities taken
colder air near the Poles. up by the Ministry under the Project and to
3. Many times during winter in the northern highlight the uses to which natural capital
hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand, accounts can be put, especially in the areas
sending cold air southward with the jet of decision making and policy analysis.
stream. ABOUT:
4. This is not confined to the United States. 1. The first session of the event on 14 January
2021 was dedicated to the discussions on
Portions of Europe and Asia also experience
the efforts made by India and the
cold surges connected to the polar vortex.
international agencies in the domain of
5. By itself, the only danger to humans is the natural capital accounting and valuation of
magnitude of how cold temperatures will
the ecosystem services.
get when the polar vortex expands, sending
2. Through the forum, the Ministry targets to
Arctic air southward into areas that are not
showcase Government’s efforts in making
typically that cold.
environment a key dimension in our policy
paradigm and welcomes active participation
of all stakeholders in the NCAVES India
Forum 2021.
BACKGROUND:
1. In 2017, the European Union initiated a
project, NCAVES in 2017 to help nations
advance the knowledge on
environmental-economic accounting,
in particular ecosystem accounting that
can help in ensuring sustainable
economic growth.
2. The NCAVES Project is being implemented
in five countries – India, Brazil, China,
Mexico and South Africa - by the United
Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
and the Secretariat of the Convention of
Biological Diversity (CBD).
3. The Ministry of Statistics & Programme
IMPLICATIONS:
Implementation has taken up several
1. Polar vortex is losing stability and its initiatives under the NCAVES Project
splitting causes dramatic, extreme during the past three years.
weather implications across the western
nations like the US and Europe.
2. With a ‘disrupted’ polar vortex in 2021,
the colder air is expected to spill out of

4. The indigenous content of the aircraft is 50
per cent and will be enhanced to 60 per
Army inks $20 mn deal with idea Forge for cent.
UAV
CONTEXT:
1. The Indian Army has signed a $20-million

contract with ideaForge, a player in
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology,
to procure undisclosed quantities of a high-
altitude variant of SWITCH UAV, an
indigenous system used in surveillance
operations.
ABOUT:
1. SWITCH UAV is an indigenous system built

to cater to the most demanding surveillance
operations of the Indian forces.
2. This fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing
UAV can be deployed at high altitudes and
under harsh environments for day and night
surveillance.
3. UAV player ideaForge has been awarded Vietnam buys Indian rice
this one-year contract after it qualified the for first time in decades
operational requirements in an evaluation
done in real-world conditions. CONTEXT:
4. The contract marks a strategic shift in the 1. Vietnam purchased Indian Rice for first
Indian defence procurement process. time in decades. In December 2020, China
started buying Indian rice for the first time
in at least three decades.
83 Tejas fighters
ABOUT:
CONTEXT:
1. Vietnam, the world's third biggest exporter
1. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) of rice, has started buying the grain from
cleared a deal worth nearly Rs 48,000 crore rival India for the first time in decades due
for the acquisition of 83 Tejas Light Combat to limited domestic supplies and high
Aircraft for the Indian Air Force prices.
2. The purchases highlight tightening supplies
in Asia, which could lift rice prices in 2021
and even force traditional buyers of rice
TEJAS Mk-1A MULTIROLE LIGHT from Thailand and Vietnam to switch to
FIGHTERS: India - the world's biggest exporter of the
grain.
1. Designed by the Aeronautical Development 3. The shrinking supplies will heighten
Agency under the Department of Defence concerns about food insecurity with sub-
Research and Development Saharan Africa among the areas where
2. Manufactured by state-owned Hindustan import demand has been increasing due
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) partly to population growth.
3. It will be an improvement over the Mk-1 4. Robust demand from Asian and African
version. countries has also been lifting Indian prices

but they are still very competitive due to Asola will automatically finish as well. It is,
COVID ample stocks. hence, critical to protect this region.
5. In December 2020, the world's biggest rice 5. The density of leopards and other
importer China started buying Indian rice endangered species, including striped
for the first time in at least three decades hyena, is approximately double in Gurgaon
due to tightening supplies from Thailand, Aravallis of what it is in Faridabad and
Myanmar and Vietnam and an offer of Asola.
sharply discounted prices. In 2020 India
exported a record 14 million tonnes of rice.
THREAT TO WILDLIFE:
More wildlife in Aravallis at Faridabad, 1. Highways, especially the Gurgaon-

Gurgaon Faridabad Expressway, and increasing
construction are a “major threat” to the
CONTEXT: wildlife corridor. This expressway poses a
major barrier to movement of wildlife
1. According to a recent study, the wildlife between the Aravallis of Delhi and Haryana.
corridor of the Aravallis in Gurgaon and 2. Land use change and protect the wildlife
Faridabad harbours a richer “variety corridor and habitat from further
of mammals” than the Asola Wildlife fragmentation, construction and
Sanctuary. deforestation are other threats.
ABOUT:
1. The study — a “systematic assessment” 30th National Energy Conservation Awards

of mammals in the wildlife corridor formed
by the Aravalli hills in Gurgaon and CONTEXT:
Faridabad with the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary
(WLS) in Delhi — has been carried out. 1. Ministry of Power, in association with
2. Conducted over two seasons in 2019, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE),
the study is “supported” by WWF- organised the 30th National Energy
India Small Grants Programme and Conservation Awards (NECA) function as a
CEDAR. Hybrid event due to the COVID pandemic.
2. During the event, the Standards and
FINDINGS: Labelling Programme for Air
Compressors and Ultra High
1. In comparison to Asola WLS, both Definition (UHD) TV on voluntary
Gurgaon and Faridabad Aravallis basis was initiated; SAATHEE (State-
were found to harbour extremely rich wise Actions on Annual Targets and
variety of mammals — despite the fact Headways on Energy Efficiency) – A
that Asola is a wildlife sanctuary and has portal for State Designated Agency for
more legal protection. state level activities was also
2. This can be attributed to “the attitude of launched.
tolerance to wildlife” amongst the local 3. During the award ceremony, it was
population, “general low density of specifically mentioned that the impact of
people”, and “subsistence agricultural PAT Cycle II achieved emission reduction of
practices” prevalent in the two districts. 61 million ton of CO2.
3. The study indicated that the hotspot of
wildlife in this corridor is actually between
Damdama and Mangar Bani, and
wildlife moves from there to Asola
through the Aravalli in Faridabad.
4. This indicates that Asola will survive as
long as the Aravalli region of Gurgaon
and Faridabad survives. If this finishes,

ABOUT: SAATHEE PORTAL:
1. The event included a virtual exhibition on 1. BEE has developed a Management

achievements on Energy Efficiency. The Information System (MIS) portal
awards were presented to the winners from called SAATHEE for the State
different industries and sector Designated Agency (SDA) for state level
establishments. activities.
2. Energy Efficiency is not only good for the 2. Useful in capturing the physical and
world but also for companies and industries financial status/ progress of Energy
themselves. Efficiency activities being implemented by
3. Despite this the country has made States/ UTs across the country. Thus, it will
ambitious commitments to meet the global facilitate Real Time Monitoring.
challenge posed by climate change. Our 3. Help in decision making, coordination,
country has target to reduce the control, analysis, and implementation and
emission intensity to 33-35% by 2030 enforcement of the compliance process for
compared to 2005 level, as part of various energy consumers at the pan India
commitments made during COP 21. level.
NATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION Third South Asia multilateral meet

AWARDS PROGRAMME:
CONTEXT:
1. It was launched by the Ministry of Power in
1991, to provide national recognition to 1. China has held its third multilateral
those industries and establishments which dialogue virtually with 5 countries from
have taken special efforts to reduce energy South Asia (Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan,
consumption while maintaining their Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) except India,
production. Bhutan and the Maldives.
2. The awards were given away for the first 2. All three dialogues have been attended by
time on 14th December, 1991, which was Pakistan and Nepal.
declared as the 'The National Energy
Conservation Day'. It recognizes the
energy efficiency achievements in 56 sub- ABOUT:
sectors across industry, establishments and
institutions. 1. It aims to take forward closer cooperation
on fighting COVID-19 and coordinating
their economic agendas, reflecting a new
STANDARDS AND LABELLING approach in China’s outreach to the region.
PROGRAMME FOR AIR COMPRESSORS 2. It brought together every country in the
AND ULTRA HIGH DEFINITION (UHD) TV: region barring, and was aimed at “anti-
epidemic cooperation and poverty reduction
1. Aim: To enhance the level of energy cooperation”.
conservation, this can then be used for a 3. The two virtual meets appear part of China’s
different purpose in the home or workplace. growing engagement in the region, in the
Besides saving energy, this programme wake of the global pandemic.
could also facilitate reducing energy bills. 4. The arising geopolitical turbulence is
2. It is to be carried out on a voluntary basis. unpredictable. There is a transition from
multilateralism to unilateralism, from
cooperation to competition.

CHINA INITIATIVES IN SOUTH ASIA:
1. In July 2020, at quadrilateral dialogue with

Afghanistan, Nepal and Pakistan, China
proposed to extend the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan.
2. It also proposed taking forward an
economic corridor plan with Nepal, called
the Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional
Connectivity Network.
3. China is the largest overseas investor in the
Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
According to the American Enterprise
Institute’s China Global Investment
Tracker, it has committed around 100
billion USD in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the
Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
4. China was a part of the trilateral China-
Pakistan-Afghanistan foreign ministers
dialogue to facilitate Afghan domestic
political reconciliation, enhancing regional
connectivity, and improving regional
common development.
5. China and Bangladesh pledged to deepen
“defense industry and trade, training,
equipment and technology” areas together.
6. Sri Lanka handed over Hambantota port
(geostrategically located on the Indian
Ocean) on a 99-year lease to China to repay
its loan back to China.
Looking for lithium toehold, India finds a
This dialogue shows small deposit in Karnataka
increasing Chinese presence
in South Asia and its
Growing cooperation CONTEXT:
acceptance by the countries
between Pakistan and China
as a torch bearer for the 1. Recently, the Atomic Minerals
region which India wants for
itself. Directorate for Exploration and
Research (AMD), an arm of the
Department of Atomic Energy, has shown
CONCERNS FOR the presence of 1,600 tonnes of
INDIA lithium resources in the igneous
rocks of the Marlagalla-Allapatna region of
Karnataka’s Mandya district.
2. The find in Mandya is extremely small in
Increasing nexus between Acceptance to China-Pakistan quantitative terms, but it is an initial
Nepal and China. Economic Corridor by south success in the attempt to domestically
asian countries. mine the silver-white metal by way of
hard-rock extraction of the ore.

ABOUT: LITHIUM IN INDIA
1. India has initiated a concerted domestic 1. Lithium can be extracted in different

exploration push for the alkali metal, a ways, depending on the type of the deposit –
vital ingredient of the lithium-ion it is generally done either through
rechargeable batteries that power electric solar evaporation of large brine pools
vehicles (EVs), laptops and mobile phones. or by hard-rock extraction of the ore.
2. AMD is carrying out surface and sub- 2. In India, alongside the rock mining at
surface exploration for lithium in Mandya, there is some potential for
potential geological domains of the country. recovering lithium from the brines of
India currently imports all its lithium Sambhar and Pachpadra in Rajasthan, and
needs. Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat.
3. The domestic exploration push, which also 3. The major mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar,
includes exploratory work to extract and Andhra Pradesh, and the pegmatite
lithium from the brine pools of belts in Odisha and Chhattisgarh apart from
Rajasthan and Gujarat and the mica Karnataka, are the other potential geological
belts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh, domains.
comes at a time when India has stepped up
its economic offensive against China, a
major source of lithium-ion energy storage
products being imported into the country. INDIA-ARGENTINA INITIATIVE :
1. In the middle of 2020, India, through a

newly-floated state-owned company, had
FINDINGS: signed an agreement with an Argentinian
firm to jointly prospect lithium in the
1. The Marlagalla-Allapatna area, along the South American country that has the
Nagamangala Schist Belt, which exposes third largest reserves of the metal in the
mineralised complex pegmatites (igneous world.
rocks), is seen as among the most promising 2. The new company, Khanij Bidesh India
geological domains for potential exploration Ltd, was incorporated in August 2019 by
for lithium and other rare metals. three state-owned companies, NALCO,
2. There are, however, two caveats. First, the Hindustan Copper, and Mineral Exploration
new find is categorised as “inferred”, one Ltd, with the specific mandate to acquire
of the three categories into which mineral strategic mineral assets such as lithium and
resources are subdivided, in order of cobalt abroad. The company is learnt to be
increasing geological confidence. also exploring options in Chile and Bolivia.
3. The ‘inferred’ mineral resource is the part of 3. India is seen as a late mover in attempts to
a resource for which quantity, grade and enter the lithium value chain, coming at a
mineral content are estimated only with a time when EVs are predicted to be a sector
low level of confidence based on ripe for disruption.
information gathered from locations such as 4. 2021 is likely to be an inflection point for
outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill battery technology – with several potential
holes that may be of limited or uncertain improvements to the li-ion technology, and
quality, and also of lower reliability. alternatives to this tried-and-tested
4. Second, the lithium find is formulation in advanced stages of
comparatively small, considering the commercialisation.
size of the proven reserves in Bolivia (21 5. Over 165 crore lithium batteries are
million tonnes), Argentina (17 million estimated to have been imported into India
tonnes), Australia (6.3 million tonnes), and between 2016-17 and 2019-20 (up to
China (4.5 million tonnes). November 30, 2019), at an estimated
import bill of upwards of $3.3 billion.

Vanadium source Equalisation levy
CONTEXT: CONTEXT:
1. Recently, Geological Survey of India (GSI) 1. Recently, the Office of the United States
has carried out an exploration in palaeo- Trade Representative (USTR) Section 301
proterozoic carbonaceous phyllite has said that the digital taxation regime in
rocks in the Depo and Tamang areas India, Italy and Turkey is not in sync with
of Papum Pare district in Arunachal US companies such as Google, Facebook,
Pradesh and placed this eastern Apple and Amazon.com, referred to as the
Himalayan State on the vanadium map of GAFA tax and are inconsistent with
the country. Now, this state likely to become international tax principles.
India’s prime producer of vanadium. 2. The issues of contention are the application
2. It is recovered as a by-product from the slag of taxation to revenue rather than income,
collected from the processing of extraterritorial application, and failure to
vanadiferous magnetite ores (iron ore). provide tax certainty.
ABOUT: ABOUT:
1. This was the first report of a primary 1. USTR is responsible for developing and
deposit of vanadium in India, with an coordinating US international trade,
average grade of 0.76% V2O5 [vanadium commodity, and direct investment policy,
pentoxide]. and overseeing negotiations with other
2. India is a significant consumer of countries. It is an agency of professionals
vanadium, but is not a primary dealing with trade issues.
producer of the strategic metal. 2. The Section 301 report (US Trade Act), a
3. India consumed 4% of about 84,000 tonnes flagship publication of USTR, gives the
of vanadium produced across the globe in USTR broad authority to investigate and
2017. respond to a foreign country’s action which
4. The largest deposits of vanadium of the may be unfair or discriminatory as well as
world are in China, followed by Russia negatively affect US commerce. It also
and South Africa. allows the US President to impose tariffs or
5. China, which produces 57% of the other curbs on foreign nations.
world’s vanadium, consumed 44% of
the metal in 2017.
WHAT IS DIGITAL SERVICES TAXES
(DSTs)?
METAL:
1. It is a tax on selected gross revenue streams
1. Vanadium is a chemical element with the of large digital companies. Each country’s
symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a proposed or implemented DST differs
hard, silvery-grey, malleable slightly. All DSTs have domestic and global
transition metal. revenue thresholds, below which companies
2. The elemental metal is rarely found in are not subject to the tax.
nature. It is recovered as a by-product 2. The OECD is currently hosting negotiations
from the slag collected from the processing with over 130 countries that aim to adapt
of vanadiferous magnetite ores (iron ore). the international tax system. One goal is to
3. Vanadium is a high-value metal used in address the tax challenges of the
strengthening steel and titanium. digitalization of the economy.

India’s Digital Service Tax HIGHLIGHTS:
1. FPI has soared since May 2020. From
 It imposes a 2% tax on revenue generated
falling to a four year low of 91 points then, it
from a broad range of digital services
has hit a more than six-year high in
offered in India, including digital platform
December.
services, digital content sales, digital sales of
2. This extreme global price volatility can be
a company’s own goods, data-related
seen across farm commodities.
services, software-as-a-service, and several
3. There are three main reasons for
other categories of digital services.
international agri-commodity prices firming
 India’s DST explicitly exempts Indian up in the past few months.
companies—only “non-residents” must pay 4. The first is a steady normalization of
the tax. demand as most countries, including India,
have unlocked their economies after May
VIEWS OF INDIA: 2020. Even as demand has gradually
recovered, restoration of supply chains post-
India has described the 2% equalisation levy as a Covid is taking time. Dry weather in major
fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory producing countries such as Thailand,
tax against U.S. companies aimed at all offshore Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine, plus a
digital economy firms accessing the local market. It shortage of shipping containers, has only
applies uniformly across all non-resident e- aggravated the supply- demand imbalances.
commerce operators. 5. The second reason is stockpiling by China,
 According to the Commerce and Industry which has stepped up imports of everything
Ministry, the intention of imposing such a – from corn, wheat, soyabean and barley to
levy is to create an ecosystem that fosters sugar and milk powder– to build strategic
fair competition and reasonableness. food reserves amid rising geopolitical
 It also aims to exercise the sovereign right of tensions and pandemic uncertainties.
the government to tax businesses that have 6. The third reason may have to do the ultra-
a close nexus with the Indian market low global interest rates and floodgates of
through their digital operations. liquidity opened by major central banks.
This money, which has already flowed into
equity markets, could well find a home next
WAY AHEAD: in agri-commodities– more so, in a scenario
1. There needs to be international of tightening world supplies.
consensus on taxation on a digital
economy.
2. 2% DST should be negotiated to avoid
any hurdles in its implementation.
Growth silver lining but food inflation may

be dark cloud
CONTEXT:
1. United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) released its latest Food
Price Index (FPI) number for December
2020.
2. This index – reflecting international prices
of a basket of food commodities against a
base year (2014-16) value of 100– averaged
107.5 points for the month. It was the
highest since November 2014. This marks
the seventh month of consecutive increase.

FOOD PRICE INDEX: foreign workers who have earned a Master's
1. Introduced in 1996 as a public good to or a higher university degree in the US.
assist in monitoring developments in 4. Until now, the selection of H- 1B work visas
the global agricultural commodity was done by a randomized lottery system,
markets. which did not take into account factors such
as wage, experience or any other
2. It is a measure of the monthly requirements and demands.
change in international prices of a 5. Since the number of applications from
basket of food commodities like Indian companies as well as individuals is
cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, much higher than any other nationality, a
meat and sugar. lion's share of these work visas is cornered
by Indians.
3. Base Period: 2014-16.
6. The constant changes in H-1B visa approval
systems have been opposed by Google,
Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter. Though
FAO: Indian companies have gradually reduced
1. It is a specialized UN agency which takes their dependency on these work permits,
international efforts against hunger, many giant tech corporations still look to
based in Rome (Italy). hire from the pool of H-1B workers.
2. It was founded on 16 October 1945 and on
the same day World food Day is also Delhi Konkani language academy
celebrated every year around the world.
On 75th Anniversary of FAO i.e., in 2020, CONTEXT:
India released a commemorative coin 1. Delhi Government approved the setting up
of Rs. 75 denomination to mark of a Konkani language academy in the
its 75th Anniversary. capital.
3. Sister bodies: International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD)
ABOUT:
and World Food Programme
1. The academy will seek to facilitate the
growth and promotion of the Konkani
H1B visa rules language and culture in the city.
CONTEXT: 2. Currently, there are eight functional
language academies in Delhi covering Urdu,
1. US administration has once again amended Sanskrit, Punjabi, Hindi, Maithili-Bhojpuri,
its H-1B visa regime to give priority to Garhwali-Kumaoni-Jaunsari, Sindhi and
higher wages and skills instead of the Tamil. Tamil was notified recently.
prevailing lottery system for selection of
candidates looking to work in the country.
KONKANI LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
ABOUT: 1. Konkani is the official language of India’s
western and coastal state, Goa. However,
1. US Citizenship and Immigration Services the language is spoken widely across four
(USCIS) will first select registrations where states- Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and
the “proffered wage equals or exceeds” the Kerala, albeit in different dialects, its use is
prevailing level in that area of employment. somewhat limited to coastal regions only. It
2. The proffered wage is the wage that the is the only Indian language written in five
employer intends to pay the beneficiary. The different scripts - Devnagari, Roman,
wage level ranking will occur first for the Kannada, Malayalam and Persian-Arabic.
regular cap selection and then for the 2. Though Konkani was recognized as the
advanced degree exemption. official language of Goa on January 4, 1987,
3. Every year, the US administration issues it was only after five more years, on August
85,000 H-1B work permits. Of these, 20, 1992, it was given status of a national
65,000 are for people with specialty language in India, through the 71st
occupations, while the rest are reserved for Amendment to the Eighth Schedule of the
Constitution of India. Konkani now features states that have reported repeated
in the 15 languages in which the value is outbreaks of the infection in both
printed on Indian Rupee currency notes. domesticated and wild birds.
3. However, a lot of ambiguity, sometimes 4. Since 2006, the poultry industry has
controversial, exists over the origin of developed bio safety zones around farms,
Konkani. While Konkani stands classified as which has stopped commercially reared
language of Indo-Aryan origin, doubts birds from coming in contact with any
persist over these claims. foreign feed or bird.
4. Generally, Konkani is called as a colloquial
version of Marathi, the official language of
Maharashtra state. HUMAN TRANSMISSION:
1. The H5N1 virus can jump species and infect
humans from the infected bird. The first
Bird flu case of H5N1 infection in humans was
CONTEXT: reported in Hong Kong in 1997, when a
1. Bird flu (avian influenza) was confirmed in poultry farm worker caught the infection
Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, from infected birds.
Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, high alert 2. The high mortality rate in humans — almost
has been announced in Maharashtra. 60 per cent — is the main cause of concern
Several states witnessed deaths of birds, about the spread of bird flu. In its present
including crows and migratory species, and form, human-to-human infection is not
are scrambling to test the samples for the known — human infections have been
virus. reported only among people who have
2. This time, most infections have been handled infected birds or carcasses.
reported either in wild birds, crows or 3. The chances of the H5N1 virus infecting
migratory birds. humans is comparatively low in India as
compared to South East Asian countries,
mainly because of the difference in culinary
ABOUT THE INFECTION: habits.
1. Bird flu or avian influenza is the name used 4. The virus dies immediately if exposed to
to describe a viral infection that is reported temperatures over 70 degrees Celsius.
mostly in birds, but has the potential to Unlike in South East Asian countries, both
affect humans and other animals. meat and eggs in India are eaten well
2. The most common strain of the virus that cooked, which sees them being exposed to
causes severe respiratory disease in birds is over 100 degrees Celsius. Thus, the chances
H5N1; various other strains like H7, H8 too, of humans contracting the virus from eating
cause infection. chicken and eggs is extremely rare.
BACKGROUND: PANDEMIC IMPACT ON POULTRY

INDUSTRY IN INDIA:
1. The virus was first reported in geese in
China in 1996. Since then, outbreaks have 1. India consumes 30 crore poultry birds and
been reported periodically across the world. 900 crore eggs per month on average.
India reported the presence of the virus in 2. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the
Nandurbar, Maharashtra, in 2006, which poultry industry suffered a downfall after
led to large-scale culling of poultry birds. unsubstantiated rumours related to the
2. Between 2006 and December 31, 2018, spread of the disease with consumption of
India reported 225 epicenters of bird flu chicken and eggs.
infection, which led to the culling of 83.49 3. After it, the industry suffered losses of
lakh birds, with farmers being paid Rs 26.37 around $ 1 billion, as people kept away from
crore in compensation. eggs and poultry meat. After lifting
3. Interestingly, Maharashtra which was the restrictions on movement, the industry has
first state to report the infection, has not managed to get back on its feet, but
seen an outbreak since 2006. Odisha, production remains low.
Tripura, and West Bengal are among the
NIXI offers free Domain in local Indian 3. Taliban Sanctions Committee has a strong
languages interest and commitment to peace, security,
development, and progress of Afghanistan.
CONTEXT: 4. India will be assuming the chair of the Libya
Sanctions Committee at a critical juncture
1. The National Internet Exchange of India, when there is an international focus on
NIXI, will offer a free Internationalized Libya and on the peace process.
Domain Name, IDN, in any of the preferred
22 official Indian language along with every
IN domain booked by the registrant.
Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI)
ABOUT: Wave-1
1. Applicant will also get a free email in local CONTEXT:

language. This offer is valid for new .in users
1. Union Ministry for Health & Family Welfare
who register up to 31st of January. This offer
released INDIA REPORT on Longitudinal
is also extended to those existing in users who
Ageing Study of India (LASI) Wave-1 today
renew their domain in the month of January
on the virtual platform.
2021.
2. NIXI is a not for profit organization. ABOUT:
3. It is working since 2003 for spreading the
internet technology to the citizens of India 1. LASI is a full–scale national survey of
through the activities like Internet Exchanges scientific investigation of the health,
through which the internet data is exchanged economic, and social determinants and
amongst ISPs and between ISPs and CDNs, consequences of population ageing in India.
managing and operating Internet protocol 2. The National Programme for Health Care of
IPv4 or IPv6 etc. Elderly, Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare has undertaken the Longitudinal
SIGNIFICANCE: Ageing Study of India, through
International Institute for Population
1. This offer has been created to stimulate the
Sciences, (IIPS), Mumbai in collaboration
adoption of भारत IDN domain name and with Harvard School of Public Health,
proliferation of local language content. University of Southern California, USA,
Dte.GHS, United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) and National Institute on Ageing.
India to chair three-key subsidiary bodies of 3. It is India’s first and the world’s largest ever
UNSC survey that provides a longitudinal database
CONTEXT: for designing policies and programmes for
1. Recently, it was announced by the the older population in the broad domains
Permanent Representative of India at the of social, health, and economic well-being.
United Nations Security Council that India 4. The LASI has embraced state-of-the-art
will be chairing three-key subsidiary bodies large-scale survey protocols and field
of the United Nations Security Council implementation strategies including
(UNSC). representative sample of India and its
States, socioeconomic spectrum, an
ABOUT: expansive topical focus, a longitudinal
1. Panels: Counter-Terrorism Committee (for design, and the use of Computer Assisted
2022), Taliban Sanctions Committee, and Personal Interviewing (CAPI) technology for
Libya Sanctions committee. data collection, quality control, and
2. India will chair the Counter-Terrorism Geographic Information System (GIS).
Committee of UNSC in 2022. Chairing of 5. A unique feature of LASI is the coverage of
this committee has a special resonance for comprehensive biomarkers. No other survey
India. This committee is at the forefront of in India collects detailed data on health and
fighting terrorism especially cross border biomarkers together with information on
terrorism and it is also been one of its family and social network, income, assets,
biggest victims of terrorism. and consumption.
6. It collects detailed data on health and 9. Bone or joint diseases and diabetes are also
biomarkers together with information on observed to be high among the elderly.
family and social network, income, assets, 10. Chronic lung diseases show a fluctuating
and consumption. pattern with rise in age. Neurological or
psychiatric conditions constitute small part
CENSUS DATA: of the morbid conditions found among the
elderly and the rate sees a noticeable rise
1. In 2011 census, the 60+ population after age 74.
accounted for 8.6% of India’s population, 11. Share of people living with cancer was only
accounting for 103 million elderly people. around 0.7 per cent among the senior
Growing at around 3% annually, the citizens. The prevalence of high cholesterol
number of elderly age population will rise to and stroke among the same demographic is
319 million in 2050.75% of the elderly about 2.5 and 2.7 per cent respectively.
people suffer from one or the other chronic 12. By 2030, 45 per cent of the total
disease. burden of diseases, majorly non-
2. 40% of the elderly people have one or the communicable, is expected to be
other disability and 20% have issues related borne by the old-age population.
to mental health. Adequate investment in elderly
FINDINGS OF REPORT: healthcare and efficacious policies
and their timely management are
1. Around 23 per cent of the elderly population thus imperative.
(age 60 years and above) have multi-
morbidities; elderly women are more likely
to have multi-morbidity conditions. Greenhouse gas emissions from man-
2. The results of the survey encapsulated data managed grasslands similar to global
from more than 42,000 households, croplands
covering over 72,000 older adults across all
states and union territories except Sikkim. CONTEXT:
3. Self-reported presence of major chronic
health conditions and multi-morbidities 1. A new study shows that emissions of
among those aged 45 and above increased methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)
with age. from grasslands increased by a factor of 2.5
4. The chronic health conditions are since 1750 mainly due to increased
pronounced among those aged 75 and above emissions from livestock. This has more
and are dominated by cardiovascular than compensated for reduced emissions
diseases (CVD) and hypertension. from the shrinking number of wild grazers.
5. The percentage of people without morbidity
consistently declined with age. About 73 per ABOUT:
cent of the population below age 45 are
found to be having no morbid conditions 1. The net carbon sink effect of grasslands (the
and this share is reduced to 44 per cent in ability of grasslands to absorb carbon and
the age group 75 and above. The decline, pack it in the soil) worldwide was estimated
however, is slower from age 60 onward. to have intensified over the last century but
6. One fifth of the population below 45 years mainly in sparsely-grazed, natural
had a single morbid condition and amongst grasslands.
the oldest old, one out of every three 2. Over the last decade, grasslands intensively
possessed a morbid condition. managed by humans have become a net
7. A tenth of the people in the age group 45-49 source of greenhouse gas emissions. In fact,
had multi-morbidity while 26 per cent it has greenhouse gas emission levels
among the elderly of age 70-74 have these similar to those of global croplands, which
conditions. However, this reduced by two represent a large source of greenhouse
percentage points for the next age group of gases.
75-79. 3. The recent trends seen towards the
8. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the most expansion of pasture land and higher
prominent among those above 45. livestock numbers lead to expect that global
grasslands will accelerate climate warming expands, sending cold air
if better policies are not put in place to southward.
favour soil carbon increases, stop  An ozone hole is the thinning of the
deforestation for ranching, and develop ozone layer boosted in size by colder
climate-smart livestock production systems. temperatures.
2. As the temperatures high up in the
CONCLUSION: stratosphere starts to rise, ozone depletion
slows, the polar vortex weakens and breaks
1. In the face of climate change and increased
down. By the end of December, ozone levels
demand for livestock products, these
return to normal. This time around,
findings highlight the need to use
however, the process took longer.
sustainable management to preserve and
3. The formation of ozone hole in the Antarctic
enhance soil carbon storage in grasslands.
has been an annual occurrence and has been
2. Full greenhouse gas reporting for each
recorded for the last 40 years.
country could facilitate the assessment of
4. Human-made chemicals migrate into the
progress towards the goals of the Paris
stratosphere and accumulate inside the
Agreement and better link national
polar vortex. It begins to shrink in size as
greenhouse gas budgets to the observed
warmer temperatures dominate.
growth rates of emissions in the
5. The 2020 Antarctic hole was unprecedented
atmosphere.
as the polar vortex kept the temperature of
3. In the context of low-warming climate
the ozone layer cold, preventing the mixing
targets, the mitigating or amplifying role of
of ozone depleted air above Antarctica with
grasslands will depend on a number of
ozone rich air from higher latitudes.
aspects. This includes future changes in
6. There is a need to enforce the Montreal
grass-fed livestock numbers, stability of
Protocol banning emissions of ozone
accumulated soil carbon in grassland and
depleting substances (OSD).
whether carbon storage can be further
increased over time or if it will saturate, as
observed in long-term experiments.
Pregnancy losses
CONTEXT:
Antarctic ozone hole
1. According to a modelling study published in
CONTEXT: The Lancet Planetary Health journal,
pregnant women in South Asia like India,
1. According to World Meteorological
Pakistan, Bangladesh are exposed to poor
Organization (WMO), the annually
air quality, and may be at higher risk of
occurring ozone hole over the Antarctic had
stillbirths and miscarriages.
rapidly grown from mid-August and peaked
at around 24 million square kilometres — ABOUT:
one of the largest so far — in early October
2020. 1. Air pollution could be a major
contributor to pregnancy loss in
ABOUT: south Asia, so controlling air pollution is
vital for improving maternal health.
1. The expansion of the hole was driven by a
2. The study was unable to distinguish
strong, stable and cold polar vortex and very
between natural pregnancy loss and
cold temperatures in the stratosphere. The
abortions, which may have led to an
same meteorological factors also
underestimation of the effect of air pollution
contributed to the record 2020 Arctic ozone
on natural pregnancy loss.
hole, which has also closed.
3. This is the first study to quantify the
 A polar vortex is a wide expanse of burden in south Asia, which is the most
swirling cold air, a low pressure area, populous region in the world and has the
in polar regions. During winters, the highest rate of pregnancy loss. Therefore,
polar vortex at the North Pole understanding the risk factors for
pregnancy loss in south Asia is crucial to Caracal
improving maternal health regionally and
globally. CONTEXT:
HIGHLIGHTS OF STUDY: 1. The National Board for Wildlife approved a

recovery program for the caracal, which is
1. South Asia has the highest burden of now a critically endangered species. The
pregnancy loss globally and is one of the caracal is found only in Gujarat and
most PM2.5 polluted regions in the world. Rajasthan.
Poor air quality could be responsible for a
considerable burden of pregnancy loss in ABOUT:
the region.
1. Including the species in the recovery
Why air pollution can cause pregnancy loss? programme will mean the species will have
 Fine particles crossess the blood placenta a separate conservation programme.
barrier and harm the embryo directly. 2. The semi-arid region of Kutch is one of only
Exposure to poor air quality can cause two homes of this cat species in India.
disorders such as inflammation, oxidative According to a research report, the caracal’s
stress and blood pressure elevation, which presence has been noted in only three
can act as factors to increase the risk of states, with just two possible viable
pregnancy loss. populations. These are in the marshy areas
of Kutch district, the higher areas closer to
Kalo Dungar with grassy scrubland; and in
2. Losing a pregnancy can have knock-on Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur, Karoli, and
mental, physical and economic effects on Dholpur districts.
women, including increased risk of 3. The International Union for
postnatal depressive disorders, infant Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists
mortality during subsequent pregnancy, and caracals as a species of ‘least
increase the costs related to pregnancy, such concern’, mainly due to their large
as loss of labour. Therefore, reducing numbers in Africa. But in India they
pregnancy loss may also lead to knock-on are ‘endangered’.
improvements in gender equality. 4. According to the study ‘Historical and
3. The increase in risk was greater for current extent of occurrence of the Caracal
mothers from rural areas or those who in India’, in Gujarat 19 sightings were
became pregnant at an older age, compared reported, all in Kutch district.
to younger mothers from urban areas. 5. The caracal ranges across Africa and
4. Pregnancy loss associated with air pollution the Middle East to India. It is keenly
was more common in the Northern plains adapted to the potentially harsh
region in India and Pakistan. Although the environments of savanna, semi-desert, dry
total burden of pregnancy loss was woodland, arid hilly steppe, and dry
predominantly borne by rural women aged mountains.
under 30 years old in recent years, the 6. The caracal’s place in the cat family tree is
burden attributable to PM2.5 also affected somewhat muddled, but it is believed that it
older mothers (aged 30 years or over) in is closely related to the serval and golden
rural areas because of their high cat.
susceptibility to the adverse effects of 7. The word caracal is from a Turkish
PM2.5. word that means “black-eared.”
5. Although WHO's guidelines aims for a safer
level of air pollution, India's standard is a
more realistic target level, given the high
average levels of air pollution in the region
and there is a need to balance practical
governance and public health.

How horizontal, vertical quotas work? would be counted as having qualified under
the general category instead of the SC quota.
CONTEXT: 5. The court concluded that if both vertical and
horizontal quotas were to be applied
1. The Supreme Court, recently, clarified the together — and consequently, a high-scoring
position of law on the interplay of vertical candidate who would otherwise qualify
and horizontal reservations. This ruling without one of the two reservations is
dealt with issues arising from the way knocked off the list — then the overall
different classes of reservation were to be selection would have candidates with lower
applied in the selection process to fill posts scores.
of constables in the state. 6. On the other hand, if a high-scoring
What are vertical and horizontal candidate is allowed to drop one category,
reservations? the court found that the overall selection
would reflect more high-scoring candidates.
1. Reservation for Scheduled Castes, In other words, the “meritorious”
Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward candidates would be selected.
Classes is referred to as vertical 7. The ruling strikes at the heart of the debate
reservation. It applies separately for each on “merit versus reservation”, where
of the groups specified under the law. reservation is sometimes projected as being
2. Horizontal reservation refers to the anti-merit.
equal opportunity provided to other
categories of beneficiaries such as women,
veterans, the transgender community, and Middle East crisis
individuals with disabilities, cutting through
the vertical categories. CONTEXT:
How are the two categories of quotas 1. Gulf states signed a ‘solidarity and stability’
applied together? deal at the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) summit held in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia.
1. The horizontal quota is applied separately to 2. Members of the GCC signed a deal in
each vertical category, and not across the Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia to remove all the
board. For example, if women have 50% sanctions over Qatar and re-open their land,
horizontal quota, then half of the selected sea and air borders to Qatar.
candidates will have to necessarily be
women in each vertical quota category —
i.e., half of all selected SC candidates will
have to be women, half of the unreserved or Riyadh-Doha break
general category will have to be women, and
so on. 1. In 2017, Saudi Arabia led an Arab transport
2. The inter locking of the two types of blockade against Qatar, ostensibly to
reservation throws up a host of questions on pressurize Qatar into reducing diplomatic
how certain groups are to be identified. and economic relations with Iran, Saudi
3. The court ruled that if a person belonging to Arabia's great rival in the region.
an intersection of vertical-horizontal 2. Coalition countries put 13 demands as
reserved category had secured scores high conditions to resume relations, including
enough to qualify without the vertical shutting news organisations such as Al
reservation, the person would be counted as Jazeera, closing a Turkish military base in
qualifying without the vertical reservation, the country, and downgrading ties with
and cannot be excluded from the horizontal Tehran.
quota in the general category. 3. Qatar called the embargo a violation of
4. A similar question had arisen in the case of international laws and instead,
vertical reservations in the past, and the law strengthened ties with Iran and Turkey.
had been settled similarly: If a person in the
SC category secures a higher score than the
cut-off for the general category, the person
4. Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) 6. Number of Indian workers work in Gulf
members Kuwait and Oman broke Countries. Gulf Partners and India are also
ranks with the Saudi group, and taking stps towards defence cooperation.
Kuwait sought to assume the role of
mediator between the coalition and
Qatar.
Qatar in the Middle East
1. Due to the presence of large gas reserves

contributing significantly in helping Qatar
to become an influential player in the
region’s politics.
2. Qatar has also used its wealth and influence
on the wider global stage.
3. Qatar shares a huge gas field with Iran,
which is an incentive for it to retain good
relations with the Shiite regime in Tehran.
This is a strong irritant for Sunni Saudi
Arabia, which seeks to control the
geopolitics of the Middle East.
4. Qatar’s support for the Palestinian Hamas Using God’s name to sell articles illegal
in Gaza, Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and
Islamist groups in Syria are also major areas CONTEXT:
of contention. Howeever, Qatar has denied
backing al-Qaeda and Islamic State. 1. The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High
Court has declared that advertisement of
India’s Relation with Gulf Region any article using the name of any God and
claiming that it has supernatural qualities,
1. The friendly relation between India with is “illegal” and falls under the Maharashtra
GCC has been reflected in the bilateral trade Prevention and Eradication of Human
of around USD 121 billion and remittances Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Eviland
of USD 49 billion from a workforce of over Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.
nine million.
2. GCC suppliers account for around 34% of HIGHLIGHTS OF ORDER:
India’s crude imports.
3. India has always shared a friendly 1. Telemarketers change the names of
relationship with Iran. Due to the USA’s companies, Gods and Babas to show that
pressure (abandoned the nuclear deal (Joint each was a different Yantra.
Comprehensive Plan of Action)) which has 2. With the representation that these articles
politico-economic impacts led to complex have special, miraculous and supernatural
phase in India and Iran relations. properties and that they will help people to
4. India shares a friendly relation with Qatar become happy, make progress in business,
(India’s External Affairs Minister met the see advancement in career, show improved
top leaders of Qatar) and even at the time of performance in education, recover from
sanctions on Qatar, India maintained a disease etc., is illegal.
cordial relation with the oil rich nation. 3. The court directed the State and Vigilance
5. India never participated in local or regional Officers to register such crimes, giving
disputes in the region. India depends on reports against persons who make such
Gulf for energy and thus, their trading advertisements and sell such articles.
relation is marked by growing volumes of 4. The court also directed the State and
energy imports into India. There is also Central governments to create separate cells
substantive investments from the Gulf into in Mumbai to ensure that no such features
the Indian hydrocarbon sector. were telecast, either as advertisement or in
the name of programmes, in Maharashtra.

‘New Anubhava Mantapa’ India and Japan on Partnership in
"Specified Skilled Worker"
CONTEXT:
CONTEXT:
1. Karnataka CM laid the foundation stone for
the ‘New Anubhava Mantapa’ in 1. The Union Cabinet has approved the signing
Basavakalyan, the place where 12th century of a Memorandum of Cooperation between
poet philosopher Basaveshwara lived for the Government of India and Government
most of his life. of Japan, on a Basic Framework for
Partnership for Proper Operation of the
ABOUT: System Pertaining to "Specified Skilled
Worker".
1. It is a ₹500 crore project and will be 2. Under this MOC, a Joint Working Group
completed within two years on a 7.5 acre will be set up to follow up the
area. implementation of this MOC.
2. This project highlights the teachings of
Basaveshwara (an icon of the Veerashaiva SIGNIFICANCE:
Lingayat community).
3. The Project was first proposed back in 2016. 1. It would set an institutional mechanism for
Basavakalyan, an important pilgrim centre partnership and cooperation between India
for Lingayats. and Japan on sending and accepting skilled
4. The New Anubhava Mantapa, as envisaged Indian workers, who have qualified the
now, will be a six floor structure. required skill and Japanese language test, to
5. It will showcase the 12th Century Anubhava work in fourteen specified sectors in Japan.
Mantapa (often referred to as the “first 2. These Indian workers would be granted a
Parliament of the world”) established by new status of residence of "Specified Skilled
him in Basavakalyan, where philosophers Worker" by the Government of Japan.
and social reformers held debates. 3. The Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC)
6. The building will adopt the Kalyana would enhance people-to -people contacts,
Chalukya style of architecture. foster mobility of workers and skilled
professionals from India to Japan.
BENEFICIARIES
1. Skilled Indian workers from fourteen

sectors viz. Nursing care; Building cleaning;
Material Processing industry; Industrial
machinery manufacturing industry; Electric
and electronic information related industry;
Construction; Shipbuilding and ship-related
industry; Automobile maintenance;
Aviation; Lodging; Agriculture; Fisheries;
Food and beverages manufacturing industry
and Food service industry would have
enhanced job opportunities to work in
Japan.

Chattergala tunnel streamed on YouTube for all those
interested in following the sessions.
CONTEXT:
1. The new Director General, Border Road

Organisation (BRO) briefed about the Earthquake monitoring and delineation of
Chattergala tunnel. subsurface structures
CONTEXT:
ABOUT:
1. A geophysical survey, namely, Magneto-
1. The proposed Chattergala tunnel in Jammu telluric (MT) is being conducted over the
& Kashmir will connect district Kathua with Delhi region.
district Doda to enroute the new Highway
via Basohli-Bani through Chattergalla to ABOUT:
touch Bhaderwah and Doda.
2. It is going to be a 6.8 Km long tunnel. 1. The National Capital Region of Delhi
3. The tunnel is likely to take about 4 years for experienced 4 small earthquakes during
completion after the execution work starts April – August 2020.
and its construction cost is around Rs. 2. These earthquakes were followed by a dozen
3,000 crore. of micro-events (M<3.0) including, a few
4. This is going to be a historic landmark aftershocks.
project providing all-weather alternate road 3. All these events were located by the
connectivity between the two distant National Seismological Network (NSN),
regions and reducing the travel time from being operated and maintained by National
Doda to Lakhanpur on the Punjab border to Seismological Centre (NCS), Ministry of
just around four hours. Earth Sciences.
4. Subsequently, NCS initiated the Magneto-
telluric (MT), a geophysical survey over the
Delhi region in collaboration with Wadia
“UDYOG MANTHAN” BEGINS Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG),
Dehradun.
CONTEXT:
Magneto-telluric (MT)
1. The Department for Promotion of Industry
and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce 1. It is a geophysical method which uses
& Industry, Government of India is natural time variation of the Earth’s
organizing ‘Udyog Manthan’ from January magnetic and electric fields to understand
4, 2021 to March 2, 2021 in association with geological (underground) structure and
Quality Council of India, National processes.
Productivity Council, and Industry bodies. 2. These measurements are conducted across
three major seismic sources, namely
ABOUT: Mahendragarh-Dehradun Fault (MDF),
Sohna Fault (SF) and Mathura Fault (MF).
1. Udyog Manthan is a marathon of focused 3. These measurements will ascertain the
sector-specific webinars for promoting presence of fluid, which generally enhances
Quality and Productivity in Indian Industry. the possibility of triggering of earthquakes.
2. The webinar series comprising 45 sessions
will cover various major sectors in
manufacturing and services. Udyog
Manthan will identify challenges,
opportunities; draw upon solutions and best
practices.
3. Participants will include representatives
from industry, testing and standardization
bodies. The discussions will be live

National Metrology Conclave COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH–NATIONAL
CONTEXT: PHYSICAL LABORATORY (CSIR–NPL)
1. Prime Minister has inaugurated the 1. It is the measurement standards laboratory
National Metrology Conclave 2021. of India. It maintains standards of SI units
2. He also laid the foundation stone of in India and calibrates the national
National Environmental Standards standards of weights and measures.
Laboratory through a video conference. 2. It is authorized (by an act of Parliament) to
3. National Atomic Time Scale and Bharatiya realize and maintain the Indian Standard
Nirdeshak Dravya Pranali were also Time (IST).
dedicated to the nation. 3. It is strengthening the national timing
infrastructure, where a very rough estimate
ABOUT CONCLAVE: shows an economic impact of more than
1. It was organised by Council of Scientific and 10% of GDP.
Industrial Research-National Physical 4. ‘It is on a mission to synchronize all the
Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi, on its clocks in the nation to IST for securing
75th year of inception. digital infrastructure and reducing cyber
2. The theme of the conclave is ‘Metrology for crime.
the Inclusive Growth of the Nation’. Sagarmala Seaplane Services Project With
Metrology is defined by the International Potential Airline Operators
Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) as CONTEXT:
"the science of measurement, embracing both
experimental and theoretical determinations at any 1. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and
level of uncertainty in any field of science and Waterways is starting the ambitious Project
technology". of Sagarmala Seaplane Services (SSPS) with
potential airline operators.
BHARTIYA NIRDESHAK DRAVYA ABOUT:
PRANALI (BND):
1. A seaplane is a fixed-wing aeroplane
1. It would help the industry to make quality designed for taking off and landing on
products in every manufacturing and water.
consumer sector like Heavy metals, 2. The project is being initiated under a
Pesticides, Pharma and Textiles by Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) framework
providing SI traceable measurements through prospective airline operators.
and drafting a 'Certified Reference Material 3. The project execution and implementation
System'. would be through Sagarmala Development
2. These are Indian reference materials Company Ltd (SDCL), which is under the
developed by CSIR-NPL. administrative control of the Ministry of
3. It will boost the “Make in India” program Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
and harmonize the quality infrastructure of 4. Airline operators will be invited to form a
the country. SPV with SDCL.
5. The routes may be operated under the
NATIONAL ATOMIC TIME SCALE: government’s subsidised ude desh ka aam
nagrik (UDAN) scheme.
1. It generates Indian Standard Time with an
accuracy of 2.8 nanoseconds.
2. This will help organizations like Indian
Space Research Organisation who are
working with cutting edge technology.
Banking, railways, defense, health, telecom,
weather forecast, disaster management,
Industry4.0 and many similar sectors will
also be benefited.
SIGNIFICANCE: 3. The main objective is to remove physical
interaction as much as possible.
1. The seaplanes services will provide a 4. It also allows for appropriate cases where a
supplementary means of faster and certain hearing is necessary, so then after
comfortable transportation in India. following protocols, a hearing is given.
2. It will provide infrastructure enhancements
at the places of operations. Global Economy to Expand by 4% in 2021
3. It will provide air connectivity to various
remote religious/tourist places. CONTEXT:
4. It will save travel time and stimulate
localized short distance travelling especially 1. The World Bank highlighted in its January
in the hilly regions or across the rivers/lakes 2021 Global Economic Prospects that
etc. the global economy is expected to expand
5. It will generate employment opportunities. 4% in 2021 after shrinking 4.3% in 2020.
6. It will boost tourism for domestic and 2. Although global economic output is
international holiday makers. recovering from the collapse triggered by
COVID-19, it will remain below pre-
pandemic trends for a prolonged period.
The pandemic has exacerbated the risks
associated with a decade-long wave of global
debt accumulation. It is also likely to
steepen the long-expected slowdown in
potential growth over the next decade.
HIGHLIGHTS OF REPORT:
1. It also warned that rising COVID-19

infections and delays in vaccine distribution
could limit the recovery to just 1.6% in 2021.
2. The World Bank showed the collapse in
activity due to the coronavirus pandemic
was slightly less severe than previously
forecast, but the recovery was also more
subdued and still subject to considerable
downside risk.
3. With successful pandemic control and a
faster vaccination process, global growth
could accelerate to nearly 5%.
4. Shallower contractions in advanced
Faceless tax scheme economies and a more robust recovery in
China helped avert a bigger collapse in
CONTEXT: overall global output, but disruptions were
more acute in most other emerging market
1. The faceless tax assessment scheme of and developing economies.
Government of India has managed to 5. Aggregate gross domestic product in
deliver about 24,000 final orders since emerging markets and developing
August 2020. economies - including China - is expected to
grow 5% in 2021 after a contraction of 2.6%
ABOUT FACELESS TAX SCHEME: in 2020.
1. The introduction of scheme of faceless e- 6. Excluding China, emerging market and
assessment was proposed by the Finance developing economies were seen expanding
Minister in the Union Budget 2019. 3.4% in 2021 after shrinking 5% in 2020.
2. This scheme removes individual tax 7. Per capita incomes have dropped in 90% of
officials’ discretion and potential emerging market and developing
harassment for income tax payers. economies, tipping millions back into
poverty, with reduced investor confidence,
increasing unemployment and loss of 5. It will be operational for a period of three
education time seen dampening prospects years from January 01, 2021, and maybe
for future poverty reduction. extended for two more years, depending
8. The crisis also triggered a surge in debt upon the progress.
levels among emerging market and 6. The objective of PIDF is to increase the
developing economies, with government number of acceptance devices multi-fold in
debt up by 9 percentage points of GDP - the the country. The Scheme is expected to
largest one-year spike since the late 1980 benefit the acquiring banks/non-banks and
merchants by lowering overall acceptance
infrastructure cost.
7. The fund is also in line with the measures
proposed by the vision document on
payment and settlement systems in India
2019-2021.
On Nile, a Grand Dam divides African

nations
CONTEXT:
1. Recently, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt agreed

to resume negotiations to resolve their
decade-long complex dispute over the
Grand Renaissance Dam hydropower
project in the Horn of Africa.
2. Egypt and Sudan are concerned about the
filling and the operation of the dam.
Ethiopia continues to insist that the dam is
PIDF scheme required to meet the needs of its population
and downstream water supplies will not be
CONTEXT: adversely affected.
1. The Reserve Bank operationalised Payments WHAT IS THE DISPUTE ABOUT?

Infrastructure Development Fund to create
30 lakh new touch points every year for 1. The Nile, which is Africa’s longest river, has
digital payments in Tier-3 to Tier-6 centres. been at the center of a decade-long complex
dispute involving Ethiopia, Sudan and
ABOUT: Egypt that are dependent on the river’s
waters.
1. In June 2020, the RBI had announced the 2. It passes through 11 countries. The current
creation of Payments Infrastructure distribution of its waters is limited to only
Development Fund (PIDF). two — Egypt and Sudan — under the 1959
2. The fund intended to subsidise deployment Nile Agreement.
of payment acceptance infrastructure like 3. The main waterways of the Nile run through
Points of Sale (PoS) machines in Tier-3 to Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt,
Tier-6 centres, with special focus on the and its drainage basin runs through several
north-eastern states. countries in East Africa, including Ethiopia,
3. The POS machines allow businesses to the portion where Grand Renaissance Dam
accept e-payments, thereby reducing the is being constructed.
need to deal in cash. 4. The Nile River has two main tributaries. The
4. An Advisory Council (AC) has been White Nile originates from the Nile
constituted to govern the PIDF but it will be equatorial lakes region and the source of the
managed and administered by the RBI.. Blue Nile is from the highlands in Ethiopia.

5. Grand Renaissance Dam hydropower Transgender to contest polls from women's
project is 145-meter-tall (475-foot-tall) and category
Spearheaded by Ethiopia. When completed,
it will be Africa’s largest dam. CONTEXT:
6. The construction of the dam was initiated in
2011 on the Blue Nile tributary of the river 1. The Bombay High Court has allowed a
that runs across one part of Ethiopia. transgender to contest village panchayat
7. The Nile is a necessary water source in the polls in women’s category; as such persons
region and Egypt has consistently objected have the right to “self-perceived gender
to the dam’s construction, saying it will identity”.
impact water flow. ABOUT:
1. Union government has introduced the

WHY CAN THE DAM CAUSE CONFLICT? Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights)
Act, 2019 and has permitted a transgender
1. Ethiopia: Dam would allow it to gain person to have a right to self-perceived
control of the flow of the river’s waters. gender identity.
Ethiopia’s goal is to secure electricity for its
population and to sustain and develop its
growing manufacturing industry. Ethiopia PROVISIONS OF THE ACT
may be hoping to sell surplus electricity to
neighbouring nations like Kenya, Sudan, 1. It defines a transgender person as one
Eritrea and South Sudan, which also suffer whose gender does not match the gender
from electricity shortages, to generate some assigned at birth. It includes transmen and
revenue. trans-women, persons with intersex
2. Egypt: It lies further downstream and is variations, gender-queers, and persons with
concerned that Ethiopia’s control over the socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and
water could result in lower water levels hijra.
within its own borders. Egypt had strongly 2. It seeks to ensure the fundamental rights of
objected since 2019 When Ethiopia had those who do not conform to the binary
announced that it planned on generating notions of gender identity.
power using two turbines. Egypt proposed a 3. It seeks to provide rights of health facilities
longer timeline for the project over concerns to transgender persons including separate
that the water level of the Nile could HIV surveillance centres, and sex
dramatically drop as the reservoir fills with reassignment surgeries.
water in the initial stages. 4. It states that the government shall review
3. Sudan: Its location between Egypt up north medical curriculum to address health issues
and Ethiopia down south has caused it to of transgender persons, and provide
become an inadvertent party to this dispute. comprehensive medical insurance schemes
Sudan too is concerned that if Ethiopia were for them.
to gain control over the river, it would affect 5. It calls for establishing a National Council
the water levels Sudan receives. for Transgender persons (NCT).
6. The Act is progressive in that it allows self
perception of gender identity, but regresses
by mandating that each person would have
to be recognised as ‘transgender’ on the
basis of a certificate of identity issued by a
district magistrate, rejecting the
recommendation from the 2016 Standing
Committee to have a screening committee.

WAY AHEAD:
1. The government has a concrete plan to

move towards a gas-based economy that
would be cheaper, convenient and
environment-friendly.
2. The government would make substantial
investments in coal and gas sectors. The
plan was to increase the share of natural gas
in the energy sector from the present 6% to
15% by 2030.
3. The government had definite plans for the
future to make the country energy-sufficient
and reduce expenditure on foreign exchange
through diversification of energy
requirement.
4. Focus was being given to increase ethanol
production so as to increase ethanol content
in petrol to 20% from the present 5%.
Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline 5. The world’s largest hybrid energy plant
(wind and solar) was coming up in Gujarat.
CONTEXT: The electric mobility sector too was being
1. Prime Minister inaugurated the 450-km encouraged. Through these, alternative,
Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru LNG (liquified cheap and pollution-free fuel and energy
natural gas) pipeline. Moreover, 10,000 would be made available to people.
more CNG (compressed natural gas)
stations would be opened and several lakh
PNG (piped natural gas) household ''Toycathon''
connections will be given to make India a
natural gas-based economy CONTEXT:
1. The government launched ''Toycathon'' -- a

ABOUT: hackathon for students, teachers, experts
and startups to crowdsource ideas for
1. It has been built by GAIL (India) Ltd developing innovative toys and games based
2. It has transportation capacity of 12 million on Indian culture and ethos.
standard cubic metres per day 2. The ministries of education; women and
3. It will carry natural gas from the liquefied child development (WCD); textiles;
natural gas (LNG) regassification terminal commerce and industry; MSME;
at Kochi to Mangaluru information and broadcasting; and the All
4. Laying of the pipeline was an engineering India Council for Technical Education have
challenge as the route of the pipeline jointly launched Toycathon-2021.
necessitated it to cross water bodies at more
than 100 locations. This was done through a ABOUT:
special technique called horizontal
directional drilling method. 1. India imports most of its toys and the
5. The pipeline will supply environment government is working towards promoting
friendly and affordable fuel to households, the indigenous toy industry for making the
transportation sector and to commercial country self-reliant in the sector.
and industrial units across the districts 2. The size of the toy market in India is about
along the pipeline. USD 1 billion but unfortunately 80 per cent
of the toys are imported.
3. The launch of Toycathon is an endeavour by
the government to create an ecosystem for
the domestic toy industry and the local

manufacturers, tapping the untapped
resources and utilising their potential.
4. This Toycathon is aimed to conceptualize CEPI Centralized network lab
innovative toys based on the Indian value
system which will inculcate the positive CONTEXT:
behaviour and good values among the 1. The Ministry for Science & Technology,
children. Health & Family Welfare and Earth Sciences
5. The Toycathon is based on nine themes -- inaugurated one of the seven labs of the
Indian culture, history, knowledge of India world called as the centralized network lab
and ethos; learning, education and of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness
schooling; social and human values; Innovations (CEPI) established at
occupations and specific fields; Translational Health Science & Technology
environment; divyang ; fitness and sport; Institute (THSTI), Faridabad.
out-of-the-box, creative and logical thinking
and rediscovering traditional Indian toys. ABOUT:
6. The Toycathon will have three levels --
junior, senior and startup. 1. THSTI is an institute of the Department of
Biotechnology (DBT). This is the only
SIGNIFICANCE: laboratory of such kind in India and is also
accredited by National Accreditation Board
1. While this will greatly help India develop for Testing and Calibration Laboratories
into a global hub for toys and games, it will (NABL).
also help our children to understand the 2. The CEPI laboratory will be a great addition
ethos and values of Indian culture as to the ability of THSTI to enhance quality of
envisaged in the National Education Policy services towards making the vaccine and its
2020. acceptability at Global level.
2. National Education Policy-2020 also lays 3. CEPI is an innovative partnership between
emphasis on innovation and research in public, private, philanthropic, and civil
learning, starting from primary education. organizations, launched at Davos in 2017, to
3. Aligned with the goals of National develop vaccines to stop future epidemics.
Education Policy, the Toycathon aims to 4. The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry
capture innovative prowess of 33 crore of Science & Technology, Government of
students across the country. India is implementing the Ind-CEPI mission
4. The collaboration with the Ministry of titled ‘India Centric Epidemic Preparedness
Education paves the way for the through Rapid Vaccine Development:
participation of students, faculties from all Supporting Indian Vaccine Development
schools, colleges and universities with Aligned with the Global Initiative of the
regards to needs of the MSME industry. Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness
5. This is the first time when school children Innovations (CEPI)’.
will innovate, design and conceptualise toys 5. Ind-CEPI Mission aims to strengthen the
also for specially-abled ''divyang children''. development of vaccines for the diseases of
CONCLUSION: epidemic potential in India as well as build
coordinated preparedness in the Indian
1. This is the high time to utilise brightest public health system and vaccine industry to
creative minds and carve out games based address existing and emergent infectious
on our Indian culture, tradition and heritage threats in India.
and stories of ancient India showcasing the 6. The major focus at present is to help
beliefs and traditions of people. evaluating new Covid-19 vaccines, using
standard analysis and same reagents in all
labs so that vaccine produced has global
acceptance and repeatability of the results,
for global use.

Confiscation of animals
CONTEXT:
1. The Supreme Court asked the Centre to

amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(Care and Maintenance of Case Property
Animals) Rules, 2017 and Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock
Markets) Rules, 2017.
ABOUT:
1. These rules of 2017 allow the confiscation of

the animals of traders and transporters
during the pendency of trials in cases under
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,
1960. In other words, these rules allow
confiscation of animals before the accused is
convicted under the legislation.
2. This show that the contrary nature of the
Rules, 2017 as compared to the provisions
of the Act, 1960 as provisions of the very law
allow such confiscation only in case of
conviction. DoE circular asks teachers to check weight
HIGHLIGHTS: of school bags
1. Animals are a source of livelihood. People CONTEXT:

live on the basis of their animals. 1. The Directorate of Education has issued a
2. The 2017 rules allow a magistrate to forfeit circular asking schools to follow the new
the cattle of an owner facing trial under the ‘School Bag Policy, 2020’ released by the
Act and send them to infirmaries, gaushalas National Council of Educational Research
etc. and Training (NCERT).
3. Section 29 of the Act says that a person tried
for an offence under the Act can be deprived ABOUT CIRCULAR:
of the ownership of the animal only upon
conviction. 1. Schoolteachers should inform the students
in advance about the books and notebooks
ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR: to be brought to school on a particular day
and frequently check their bags to ensure
1. The Rules 2017 were being used to forcibly that they are not carrying unnecessary
deprive even legitimate owners of cattle and material.
that it had emboldened “anti-social 2. Heavy school bags are a serious threat to the
elements” to take matters into their own health and well-being of students. The
hands and loot cattle traders. heavy school bag has severe/adverse
2. Such incidents act as “triggers for physical effects on growing children which
communal polarisation of society”. can cause damage to their vertebral column
and knees.
3. The weight of the school bags, as per the
policy, should be:
(a) 1.6 to 2.2 kg for students of Classes I
and II
(b) 1.7 to 2.5 kg for Classes III, IV and V
(c) 2 to 3 kg for Classes VI and VII
(d) 2.5 to 4 kg for Class VIII
(e) 2.5 to 4.5 kg for Classes IX and X today, India has two operational research
(f) 3.5 to 5 kg for Classes XI and XII stations in Antarctica named Maitri and
4. Teachers should take the responsibility of Bharati.
checking the weight of school bags of the 3. The National Centre for Polar and Ocean
students every three months on a day Research (NCPOR), Goa, manages the
selected for the whole class and any entire Indian Antarctic program.
information about heavy bags should be
communicated to the parents.
5. DRINKING WATER FACILITY: It is the
duty and the responsibility of the school Tide–Rainfall Flood Quotient
management to provide quality potable CONTEXT:
water in sufficient quantity to all the
students in the school so that they do not 1. A team from the Indian Institute of
need to carry water bottles from their Technology Bombay devised a new metric
homes. or measure called the Tide–Rainfall Flood
Quotient to understand if a coastal city is
more prone to floods caused by tidal events
40th Indian scientific expedition to or extreme rainfall.
Antarctica 2. Using the past rainfall data, tidal data, and
topography of the region this framework can
CONTEXT: be applied to pinpoint the major factor at
play.
1. India launched the 40th scientific
expedition to Antarctica. It was flagged off
from Goa on January 5, 2021.
ABOUT:
1. The new method helped classify these

ABOUT: regions into ‘storm-tide dominated’ or
‘pluvial (rainfall) dominated’ regions.
1. This expedition consists of 43-member team 2. Three geographically diverse flood-prone
embarking upon the Russian ice-class vessel coastal regions has been selected to test
MV Vasiliy Golovnin. their new metric by the team:
2. It comes amidst the logistical challenges (a) Mithi Catchment in Mumbai, Maharashtra,
posed by COVID-19, and marks four (b) Jagatsinghpur District in Odisha, and
decades of the country’s scientific (c) Greater Chennai Corporation in Tamil
endeavour to the southern continent. Nadu.
3. The chartered ice-class vessel MV Vasiliy
Golovnin will make this journey and will SIGNIFICANCE:
reach Antarctica in 30 days. After leaving
behind a team of 40 members, it would 1. The metric can help disaster management
return to India in April 2021. On return, it experts in framing better flood risk
will also bring back the winter team of the management systems directed towards long
preceding trip. term planning.
BACKGROUND: Community fishing banned at Assam

Ramsar site
1. The Indian Antarctic expeditions began in
1981, comprised of a team of 21 scientists CONTEXT:
and support staff led by Dr SZ Qasim. 1. The Kamrup (Metropolitan) district
2. The Indian Antarctic programme has now administration has prohibited community
credited to have built three permanent fishing at Deepor Beel, a wetland on the
research base stations in Antarctica—named south-western edge of Guwahati and
Dakshin Gangotri, Maitri, and Bharati. As of Assam’s only Ramsar site.
ABOUT: ABOUT:
1. The order was necessary to prevent fishing, 1. South American country has the third
excavation and construction in and around largest reserves of the silver- white alkali
the wetland that has been shrinking over the metal— a crucial building block of the
years. lithium ion rechargeable batteries that
power electric vehicles (EVs), laptops and
WIDE RANGE OF SPECIES: mobile phones.
1. Deepor Beel was designated a Ramsar site COMPANY:
in 2002 for sustaining a range of aquatic life
forms besides 219 species of birds. 1. The new company, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd
2. A Ramsar site is a wetland designated was incorporated in August, 2019 with a
to be of international importance specific mandate to acquire strategic
under the Convention on Wetlands on mineral assets such as lithium and cobalt
February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of abroad.
Ramsar on the Caspian Sea shore. 2. It is a consortium of three PSU companies
3. According to hydrological experts, the area including: National Aluminum Company
of the wetland was about 6,000 hectares in (NALCO), Hindustan Copper (HCL) and
the late 1980s. Satellite imagery has Mineral Exploration Corp Ltd., (MECL).
revealed that its area has shrunk by at least 3. The Consortium that has been formed by
35% since 1991. the Ministry of Mines, Government of India,
4. Deepor Beel officially has an area of 4,014 for identifying, exploring, acquiring,
hectares or 15.5 square miles. developing and processing strategic
5. One of the reasons the wetland is in a minerals overseas.
precarious state is that it is losing
connectivity with small rivers like Kalmoni, LITHIUM EXPLORE:
Khonajan and Basistha that used to flow via
the Mora Bharalu channel through 1. Now, India is exploring options in Chile and
Guwahati. Bolivia, two other top lithium-producing
6. Expansion of the city, encroachment upon countries.
the natural channels through Guwahati and 2. Currently, India is heavily dependent on
from the hills around, and a municipal import of these cells and the move to ink
waste dump at Boragaon almost on the edge sourcing pacts for lithium is seen as another
of the wetland were the other factors, he economic offensive against China, which is a
added. key source of both the raw material and
7. Assam had 3,513 wetlands and a majority of cells.
them had water with low turbidity. 3. India is seen as a late mover as it attempts
to enter the lithium value chain, coming at a
time when EVs are need of an hour and
India has set a target on achieving an all-
Eye on China, India looks at lithium electric car fleet by 2030.
reserves in Argentina, Chile and Bolivia 4. 2021 is likely to be an inflection point for
battery technology, with several potential
CONTEXT: improvements to the Li-ion technology, and
alternatives to this tried- and-tested
1. India in the recent years started reaching formulation, under advanced stages of
out to the ‘Lithium Triangle’ in South commercialisation.
America. In 2019, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd 5. Li-ion batteries are commonly used in
inked a pact with an Argentine firm to portable electronic devices, solar power
jointly prospect lithium in the South plants as well as electric vehicles due to
American country. their high energy density and high charge
and discharge rate capabilities, as compared
with other type of batteries such as Ni-MH
or Lead Acid.

ABOUT:
1. The National Capital Region Transport

Corporation (NCRTC) is executing the
country’s first Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut
Regional Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS)
project.
2. The 82-km-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut
RRTS corridor is being funded by the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) and procurement
is governed by the guidelines of the bank
and the government.
3. The 17-km priority corridor of the Delhi-
Meerut RRTS from Sahibabad to Duhai will
be operational in 2023 and the entire
corridor will be operational in 2025.
4. The cost of the entire corridor has been
pegged at Rs 3,0724 crore out of which, the
UP government’s share will be Rs 6,500
crore. Once completed, trains with an
average speed of 100kmph will cover the
82km distance in 55 minutes
Chinese firm to build stretch of Delhi-

Meerut RRTS corridor Deaths due to lightning strikes dip by 37%:
report
CONTEXT:
CONTEXT:
1. Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company will
build a 5.6-km underground stretch of the 1. According to a report published by the
upcoming Delhi-Meerut RRTS project Climate Resilient Observing Systems
between New Ashok Nagar and Sahibabad. Promotion Council (CROPC), the number of
deaths due to lightning strikes reduced by
nearly 37 per cent.

ABOUT:
1. The deaths have been reduced from 2,800 DRDO facility develops Quantum Random
deaths between April 1, 2018 to March 31, Number Generator
2019 to 1,771 during the same period in
2019-20. CONTEXT:
2. The report has pointed out several loopholes
in the government’s approach towards the 1. The DRDO Young Scientist Laboratory for
problem while praising certain measures Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT), a
taken by the authorities. DRDO facility based in Mumbai, has
3. According to the report, lightning-linked developed a fiber-optic branch path based
fatalities formed 33 per cent of total deaths Quantum Random Number Generator
in natural disasters, according to data for (QRNG).
the corresponding period in 2019-20. Quantum Random Number Generator
SITUATION IN STATES: (QRNG):
1. More than 60 per cent of deaths in lightning 1. It has the ability to detect random quantum
incidents in 2019-20 were reported from events and convert those into a stream of
Uttar Pradesh (293), Madhya Pradesh binary digits.
(248), Bihar (221), Odisha (200) and 2. It relies on the principle that if a single
Jharkhand (172). Despite the casualties, the photon falls on a balanced beam splitter, it
Centre has not notified lightning as a will take either of the beam-splitter output
disaster. paths randomly. As the path chosen by the
photon is random, the randomness is
CROPC translated to a sequence of binary digits,
also called bits.
1. CROPC is a non-profit organisation that
works closely with India Meteorological ROLE OF RANDOM NUMBERS:
Department.
1. They have essential roles in various fields
WAY AHEAD ranging from quantum communication,
cryptography applications like key
1. Early lightning warning to farmers, cattle generation, key wrapping, authentication
grazers, children and people in open areas is along with scientific simulations, lotteries
key. and fundamental physics experiments.
2. Implementing a local lightning safety action 2. The generation of perfect randomness is
plan like installing Lightning Protection generally considered impossible with
Devices. classical methodologies.
3. It is important to bring out lightning 3. Quantum mechanics has the inherent
fatalities as a disaster to prevent losses. potential of providing true random numbers
and thus has become the preferred option
for scientific applications requiring
randomness.
CONCLUSION:
1. NDMA has issued comprehensive guidelines

for action plans to states, but a large SIGNIFICANCE:
number of losses show that the
implementation needs a more “scientific 1. Now, India enters the club of countries
and focused community-centric approach”, which have the technology to achieve the
besides convergence of various generation of random numbers based on the
departments. Quantum Phenomenon.
2. Lightning being the biggest killer and
having severe impact on infrastructure, it is
time that lightning is notified as a disaster.

Govt. sets up academy to promote Tamil Banana grit for that good gut feeling
culture
CONTEXT:
CONTEXT:
1. Scientists at the CSIR-National Institute for
1. The Department of Art, Culture & Language Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
of the Delhi government set up and notified (NIIST) in Kerala introduced a new product,
Tamil academy to promote Tamil language Banana Grit, developed from raw Nendran
and culture. bananas.
ABOUT: ABOUT:
1. The Tamil language and culture have a long 1. Banana Grit can be used for making a wide
tradition in the history of Indian culture as range of dishes. It bears a resemblance to
well as in Delhi. ‘rava’ and broken wheat.
2. New academy will introduce various awards 2. Nendran banana is consumed ripe and it
to promote and reward the good works of also used in typical Kerala dishes such as
people in Tamil language and culture. ‘avial’ and ‘thoran’ The grit, or granules, can
3. The government will also provide language be used for making upma, or it can be mixed
courses through this academy. with banana powder for making porridge
4. The Delhi government will also celebrate with milk or coconut milk for use as a health
and organise cultural festivals for the people drink. Banana powder can be used in cake
of Tamil Nadu. and bread preparation, along with refined
wheat flour.
TAMIL CULTURE:
SIGNIFICANCE:
1. The culture of the Tamil people is rooted in
several forms of expression such as dance, 1. The concept was introduced to utilise the
music, literature, folk arts. presence of resistant starch in bananas,
2. Being the birthplace for one of the oldest which is reported to improve gut health.
civilisations, the Tamil identity and its Hence, the dishes prepared with Banana
culture is strongly centred around its Grit and its byproduct banana powder
language which is fondly referred to as the incline to the new focus on gut health.
Tamilannai (The Tamil Mother). 2. Developing new uses for Nendran also
3. The Tamil language is recognised as a comes as a boon to farmers who have often
classical language by the Indian government been struggling against falling prices.
and a lot of Tamil literature is centuries old.
Works of Kambar and Thiruvalluvar have
gained an international reputation.
4. The most prominent visual art forms of the FSSAI slashes limit for trans fat levels in
region are the Chola bronze sculptures and foods
the Tanjore painting. CONTEXT:
5. Most Tamil dance forms have origins in the
older temple dances, which were performed 1. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of
by Devdasis and courtesans. One of such India (FSSAI) amended to the Food Safety
dance forms is Bharatanatyam, which is a and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction
modern form of the ancient dance of Catir on Sales) Regulations. Now, it has capped
Kacceri. the amount of trans fatty acids (TFA) in oils
6. Some other important dances from the and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022
culture are Oliyattam, Puliyattam, from the current permissible limit of 5%
Karakattam, and Koothu. through an amendment.

ABOUT:
1. FSSAI, in 2020, issued a draft on the subject

for consultation with stakeholders. The
revised regulation applies to edible refined
oils, vanaspati (partially hydrogenated oils),
margarine, bakery shortenings, and other
mediums of cooking such as vegetable fat
spreads and mixed fat spreads.
2. While the regulation comes into effect
immediately, industry players were made to
take a pledge back in 2018 that they would
comply with WHO’s call for action to reduce
TFA by 3% by 2021 allowing them three
years to comply with the latest regulation.
3. It was in 2011 that India first passed a
regulation that set a TFA limit of 10% in oils
and fats, which was further reduced to 5% in
2015.
TRANS FATS: SIGNIFICANCE:

1. These are the most harmful type of fats 1. The FSSAI rule comes at the time of a
which can have much more adverse effects pandemic where the burden of non-
on our body than any other dietary communicable diseases has risen.
constituent. Cardiovascular diseases along with diabetes
2. Trans fats are associated with increased risk are proving fatal for COVID-19 patients.
of heart attacks and death from coronary
heart disease. As per the World Health
Organisation (WHO), approximately 5.4 WAY AHEAD:
lakh deaths take place each year globally
because of intake of industrially produced 1. The regulation must not be restricted to oils
trans fatty acids. The WHO has also called and fats, but must apply to all foods. FSSAI
for global elimination of trans fats by 2023. will probably address this as well before
3. WHO has also warned India, Pakistan, January 2022 to eliminate chemical trans
Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan as they were fatty acids from the Indian platter.
among countries that need to act urgently
against trans-fat.
4. FSSAI launched two initiatives for reducing
consumption of trans fat i.e. Eat Right
Movement and Heart Attack Rewind mass
media campaign.
5. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is
the administrative Ministry for the
implementation of FSSAI.

5. Each of these parameters have sub-
parameters which, in turn, consist of
various measurable indicators.
Draft S&T policy
CONTEXT:
1. The government of India has proposed an'

open science policy' in the draft Science,
Technology and Innovation Policy (STI).
The final policy would be approved by the
government in the first half of 2021 and it
will replace the STI policy of 2013.
BACKGROUND:
1. The world's best scientific journals are

expensive, and sometimes even one article
can cost several tens of dollars to access.
Even top institutions have to be selective in
subscribing to these journals.
2. Publicly-funded research is carried out
through taxpayers’ money. And the taxpayer
need not have to pay to access the results or
data generated by this research.
ABOUT:
RBI’s digital payments index 1. The government has proposed to buy bulk
CONTEXT: subscriptions of all important scientific
journals across the world, and provide
1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has everyone in India free access to them.
constructed a composite Digital 2. This has not been tried in any country so
Payments Index (DPI) to capture the far. Hence, in India, the ‘One Nation, One
extent of digitization of payments across the Subscription’ policy for scientific
country. journals is a radical move that could be a
game changer for the scientific community
ABOUT: and individual researchers.
3. ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ policy
1. The RBI-DPI has been constructed with is proposed as part of a new Open Science
March 2018 as the base period. Framework that will ensure free access to
2. The DPI for March 2019 and March 2020 scientific data for all.
work out to 153.47 and 207.84 respectively, 4. Towards this objective, the Ministry of
indicating appreciable growth. Science and Technology, which has drafted
3. The RBI-DPI comprises five broad the new policy, has proposed to set up a
parameters, including Payment Enablers, Science, Technology and Innovation
Payment Infrastructure – Demand-side Observatory that will serve as the central
factors and Supply-side factors, Payment repository of all kinds of data generated
Performance and Consumer Centricity. from scientific research in the country.
4. These parameters would enable 5. From this Observatory, all data and
measurement of deepening and penetration information related to publicly-funded
of digital payments in the country over research would be made freely accessible to
different time periods. everyone under “FAIR (Fair, Accessible,
Interoperable and Reusable) terms”.

6. Dual recruitment policy will be encouraged
in all governing bodies, funding agencies, so
AIMS: that couples do not face the challenge of
‘choosing’ a spouse's career over theirs. The
1. To make scientific knowledge and data aim is to bring gender neutrality through
available to all. such interventions.
2. To ensure that the results of, and 7. The policy also focuses for age-related cut-
information generated by, all publicly- offs in matters relating to selection,
funded research is freely accessible by promotion, awards or grants, the “academic
everyone. age” and not the biological age would be
3. To buy access to between 3,000 and 4,000 considered. This would help women who
high-impact scientific journals, and the often have to take a break from careers for
government could end up spending an family reasons and to raise children.
estimated Rs 2,000 crore to 3,000 crore on 8. Child-care benefits are proposed to be made
the bulk subscriptions every year. gender-neutral, and flexible work timings
ALTERNATIVES: and adequate parental leave are to be
offered to cater to maternity, child birth and
1. In situations where some data cannot be childcare.
made available to all due to reasons of 9. All publicly-funded research institutions
privacy, national security, or intellectual and universities will be asked to provide
property rights, “suitably anonymised day-care centre for children of employees,
and/or redacted data” will be made and also have a provision for elderly care.
accessible. 10. There will be equal opportunity in
2. If some data cannot be released to the academics for women, along with
general public due to these or other reasons, candidates from rural and remote areas,
genuine researchers would definitely have marginalized communities, differently abled
access. groups, irrespective of their
caste/creed/religion/race.
INCLUSION OF MARGINALIZED GROUPS 11. For the benefit of people with disabilities, all
IN SCIENCE: publicly-funded scientific institutions need
to make “structural and cultural changes” to
1. In a chapter on inclusion and equity in the support their inclusion.
draft Science, Technology and Innovation 12. Academic and professional organisations
Policy, there is also proposal that atleast 30 will be encouraged to conduct gender audits
per cent representation be ensured for and social audits, to propel the
women in all decision- making bodies. organizations to proactively promote
2. More importantly, partners of people from gender-neutral recruitment and retention of
the LGBTQ+ community working in the employees, for ensuring equitable, not
sector are entitled to spousal benefits necessarily equal, representation.
"irrespective of their gender".
3. It aims to tackle discrimination and CONCLUSION:
providing equal opportunities in science.
4. LGBTQ+ community should be included in 1. It aims to achieve technological self-reliance
all conversations related to gender equity, and position India among the top three
and provisions be made to safeguard their scientific powerhouses of the world over the
rights and promote their representation and next decade.
retention in the science and technology 2. It hopes that government and private
sector. expenditure on research and development
5. This policy also focuses on removal of bars would double every five years.
on married couples being employed in the
same department or laboratory. As of now,
married couples are not posted in the same
department, leading to cases of loss of
employment or forced transfers when
colleagues decide to get married.
Kerala govt announces digital media literacy that aims to expand horticulture
programme production and farm household
income in the hill state of Himachal
CONTEXT: Pradesh.
1. The Kerala Government announced a digital POWER GENERATION CAPACITY IN
media literacy programme called ASSAM:
‘Satyameva Jayate’ (Truth alone triumphs).
1. This is the third tranche loan for the
ABOUT: ongoing Assam Power Sector Investment
Programme that was approved by the ADB
1. The programme would be taught at schools Board in July 2014.
and colleges, which would be encourage to 2. The programme, including its two previous
develop curriculum on digital media tranches, focuses on enhancing capacity and
literacy. efficiency of the energy generation from
2. The Satyameva Jayate programme would clean hydroelectric source and distribution
cover five points – systems in Assam to improve electricity
a) What is wrong information? service to end users.
b) Why they are spreading fast? 3. This will also improve living conditions,
c) What precautions have to be promote business expansion, and increase
adopted while using the content of employment opportunities in the state
social media? beside reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
d) How those who spread fake news 4. The proposed hydroelectric project is run-
make profit? of-the-river project over Kopili river which
e) What steps can be initiated by will help increase electricity supplied from
citizens? clean energy by 469 gigawatthour (GWh) by
3. Smartphone and internet penetration is 2025 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
much higher in Kerala than any other state. of carbon dioxide annually.
Large number of people is now depending 5. A $2 million grant from Japan fund for
upon social media for news updates. poverty reduction (JFPR) is also associated
4. The chances for the spread of lies and wrong with the project to finance equipment and
information through social media, which do consulting services to improve capacity for
not have any editorial supervision, have resource management and community
widened. resilience.
5. Hence, people should understand the laws
and benchmarks which control social media
and the internet. It is important to HORTICULTURE IN HIMACHAL
distinguish between truth and untruth. PRADESH:
1. The ensuing project, to be designed by the

Loan by ADB PRF, will support development of
subtropical horticulture, including
CONTEXT: cultivation of fruits and vegetables, in the
1. Recently, the Asian Development Bank state’s southern region which is currently
(ADB) and the Government of India signed lagging due to limited access to perennial
a $ 231 million loan to augment electricity water sources, crops losses due to wild
generation capacity in the state of animal encroachment and limited access to
Assam through construction of a 120 high value markets.
megawatts (MW) hydroelectric power plant
that will enhance availability of electricity
for households.
2. Simultaneously, both also signed a $10
million project readiness financing (PRF) to
help finance piloting activities, and design
and capacity building for an ensuing project

ABOUT ADB: cold storage facilities. The Plant at
Meghalaya will give the much-needed
1. ADB is committed to achieving a facility to the ginger growers and they will
prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and be able to use their capacities and at the
sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while same time optimally utilize the natural
sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme resources.
poverty.
2. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68
members—49 from the region.
IFSCA becomes associate member of the
global lobby group IOSCO
"Ginger" Processing Plant CONTEXT:
CONTEXT: 1. International Financial Services Centres

Authority (IFSCA) has become an associate
1. North East’s first-ever specialised "Ginger" member of the International Organization
Processing Plant at district Ri-Bhoui in of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
Meghalaya is being revived and is likely to
become functional in the beginning of 2021. IOSCO:
ABOUT: 1. The IOSCO works closely with the G20

nations and the Financial Stability Board
1. The only Ginger Processing Plant of North (FSB), in setting up the standards for
East India was established around the year strengthening the securities markets.
2004 but has remained non-functional for 2. The IOSCO Objectives and Principles of
many years. Securities Regulation have been endorsed
2. The NERAMAC has now undertaken the by FSB as one of the key standards for
responsibility of reviving it and initiated sound financial systems.
steps to operationalize the closed Plant
through PPP mode. IFSCA:
3. Plant located at the Export Promotion
Industrial Park (EPIP), Raja Bhagan, 1. The first IFSC has been set up at the Gujarat
ByrnihatHatt will not only process ginger International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) in
but also help in preparing products like Gandhinagar.
waxed ginger, ginger paste, ginger powder, 2. To regulate such institutions, the
ginger flakes, ginger oil etc. government established IFSCA on 27 April
4. Significantly, ginger has attained a place of 2019 with its head office is in Gandhinagar.
prominence in recent months because of its 3. In December 2019, Parliament passed a bill
reported properties as an immunity booster to set up a unified authority for regulating
against COVID-19 Virus. all financial activities at IFSCs in the
5. The ginger products being prepared from country.
this Plant will not only be available for
domestic consumption but will also have a SIGNIFICANCE:
wider demand and this will also be in 1. The membership of IOSCO will provide the
keeping with India’s calls for “Vocal for IFSCA a platform to exchange information
Local”. at the global level, and even at the regional
6. For the PPP mode, an Operation and level, on areas of common interests.
Maintenance Operator was selected through 2. Further, the IOSCO platform will enable the
the tendering process and the work on IFSCA to learn from the experiences and
setting up and reviving the Plant is under best practices of the regulators of other well
progress. established financial centres.
7. North Eastern Region of India produces
about 450,000 Metric Ton of high-quality
ginger every year but most of it is sold at a
lower price due to lack of processing and

Laser Dazzlers 3. Marked differences were observed in Dadra
and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu,
CONTEXT: Manipur and Meghalaya.
1. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has STATES RECORDED A DIP:
signed a contract with Indian Navy for
initially supply 20 Light Amplification 1. The women in urban regions of Daman
by Stimulated Emission of Radiation and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Dazlers (Laser Dazzlers). These would be along with Bihar, Gujarat, Sikkim,
manufactured by BEL, Pune plant. Telangana and Tripura in the practice.
2. Also, Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed  Dadra and Nagar Haveli and
a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited Daman and Diu showed the least
(BEL) for procurement of 10 Lynx U2 Fire percentage of children under three
Control systems for frontline warships of years and who were breastfed within
Indian Navy. an hour of birth.
2. This was followed by Bihar, Sikkim,
ABOUT LASER DAZZLERS: Tripura, Telengana and Gujarat.
3. Sikkim was followed by Dadra and Nagar
1. It is used as a non-lethal method for
Haveli and Daman and Diu and Assam in
warning and stopping suspicious
this context.
vehicles/boats/aircrafts/UAVs/pirates etc.
4. The percentage of children under three who
from approaching secured areas during both
were breastfed within one hour of birth in
day and night.
Telangana remains almost unchanged.
2. It suppresses the person’s/optical
sensor’s actions with disability glare in STATES RECORDED A HIGH
case of non-compliance to orders.
3. It disorients/ confuse/blind a person 1. It is registered in Meghalaya, followed
temporarily. It also dazzles and distracts by Lakshwadeep, Kerala and
aircraft/UAVs. Mizoram.
4. It is a portable, shoulder operated and 2. Lakshadweep showed a sharp increase in
ruggedized for military use in adverse the percentage of children under three years
environmental conditions. and who were breastfed within one hour of
5. Laser dazzler technology was developed birth.
by Defence Research and 3. Only 10 states as well as UTs — Andaman
Development Organisation (DRDO). and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh,
6. This unique product is indigenously Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
designed and developed for first time Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
for the Armed Forces. It will support the Telangana and West Bengal — of 22 showed
‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. increase in the percentage of children that
were breastfed.
Fewer kids under 3 breastfed

RURAL-URBAN
CONTEXT:
1. In 13 states and UTs, the percentage of
1. Recently, the National Family Health children in rural areas breastfed
Survey (NFHS) released the data for 17 within an hour of birth was greater
states and five Union territories (UT), the than urban areas.
number of women breastfeeding their 2. This was seen mostly in Dadra and Nagar
newborns within an hour declined in the Haveli and Daman and Diu, Andaman and
last five years. Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Assam,
2. Significant changes in the last five years Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu
were seen in Meghalaya and Lakshadweep and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur,
as well as Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim.
and Daman and Diu and Assam.

3. Rural women tend to stick with
traditions and breast fed their MAINS
newborns. But the same is not the case for
urban women. Jallikattu: pride & politics
CONCERNS: GS 1: Indian culture
1. Increased breastfeeding reduces the chances GS 2: Separation of powers between various
of child being obese. This practice is fading organs dispute redressal mechanisms and
due to the increase in technologies. institutions
2. Absence of breastfeeding increases the risk
of illness in the infant from infectious CONTEXT:
diseases: 53 per cent hospitalisations occur
due to diarrhea, 27 per cent low respiratory 1. In India, national parties like BJP and
tract infection that can be reduced through Congress have faced public anger for their
breastfeeding. stands on Jallikattu, which is the traditional
3. Mothers who do not breast feed are also at bull-taming sport.
risk: they gain weight, blood pressure, suffer 2. It is a controversial sport which has faced
from postpartum depression, cardiovascular long legal battles over cruelty to animals,
diseases and bone health. and which at the same time is a symbol of
4. Oxygen saturation and body temperature Tamil culture.
were found to be lower in infants fed
through bottles than infants who were WHAT IS JALLIKATTU?
breastfed. Long-term risks include asthma,
1. The bull-taming sport is popular in
childhood cancers and cognitive and brain
Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Theni,
development.
Pudukkottai and Dindigul districts — known
WAY AHEAD: as the Jallikattu belt.
2. Jallikattu is celebrated in the second week
1. Supplementary foods or liquids for infants of January, during the Tamil harvest
need to be done away with. festival, Pongal.
2. Healthcare centres and birth attendants 3. A tradition over 2,000years old, Jallikattu is
should be well-equipped to educate new a competitive sport as well as an event to
mothers on the importance of breastfeeding. honour bull owners who rear them for
3. Fathers should actively participate and mating.
provide aid to the mothers during 4. It is a violent sport in which contestants try
breastfeeding in hospitals. to tame a bull for a prize; if they fail, the bull
owner wins the prize.
CONCLUSION: 5. In an age when the farm sector is largely
mechanised, there are no major monetary
1. Overall, 16 per cent of the neonatal deaths benefits for bull owners in breeding
can be saved if infants are breastfed from Jallikattu bulls other than the prizes they
day one of birth and if 22 per cent of the get during the Jallikattu events.
breastfeeding starts within an hour of birth. 6. Jallikattu is considered a traditional way for
2. Research has shown that there are the peasant community to preserve their
significant nutritional, psychological, pure-breed native bulls, which are otherwise
developmental, immunologic, social and used only for meat if not for ploughing.
environmental benefits of breastfeeding on
mothers and on their children. LEGAL BATTLES:
3. The other important benefits include dip in
post-partum bleeding and more rapid 1. In 1991, the Environment Ministry banned
uterine involution, an earlier return to pre- the training and exhibition of bears,
pregnant weight, delay in resumption that monkeys, igers, panthers and dogs, which
causes increase in child spacing, reduced was challenged by the Indian Circus
risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Organisation in the Delhi High Court. In

1998, dogs were excluded from the including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and
notification. Maharashtra due to the 2014 ban order
2. Jallikattu first came under legal scrutiny in from the Supreme Court.
2007 when the Animal Welfare Board of
India and the animal rights group PETA CONCLUSION:
moved petitions in the Supreme Court
against Jallikattu as well as bullock cart 1. In this sport, the human casualty list is
races. higher, and even judicially determined that
3. The Tamil Nadu government, however, jallikattu constitutes a grave violation of
worked its way out of the ban by passing a animal rights and a perpetration of cruelty
law in 2009, which was signed by the on them.
Governor. 2. Popular sentiment, political
4. In 2011, the Centre added bulls to the list of patronage and the cultural instinct to
animals whose training and exhibition is preserve such practices contribute
prohibited. collectively to the continuance of the sport.
5. In May 2014, the Supreme Court banned the Other virtues attributed to it include giving
bull-taming sport, ruling on a petition that native breeds a good shot at survival and an
cited the 2011 notification. opportunity to youth to develop a robust
outlook even while earning rewards.
3. What should ultimately matter, above all, is
that any activity that endangers participant
IS IT LEGAL OR BANNED NOW? and onlooker alike should be held under
rigorously monitored regulations and
1. In January 2017, massive protests erupted restrictions. It is also time that appropriate
across Tamil Nadu against the ban and thus, protective gear is devised and made
the Tamil Nadu government released an mandatory for participants.
ordinance amending the central Act and
allowing Jallikattu in the state; this was Removing the creases in housework
later ratified by the President. PETA valuation .
challenged the state move, arguing it was
unconstitutional. The work women perform for the family
2. In 2018, the Supreme Court referred the should be valued equally with men’s work
Jallikattu case to a Constitution Bench, during the continuance of marriage.
where it is pending now. The main question
to be resolved is whether the Jallikattu
tradition can be protected as a cultural right GS-1: Role of women and women’s
of the people of Tamil Nadu which is a organization, population and associated
fundamental right. issues, poverty and developmental issues,
3. The practice of jallikattu is violating the urbanization, their problems and their
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals act, 1960. remedies.
Article 29 (1) mandates that “any section of
the citizens residing in the territory of India CONTEXT:
or any part thereof having a distinct
language, script or culture of its own shall 1. Indian society deny Women equal rights,
have the right to conserve the same”. and under the latest Uttar Pradesh and
4. Also, Article 51A includes our fundamental Madhya Pradesh Ordinances.
duties and states that citizens should
safeguard the wildlife and forests and have 2. The right to choose their spouses, the
compassion for living creatures. recognition of domestic work as work,
5. Like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka too passed a recognition work of wives, is debatable
law to save a similar sport, called Kambala. issues of women’s.
A similar attempt by Maharashtra, too, was
challenged in court, before it was passed as
a law. 3. What have the legislative initiatives and
6. Except in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, these judicial responses been in this regard?
sports remain banned in all other states
About works of women’s:
1. Justice A.K. Ganguly in Arun Kumar
1. As in the 2011 Census, while 159.85 million Agrawal (2010) : referred to Census 2001
women stated household work as their main that is carried out under an Act of Parliament
occupation, a mere 5.79 men referred to it and had categorized those who perform
as their main occupation. household duties ,about 36 crore women in
India ,as non-workers and clubbed them
2. Globally, women perform 76.2% of total together with beggars, prostitutes and
hours of unpaid care work, more than three prisoners (who are not engaged in
times as much as men. economically unproductive work).
3. National Statistical Office, Government of 2. In case of Rajendra Singh (2020),dealt

India (published in September 2020) which with a limited question of compensation under
says that on an average, while Indian the Motor Vehicles Act to calculate the
women spend 299 minutes a day on unpaid compensation for the death of homemakers.
domestic services for household members,
men spend just 97 minutes. Issues related to women’s:
1. While several legislations such as the

4. 92% Indian women take part in unpaid Unorganized Social Security Act,
domestic work; only 27% men do so. 2008,
2. Sexual Harassment against Women
5. India's domestic workers numbers around 5 at Workplace (Prevention,
million domestic workers of which around Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
3.5 million are women. 3. Minimum Wages Schedules notified
in various states: refer to domestic
workers, there remains an absence of
6. The number of female workers in the age comprehensive,
group of 15-59 had increased by 17%. In 4. Uniformly applicable, national
cities, the increase was over 70% from 14.7 legislation that guarantees fair terms of
million in 2001 to 25 million in 2011. employment and decent working
conditions.
7. Around 90% of the domestic help in India 5. In 2010, The registration of the National
are women and children (predominantly Housewives Association as a trade union
girls) in the age group of 12 to 75. It is was denied as domestic work was treated
estimated that 25% of them are below the as neither trade nor industry.
age of 14. 6. Household Wage not recognized yet.
7. Makes Woman Autonomous and
8. In India’ (2009) had estimated the Controls Domestic Violence.
economic value of services by women to be 8. Redefines the Role of Women in
to the tune of a whopping $612.8 billion society
annually.
Acknowledged the contribution of the housewives

by SC.
Arun Kumar Agrawal v. National

Insurance Company (2010), the Supreme
Court acknowledged the contribution of the
housewives and also observed that it cannot be
computed in terms of money. Her gratuitous
services rendered with true love and affection
cannot be equated with services rendered by others

Current Challenges: 1. The English common law of marital status
was starkly hierarchical. Forget the
1. Cultural values, limited role as homemaker recognition of a homemaker’s work as work;
with status of mother, sister and wife, she had no right even in respect of her work
2. Partnership and industries, not considered outside home.
capable enough to handle it. 2. In fact till 1851, no country had recognized a
3. Gender equality studied in isolation, The wife’s right in earnings of any sort. If a
crime against boys and men go unreported, housewife worked for pay in or out of the
even this group should be studied. home, it was her husband’s prerogative to
4. The laws made are gender biased rather collect her wages.
than gender neutral laws. 3. Seventh century Islamic law clearly
5. Hardly any steps for political mandates husbands to pay wives if they
representation of women. decide to suckle their children and entitle
6. Gender exploitation in unorganized sector them to spend certain portions of husband’s
go unrecorded. money without his consent.
7. Study limited to women empowerment 4. The middle of the 19th century, some
rather than youth empowerment. American States started reforming the
common law of marital status by enacting
the “Married Women’s Property Acts”.
Solution: Some of these statutes exempted the wives’
real property from their husband’s debts.
1. Legal status to domestic workers. It would 5. By 1850, the era of “earning statutes”
facilitate recognition of part-time and full-time started which granted wives property rights
domestic help as “workers” in earnings from their “separate” or
“personal” labour.
2. The right to register with the state labour
department. It also plans to ensure minimum Separate spheres:
wages and equal remuneration to the domestic 1. Women demanded a right to own
workers.
themselves, their earnings, their genius.
3. Put effective means to regulate working Accordingly, in 1851, at the Worcester
conditions, for example, through streamlined job Convention.
descriptions which could be offered through 2. They finally achieved success when the
standard contracts. equal rights of wives in the matrimonial
property were recognized.
4. Clearly define various terms such as part time 3. The Third National Women’s Liberation
workers, full time workers, live in workers, conference, in England in 1972, for the first
employers and private placement agencies. time, explicitly demanded payment of wages
for the household work.
5. The United Nations’ Committee on the 4. In india, Veena Verma did introduce a
Elimination of Discrimination Against the Women, private member Bill in 1994 entitled The
in 1991, had recommended measurement and Married Women (Protection of Rights) Bill,
quantification of unremunerated domestic activities 1994.
of women and their recognition in GDP. 5. This Bill provided that a married woman
shall be entitled to have an equal share in
6. The de facto economic contribution of women the property of her husband from the date
is highlighted Matrimonial property laws. of her marriage and shall also be entitled to
dispose of her share in the property by way
7. The time has come to insist that the work women
of sale, gift, mortgage, will or in any other
perform for the family should be valued equally manner whatsoever.
with men’s work during the continuance of
marriage.
A hierarchical structure (past and present):

Way forward: family and less than 2% by their
female counterparts.
1. Women should be encouraged and
helped to reach their full potential
through quality education, access and FEMINIZATION OF AGRICULTURE:
opportunities of work, gender-sensitive
and harassment-free workplaces and 1. Agriculture, contributing around 16% of
attitudinal and behavior change within the GDP, is increasingly becoming a
families to make household chores more female activity.
participative.
2. Agriculture sector employs 80% of all
2. If women become a little assertive, economically active women comprise 33%
prenuptial marriage agreements can easily of the agricultural labour force and 48% of
solve this problem with the insertion of the self-employed farmers.
clause on wives’ right in husband’s earnings
and properties being included. 3. Approx. 18% of the farm families in India,
according to NSSO Reports are headed by
3. Gender equality should encompass women.
men and women both. There is a need of
change in societal mindset. Men and women
should respect each other. Real education
begins at home. So it is even the duty of
parents and teachers to incorporate healthy SCHEME BY GOVERNMENT:
values right from the young age. 1. PM Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran
Pariyojana (MKSP): It is a sub-
component of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-
Don’t ignore the women farmers. National Rural Livelihood Mission under
GS 1- Role of women and women’s Ministry of Rural Development.
organization, population and associated 2. Upto 60% (90% for North Eastern States)
issues, poverty and developmental issues, of the funding support for such projects is
provided by the government.
Salient Features of Indian Society, Role of
Women, Issues Related to Women Gender 3. At least 30% of the budget 2019-20
gap allocation has been earmarked for
women beneficiaries.
CONTEXT: 4. Government has increased its focus on

women self-help group (SHG) on food
1. According to the agricultural census, processing sector.
73.2% of rural women are engaged in
farming activities but only 12.8% own CHALLENGE / ISSUE:
landholdings.
1. Woman are not guaranteed the rights
2. The problem of non-recognition and which they would otherwise be given if
conveniently labels them as they were recognised as farmers.
‘cultivators’ or ‘agricultural 2. Woman have unequal access to rights over
labourers’ but not ‘farmers’. Without land, water and forests. There is gendered
any recognition, women access to support systems such as
storage facilities, transportation
3. The India Human Development costs, and cash for new investments
Survey reports that 83% of or for paying off old dues or for
agricultural land in the country is other services related to agricultural
inherited by male members of the credit

3. The first is the lack of any mention of
MSP (minimum support price) that
protects farmers from exploitation.
Caste, covid and the city: the problem of
people
Land ownership/land GS 1 Social empowerment
holding
CONTEXT:
1. The year of 2020 was began with new public

spaces which were a protest against
Credits /input cost citizenship law. Students, people from
indigenous communities, women and
Muslim community were involved in this
protest. Moreover, in the same year,
COVID-19 also witnessed new shifts in
Training/Tools social spaces giving way to inequality.
WAY FORWARD CITIZENSHIP (AMENDMENT) ACT:
 Provision of credit without 1. The Citizenship (amendment) act amended

collateral under the microfinance initiative the Citizenship Act, 1955.
of the National Bank for Agriculture and
2. New amendment act provides Indian
Rural Development should be encouraged.
citizenship for refugees from Afghanistan,
 Manufacturers should be incentivised to Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Hindus,
produce tools and machineries suited to Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or
women’s needs. Christians, and arrived in India before the
end of December 2014.
 Krishi Vigyan Kendras in every district
can be assigned an additional task to educate 3. But this law does not grant such eligibility to
and train women farmers about innovative Muslims from those three countries because
technology along with extension services. they are Muslim majority countries.
 Government flagship schemes such as the 4. This is the first time that religion had been
National Food Security Mission, Sub- used as a criterion for citizenship under
mission on Seed and Planting Indian law.
Material and the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas
Yojana should include women-centric
strategies and dedicated expenditure.
EFFECT OF PANDEMIC:
1. History bears testimony to the fact that

Scientist M.S. Swaminathan once said,
unlike most of the world, India is not new to
“Some historians believe that it was
the practice of social distancing in the light
women who first domesticated crop plants
of caste system.
and thereby initiated the art and science of
farming. While men went out hunting in 2. Maintaining social as well as physical
search of food, women started gathering distance has been historically entrenched in
seeds from the native flora and began various forms of isolation by the upper
cultivating those of interest from the point castes in the Hindu social order ever since
of view of food, feed, fodder, fibre and the Vedic times.
fuel.”
3. Based on the religion of Hinduism and its
scriptures, social distancing, which today is
claimed to be the only curative measure for 3. As well as caste-based sexual violence is
COVID-19, has always been used as a common in villages, but there was an
socially-sanctioned weapon of mass social attempt by dominant caste media to deny its
disruption and collective discrimination caste dimension.
against the lower castes and Dalits in the
Indian subcontinent.
4. It has been a part of India’s unjust history PICTURE OF DALIT THROUGH FILMS:
and continues to be a reality even in India’s
fight against corona. This year two films explore the situation of Dalits.
They are:
5. Due to this lockdown in the wake of COVID-
19, massive out-migration from cities of 1. 'Siri'- it is of Rajeev Kumar- This movie
migrant workers was held. is about the rural/urban agrarian crisis in
Punjab.
6. This migration realises that this majority
had been made invisible by the city. 2. 'The Discreet Charm of the savarnas' -
It is of Pa Ranjith and Rajesh Rajamani-
7. The pandemic has changed the dynamic of This movie is a mirror to the dominant caste
untouchability in Indian society and Indian society in which Dalits castes as
brought a type of horizontal untouchability wretched bodies.
between bodies, which goes beyond caste
and religion.
8. In recent months, India’s government has PROBLEM AT ACADEMIC LEVEL:

boosted spending to revive the economy, 1. The year of 2020 confirmed that progressive
launched employment schemes for those academic and discursive spaces are not free
returning to villages, and allocated more of the caste system. For example, Jadavpur
funds to rural jobs programs. But nothing University teacher's targeting on the
benefitted much. mythical “merit question” was just one
9. The mistake of prescribing social distancing instance.
instead of physical distancing has led to its 2. Earlier work reveals that caste gaps at
appropriation by the Brahmanical and Caste higher levels of education have either
fundamentalists. remained static or widened over the last
10. Claiming themselves to be the first ones to three decades. COVID-19 acted a catalyst to
have coined this phenomenon in the ancient exacerbate these educational differences.
times, they have not just used the global 3. Digital Divide: The proportion of
recognition and acceptance of social households with access to the Internet is
distancing to legitimize and justify its use 10% for SC households. Only 49% of SCs
against the untouchables but have also have bank savings.
called for its renewal.
EXAMPLE TO SHOW THEIR SITUATION:

OTHER PROBLEM FACED BY DALITS:
1. Sanitation workers walked between daily
1. Beside this pandemic, Dalit communities humiliation and economic needs and their
experiencing many other problems also. anger resulted to terrible killing and violence.
There were continued reports of a steady Simultaneously, nation is also witnessing
rise in caste atrocities with the community. farmers' protest.
2. There is an incident of the rape and assault
of a Dalit woman from Hathras, Uttar
Pradesh which who died in the heart of the
capital.
CONCLUSION: essential goods and services, normally
provided by the private sector.
1. Protests of Dalit mazdoors, of younger 5. The New Welfarism was consciously driven
women, of migrant farmworkers, whose by the Centre and it could, therefore,
labour makes the country run is present in reasonably claim credit for its success. Many
the whole country. of the child-related outcomes are also
determined by state-level implementation,
2. As Caste is integral to our society and body therefore neither success nor failure can be
politic, we have to start such initiatives by attributed to one source.
whom article 14, 15 of the constitution 6. Access to banks accounts (especially for
become true in its implementation. women), clean fuel for cooking, toilets and
Equality in the society can come with power had increased and at a significantly
expanded education, employment and faster pace since 2015 than before.
social security.
3. From the healthcare schemes to availing

direct cash transfers, every other HEALTH AND NUTRITION OF THE CHILD
mechanism which seeks to address these IN INDIA:
social and economic ‘have nots’ ends up
becoming yet another unaffordable luxury 1. The NFHS has 42 indicators related to
or inaccessible privilege for them. child’s health and nutrition (there is one
indicator on school enrolment which falls
outside the scope of this analysis).
2. Indicators fall into nine categories and each
The child in India? of these can be divided into outcomes and
GS 2: Issues of Poverty and malnutrition inputs. For example, neonatal, infant and
under-5 mortality rates can be thought of as
CONTEXT: outcomes.
3. Similarly, all the nutrition indicators —
1. Recently, the first-phase data of the stunting, wastage, excess wastage,
National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) underweight and overweight — as well as
2019-20 has been released by the Ministry the prevalence of diarrhoea, acute
of Health and Family Welfare. respiratory illness (ARI) and anaemia can
also be classified as outcomes.
ABOUT: 4. In contrast, the post-natal care indicators,
the provision of vaccinations and Vitamin A,
1. It provides new and reliable evidence to and the extent and nature of feeding for the
assess some dimensions of micro- child can be classified as inputs.
development performance before COVID
struck. Child Wasting
2. It provides an indicator for tracking 30 1. It reflects acute undernutrition and refers to
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that children having low weight for their height.
the country aims to achieve by 2030. 2. India has always had a high level of child
3. The survey covers health, nutrition (of wasting.
mother and child) and the overall quality of 3. Instead of reducing it, Telangana, Kerala,
lives. It also includes some new topics, such Bihar, Assam and Jammu-Kashmir
as preschool education, disability, access to witnessed an increase and Maharashtra and
a toilet facility, death registration, bathing West Bengal have been stagnant.
practices during menstruation, and methods
and reasons for abortion. Child Stunting
4. The data illustrated significant gains 1. It reflects chronic undernutrition,
achieved by the government in respect to its and refers to the percentage of
distinctive approach to redistribution and children who have low height for
inclusion that called New Welfarism. This their age. It is likely to have long-
involved the subsidised public provision of lasting adverse effects on the
cognitive and physical development of
a child. female population (per 1,000 males) in 17
2. Telangana, Gujarat, Kerala, states.
Maharashtra, and West Bengal saw 5. Fertility rate decline and increase in
increased levels of child stunting. contraceptive use were registered in almost
3. The reversals in child stunting are all the states surveyed showing trends of
“hugely troubling” as normally, population stabilization.
stunting levels do not increase 6. There has been an increase in stunting and
because all the things that affect child wasting among children in several states, a
growth tend to improve as stable rise in obesity in women and children, and
democracies and economies move an increase in spousal violence.
ahead. 7. In several other development indicators, the
needle has hardly moved since the last
Share of Children Underweight: NFHS-4.
1. Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal,
Telangana, Assam and Kerala have CONCLUSION:
seen an increase.
1. NFHS provides data on child-related inputs.
Child Mortality Rate: These need to be examined too. The
2. Infant Mortality Rate (the number of government has made great strides in
deaths per 1000 live births for providing a number of basic needs to
households such as toilets, clean cooking
children under the age of 1) and
Under 5 Mortality Rate data is mostly fuel, power and bank accounts. Those
stagnant. developments would also serve to aggravate
3. Between NFHS-3 (2005-05) and the puzzle of why the health and nutrition of
NFHS-4, there was progress on the child in India has deteriorated.
mortality reduction but NFHS-5 and 2. In the Economic Survey of 2015-16, perhaps
the next big welfare initiative of the
NFHS-4 are about five years apart still
there is very little progress in many government, building on the considerable
states. success of its New Welfarism, should be a
mission-mode focus on the well-being of the
4. In Maharashtra, the under-5
mortality rate is basically the same in early child (and of course the mother), from
NFHS-4 and in Bihar, it reduced by the womb to the first five years, which
just 3% over five years. research shows is critical for realising its
long run potential as an individual.
5. Over 60% of child mortality is
explained by child malnutrition,
which is the central problem and
needs to be addressed.
ANALYSIS:
1. India continues to be successful in

preventing child deaths, but the health and
nutrition of the surviving, living child has
deteriorated.
2. India continued to make progress in
preventing child-related deaths (neonatal,
infants and under-5). The pace of
improvement in child mortality slowed
down relative to the previous 10 years.
3. Several of the 22 states and UTs, showed an
increase in childhood immunisation.
4. There has been a drop in neonatal mortality
in 15 states, a decline in infant mortality
rates in 18 states and an increase in the

Reclaiming SAARC from the ashes of 2020 2. Pandemic-caused challenges:
GS-2: International relations: Bilateral, a.) Reviving SAARC is crucial to countering the
regional and global groupings and common challenges brought about by the
agreements involving India and/or affecting pandemic.
India’s interests.
b.) The pandemic’s impact on South Asian
CONTEXT: economies, an estimated 22% fall in revenue for
migrant labour and expatriates.
1. The South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC), appears to be all but c.) An expected loss of about 10.77 million jobs and
dead in the water. $52.32 billion in GDP in the tourism sector alone
from the impact of COVID-19.
2. Reviving the SAARC spirit, potential and
tool is necessary to deal with China. Solution:
About SAARC: 1. Reviving SAARC and collective to set standards

for labour from the region,
1. India is a founding member of the South
Asian Association of Regional Cooperation 2. To promoting a more intra-regional,
(SAARC) that was set up in 1985 as an transnational approach towards tourism, trade and
organization to build a connected and integrated transportation solve the challenge of pandemic.
South Asia with the larger aim of promoting the
development and progress of all countries in the 3. There will be a shift in priorities towards
region. health security, food security, and job security,
that will also benefit from an “all-of” South Asia
2. The regional intergovernmental approach.
organization and geopolitical union of states in
South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, 4. Reviving SAARC to deal with China and
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
China’s Factor in SAARC:
3. India enjoys excellent bilateral relations with
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal 1. SAARC members (minus Bhutan), all of
and Sri Lanka. As per our “Neighbourhood whom are Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
First’ policy” partners of China will be hard placed to help
individually.
2. Challenge from China too big , both at India’s

SAARC Current Challenges: borders and in its neighbourhood, a unified
South Asian platform remains India’s most
1. The shadows over the meets: potent countermeasure.
a.) Over the past years, India-Pakistan issues 3. Only a matter of time before china, it may hold a
have impacted other meetings of SAARC as meeting of all SAARC countries (minus India and
well, making it easier for member countries. Bhutan). for they are all part of the BRI, and even
Example, New Delhi to refuse to attend the SAARC that they will be invited to join RCEP, which India
summit in 2016 in Islamabad. declined.
b.) The events of 2020, particularly the novel Solution:

coronavirus pandemic and China’s aggressions
at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) shone a new 1. India stepped up its health and economic
spotlight and shadows for SAARC meeting. diplomacy in the region, in SAARC meetings. It’s
may help india to counter china in SAARC.
c.) Engaging with Nepal land clamed over
Indian Territory, despite Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli’s 2. These have been need of bilateral initiatives also,
decision to change Nepal’s map and Constitution to not a combined effort for South Asia. Like
include Indian territories. Bangladesh.
Objectives of SAARC: 4. India also hosts the Interim Unit of SAARC
Disaster Management Center (IU) at the
1. To improve the quality of life of the peoples Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management
of South Asia (GIDM), Gandhinagar.
2. To accelerate economic growth and social
progress the South Asian region 5. India created a COVID-19 Emergency Fund
3. To provide all individuals with the with an initial offer of USD 10 million to meet the
opportunity to live in dignity costs of immediate actions.
4. To strengthen collective self-reliance among
the countries of South Asia 6. India has developed a ‘SAARC COVID19
5. To promote active collaboration and mutual Information Exchange Platform (COINEX)’
assistance in the economic, social, cultural, platform for use by all SAARC countries.
technical and scientific fields
6. To strengthen cooperation with other
developing countries
7. To cooperate with similar organizations
with similar goals
The world regional trade arrangements’
1. USA lead United States-Mexico-Canada

Agreement, or USMCA (North America), the
Southern Common Market, or MERCOSUR for its
Spanish initials (South America), the European
Union (Europe), the African Continental Free
Trade Area, or AfCFTA (Africa), the Gulf
Cooperation Council, or GCC (Gulf) and Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP
(South East Asia and Australasia including
China), India’s only regional trading agreement at
present is the South Asian Free Trade Area, or Source: slide share
SAFTA (with SAARC countries).
Way forward:
1. The SAARC seeks to promote the welfare of the

Indian contribution towards SAARC: peoples of South Asia, strengthen collective
self-reliance, promote active collaboration and
1. India's initiative of extending its National
mutual assistance in various fields, and cooperate
Knowledge Network (NKN) to the countries of
with international and regional organizations.
South Asia has been extended to Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh and Bhutan. 2. All governments in South Asia have responded
rapidly to the crisis, but their task is daunting.
2. India launched a South Asian Satellite (SAS)
in May 2017 from Sriharikota. and Demonstration 3. Governments have imposed social-distancing
terminals of SAS have been installed in Bhutan, measures, introduced relief packages to secure
Maldives, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri access to food and provided for delays in
Lanka. payments on taxes, rent, utilities and debt service,
3. India major contribution in the SAARC 4. Implement the SAARC Conventions relating to
framework, India is home to South Asian Trafficking in Women & Children and
University (SAU). It was established through an Promotion of Child Welfare and drug, in South
Inter-Governmental Agreement at the 14th SAARC Asia is big achievement of SAARC.
Summit (April 2008).

FOOD MATHS consolidate the food security net in this
crisis situation.
GS 2: Issues relating to poverty and hunger 7. With farmers demanding higher MSPs,
procurement is unlikely to decline soon
CONTEXT: (except in years of bad harvest).
1. Food insecurity is haunting India due to no 8. Exports would require massive
match between Procurement and subsidies, since MSPs tend to be higher
distribution and production and than world prices — almost 50 per cent
consumption and it further got accelerated higher in the case of wheat today. So would
during the COVID-19 pandemic. the use of excess stocks as cattle feed.
2. Procurement and production increased 9. Large subsidies for exports or cattle feed
while on the other hand, distribution and (not to speak of ethanol) would be hard to
consumption decreased which led to justify. Open-market sales would defeat the
alarming situation of “hunger amidst purpose of MSPs.
plenty”. 10. Imbalance between production and
consumption: It reflects the excessive
focus of subsidised procurement on rice and
wheat. Cereal production is likely to cross
ISSUES: 280 million tonnes this year. According to
the second India Human Development
1. COVID-19: In 2020, On the one hand, the Survey, average cereal consumption was a
economic recession precipitated by little below 12 kg per person per month
the COVID-19 crisis and national lockdown 2011-12.
exposed huge numbers of people to food
insecurity and reduced food intake in both
quantitative and qualitative terms. Food
insecurity continued well after the WAY AHEAD:
lockdown.
2. PROCUREMENT: Procurement and 1. Expanding the Antyodaya
distribution are driven by independent programme, updating the population
forces — procurement by minimum support figures used to calculate NFSA
prices (MSPs), distribution by the norms of coverage, raising monthly cereal
the National Food Security Act (NFSA). rations above the modest norm of 5
3. The imbalance between procurement kg per person.
and distribution was temporarily hidden 2. Universalising the PDS in rural areas
in 2020 because additional PDS rations and urban slums, among others but in
were provided to NFSA cardholders from rural areas at NFSA rates (5 kg per person
April to November under the Pradhan per month) it would require an extra
Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana allocation of about 15-20 million tonnes per
(PMGKAY). year — barely half of the current gap
4. This led to the release of an extra tonnes of between annual procurement and
rations, compared with normal levels. After distribution.
reaching a peak in July 2020 (more than 3. Raise state-wise NFSA allocations by a fixed
twice the buffer-stock norms), cereal stocks percentage (say 20 per cent), and let the
stopped growing. But with the recent states decide how to use the additional
discontinuation of PMGKAY, they are all set quotas within the PDS framework, but it is
to grow again in 2021. hard for them — especially the poorer states
5. In the short-term, there is no simple way of — to do it without central assistance.
closing the gap between procurement and 4. Diversification of agriculture, especially
distribution other than expanding towards nutritious crops such as millets,
distribution. pulses, oilseeds and vegetables, is important
6. The case for expanding distribution arises not only for better nutrition but also to
not only from the lack of sensible promote equity and sustainability.
alternatives but also from the need to 5. This requires more balanced subsidies — for
instance, higher MSPs for pulses, combined

with more active procurement and the INTERNATIONALISATION:
inclusion of pulses in the PDS.
6. The feasibility of including pulses in the 1. NEP 2020 aims to invite the top 100 World
PDS was amply demonstrated in 2020 Class Universities to open international
under the PMGKAY — this could work branch campuses (IBCs) in India.
wonders for farmers, poor people, and the 2. The underlying assumption is to raise the
environment. standard of research and teaching to
7. Diversification also calls for other forms of international levels and slow down the out-
public support (such as marketing bound mobility of Indian students.
arrangements, credit facilities, scientific 3. Existing research and academic
advice, effective insurance), especially for collaborations between foreign and Indian
small farmers and deprived regions. institutions would facilitate the entry of
IBCs in India.
CONCLUSION: 4. Internationalisation of higher education in
India has a pre-history. India has an
1. The double imbalance in India’s cereal inspirational history of Nalanda,
economy (between procurement and Takshashila and Vikramashila that served
distribution as well as between production as the melting pot of scholars from across
and consumption) will need more than a the world.
short-term fix. 5. Many top foreign universities collaborate
2. The need of the hour is to expand with Indian higher education institutions
distribution under the PDS. Failing that, the such as IITs and central universities for
country is heading towards another round research and knowledge transfer.
of wasteful stock accumulation even as poor 6. The collaboration has been strengthened by
people struggle to feed their families. government’s schemes such as Global
Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN)
and Scheme for Promotion of Academic and
AFTER THE OFFER LETTER Research Collaboration (SPARC).
GS 2: Issues relating to development and
management of Social Sector/Services Global Initiative for Academic Networks
relating to Education (GIAN) IN HIGHER EDUCATION :
 Aimed at tapping the talent pool of
Government policies and interventions for
scientists and entrepreneurs internationally
development in various sectors and issues
to encourage their engagement with the
arising out of their design and
institutes of Higher Education in India so as
implementation
to augment the country's existing academic
CONTEXT: resources, accelerate the pace of quality
reform, and elevate India's scientific and
1. Indian education system is on its way to technological capacity to global excellence.
reconstruct itself. Several initiatives have  GIAN is envisaged to catalyse higher
been taken by the government to attract a education institutions in the country, and
large number of foreign scholars to study in that it will initially include all IITs, IIMs,
Indian universities and enriching our Central Universities, IISc Bangalore,
system through ideas and diversity. IISERs, NITs and IIITs subsequently cover
2. The National Education Policy-2020 (NEP- good State Universities where the spinoff is
2020), the fourth since Independence, was vast.
rolled out in July 2020 and has led to
intense discussion on school and higher SPARC:
education.  The Ministry of Human Resource
3. NEP-2020 aims to improve the quality of Development has launched the web portal of
higher education. For the first time, the Scheme “Scheme for Promotion of
internationalisation of higher education has Academic and Research Collaboration
been highlighted as an objective. (SPARC)”.
 Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
is the National Coordinating Institute to
implement the SPARC programme. 4. Social sciences and humanities do not
 SPARC aims at improving the research generally figure in the imagination of
ecosystem of India’s higher educational decision makers — they are not seen as
institutions by facilitating academic and profitable ventures.
research collaborations between Indian
institutions and the best institutions in the WAY AHEAD:
world from 28 selected nations to jointly
1. The international standards maintained by
solve problems of national and international
the IBCs would be attractive enough for
relevance in the first phase.
international students to explore and
experience Indian education and culture.
EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL OF THE 2. Taking measures to allow foreign
POLICY OF BRANCH CAMPUSES AND universities to set up campuses in
GAUGE THE MOOD OF TOP India to increase inflow of foreign
UNIVERSITIES’ INTEREST IN INDIA funding in India’s Higher Education
system and to reduce “Brain Drain”
1. Top foreign universities are willing to from India.
respond positively provided there is 3. Foreign universities expect to be treated on
sufficient clarity in areas essential for par with Indian institutions in matters of
operationalisation of branch campuses in government funding and scholarships.
India. 4. In return, they are willing to implement the
2. Such universities are not looking forward to Indian policy of social inclusion in higher
state sponsored infrastructure of the kind education in their IBCs.
that the Dubai Knowledge Hub has offered 5. Enhancing investment in higher education,
— ready to move in campus, office space, especially in research and development, is
and other facilities. urgently required to raise the standard of
3. These campuses are driven by the desire to higher education in India.
accumulate profit in the manner of business
enterprises. CONCLUSION:
4. India will have to allow IBCs to repatriate
1. A related aspect of internationalisation of
income. The outflow of the money may not
higher education is India’s keen interest on
necessarily be 100 per cent of what these increasing the inflow of foreign students.
universities earn in India, but it will have to 2. This will give exposure to multiple cultures,
be a significant amount. subjects and pedagogies as deemed to be an
5. Compared to the science and business- asset and part of cultural capital.
oriented courses, foreign institutions
3. India is no doubt a potential destination for
demand more autonomy in framing and such initiatives although it must be
changing curriculum, daily functioning of admitted that it is not happening on a large
the institution, the freedom to say no to scale.
industries, and even in the manner the 4. The establishment of IBCs in India would
institution is branded.
get well with the Indian quest for the in-
CHALLENGES: bound mobility of students and scholars.
1. The biggest challenge would be the

inclination of top universities to establish a
campus in India.
2. Not many such universities have such
policies in place. At the same time, many
universities are yearning to turn truly global
and hold institutional mobility as a
prerequisite.
3. A key issue in the internationalisation of
higher education is the preference for
subjects and the areas of research
considered rewarding.
NECESSARY, NOT ESSENTIAL fish; common clothing; standard footwear;
kerosene oil and domestic fuels; common
GS 2: Government policies and drugs and medicines; bicycles, bicycle tyres
interventions for development in various and tubes; matches, dry cells and hurricane
sectors and issues arising out of their design lanterns; soaps and detergents; textbooks
and implementation and stationery.
2. In the urban sector the requirement would
Issues and challenges pertaining to the be to make available one or two common
federal structure types of footwear — called “Janta” shoes or
CONTEXT: chappals – at reasonable prices.
3. The distribution of “common clothing,
1. Times change and economies evolve. One standard footwear and soaps and detergents
can’t hang on policies simply because of a may be entrusted to the National
historical legacy. Due to inclusion of more Cooperative Consumers Federation”.
and more items in the essential commodity 4. Over time, in addition to those listed by
schedule led to the progressive tightening of Planning Commission, the essential
the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) 1955. products list included aluminium, art silk
2. This Government intervention often textiles, cement, cinema carbon, coarse
distorted agricultural trade while being grains, coconut husks, coir retting, cold
totally ineffective in curbing inflation. storages, collieries, copper, cotton, drugs,
dry batteries, electrical appliances, electrical
cables and wires, ethyl alcohol, fertilisers,
food grains, fruit, furnace oil, electric lamps,
BACKGROUND: diesel oil, household electrical appliances,
cars, maize, insecticides, iron and steel, jute
1. Through the Essential Commodities Act and jute textiles, kerosene, linoleum, LPG,
(ECA) 1955, government could control over lubricating oils and grease, meat, molasses,
“essential” commodities, “essential” being mustard oil, newsprint, oil pressure stoves,
defined as necessary and indispensable. paper, paraffin wax, petroleum products,
2. Act was used to curb inflation by allowing plants, fruits and seeds, pulses and edible
the Centre to enable control by state oils, groundnut oil, rice, salt, sugar and
governments of trade in a wide variety of sugarcane, synthetic rubber, tea, textiles,
commodities. tractors, two-wheelers, tyres and tubes,
3. Accordingly, there was first an ordinance vegetable oil, wheat.
and then an Act in 1946, the Essential 5. The ECA has a schedule (Section 2) of what
Supplies (Temporary Powers) Act. The is “essential” and if an item is in that
preamble and title indicated this was meant schedule, it is axiomatically “essential”.
to be temporary from the commencement of 6. But if an item is not in the schedule, under
the Constitution to 1955. Entry 33 in the that same Section 2, when circumstances
Concurrent List was amended so that the warrant, it can be put back on the schedule,
ECA permanently entered the statute books. sometimes for a limited period of six
4. Meanwhile, under Article 269, the Union months.
government had powers to enact laws for
items on the State List, as if they were on
the Concurrent List.
ISSUE-BLACK MARKETING:
1. It is highly centralized law and infringe

ESSENTIAL VS NON-ESSENTIAL: upon the States’ powers, as they are not be
able to regulate let say the menace of
1. In 1973, a Planning Commission hoarding, black marketing etc.
“Committee on Essential Commodities and 2. Offences were made non-bailable and there
Articles of Mass Consumption” concluded were special courts.
that the following were essential items — 3. There were Essential Commodities (Special
cereals, pulses, sugar, gur and khandsari; Provisions) Act of 1981 or the 1980
edible oils and vanaspati; milk, eggs and Prevention of Black Marketing and
Maintenance of Supplies of Essential made upset the people, but if necessary,
Commodities Act. they can always be put back, though
4. Hoarding has a negative nuance attached to temporarily.
it, though hoarders often perform a useful 4. More importantly, there is an issue of de-
function of reducing price volatility. seasonalising prices of agricultural
5. In contrast, black marketing has a uniformly commodities, often subject to cycles. But the
negative nuance. But black markets exist ECA doesn’t solve that problem.
only when there is a shortage. 5. It is solved by ensuring storage and
processing, allowing markets to function,
not through limiting them.
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION-
EXAMPLE:
OPTIMAL AGRI-FOOD POLICY
1. Footwear may be essential, in the sense of
being indispensable. That doesn’t GS 2: Hunger and Malnutrition
necessarily mean the government should
“control the production, supply and CONTEXT:
distribution of, and trade and commerce” in
footwear. 1. India is facing multiple problems both at the
2. All previous included essential items in the production level and consumption level in
Act were war-related shortages, there is no the field of agriculture and in this scenario
call for the government to intervene in the framing an optimal agri-food policy in
footwear market. India is the need of the hour. The policy
3. In fact, footwear subsequent shortage was should look at issues pertinent to not only
created through industrial licencing. the short run but also try to address
4. Licencing led to entry barriers and medium to long-term challenges.
shortages. Shortages led to price controls PRODUCTION LEVEL CHALLENGES:
and government intervention.
5. In 1973, the Planning Commission also 1. UN population projections (2019) indicate
recognised this: “Assured supply of specific that India is likely to be the most populous
essential commodities and articles of mass country by 2027. By 2030, the country is
consumption at reasonably stable prices will likely to have almost 600 million people
not be a practical proposition if domestic living in urban areas, who would need safe
availability of these items does not expand food from the hinterlands.
in line with the growing demand.” But, it 2. Indian agriculture has an average holding
didn’t recommend an end to licencing. size of 1.08 hectare (2015-16 data), while
engaging 42 per cent of the country’s
workforce. Cultivable land and water for
CONCLUSION: agriculture are limited and already under
severe pressure.
1. The ECA 1955 was brought when India was 3. India is unable to protect its natural
not self-sufficient in food grains production. resource endowments, especially water and
But now India has become surplus in most soil. Free electricity for pumping
agri-commodities, and the amendments in groundwater and highly subsidised
the ECA 1955 is an important step by the fertilisers, especially urea, are damaging
government to achieve its target of doubling groundwater levels and its quality,
farmers’ income and also for ease of doing especially in the Green Revolution states of
business. Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar
2. When delicencing occurred, there was no Pradesh. This region is crying for crop
longer any shortage of manufactured diversification, especially reducing the area
products and several items have under rice by almost half, while augmenting
progressively been removed from the farmers’ incomes.
essential items schedule. 4. No policy related to income support policies
3. Excluding cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible linked to saving water, soil and air quality ,
oils, onions and potatoes from the schedule
resulting in excessive production of these irrigation facilities. It is believed that
three crops in the country. developing countries should invest at least
5. Sugar and wheat are being produced at one per cent of their agri-GDP in agri-R&D
prices higher than global prices, and these and extension.
crops can’t be exported unless they are 3. India invests about half. It needs doubling
heavily subsidised. Excessive stocks of with commensurate accountability of R&D
wheat and rice with the Food Corporation of organisations, especially the ICAR and state
India (FCI) are putting pressure on the agriculture universities to deliver.
agency’s finances. 4. Switch from the highly subsidised input
6. Rice remains globally competitive, but price policy (power, water, fertilisers) and
exporting rice leads to exporting massive MSP/FRP policy for paddy, wheat and
amounts of precious water — almost 25-30 sugarcane, to more income support policies
billion cubic meters, annually. This is the linked to saving water, soil and air quality.
water that is pumped for rice cultivation, 5. From women’s education, to immunisation
enabled by subsidized power supply. and sanitation, to nutritious food, all have to
7. The total value of purchases by government be addressed on a war footing.
agencies at MSP of paddy, wheat, pulses, 6. There is a need to put the full food subsidy
oilseeds and cotton, was just about 6 bill in the central budget rather than putting
percent of the value of the total agriculture it under the carpet of FCI borrowings.
and allied sector. 7. Beneficiaries of subsidised rice and wheat
8. In the marketing segment, for most of agri- need to be given a choice to opt for cash
commodities, costs remain high compared equivalent to MSP plus 25 per cent. The FCI
to several other developing countries due to adds about 40 per cent cost over the MSP
poor logistics, low investments in supply while procuring, storing and distributing
lines and high margins of intermediaries. food. This cash option will save some money
This segment has been crying for reforms to the FM and also lead to supplies of more
for decades, especially with respect to diversified and nutritious food to the
bringing about efficiency in agri-marketing beneficiaries.
and lowering transaction costs.
CONCLUSION:
CONSUMPTION LEVEL CHALLENGES:
1. So, Optimal agri-food policy in India must
1. Basic hunger has been more or less have at least four touchstones:
conquered, but the biggest challenge for a) It should be able to produce enough
next 10 years is that of malnutrition, food, feed and fibre for its large
especially amongst children. It is a multi- population.
dimensional problem. b) It should do so in a manner that not only
2. The public distribution of food, through protects the environment — soil, water,
PDS, that relies on rice and wheat, and that air, and biodiversity — but achieves
too at more than 90 per cent subsidy over higher production with global
costs of procurement, stocking and competitiveness.
distribution, is not helping much. It is c) It should enable seamless movement of
already blowing up the finances of FCI, food from farm to fork, keeping
whose borrowings have touched Rs 3 lakh marketing costs low, save on food losses
crore. in supply chains and provide safe and
fresh food to consumers.
WAY AHEAD: d) Consumers should get safe and
nutritious food at affordable prices.
1. Farmer’s income needs to go up with access 2. Setting Agri-Food policies on a demand-
to best technologies and best markets in the driven approach, protecting sustainability
country, and abroad. and efficiency in production and marketing,
2. On the production front, the best policy is to and giving consumers more choice for
invest in R&D for agriculture, and its nutritious food at affordable prices are
extension from laboratories to farms and much needed.
3. In this task of vaccinating all people with
pre-existing NCDs, India faces a serious
Vaccine route to healthy India unknown quantity.
4. Unlike many communicable diseases, many
GS 2: Issues relating to development and slow-onset NCDs do not have any
management of Social Sector/Services perceptible symptoms in early stages.
relating to Health
BURDEN OF NCDs:
CONTEXT:
1. It is estimated that although India has 30
1. India is facing its greatest challenge in million diagnosed diabetes cases, the
averting the second wave of the COVID-19 prevalence rate estimated by the National
pandemic but with the world’s greatest Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Survey is
vaccination drive, there is hope that it will 11.8% in the adult population.
stop the pandemic. 2. Studies show that undetected hypertension
2. Unlike many European and Asian countries cases may be as high as 26% of the adult
which are facing huge shortages of the population.
Covid-19 vaccine, India’s AtmaNirbhar 3. India has one of the lowest incidences of
policy ensured that two of the vaccines cancer per 100,000 population, but this is
approved by the regulator are being largely due to inadequate early screening
produced in India. and detection.
MANAGING THE PROGRAMME: 4. As with most low- and middle-income
countries, roughly 40%-50% of the non-
1. India has already put in place two of the communicable disease burden in India
main factors in its vaccination drive: remains undiagnosed or undetected until
abundant access to vaccines, and a well the very late stages of the disease. This leads
formulated logistics and supply chain plan. to high rates of mortality and high out-of-
2. Managing the logistics, cold chain, and pocket expenses:
training the required huge workforce 5. NCDs are very costly to treat at the
to roll out such a vaccination programme is advanced stages, and India’s Multi-sectoral
a gigantic task. NCD Action Plan estimates that 47% of all
3. The Government of India has issued a out of-pocket health expenditure is due to
comprehensive set of vaccination guidelines NCDs.
that target 300 million people, including
health and frontline workers, and people AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE:
above the age of 50. 1. As the entire Covid-19 vaccination drive in
PRIORITY FOR THE VULNERABLE: India will be recorded on the digital CoWin
platform, a little bit of integration will
1. There is a need for the prioritization of enable CoWin to be integrated with the
people with co-morbidities during government’s Health Management
vaccination programme. Studies have Information System (HMIS) databases,
shown that over 70% of mortalities from where all the details of newly detected NCDs
Covid-19 occur due to pre-existing non- can be recorded.
communicable diseases (NCDs) like 2. The National NCD Action Plan already aims
diabetes, cardiovascular ailments, and to promote continued surveillance and
cancers. screening surveys to detect undiagnosed
2. The relationship between a country’s NCDs NCD cases.
burden and Covid-19 case fatality is direct.
Countries with very high underlying NCDs WAY AHEAD:
mortality show high Covid-19 case fatalities, 1. Following the newly amended labour laws,
as a comparison across Singapore, India, India can create large scale fixed term
and Indonesia shows. All this points to the employment amongst educated rural young
urgency and importance of first vaccinating people with basic digital training to
patients suffering from NCDs.

undertake the registration and vaccination blood pressure measurement instruments to
drive. screen people for potential co-morbidities
2. Large numbers of nursing students, such as diabetes and hypertension.
auxiliary nursing mid wife trainees, and 2. The Defeat Non-Communicable Disease
retired Army and defence services personnel Partnership anchored in the United Nations
in every village can also be mobilized for the Institute of Training and Research, Geneva,
vaccination drive. has espoused a similar win-win approach in
3. Prioritising vaccinations for those with pre- Rwanda and Myanmar, its two programme
existing non-communicable diseases will countries. A nationwide Covid-19
keep the Covid- 19 case fatality rate as low vaccination drive is the ideal entry point for
as possible. enrolling all the co-morbid patients below
4. The strategy for Covid-19 vaccination can be the poverty line in Ayushman Bharat so that
dovetailed into a comprehensive screening their future out of pocket expenses are
programme for people aged 50 and over for minimised.
major NCDs like diabetes, cardio vascular 3. A win-win for eliminating Covid-19 and
disease (CVD) and even common cancers. reducing NCD mortalities by one-third in
5. This will reveal the undetected cases of line with Sustainable Development Goal 3.4!
hypertension and diabetes. The current
operational guidelines for Covid-19
vaccination aim to mobilise all the district
collectors, rural frontline health staff from Nourishing the nation
primary health centres and urban civil and GS 2: Hunger and Malnutrition
sub district hospitals.
6. The vaccination centres have been very CONTEXT:
meticulously planned to deliver the
vaccination efficiently. 1. First phase of the NFHS-5 survey was
7. The Covid-19 vaccination drive offers a published which shows deteriorating
nationwide opportunity to screen and nutrition, dietary deficiency and anaemia
update the national database of NCD indicators, especially among children.
patients, and an updated database which 2. Adolescent malnutrition (our future
captures a larger number of patients at the demographic dividend) is as alarming as
early stages of NCDs will help in child malnutrition, and for this there is no
demedicalising the care of NCD. clear strategy in place yet.
8. Through advocacy and through the newly 3. More deterioration in nutrition indicators
created health and wellness centres, all following the COVID-19 pandemic is feared
registered NCD patients can be provided in the next phase of NFHS-5, primarily on
with advice for self-care, reduction of account of loss of livelihoods, reduced food
aggravating risk factors like sugary and salty consumption among the poor and
foods, taking more exercise and reducing disruption of government nutrition
harmful alcohol and tobacco use. programmes.
9. The continuity of self-care by patients can
be monitored on various mobile based ISSUES:
applications like the Digital Life care
solution developed by Dell with the Ministry 1. The current programmes are adequate and
of Health, which has been adopted by over effectively target the root causes of
40,000 frontline healthcare professionals. malnutrition or if the strategies require
This can easily be integrated with the change.
CoWin platform to capture the newly 2. There is the large dietary deficit among at
detected NCD patients. least 40 per cent of our population of all age
groups, brought out repeatedly in a
CONCLUSION: succession of reports this decade — the
National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau’s
1. This is a great opportunity to equip all the Third Repeat Survey (2012), NFHS 4, 2015-
frontline vaccination staff, including 16, the NNMB Technical Report Number 27,
vaccination officers, with glucometers and 2017.

3. Current interventions are not being able to analyzing why they are not able to
bridge this protein-calorie-micronutrient reducemalnutrition faster.
deficit. The NHHS-4 and NFHS-5 surveys 4. There should be different norms and more
reveal an acute dietary deficit among infants intensive interventions within the ICDS for
below two years, and considerable stunting these chronically malnourished pockets
and wasting of infants below six months with the poorest indicators.
(caused by foetal malnutrition/maternal 5. There is a need to know if the National
dietary deficit). Nutrition Policy 1993 is still operational. If
4. There is no national IEC (information, it is, then there is an urgent need to update
education and communication) programme it, and prioritise interventions in accordance
that reaches targeted households to bring with the latest surveys and research
about the required behavioural change findings. If not, it seems that we are
regarding some basic but critical facts — for attempting to address this invisible scourge
example, about the importance of balanced without a policy framework or plan of
diets in low-income household budgets, action.
proper maternal, child and adolescent 6. Unless maternal/infant dietary deficit is
nutrition and healthcare. addressed, rapid improvement can’t be seen
5. IEC and behavioural change have been in our nutritional indicators. This is a
highlighted in all our early Five-Year Plans, serious problem which needs to be
but somehow, successive governments have acknowledged and prioritised in the public
not been able to make it happen. health/public policy agendas.
6. There is an inequitable market conditions 7. There is a need to produce nutritive fortified
that deny affordable and energy-fortified energy food for children.
food to children, adolescents and adults in
lower-income families.
7. In spite of the mandate of the National
Nutrition Policy 1983 and the National Plan CONCLUSION:
of Action on Nutrition 1995, the market has 1. Raising the diet of people from subsistence
stacks of expensive fortified energy food and level to higher levels of nourishment is the
beverages for higher income groups, but only way to improve the nutritional
nothing affordable for low-income groups indicators of population — amongst
except non-nutritive junk and no private children, adolescents and adults.
entrepreneur wants to enter this field. 2. The government must show its seriousness
8. There is a direct correlation between the and start addressing this issue urgently
high incidence of underweight, stunting and through new ideas and innovations.
wasting among children, low body mass
index and stunting among adolescents, and
the lack of low-cost fortified energy food in
the market. India’s UNSC opportunity
GS 2: Important International Institutions , Global

Groupings
WHAT TO DO?
CONTEXT:
1. There is a need for higher budgetary
allocations for healthcare, ICDS and  Recently, India joins United Nations
monitoring systems. Security Council (UNSC) as non-permanent
2. In the Indian context, it becomes the member for the third time since the end of
responsibility of the government/civil the Cold War, earlier it became the non-
society to first provide information and permanent member of UNSC in 1991-92
awareness to the community about and 2011-12.
malnutrition and its causes, and then  Since then a lot of changes has occurred in
implement programmes to address them. India and its interests along with its global
3. The government could start showing its partners.
seriousness by examining the current
nutrition-related programmes, and
Background Quad — which brings together Australia,
India, Japan and the US.
 India’s attitude change from reactive to  India could also use the UNSC tenure to
proactive makes its stance for permanent deepen collaboration with its European
seat at UNSC more purposeful and partners like France, Germany, “Global
pragmatic, which meant for integrate with Britain” (post- BREXIT) in the security
UNSC in a more productive manner avoid arena.
overly ambitious goals.  India can intensify its dialogue with Moscow
 During 1991-92, there were many events on all international issues.
were happened like disintegration of USSR,  India needs to revitalise its engagement
end of the Cold War and born of Russia as with its traditional partners in the “global
rival to US. south” by articulating their peace and
 China opened its economy for private security concerns in the UNSC.
players but India was facing challenges like  The UNSC tenure is a good moment for
economic and political crisis and rejuvenate Delhi to intensify India’s engagement on
its foreign policy to cope with the post- peace and security issues in Africa at
Soviet world. bilateral, regional and global levels.
How conditions changed internationally? Challenges for India
 Since its establishment Russia and a rising  India is facing China’s hostility on borders.
China want to crack down Western agenda Since the end of Cold war era, India want
at the UN. China’s cooperation to resolve boundary
 Although India’s own relative position disputes and expand the areas of bilateral
improved in the first decade of the 21st relations. But all efforts are in vain. Now,
century, due to rapid economic growth. China could become more aggressive as
 China has risen to be a great power and is India now joins the UNSC amid a
making expansive claims and trying to continuing military standoff between the
redeem them. two armies in the high Himalayas.
 Meanwhile, US and Russia have drifted  China has repeatedly tried to get the UNSC
apart and Russia has moved closer to China. to focus on India’s constitutional changes in
 The tensions among the US, China and Kashmir. On cross-border terrorism, Beijing
Russia has been reinforced by sharpening protects Pakistan from the international
disagreements between Washington and its pressures.
European allies  On the nuclear front, China continues to
block India’s membership of the Nuclear
Suppliers Group.
Significance for India  Supporting the sovereignty and survivability
of the island states is a crucial political task
 It is a chance to resist external imposition of for India.
solutions to its manifold problems-
Major Concerns for UNSC
especially on the Kashmir question and the
nuclear issue.  The West could not resist the temptations
 There will be enough room for India to for geopolitical overreach at the UN.
carve out a larger role for itself amid  The UNSC is becoming less effective due to
renewed great power rivalry. the deep divisions among the major powers.
 The seat at forum will make India’s voice  The UNSC system is concentrated among
more solidified for permanent seat at UNSC. the five permanent members.
 It will help India to raise some international  The veto power of permanent members
issues like Pakistan’s sponsored terrorism, becomes the matter of contestation.
illegal trafficking in border areas etc.
 Confrontation among members like US and
 The engagement with peace and security China due to trade issues.
issues at the UNSC will allow India to
strengthen its new coalitions such as the
 The UNSC failed to make itself a truly global  The demand of India Brazil, Germany and
body by not including the other prominent Japan etc, to expand the UNSC must be
countries under its arena. addressed.
 The numerous small island states around
the world face existential challenges from
global warming and rising sea levels. They
also struggle to exercise control over their
large maritime estates.
 The Security Council is not representative of

the geopolitical realities of the modern
world. Both Africa and Latin America do not
have a permanent seat on the Council, while
Europe is overrepresented and Asia is
underrepresented.
 There is a lack of transparency in the
Council's working methods. This means how
the Council goes about making decisions
and the lack of information that they are
required to provide to other parts of the UN. The dilution of patent working disclosure
 The "G4" countries have been putting rules hampers the effectiveness of India’s
themselves as the most serious candidates compulsory licensing regime
for permanent membership in the Council.
GS 2- Government policies and
Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have
interventions for development in various
positioned themselves as leaders within the
sectors and issues arising out of their design
UN, but have failed to garner enough
and implementation
support to ascend as permanent members.
 Another group, the S-5 (Costa Rica, Jordan, GS 3- Indian Economy and issues relating to
Lichtenstein, Singapore and Switzerland) planning? Inclusive growth and issues
advocates for more transparency and arising from it in Public health.
coordination between the Security Council
and the General Assembly and Economic CONTEXT:
and Social committees. The proposal also
included some guidelines on the use of the 1. The central government recently
veto. published the Patent (Amendment)
Rules, 2020. Amended following a
Delhi High Court order on the matter
Way Forward in April 2018.
 There is a demand to transform this “inter- 2. In exchange of a 20year Patent

national” forum into a “supra-national” monopoly granted to an inventor,
institution that would actively reshape the India’s patent law imposes a duty on
domestic structures of different societies. the patentee annually have worked
 The US has to work closely with European the invention in India.
allies in the global arena, not all wrinkles
can be smoothed over. 3. The disclosure is to be made in the
 As a tenure as non-permanent members, Form 27 format as prescribed under
India along with other countries should the Patent
work in that way to make UNSC a more Rules, 2003 to commercially work the
efficient and effective international body. invention in India to ensure that its
 The UNSC offers room for sustained benefits reach the public and Impact
diplomatic interaction between the major on public interest.
powers, which could minimise tensions and
create new opportunities for cooperation.

SALIENT FEATURES: adequately/ to the fullest extent at
reasonable price. Has been removed by way
 The Centre has streamlined the procedures of the Amended Rules.
to annually submit statements to the Patent 3. . One form for multiple patents: The
Office disclosing regarding the working of a Amended Rules have now clarified that a
patented invention on a commercial scale, patentee can file one form for multiple
giving additional flexibilities to the patents if all such patents are related
patentee. patents and approximate revenue/value
 Patentees would now required to provide accrued from a particular patented
‘approximate revenue/value accrue’ while invention cannot be derived separately from
authorised agents would be able to submit the approximate revenue/value accrued of
Form-27 on behalf of patentees, in respect the related patents.
of single or multiple related patents. Also
been extended to six months, against the CHALLENGE IN NEW RULE:
current three months.
1. This could hamper the effectiveness of
 There are also changes with reference Rule India’s compulsory licensing regime which
21 on filing of priority documents. If the depends on full disclosure of patent
priority document is available in WIPO’s working information.
(World Intellectual Property Organisation)
digital library, the applicant would not be 2. in turn could hinder access to vital
required to submit the same in the Indian inventions including lifesaving medicines,
Patent Office. thereby impacting public health.
BACKGROUND:
1. It is mandatory under the (Indian)

Patents Act, 1970 (“Act”) for every
patentee and every licensee to file a
statement as to the extent of
commercial working of a granted
patent in the Indian Territory.
2. Taking note of the issue the Delhi

High Court had directed the
government to take action for
carrying out necessary amendments
to Form- 27. Pursuant to the
directions of the Delhi High Court,
the 2003 Rules have now been
amended.
Advantages of new amendment:
1. Requirement to provide details of WAY FORWARD:

licensees/sub-licensees removed: the
earlier Form 27 was the requirement to For the health of the country. The government must
provide details of licensees and sub- reconsider its amendments to the form taking into
licensees. This requirement has now been account the PIL recommendations like the
removed,It make more additional government to strictly enforce the patent
flexibilities to the patentee. working disclosure rules and take action
2. No requirement to provide statement against the violators and reamed it to restore
on meeting public requirement: As per as well as strengthen its spirit.
the 2003 Rules, a patentee was required to
state if the public requirements for the
patented invention had been met partly/
Taking note of farmer welfare, the Kerala
way

and implementation
CONTEXT:
1. Farmers are writing a new history by

representing the unflinching will of a people
who consider agriculture as their culture.
This farmers’ struggle is unique in the
WHY ARE FARMERS UPSET WITH THE
history of free India.
FARM BILLS?
2. In some manner, the upsurge by these
farmers resembles the ‘Occupy Wallstreet 1. The Farm Bill allows farmers to directly sell
Movement’ in the United States, in 2011, to private companies without relying on the
whose slogan reverberates even today across APMC mandis. Farmers fear this could lead
the world: “We are the 99 percent”. to scrapping of MSP.
FARM BILLS: 2. Government has removed most agricultural

products from Essential Commodities List.
1. The three Farm Bills were passed as an Farmers expect this to lead to price
ordinance and while it was passed in Rajya volatility and hoarding.
Sabha by voice vote.
3. Effectively, the bills permit private sector
a) The Farmers’ Produce Trade and investment into farm infrastructure.
Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Farmers are sceptical that large corporates
Bill, 2020, allows farmers to sell their may squeeze out the traditional farmer.
harvest outside notified APMC mandis
without taxes. WHY ARE FARMERS WORRIED ABOUT
b) The Farmers (Empowerment and TAX-FREE DEALS OUTSIDE THE APMC?
Protection) Agreement on Price 1. Farmers fear that tax-free private trade in
Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, food grains will make these mandis
facilitates contract farming and direct unviable. If volumes shift out of the APMC
marketing. mandis, government may lose interest in
c) The Essential Commodities enforcing MSP.
(Amendment) Bill, 2020, deregulates
the production, storage, movement and 2. In Punjab and Haryana, most government
sale of cereals, pulses, edible oils and procurement centres are located within the
onion. APMC mandis. Farmers want MSP to be
made universal; both within mandis and
outside mandis.

WHY ARE SOME STATE GOVERNMENTS
UPSET WITH THE FARM BILL?
1. It is purely economical. For example,

Punjab government charges 6% mandi tax
(along with a 2.5% fee for handling central
procurement).
2. Punjab earns Rs.3,500 crore and Haryana

Rs.1,600 crore from these mandi taxes. For
other states, mandi tax is less than 1% of
revenues while for Punjab and Haryana it is
almost 9%.
3. Also, agriculture is a state subject and state

governments are not comfortable with the
centre diluting their importance.
WILL THE FARM BILL HELP BRING

PRIVATE INVESTMENTS INTO
AGRICULTURE?
1. With just 7000 APMC markets in India,

agricultural marketing largely happens
outside the mandi network. Bihar, Kerala
and Manipur do not follow APMC system.
2. The facilitation and storage of agri

commodities is likely to attract large
corporates in the agriculture space.
3. They will invest in farm technology and

robotics, apart from post-harvest
WHY ARE PROTESTS VOCIFEROUS ONLY infrastructure.
FROM STATES LIKE PUNJAB AND
HARYANA? KERELA MODEL:
1. More than 50% of all government 1. There are no Agricultural Produce Market
procurement of wheat and paddy since 2015 Committees (APMCs) and mandis in Kerala,
happened in Punjab and Haryana. and the concept of the Minimum Support
Price is not prevalent in the State. But it
2. Nearly, 85% of wheat and paddy grown in does not mean that the interests of farmers
Punjab, and 75% in Haryana is bought at are not taken care of in the State.
MSP rates.
2. In fact, Kerala is the State where farmers’
3. Farmers in these States expect prices to fall rights are being protected by the
without MSP. Punjab has invested in the government itself, and much more
mandi system and infrastructure. effectively than any other Indian State.
4. Large farmers in Punjab and Haryana 3. While the government of India has fixed the
double up as commission agents. So, they procurement rate for rice at ₹18 a kg, the
earn the commission plus the interest on government in Kerala is procuring rice from
loans given to smaller farmers. These will cultivators at ₹27.48 a kg.
cease to exist.
4. In the same manner copra (dried coconut) is
also procured at a much higher rate in
Kerala than the price announced by the NEW INDIA, NEW DALIT
central government.
GS 2: Mechanisms, laws, institutions, and
5. Kerala is the State where increased basic Bodies constituted for the protection and
price is ensured not only for paddy but also betterment of vulnerable sections
vegetables and fruits.
Government policies and interventions for
6. Sixteen such items are enlisted by the development in various sectors and issues
government where the basic prices (per kg) arising out of their design and
are guaranteed. For example, tapioca (₹12), implementation
banana (₹30), garlic (₹139), pineapple
(₹15), tomato (₹8), string beans (₹34), GS 3: Inclusive growth and issues arising
ladies’ fingers (₹20), cabbage (₹11) and from it
potato (₹20).
CONTEXT:
7. Apart from crop insurance, paddy
cultivators will get the royalty in Kerala at 1. The Cabinet Committee on Economic
the rate of ₹2,000 per hectare. They have a Affairs has approved an outlay of Rs 59,000
pension too, which is something unique in crore to the post-matric scholarship scheme
India. for students from Scheduled Caste (SC)
groups.
8. In 2006, when farmers’ suicides became the
order of the day across the country, the then ABOUT:
state government introduced a debt relief 1. Post Matric Scholarship scheme aims to
commission that extended a helping hand to provide financial assistance to the
the farmers, thereby saving them. Scheduled Caste students studying at post
CONCLUSION: matriculation or post-secondary stage.
2. It aims to benefit more than 4 Crore SC
1. This is the reality of the farm Bills. Though students in the next 5 years so that they can
they claim ‘to enable’ the protection and the successfully complete their higher
empowerment of farmers, the truth is just education.
the opposite. 3. It is a Centrally Sponsored scheme (CSS)
with a funding pattern of 60-40 for the
2. The purpose of these laws is the enabling of Centre and States.
the corporatisation of Indian agriculture 4. The scheme will be run on an online
and the introduction of contract farming. platform with cyber security measures that
would assure transparency, accountability,
3. The annadatas have been able to foresee the efficiency, and timely delivery of the
evil in the three farm laws that would assistance without any delays.
eventually find them at the mercy of
corporate profit mongers. BACKGROUND:
4. They know that these laws would ruin the 1. The post-Matric scholarship scheme for
backbone of the agricultural economy and Scheduled Caste students has been in
badly affect the food security of India. existence since 1944 and has helped
students to pursue any post-Matric course
5. The farmers are in the struggle in order to starting from class 11 onwards, with the
prevent such a calamity from happening. It government meeting the cost of education.
is high time that the Prime Minister and his
government understand the patriotic and
selfless role being played by the food
providers of the country and the genuine
nature and cause of their struggle.

3. Dalits have remained at the bottom of the
socio-economic pyramid over the last 7o
Total investment of Rs.
59,048 crore is approved years.
with a new funding
pattern of 60-40 for the
Centre and States.
4. On the parameters of health and education,
nothing substantial has been achieved until
Provides financial
assistance to the SC
It is a Centrally Sponsored now.
Scheme and
students studying at post
matriculation or post-
implemented through
State Government and UT
5. Expressing in the name of caste and token
secondary stage administration.
representation has caused insurmountable
damage to the Dalit psyche.
Post Matric Scholarship scheme
STEPS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT:
This replaces the existing
committed liability
1. In the last six years, schemes like Stand-up
These scholarships are
available for studies in
system and brings greater
involvement of the
India and MUDRA have greatly benefitted
India only.
Central government in
this crucial scheme. young people from the community.
The scheme will be
further strengthened
2. Dalit Indian Chambers of Commerce and
through the conduct of
social audits, annual third
Industry (DICCI) have also been closely
party evaluation, and
half-yearly self-audited working with the government to generate
reports from each
institution. opportunities for entrepreneurship and self-
employment for Dalit youth. “Be Job Givers
and not Job Seekers”, is a leitmotif for the
BENEFITS TO SCs: government.
3. Schemes like a venture capital fund for SCs
1. The scheme will maximise the gross and a credit enhancement guarantee plan
enrolment ratio of SC students in higher have already benefited countless
education as education provides them youngsters.
avenues for upward mobility and more 4. Efforts are also being aimed at creating
importantly, dignity and recognition. structures to handhold those youth who
2. The next generation of Dalits is aspiring want to become entrepreneurs through a
precisely for this esteem and social civility. network of incubation centres and an
3. The central government is also committed enabling financial assistance architecture.
to the development of villages, where people 5. EXAMPLE: The youngest woman MLA from
from Dalit communities constitute a Gujarat, Malti Maheshwari, and numerous
significant chunk of the population. other leaders, are now making themselves
 In 2019, the Union government heard and are appropriately voicing the
started a programme to ensure the concerns and aspirations of Dalits across
focused implementation of welfare the country.
schemes from both the central and
CONCLUSION:
the state governments to boost
infrastructure and reduce socio- 1. The vision of New India will be
economic disparities in 27,000 such complemented by the New Dalit.
villages. Representation, not mere tokenism, is what
the New Dalit wants and the Congress
CHALLENGES FACED BY SOCIALLY-
MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES: never went beyond tokenism.
2. With sustained economic empowerment,
1. In India, Dalit youth are facing challenges in political representation and educational
pursuing higher education due to financial opportunities like the boost in the post-
constraints and the uninspired attitude of matric scholarship for SC students, Dalits
state governments. are increasingly becoming an inseparable
2. Many states did not pay scholarship on time part of the New India story that is deeply
or use the fund for some other purposes inclusive in its foundation, consultative in
resulting in increasing dropouts from SC its approach and focused on making the
students due to lack of scholarship. country a leading light in the new world
order.

3. With this new scheme, the government is call terminates, carries the call on its
committed to giving a big push and further network to the customers. This requires
impetus to this effort so that the GER infrastructure investment.
(higher education) would reach national 4. Thus, IUC ensures operators make
standards within the five-year period. appropriate investments to carry voice calls
4. It will also ensure greater educational access without terminations.
to youngsters belonging to SC communities.
Clear connection

and implementation
CONTEXT:
1. From 1 January 2021, India has ended

Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC)
regime.
2. Under IUC regime, one telecom operator

paid a charge to another on whose network
a subscriber’s voice call was completed.
3. This new change has created a new era in

which these companies can focus on TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF
upgrading their networks and service. INDIA (TRAI):
WHAT IS INTERCONNECTION? 1. It is a statutory body set up by the

Government of India under section 3 of the
1. The term ‘interconnection’ refers to an Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act,
arrangement under which telecom players 1997. It is the regulator of the
connect their equipment, networks and telecommunications sector in India.
services with other Telecom Services
Providers. 2. It consists of a Chairperson and not more
than two full-time members and not more
2. The regulator, Telecom Regulatory than two part-time members.
Authority of India (TRAI), addresses the
various issues related to interconnection 3. The TRAI Act was amended by an
arrangements. It also regulates the IUC. ordinance, effective from 24 January 2000,
establishing a Telecom Disputes Settlement
INTERCONNECTION USAGE CHARGE and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take
(IUC): over the adjudicatory and disputes functions
from TRAI.
1. IUC is a charge payable by a service
provider, whose subscriber originates the
call, to the service provider in whose
network the call terminates.
2. In a calling-party pays regime (CPP), if you
originate a call, you pay your access
provider, who in turn pays termination
charges to the network you placed the call.
3. This is paid to cover the network usage
costs as the operator, on whose network the

EXPANSION OF NETWORKS:
1. India’s high density telecom market is

poised for further growth as it awaits
expansion through 5G and Internet-
connected devices.
2. Yet, as the Economic Survey of 2019-20

pointed out, intense competition has
reduced the number of private players.
3. Public sector operators BSNL and MTNL

still face a challenge and their future must
be clarified early, with efforts to improve
their technological capabilities and service
levels.
4. A parallel trend has been the rise in 4G

subscribers from 196.9 million in September
2017 to 517.5 million out of a total wireless
SHIFTING THE FOCUS: subscriber base of 1,165.46 million in June
2019.
1. Initially, the plan to end IUC regime was
delayed by a year by TRAI due to concerns 5. The end of the IUC should spur an
that not all operators were ready. Also, the expansion of high-capacity networks, going
fact that the shift to more efficient 4G beyond 2G and 3G that some telcos
networks and compatible subscriber continue to use. The removal of
handsets was slower than anticipated. interconnection charges was opposed by
them just a year ago.
2. With the new change, there is a need to
monitor call termination data and make 6. TRAI has stressed the importance of
IUC payments no longer exists. consumer welfare through adequate choice,
affordable tariff and quality service.
3. A spectrum auction is also scheduled this
year. Now, the focus should shift to giving 7. It is important to tread cautiously on claims
the users a better deal — as reliable call made on behalf of the sector, that higher
quality and competitive tariffs. tariffs alone can ensure the health of
telecoms.
4. For the subscriber, other than those who
had to pay higher access tariffs on one
wireless network due to the IUC system, the
latest measure may not carry a significant WAY FORWARD:
impact, since providers sold unlimited call
packs even earlier. 1. India is a mass market for voice and data
services that fuel the digital economy.
5. One operator, Jio, had a higher proportion
of outgoing calls to other wireless 2. Badly priced spectrum could lead to
operators, thus having to pay significant net auction failures and lack of genuine
interconnection charges, which was six competition is bound to hamper the growth
paise per minute since 2017. of the next big wave of telecoms, of which
the 5G piece is critical for new services.
6. That imbalance has reduced, and TRAI has
now introduced an arrangement called bill 3. On the consumer side, helping more people
and keep, which does away with the IUC. migrate to 4G services quickly through
affordable handsets will help telcos put their
infrastructure to better use.
4. Having got the interconnection charges out

of the way, telcos should focus on service 6. Three pre-conditions to be satisfied before
quality. the Governor promulgates an ordinance-
a. State Legislature should not be in

session
An ill-conceived, overbroad and vague b. Circumstances should exist for
ordinance promulgating an ordinance and;
c. Those circumstances must warrant
GS 2- Government policies and immediate action.
and implementation
CONTEXT:
1. Recently, Uttar Pradesh government had

passed an ordinance in the name “The Uttar
Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion
of Religion Ordinance” which is commonly
called the anti-love jihad ordinance. It is
considered as unconstitutional and violates
key rights.
WHAT IS AN ORDINANCE?
1. Ordinances are laws that are promulgated

by the President of India on the
recommendation of the Union Cabinet,
which will have the same effect as an Act of
Parliament. They can only be issued when
Parliament is not in session.
2. They enable the Indian government to take CIRCUMSTANCES, URGENCY:

immediate legislative action.
1. There is no established practice requiring
3. Ordinances cease to operate either if the Governor (or the President under Article
Parliament does not approve of them within 123 of the Constitution) to state the
six weeks of reassembly, or if disapproving circumstances for immediate action.
resolutions are passed by both Houses.
2. The Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce
4. It is also compulsory for a session of Ordinance merely stated in the preamble
Parliament to be held within six months. A what the ordinance provides for, but did not
total of 679 ordinances have been issued disclose the circumstances and urgency for
from 1950-2014. immediate action.
5. Article 213 (1) of the Constitution of India 3. A healthy convention should develop and
provides- the preamble to any ordinance should state
the immediacy for promulgating it when the
“If at any time, except when the Legislative Legislature is not in session.
Assembly of a State is in session, or where
there is a Legislative Council in a State, 4. This would greatly enhance transparency in
except when both Houses of the Legislature legislation, but, more importantly, enable
are in session, the Governor is satisfied that legislators to understand why they are, in a
circumstances exist which render it sense, by-passed and why a debate and
necessary for him to take immediate action, discussion in the Legislature could not be
he may promulgate such Ordinances as the awaited.
circumstances appear to him to require: …”

5. The reason for immediate action is, as yet,
not justiciable and it is unlikely that any
court will get involved into this arena. RIGHT TO PRIVACY:
6. SC has held that the existence of 1. The Constitution of India encompasses

circumstances leading to the satisfaction of Right to Privacy under Article 21, which is a
the Governor can be inquired into. requisite of right to life and personal liberty.
Stressing on the term ‘privacy’, it is a
7. However, the court will not delve into the dynamic concept which was needed to be
sufficiency of circumstances. Therefore, it is explained.
important to disclose the circumstances and
reason for immediate action in the first 2. The scope of Article 21 is multi-dimensional
instance rather than require people to go to under the Indian Constitution. Law of torts,
court to find out. Criminal Laws as well as Property Laws also
recognize right to privacy.
3. Privacy is something that deals with

THE U.P. ORDINANCE & FLAWS: individual privacy and also which was
needed to be protected earlier before the
1. Anti-love jihad ordinance provides for passing of a landmark case, i.e., K.S.
unlawful conversion from one religion to Puttaswamy v. Union of India in 2017 as it
another by coercion, misrepresentation and was, previously, not considered a
so on “or by marriage”. fundamental right under the Indian
Constitution.
2. It then proceeds to record the satisfaction of
the Governor of the existence of 4. However, our Indian judiciary has, at
circumstances and the necessity for present, carved out a distinctive precinct
“him/her to take immediate action”. regarding privacy and an upshot of that is
Right to Privacy, it is, now, recognized as a
3. If one fraudulent or coercive inter-faith fundamental right, which is intrinsic under
marriage is taking place, the police can Article 21.
certainly prevent it, as they supposedly do in
child marriages. An ordinance is not 5. Right to privacy is a requisite of right to life
required for it. and personal liberty under Article 21 of the
Indian Constitution.
4. However, if more than one such fraudulent
or coercive inter-faith marriage is expected 6. Right to privacy is not an absolute right, it
to take place, the State government would may be subject to certain reasonable
have information of mass conversions for restrictions for prevention of crime, public
the purpose of marriage. disorder and protection of others.
5. In the normal course, it is unlikely that CONCLUSION:
these mass conversions would be in secret
and almost simultaneous. 1. The ordinance is prone to abuse and we
have seen its consequences — of
6. A more realistic expectation would be intimidation, bullying, arbitrary arrests and
specific information of some or many the loss of a foetus.
unwilling religious conversions likely to take
place. 2. It is ill-conceived, overbroad and vague in
many respects.
7. Surely, these can also be prevented by an
alert police force by invoking existing legal 3. It defames all inter-faith marriages and
provisions. Assuming a somewhat places unreasonable obstacles on
unbelievable scenario does exist, how does consenting adults in exercising their
one justify immediate action for personal choice of a partner.
promulgating an ordinance?
4. It also mocks the right to privacy and

violates the right to life, liberty and dignity. transferred to the bank accounts of the
In short, it is unconstitutional. respective beneficiaries.
4. The most common barriers to the digital
financial inclusion include the non-
availability of suitable financial products,
Over-reliance on digital technology has lack of skills among the stakeholders to use
worsen financial exclusion digital services, infrastructural issues,
GS 3: Economy – Inclusive growth teething problems between various systems
CONTEXT: CHALLENGES:
1. Financial exclusion refers to individuals 1. Due to digital programme of India and

and populations without access to common wider use of internet, beneficiaries face
financial services. These can include savings many hurdles in accessing their
accounts, loans, cashless transactions, moneyunder the DBT initiative. These are
credit, and other traditional banking referred to as “last mile challenges”.
services. 2. Customer Service Points (CSP) and Banking
2. People are excluded because of their socio- Correspondents (BC) were promoted. These
economic status and because they can’t are private individuals who offer banking
meet the requirements of a formal banking services through the Aadhaar Enabled
institution. This poses a huge challenge to Payment Systems (AePS).
populations, as whole groups of people are  Subject to network connectivity and
unable to participate in the financial sector. electricity, beneficiaries can perform
3. Improvements in internet banking made basic banking transactions such as
availabilityof a buffet of products to small deposits and withdrawals at
consumers. In rural India, an over- these kiosks.
reliance on digital technology alone 3. There are some merits of online payments,
has widened the distance between the the process of transition from older systems
rights holder and their entitlements. and the APBS technology itself needs more
This is exemplified in the pursuit of scrutiny.
financial inclusion. 4. Less digital awareness among workers like
where their wages have been credited and
what to do when their payments get
rejected, often due to technical reasons such
INDIA GO DIGITAL: as incorrect account numbers and incorrect
Aadhaar mapping with bank accounts.
1. The government has launched many  Some state governments paid attention
flagship schemes to promote financial in resolving rejected payments for
inclusion and provide financial security to MGNREGA, the lack of any
empower the poor and unbanked. Schemes accountability for APBS and AePS and
include the PradhanMantri Mudra Yojana, absence of grievance redressal.
Stand-Up India Scheme, 5. More importantly, the
PradhanMantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana, workers/beneficiaries have rarely been
PradhanMantriSurakshaBimaYojana, and consulted regarding their preferred mode of
Atal Pension Yojana. transacting.
2. The Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) 6. Lack of adequate checks and balances,
initiative is a technology aimed to improve absence of any accountability framework for
financial inclusion. DBT has been payment intermediaries are other major
operational since 2011, it has become challenges.
synonymous with the Aadhaar Payments 7. This has created new forms of corruption as
Bridge Systems (APBS) since 2015. has been recently evidenced in the massive
3. Various government programmes such as scholarship scam in Jharkhand, where
maternity entitlements, student many poor students were deprived of their
scholarships, wages for MGNREGA workers scholarships owing to a nexus of
fall under the DBT initiative where money is middlemen, government officials, banking

correspondents and others. These THE WHATSAPP FIX
exclusions are digitally induced.
8. Rural banks are short-staffed and tend GS 3: Challenges to internal security
to get overcrowded. People had to make through communication networks, role of
multiple visits to the bank for their media and social networking sites in
transaction. internal security challenges, basics of cyber
9. CSP/BCs appeared to be a convenient security
alternative to banks due to their proximity.
However, an estimated 40 per cent of them CONTEXT:
had to make multiple visits to withdraw 1. Earlier in January, WhatsApp announced
from CSPs/BCs due to biometric failures. policy updates, in which a closer integration
10. The only way for rural bank users to keep with Facebook would result in sharing of
track of their finances is through their bank private user chat data with advertisers.
passbooks. However, more than two-thirds 2. Indians are sharing more personal data
of time workers were denied the facility to online, transacting more through digital
update their passbooks at banks. Some platforms, and depending more on internet
workers get charged for transacting at service providers to go about their daily life
CSPs/BCs which is meant to be free. than ever before, there need to be checks
11. Less bank branches in rural India: and balances around data collection and
Despite hardships of access, most workers processing practices, in which both
preferred to transact at the banks. Branch technology companies and the state are held
expansion into rural unbanked locations accountable.
significantly reduced poverty. With 3. This has made the need for a legislative
technological advances, the costs of running framework in India to empower users
rural banks also get lowered. against the misuse of personal information
CONCLUSION: more crucial than ever.
1. Right to work also includes the right

to access your own money in a timely
and transparent manner. These rights
must be protected through strengthening
grievance redressal processes and setting
accountability norms for all payment
intermediaries.
2. A technological intervention must have a
governance framework in which protection
of rights must be fundamental and which
provides more choices to the marginalised.
3. For the success of digital initiatives,
there has to be a multidimensional
approach through which existing digital
platforms, infrastructure, human resources,
and policy frameworks are strengthened.
BACKGROUND:
1. In November 2014, WhatsApp adopted the

Signal protocol for end-to-end encryption
after its acquisition by Facebook in
February in the same year.
2. Since then, it has grown to be the most
popular app for IP messaging and telephony
with almost two billion users worldwide, of
which 400 million are in India, the largest
in any country.

3. WhatsApp’s unique blend of text, audio and 2. This note has sent a clear message to
voice messaging and calling platform with WhatsApp to not subject Indian users to
the end-to-end encryption has allowed the greater information security risks and
company to maintain its pole position. vulnerabilities with the consolidation of
data from WhatsApp and Facebook.
RECENT POLICY BY WHATSAPP: 3. The government referred to the principle of
purpose limitation provisions in the
1. WhatsApp as a platform has made a virtue Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB)
out of protecting user privacy and now it is that was introduced in Parliament in
trying to force its updated terms of service December 2019 and is currently being
(ToS) and privacy policy on users. discussed by a joint select committee.
2. The policy seeks consent from users to allow
the platform to share their data with At present, in the absence of a dedicated data
Facebook and its companies, which means protection regulation, the usage and transfer of
that WhatsApp would share transaction personal data of users is regulated by the
data, mobile device information, IP Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2011, under the
addresses and other metadata on how users IT Act, 2000.
interact with businesses on WhatsApp. However, given the growing pace of the digital
3. Such sharing would be done with the user economy, the Act has shortcomings with respect to
being notified before the start of a chat if the how personal and sensitive data is defined, and
business uses Facebook to store and analyse provisions that can be easily overridden by
data and the user would have the option of companies using a contract.
blocking the business.
4. This would defy the principle of purpose
limitation that has been the yardstick of 4. It will be pertinent to mention that had the
addressing privacy concerns at a global bill been passed by now, WhatsApp’s move
level. would have been illegal.
5. Facebook does not have a stellar record of 5. The Bill is a result of the Supreme Court
data protection of its users. In 2018, there declaring privacy as a Fundamental Right in
were reports of Facebook entering into data- 2017, and it not only has provisions for
sharing deals with other tech firms individual consent and control over private
like Apple, Amazon and Spotify. online data, but also outlines strong
obligations for companies that use and
STEPS TAKEN BY WHATSAPP: process this data.
6. Provisions in the bill required that every
1. WhatsApp responded to widespread
data intermediary has to take explicit
concern by clarifying that the update did not
permission from the user whose data would
change anything as far as the private chats
be harvested.
between individuals and groups were
7. Even the method of data classification into
concerned and that the data would be
sensitive personal data and critical data has
shared only for business interactions.
been defined and their processing
2. It then issued large media ads and finally
possibilities mentioned in the bill.
proposed to defer the implementation by
about three months to May 15, 2021.
3. But these steps didn’t stop the exodus of
many users to alternate online messaging
services like Signal and Telegram.
STEPS TAKEN BY INDIAN GOVERNMENT:
1. The Indian government opposed and sought

the company’s response to 14 queries
related to their practices in India and asking
the platform to withdraw those proposed
changes.

2. WhatsApp did make an exception for its
users in the European Union. At the same
time, for the Competition Commission of
India, this is a classic case of an
organisation using its near monopolistic
power in the market to push through
something that is not in the consumer
interest.
3. Data should be collected only for a clearly
defined purpose and not beyond that. If the
purpose or scope of data collection is
evolving, like in the case of the WhatsApp
privacy policy, it has to be identified,
outlined and reviewed by the Data
Protection Authority (DPA) to see if it meets
the tenet of data minimisation or not.
4. The Bill also includes provisions where the
government can direct entities or companies
to provide it with non-personal data for
policy-planning purposes. This will blur the
demarcations between personal and non-
personal data, and anonymised data can be
re-identified in many cases.
CONCLUSION:
1. Tech giants need more legal and regulatory

watch, given the digital proliferation in the
country.
2. As Digital India expands and brings in more
users from the current base of 70 crore, and
more take to social media for
communications and business, they must be
ensured a safer digital space, given that
most wouldn’t be aware of the reach of the
data being generated.
3. All eyes are on the Budget session of the
Parliament in February, where a Joint
Parliamentary Committee is expected to
table its report on the draft Personal Data
Protection (PDP) Bill, 2019.
4. Implementation of a robust data protection
law should involve building a strong culture
of cyber hygiene among people, where both
the government and the civil society take
the lead in making people aware of sensitive
data leakages, possible ways in which it can
be abused, and how they can take charge of
protecting it.
5. For now, WhatsApp has to roll back the TOS
WAY AHEAD:
and privacy policy and think of methods to
1. The government has to make the PDPB into allow opt-in and opt-out choices so that
law sooner than later so that such restrictive forced consent is never made the order of
practices can never be introduced in the first the day.
place.
New investments in science by providing access to scholarly knowledge
to not just researchers but to every
GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY individual in the country.
8. Participation of women in science and
CONTEXT: education to promote inclusion and
1. The 5th national draft Science, Technology equity: The STIP has made
and Innovation (STI) Policy was released on recommendations such as mandatory
1 January 2021, which contains radical and positions for excluded groups in academics;
progressive proposals that could be game- 30% representation of women in
changers for not just the scientific research selection/evaluation committees and
community, but also for the way ordinary decision-making groups; addressing issues
Indians interact with science. related to career breaks for women by
considering academic age rather than
ABOUT RECENT STI POLICY: biological/physical age; a dual recruitment
policy for couples; and institutionalization
1. It follows core principles of being of equity and inclusion by establishing an
decentralised, evidence-informed, Office of Equity and Inclusion, etc.
bottom-up, experts-driven, and 9. COVID-19 learning: In India, the
inclusive. pandemic presented an opportunity for
2. It aims to be dynamic, with a robust R&D institutions, academia, and
policy governance mechanism that industry to work with a shared purpose,
includes periodic review, evaluation, synergy, collaboration and cooperation,
feedback, adaptation and, most importantly, which helped the country develop the
a timely exit strategy for policy instruments. capability to produce these kits in record
3. The STIP will be guided by the vision of time. The STIP draft focuses on the
positioning India among the top three need to adopt such learnings for
scientific superpowers in the decade to greater efficiency and synergy in
come; to attract, nurture, strengthen, and future.
retain critical human capital through a 10. The policy is to identify and address
people-centric STI ecosystem; to double the the strengths and weaknesses of the
number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) Indian STI (Science, Technology,
researchers, gross domestic expenditure on Innovation) ecosystem to catalyse the
R&D (GERD) and private- sector socioeconomic development of the
contribution to GERD every five years; and country.
to build individual and institutional
excellence in STI with the aim of reaching INCREASE FUNDING IN R&D
the highest levels of global recognition and
awards in the coming decade. 1. Low private sector investment (less
4. The policy outlines strategies for than 40%) in R&D activities in India so
strengthening India’s STI ecosystem at 0.6% of GDP, India’s gross domestic
to achieve the larger goal of Atmanirbhar expenditure on R&D (GERD) is quite low
Bharat. compared to other major economies that
5. STIP provides a forward-looking, all- have a GERD-to-GDP ration of 1.5% to 3%.
encompassing Open Science 2. STIP recommended expansion of the STI
Framework to provide access to scientific funding landscape at the central and
data, information, knowledge, and state levels; enhanced incentivisation
resources to everyone in the country, and to mechanisms for leveraging the private
all who are engaging with the Indian STI sector’s R&D participation through boosting
ecosystem on an equal partnership basis. financial support and fiscal incentives for
6. The STIP envisions free access to all industry and flexible mechanisms for public
journals, Indian and foreign, for procurement; and creative avenues for
every Indian against a centrally- collaborative STI funding through a
negotiated payment mechanism. portfolio-based funding mechanism called
7. The larger idea behind One Nation, One the Advanced Missions in Innovative
Subscription is to democratize science Research Ecosystem (ADMIRE)

programme to support distributed and 2. Real Estate (Regulation and Development)
localized collaborative mission-oriented Act (RERA) ensures this idea and promotes
projects through along-term investment transparency, accountability and boost
strategy. domestic and foreign investment in the real
3. A national STI Financing Authority, along estate sector as there are numerous issues in
with an STI Development Bank, need to be real estate sector, so, this act passed in
set up to direct long-terminvestments in 2016, deals with those issues.
select strategic areas. 3. In this context, there are number of central
4. The STIP also suggests modification or and state conflicts regarding regulation of
waiver of General Financial Rules (GFR), for real estate sector as land improvement are
large-scale mission mode programmes and in the State List of the Seventh Schedule of
projects of national importance. the Constitution. RERA has been enacted
under Concurrent List.
WHAT IS OPEN SCIENCE FRAMEWORK?
1. Open Science fosters more equitable ISSUES IN REAL ESTATE SECTOR:
participation in science through
increased access to research output; greater 1. Huge generation of black money
transparency and accountability in research; 2. Developers cheated property buyers
inclusiveness; better resource utilisation 3. Largely unregulated
through minimal restrictions on reuse of 4. Delays in projects - huge cost overrun due to
research output and infrastructure; and delays
ensuring a constant exchange of knowledge 5. Issues like delays, price, quality of
between the producers and users of construction
knowledge. 6. No grievance redressal mechanism
2. It is important to make publicly funded 7. No standardization of business practices
research output and resources available to and transactions
all to foster learning and innovation.
3. This framework will be largely community-
BACKGROUND:
driven, and supported with necessary
institutional mechanisms and operational
modalities. 1. First, the bill was introduced in the Rajya
4. Output from research that is not funded by Sabha in 2013. It is essential to highlight the
the government will be outside the purview stark differences between the 2013 bill and
of this framework. the 2016 Act.
5. However, they will be encouraged to 2. The 2013 bill covered neither “ongoing
participate in this framework. Since the projects” nor “commercial real estate”. The
scheme of providing open access is thresholds for registration of projects were
applicable to every Indian, private-sector so high that most projects would have
researchers, students, and institutions will escaped coverage under the law.
also have the same accessibility. 3. These exclusions made the 2013 bill
meaningless and detrimental to the
interests of home buyers.
Cooperate for the consumer 4. While the 2013 bill was pending in the
Parliament, in 2012, Maharashtra enacted
GS 3: Changes in industrial policy and their its own law in the Assembly, and took
effects Presidential assent under Article 254 of the
Constitution in 2014. The law was not
CONTEXT: consumer-friendly and caused permanent
damage to the home buyers of Maharashtra.
5. A holistic review was carried out along with
1. Consumer protection is an article of faith for multiple stakeholder consultations and
the present ruling government. thereafter both “ongoing projects” and
Consumers are the fulcrum of any “commercial projects” were included in the
industry, the protection of whose bill, 2016. The thresholds for registration of
interests is central to its growth and projects were also reduced.
development.
6. Also, the present ruling government at the on time and flats are delivered on schedule
centre repealed the state Act vide section 92 to the buyer.
of RERA. This was done by invoking the
proviso under the same Article 254, which 4. As per the Act, there should be accurate
provides for powers of repeal. project details. It is also mandatory to
declare the actual carpet area.
5. It ensures that developers get all the
PROVISONS OF RERA, 2016:
clearances before selling flats.
1. The present ruling government enacted the
Real Estate (Regulation and Development)
COOPERATIVE FEDERALISM:
Act (RERA), 2016.
2. It seeks to protect home-buyers as well
as help boost investments in the real 1. RERA is a seminal effort in cooperative
estate sector by bringing efficiency and federalism. Though the Act has been piloted
transparency in the sale/purchase of real by the Central government, the rules are to
estate. be notified by state governments, and the
3. The Act establishes Real Estate regulatory authorities and the appellate
Regulatory Authority (RERA) in each tribunals are also to be appointed by them.
state for regulation of the real estate sector 2. The regulatory authorities are required to
and also acts as an adjudicating body for manage the day-to-day operations, resolve
speedy dispute resolution. disputes, and run an active and informative
4. Decisions of RERAs can be appealed in website for project information.
Real Estate Appellate Tribunal. 3. Since RERA came into full force, 34 states
5. The Act stipulates that no project can be and Union territories have notified the
sold without project plans being approved rules, 30 states and Union territories have
by the competent authority and the project set up real estate regulatory authorities and
being registered with the regulatory 26 have set up appellate tribunals.
authority, putting to an end the practice of 4. At the other end, in a glaring example of
selling on the basis of deceitful constitutional impropriety and poor
advertisements. governance, West Bengal ignored RERA and
6. Promoters are required to maintain “project enacted its own state law — the West Bengal
based separate bank accounts” to prevent Housing Industry Regulation Act
fund diversion. (WBHIRA) — in 2017.
7. The mandatory disclosure of unit sizes 5. Despite multiple efforts by the Centre, West
based on “carpet area” strikes at the root of Bengal refused to implement RERA, causing
unfair trade practices. irreparable loss to home buyers.
8. The provision for payment of “equal rate of 6. There was already a central law on the
interest” by the promoter or the buyer in subject, the state government enacted
case of default reinforces equity. WBHIRA in 2017, and did not even care to
9. It also offers single window system of approach the President of India seeking
clearance for real estate projects. assent for the state bill under Article 254.
ADVANTAGES OF RERA: CONCLUSION:
1. RERA has infused governance in a hitherto 1. RERA is to the real estate sector what SEBI
unregulated sector. Along with is to the securities market. The history of
demonetisation and GST, it has, to a large urban India and of the real estate sector will
extent, cleansed the real estate sector always be remembered in two phases — “Pre
of black money. RERA” and “Post RERA”.
2. It has transformational provisions, 2. The provisions of the Act have empowered
conscientiously addressing issues which consumers, rectifying the power asymmetry
have been a constant bane for the sector. prevalent in the sector. States should not
3. Strict regulations will be enforced on dilute the RERA provisions. Provisions for
builders to ensure that construction runs punishment of violations should be kept
intact in all State laws. Hence, the “One
Nation One RERA” will be achieved then WHY IS SPECTRUM BEING AUCTIONED
only. NOW?
1. The last spectrum auctions were held in

2016, when the government offered
2,354.55 MHz at a reserve price of Rs 5.60
What are spectrum auctions, and what can lakh crore.
happen in the upcoming auction? 2. Although the government managed to sell
only 965 MHz – or about 40 per cent of the
CONTEXT: spectrum that was put up for sale – and the
1. The Department of Telecommunications total value of bids received was just Rs
(DoT) declared that auctions for 4G 65,789 crore.
spectrum in the 700, 800, 900, 1,800, 3. The need for a new spectrum auction has
2,100, 2,300, and 2,500 MHz bands will arisen because the validity of the airwaves
begin from 1 March 2021. Licence holders bought by companies is set to expire in
have until February 5 to submit their 2021.
applications. 4. In the spectrum auctions scheduled to begin
on 1 March 2021, the government plans to
WHAT ARE SPECTRUM AUCTIONS? sell spectrum for 4G in the 700, 800, 900,
1,800, 2,100, 2,300, and 2,500 MHz
1. Devices such as cellphones and wireline frequency bands.
telephones require signals to connect from 5. The reserve price of all these bands together
one end to another. These signals are has been fixed at Rs 3.92 lakh crore.
carried on airwaves, which must be sent at Depending on the demand from various
designated frequencies to avoid any kind of companies, the price of the airwaves may go
interference. higher, but cannot go below the reserve
2. The Union government owns all the publicly price.
available assets within the geographical
boundaries of the country, which also WHO ARE LIKELY TO BID FOR THE
include airwaves. SPECTRUM?
3. With the expansion in the number of
cellphone, wireline telephone and internet 1. All three private telecom players, Reliance
users, the need to provide more space for Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, and Vi are
the signals arises from time to time. eligible contenders to buy additional
4. To sell these assets to companies which are spectrum to support the number of users on
willing to set up the required infrastructure their network.
to transport these waves from one end to 2. Foreign companies are also eligible to bid
another, the central government through for the airwaves. They will have to either set
the DoT auctions these airwaves from time up a branch in India and register as an
to time. Indian company, or tie up with an Indian
5. These airwaves are called spectrum, which company to be able to retain the airwaves
is subdivided into bands which have varying after winning them.
frequencies. All these airwaves are sold for a 3. The successful bidders will, however, have
certain period of time, after which their to pay 3 per cent of Adjusted Gross Revenue
validity lapses, which is generally set at 20 (AGR) as spectrum usage charges, excluding
years. wireline services.

Misunderstanding the MSP either or both of the two new purposes of
MSP/APMC.
GS 3: Issues related to direct and indirect 6. The flawed recommendation to dismantle
farm subsidies and minimum support prices FCI public procurement, made by the
Shanta Kumar Committee in its 2015 report,
CONTEXT: displayed a similar lack of recognition of the
1. Recently, Farmers in India are protesting importance of these two purposes.
against the newly enacted three farm laws ISSUE:
and the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.
One of their major demands has been that 1. The government system of
the government guarantee in the Minimum announcing and implementing MSPs
Support Price system, which assures them is inadequate. MSPs are announced for 23
of a fixed price for their crops, is 1.5 times of crops but since the other two components of
the cost of production. MSP involves the the procurement package, compulsory and
most important of the many contentious timely public procurement, are provided
issues. mainly for two crops, wheat and rice, the
support price does not work for the
WHAT IS MSP? remaining 21 crops. The farmers’
1. MSP is a “minimum price” for any crop that organisations have rightly demanded the
the government considers as remunerative extension of the full MSP package to the
for farmers and hence deserving of remaining 21 crops.
“support”. It is also the price that 2. Farm activists demand that the 1.5-times
government agencies pay whenever they MSP formula originally recommended by
procure the particular crop. the National Commission for Farmers
2. The Commission for Agricultural Costs & headed by agricultural scientist M S
Prices (CACP) recommends MSPs for 22 Swaminathan should be applied
mandated crops and fair and remunerative 3. The fear that the new regime will dismantle
price (FRP) for sugarcane. the system of procurement under Minimum
3. MSP and public procurement system (PPS) Support Price (MSP) and leave farmers at
were designed to incentivise farmers to the mercy of corporations is real.
produce cereals — mainly wheat and rice — Government has not, however, offered a
and to assist the country in achieving its legal guarantee of MSP and the question of
goal of food self-sufficiency, which was power subsidies also remains contentious.
met by the early Seventies. 4. The weakening of the Agricultural Produce
4. The purpose of MSP and PPS/APMC is now Market Committee (APMC) system by
two-fold. subjecting it to competition — and its
a. To maintain food self-sufficiency resultant bearing on Minimum Support
because crop diseases and weather Price (MSP), particularly on crops such as
conditions such as droughts, especially rice and wheat — is seen by the farmers as a
due to global heating, can lead to food threat to an assured sale of their produce at
shortages a price.
b. To ensure a reasonable, assured income 5. The government’s “assurance” that
to the farmers. This is critical for the 86 MSP/APMC can co-exist with the big agro-
per cent of India’s farming households business-controlled private markets is not
who are either marginal (cultivating less tenable.
than one hectare of land) or small 6. The agro-business entity will take the non-
(cultivating between one hectare and compliant farmer to court, where the
two hectares of land) and who sell their dispute resolution mechanism is stacked
produce immediately after harvest. against the farmer due to the structural
5. Several pro-government and pro-agro- inequities of legal resources and social-
business economists, who argue for cultural capital. The proposed dispute
scrapping MSP stating that food resolution mechanism increases the choice
procurement targets have been met, ignore of the trader to trade and not of the farmer
to sell.

7. The central law will prevail in the private IS FRAGMENTATION OF LAND A
markets, while state laws will prevail in the PROBLEM?
APMC mandis. Two markets with two
regulatory frameworks will create 1. Smaller landholdings produce
conditions for perpetual Centre-state smaller pockets of produce, aggregation
conflicts. of which becomes essential to be carried to
an agricultural produce market committee
(APMC) mandi or a nearby market.
2. Due to small holdings caused by
Farm protests, big picture fragmentation, small and marginal
farmers are forced to sell their
GS 3: Issues in agriculture sector produce at farm gate itself. This is
CONTEXT: especially so in states that have a weak
network of APMC mandis.
1. The farmers are agitated on Delhi’s
border against three laws passed by WORKFORCE IS ENGAGED IN
Parliament in September 2020 but AGRICULTURE
Government has been explaining the 1. As per recent estimates from the Labour
beneficial provisions of the laws, and Bureau, 45% of India’s workforce is
social media is full of stories about how employed in agriculture.
farmers in Punjab have been “exploiting” 2. According to Census 2011, 55% of the
the system of procurement of crops at agri-workforce comprises agri-
minimum support price (MSP). labourers, i.e., those who do not own land
2. While Punjab and Haryana have and work for wages on the land of others;
become the focus of the farmers’ less than 45% are “farmers” who own
agitation, the current scenario in and cultivate land. Indian agriculture
agriculture is not very hopeful in other cannot support such a large population
states too. through growth in agriculture alone.
WATER-GUZZLING CROP
CURRENT SITUATION OF LAND IN 1. 1 kg of sugar requires about 1,500-2,000
AGRICULTURE litres while 1 kg of rice requires 5,000 litres.
1. Area under agriculture has been There are variations across states. A kg of
shrinking — it reduced from 159.5 million sugar produced from cane cultivated in UP
hectares (mn ha) in 2010-11 to 157 mn ha in consumes 1,044 litres of water, while in
2015-16 — but the number of Maharashtra it takes double that—2,086
operational holdings has been rising litres.
(increased from 138.3 million to about 2. In Maharashtra, sugarcane is cultivated on
146million). 4% of the cultivable land but consumes
2. This reflects in the falling average more than 70% of irrigation water. Due to
landholdings’ size of farmers, which the high returns on sugarcane compared to
has come down from 1.2 ha to about 1.08 other crop combinations and assured
ha. marketing, the area under sugarcane
3. About 86% of farmers have an average has been going up even in water-
landholding size less than 2 hectares; they stressed regions.
are referred to as India’s small and marginal 3. The three Acts passed by Parliament
farmers (SMF). The SMFs operate on about do not touch the sugar sector. In
47.35% of the total agri-area. More than half Punjab, sugar is grown only on 1.2% of gross
of India’s farmers reside in the five states of cropped area. So they do not benefit from
UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, MP, and policies favouring sugarcane.
Karnataka.

PROCUREMENT federations are funded by state governments
through various means.
1. While the government declares MSP for 23
crops, only wheat and paddy (rice) are WHAT ARE THE SUBSIDIES GIVEN TO
procured in large quantities as they are AGRICULTURE IN INDIA?
required to meet the requirement of PDS,
which is about 65 million tonnes. 1. Farmers in India are provided support on
2. In 2019-20, Punjab procured 92.3% of its both the input and output side.
rice production. Haryana procured 89.2%, 2. On the input side, an average Indian farmer
while Telangana procured 102% of its receives subsidies on fertilisers, seeds, farm
production. machinery and equipment, electricity,
3. In the case of wheat, Punjab procured 72% logistics, etc. On the output side, the MSP
of its production this year, while Haryana regime offers support in states having
and MP procured 62% and 66% robust procurement infrastructure.
respectively. 3. However, small and marginal farmers are
4. Since 2015-16, the government has been able to get only a small amount of these
procuring larger quantities of pulses subsidies.
through National Agricultural 4. A number of subsidies meant for agriculture
Cooperative Marketing Federation of also flow to businesses, e.g., grant given to
India (NAFED) and Small Farmers’ food processing units and cold chain
Agri-business Consortium (SFAC) for projects.
maintaining a buffer stock of 2 million
tonnes. THEN WHY IS IT SAID THAT INDIAN
5. Cotton is procured by Cotton FARMER ARE NET TAXED?
Corporation of India, while groundnut 1. As per the ICRIER-OECD report, despite
is procured in some states like the plethora of schemes run to support and
Gujarat. subsidise Indian farmers, because of
6. Some horticultural products are also regressive policies on the marketing side
procured in a sporadic manner, e.g., apples (both domestic and international trade
in J&K in 2019-20 and onion in policies) and the deficit of basic
Maharashtra almost every year. infrastructure for storage, transportation
7. Sugarcane is not procured by the etc., Indian farmers suffered net
government but its farmers are assured of losses and thus emerged to be net
Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) paid by taxed despite receiving subsidies.
sugar mills. 2. Between 2014 and 2016, Indian farmers
8. In some states, the government declares were on average net taxed to the tune of 6%.
State Advised Price which is higher than the 3. As per the same ICRIER-OECD report,
FRP. Jute is another crop protected by the while Indian farmers were net taxed (i.e.,
government even though it is not directly received negative support), farmers in the
procured. first world countries of Norway,
9. Under Jute Packaging Material (JPM) Act, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, United
1987, the Government has decided that States, and Australia received the
100% of food grains and 20% of sugar shall highest positive support.
be mandatorily packed in diversified jute 4. Even farmers in Indonesia received much
bags. higher positive support. Ukraine was
IF HORTICULTURE AND DAIRY ARE another country like India that emerged to
MORE PROFITABLE, WHY ARE FARMERS be taxing its farmers.
NOT GIVING UP MSP CROPS AND WHY RECENT PROTEST?
SWITCHING TO THESE?
1. The farmers of Punjab, Haryana and other
1. Milk producers and farmers growing fruits states that have robust APMC mandis and
and vegetables are equally prone to an efficient system of procurement opine
fluctuation in market prices. Except for that these laws signal the beginning of
dairy cooperatives in Gujarat, the milk the end of open-ended procurement
of wheat and paddy. They fear that the Regulatory Authority-registered
success of these states in creating the warehouses only, so that the private
infrastructure for procurement may now stocks are known to the government.
become the reason for withdrawal of 4. If India has to move away from
support of the Centre. procurement-based support, at present
2. Farmers cannot be left entirely to the mercy restricted to certain crops only, a more
of market forces. Farmers growing non- attractive income support scheme has to be
MSP crops, especially fruits and vegetables, conceived. However, it has to be coupled
have experienced huge volatility in prices with much higher investment, both public
over the years. The price deficiency payment and private, in agri-infrastructure.
scheme did not succeed in MP. 5. The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
(RKVY) incentivised the states, which
CHALLENGES IN PROCUREMENT AND increased their expenditure on agriculture.
NEED OF PDS The Centre’s assistance for such states
should be higher.
1. The procurement system in India 6. Several states of India have already achieved
serves two purposes — purchases on productivity levels seen in developed
MSP supports farmers, and subsidised countries. But there are also states that have
distribution of procured grains under PDS low productivity. Focused research on crops
supports India’s economically vulnerable. grown in low-productivity states can deliver
2. As per recent National Family Health better seeds, which can withstand the
Survey (NFHS) data on malnourishment challenge of higher temperature due to
in India, malnutrition indicators for climate change.
women and children have worsened 7. Drought-tolerant varieties of seeds
over the years. are also needed for crops grown in
3. With this in focus, the PDS system is likely rain-fed areas. Good quality seeds can
to stay in the coming years. But the enhance productivity by 15-20%.
government will do well to prepare a 10-
year roadmap of PDS to 2030 so that only
the required quantities of wheat and rice are
procured. Balance sheet of a bad bank
4. In case of high-value agricultural
commodities in which India is in deficit or GS 3: Banking Sector
has only marginal surpluses (like pulses),
there is a genuine fear of stocking by CONTEXT:
corporates, especially those which are 1. According to the Financial Stability Report
in modern retail and e-commerce. of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), non-
performing assets (NPAs) of the banking
sector are expected to shoot up to 13.5 per
WAY AHEAD cent of advances by September 2021 from
7.5 per cent in September 2020 under the
1. Direct income support is the only way to baseline scenario, as “a multi-speed
shield them from suffering huge losses. A recovery is struggling to gain traction”
predictable trade policy can also help in amidst the pandemic.
attracting private investment in the
agriculture chain which can act as a 2. Despite a series of measures by the RBI for
shield against volatility. better recognition and provisioning against
2. Option contracts through FPOs can also NPAs, as well as massive doses of
bring stability, but most farmers are not capitalization of public sector banks by the
educated enough to deal with future government, the problem of NPAs continues
markets, so they need support and guidance in the banking sector, especially among the
from the government. weaker banks.
3. The government must make it compulsory
that they keep their stock in 3. Current Covid-19 pandemic related shock
Warehousing Development and will place greater pressure on the balance
sheets of banks in terms of NPAs, leading to 4. Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan
erosion of capital. had opposed the idea of setting up a bad
4. In such a situation, RBI Governor bank in which banks hold a majority stake.
Shaktikanta Das indicated that the central 5. According to him, bad bank idea is like a
bank can consider the idea of a bad bank to shifting loans from one government pocket
tackle NPAs and advised banks and non- (the public sector banks) to another (the
banks to adopt appropriate compliance bad bank) and did not see how it would
culture and identify risks early. improve matters.
6. US-based Mellon Bank created the first
5. RBI have regulatory guidelines for asset bad bank in 1988, after which the concept
reconstruction companies. has been implemented in other countries
including Sweden, Finland, France and
ISSUE and problem arises by NPA? Germany.
7. However, resolution agencies or ARCs set
1. In COVID-19 times, Bad loans in the system up as banks, which originate or guarantee
increased due to contraction in the economy lending, have ended up turning into reckless
and the problems being faced by many lenders in some countries.
sectors.
2. If the macroeconomic environment worsens NEED OF A BAD BANK
into a severe stress scenario, the ratio may
escalate to 14.8%. Among bank groups, the 1. The RBI had initiated an asset quality
NPA ratio of PSU banks, which was 9.7% in review (AQR) of banks and found that
September 2020, may increase to 16.2% by several banks had suppressed or hidden bad
September 2021 under the baseline loans to show a healthy balance sheet.
scenario. 2. But due to lack of consensus on the efficacy
3. The K V Kamath Committee noted that of such an institution, ARCs (asset
corporate sector debt has come under reconstruction company) have not
stress after Covid-19. 72% of the banking made any impact in resolving bad loans
sector debt to industry remains under due to many procedural issues.
stress. This is almost 37% of the total non- 3. Due to COVID-19, the RBI fears a spike in
food bank credit. bad loans in the wake of a six-month
4. Sectors that have been under stress pre- moratorium it has announced to tackle the
Covid include NBFCs, power, steel, real economic slowdown.
estate and construction. Setting up a bad 4. A professionally-run bad bank, funded by
bank is seen as crucial against this the private lenders and supported the
backdrop. government, can be an effective
mechanism to deal with NPAs.
5. The bad bank concept is in some ways
similar to an ARC but is funded by the
ABOUT BAD BANK government initially, with banks and
1. A bad bank functions as a bank but has bad other investors co-investing in due course.
assets to start with. Technically, a bad bank The presence of the government is seen as a
is an asset reconstruction company means to speed up the clean-up process.
(ARC) or an asset management company 6. Many other countries had set up
that takes over the bad loans of commercial institutional mechanisms such as the
banks, manages them and finally recovers Troubled Asset Relief Programme
the money over a period of time. (TARP) in the US to deal with a problem
2. The bad bank is not involved in lending of stress in the financial system.
and taking deposits, but helps
commercial banks clean up their
balance sheets and resolve bad loans.
3. The takeover of bad loans is normally below
the book value of the loan and the bad bank
tries to recover as much as possible
subsequently.
STAND OF THE RBI AND GOVERNMENT within 90 days are classified as NPAs and
provisioning is made accordingly.
1. While the RBI did not show much
enthusiasm about a bad bank all these CONCLUSION:
years. Last week, RBI can consider the idea
of a bad bank to tackle bad loans. In recent 1. Banks and non-bank financial companies
months, the Finance Ministry too has been (NBFCs) need to identify risks early,
receptive to the idea. monitor them closely and manage them
2. It would be better to limit the objective of effectively.
these asset management companies to the 2. The risk management function in
orderly resolution of stressed assets, banks and NBFCs should evolve with
followed by a graceful exit, according to changing times as technology becomes all
previous deputy governor of RBI, Viral pervasive and should be in sync with best
Acharya. international practices.
3. He suggested two models to solve the 3. In this context, instilling an appropriate
problem of stressed assets: risk culture in the organisation is
a) Private Asset Management important. This needs to be driven by the
Company (PAMC): It is suitable for board and senior management with effective
stressed sectors where the assets are accountability at all levels.
likely to have an economic value in the 4. Government must define the fiscal
short run, with moderate levels of debt roadmap in terms of the quality of the
forgiveness. expenditure in Budget 2021-22.
b) National Asset Management 5. Going forward, it becomes imperative that
Company (NAMC): It would be fiscal roadmaps are defined not only in
necessary for sectors where the problem terms of quantitative parameters like fiscal
is not just one of excess capacity but balance to GDP ratio or debt to GDP
possibly also of economically unviable ratio, but also in terms of measurable
assets in the short to medium terms. parameters relating to quality of
expenditure, both for Centre and states.
STAND OF BANKING SYSTEM 6. Building buffers and raising capital by
banks — both in the public and
1. The banking sector, led by the Indian private sector — will be crucial not only to
Banks’ Association, had submitted a ensure credit flow but also to build
proposal last May for setting up a bad resilience in the financial system.
bank to resolve the NPA problem, proposing 7. Maintaining and improving the
equity contribution from the government quality of expenditure would help
and banks. address the objectives of fiscal sustainability
2. The proposal was also discussed at the while supporting growth.
Financial Stability and Development 8. There is also the concern that setting up
Council (FSDC) meeting, but it did not a bad bank will free lenders from the
find favour with the government which repercussions of their actions. And if
preferred a market-led resolution process. allowed, there may not be any incentive for
3. The banking industry’s proposal was based banks to focus on the quality of credit
on an idea proposed by a panel on faster extended, or for them to monitor loans,
resolution of stressed assets in public and guard against ever-greening.
sector banks.
4. This panel had proposed a company,
Sashakt India Asset Management, for
resolving large bad loans two years ago.
5. During the pandemic, banks modified
NPA and reclassification norms from
90 days to 180 days as relief measures to
tackle the impact of the lockdown and the
slowdown in the economy.
6. Currently, loans in which the borrower fails
to pay principal and/or interest charges
The post-Covid priority report shows that malnutrition level has
reduced marginally in a few states and has
GS 3: Economy- growth development and worsened in some other states, although
Mobilisation of resources some other indicators have improved
between 2015-16 and 2019-20.
CONTEXT: 9. Apart from undernutrition, obesity seems to
1. Inequalities in India have been increasing be increasing in both rural and urban areas.
over time. COVID-19 has further widened The cost of ignoring hunger and
them. malnutrition will be high for the country.
2. More attention will be given to the social
sector in the forthcoming budget 2021-22.
ISSUES:
1. India’s progress in the social sector has been

much slower compared to its GDP growth.
The two primary factors that adversely
affect India’s human development are low
levels of health attainments and education:
India ranks 131 out of 189 countries on the
Human Development Index (HDI).
2. A look at the social sector expenditure over
the last few years shows that the share of
education as a percentage of GDP has been WHAT TO DO?
stagnant around 2.8-3 percent during 2014-
15 to 2019-20. 1. Focus on social sector spending and
3. In the case of health, the expenditure as a efficiency in delivery systems is essential.
percentage of GDP increased from 1.2 per India has somewhat progressed on bijli,
cent to 1.5 per cent. This is lower than the sadak and paani, but it is essential to invest
required 2-3 per cent of GDP. in the social sector. No country has
4. There seems to be an increase in progressed without investing in the social
expenditure on “other” services like sports, sector.
art and culture, family welfare, water supply 2. The Union Budget for 2021-22 can give
and sanitation, labour and labour welfare medium term direction to the social sector
etc. by increasing allocations, particularly in
5. The expenditures are inadequate in health and education and for social safety
comparison to the problems in the sector. nets.
India’s social sector in general, and health 3. An increase in health expenditure is also
and education in particular, encounter important to take care of the present and
significant regional, social and gender future pandemics.
disparities, slow growth in public 4. Health insurance is an important
expenditures and problems in delivery component of health coverage. But, there is
systems. no alternative to universal health coverage
6. The experience of COVID-19 has also shown including a focus on primary health centres
that during pandemics we tend to neglect to achieve the goals of the health sector.
non-pandemic related patients. There are 5. It is essential to have a huge increase in
supply side problems regarding the health public expenditure on health and provide
infrastructure. The pandemic has enhanced accessible, affordable and quality health
inequalities in education and has revealed coverage to all.
the widening digital gap. 6. Access and affordable affordable diversified
7. Migrant workers were the most affected food intake is important for reducing both
during the pandemic and that they do not undernutrition and obesity. There is a need
have any safety nets. to raise allocations for ICDS and other
8. Another important issue in the social sector nutrition programmes.
is that of undernutrition. The NFHS-5
7. The determinants of nutrition are important in reaching them. Progress in this
agriculture, health, women’s empowerment, sector has intrinsic (for its own sake) and
including maternal and child practices, instrumental (for higher growth) value.
social protection, nutrition education, 2. We cannot have a society with slow progress
sanitation and drinking water. The Poshan in health and education. India, aspiring to
Abhiyan is a good programme, but has to be a global power, should have a
cover all these determinants with a multi- harmonious and inclusive social sector
pronged approach to reduce undernutrition. development.
8. Quality education is key for raising human 3. This is also important for achieving the
development. Equality of opportunity in SDGs, reducing inequalities and building a
terms of quality education is the key for $5 trillion economy faster. Higher social
raising human development and for sector funding with better implementation
reducing inequalities in the labour market. and outcomes are needed.
Several committees have recommended that
public expenditure on education should be Economic Survey 2020-21
at 6 per cent of GDP.
9. There is a need to have safety nets like an GS 3: Economy- growth development and
employment guarantee scheme for the Mobilisation of resources
urban poor and facilities for migrants. CONTEXT:
Similarly in rural areas, allocations to
MGNREGA have to be increased because of  The Budget Session of the Parliament
the reverse migration. began recently and Finance
10. The government should give more focus to Minister tabled the Economic Survey
the social sector with better policies and (ES) 2020-21 in the Lok Sabha.
implementation. It has to work closely with  The annual document by the Ministry of
the states in revitalising the social sector as Finance under the guidance of Chief
major expenditures particularly on health Economic Advisor provides a summary of
and education are met by them. annual economic development across
the country during the financial year
15th Finance Commission
2020-21.
 It has mentioned that health expenditure
should be increased to 2.1 per cent of GDP. HIGHLIGHTS:
 The Commission may also suggest some
incentives for states to increase health  Indian economy is growing at 11 per cent
expenditure. in the financial year 2021-22 (FY22).
However, the GDP growth rate is
estimated at minus 7.7 per cent for the
STEPS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT: ongoing fiscal.
 The estimated real GDP growth for FY
1. Cooking gas (Ujjwala Yojana) and electricity
2022 at 11 per cent is the highest since
(Saubhagya Yojana), Swachh Bharat
independence and nominal GDP by 15.4 per
Abhiyan and initiatives for housing,
cent.
financial inclusion and providing loans to
 Real growth rate for FY21 is taken as -
the self-employed. These programmes have
7.7 per cent (MoSPI) and the real
helped the vulnerable sections, particularly
women. growth rate for FY22 is assumed as
2. Another initiative of the government was to 11.5 per cent based on IMF estimates.
facilitate direct benefit transfers (DBT) for  While the lockdown resulted in a 23.9
welfare schemes. These initiatives have to per cent contraction in GDP in Q1, the
be continued. recovery has been a V-shaped one as seen in
WAY AHEAD: the 7.5 per cent decline in Q2 and the
recovery across all key economic
1. India is committed to achieving the indicators.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by  Despite the hard hitting economic shock
2030, and social sector development is created by the global pandemic, India is
witnessing a V-shaped recovery with a
stable macroeconomic situation aided
by a stable currency, comfortable
current account, burgeoning forex
reserves, and encouraging signs in
the manufacturing sector output.
 Bare Necessities Index shows that there has

been a pan India improvement in access to
bare necessities, in 2018 vs situation in 2012
 Together, prospects for robust growth in For both rural and urban India.
consumption and investment have
been revived with the estimated real
GDP growth for FY 2021-22 at 11 per
cent.
 India’s mature policy response to this

“once-in-a-century” crisis thus provides
important lessons for democracies to
avoid myopic policymaking and
demonstrates the significant benefits
of focusing on long-term gains.
 Based on trends available for April to
November 2020, there is likely to be fiscal
slippage during the year.
 India expected to witness current account
surplus during the current financial year
after a gap of 17 years.
 Performance of states in averting
COVID cases & deaths: Maharashtra ->
under performer on both counts. UP,
Gujarat, Bihar -> over performers in cases.
Kerala, Telangana, AP -> over performers in  Rating methodology needs to be made
deaths. more transparent and objective, to reflect
 Willingness to repay has been gold standard the willingness and ability of the country to
for India. Ability to repay is also very very meet sovereign obligations. Survey calls
high for India. So India should have highest for fiscal policy to focus on growth,
credit rating observes Survey, reflecting an notwithstanding credit rating.
anomaly in India's sovereign credit rating.

PANDEMIC AND SURVEY stringency of the lockdown, with the country
 Chapter 1 is about India’s policy reaping the “lockdown dividend”.
response to COVID-19 and Saving Lives
And Livelihoods amidst a once-in-a-
lifetime crisis. WAY AHEAD:
 This Economic Survey is dedicated to all  The Survey, however, describes the double-
COVID warriors who upheld India. digit growth rate for the next year as
 This year’s Survey is being delivered in e- “conservative estimates”, and that it
book format, with an official app for reflects upside potential that can manifest
it. due to the continued normalisation in
 India’s policy response to the pandemic economic activities as the rollout of Covid-
stemmed fundamentally from the humane 19 vaccines gathers traction.
principle advocated in the  This will further be supported by supply-
Mahabharata—“Saving a life that is in side push from reforms and easing of
jeopardy is the origin of dharma”. regulations, push to infrastructural
investments, boost to manufacturing
sector through the Productivity
Linked Incentive Schemes, recovery
of pent-up demand for services
sector, increase in discretionary
consumption subsequent to roll-out
of the vaccine and pick up in credit
given adequate liquidity and low
interest rates.
 These estimated levels of growth would
require significant central
government and state spending, as
private sector investment is yet to
pick up pace.
 The Ministry’s projections are in line with
IMF estimates of real GDP growth of 11.5
per cent in 2021-22 for India and 6.8 per
cent in 2022-23. India is expected to emerge
as the fastest growing economy in the next
two years as per IMF (International
Monetary Fund).
 India’s policy response valuing human
life, even while paying the price of
temporary GDP decline, has initiated the
process of transformation where the short-
term trade-off between lives and livelihoods
is converted into a win-win in the medium
to long- term that saves both lives and
livelihoods.
 The survey emphasised that a stringent
lockdown from March 25 to May 31, 2020
helped in breaking the chain of
the pandemic’s spread and preventing loss
of lives. The subsequent policy response
helped in ensuring a V-shaped economic
recovery.
 The Survey said the V-shaped economic
recovery of GDP contraction of 7.5 per
cent in Q2 as against 23.9 per cent
contraction in Q1 correlates with the
Solution:
 An Asset Quality Review exercise must
be conducted immediately after the
forbearance is withdrawn.
 Divestment plans for the current year
were impacted by the pandemic but the
“focus of the government is to embark on a
significant privatisation exercise of CPSEs
and speeding up big-ticket strategic sale/
privatisation of large CPSEs such as Air
India, BPCL, CONCOR and SCI.
 Economic growth has a far greater impact
on poverty alleviation than inequality.
Therefore, given India’s stage of
development, India must continue to focus
on economic growth to lift the poor
out of poverty by expanding the
overall pie.
 Reforms in tax administration have set
in motion a process of transparency,
accountability and more importantly,
enhancing the experience of a tax-payer
with the tax authority, thereby incentivising
tax compliance.
 Economic Survey calls for counter-
cyclical fiscal policy to be an important
point of emphasis, where the government
steps in when the private sector does badly
and steps back when the private sector does
well. It also advised the government to
continue with structural reforms and
significant privatisation of state-owned
companies.
 A greater focus on core inflation is
warranted. Core CPI inflation excludes the
impact of food and fuel. Core inflation has
been viewed by many as the better measure
of inflation for monetary policy purposes.

Published on
JANUARY / 2021

Civil Services Monthly JAN 2021

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Civil Services Monthly JAN 2021

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Civil Services Monthly JAN 2021

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CIVIL

ONE STOP SOLUTION FOR CIVIL SERVICES

Jallikattu: pride & politics 55

1. The historicity and the date of ‘Ramayana’

E-EPIC (Electoral photo identity card)

1. Recently, on National Voter’s Day on 25

1. e-EPIC will be a non-editable secure

1. As per the draft policy, every “knowledge

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 4 | 104

1. The exercise would involve participation

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 5 | 104

World Economic Outlook 1. The global economy is projected to

1. A study, titled ‘The Association Between

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 6 | 104

Paris climate agreement

1. New President of the United States signed

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 7 | 104

2. Two new species of a rare ant genus have

2. New species are typically named after some ABOUT:

S-400 TRIUMF MISSILE SYSTEM: ABOUT ORDER RELATED TO E-WASTE

1. Rare hot Ultra Violet (UV)-bright stars have

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 10 | 104

1. The banking regulator released a discussion NITI index

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 11 | 104

1. The project will be a joint venture between

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 12 | 104

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 13 | 104

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 14 | 104

WHERE DOES INDIA STAND IN THE 5G

1. India had, in 2018, planned to start 5G CONTEXT:

1. A survey done by United Nations University GLOBAL SCENARIO:

ABOUT: 1. Defence Research and Development

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 17 | 104

Lumpy skin disease

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 18 | 104

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 19 | 104

1. The Indian Army has signed a $20-million

1. SWITCH UAV is an indigenous system built

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 20 | 104

More wildlife in Aravallis at Faridabad, 1. Highways, especially the Gurgaon-

1. The study — a “systematic assessment” 30th National Energy Conservation Awards

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 21 | 104

1. The event included a virtual exhibition on 1. BEE has developed a Management

NATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION Third South Asia multilateral meet

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 22 | 104

1. In July 2020, at quadrilateral dialogue with

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 23 | 104

1. India has initiated a concerted domestic 1. Lithium can be extracted in different

1. In the middle of 2020, India, through a

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 24 | 104

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 25 | 104

Growth silver lining but food inflation may

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 26 | 104

BACKGROUND: PANDEMIC IMPACT ON POULTRY

1. Applicant will also get a free email in local CONTEXT:

HIGHLIGHTS OF STUDY: 1. The National Board for Wildlife approved a

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 32 | 104

Qatar in the Middle East

1. Due to the presence of large gas reserves

CHAHAL ACADEMY, NEW DELHI P a g e 34 | 104