Vetrii IAS Study Circle · 2018-10-24 · Main Office @ Anna Nagar (E), Chennai - 102. Phone: 044-2626536 / 96001 24042 / 98400 97666 VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE Branch Office @ No. 189/1,

Main Office @

Anna Nagar (E), Chennai - 102.

Phone: 044-2626536 / 96001 24042 / 98400 97666

VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLEBranch Office @

No. 189/1, Meyanoor Road, Near ARRS Multiplex,

Opp. Venkateshwara Complex, Salem - 4

Phone: 0427 - 2330307 / 94427 40307 /

95001 22022

VETRII IAS STUDY CIRCLE

The Best Academy for IAS & TNPSC Exams

Vetrii IAS Study CircleVetrii IAS Study Circle

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CONTENTS PAGE:

5 - 23 INTERNATIONAL / BILATERALCabinet Approves Accession To The Protocol Under Who Framework Convention on Tobacco

Control Final Phase Of Varuna Naval Exercise Conducted Between India And France Jaipur Foot To Be Exhibited At United Nations Headquarters 3rd Edition Of Unpcap Held In New Delhi India And Guatemala Sign Mou To Cooperate In Diplomatic TrainingUn Announcement: Climate Summit 2019 To Be Held In New YorkSCO Tourism Ministers’ Conference Held In ChinaWho Published Its 1st Essential Diagnostics ListWho Launched Replace To Eliminate Trans-FAT By 2023UN: Delhi To Become The Most Populous City By 2028 1st Floating Nuclear Power Plant Unveiled By Russia Indo-Dutch Ganga Forum Inaugurated By The PM Of Netherlands UNICEF Launches Data Visualization APP On Education Scenario In India SCO - Afghanistan Contact Group MeetingWho Adopts Resolution On Digital Health Proposed By India International Conference On The Trips CBD LinkageEmerging IrritantDeal Breaker Faith And DiplomacySingapore SlingNine Years After

30 - 38 NATIONALCabinet Approves Strengthening The Mechanism For Resolution Of Commercial Disputes Of

Central Public Sector EnterprisesCabinet Approves MoU On Cooperation In The Field Of Medicinal Plants Between India And

Equatorial Guinea BIMSTEC Summit 2018 To Be Hosted By Nepal ATAL Pension Yojana Subscriber Base Crosses ICR MarkSWACHH SURVEKSHAN 2018 - Indore The Cleanest City Prime Minister Inaugurates Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project; Lays Foundation Stone Of

The Pakal Dul Power Project In Jammu & KashmirNIPAH Virus Outbreak In IndiaNTPC Targets 268 BN Units Power Generation In 2018-19Mercom: India 3rd Largest Solar Market In The World

39- 55 INFRASTRUCTURE PM UNVEILS PLAQUE To Mark Commencement Of Work On The Zojila Tunnel PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates India’s First Smart And Green Highway Call To Action Prize Freeze For A Fair Trail Loss Of Innocents The Meghalaya Example The Nipah Test Entirely Preventable Why Due Process Matters

56 - 53 INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

Cabinet Approves Formation Of Technical Cadre Of PESOAdditional 100 One Stop Centres To Be Set Up For Women Safety TRAI Releases Draft Of Telecom Interconnection Regulation UNION Cabinet Approves Ordinance To Amend IBC (Insolvency And Bankruptcy Code) ISC Standing Committee Meeting Held In New Delhi PRAAPTI APP And Web Portal Launched For Bringing Transparency In Electricity Payments To

Generators India, World Bank INK $21.7 Million Loan Agreement For Rajasthan’s Public Financial

Management Project Bihar Government Implores Centre For Granting The Special Category Status For The State Local Economy In DisarrayActing Against A Judge Poll PositionCollective AssertionAlien vs AlienSteering Reforms In Clogged CourtsUniform Civil CodeThe Science Of Altruism

56 - 88 ECONOMYNational Digital Communications Policy 2018 - Draft Released By DOT India Emerges As Fifth Largest Military Spenders In 2017: SIPRIGST Council Approves Simplified Tax Return Filing SystemCommittee Constituted To Look Into Black Money And Performance Of PSBSRBI Puts Dena Bank Under PCA (Prompt Corrective Action)Delivering The GoodsOnline Retail FlipRupee Rout

88 - 113 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES First Organized Census Of Indus Dolphins In PunjabNamami Gange Programme: NMCG Approves Used Of GIS TechnologyGreen Licence Plate For Private Electricity Vehicles Approved By The Government Arunachal Pradesh’s Biggest Solar Power Plant Inaugurated Government Issues National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy Cabinet Approves National Policy On BIOFUELS-2018

½

India-Netherlands Launches Clean Air India InitiativeThe Cost Of Pollution In a State Of Energy Poverty Is It Possible To Slow Global WarmingAt Last A SchemeAnything But GreenNatural Capital In 21st CenturyDrowning In DustGrowing Cities

114 - 117 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA To Launch ‘Insight’ To Study Deep Interiors Of MARSWorld ROBOT Conference 2018 To Be Conducted In BeijingTRAI Proposes Use Of Blockchain Technology To Curb Pesky Calls, SMSRuthenium (RU): Fourth Element Showing Magnetism At Room Temperature Discovered

118 - 120 DISASTER MANAGEMENTNDMA Workship For Creating Disaster Database BeginsTask Force On Establishment Of CDRI Submits Report To MHA President Inaugurates Integrated Centre For Crisis Management For CBRN Emergencies At

BARC

121 - 131 DEFENCE & INTERNAL SECURITY Brahmos Missile Successfully Test Fired Along ODISHA CoastChhattisgarh To Get ‘Black Panther’ - Specialized Combat Unit Indian Navy Conducts ‘Prasthan’ Exercise Problems With DNA RegistryA Violent Times Forging Peace In NagalandA Chance In Srinagar

132 - 139 GOVERNMENT SCHEME

SWACHH Bharat Mission Launches GOBAR-DHAN CCEA Approved continuation Of ‘Krishonnati Yojana’ PRADHAN MANTRI SWASTHYA SURAKSHA YOJANA: Cabinet Approves Setting Up Of 20 AIIMS Government To Expand Van Dhan Vikas Kendras In Tribal Districts Acros Country Telangana: Rythu Bandhu Scheme Launched For Farmers Government Launches Full-Fledged Green Skill Development ProgrammeCabinet Approves Corpus For Micro Irrigation Fund With NABARD Under Pradhan Mantri Krishi

Sinchayee YojanaGovt Launches Samagra Shiksha Scheme For School Education

140 SPORTS

India’s National Sports University To Set Up In Manipur

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS

INTERNATIONAL / BILATERAL

CABINET APPROVES ACCESSION TO THE PROTOCOL UNDER WHO FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL

What Is It?

The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister has given the approval to accede to the Protocol under World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on tobacco control to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products.

It will be applicable to both smoking and chewing or smokeless tobacco (SLT) forms as negotiated and adopted under Article 15 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). India is a party to WHO FCTC.

The protocol lays down obligations of the parties. It spells out supply chain control measures that must be adopted by the parties viz. licensing of manufacture of tobacco products and machinery for manufacturing of tobacco products, due diligence to be kept by those engaged in production, tracking and tracing regime, record keeping, security; and measures to be taken by those engaged in e-commerce, manufacturing in free-trade zones and duty free sales.

The protocol lists out offenses, enforcement measures such as seizures and disposal of seized products. It calls for international cooperation in information sharing, maintaining confidentiality, training, technical assistance, and cooperation in scientific and technical and technological matters.

Elimination of illicit trade in tobacco products through strengthened regulation will help in strengthening comprehensive tobacco control, leading to a reduction in tobacco use which in turn, will result in a reduction in disease burden and mortality associated with tobacco use.


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Accession to such treaty will provide actionable alternatives against such prevailing practices that are affecting public health at large. India, being at the forefront of tobacco control, would be able to influence the international organizations including World Customs Organization in controlling such illicit trade.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC)

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first international public health treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO.

The objective of FCTC is to provide a framework for supply and demand reduction measures for tobacco control at the national, regional and global levels.

One of the key tobacco supply reduction strategies contained in Article 15 of WHO FCTC envisages elimination of all forms of illicit trade and tobacco products, including smuggling, illicit manufacturing and counterfeiting.

Accordingly, the said Protocol was developed and adopted by the Conference of Parties (COP) which is the governing body of FCTC. The protocol is divided into 10 parts and contains 47 Articles.

Source: PIB.

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FINAL PHASE OF VARUNA NAVAL EXERCISE CONDUCTED BETWEEN INDIA AND FRANCE

What Is It?

Indian and French navies have conducted final and third phase of Varuna naval exercise 2018 near Reunion Island in Indian Ocean region (IOR) from 1-7 May 2018.

It is a seven-day exercise which includes different scenarios, including air defence, firing, manoeuvers, asymmetric warfare and embarkation.


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2018 Varuna naval exercise between Indian and French Navy was conducted in three phases and included anti-submarine, air defence and asymmetric engagement exercises.

The current exercise includes the participation of two major vessels of the Indian Navy, the destroyer INS Mumbai and the frigate INS Trikand.

The Varuna exercise is part of a long-term bilateral cooperation between India and France

It was recently reinforced by the Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region was signed during the state visit of President Emmanuel Macron on March 10, 2018.

The first phase was held in Arabian Sea, second phase was held off the Chennai coast in Bay of Bengal and third phase was held near France’s Reunion Island in South.

Source: ET

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JAIPUR FOOT TO BE EXHIBITED AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS

What Is It?

Jaipur Foot is a world famous and most widely used artificial limb which will be exhibited at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

It will be exhibited by the Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) at the UN, from 15th May to 18th May 2018.

An exclusive seminar on Jaipur Foot and an exhibition have been organised at the U.N. Gallery at the initiative of India’s permanent representative Syed Akbaruddin.

The event will be the first of its kind in the U.N.

The seminar and exhibition will highlight India’s contribution in providing mobility and dignity to the differently abled.

The Jaipur Foot has benefited 17 lakh people across the world and has its presence in 29 countries.

The Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) is a non-profit organisation dedicated for providing free of cost artificial limbs to disabled people


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The Jaipur Foot was made by the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS).

The BMVSS gives aids and the Jaipur Foot free of cost to the beneficiaries.

The BMVSS has recently entered into an agreement with the Ministry of External Affairs for holding camps abroad.

So far 66 camps have been organised in 29 countries and artificial limbshave been distributed to the differently abled people.

Source: The Hindu

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3RD EDITION OF UNPCAP HELD IN NEW DELHI

What Is It?

The third edition of the United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP) was inaugurated here today to build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN.

The course is conducted by the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India (CUNPK) in partnership with the US, the Indian Army said in a statement.

The first and second editions of the course were held in New Delhi in 2016 and 2017, respectively

“The course is aimed to build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN and to further train the trainers from these countries,” the Army statement said.


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The course, which revolves around the concept of training the trainers, as stated by the UN, is one of the many steps that India has initiated towards active contribution to peace support activities, it said.

The training incorporates topics on operational and logistical matters, humanitarian issues, thematic topics and table top exercises, and mission briefs, and would be conducted by a rich pool of seasoned instructors from India, the US as well as the alumni instructors from Africa who have attended the previous edition of this course, it said.

Un Peace Keeping Operation:

Peacekeeping by the United Nations is a unique and dynamic instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace.

Peace keepers monitor and observe peace processes in post-conflict areas and assist ex-combatants in implementing the peace agreements they may have signed.

Such assistance comes in many forms, including confidence-building measures, power-sharing arrangements, electoral support, strengthening the rule of law, and economic and social development.

Accordingly, UN peace keepers often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel.

The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security.

Peacekeeping mission has members from their member nations armed forces, and do not constitute an independent “UN army,” as the UN does not have such a force.

The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States. Decisions about the establishment, maintenance or expansion of peacekeeping operations are taken by the Security Council.

Contibution

US 28.57%

China 10.29%

Japan 9.68%

Germany 6.39%

France 6.31%


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Personnel in Peacekeeping Operations

1. Ethiopia leading the tally (8,324)

2. India (7,695)

3. Bangladesh (7,525).

Current Operations:

1. United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

2. United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation

3. United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

4. United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti

Source: The Hindu

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INDIA AND GUATEMALA SIGN MOU TO COOPERATE IN DIPLOMATIC TRAINING

What Is It?

India has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Guatemala for expanding cooperation in the area of diplomatic training.

The MoU was signed between the Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu and his Guatemalan counterpart Dr. Jafeth Ernesto Cabrera Franco.

The two leaders participated in bilateral discussions.

During the discussions, areas like culture diversity, economic growth, agriculture and wildlife protection were under consideration.

The main focus was on core sectors such as pharmaceutical, cooperation in education, technology, conservation of wildlife, yoga, tourism and automobiles.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu interacted with people of Indian origin at a reception hosted by ambassador of Guatemala.

It is the highest level delegation visit from India to Guatemala since diplomatic relationship began in 1972.


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India and Guatemala also agreed to support each other’s candidature for Non-Permanent Membership in the United Nations Security Council.

Guatemala will support India’s candidature for UNSC membership for 2021-22 while India will do so for Guatemala for 2031-32.

Source: The Hindu

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UN ANNOUNCEMENT: CLIMATE SUMMIT 2019 TO BE HELD IN NEW YORK

What Is It?

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced to hold a climate summit in September 2019 in New York.

The announcement was made at the opening ceremony of the 37th session of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

This climate summit would be conducted to review the commitments of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The Summit will bring people together from around the world to showcase climate action and inspire deeper commitments from national governments, and each other, in support of the Paris Agreement.

The UN Climate Change Summit 2018 would be conducted in Poland in December.

Unclimate Change Summit:

The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the framework of united nation framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC).

They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC Parties to assess progress in dealing with climate change.

Source: The Hindu

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SCO TOURISM MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE HELD IN CHINA

What Is It?

The SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Tourism Ministers’ Conference was held in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.

This is the first tourism ministerial meeting between member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

India was represented at the Conference by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, India, K. J. Alphons.

He mentioned that India’s Tourism sector is growing fast and has got an emerging market for outbound travel and a tremendous potential for tourism co-operation with the SCO region.

The delegation leaders passed the draft of their 2019-20 Joint Action Plan for implementing an outline of tourism cooperation among SCO member states.

The draft will be submitted to the SCO summit for official signing.

The SCO Summit will be held in Qingdao, Shandong province, in June 2018.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), or Shanghai Pact,[1] is Eurasian,political and security alliance.

The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO, it meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation.

Military exercises among members are also regularly conducted to promote coordination against terrorism, and to maintain regional peace and stability it is also the largest regional


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organisation in the world in terms of geographical coverage and population, covering three-fifths of the Eurasian continent and nearly half of the human population. At present, the SCO is one of the world’s most powerful and influential organisations.

The total population of SCO member states amounts to nearly half the world’s population. Therefore the rich tourism resources in these countries will unleash the potential of tourism development.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••WHO PUBLISHED ITS 1ST ESSENTIAL DIAGNOSTICS LIST

What Is It?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published its first Essential Diagnostics List

The List aims to address the prevalence of late or incorrect diagnoses and improve treatment outcomes globally.

Many people fail to get tested for diseases as they cannot access diagnostics services.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom mentioned that no one should suffer or die because of lack of diagnostic services, or because the right tests were not available.

With this list, WHO aims to provide a tool which would be useful to all countries.

It would help in a better diagnosis and treatment and thus result in the more effective use of the health funds.

According to WHO, an estimated 46 per cent of adults with Type 2 diabetes worldwide were undiagnosed, risking serious health complications and higher health costs.

This Diagnostics List focusses on in vitro tests i.e. blood and urine tests.

58 tests are listed for detection and diagnosis of a wide range of common conditions.

The remaining 55 tests are designed for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of ‘priority’ diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis B and C etc.

For each test, the Essential Diagnostics List specifies the type of test and its intended use and health facilities with the laboratories.

The list would be updated by the WHO on a regular basis and it may add certain new categories in the new edition.

Source: The Hindu

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WHO LAUNCHED REPLACE TO ELIMINATE TRANS-FAT BY 2023

What Is It?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a comprehensive plan to eliminate industrially-produced artificial trans-fats from the global food supply by 2023.

REPLACE will provide guidance for all countries on how to remove artificial trans-fats from their foods so as to eradicate it worldwide.

REPLACE stands for review dietary sources, promote use of healthier fats, legislate, assess changes, create awareness and enforce.

Artificial trans-fats, or trans-fatty acids, are made when vegetable oil hardens. This process is called hydrogenation.

Those hydrogenated fats can be used in fried foods, snack foods or baked goods.

They are often used by the manufacturers as they have a longer shelf life than other fats.

They have some harmful health effects as they don’t spoil as quickly as other fats.

They lead to raising levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and increasing risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

In South Asian countries, they have a very high risk of heart disease.

Several high-income countries are already trying to eliminate trans-fat from their foods through laws limiting the amount that can be included in packaged food.

Source: The Hindu

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UN: DELHI TO BECOME THE MOST POPULOUS CITY BY 2028

What Is It?

According to the United Nations estimates, Delhi is projected to become the most populous city in the world around 2028.

The 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects produced by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) was recently released.


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As per the report India is expected to add the largest number of urban dwellers by 2050.

Currently, 55 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas.

According to the report, 68% of the world population is projected to live in urban areas in 2050.

At present, Tokyo is the world’s largest city with an agglomeration of 37 million inhabitants, followed by New Delhi with 29 million.

The world’s rural population will peak in a few years then decline by 2050 as per the estimates of the report on urbanization.

At the same time, India is expected to surpass China as the country with the world’s largest total population.

By 2050, India, China and Nigeria will account for more than a third of the projected growth in the world’s urban population.

In order to ensure sustainable growth, it is necessary to manage urban growth. It is one of the most important development challenges of the current century.

Source: The Hindu

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1ST FLOATING NUCLEAR POWER PLANT UNVEILED BY RUSSIA

What Is It?

1st floating nuclear power plant unveiled by Russia. Russia has recently unveiled the world’s first floating nuclear power station in the port of the far northern city of Murmansk.

It will be loaded with nuclear fuel at Murmansk and will be towed to port of Pevek in autonomous Chukotka region in Russia’s far northeast in Arctic Circle region.


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Akademik Lomonosov is constructed by the state nuclear power firm Rosatom.

It is a 144 by 30 meter ship which holds two reactors with two 35 megawatt nuclear reactors.

It will be primarily used to power oil rigs as Russia pushes further north into the Arctic to drill for oil and gas and needs electricity in far-flung locations

The barge can produce enough electricity to power a town of 2,00,000 residents.

The barge had initially been scheduled to be fuelled in Saint Petersburg, but that work was moved to Murmansk instead due to concern in countries along the Baltic Sea.

It has latest security systems and is considered as one of safest nuclear installations in the world.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••INDO-DUTCH GANGA FORUM INAUGURATED BY THE PM OF

NETHERLANDS

What Is It?

The Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte inaugurated the Indo-Dutch Ganga Forum in New Delhi.

The two countries signed three MoUs in the fields of social security, water cooperation and cultural cooperation.

Last year in June, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India and the Ministry of Infrastructure & Environment of the Netherlands.

This forum was inaugurated in lines of that MoU.

Mark Rutte appreciated efforts being made under the Namami Gange programme launched by the Modi Government.

He also advocated waste-to-wealth approach to encourage sustainability of projects.

He further mentioned that the local governments, the financial sector and the private sector, as well as communities, will need to join hands with the Indian and the Netherlands governments.

The inauguration of the Indo-Dutch Ganga Forum was followed by a session during which issues like “Innovative Financing Models for Indo-Dutch PPP Projects” were discussed.


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The session included a detailed discussion on Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode.

In financial terminology hybrid annuity means that payment is made in a fixed amount for a considerable period and then in a variable amount in the remaining period.

Source: PIB

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UNICEF LAUNCHES DATA VISUALIZATION APP ON EDUCATION SCENARIO IN INDIA

What Is It?

The UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund) has launched a Data Visualization App.

The app is launched in collaboration with the following-

National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA)

The app provides a user-friendly visual representation of complex analytics of the education scenario in the country.

It uses the UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education), NAS (National Assessment survey), and demographic data.

It can be used as a visual tool by policymakers, academia, and researchers to monitor programs in the field of education.

During the launch of the app, Anil Swarup, Secretary, HRD Ministry, emphasized on the need for digitization in education.

UNICEF India organized a Shiksha Mela Education Open Day in partnership with HRD Ministry.

It was organized with an aim to demonstrate case stories showcasing holistic and equitable quality education achieved through convergent programming across 17 states.

Source: The Hindu

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SCO – AFGHANISTAN CONTACT GROUP MEETING

What Is It?

The second edition of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO)-Afghanistan Group Meeting was organised in China’s Beijing in which India’s delegation was led by Gitesh Sharma, Additional Secretary (Multilateral Diplomacy).

The meeting followed the expansion of SCO by adding India as its full-time member in 2017.

SCO – Afghanistan Contact Group Meeting Highlights

The Agenda

The meeting focused on three main agendas namely;

Current situation of Afghanistan and its neighbouring regions

Reconciliation process in Afghanistan

Role of SCO and measures for cooperation between SCO and Afghanistan

In the meeting, India promised to extend support for Afghanistan to combat terrorism and extremism imposed from beyond its borders.

India pledged to show readiness in work closely with the SCO Member States in efforts to bring peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan.

SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, and security organisation that came into existence on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China.

It was formed by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003. India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members on 9 June 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Source: PIB

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WHO ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON DIGITAL HEALTH PROPOSED BY INDIA

What Is It?

The 71st World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland has adopted resolution on Digital Health. The resolution was initiated by India and was co-sponsored by 20 countries.

The World Health Assembly is highest decision-making body of World Health Organization (WHO). Its 71st session was attended by delegations from all WHO member states.

It recognises huge potential of Digital health technology has for supporting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improving accessibility, quality and affordability of health services.

It urges WHO member states to prioritise development and greater use of digital technologies in health sector as means for advancing global health agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.

It paves way for WHO to establish global strategy on digital health, identify priority areas and engage member states to optimise their health systems in sync with global digital health agenda.

It is first step towards mainstreaming digital interventions in health sector.

It includes use modern advance technologies such as deep machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT) and other emerging disciplines like genomics.

It also asks member states to identify priority areas in which they will be benefitted from WHO assistance in digital health services and applications, data security, ethical and legal issues.

Source: The Hindu

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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE TRIPS CBD LINKAGE

What Is It?

India has taken the lead in seeking to revive WTO discussions on issues related to preventing theft of traditional knowledge. Government of India, along with the Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and the South Centre (an inter-governmental organisation based in Geneva), are organising an International Conference on TRIPS- CBD Linkage in Geneva on 7-8 June 2018.

Brazil and South Africa are some of the other countries that have joined hands with India on this crucial initiative.

The international conference will bring together indigenous people/local communities in developing and developed countries, internationally acclaimed academicians working on the subject, Geneva-based negotiators and capital based experts.

They will brainstorm on the options for energising negotiations on this subject in the WTO. Resource persons, stakeholders and experts from a large number of countries, including Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Peru, Philippines, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, and the US, would participate in the international conference.

The Convention on Biological Diversity is a multilateral agreement on sustainable development and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resource. It has membership of 196 countries.

The Doha Ministerial Declaration in 2001 had tasked the TRIPS Council of the WTO to examine the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the protection of traditional knowledge and folklore.

It also mandated that while doing so, the Council should be guided by the objectives and principles set out in the TRIPS Agreement and should fully take into account the development dimension.

TRIPS CBD Linkage

TRIPS CBD Linkage is important for India and other developing countries because it seeks to address bio-piracy. It has been a long standing demand that patents should not be granted for existing traditional knowledge and associated genetic resources.


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Further, it has also been argued that where traditional knowledge forms a basis for further scientific developments that are sought to be patented, there should be a mechanism to ensure disclosure of information in this regard.

This is considered essential not only from the point of view of addressing information asymmetry at the patent office but in also enabling better assessment of the inventive step involved.

The developing countries seek an amendment in the TRIPS Agreement to make disclosure of source or origin of genetic resource by patent applicants, submission of evidence of prior informed consent of local communities and evidence of fair and equitable sharing of benefits under the relevant national regimes mandatory.

In 2008, developing countries garnered the support of the European Union to form a coalition of 109 countries (which included the African and Caribbean and Pacific Countries) for the above proposal seeking amendment of the TRIPS Agreement to enable mandatory disclosures in patent applications.

The last major proposal along similar lines but incorporating the mechanism agreed to under the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity was submitted by India, Brazil along with other like-minded countries in 2011. After this, the discussions appear to have lost steam.

The Nagoya Protocol

The Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their utilization came into effect in 2014.

The protocol provides a legal framework for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources for research and commercialization purpose.

At present, more than 100 countries have acceded to the protocol. This makes its mandatory for them to set down an access and benefit regime in compliance with the protocol.

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EMERGING IRRITANT

What Is It?

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a thorn in India-Pakistan relations.

How the initiative is creating ruckus in the relationship?

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is China’s ambitious project for increasing connectivity and economic coop¬eration within Eurasia.

Since its announcement in 2013, the BRI has been positively received by many countries covered within its ambit.

However, notwithstanding the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, China, one issue associated with the BRI will likely be considered an irritant for China: India’s position on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Last May, New Delhi sent a clear message to Beijing that it doesn’t support CPEC.

India registered its protest by boycotting the high profile Belt and Road Forum organised by China.

Its principal objection was that CPEC passed through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs made its position clear on this is-sue when asked about a possibility of cooperation between India and China on the BRI.

The Ministry’s statement read: “Our position on OBOR/BRI is clear and there is no change.

The so called ‘ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor’ violates India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

India’s position will undoubtedly have a larger impact on China India relations.

How important is the issue to India?

PoK is considered a contested territory by the international community.

Nevertheless, for India, PoK remains an emotional and sensitive issue.

It is little wonder that China’s insistence on establishing the CPEC project through PoK is seen by India as a deliberate disregard of its territorial claims.


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At a broader level, if China invests heavily in the region, it risks becoming party to what has been a troubling bilateral dispute between nuclear¬ armed rivals.

How the issue can cause major regional conflict?

If CPEC gets operationalised and fortifies the emergence of a fully functional China Pakistan axis, this would hamper India’s larger interests in the South Asian region and force a strategic rethink in South Block.

The incentives for this would be even stronger if CPEC’s potential success renders PoK more industrially developed, thus granting Pakistan greater legitimacy over the region.

Whether India has any road map to take the con¬versation on PoK forward is a dierent debate but no nation can be expected to wilfully forsake its territorial claims.

Had India not registered its protest, that would have been per¬ceived as a weakness, and would have been a setback for In¬dia’s emerging power status in the international system.

CPEC is ultimately a thorn in India¬ Pakistan relations.

The best way forward would be for India to come up with a con¬crete plan on PoK.

Otherwise, its protests on CPEC may well be ignored by stakeholders in the project, with little consequence.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

DEAL BREAKER

What Is It?

The U.S. retreat from the Iran nuclear deal has undermined the rules based global order.

How brokering the deal help bring world order?

President Donald Trump’s decision to unilaterally pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal is a huge setback to multilateral diplomacy and the rules based international order.

The agreement, signed in 2015 by Iran with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and the EU, curtailed its nuclear programme in return for withdrawing economic sanctions.


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It was reached after 18 months of painful negotiations.

Under the deal, most of Iran’s enriched uranium was shipped out of the country, a heavy water facility was rendered inoperable and the operational nuclear facilities were brought under international inspection.

In Iran, the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani went ahead with the deal despite strong opposition from hardliners.

Mr. Trump has just wrecked all these eorts, despite numerous reports, in¬cluding from American intelligence agencies, that Iran is 100% compliant with the terms of the agreement.

When the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the deal is formally called, was signed, many had raised doubts about whether Iran could be trusted to comply with the terms.

Three years later, unfortunately, it’s the U.S., which had initiated talks with Iran under the previous administration, that has acted in bad faith.

Why this move of Trump is a great blunder?

Mr. Trump’s decision is not about nuclear weapons.

If his administration was actually concerned about Iran acquiring them, it would have supported a deal that closes the path towards nuclear weapons for Iran.

In stead, the bigger concern for Mr. Trump as well as Washington’s closest allies in West Asia - Israel and Saudi Arabia - is Iran’s re-accommodation in the global economic mainstream.

They fear that if Iran’s economic profile rises, it will embolden it to increase its regional presence, posing a strategic threat to the interests of the U.S.Saudi Israel axis.

This crisis of trust could have been avoided had the Trump administration built on the goodwill created during the Obama years.

Mr. Trump has always been a critic of the Iran deal, and the Islamic Republic in general.

Now, by pulling out of the deal he has manufactured a crisis in an already tumultuous region.

The U.S. action doesn’t necessarily trigger an immediate collapse of the agreement.

For now, Europe, Russia and China remain committed to it.

Iran has responded cautiously, with the Foreign Minister saying he will engage diplomatically with the remaining signatories.


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But the challenges will emerge, not only for Europe but also for other nations with strong trade ties with Iran, including India, once American sanctions are in place.

The U.S. stands isolated in its decision.

But the question is whether Europe and other powers will stick together to respect the mandate of an international agreement, or buckle under American pressure.

If they do cave in, West Asia will be a lot more dangerous.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

FAITH AND DIPLOMACY

What is the issue?

Mixing personal faith with bilateral diplomacy makes for good optics — but only when all goes well.

How the foreign policy changing over times?

When he visited India for the Agra Summit in 2001, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf added religious stops to the trip - perhaps with a domestic constituency in mind and perhaps hoping for some luck too.

His itinerary included a visit to the Nizamuddin dargah on his first day in Delhi and to the Ajmer dargah on his way back.

But the visit to Ajmer never took place as the Summit was extended and then collapsed.

In 2005, Mr. Musharraf took no chances and began his trip to India by first going to Ajmer.

Similarly, after an aborted attempt to visit Janakpur in November 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his visit to Nepal on Friday by first landing in Janakpur, before he heads to Kathmandu for talks.

He will also visit Muktinath in Mustang, which was on his itinerary in November 2014, but was cancelled at the last minute.

Mr. Modi’s disappointment over his inability to travel to both these places was palpable when he landed in Kathmandu, ocials say.

Shortly after landing, he gave a stern speech indicating that there was a lack of consensus-building on the Nepali Constitution.


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“That came as a shock to us, as just three months earlier, in our Parliament, he had clearly said that building the constitution was Nepal’s job alone,” said a close adviser to then Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala.

What led to the cancellation of the Janakpur visit remains a mystery.

The most obvious reason seemed to be the protests by the opposition in Nepal over Mr. Modi’s plans to address a public rally in Janakpur.

Another issue was that Mr. Modi had wanted to drive to Janakpur by road through the BirgunjRaxaul checkpoint, and there was fear that his convoy would be accompanied by crowds over running the open border.

Accusing the government of giving up Nepal’s “sovereignty”, the Maoists even threatened a parallel rally, leading to new security concerns.

Indian officials say they felt snubbed when all this was conveyed to them and Mr. Modi decided to call off his pilgrimage plans.

When the four month long economic blockade happened at the Raxaul border in 2015, many in the Nepali establishment held the bitterness of the past year responsible for it.

New Delhi al¬ways disclaimed responsibility for enforcing the blockade, but the Nepali perception was fuelled by the fact that the last time Nepal had faced a blockade, in 1989, it had come after another disastrous diplomatic incident, when Sonia Gandhi was not allowed to enter Kathmandu’s Pashupatinath temple by its orthodox priests, who said only Hindus could enter.

Mixing personal faith with bilateral diplomacy makes for good optics when all goes well, but when bilateral ties suffer, it gets personal all too quickly.

Much has changed in four years.

This time, offcials say it was Nepal Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli who reminded Mr. Modi, during a phone call after the Nepal elections, that he should visit Janakpur at the earliest.

Mr. Modi will - by air, not by road across the border.

Through this gesture, both leaders are signalling the closing of a bitter chapter in India-Nepal ties.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••


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SINGAPORE SLING

Why in news?

Donald Trump’s Iran decision will loom over his meeting with Kim Jong un.

How one decision is bound to affect others in such globalised world?

President Donald Trump’s summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong un in Singapore on June 12 cannot be viewed in isolation from the unilateral American decision to withdraw from the nuclear pact with Iran.

While the decision could undermine confidence in his word, he is also visibly trying hard to amp up pre summit goodwill.

He has, for instance, effusively greeted the North Korean decision announced over the weekend to destroy its nuclear testing zone - though sceptics argue that the site is unusable anyway and that it is premature to hail the North’s decision.

How tense was the situation before the meet?

The meeting between the U.S. and North Korean leaders will be historic, something that would have been unimaginable even a few months ago.

Tensions between the two countries had risen to an all time high over the winter, and Pyongyang’s series of nuclear and intercontinental missile tests were met with an increasingly stringent international sanctions regime and extremely stern diplomacy.

The recent thaw in relations between Pyongyang and Washington has been aided by attempts by both North and South Korea to restore normally on the divided peninsula, beginning with cordiality during the Winter Olympics and then a meeting between the two Korean leaders.

Seoul and Washington too had suspended their annual military exercises, to reassure North Korea of their intentions.

For its part, the North has announced the release of three American prisoners accused of “hostile activities”.

It has also ceased further nuclear and missile tests.

Whether Mr. Kim will agree to a freeze on the North’s nuclear programme is, however, still in the realm of speculation.


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What should be the future course of action?

Mr. Trump has seized the opportunity afforded by the summit, an unprecedented feat for any U.S. leader, to project himself as the archetypal peacemaker.

But the summit cannot escape a fundamental and glaring contradiction.

From the standpoint of global nuclear nonproliferation, it is hard to reconcile Washington’s desire to broker peace with Pyongyang with its abrogation of the multilateral pact with Tehran.

Neither the threat nor the actual use of force has been enough to significantly advance global nuclear nonproliferation objectives.

Recognition of these inherent limitations led to the adoption last year, by over 120 nations, of the UN treaty to prohibit and eventually abolish nuclear arms.

Mr. Trump could well view the summit as a chance of a lifetime to turn the tables on a festering issue and earn his legacy.

But the deal maker in him may find the diplomatic deftness required of the task difficult to mar-shal, given the hawkish defence and foreign policy team around him.

Having alienated his European allies over the Iran nuclear deal, world trade and climate change, Mr. Trump needs positive atmospherics in Singapore.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

NINE YEARS AFTER

Why in news?

The anniversary of the civil war’s end reveals the persisting ethnic division in Sri Lanka.

How is the condition after the civil war?

Nine years is perhaps too short a time for deep wounds to heal, but it is enough time to begin to introspect.

However, going by the polarised views around the anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war, there are few signs of that.


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For the Tamils who gathered in Mullaitivu district in the Northern Province on Friday, it was a day to remember loved ones killed in those savage final days of the war that ended on May 18, 2009 - according to UN estimates, nearly 40,000 died.

The southern Sinhalese political leadership, on the other hand, makes it a point to celebrate “war heroes”, hailing their efforts to bring peace.

Even this year, national leaders, including President Maithripala Sirisena, saluted the soldiers for their sacrifice, while offering nothing but silence to the civilians who were caught in the conflict.

The two disparate narratives of trauma and triumph can never meet, and in such a context, the chances for fruitfully negotiating this hard won peace will remain slim.

Time will only make it harder for the two communities to resolve the ethnic division that has outlived the war.

How is the present government steering the country after war?

The government led by President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe came to power in 2015 promising, among other things, a political solution to Sri Lanka’s national question.

It initiated the drafting of a constitution that would potentially devolve more powers to all provinces, including the Tamil majority north and east.

Preoccupied with the persistent tension within the ruling coalition, the leadership has done little to take the exercise forward at a convincing pace, let alone complete it.

Even the welcome initiatives of the government in the affected areas, such as the release of military occupied land or efforts to probe cases of enforced disappearance, will have only limited appeal or impact in the absence of a durable political solution.

The international community has spared the government of pressure on the accountability front, hoping that it would proactively address other concerns that linger for the Tamil citizens.

How important is peace in the country?

If initiatives on the political front have been so stalled, efforts to revive the economy do not offer much promise either.

Almost every family in the north and east is neck deep in debt and young people are desperate for employment.

To say that time is running out is to state the obvious.


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Addressing the present challenges is one way of helping a wounded people cope with their troubled past.

The memories that haunt them may never die.

But some healing may be possible if they have a better future to look forward to.

This government, which came to power with the overwhelming support of Tamils, must not let them down.

It must not add to the list of missed opportunities.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

NATIONALCABINET APPROVES STRENGTHENING THE MECHANISM FOR

RESOLUTION OF COMMERCIAL DISPUTES OF CENTRAL PUBLIC SECTOR ENTERPRISES

What Is It?

The government today put in place a new mechanism to settle commercial disputes between government departments and Public Sector Undertakings where the Cabinet Secretary will have the last word, and barred them from approaching courts to settle such matters.

However, disputes concerning the Railways, Income Tax, Customs and Excise departments have been kept out of ambit of the new mechanism.

The Union Cabinet approved the strengthening of the mechanism for resolution of commercial disputes of central public sector enterprises inter se and also between CPSEs and other government departments/organizations.

The decision will put in place an institutionalised mechanism within the government for speedy resolution of commercial disputes of CPSEs without the matter being referred to the courts of law.

Now, a new two-tier mechanism will be put in place of the existing permanent machinery of arbitration mechanism to resolve commercial disputes between CPSEs, and CPSEs and

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government departments outside courts.

At the first level, such commercial disputes will be referred to a committee comprising secretaries of the administrative ministries to which the disputing parties belong and the Law Secretary.

The financial advisors of the two ministries concerned will represent the issues related to the dispute in question before the committee.

In case the two disputing parties belong to the same ministry, the committee will comprise secretary of the administrative ministries concerned, the Law Secretary and Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises. In such a case, the matter would be represented by the financial advisor and one joint secretary of that ministry.

At the second level, in case the dispute remains unresolved, it will be referred to the Cabinet Secretary, whose decision will be “final and binding on all”.

For the faster disposal of disputes, a timeline of three months at the first level has been prescribed. “It will reduce court cases. At times even courts have questioned government departments settling disputes through litigation,” Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters at the Cabinet briefing.

Source: PIB

•••••••

CABINET APPROVES MOU ON COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF MEDICINAL PLANTS BETWEEN INDIA AND EQUATORIAL GUINEA

What Is It?

The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the field of Medicinal Plants between India and Equatorial Guinea

The MoU will further enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the area of Medicinal Plants.

The financial resources necessary to conduct research, training courses, conferences / meetings will be met from the existing allocated budget and existing plan schemes of the

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National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of AYUSH.

India is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity, having 15 agro-climatic zones. Out of the 17000-18000 species of flowering plants, more than 7000 are estimated to have medicinal usage in folk and documented systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy (AYUSH System of Medicine).

About 1178 species of medicinal plants are estimated to be in trade of which 242 species have annual consumption levels in excess of 100 metric tonnes/year.

Medicinal plants are not only a major resource base for the traditional medicine & herbal industry but also provide livelihood and health security to a large segment of Indian population.

There is global resurgence in traditional and alternative health care systems resulting in world herbal trade which stands at US$ 120 billion and is expected to reach US$ 7 trillion by 2050.

Moreover, there are a large number of medicinal plants, particularly those found in tropical region, which are common to the two countries given similar geo-climatic factors.

Source: PIB

•••••••

BIMSTEC SUMMIT 2018 TO BE HOSTED BY NEPAL

What Is It?

Nepal is going to host 2018 Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit.

This announcement was made by the Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Sharma Oli during his meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kathmandu.

BIMSTEC Summit 2018 would be the fourth edition of the summit of the seven-member grouping of the South Asian and South East Asian nations.

The BIMSTEC is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.

BIMSTEC Summit is the highest policymaking body in BIMSTEC process and is comprised

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of heads of state/government of member states.

So far, only three Summit meetings have been held in 2004, 2008 and 2014.

BIMSTEC was established on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.

The main objective of BIMSTEC is technological and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

It promotes active collaboration and mutual assistance in economic, social, technical and scientific fields of common interest

Source: TOI

•••••••

ATAL PENSION YOJANA SUBSCRIBER BASE CROSSES 1CR MARK

What Is It?

The subscriber base of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) had crossed the one-crore mark since its launch in 2015.

This announcement came on the completion of three years of the scheme.

According to the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), its current number of subscriber stands at 1.10 crore.

As per the scheme, the guaranteed minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/- or 2,000/- or 3,000/- or 4,000/ or 5,000/- per month will be given at the age of 60 years depending on the contributions by the subscribers.

A massive outreach campaign ‘APY Formation Day’ was organized on the completion of three years of the scheme.

It was organized by the PFRDA in coordination with ‘Department of Financial Services in order to enhance the enrolments in APY by banks and Department of Posts.

Background:-

Launched in 2015 to provide universal access to social security services to unorganised workers.

It has replaced swavalambam scheme earlier launched for unorganised sector. It is

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available to citizens of our country and the beneficiary will receive rupees 1000 to 5000 from age 60 depending upon his contribution. In case of the death of the beneficiary the spouse is entitled for the amount.

Source: PIB

•••••••

SWACHH SURVEKSHAN 2018 - INDORE THE CLEANEST CITY

What Is It?

The results for Swachh Survekshan 2018 have been announced by the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri.

Indore has retained its title of being India’s cleanest city for second consecutive year.

Bhopal and Chandigarh have been ranked as the second and third cleanest city respectively.

The survey assessed 4203 Urban Local Bodies, as compared to the 434 cities covered in 2017 and 73 cities covered in the Swachh Survekshan 2016 and.

According to the survey report, Vijayawada is cleanest among big cities having more than one million population while Mysuru has emerged as the cleanest among cities with population of three lakh to one million.

As per this year’s survey, Jharkhand has become the best performing state, followed by Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

Around 2133 cities and urban local bodies have been certified as ODF (Open Defecation

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Free).

In this year’s survey, a substantial weightage was given to the feedback from citizens based on their daily experience.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched in 2014. Every year, cities and towns across India are Awarded with the title of ‘Swachh Cities’ on the basis of their cleanliness and sanitation drive as a part of the Abhiyan.

Source: TOI

•••••••

PRIME MINISTER INAUGURATES KISHANGANGA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT; LAYS FOUNDATION STONE OF THE PAKAL DUL POWER

PROJECT IN JAMMU & KASHMIR

What Is It?

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project and laid the Foundation Stone of the Pakal Dul Power Project in Jammu & Kashmir today.

Pakal Dul, with 1000 MW capacity, will be the largest Hydro Power Project in Jammu & Kashmir on completion. It is also the first storage Project in Jammu & Kashmir.

330 MW Kishanganga Hydro Electric Project, located in Bandipora District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is a run of river scheme.

Kishangana H.E. Project will provide a free power of 13 per cent to the state, which will be around Rs. 133 crore per year.

There are other benefits to the state like- Employment to the people of J&K, infrastructure development etc. It is estimated that the project engaged about 1850 local persons during construction stage and 750 local persons during operation stage through direct and indirect employment.

The Project was handed over to NHPC for execution by the State Government after an MoU was signed between J&K Govt. and Ministry of Power, Govt of India in July 2000.

The project cost of Pakal Dul as per CCEA sanction is Rs. 8112.12 crore and it is supported by the Government of India as well as the Government of J&K.

Timelines of implementation is 66 Months from the start of the Project. It shall be leading to additional Generation of 650 MU in downstream projects as it is a storage type project

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and shall improve the water availability during the lean season.

Pakal Dul project will have immense benefits for J&K. Around 3000 persons shall be employed directly/ indirectly during construction phase of the project.

It has been agreed that the Govt. of J&K shall be getting 12 per cent free power after 10 years of commissioning of the Project and water usage charges as applicable.

Source: PIB

•••••••

NIPAH VIRUS OUTBREAK IN INDIA

What Is It?

According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Nipah virus infection is an emerging disease that was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore.

As per the reports, at least three people in India have died from a rare virus known as Nipah virus.

Recently, the state Health Department has confirmed Nipah virus (NiV) infection for the first time in Kerala.

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The blood and body fluid samples of two persons who died of viral fever indicated the presence of the Nipah virus.

The Union health minister JP Nadda has directed to constitute a high-level team of doctors.

This team would visit the district and initiate required steps as warranted by the protocol for the disease in consultation with state government.

Nipah virus can cause an inflammation of the brain known as encephalitis.

Symptoms can include fever and headache, followed by drowsiness, disorientation and confusion.

People who are infected with the virus may fall into a coma within 48 hours of showing symptoms.

According to the World Health Organization, it naturally infects the fruit bats but can also infect pigs and other domesticated animals, as well as humans.

The virus can be highly lethal, with an average fatality rate of around 75 percent.

As of now, there is no drug to treat the illness and no vaccine to prevent it.

Source: PIB

•••••••

NTPC TARGETS 268 BN UNITS POWER GENERATION IN 2018-19

What Is It?

State-run power generator NTPC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) here with the Union Power Ministry on Thursday to generate 268 billion units of electricity during the fiscal 2018-19.

The ministry release also said the country’s largest generator has targeted Rs 85,500 crore in revenue from operations during the current financial year.

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“Parameters related to financial performance, improvement in operational efficiency, capital expenditure, projects monitoring, technology upgradation and HR (human resource) management are also part of the MoU for the year 2018-19.

NTPC

Previously known as the National Thermal Power Corp, NTPC has a total installed capacity of 53,651 MW from its 21 coal-based, seven gas-based, 11 solar PV, one hydro, one small hydro and one wind project, as well as nine subsidiary and joint venture power stations.

NTPC is currently building an additional capacity of over 21,000 MW at multiple locations across the country.

It is the largest power company in India with an electric power generating capacity of 5,14,100 MW.[5] Although the company has approx.

16% of the total national capacity it contributes to over 25% of total power generation due to its focus on operating its power plants at higher efficiency levels (approx. 80.2% against the national PLF rate of 64.5%).

NTPC currently produces 25 billion units of electricity per month.

Source: PIB

•••••••

MERCOM: INDIA 3rd LARGEST SOLAR MARKET IN THE WORLD

What Is It?

According to a report by the Mercom Communications, India emerged as the third largest solar market in the world in 2017.

The report, “India Solar Market Leaderboard 2018” covers market share and shipment rankings across the Indian solar supply chain in 2017.

The top two positions were taken by China and the US.

India set a new record with 9.6 GW of solar installations in 2017, which was more than

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double the 4.3 GW installed in 2016.

This boosted the country’s total solar installed capacity to 19.6 GW.

According to the report, the top 10 solar photovoltaic (PV) project developers in the country accounted for over 62 percent of all large-scale project installations in 2017.

India has quickly emerged as one of the most important solar markets in the world for suppliers and vendors

Mercom Communications India is an arm of global clean energy consulting firm Mercom Capital Group.

Source: PIB

•••••••

INFRASTRUCTURE

PM UNVEILS PLAQUE TO MARK COMMENCEMENT OF WORK ON THE ZOJILA TUNNEL

What Is It?

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of work on the Zojila Tunnel.

The 14 km long Zojila tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, had approved the construction, operation and maintenance of this tunnel between Baltal and Minamarg, on the Srinagar-Leh section of NH-1A, at a total cost of Rs 6800 crore earlier this year.

The construction of this tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh.

It will cut down the time taken to cross the Zojila pass from the present three and a half hours, to just fifteen minutes.

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It will lead to all-round economic and socio-cultural integration of these regions. It also has immense strategic importance.

He said the State of Jammu and Kashmir is going to get development projects worth Rs. 25,000 crore.

These projects will have a positive impact on the people of the state, he added.

Source: PIB

•••••••

PM NARENDRA MODI INAUGURATES INDIA’S FIRST SMART AND GREEN HIGHWAY

What Is It?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated India’s first smart and green highway, the 135 km long Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal (KGP) Expressway—also known as Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

The Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) is also the country’s first highway to be lit by solar power and at every 500 metres, as there are eight solar power plants on this Expressway, with a capacity of 4000 KW (4 megawatt) for lighting of the underpasses and running solar pumps for watering plants and also having arrangement for rainwater harvesting on both sides at every 500 meters and there is drip irrigation for plants all along the expressway.

Another special feature of the Expressway is that it has a closed tolling system in which toll will be collected only for the distance travelled and not for the entire length.

Toll plazas will be equipped with Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system for faster toll collection and Weigh-in-Motion (WIMs) equipment have been installed at all 30 entry points of the Expressway to stop entry of over-loaded vehicles.

Arrangement of rain water harvesting has been made at every 500 meters on the both sides of this Highway.

The entire Highway is powered by solar energy.

The Western Peripheral Expressway would also be completed and the total length of 270 kms road of these two Expressways would be the longest road in any country of the world.

The construction of both Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway, the people of Delhi would get a big relief from traffic congestion and this expressway would play an important

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link between North India and South India, would induce development and also open opportunities of investments.

Source: PIB

•••••••

CALL TO ACTION

Why in news?

WHO highlights the air pollution crisis in urban India; things are no better in rural areas .

What does the report highlight?

A new report from the World Health Organisation highlights not only how widespread air pollution is in urban India, but also how deficient air quality monitoring is.

The report, which summarised 2016 data for 4,300 cities, ranks 14 Indian cities among the 20 most polluted ones globally.

While Delhi comes in at number six, Kanpur, Faridabad, Varanasi, Gaya and Patna are ranked ahead of it, by PM 2.5 levels.

And yet, Kanpur, Faridabad and several other pollution choked cities have only one PM 2.5 monitoring station each, while Delhi has several.

WHO researchers get around this problem by using alternative data sources such as satellite remote sensing and chemical transport models, along with ground -monitoring stations.

The out come of this exercise makes it clear that air pollution is not a problem of large metropolises alone, even though they have traditionally been the focus of mitigation efforts.

Such wide variations in data quality exist across the world.

What are the trends around the world?

While Europe has the most extensive monitoring network, countries in Africa and the Western Pacific region perform poorly.

This means data from these regions are of poor quality, and likely underestimates, resulting in an under count of the disease burden as well.

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How air pollution affects health?

The report puts the global death toll from air pollution at seven million a year, attributable to illnesses such as lung cancer, pneumonia and is chemic heart disease.

In 2016 alone, it says, around 4.2 million people died owing to outdoor air pollution, while 3.8 million people succumbed to dirty cooking fuels such as wood and cow dung.

About a third of these deaths occurred in Southeast Asian countries, which include India.

Once monitoring improves in these regions, the numbers will likely be revised upwards.

How government is responding to the situation?

The report had words of praise for India’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana scheme, which has provided 37 million women living below the poverty line with LPG connections.

Such schemes will also help cut the indoor air pollution that plagues much of rural India, which is not covered in the WHO analysis.

It is important to remember, though, that rural India has problems beyond inefficient cook stoves.

What is the situation in rural India?

As the recently published draft National Clean Air Programme noted, there are currently no air pollution monitoring stations in rural India.

This does not mean outdoor air pollution is not a problem here.

Studies have shown that ozone levels are higher in rural areas, as is pollution from insecticide use and crop burning.

The WHO has asked Southeast Asian countries to take swift action to tackle the twin problems of indoor and outdoor pollution.

India must realise that its problems are larger than the WHO estimates, and take the call to action seriously.

Source: The Hindu

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PRIZE FREEZE

Why in news?

Abandoning the daily price revision of petrol and diesel sets back an important reform .

What is the price trend of fuel?

The price of oil has been shooting up for weeks now, with Brent crude oil futures hitting their highest level in more than three years, at more than $75.

But for two weeks now, the state owned oil companies have kept petrol and diesel prices unchanged.

Since April, the oil companies have abandoned the daily price revision.

Since then, the prices of petrol and diesel in the national capital, for instance, are stuck at `74.63 and `65.93, respectively.

This is a glaring freeze, given that since the Centre introduced the dynamic pricing mechanism in June last year allowing oil marketing companies (OMCs) to revise fuel prices daily.

The retail prices of various domestic fuels had been on a steady uptrend owing to the steep rise in international crude oil prices.

The price of Brent crude oil, it is worth noting, has rallied by more than 50% since June last year.

Against this background, domestic fuel prices were raised to their highest level since late 2013 last month until the price freeze began on April 24.

What are the outcomes of the new pricing policy?

The new pricing mechanism also caused prices to show more volatility on a daily basis compared to the earlier regime when prices were revised periodically, mostly on a fortnightly basis.

Further, the rise in domestic fuel prices in response to rising crude oil prices has been quite inelastic recently.

Petrol and diesel prices rose by 1 to 2% in April while Brent crude rose by more than 8%.

This comes as a pleasant surprise considering that domestic fuel prices, which while not falling to an equal extent when crude prices witness a sharp drop, generally keep pace with any rise in oil prices.

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What is the politics behind it?

The retail price of petrol is a hot political subject and successive governments at the Centre are routinely held responsible for it.

It is therefore speculated that the OMCs are under pressure from the government to with hold upward revisions in the days before Karnataka goes to the polls.

While Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated last month that the OMCs have not been instructed to refrain from raising prices, no reason for the freeze has been offered.

The performance of OMC stocks in the last few weeks also suggests that the markets are not convinced.

It bears repeating, in the wake of the upcoming State elections and the general election next year, that the Centre must resist the temptation to go back on its previous reforms to the fuel pricing policy.

What is the way forward?

After all, it is now clear that the policy off loading the burden of high fuel prices on consumers by transferring the burden on to the OMCs is unsustainable in the long run.

The government should opt to ease the burden of fuel taxes.

The best way to do this might be to bring domestic fuels under the purview of the goods and services tax.

For now, there is enough room to bring down prices by reducing excise duties on oil.

Source:The Hindu

•••••••

FOR A FAIR TRAIL

Why in news?

Shifting the Kathua rape case to another State is a warranted step.

How supreme court stood as the defender of rights?

In shifting the case of the abduction and gang rape of an eight year old girl in Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir to Pathankot in the neighbouring State of Punjab, the Supreme Court has taken the first necessary step towards ensuring a fair trial.

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It is unfortunate that despite the horrific nature of the crime, which took place over several days in January, when the girl from the nomadic Bakherwal community went missing, some sought to see the incident along sectarian lines.

How the issue got sensitised on wrong lines?

Contradictions on communal and political lines came to the fore.

The formation of a Hindu group in support of those arrested by the J&K Police Crime Branch, and the action of some lawyers in Kathua in heckling the police when they came to file the charge sheet, contributed to the impression that the atmosphere in the town is too vitiated for the conduct of a fair trial.

How Police helped in fast forwarding the case?

In addition, sections of society, including political parties and lawyers, demanded that the Crime Branch investigation was not fair and that it should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Fortunately, the Supreme Court has not countenanced this demand.

Considering that the investigation was conducted in a fairly quick manner and the charge sheet was ready within two months, there is no legal reason for the probe to be taken out of the hands of the police and handed over to another agency.

In the normal course, only deliberate inaction on the part of the State police is a reasonable ground for shifting the probe to another agency.

How the case is standing as a extraordinary one?

The transfer of a criminal trial from one State to another is an extraordinary step that the Supreme Court alone is empowered to take.

The State out of whose jurisdiction the case is taken may have reason to feel aggrieved as it is seen as a reflection of its handling of law and order.

However, in this case, the reason for transferring the Kathua case to Pathankot is no reflection on J&K.

It has been done solely in the interest of a fair and speedy trial.

The court has reasoned that for a genuinely fair trial, “there has to be a free atmosphere, where the victims, the accused and the witnesses feel safe”.

In addition, the court has passed directions necessary to ensure a speedy trial too: day today hearings, no unnecessary adjournments, and no delay between the examination of witnesses and their cross examination.

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In a departure from the rule that the prosecutor is appointed by the State to which a case is transferred, the apex court has allowed J&K to appoint a public prosecutor to conduct this case.

The trial will also be in camera.

The court’s directions should in spire confidence in the justice system and instil courage among the witnesses.

It is now up to the investigators and prosecutors to ensure that the guilty are punished.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

LOSS OF INNOCENTS

Why in news?

The wave of lynchings in Tamil Nadu demands a firm response from the police.

What was the incident about?

Three recent incidents of lynching in Tamil Nadu, unrelated except for the mindless violence and brutality, are grim reminders of the power a mob can wield.

While arrests have been made in all three cases, and warnings issued by law enforcement authorities, the incidents are a cause for pause.

On Wednesday night, a mob in Pulicat, north of Chennai, beat up a 45 year old homeless man.

They woke him up as he slept on a bridge, beat him up and then hung him from it.

Villagers justified this by saying they thought he was a child kidnapper.

Earlier, about 240 km south of Pulicat, a 55¬ year old woman, who had gone with her relatives to a village in Tiruvannamalai district in search of a temple, was beaten to death.

Her companions were injured.

While asking a villager for directions, she had shared chocolates with children playing nearby.

Locals say they mistook this as the action of kidnappers trying to lure children, and chased the car the group was travelling in to thrash them.

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In end April, a 30 year old north Indian man died in a town in Vellore district after he was beaten up by residents who mistook him for a burglar.

Such instances of mob madness require a firm response from the police, one that signals that those who dispense such ‘instant justice’ will be severely punished.

Equally, there needs to be continued responsiveness on the part of the local administrations in dealing with anxiety and suspicion in local communities.

How modern technologies are a major reason for these incidents?

The police say the trigger for the lynchings could be a rash of xenophobic messages circulating on WhatsApp warning that “north Indians” are looking to kidnap children in Tamil Nadu.

They subsequently issued warnings that strict action would be taken against those who forward such messages, including by invoking the Goondas Act.

At least one rumour monger has been arrested.

The social media, by its very nature, enables the unchallenged dissemination of unverified information, and its regulation presents a challenge to law enforcement.

It is important to analyse such incidents to understand the underlying anxieties and the drift of troublemaking attempts.

While fear mongering is typically undertaken on social media, the counter information campaign needs to be publicly broadcast and confidence fostered at the level of the police station so that residents feel free to approach the authorities to verify the messages or seek protection.

But the signal must also be sent out in no uncertain terms that lynchings amount to murder or attempt to murder.

Mobs are amorphous units that confer anonymity on perpetrators, emboldening them, on the spur of the moment, to collectively commit vile acts without a sense of individual guilt.

The state needs to break this pattern through demonstrable action against perpetrators, and widely disseminate news of action taken against the guilty.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

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THE MEGHALAYA EXAMPLE

Why in news?

As the first State to pass a social audit law, its experience is instructive on how to increase awareness of entitlements.

How significant is the step all about?

When the distribution register of food grains under the National Food Security Act was read out, there was an uneasy silence.

One woman raised her hand to say that the dealer had been charging her more than what was recorded.

The dealer, the wife of the village headman, reminded people that they had agreed to pay more to make up for transportation losses.

When the whole hall erupted in cheers of unanimous support for the dealer and disapproval for her act of apparent disloyalty in saying what she did, she stood and softly said on the mike, “I am not complaining. I am only stating the truth”.

The soft voice of Margaret Shabong was the loudest affirmation of what social audits stood for - speaking truth to power.

Her individual act of stating the truth led to an administrative decision of preventing roll over of transportation costs of food grains to the citizen.

The village eventually applauded her, as she spoke again and stood her ground, and a mature deliberative democracy demonstrated its potential in a remote Khasi village.

How progressive is Meghalaya?

In April 2017, Meghalaya became the first State in the country to pass a social audit legislation, the Meghalaya Community Participation and Public Services Social Audit Act.

This Act mandated social audits across 21 schemes and 11 departments.

Later in the year, the Meghalaya government decided to pilot social audits in a campaign mode to unpack the modalities that would have to be institutionalised across the State for meeting the mandate of the legislation.

Eighteeen villages representing Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills were selected for the pilot.

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The process began in the third week of November 2017, and culminated with public hearings in 18 villages.

How the state is steering a new revolution?

The Meghalaya exercise demonstrated how social audits can be developed as an ongoing process through which citizens participate in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the programme.

Meghalaya is a Sixth Schedule Area, so the audits had to be built on traditional tribal institutions, leveraging their inherent strengths and facilitating their engagement with contemporary democratic practices.

The audits were deliberately positioned to be a platform for sharing information about schemes, and enhancing awareness amongst people about their entitlements; detecting beneficiaries who were eligible, but had been left out; recording people’s testimonies; identifying priorities for inputs for planning; registering of grievances; and pinpointing systemic shortcomings.

The critical requirement of recording financial and procedural irregularities and deviations between fact and record remained a core part of the exercise.

The audits helped identify and bring about evidence-based policy changes.

How social audit help a change in policy inputs?

More than 21 issues were identified based on pilots alone that needed a change in policy, in the interest of the community.

For instance, several instances of local discretion in drawing up pension beneficiary lists for the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and the Chief Minister Pension Programme were recorded, because the CM pension provided twice as much remuneration as the NSAP.

At a culmination meeting, the government announced parity between the two schemes, benefiting thousands of pensioners.

How useful are citizen oversight?

In India today, there is a growing acknowledgement of social audits as a credible means of institutionalising citizen oversight.

There is therefore an urgent need to come up with a working protocol for facilitating social audits across a range of interventions.

The experience of Meghalaya has taught us how social audit is intrinsically related to processes of community participation and grievance redress.

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The Meghalaya pilots have also helped formulate a practical framework through which that can be done.

Draft rules were prepared on the basis of consultation.

By passing and rolling out a social audit law, Meghalaya has made a breakthrough in the framework of accountability to the people.

Social audit is much more than just a tool of “good governance”.

Knowing the reluctance of most government establishments to share power or become accountable, this initiative is unlikely to spread or become robust, unless driven by citizens groups.

Civil society needs to shape the social audit campaign, be a watchdog, and staunchly protect the independence of the process.

Social audits must become part of the demand for effective legislation for the whole country.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

THE NIPAH TEST

What is the issue?

Age-old practices of infection control are crucial to limit the deadly outbreak.

How the virus caused a state of emergency?

The outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus around Kozhikode, Kerala, is a test of India’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies.

In 2018, the World Health Organisation listed Nipah as one of the 10 priority pathogens needing urgent research, given its ability to trigger lethal outbreaks and the lack of drugs available against it.

As an RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus, Nipah has an exceptional rate of mutation - that is, it can easily adapt to spread more efficiently among humans than it does now.

Such an adaptation would result in a truly dangerous microbe.

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How deadly is Nipah virus?

Nipah already kills up to 70% of those it infects, through a mix of symptoms that include encephalitis, a brain inflammation marked by a coma state, disorientation, and longlasting after effects, such as convulsions, in those who survive.

Thankfully, in most outbreaks in South Asia so far the virus has displayed a “stuttering chain of transmission”.

This means that once the virus spreads from fruit bats, its natural reservoir, to humans, it moves mainly to people in close contact with patients, such as hospital staff and family care givers.

But these care givers are at high risk, because the sicker the patients become, the more virus they secrete.

Preliminary reports suggest that the Kozhikode outbreak is also displaying a stuttering chain of transmission.

Of the 11 confirmed Nipah fatalities, three were from the same family.

While researchers are still investigating how they were exposed, a bat colony living in a well in the family’s yard is a strong suspect.

How is the wave of spread?

This fits in with how outbreaks have historically begun in the subcontinent.

In a 2007 outbreak in Nadia, West Bengal, for example, patient zero is believed to have acquired the virus from palm liquor contaminated by bat droppings.

The next wave of infections have historically occurred among close contacts and care givers, such as nurses; the same pattern has been detected in Kozhikode as well.

But these are preliminary reports, and new information may change what we know about the present virus.

Several patients with symptoms of infection are under observation.

Only when clinical investigations are complete can it be determined how contagious the virus really is.

If it is found travelling over long distances, the authorities will have to be ready with strategies to combat its spread.

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What is the good news?

The good news is that Kerala’s public health systems have acted with extraordinary effciency so far.

Doctors identified the virus in the very second patient, a diagnostic speed unrivalled in developing countries.

This must be commended, but big challenges remain.

What are the cautionary steps necessary to be taken?

The death of a nurse shows that health care workers may not be taking adequate pre-cautions when dealing with patients, by using masks and following a strict hand wash regimen.

The virus has no speciality treatment.

The best defences against it are the age old principles of infection control, which Indian hospitals have not mastered as yet.

Kerala’s health authorities must ensure these principles are widely adopted, and no preventable transmission takes place.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE

Why in news?

There must be a thorough inquiry into the lead ¬up to the deaths in Thoothukudi.

How the peaceful protests spiralled into a violent one?

The protest against the copper smelter plant of Sterlite Copper in Thoothukudi has witnessed its deadliest turn so far, with the death of 12 people in police firing.

It was clear the movement would put up a show of strength on May 22, the 100th day of this phase of protests - in fact, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had predicted that it was “likely to trigger a law and order situation” and declared that the “protesters do not have any intention of conducting a peaceful protest”.

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Yet, the Tamil Nadu government failed to gauge the intensity of what was coming.

It is a tragic irony that such an angry and violent demonstration could have been staged at a time when the plant is not operational and after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board refused to renew its consent to operate.

It raises questions about the government’s failure to drive this point home forcefully, and casts a doubt about the real intent of some of the protesters, possibly a small section comprising hard line groups.

The immediate task is to compensate the public for its losses and end the alienation of the affected communities through talks.

What should be the course of action?

But the commission of inquiry headed by retired judge Aruna Jagadeesan must examine why 12 lives were brutally snuffed out, more specifically, the chilling accusation that snipers were deployed by the police force to pick out protesters in a premeditated manner.

Any police response must be commensurate with the gravity of the situation; there is no place for heavy-handedness and a disproportionate use of force.

The inquiry must establish who gave the orders to fire and on what basis.

Also, why the police failed to intervene well before the protest developed an angry head of steam.

What is the status of the plant?

Sterlite stakes claim to be India’s largest copper producer and is a major presence in Tamil Nadu’s industrial mix.

But it has had mixed fortunes over the two decades of its production, including periods when it was under administrative orders of closure, a `100 crore fine imposed for pollution by the Supreme Court in 2013, and consistent opposition from fisher men.

Now, there is a fresh injunction and the Madras High Court has restrained it from a proposed capacity expansion plan.

This, together with the decision to not renew consent for operation, gives a moment for pause for all sides.

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An urgent process, such as an all party meeting, is needed to heal the wounds, and infuse confidence in the community.

A credible environmental audit should be undertaken, without compromising on the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

The TNPCB, which usually scores poorly on transparency, should commission credible experts to assess the quality of air and water in Thoothukudi.

Only such verifiable measures will build public confidence, and make orderly industrialisation viable.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

WHY DUE PROCESS MATTERS

Why in news?

#MeToo without due process could subvert the goals and values of the rule of law, including equality.

How did the rules and laws turned a blind eye towards women issues?

The legal system has failed women in India.

In two recent cases, we saw even lawmakers and enforcers becoming perpetrators of sexual violence or defending the accused.

The chilling details of the Kathua and Unnao cases are telling but perhaps only the tip of the iceberg.

What is the state of law at present context?

It is in this context that those who support anonymous lists such as the list of “sexual harassers in academia” have debunked the call for “due process”.

They argue that due process has done too little for women who have chosen to complain against sexual harassment.

There is little hope from mechanisms such as the Internal Complaints Committee established under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Work place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal)

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Act of 2013, which, in effect, rely on due process principles like the presumption of innocence and a standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt.

The critique of due process is a sign of frustration with and disruption of the status quo.

Yet, if the critique debunks due process normatively, as part of our conception of the Rule of Law, substantive equality and transformative justice, we need to reconsider the critique.

What does rule of law stands for?

Due process, as part of the ideal of Rule of Law, means more than just a day in court for the victim or maintaining that the accused be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

In fact, as part of the Rule of Law, it means that all persons in a state are bound by and entitled to the equal benefit of laws publicly administered by courts.

Thus, our expectation from the Rule of Law should not only be to be governed by, but also be equally benefitted by the law.

This insistence on equal benefit of the law forms a part of the thick account of the Rule of Law, which embraces human rights, substantive equality and transformative justice.

Substantive equality it self is concerned with not only a redressal of structures of disadvantage, but also a sense of transformative justice, which seeks to overturn these structures and reimagine systems and practices which are defined by equal concern and respect for all.

Abandoning the principles of due process could lead to reform that is thin on these goals and values.

This is because the language of rights, especially gender equality, does not exist in a vacuum.

It comes from within the package of social justice norms, including a thick account of constitutional principles like the Rule of Law.

We cannot selectively apply these values to realise the goal of gender equality.


This matters to the feminist and social movements such as #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, or Occupy, because ultimately, their success depends on their transformative vision.

If we are to break the cycle of disadvantage for women and other disadvantaged groups, we need to be able to posit a transformative agenda which is both critical of due process here and now, and appreciative of its normative significance in struggles for equality and justice.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

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INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

CABINET APPROVES FORMATION OF TECHNICAL CADRE OF PESO

What Is It?

The Union Cabinet today approved formation of a group ‘A’ service of technical cadre of Petroleum and Safety Organisation (PESO) to be known as Indian Petroleum and Explosives Safety Service.

PESO is a subordinate office under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. It is a nodal agency for regulating safety of substances such as explosives, compressed gases and petroleum.

The measure will enhance the capacity and efficiency of the organisation and it will also enhance career progression of its Group ‘A’ officers.

The cabinet meeting approved the “cadre review and formation of Group ‘A’ service of the technical cadre” of PESO in the name of Indian Petroleum and Explosives Safety Service.

To remove acute stagnation in all grades and uplift the morale of the workforce and enhance its performance, it has been decided to form group ‘A’ service and restructure the newly-formed service.

Over the years, the role and responsibilities of PESO have increased manifold and expanded into diverse fields.

Today, the organisation deals with wide range of subjects related to explosives, petroleum, compressed gases, pressure vessels, gas cylinders, cross-country pipelines, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Auto Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Auto LPG).

Source: PIB

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ADDITIONAL 100 ONE STOP CENTRES TO BE SET UP FOR WOMEN SAFETY

What Is It?

As many as 100 additional districts would have One Stop Centres (OSC) aimed at supporting women affected by violence, as part of plans to cover all districts of the country in due course.

In the Programme Approval Board (PAB) meeting of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, 100 additional One Stop Centres have been approved in the states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

The OSCs aim to facilitate integrated services for violence-affected women like police assistance, medical aid, psycho-social counselling, legal aid/counselling and temporary stay for five days under one roof.

The government has already set up 182 centres since April 2015.

As per the Cabinet Decision in the meeting dated 21st April,2018 it was decided that in the coming years every district will be covered by one OSC and each OSC will be strengthened with an additional annual grant of Rs. 50,000 for immediate assistance for first aid.

Also, the scheme of Universalization of Women’s Helpline (181) of the Ministry that was also started in April, 2015 has now become operational in 30 States/UTs.

Every OSC is integrated to this Women Helpline. The Helplines have assisted over 16.5 lakh women so far.

Source: PIB

•••••••

TRAI RELEASES DRAFT OF TELECOM INTERCONNECTION REGULATION

What Is It?

The Indian telecom regulator on Tuesday released the draft amendment of telecommunication interconnection where it has set time-frame for provisioning of ports for initial interconnection and augmentation to be increased to a maximum 42 working days.

The draft said a service provider may request the other service provider for additional ports at a Point of Interconnection (POI), if the projected utilisation of the capacity of such


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POI at the end of 60 days from the date of placing the request, is likely to be more than 85 percent and such projected utilisation of the capacity of POI shall be determined on the basis of the daily traffic for the preceding 60 days at the POI during busy hour.

“Provided that the service provider shall request for such number of additional ports, which is likely to bring the utilisation of the capacity of such POI, at the end of sixty days from the date of making request, to less than 75 percent.

The TRAI said each service provider shall provide its forecast of busy hour outgoing traffic for each POI, at intervals of every six months, to the interconnecting service provider and the first such forecast shall be provided within 60 days of the commencement of “The Telecom Interconnection (Amendment) Regulations, 2018” and thereafter on the April 1 and October 1 every year.

It further added that the port charges and infrastructure charges for all ports provided before February 1, 2018 shall continue to be payable as per the terms and conditions which were applicable to them before February 1, 2018.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

UNION CABINET APPROVES ORDINANCE TO AMEND IBC (INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY CODE)

What Is It?

The Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

Union Cabinet approves ordinance to amend IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code).

Once the ordinance gets the President’s approval and the proposed changes will be incorporated in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

The amendment will pave way for home buyers to be treated at par with banks and institutional creditors.

It would provide a right to the homebuyers to initiate a resolution process against the bankrupt real estate companies and get their money back.

The changes were made to ensure that the wilful defaulters and those whose accounts had been classified as non-performing assets for more than a year, were barred from bidding for stressed assets.


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The amendment was made based on the suggestions of a 14-member committee appointed by the government

The Insolvency Law Committee had recommended to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs last month, that home buyers should be treated as financial creditors, which will allow them to equitably participate in an insolvency resolution process.

The Cabinet panel has also suggested relaxations for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) under the IBC.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

ISC STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN NEW DELHI

What Is It?

13th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council (ISC) was held in New Delhi.

The meeting was headed by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The meeting of the Standing Committee focuses on the volumes 6th and 7th of the Punchhi Commission’s report.

The Government of India constituted a Commission on Centre-State Relations under the chairmanship of Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi, former Chief Justice of India on 27th April 2007 to look into the new issues of Centre-State relations keeping in view the changes that have taken place in the polity and economy of India since the Sarkaria Commission had last looked at the issue of Centre-State relations over two decades ago.

Discussions were held on all the 273 recommendations of the Punchhi Commission.

All the recommendations that are finalized in the meeting will be placed before the Inter State Council for its decision.

The recommendations mentioned in the volume 6th of the Punchhi Commission report are related to-

Environment

Natural Resources

Infrastructure


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The recommendations mentioned in the volume 7th of the Punchhi Commission report are related to-

Socio-economic development

Public Policy

Good Governance

The Inter State Council is a non permanent constitutional body setup by a presidential order on recommendation of Sarkaria Commission under Article 263 of the constitution.

It aims to discuss or investigate policies, subjects of common interest, and disputes, among states.

Source: PIB

•••••••

PRAAPTI APP AND WEB PORTAL LAUNCHED FOR BRINGING TRANSPARENCY IN ELECTRICITY PAYMENTS TO GENERATORS

What Is It?

A Web portal and an App namely PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators), www.praapti.in, has beenofficially launched today by Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C) for Power .

PRAAPTI App and web portal has been developedto bring transparency in power purchase transactions between Generators and Discoms.

The App and Web Portal will capture the Invoicing and payment datafor various long term PPAs from the Generators.

This will help the stakeholders in getting month-wise and legacy data on outstanding amounts of Discomsagainst power purchase.

The app will also allow users to know the details related to the payments made by the Discoms to the power generation company and when they were made.

PRAAPTI will also enable the consumers to evaluate financial performance of their Discoms in terms of payments being made to the generation companies.

The Portal would also help DISCOMs and GENCOs to reconcile their outstanding payments.


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The portal would facilitate relative assessment of various State DISCOMs on “Ease of making payments” to various Generation Companies, and will also help make transactions in the power Sector more transparent.

Source: PIB

•••••••

INDIA, WORLD BANK INK $21.7 MILLION LOAN AGREEMENT FOR RAJASTHAN’S PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROJECT

What Is It?

An Agreement for IBRD Credit of USD 21.7 Million from World Bank for the Strengthening of Public Financial Management in Rajasthan Project was signed here today in New Delhi by Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (FB and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Hisham Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank.

The Implementing Entity Agreement was signed by the Secretary, Finance (Budget) on behalf of the Government of Rajasthan, and the Acting Country Director (India) on behalf of the World Bank.

The Project size is approximately USD 31 million, of which USD 21.7 million will be financed by the World Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded-out of the State Budget. The Project duration is 5 years.

The Project objective is to contribute to improved Budget execution, enhanced accountability and greater efficiency in Revenue Administration in Rajasthan.

The Project involves Strengthening of the Public Financial Management Framework; Strengthening of Expenditure and Revenue Systems; and Project Management and Capacity Building among others.

Source: PIB

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BIHAR GOVERNMENT IMPLORES CENTRE FOR GRANTING THE SPECIAL CATEGORY STATUS FOR THE STATE

What Is It?

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has implored Centre for granting Special Category Status for the state. He asserted Special Category status to the state will it will enhance availability of resources by lowering state’s contribution in centrally sponsored schemes, improve access to external resources.

It will act as catalyst for private investment and will boost employment generation and improve life quality of people in the land locked state.

Special Category status

The concept of SCS was first introduced in 1969 by Fifth Finance Commission. It has been not mentioned in Constitution.

The rationale for special status was that certain states were historically disadvantaged in contrast to others, because of their inherent features, low resource base and cannot mobilize resources for development.

The decision to grant special category status was earlier with former Planning Commission body called the National Development Council (NDC).

NITI Aayog, which had replaced Planning Commission has no power to allocate funds for states falling under this category, therefore, now it is discretion of ruling party at Centre to dole out special favours to states.

Earlier, NDC accorded this status to states having hilly and difficult terrain, low population density or sizeable share of tribal population, strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries, economic and infrastructural backwardness and non-viable nature of state finances.

The 14th Commission also had recommended variables such as “forest cover” for devolution, with weightage of 7.5 in criteria to benefit north-eastern States.

What Special Category States have in common?

They are special in the sense that they have special socio-economic, geographical problems, high cost of production with less availability of useful resources and hence low economic base for livelihood activities. States under this category have low resource


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base and are not in position to mobilize resources for their developmental needs even though their per capita income may appear high.

NDC had accorded Special Category Status only to 11 states, out of 29 states to target fund flow for better balanced growth.

These states includes are seven states of North-East (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura), Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Other states are referred as General Category States (GCS).

Benefits to Special Category Status States

Special Category Status states are given favored treatment in respect of plan financing and financial devolutions as compared to General Category States (GCS).

According to Gadgil-Mukherjee formula for devolution of Central assistance for States plan as approved by NDC, 30 % of total funds is earmarked for Special Category States.

Special category States receive 90% central assistance as grant and just 10% as loan in composition of Central as loan in composition of Central assistance as compared to central assistance of 30% grant and 70% loan for Special Category States.

Moreover, these states get favored treatment from hands of Finance Commission in respect of devolution of Central tax revenues.

Many states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha are craving for Special Category State status because of nature of benefits these states are getting.

In response to demand of these states, Central Government held that 14th Finance Commission has effectively removed concept of Special Category States after its recommendations were accepted in 2015 and it has restricted it only to north-eastern and three hilly states.

Source: TOI

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LOCAL ECONOMY IN DISARRAY

What is the issue?

Twenty-five years after decentralised democratic governance was introduced, there is a need to look at why it has failed.

What is the history behind democratic decentralisation?

It’s been 25 years since decentralised democratic governance was introduced in India by the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendments, which came into force on April 24 and June 1, 1993, respectively.

The structural reforms that followed heralded an inclusive, responsive, participatory democracy which was tasked to deliver economic development and social justice at the grass-roots level.

These reforms did not mean de-concentration or delegation.

They were not even variants of fiscal federalism, which is much-theorised by Western public finance pundits and generally endorsed by their Indian counterparts.

The creation of lakhs of “self-governing” village panchayats and gram sabhas, with over three million elected representatives mandated to manage local development, was a unique democratic experiment in the contemporary world.

What is the significance of such amendment?

Parts IX and IXA of the Constitution, introduced following the two Constitution Amendments, initiated a process with standardised features such as elections every five years; reservations for historically marginalised communities and women; the creation of participatory institutions; the establishment of State Finance Commissions (SFCs), a counterpart of the Finance Commission at the sub-national level; the creation of District Planning Committees (DPCs); and so on.

Moving the 73rd Amendment Bill on December 1, 1992, the Minister of State in the Rural Development Ministry underscored the “duty on the Centre as well as the States to establish and nourish the village panchayats so as to make them effective-self-governing institutions.

Whether the stated objective really happened?

“Today, the moot question is, what impact has this reform package had on democratic practices in India?

Have these reforms ensured every citizen a comparable level of basic services irrespective of one’s choice of residential jurisdiction?


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While the economic reforms that were launched almost simultaneously with the decentralisation reforms made tremendous headway, making India the fastest-growing economy in the world today, local democracy has not much to write home about.

Given the unprecedented growth of the economy over the last 25 years, its limited success in ensuring primary health care, access to drinking water supply, street lighting, education, food security, and so on is an enigma.

The village panchayats have not succeeded in enhancing the well-being, capabilities and freedom of citizens.

What are the systemic failures involved?

While the economic reforms were championed by the political class and received support from the bureaucracy, there was no perceptible hand-holding and support by the States to foster decentralised governance.

The people’s planning in Kerala is a conspicuous exception.

From the beginning, whether it was postponing elections or the failure to constitute SFCs and DPCs, it became evident that States can violate the various provisions of Parts IX and IXA with impunity.

These are the provisions which envisage the delivery of social justice and economic development at the local level.

It appears that the judiciary has been indifferent to the two momentous amendments and their potential.

There was no institutional decentralisation except in Kerala.

The roles and responsibilities of local governments remain ill-defined despite activity mapping in several States.

States control funds, functions and functionaries, making autonomous governance almost impossible.

Most States continue to create parallel bodies (often fiefdoms of ministers and senior bureaucrats) that make inroads into the functional domain of local governments.

For example, Haryana has created a Rural Development Agency, presided over by the Chief Minister, to enter into the functional domain of panchayats.

Legislative approval of these parallel bodies legitimises the process of weakening decentralised democracy.

Increasing allocations to Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme, or MPLADS, which started in 1993, and their State-level counterparts, known as the MLALADS, hastened the process of euthanasia.


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There is no mandate to create a DPC tasked to draft a district development plan that takes into account spatial planning, environmental conservation, rural-urban integration, etc.

In States like Gujarat, the DPC has not been constituted.

A potential instrument to reduce growing regional imbalances is left to rot.

What is the needed continuity and change?

Following the Constitution Amendments, Article 280, establishing the Finance Commission, was amended to add 280 (3) (bb) and (c), designed to empower the third tier.

Following the recommendation of the 11th Finance Commission, there were reforms in budget and accounting, and efforts towards streamlining the financial reporting system at the local level.

Even so, there is no credible fiscal data base and budget system among local governments now.

That accountability arrangements remain very weak even after 25 years shows a lack of will.

The 13th Finance Commission made significant steps to carry forward decentralised governance by linking the grants to local governments to the divisible pool via Article 275 besides taking various measures to incentivise the process of decentralisation.

The 14th Finance Commission enhanced the grant substantially but did not take the change forward.

The Terms of Reference of the 15th Finance Commission, which sought to abolish Article 275 and ignore an integrated public finance regime, do not seem to opt for continuity.

How the landmark reform failed to help depressed class?

Despite the reservation of seats for Adivasis, Dalits and women, these categories remain on the periphery, often as victims of atrocities and caste oppression rather than as active agents of social change.

This means that involving women’s agencies and the marginalised to lead social transformation at the grass-roots level remains an uphill task.

How financial autonomy is lacking?

Even after 25 years, local government expenditure as a percentage of total public sector expenditure comprising Union, State and local governments is only around 7% as compared to 24% in Europe, 27% in North America and 55% in Denmark.

The own source revenue of local governments as a share of total public sector own source revenue is only a little over 2% and if disaggregated, the Panchayat share is a negligible


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0.3% (several States like Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana have abolished property taxes and others do not collect taxes).

This speaks of the fiscal weakness of village panchayats.

Local democracy in India is in deep disarray.

Will the Prime Minister take time to look into this pathology and take remedial action in the interest of democracy, social inclusion and cooperative federalism?

Source: The Hindu

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ACTING AGAINST A JUDGE

Why in news?

The failed bid to initiate the impeachment process for the removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has also drawn attention to the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.

What does the act say?

A procedural statute, it regulates “the procedure for the investigation and proof of the misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court and for the presentation of an address by Parliament to the President and for matter, connected therewith”.

It covers the stages between the admission of the removal motion and the address of the motion in the Houses of the Parliament.

Section 3 describes the investigation into the charges by a committee of three members, who would be selected by the Chairperson or Speaker.

Once formed, the committee will frame definite charges against the judge on the basis of which the investigation is proposed to be held.

Such charges, together with a statement of the grounds on which each such charge is based, shall be communicated to the judge.

The judge will then be given a reasonable opportunity to present a written statement in his or her defence within the time specified by the committee.


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In case the judge denies that he or she is unable to discharge the duties of office “efficiently” due to any physical or mental incapacity, the committee will arrange for the medical examination of the judge by such medical board as may be appointed for the purpose by the Speaker or Chairman.

If the judge refuses to undergo the examination considered necessary by the medical board, the board shall submit a report to the committee stating the case.

The committee may, on receipt of such report, presume that the judge suffers from physical or mental incapacity as alleged in the removal motion.

The committee may, after considering the written statement of the judge and the medical report, if any, amend the charges.

In such a case, the judge would be given a reasonable opportunity of presenting a fresh written statement of defence.

The government, if required by the Speaker or the Chairperson, can appoint an advocate to conduct the case against the judge.

The judge must also be given opportunity to cross examine witnesses.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the committee is to submit a detailed report to the Speaker or Chairperson.

If the report has a finding that the judge is guilty of any misbehaviour or suffers from an incapacity, then, the removal motion shall, together with the report of the committee, be taken up for consideration by the House or the Houses of Parliament in which it is pending.

Source: The Hindu

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POLL POSITION

Why in news?

Citing the Karnataka poll to delay the Cauvery scheme is a poor excuse.

Why is this a bad precedent?

The Centre’s excuse for being unable to submit a draft scheme on the Cauvery issue is so poor that it will convince nobody.

That it was extremely reluctant to take a decision which could have electoral repercussions in Karnataka, which goes to the polls on May 12, is well known.


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But the Attorney General’s explanation that the draft scheme could not be readied because the Prime Minister and other ministers were busy “travelling” in Karnataka is laughable.

While the world of politics is sometimes ruled more by expediency than law, the Centre has cut a sorry figure by admitting in court that its leaders are too preoccupied with an election campaign to fulfil a court directive - one over which it could be punished for contempt.

That the Attorney General asked for the contempt petition to be taken up a day after the Karnataka election gives the game away.

How Centre is outweighing peoples wishes for its own aspirations?

There are several reasons why the Centre’s stand is legally untenable and morally wrong.

First and foremost, the framing of a scheme to implement a river water tribunal’s award is the Centre’s statutory obligation, and it is not open to the government to weigh its political or electoral implications in the face of such a deadline.

Besides, the plea that the Prime Minister and the Union Minister concerned were unavailable is questionable - a day before the submission was made, the Cabinet had met and announced important decisions.

How Supreme Court is reacting to these flawed arguments?

In its verdict on February 16, 2018, the apex court granted six weeks’ time to the Centre for framing the scheme.

It added for good measure that no extension of time would be granted on any ground.

Yet, on the eve of the expiry of the deadline, the Union government chose to file an application seeking three more months.

Tamil Nadu filed a contempt petition.

In its application for more time, the Centre had mentioned that it had convened a meeting of representatives of the four States and had also cited the differences of opinion among the States over the composition of the proposed mechanism.

There was at least a ring of truth to this, given that consulting the parties over the composition of the scheme was necessary to frame it.

Even then, the Supreme Court was unimpressed; it had asked the Centre to prove its bona fides by submitting a draft scheme on May 3.


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That it not only failed to do so, but also chose to cite the Prime Minister’s preoccupation with the campaign is bound to raise questions about its commitment to impartial governance and its disdain for judicial orders.

The Centre’s attitude suggests that it hopes to persuade the court that a degree of political expediency in the light of the election is normal and acceptable.

Source: The Hindu

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COLLECTIVE ASSERTION

Why in news?

The propriety of the Centre holding back names from the collegium’s list is in question.

How the executive is impinging the rights of the judiciary?

It may no longer be possible for the Union government to delay Justice K.M. Joseph’s elevation to the Supreme Court.

The five member collegium has unanimously agreed, in principle, to reiterate its recommendation to appoint the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court as a judge of the Supreme Court.

When reiterated unanimously, the Centre is bound to act on the collegium resolution, going by the law laid down by the Supreme Court in the Third Judges Case of 1998.

The Centre, which denies that its objection had anything to do with Justice Joseph’s decision in 2016 to quash the imposition of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand, ought not to delay his appointment once the reiteration is formally made.

However, it is puzzling that the collegium didn’t send its reiteration to the Centre immediately.

It has decided that his name would be part of the next set of recommendations, which would include proposals to elevate the Chief Justices of some more high courts.

One explanation for this could be that the collegium wants to address the concern the Centre has indirectly raised about the need for fair representation to all high courts.

While objecting to Justice Joseph’s appointment on the ground that he was not senior enough, the Centre spoke about ‘excessive representation’ that a relatively ‘small’ high court (the Kerala High Court) may get after his appointment.


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How the executive is ousting the old norm?

While the unanimous reiteration may end the current controversy, there is a larger issue here: the propriety of the Centre holding back one or two names from a list of recommendations and clearing the rest.

Justice Joseph’s name was sent along with that of senior advocate Indu Malhotra in January, but the Centre took three months to act on it.

It cleared her name alone, while seeking reconsideration of Justice Joseph’s name.

That it has a right to raise a particular judge’s case is beyond question, but selectively approving some names from a batch of recommendations can make a difference to the seniority of the judges concerned - especially when seniority is the sole consideration for appointment of the Chief Justice as well as membership of the collegium.

In a judge recommended system of appointments, one that is peculiar to India, differences over particular candidates cannot be avoided, but it ought to be possible for the two sides to minimise these differences and act expeditiously.

The onus is more on the government of the day to ensure it is not seen as blocking the appointment of anyone the judges themselves have found fit and deserving.

It does not augur well for the institution if the present consultative process, admittedly not an ideal one for a diverse democracy, is seen to be vitiated by executive intransigence.

Source: the Hindu

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ALIEN VS ALIEN

Why in news?

The propriety of the Centre holding back names from the collegium’s list is in question.

What does the new amendment bill state?

In Assam, where illegal migration, in fact as well as in exaggeration, has defined the political landscape since the 1980s, public hearings and meetings held by a Joint Parliamentary Committee over the Citizen ship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, have inevitably taken place in a charged atmosphere.

Parties and civil society groups have argued that the Bill provides legitimacy to Hindus who have migrated from Bangladesh post1971.


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It precludes individuals from six religious minorities from three “Muslim dominant countries” (Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan) from being defined as “illegal immigrants” under the Foreigners Act, 1946.

The intent behind this Bill, promised by the BJP in the run up to the 2014 general election, is to clear a path to citizen ship for minorities persecuted in the three countries.

The National Register of Citizens, on the other hand, does not distinguish migrants on the basis of religion and regards all post March 24, 1971 migrants, irrespective of their religion, as illegal aliens who need to be deported.

Clearly, the Bill is seen by detractors to be breaking the general consensus on the NRC forged after years of political differences and legal challenges to the Assam Accord, of which the ongoing exercise to update the register is an outcome.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has responded saying his government will continue to protect the rights of the citizens, and hinted that the JPC should take the detractors’ views on board.

What are the issues with the bill?

The Bill is indeed discriminatory and problematic in limiting accelerated citizenship to non Muslims.

As the case of the Rohingya highlights, Muslims in neighbouring countries who are fleeing persecution are being denied refuge in India currently.

Besides, the detractors, although some of their objections stem from a native chauvinism, have a point.

The Bill conflates the definition of migrants, people who shift voluntarily, with that of refugees, who are forced to do so under duress giving them a claim to humanitarian protection.

The NRC puts the onus on migrants to prove their status of residence prior to 1971 based on a series of documents that would lead to registration as a citizen.

The Bill seeks to bring in considerations of religious identity.

There are unresolved issues with the NRC process as well.

There is the question of modalities of deportation, which would involve negotiations with Bangladesh.

As of now Assam has six detention centres for illegal migrants.

If the NRC process identifies more illegal aliens for deportation, they would have to be detained in such centres and there is no knowing how long they would have to stay there.


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Besides, the implementation of the Bill will mean non Muslims will not be subject to these steps, thereby clearly discriminating against Muslims identified as illegal aliens.

The Centre needs to apply much more thought before pushing the Bill, for its contradictions in Assam and for its larger religious assumptions.

Source: The Hindu

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STEERING REFORMS IN CLOGGED COURTS

What is the issue?

The spotlight was on the Bombay High Court in early May when one of its judges sat well past midnight hearing cases before the month-long summer break kicked in.

Why is this a big issue?

While this was a rare occasion in the court’s 156-year history, the incident highlights the systemic issues common to courts in India.

Ad hoc measures such as what the judge did, though laudable and well meaning, hardly resolve these issues.

Instead, they can only be addressed through a transformation of court processes.

What are the areas of concern?

While there is general acceptance that the Indian judicial system suffers from case delay and the use of antiquated methods, the discourse on judicial reform remains focussed on areas such as appointments and vacancies.

It is time that organisational barriers and court processes that also contribute to case delay are studied.

We focus on two areas that greatly affect court efficiency: case listing practices and court infrastructure.

The need to scientifically determine how many cases should be listed per day cannot be stressed enough.

It is not uncommon to see over 100 matters listed before a judge in a day.

When a judge is pressed for time, not only does the quality of adjudication suffer but it also means that several cases will inevitably go unheard.


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Matters listed towards the end (usually cases near the final stage of hearing) tend to be left over at disproportionate rates and often end up getting stuck in the system.

The consequences are manifold, affecting judges, lawyers, registry staff and, ultimately, case disposal.

The uncertainty around which cases will come up for hearing means neither judges nor lawyers can plan their preparation.

This situation compels lawyers to waste time waiting in court and enables them to cite the simultaneous listing of multiple cases as an excuse for adjournments.

Registry staff must manage the massive task of re-listing leftover matters in an already bulging docket, instead of streamlining case flow.

The second issue is infrastructure: from inadequate support staff for judges to the dearth of basic courtroom facilities.

Without research and secretarial support, judges are unable to perform their functions in a timely manner.

For instance, in a private interview, a judge said that even though he managed to hear close to 70 cases in a day, it took two days for the stenographers to finish typing the orders.

A 2016 report published by the Supreme Court showed that existing infrastructure could accommodate only 15,540 judicial officers against the all-India sanctioned strength of 20,558.

The lack of infrastructure also raises serious concerns about access to justice.

A recent Vidhi study on district courts in the National Capital Region found that even basic needs such as drinking water, usable washrooms, seating and canteen facilities are often not available in court complexes.

Solutions for such challenges will require a fundamental shift in how courts are administered.

Why modernisation is necessary?

Courts must become more open to applying management principles to optimise case movement and judicial time.

In this, external support agencies competent in strategic thinking should be allowed to work with judicial officers to understand and help the institution function better.

This is already a widely-adopted practice in executive departments across the country.

Courts have partially realised this need and created dedicated posts for court managers (MBA graduates) to help improve court operations.


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But more often than not, court managers are not utilised to their full potential, with their duties restricted to organising court events and running errands.

Judicial policy makers will also have to expand their reliance on empirical data and courtroom technology.

On the former, there appears to be little quantitative evidence available to back judicial policies, from how long cases at various stages actually stay in the case pipeline to audits of judicial infrastructure.

Recording and analysing appropriate court-related data is thus the first step in addressing any problem that plagues courts - from arriving at reasonable case listing limits to improving infrastructure.

Second, court processes must be modernised, and the role of technology is critical.

Courts have taken various initiatives over the years to digitise case records and filing; the case information system (CIS) 2.0 is currently being implemented across the country.

But as a judge rightly pointed out, using technology in courts cannot remain limited to digitising records alone but must affect how cases actually move through the system.

Initiatives such as CIS must be supplemented with file-tracking and knowledge management systems, to help courts achieve an optimal level of functioning.

For courts in India to dispense speedy justice, there must be a change in leadership thought and the willingness to seek help where it is evidently required.

Source: The Hindu

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UNIFORM CIVIL CODE

What is the issue?

Muslim Indians should accept a uniform civil code that promotes gender justice and social equality.

Why is UCC a must to bring equality?

The argument for a uniform civil code (UCC) is irrefutable in a


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modern nation state as long as it is rational, non discriminatory and promotes social equality and gender justice.

Multiple legal codes flout the principle of equality before the law.

Neither Hindu nor Muslim personal law is divinely ordained.

Both are products of the Indian legal system as it evolved under the Raj.

How did the personal laws evolve?

In 19¬56, Parliament passed a series of acts to reform legal practices governing Hindus during British rule.

These collectively constitute Hindu Personal Law.

Muslim Personal Law was codified by the Central Legislature in 1937 in order to impose uniformity through out British India.

Parliament could have revamped it in the 1950s as it did Hindu law but for Jawaharlal Nehru’s belief that the Muslim minority, who were traumatised post¬ Partition, should not be made subject to the decisions of a Hindu majority legislature.

Nehru wanted the demand for reform to come from Muslims.

Unfortunately, in part because of the Congress’s cooption of the most conservative Muslim leaders, this never materialised.

Even the reform of Hindu law was almost derailed thanks to powerful conservative Hindu opponents such as President Rajendra Prasad.

Nehru had to make many concessions, including retaining tax benefits for the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), to get it passed.

The UCC must eliminate the HUF.

What are the issues with Muslim personal law?

The refusal of Muslims to adopt changes in their personal law was in large part the result of post Partition insecurity, which was aggravated when Hindu communal forces became the foremost proponents of an UCC.

Most Muslim Indians are ignorant of the fact that from the 18th century onwards, British judges decided cases involving Muslims based on their meagre understanding of Islamic legal texts.

This corpus of legal precedents came to be termed as Anglo Mohammedan Law, which forms the basis of Muslim Personal Law.

Muslim leaders also refused to recognise that precedents from the classical age of Islam were products of their historical context and not necessarily valid across time and space.


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In order to understand Prophet Mohammad teachings, we must distinguish between essential Islamic principles and the historical circumstances in which they were applied.

The implementation of Islamic precepts must be sensitive to changing times.

One deciphers two principal socio moral lessons in Islamic teachings: gender justice and social equality.

At a time when girl children were buried alive at birth, the Prophet declared that women could inherit property and that a wife’s assets belonged solely to her.

The Koran clearly states that all human beings are equal.

Consequently, Muslim Indians should have no qualms about accepting a UCC that promotes gender justice and social equality and does not discriminate on the basis of religion or caste.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••

THE SCIENCE OF ALTRUISM

Why in news?

Collective action protected humans from huge predators 10,000 years ago.

What does the research reveal?

Scientists from Bournemouth University, U.K., uncovered evidence of how human beings stalked a ground sloth, or a giant sloth, and outwitted and killed it.

The evidence was the fossilised footprints found beneath a vast salt flat in New Mexico.

These trackways are embedded in what was once a lake side, about 10,000¬-15,000 years ago, and contain a combination of human and ground sloth footprints, initially travelling in a straight line and ending in what appear like ‘flailing circles’.

Some human footprints lie on top of the now extinct ground sloth’s colossal ones.

From this, the scientists teased out the story of a hunt - one in which some humans worked collectively to distract, divert, attack and eventually kill the ground sloth - and published their analysis in Science Advances.

If such stalking behaviour had been prevalent, it shows how humans, despite being diminutive, could have overpowered huge animals such as the ground sloth and mammoth and even contributed to their extinction.


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In this case, some humans would have probably risked their lives by attracting the ground sloth’s attention and diverting it, while others from behind would have delivered the death blow.

Therefore, some humans were altruistic and risked their lives for the sake of the collective.

How altruism is found in natural beings?

Altruism in animals is not a new idea in science.

Well doumented and studied examples abound, such as of bees and ants not having their own ospring and spending their lives rearing the young ones of others.

They do this so that the kin, rather than the individual ant or bee, benefit from the sacrifice of personal wellbeing.

In such instances, the individual ant or bee’s genes are not passed on, but the ant or bee colony prospers.

What are the theories surrounding the concept?

The concepts of altruism and kin selection have been studied, accepted and formulated by many evolutionary biologists.

One of them was W.D. Hamilton (1936¬2000), who is considered the forerunner of sociobiology.

While pointing to specific behaviour in humans and trying to prove rigorously that such behaviour has a genetic root is not simple, the question is, what does science have to say about the glorification of competitive individualism?

The belief that only pure individualism is backed by science is a misreading of the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’.

As many writers and scientists have pointed out, there’s plenty of evidence and thought in science to say that kinship and kin selection are as important as the survival of the fittest individual.

And in this, the term ‘kin’ goes beyond family relationships such as of genetically close siblings, cousins and second cousins to refer to phenotypic closeness, which may be born of proximity rather than genotypic closeness.

Science tells us that 10,000 years ago, acting collectively protected humans from huge predators.

Today, collective action can help us tackle the enormous challenges facing us which seem impossible to overcome by individual efforts.

Source: The Hindu

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ECONOMY

NATIONAL DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS POLICY 2018 – DRAFT RELEASED BY DOT

What Is It?

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has released draft of new Telecom policy – National Digital Communications Policy, 2018.

This policy aims to unlock transformative power of digital communications networks to achieve the goal of digital empowerment and well-being of the people of India.

It aims to enhance contribution of digital communications sector to 8% of India’s GDP from around 6% in 2017.

It is an initiative by the Govt. to set up an effective institutional mechanism to protect consumers’ interests. This includes a Telecom Ombudsman and a centralised web based complaint redressal system.

Under the ‘National Broadband Mission – Rashtriya Broadband Abhiyan’ government has also set a goal to provide 1Gbps of internet speed to all gram panchayats in India by 2020.

Use of renewable energy technologies in the communications sector will be encouraged.

The Government will also prepare a roadmap to explore and utilise the opportunities presented by next generation-networks like 5G and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, internet of things, robotics, cloud computing etc.

Source: ET

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ECONOMY

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INDIA EMERGES AS FIFTH LARGEST MILITARY SPENDERS IN 2017: SIPRI

What Is It

US, China, and India have emerged as the world’s biggest purchasers of military equipment. According to the recent report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India’s defence spending increased by 5.5 per cent over 2016 and touched $63.9 billion- the fifth highest in the world after US, China, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The global military expenditure increased to $1.73 trillion- 2.2 per cent of the global GDP and 1.1 per cent over the expenditure in 2016. While the US spent a whopping $610 billion on its military, China spent $228 billion on its military needs.

China’s spending as a share of world military expenditure has risen from 5.8 per cent in 2008 to 13 per cent in 2017. India spent $63.9 billion on its military in 2017, an increase of 5.5 per cent compared with 2016, while South Korea’s spending, at $39.2 billion, rose by 1.7 per cent between 2016 and 2017,” the SIPRI report.

The increases in world military expenditure in recent years have been largely due to the substantial growth in spending by countries in Asia and Oceania and the Middle East, such as China, India, and Saudi Arabia,.

At the global level, the weight of military spending is clearly shifting away from the Euro–Atlantic region.’ While Russia spent $66.3 billion, Saudi Arabia ranked fourth with 69.4 billion.

According to the report- Seven of the 10 countries with the highest military burden are in the Middle East: Oman (12 per cent of GDP), Saudi Arabia (10 per cent of GDP), Kuwait (5.8 per cent of GDP), Jordan (4.8 per cent of GDP), Israel (4.7 per cent of GDP), Lebanon (4.5 per cent of GDP) and Bahrain (4.1 per cent of GDP).

Source: ET

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ECONOMY

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GST COUNCIL APPROVES SIMPLIFIED TAX RETURN FILING SYSTEM

What Is It

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council in its 27th meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced new and simplified return filing process. It was approved based on recommendations of Group of Ministers on IT simplification for GST implementation.

Under the revised rules, all taxpayers have to file their returns once a month, except those dealing in composition schemes and those who have zero tax liability.

A composition scheme allows taxpayers whose turnover is below 1 crore a year to pay the tax at a fixed rate.

The council also decided to change the ownership structure of the GST Network, a not-for-profit firm in which the central and state governments hold a 49% stake.

The GSTN was formed to provide shared information technology and other services to central and state governments, other stakeholders and taxpayers to implement the new regime.

The GST Council decided that central and state governments would acquire the remaining 51% stake in the GST Network amounting to Rs 5.1 crore, presently owned by private parties. This would make the GST Network a fully government-owned company.

The GST Network Board shall be allowed to continue the existing staff at existing terms and conditions for the a period up to five years, and shall have the flexibility of hiring people through contract on the terms and conditions similar to those used by the network till now while hiring regular employees.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that eventually, the state and central governments would each hold 50% stake in GST Network, ANI reported. “The collective share of the state governments will be prorata divided among the states in accordance with their GST ratios,” Jaitley added.

The finance minister said that the GST Council also expressed satisfaction at the revenue growth during the first year of the new tax regime.

Source: ET

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ECONOMY

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COMMITTEE CONSTITUTED TO LOOK INTO BLACK MONEY AND PERFORMANCE OF PSBS

What Is It

To study the recovery of black money and performance of public sector banks, a Parliamentary panel was constituted by the speaker of the Parliament.

Committee constituted to look into black money and performance of PSBs

It will be a 30-member Estimates Committee which would study a host of subjects related to various ministries in the year 2018-19.

It is also known as the Continuous Economy committee.

The panel will be headed by veteran BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi.

As per the memorandum of the committee, the panel will look into the import of uranium for nuclear plants, mining activities and environment, upgrading of Indian Post offices etc.

It will focus on the black money and the unaccounted money that was legitimised during the demonetization period as per RBI’s report.

It would suggest changes in policy or administrative framework to bring efficiency in expenditure.

The panel has also short listed preparedness of the armed forces, defence production and procurement as subjects to review and give suggestions to the government.

After the implementation of demonetisation, the issue of black money was looked into by the Public Accounts Committee.

Source: PIB

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RBI PUTS DENA BANK UNDER PCA (PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTION)

What Is It

Reserve Bank has initiated prompt corrective action against public sector lender Dena Bank.

It has restricted the bank from giving fresh credit and new hiring.

Dena Bank reported a further widening of its loss to Rs 1,225.4 crore in the March-ended quarter due to increasing bad loans.

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Bank’s asset quality has worsened with the gross NPAs increasing to 22.4% of the gross advances

Net NPAs also increased from 10.66% to 11.95%.

The RBI has initiated similar action against other public sector banks, including IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and UCO Bank before this.

RBI had last year also initiated Prompt Corrective Action for Dena Bank and imposed certain restrictions on the bank.

In April 2017, the RBI had issued a new set of enabling provisions under the revised PCA framework.

The revised framework comes with a clause that if the bank does not show improvement then it could be either be merged or be taken over by other bank

Source: PIB

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DELIVERING THE GOODS

What is the issue?

GST revenue increase suggests that indirect tax regime is overcoming teething problems.

How is GST implementation is helping the nation?

Collections from the Goods and Services Tax crossed the `1 lakh crore mark in April, according to data released by the Finance Ministry on tax receipts.

To be precise, the total revenue from the new indirect tax in April was `1,03,458 crore, the highest recorded in a single month since its implementation in July 2017.

Finance Minister has called this a “landmark achievement” and a “confirmation of in-creased economic activity”.

Separate data released last week suggest the number of registered taxpayers filing GST returns by the specified deadline has risen from 57% for July to nearly 63% for March.

And since many had consistently failed to meet the deadline in the initial months of confusion over the online returns filing system, it is heartening to note that by the final month of the financial year, they had caught up on their past arrears too.

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Overall tax compliance for July 2017 is now over 96% of registered taxpayers who are required to file, and ranges from 92% to 80% for each month, till December.

Further simplification of the returns, hanging fire for a while now, must be expedited to improve compliance.

Though it referred to the record GST collections as a sign of an upswing in the economy, the government, to be fair, also stressed that this number may be driven by the human tendency to wrap up pending official dues at the last moment - which in this case is the last month of the financial year.

Yet, even delayed compliance is a welcome ‘new normal’.

The revenue influx in April cannot be taken as a firm trend for the future.

But given the tumult the GST caused in its initial months and the fear of high evasion levels that gripped officials when revenues tumbled after three months of `90,000 crore plus collections, it is fair to say that the new tax system has ended its first three quarters on a robust note.

By virtue of just the April inflows, the average monthly collection has gone from `89,885 crore in the first eight months to over `91,300 crore.

This number is important, as by the government’s own reckoning the new regime needed to deliver about `91,000 crore a month to ensure that revenues lost by the Centre and the States under the earlier indirect tax system are covered.

Fresh anti evasion measures introduced in the past few weeks, such as the e-way billing to track movement of goods, could plug leakages to some extent.

The government is keen to start matching tax credits claimed by businesses for inputs from suppliers.

While these should boost GST revenues in the new financial year, nothing will beat fiscal stress better than a sustained revival in consumption and investment demand.

Policymakers need to ensure that the uptick in car sales and demand for steel and cement is catalysed further.

Source: The Hindu

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ECONOMY

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ONLINE RETAIL FLIP

Why in news?

Walmart’s controlling stake in Flipkart shows why the government must update policy.

How E-commerce sector is faring in India?

Indian ecommerce market, which accounts for less than a tenth of its overall retail opportunity, has just got a significant thumbs up from American super market giant Walmart.

It has announced a plan to buy a controlling stake of around 77% in home grown ecommerce firm Flipkart for a sum of $16 billion.

In the process, Walmart has pipped rival Amazon, which is just behind Flipkart when it comes to its share of the Indian ecommerce pie and has independently been vying to acquire the Bengaluru based company.

China’s Alibaba, with its investment in Paytm Mall, is vying to compete in the space as well, along with the likes of Snap deal, which around this time last year was being linked to a much speculated merger plan with Flipkart.

But the big battle for Indians’ retail space, for now, will play out between two of America’s biggest companies.

How E commerce sector has ousted traditional players?

Not surprisingly, traditional retail players have responded with willingness to adapt to this paradigm shift and consider strategic alliances with online rivals.

Interestingly, Walmart investors have voted against what they saw as an expensive bet, with the firm losing about $8 billion in value on the bourses after the deal was finalised.

Though retail may have changed shopping habits among swathes of Indians, it remains heavily dependent on discount peddling.

Flipkart, in particular, has reported accumulated losses of `24,000 crore.

How are the future prospects of E- commerce segment in India?

Walmart is betting on the future growth it can unlock from this full frontal entry into a market that has proved difficult despite its best attempts for over a decade.

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The company had entered India in 2007 but exited the joint venture with the Bharti group and restricted its operations to cash and carry stores, in the face of strict curbs on foreign direct investment (FDI) in the multi brand retail sector.

These restrictions, ostensibly to protect smaller retailers, have remained in place under the NDA government, belying expectations of a reset.

Facing heat at home from Amazon, which is now moving from online only to a brick and mortar plus e tail model, this is a vital time for Walmart to get into India’s business to consumer segment.

That this deal doesn’t ruffle extant policy restrictions, in fact, reveals the inefficiency of India’s approach to retail FDI in a rapidly changing global marketplace.

Local trade lobbies as well as swadeshi advocates are determined to resist the deal, while analysts are wondering how Walmart will turn around Flipkart’s cash burn rates.

However, for India’s policymakers, neither of these should matter.

It is important to assess if, and how, the U.S. firm will integrate Indian suppliers into its international operations.

Most importantly, it is time to nuance the debates that have dominated India’s retail FDI policy - big versus small, local versus foreign - to create a truly level playing field where all can compete, without artificial safeguards that can be overcome via such deals.

Source: The Hindu

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RUPEE ROUT

Why in news?

Slide of the currency and a widening trade deficit present the RBI with a huge dilemma.

How stable is India’s macro economy?

India’s macro economic threats lie exposed as it grapples with the rupee’s slide.

The currency sunk to a closing low of 68.07 against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, its lowest level in 16 months, before recovering slightly the next day.

The rupee, already one of the worst performing Asian currencies, has now weakened 6.2% in 2018.

The rise in crude oil prices through this year, amidst rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia and dwindling global supply, have obviously hurt the rupee and the trade balance.

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What is the situation of India’s exports?

Meanwhile, despite a depreciating currency, India’s merchandise exports are stumbling instead of gaining from the opportunity.

April clocked a sharp decline in exports from employment intensive sectors such as ready made garments and gems and jewellery, according to official data.

The trade deficit has consequently widened to $13.7 billion in April, compared to $13.25 billion in the same month in 2017.

The value of oil and petroleum product imports increased by 41.5% from last year to hit $10.4 billion.

How global economic situations affects India’s macro economic stability?

U.S. sanctions following Washington’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and a June 22 meeting of OPEC should drive oil price trends here on.

Oil prices apart, the tightening of U.S. monetary policy has almost always spelled trouble for emerging market economies hooked to Western capital inflows.

This time it is no different; capital out flows are scuppering the currencies of many emerging market economies.

As the U.S. Federal Reserve has come to adopt a more hawkish stance, investors in search of higher risk adjusted yields have started to pull money out of emerging markets.

How bond market is affected due to the global economic issues?

Yields on emerging market bonds have risen as investors sold them off aggressively.

The yield on the 10¬ year bond issued by the Indian government has risen to more than 7.8%, from 7.1% in early April.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pulled out `15,500 crore from India’s capital markets in April, which is the highest monthly outflow since December 2016.

Not surprisingly, about two thirds of the out flow was attributed to the bond market.

The current head winds from the reversal of capital flows were only to be expected.

India is better placed than countries such as Argentina or Turkey.

But that’s no reason to be complacent as external account risks can get out of hand very quickly.


A hike in the RBI’s benchmark interest rates could stem the capital exodus, but with core inflation picking up and the government keen on a rate cut as a growth catalyst, the RBI has an unenviable dilemma on its hands.

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Policy makers, blessed with relatively benign external economic conditions after the taper tantrum of 2013, will have to find means to spur exports - whether by facili-tating swifter GST refunds or taking on tariff and non tariff barriers from the developed world.

Efforts to diversify India’s energy basket also need greater stress.

Source: The Hindu

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ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

FIRST ORGANIZED CENSUS OF INDUS DOLPHINS IN PUNJAB

What Is It?

The first-ever census of the Indus Dolphins is being conducted by the Punjab Government in collaboration with the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) India.

The main aim behind the exercise is to establish the accurate population of the dolphins, in order to plan the conservation of the species accordingly.

It is the first organised census and would be conducted over a period of five days.

It will be conducted by two joint teams of Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation, Punjab and WWF-India.

Indus Dolphins are one of the rarest mammals found only in India and Pakistan. It is the National mammal of Pakistan.

The Indus dolphins are confined to only a 185 km stretch between Talwara and Harike Barrage in India’s Beas river in Punjab.

Dolphins are a key indicator of river health- if a river is healthy the dolphins will be there.

Indus Dolphin was also found in Sutlej decades back, but river pollution has caused its extinction in Sutlej.

Indus dolphins are one of the seven freshwater dolphins found across the world.


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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) suspects the population size of the Indus river dolphins has reduced by more than 50% since 1944.

Their numbers have declined dramatically after construction of irrigation system.

It listed by the IUCN as endangered on its Red List of Threatened Species.

Source: The Hindu

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NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAMME: NMCG APPROVES USED OF GIS TECHNOLOGY

What Is It?

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has partnered with board Survey of India, to facilitate the Ganga rejuvenation task under Namami Gange programme by using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. Through the project, NMCG aims to strengthen planning and implementation at national, state and local levels.

The project includes use of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) technology which ensures accurate data collection, an important aspect for river basin management planning.

DEM technology enables identification of entire topography of an area making it easy for policy makers to analyse the available data thereby supporting the decision-making process. Critical hotspots are also easily identified through this technology.

The use of GIS technology for Namami Gange programme will also ensure decentralisation. The data collected and subsequent actions taken by the government can easily be shared with the local public through geo portals and mobile apps.

The technology will also enable people to send their feedback up to the national level thereby providing an interactive and transparent platform. For effective discharge management, outlet of sewerage and other discharges from all units - industrial, commercial and all types of other institutions will be mapped from the source outlet to the public drainage network.

In addition, the high resolution GIS enabled data will help in regulating the proposed protected and regulatory zones along the banks of river.


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National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved a project to strengthen State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) of five main stem Ganga basin states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal so that they can frequently verify the quality of water in river Ganga and in case of any discrepancy appropriate action could be taken.

The identified laboratories for this purpose are to be equipped in terms of advanced instruments and equipments with well-trained scientific personnel to carry out the pollution assessment and water quality monitoring activities in respect of existing and emerging pollutants.

The strengthening of SPCBs will overcome the constraints of resources. This project has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs. 85.97 for five years.

Source: PIB

•••••••GREEN LICENCE PLATE FOR PRIVATE ELECTRIC VEHICLES APPROVED

BY THE GOVERNMENTWhat Is It?

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has recently approved distinctive green licence plates for electric vehicles.

This decision has been taken to promote electric vehicles in India.

Green licence plates bearing numbers in white fonts has been approved for private e-vehicles whereas yellow licence plates for taxis.

This would help in easy identification of electric vehicles.

Apart from that the electric vehicles will get preferential treatment in parking, free entry into certain proposed ‘congested zones’ along with proposed concessions in tolls on the current road networks.

This will help boost the growth of e-rickshaws, e-busses and e-taxis across India.

India at present has 1 to 1.5 lakh electric vehicles which is expected to grow to about 5% of the total vehicles in the next 5 years.

In 2017-18, out of the 24 million vehicles sold in India, only 1% were the electric vehicles.

The electric vehicles will help in bringing down vehicular pollution. Therefore it is necessary to promote e-vehicles.


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The government also announced its plan to allow youth of 16-18 years to drive electric scooters.

The government is also planning to exempt e-vehicles from permits with an aim to promote their use.

MoRTH will request Union Finance Ministry for 50% rate of depreciation on EVs as against the rate of 15% for conventional vehicles.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••ARUNACHAL PRADESH’S BIGGEST SOLAR POWER PLANT INAUGURATED

What Is It?

Arunachal Pradesh’s biggest solar power plant was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

The plant was inaugurated at the Energy Awareness Park in Itanagar.

The plant was commissioned on April 1 at an estimated investment of Rs 8.50 crore.

The project was implemented by the Arunachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency (APEDA).

It has a capacity of one megawatt and is a fully-automatic plant that will be able to run without manpower.

The plant has generated more than one lakh units of electricity from the date of its commissioning.

The import of energy from outside the state was reduced with the commissioning of the plant.

This helped in reducing the energy bill payable by Arunachal Pradesh.

It will also contribute in reduction of line losses as it is located in the load centre.

The state is working towards the fulfilment of the target set by the Centre for rural electrification within this year under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).

Till now, 10% off-grid power connectivity in villages of the state are being implemented by the APEDA.

The state government is planning to install solar plants in various health centres and upcoming mini-secretariats in the districts.

Source: Business Today

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GOVERNMENT ISSUES NATIONAL WIND-SOLAR HYBRID POLICY

What Is It?

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy here today. The objective of the policy is to provide a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid system for efficient utilization of transmission infrastructure and land.

It also aims at reducing the variability in renewable power generation and achieving better grid stability.

On technology front the Policy provides for integration of both the energy sources i.e. wind and solar at AC as well as DC level.

The Policy also provides for flexibility in share of wind and solar components in hybrid project, subject to the condition that, rated power capacity of one resource be at least 25 per cent of the rated power capacity of other resource for it to be recognised hybrid project.

The Policy seeks to promote new hybrid projects as well as hybridisation of existing wind/solar projects. The existing wind/solar projects can be hybridised with higher transmission capacity than the sanctioned one, subject to availability of margin in the existing transmission capacity.

The Policy provides for procurement of power from a hybrid project on tariff based transparent bidding process for which Government entities may invite bids.

Policy also permits use of battery storage in the hybrid project for optimising the output and further reduce the variability.

It mandates the regulatory authorities to formulate necessary standards and regulations for wind-solar hybrid systems.

With significant capacity additions in renewables in recent years and with Hybrid Policy aiming at better utilisation of resources, it is envisaged that the Hybrid Policy will open-up a new area for availability of renewable power at competitive prices along with reduced variability. A scheme for new hybrid projects under the policy is also expected shortly.

Source: PIB

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CABINET APPROVES NATIONAL POLICY ON BIOFUELS - 2018

What Is It?

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved National Policy on Biofuels – 2018.

Salient Features:

The Policy categorises biofuels as “Basic Biofuels” viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel and “Advanced Biofuels” - Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.

The Policy expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of Sugarcane Juice, Sugar containing materials like Sugar Beet, Sweet Sorghum, Starch containing materials like Corn, Cassava, Damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, Rotten Potatoes, unfit for human consumption for ethanol production.

Farmers are at a risk of not getting appropriate price for their produce during the surplus production phase. Taking this into account, the Policy allows use of surplus food grains for production of ethanol for blending with petrol with the approval of National Biofuel Coordination Committee.

With a thrust on Advanced Biofuels, the Policy indicates a viability gap funding scheme for 2G ethanol Bio refineries of Rs.5000 crore in 6 years in addition to additional tax incentives, higher purchase price as compared to 1G biofuels.

The Policy encourages setting up of supply chain mechanisms for biodiesel production from non-edible oilseeds, Used Cooking Oil, short gestation crops.

Roles and responsibilities of all the concerned Ministries/Departments with respect to biofuels has been captured in the Policy document to synergise efforts.

Expected Benefits:

Reduce Import Dependency: One crore lit of E10 saves Rs.28 crore of forex at current rates. The ethanol supply year 2017-18 is likely to see a supply of around 150 crore litres of ethanol which will result in savings of over Rs.4000 crore of forex.


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Cleaner Environment: One crore lit of E-10 saves around 20,000 ton of CO2 emissions. For the ethanol supply year 2017-18, there will be lesser emissions of CO2 to the tune of 30 lakh ton. By reducing crop burning & conversion of agricultural residues/wastes to biofuels there will be further reduction in Green House Gas emissions.

Health benefits: Prolonged reuse of Cooking Oil for preparing food, particularly in deep-frying is a potential health hazard and can lead to many diseases. Used Cooking Oil is a potential feedstock for biodiesel and its use for making biodiesel will prevent diversion of used cooking oil in the food industry.

MSW Management: It is estimated that, annually 62 MMT of Municipal Solid Waste gets generated in India. There are technologies available which can convert waste/plastic, MSW to drop in fuels. One ton of such waste has the potential to provide around 20% of drop in fuels.

Infrastructural Investment in Rural Areas: It is estimated that, one 100klpd bio refinery will require around Rs.800 crore capital investment. At present Oil Marketing Companies are in the process of setting up twelve 2G bio refineries with an investment of around Rs.10,000 crore. Further addition of 2G bio refineries across the Country will spur infrastructural investment in the rural areas.

Employment Generation: One 100klpd 2G bio refinery can contribute 1200 jobs in Plant Operations, Village Level Entrepreneurs and Supply Chain Management.

Additional Income to Farmers: By adopting 2G technologies, agricultural residues/waste which otherwise are burnt by the farmers can be converted to ethanol and can fetch a price for these waste if a market is developed for the same. Also, farmers are at a risk of not getting appropriate price for their produce during the surplus production phase. Thus conversion of surplus grains and agricultural biomass can help in price stabilization.

Source: PIB

•••••••INDIA-NETHERLANDS LAUNCHES CLEAN AIR INDIA INITIATIVE

What Is It?

India and the Netherlands will jointly launch an initiative on May 25 in Bengaluru to facilitate market access for startups in the two countries and promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

In an endeavour to further the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, Startup India under the ministry and the Dutch government are jointly launching the “Indo-Dutch #StartUpLink initiative”.


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It is developed for Indian and Dutch startups that are exploring each other’s markets and offers access to key information, relevant networks, pilot opportunities, and navigators.

The initiative will fulfil the twin objective of facilitating market expansion for startups in the two countries alongside fostering a joint sense of innovation and entrepreneurship.

This initiative, it said, is a multi-corporate challenge that will test and scale innovations through collaboration between startups, corporates and governments by providing pilot opportunities for promising innovations that solve the problem of pollution.

Shell E4 startup hub

As a partner for the Indo Dutch #StartUpLink, Shell has come on board with the aim of accelerating India’s transition to a sustainable energy future, Shell has established the Shell E4 startup hub to enable and empower energy entrepreneurs.

As the first energy focused startup hub in India, it said Shell E4 is uniquely positioned in offering startups access to infrastructure (labs and co-working space), industry knowledge, subject matter expertise, funding, global connections and brand recognition.

“In addition to the core offering, Shell will meet the needs of companies entering India by helping them with market assessment, business model development, regulatory and legal support, product/service development and testing, brand strategy and visual identity develop

Source: PIB

•••••••THE COST OF POLLUTION

Why is it a issue?

Pollution is a challenge to developing countries which try to achieve rapid economic development without adequately managing the environment.

Why pollution is a cause for concern?

In recent years, the pollution load has increased, sometimes beyond the carrying capacity of the environment.

Though various measures have been adopted to manage pollution, significant progress has not been achieved.

The government needs to rightly balance the environmental vs economic consideration, thereby giving a balanced sustainable and equitable economic growth prospects.


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What is environmental Kuznetsk curve?

India’s developmental activities are affecting the environment to a considerable extent, through over-exploitation of natural resources and indiscriminate discharge of waste.

This has been interpreted by the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis which suggests that as per capita income grows, the increase in environmental impact hits the maximum and thereafter declines.

According to the hypothesis, in the initial stages of economic growth, when more resources are used, there is greater waste generation and more emissions.

But when a country has achieved a certain level of development, pollution reduces with greater protection of the environment, technological improvements, diversification of the economy from manufacturing to services, and increasing scarcity and prices of environmental resources, leading to lower consumption.

What is the status of India in the curve?

India is on the upward part of the EKC.

For achieving sustainable development, it must move to the second stage.

However, it is not wise to wait for that stage.

India can’t ignore the environmental consequences of its rapid growth.

Over the last few decades, water-intensive and polluting industries such as textiles, leather, sugar and paper have shifted from developed to developing countries.

They withdraw huge quantities of water and discharge effluents without adequate treatment.

Before 1980, countries like the U.K. and the U.S. played a vital role in textile production and export.

But by 2000, their dominance had substantially reduced and the share of developing countries like India and China had increased.

One of the factors attributed to this shift is that there are relatively less stringent environmental policies in developing nations.

Countries like India are now manufacturing products which contribute to pollution for domestic and international markets.

At the household level, the economic loss on account of pollution includes the cost of treatment and wage loss during sickness.


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How pollution impacts society and individuals?

Pollution impacts ecosystems and related economic activities like agriculture and livestock.

Air pollution causes climate change.

Hence, pollution leads to the real and potential loss of the overall development opportunity in an economy.

Generally, pollution impacts the socially vulnerable and poor communities more due to their weak coping options.

When traditional drinking water sources get contaminated, the rich can buy packaged water.

But the poor cannot afford it and are hence compelled to use contaminated water.

They are also less aware of the health hazards caused by pollution.

Why tackling pollution is not done in developing countries?

Pollution is not a disease, it is only a symptom.

Hence, its root cause should be investigated.

For instance, in developing countries, water pollution has not been a major topic of political debate, but political instruments including Environmental Quality Objectives and Uniform Standards are in the political agendas of Western countries.

Natural resources management agencies have centralised structures and function without the consultation of multi stakeholders.

Emission-based standards have not been very effective so far, since they are rarely monitored and only occasionally enforced.

The ‘polluters pay’ principle is not in force.

For the most part, polluters are not willing to internalise the external and social costs.

Pollution is also neglected by funding agencies worldwide and by governments in budgets.

However, experiences from the U.S. and Europe reveal that pollution mitigation can yield large gains to human health and the economy.


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What are the remedial measures?

Economic growth is an inevitable requirement, but it need not be at the cost of health.

To tackle pollution, there should be public awareness about its consequences, adequate pollution-linked databases, integration of pollution prevention policies into the development sector, strict enforcement of pollution control policies, eco-friendly inputs in production, reliance on renewable energy, introduction of market-based/economic instruments (charges/taxes/levies, tradable permits, subsidies and soft loans), and increase in ecosystem resilience through the conservation of biodiversity.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••IN A STATE OF ENERGY POVERTY

Why in news?

There is now 100% village electrification in India, an important milestone in the country’s development trajectory.

How is country’s electrification since independence?

At the time of Independence, while the major global economies were completing electrification, India inherited what K. Santhanam, a member of the Constituent Assembly, called a ‘virgin field for electrification’.

In response to the regional imbalances in electrical development, led largely by the private sector, the Constituent Assembly set the ground for public sector-led electrification in the country.

But despite dedicated public agencies, a planned approach, a sustained political mandate and continued public spending by the Centre and States, India has been considerably slow in reaching the milestone.

Another important turnaround came last year when India claimed to be a net surplus and exporter of electricity (a scenario projected to continue for at least a decade).

What is the level of development till now?

But do these developments mark an end to India’s energy poverty?

India continues to harbour energy poverty; 31 million rural households and about five million urban households are still to be connected to the grid — the highest in any single country.

At the same time, a significant portion of connected rural households is yet to get adequate quantity and quality of supply.


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The Central government has set itself an ambitious target of connecting all remaining households by the end of March 2019 and made budgetary allocations to cover the cost of electrification.

As part of a Centre-State joint initiative on 24×7 ‘Power for All’, State governments have already committed to ensuring round-the-clock supply to all households from April 2019.

The aspiration for access to clean, reliable and affordable power for all is not free from barriers and fallibility.

Subnational endeavours and the Centre’s pump priming seem to have addressed the regional imbalances in electrical development which concerned India’s early planners.

But regional imbalances in electricity access have persisted.

Seven States (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh) account for 90% of un-electrified households.

Coincidentally, these States are ranked poorly in social development indices and house about two-thirds of the population living below the poverty line.

This concurrence between economic poverty and energy poverty will be a barrier to the goal of universal access.

What cost factor involved?

Electricity distribution companies (discoms) in these seven States are already highly indebted, accounting for 42% of accumulated debts of all discoms as on March 2016.

Their debts account for 17% of accumulated liabilities of the States.

Despite continued State subvention (except by Odisha), all these discoms have been consistently running at a loss, accounting for about 47% of the loss in electricity distribution business.

State government subventions amounted to 10% of their cumulative gross fiscal deficit in 2015-16 and accounted for 40% of total subvention from all States.

The losses of these discoms after subsidy add up to 19% of their gross fiscal deficits in the year.

The fiscal space of these States and discoms seems to be constrained to accommodate additional subsidy.

On the other hand, existing subsidised lifeline tariffs in these States appear unaffordable to the poor and certainly higher than in States with universal (or high) access.

Had it been otherwise, households would have been connected as villages got supply.


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Given the context, it is uncertain whether the goal of electrifying all ‘willing households’ by March 2019 would translate into universal access to electricity.

The assumption that a waiver of the connection charge and easing the connection process (but with no further rebate on lifeline tariffs) will make poor households willing to take up electricity connection is questionable.

What are the challenges in distribution?

The other major challenge is from distribution network capacity.

Electrification in India has followed an approach of expansion, often driven by political considerations, without much emphasis on capacity augmentation and making the grid future ready.

As a result, the distribution infrastructure is overburdened, as the demand has grown, causing a high level of technical losses and frequent breakdowns.

The distribution network capacity in several States is inadequate to carry available electricity.

Subsequently, discoms have been resorting to load shedding while their contracted generation capacities are under utilised.

Adding new load to the existing fragile distribution network will only compromise the quality and reliability of supply.

It could result in continued blackouts for the rural poor during peak hours.

State strategy documents on 24×7 ‘Power for All’ highlight the need and quantum of augmentation required in distribution network capacity.

While the Central government has come up with multiple schemes with budgetary allocations since 2001, the available funding support has been short of the growing requirement.

Moreover, many States have failed to utilise the limited funding.

Current allocations under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), to augment rural and urban distribution networks, respectively, are only a fraction of the requirement.

Moreover, disbursement of these grants has been much slower, 17% under DDUGJY and 31% under IPDS, reflecting sluggish implementation.

Low achievement of earlier electrification schemes has often been blamed on incompatibility and a lack of cooperation between the Centre and States.


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Given that six of the seven low access States as well as the Centre are run by a single political party (and allies), there seems to be a strong political consensus on the goal of universal access.

Will this consensus translate into a sustainable political mandate, lasting beyond the political battle of 2019?

Will power flow in villages?

Will newly connected households stay plugged into the grid?

It will depend on the ability of the Centre and States to generate required capital investments, timely upgradations in transmission and distribution networks and covering the costs of servicing less remunerative loads.

Until then, the volume of dark homes (in absolute numbers) in a fully-wired country may remain as big as it was in the virgin field for electrification.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••IS IT POSSIBLE TO SLOW GLOBAL WARMING

What is the issue?

There is growing frustration after more than two decades of intense climate talks.

What progress has the world taken to tackle climate change?

This is an important year for making progress on the Paris Agreement (PA), which was discussed at the climate meeting called the Conference of Parties (COP-21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2015.

The Paris Agreement entered into force in November 2016.

A two-week-long meeting was recently concluded in Bonn where the operational guidelines for implementing the PA were to be discussed and agreed upon by all parties.

What one was looking for was a common, consistent framework of how each country


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would define and measure its commitments.

It would also include proposals for how action taken could be monitored, accounted for and kept transparent while providing some level of flexibility.

This meeting was the 48th session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), referred to as SB48.

With insufficient progress towards goals, another interim meeting has been proposed in Bangkok ahead of COP-24 in Katowice, Poland, in December 2018.

A good draft on the rulebook ought to be ready before the COP.

Ideally, these guidelines should help countries develop ambitious targets for the next level of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

There should also be a regularised and dependable flow of funds from rich countries so that climate action can be implemented in developing nations.

Countries can then develop along a path of sustainable development that is low carbon and inclusive of poor and other marginalised communities.

What are the foreseeable barriers?

The roadblocks at the Bonn meeting seemed predictable.

On the issue of the NDCs, the question was the scope of the rulebook.

Developing countries want them to cover mitigation targets, adaptation and the means of implementation for the NDCs.

Developed or rich countries would like the rulebook to be limited to mitigation, the reduction of greenhouse gases.

But since most countries require adaptation programmes in a warming world and need support to implement their national targets, it is essential that these be included too.

In fact, most NDCs require support for operationalising them.

The “means of implementation” are about financial support and technology transfer to build capacity in poorer countries and have always been contentious.

At various sessions and discussions on climate change, this issue has turned out to be a deal breaker.

At the Copenhagen summit, it was agreed that from 2020, rich countries would provide a minimum of $100 billion each year to poor and developing countries.

There is little sign that these funds will be available.

Instead, the discussion on finance has veered towards: how to increase the number of donors who will provide funds; which countries should perhaps be excluded from these


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funds; and whether these funds are a part of or distinct from the official development assistance, and so on.

According to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities of the UNFCCC, while actions need to be ambitious to limit warming, providing support is essential for equitable action.

What are the incompletable tasks?

The issues related to loss and damage (L&D) are another thorn in the negotiations.

L&D is a means to provide assistance to poor countries that experience severe impacts from climate change but have contributed very little to the greenhouse gases responsible for the warming and its effects.

This is a very important issue for the least developed countries and for small islands, which are already experiencing the brunt of sea level rise.

But there was little progress on the funds that could be used to support L&D.

Participants could not come to an agreement on any significant issue and thus have not produced a draft document to guide full implementation of the PA.

Some commentators have said that the pace of the discussions was slow and that there was an absence of urgency.


The NDCs put forth prior to the Paris COP would lead up to 2030.

Discussions on raising the bar beyond that would be discussed at COP-24 in Poland.

Even if the current NDCs were implemented, the world would be on track to be warmer by about 3°Celsius.

The discussions at Bangkok in early September are therefore crucial and continue the incomplete task from this Bonn meeting.

The UN is also expected to release the report on the impacts from a 1.5°C warming around the same time.

Given the growing frustration of experienced negotiators on all sides after more than two decades of intense climate talks, it appears that pressure from youth, especially in rich countries, is vital.

Unless they remind governments and the public of the responsibilities of their countries towards mitigation, adaptation and support for means of implementation, keeping global warming under reasonably safe levels for humankind could be impossible.

Source: The Hindu

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AT LAST A SCHEME

Why in news?

Cauvery basin States must quickly agree on an authority to apply the water sharing award.

What is the structure of the new authority?

Now that the Karnataka election is over, the Centre has finally mustered the courage to submit a draft scheme in the Supreme Court to implement the final decision on apportioning the Cauvery waters among the riparian States.

The draft, which gives no name for the authority it proposes to create to monitor implementation of the Cauvery Tribunal’s final award, as modified by the Supreme Court, has been largely drawn from the Tribunal’s directions.

It will be a two tier structure, with an apex body charged with the power to ensure compliance with the final award, and a regulation committee that will monitor the field situation and water flow.

The powers and functions of the authority are fairly comprehensive.

Its powers would extend to apportionment, regulation and control of Cauvery waters, supervision of operations of reservoirs and regulation of water releases.

The draft makes the authority’s decisions final and binding.


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What are the lingering issues in the power of authority?

However, there is an ambiguous clause: if the authority finds that any one of the States is not cooperative, it can seek the Centre’s help, and the Centre’s decision will be final and binding.

This can be seen either as an enabling clause to resolve the situation when there is a stand off, or as one that gives scope to the Centre to intervene on behalf of one State.

To allay apprehensions of the Centre acting in a partisan manner, it would be better if it is not given the final say, but mandated to help in the implementation of the Tribunal’s award at all times.

How different is the new authority from the older one?

There are a few differences between the Cauvery Management Board envisaged by the Tribunal and the authority proposed in the scheme.

The Tribunal favoured the chairperson being an irrigation engineer with not less than 20 years of experience in water re sources management, whereas the scheme says the chairperson could be a senior and eminent engineer with wide experience in water resources management or an offcer in the rank of Secretary or Additional Secretary to the Union government.

Similarly, the representatives from the four States would be administrators rather than engineers as proposed by the Tribunal.

How cooperative federalism needs to be incorporated?

It is possible that Karnataka and Tamil Nadu may have differing views on the nature and powers of the authority, as well as its name and composition.

But it is vital that all States accept the mechanism, and that the authority itself have adequate autonomy.

The Cauvery dispute has dragged on for several decades, and it would be un fortunate if the implementation of a final decision arrived at through rigorous adjudication is not monitored by an independent authority.

All States should agree to the broad contours of this scheme and comply with the authority’s decisions.

The most welcome feature of such a mechanism is that an issue concerning the liveli-hood of thousands of farmers will be taken out of the political domain and entrusted to experts.

Source: the Hindu

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ANYTHING BUT GREEN

Why in news?

The draft National Forest Policy is an attempt to get around the Supreme Court’s judgment on forest conservation.

What is the about the new draft policy?

The Draft National Forest Policy, 2018, published for public comments in March, has generated a fair amount of public discourse.

Despite all that has been written, what is it that has changed in the last 30 years that necessitates a new policy?

What is the flavour of existing policy?

The answer lies in the judgment of the Supreme Court on forest conservation.

In 2006, the court held that the existing National Forest Policy (NFP), 1988 has a “statutory flavour”.

This was reiterated by the Supreme Court in 2011, in Lafarge Umiam Mining (P) Ltd. versus Union of India [(2011) 7 SCC 388], which said: “The time has come for this Court to declare and we hereby declare that the NFP, 1988 which lays down far-reaching principles must necessarily govern the grant of permissions under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.”

Thus, for the first time, the government was obligated to consider the provisions of NFP, 1988 while considering proposals for clearing forest land for activities such as mining, laying roads and building dams.

One of the strongest provisions in the existing NFP is with respect to restrictions on diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.

According to the policy, “Diversion of forest land for any-non-forest purpose should be subject to the most careful examinations by specialists from the standpoint of social and environmental costs and benefits” (4.4.1).

The need for “most careful examination by specialists” and “costs and benefit” are prerequisites before grant of clearances.

In addition, the policy also says that “tropical rain/moist forests, particularly in areas like Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, should be totally safeguarded” (4.3.1).

How difficult is to safeguard environment at present times?

In the last few years, forest clearances granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change have been challenged before the National Green Tribunal by affected and concerned persons.


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The Ministry has been having a tough time in the Tribunal justifying how tropical moist evergreen forests in the Western Ghats, the Northeast and other regions which have to be “totally safeguarded”, in terms of the forest policy, have been allowed to be diverted in ecologically-sensitive locations.

Concerned groups have also raised questions about the manner in which cost-benefit analyses have been done and how “detailed examination” by specialists was undertaken.

It is these specific provisions with regard to forest diversion that have become the Achilles’ heel of the government, which has been finding it difficult to justify forest diversion in light of the restrictions under NFP, 1988.

What is the issue with the new draft concerning environment?

Therefore, a matter of serious concern is that the draft policy published this year has completely deleted the section on safeguards to be followed for diversion of forest land.

In fact, it does not regard diversion as a threat at all so far as forest land is concerned.

Under the draft policy one has: before diversion of forest land, no requirement of cost-benefit analysis; no examinations by specialists; no requirement of alternatives; and no mention of the fact that tropical moist evergreen forests as well as forests in hilly States such as Arunachal Pradesh should be “totally safeguarded”.

Instead of specialists, Central and State Boards for Forestry are envisaged, which are to be headed by the respective Forest Ministers with a specific mandate for ensuring “simplification of procedures”.

Contrary to general belief, the real motive for a new Forest Policy is not to encourage commercial plantations, undermine the rights of communities (which are protected under the law) or mitigate climate change and encourage the use of timber.

The main objective, in plain and simple terms, is to facilitate speedy diversion of forest land for various non-forest purposes such as mining, laying roads and building dams without any detailed scientific and legal scrutiny.

The draft policy is nothing but an attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s judgment in Lafarge.

There are reasons to believe that if the public at large demands that provisions with respect to forest diversion — as contained in the NFP,1988 — should be an integral part of the new Forest Policy, the government would never come out with a new policy.

Source: The Hindu

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NATURAL CAPITAL IN 21ST CENTURY

What is the issue?

India must calculate ‘its green GDP’ to factor in the value of the environment in its growth.

How environmental destruction causing problem to GDP?

A few years ago , India suffered a cost of $550 billion, about 8.5% of GDP, due to air pollution, according to a World Bank report.

The cost of externalities such as water pollution and land degradation were possibly far higher.

Through commodity exports, we effectively transfer natural capital to our trade partners, raising the risk of desertification and land being degraded significantly.

Within a century, our food production could see a loss of 10-40% if these trends continue.

So when we crow about GDP growth, we should also consider the decline in natural capital in our national accounts.

What are the issues with estimation as a process?

The idea of having a national account for wealth accrued over a year is accepted in most major economies.

Such national accounts (GDP, net national product, gross savings) provide a measure of an economy’s performance and form the basis for socio-economic policies, while highlighting the gap between potential and actual economic output.

GDP computations indicate the economic activity in a country, with rising GDP growth rate often leading to international prestige.

However, such estimates often exclude the variations in natural capital by assuming them to be constant and indestructible.

Such natural capital is often self-generating (water, clean air) but needs to be handled in a sustainable way in order to avoid depletion.

What are natural capital?

Natural capital can cover entire ecosystems such as fisheries and forests, besides other hidden and overlooked services — for example, the regeneration of soil, nitrogen fixation, nutrient recycling, pollination and the overall hydrological cycle.

Valuing such ecosystems can be challenging, with their market value often termed as zero.


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When pollution happens, it is actually a depletion of our natural capital as, for example, acid rain damages forests and industrial seepage affects water quality.

In a modern economy, the challenge is to estimate such depreciation to natural capital.

Consider groundwater, most groundwater basins in India are subjected to unrestricted extraction until the ‘marginal value of extracting water is less than the unit extraction cost’ — i.e. when the water table drops so low new bore wells are needed.

Effectively, any rents due to groundwater depletion are dissipated indefinitely.

What is Kuznets curve?Now many economists have pushed for an “environmental Kuznets curve”, highlighting that the ‘relationship between GDP per capita and the concentration of sulphur dioxide in the local air’ is an inverted U curve.

Such a relationship leads to the postulation that people from ‘developing countries can’t place a weight on natural environment’ and should consider pollution as an acceptable side-effect of GDP growth.

However, this inverted U curve is found primarily for local pollutants that lead to short-term damages (sulphur, particulates) and not for pollutants that lead to long term and dispersed costs (carbon dioxide).

In addition, the inverted U curve hides systemic consequences of emissions.

What is the issue in India?We are long past treating natural capital as a luxury.

In fact, it is a necessity.

While India might have a GDP of $2.65 trillion in nominal terms, it fails to take into account the externalities of such economic growth.

For example, India routinely suffers from high levels of air pollution that impose costs on local transport, health and liveability in urban and rural areas.

When economic growth leads to the destruction of forests, wetlands and woodlands for agriculture, mining or even urban expansion, it is typically the poorest of the traditional dwellers who suffer.

Ecological collapse can soon come, examples being the Darfur region in Sudan and countries in the Horn of Africa.

All were subject to rapid socio-economic decline.

What are the attempts made by Indian Government?India has sought to unveil “green GDP” figures in the past.

In 2009, the Centre announced that it would publish a “green GDP” that would include the environmental costs of degrading and depleting our forests, grasslands and natural stock.


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An expert programme, sponsored by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, released a Compendium of Environment Statistics 2013.

The group recommended that India shift to a system of measuring comprehensive national wealth, which includes items such as human capital, capital equipment and natural capital.

However, implementation of such well-founded recommendations has been constrained by the lack of micro-level data on capital formation, particularly in a natural context.

While the 12th Five Year Plan undertook groundwater resource mapping at the national level, a similar focus is essential for data on land usage, forests and mineral wealth.

What factors are included in GDP estimation?

‘India’s current national accounts incorporate such environmental considerations in a limited fashion’.

GDP includes the value of: minerals extracted; timber, fuelwood and non-timber forest products; natural growth of cultivated assets for some crops; and the output from dung manure.

In addition, ‘gross fixed capital formation contains output estimates from the improvement of land along with irrigation works and flood control projects’.

However, even in GDP estimates of timber value, there is significant under-estimation — non-monetised goods and services provided from timber forests are not considered.


India should seek to publish “green GDP” figures that take into account depreciation of natural capital stock due to economic exploitation and environmental degradation.

This can follow the template provided by the UN’s System of Environmental-Economic Accounting.

A few studies have tried to document the ecological services offered by natural capital in India.

But we need a ‘greater push for empirical studies of the potential value of such ecosystem services’.

Adapting our national accounts in line with this framework will help in incorporating the value of the environment in our growth while helping us to focus on developing a feasible transition path to a green economy.

Source: The Hindu

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DROWNING IN DUST

What is the issue?Better infrastructure and targeted forecasts are key to dealing with extreme weather.

How climate change is showing wrath on living beings?A wave of extreme weather over northern States in India has killed at least 124 people and caused much misery, mostly in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The residents of this ‘weather hotspot’ region are used to annual storms carrying natural dust clouds in the pre monsoon season, from the Thar desert and further west.

But they have been hit by a particularly destructive version this year, one that combined hot western winds and moisture from the east.

Record April temperatures in parts of Pakistan, at one place exceeding 50°C, are thought to have added to the ferocity of the dust laden winds.

This could be a recurring feature, and there is a need to develop accurate forecasting methods and protocols to mitigate the impact.

How poor infrastructure causing havoc on human lives?Many of the casualties in the recent storms were caused by collapsing infrastructure, such as electricity transmission lines that were not built to withstand such weather.

Good housing could have saved many.

India’s vulnerability to such storms has always been underscored by scientific estimates of the flow of aerosols, or dust particles.

Their presence in the country is three times the global average due to sheer abundance of mineral dust.

There is also a body of research that points to altered climate patterns due to accumulation of dust particles, which affect even the Himalayan glaciers.

Considering the large population in the Indo Gangetic Plain, where the impact of weather on public health and agriculture is massive, the Central and State governments should do everything possible to cut loss of life and property.

How dust storms is creating ruckus everywhere?Globally, the major dust producing regions pump 1,000¬3,000 teragrams of particles into the atmosphere annually, with the Sahara alone responsible for a third of this, according to the UN Environment Programme.

India is at the receiving end of winds from West Asia, although some scientists reported recently an overall reduction in dust volumes in the pre monsoon season due to a pattern of increased rainfall.


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Even if that were to be true, unexpected surges such as the recent one pose a challenge.

The Centre has to raise its game in for recasting, and broadcast early warnings.

In fact, as the World Meteorological Organisation points out, clarity and frequency of warnings are key to saving lives.

In the wake of the storm on May 2, State governments have blamed the India Meteorological Department for not providing clear warnings, while the IMD claims to have conveyed the forecast of the coming storm to the Centre several days ahead.

This clearly points to lack of coordination, that affects disaster preparedness.

Millions of people who are in the path of extreme weather each year expect better from offcial agencies.

On the ground, strong public infrastructure and adequate capacity among administrators and personnel to handle rescue and rehabilitation must be ensured.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••GROWING CITIES

Why in news?

A fresh look at urban governance is necessary as migration from rural areas picks up pace.

What is the issue with ever expanding cities?

Cities are economically vibrant spaces around the world and draw a large number of rural migrants looking for better prospects.

This is a sustained trend, particularly in developing countries now, as production, jobs and markets get concentrated.

More evidence of this comes from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which has released its 2018 Revision of the World Urbanization Prospects.

Forecasting for the year 2050, the UN agency estimates that the percentage of urban residents in India would be 52.8, compared to 34 today, while Delhi would edge past Tokyo as the world’s most populous city by 2028.

India, China and Nigeria are expected to lead other countries and account for 35% of the projected growth in urban population by mid century.

What are the challenges involved?

This forecast frames the challenge before developing countries, India in particular.


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Urbanisation in the country is a complex process, since it is defined not by a constant migration of rural residents but by the flow of workers, mostly men, and the expansion of big cities through the addition of neighbouring towns.

Among governments there is a strong policy emphasis on improving facilities in rural areas, indicating a political preference for reduced migration to urban centres, although there is a natural economic magnetism to cities.

The imperative before the Centre and State governments is to come up with policies that provide adequate services in the villages, while investing in cities to ensure that their high levels of productivity and efficiency are not compromised.

Even with only a third of the population living in cities, civic anarchy is rampant in the country.

What is the current state of cities?

Housing deficits have led to the proliferation of slums, lack of enforcement of building norms has left the metros heavily congested, and poor investment in public transport has fuelled unsustainable levels of private vehicle use.

Moreover, as recent data released by the World Health Organisation show, 14 Indian cities are among the top 20 worldwide with the worst air quality profiles for fine particulate matter of 2.5 micro meters.

Most cities are also unable to collect and dispose of municipal waste scientifically, and simply dump them in the suburbs.

Such a dismal scenario can only get worse with higher population concentrations, unless city governments come into their own.

What is the much needed policy reforms?

Even two and a half decades after municipal laws were reformed, elected Mayors lack the stature and authority to introduce urgently needed reforms.

Now is the time to take a fresh look at urban governance.

While the Centre’s goal of homes for all by 2022 is laudable, it is unlikely to be realised without a push from the States, and the launch of schemes driven by innovation and low cost approaches.

Augmenting rental housing should be a priority within the plan.

Integrating green spaces, open commons and wetlands will make cities cleaner and aesthetically richer.

Source: The Hindu

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA TO LAUNCH ‘INSIGHT’ TO STUDY DEEP INTERIORS OF MARS

What Is It?

NASA will launch ‘InSight’ – the first-ever mission dedicated to exploring the deep interior of Mars.

InSight stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport.

It will be launched on 5th May 2018 from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.

The rocket will also launch two mini-spacecraft called Mars Cube One (MarCO) which is NASA’s technology experiment.

InSight is a stationary lander that will be first NASA mission since Apollo moon landings to place seismometer to measure quakes on Mars.

Information collected through this mission will help to know about the earliest stages of Mars’ formation.


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MarCO

MarCO consists of two briefcase-sized CubeSats that will fly on their own path to Mars behind InSight.

It will be first test of CubeSat technology in deep space or at another planet.

They are designed to test new communications and navigation capabilities for future missions and may aid InSight communications but is independent of InSight mission.

If successful, MarCOs will offer new kind of communication capability to deep space missions to Earth.

Source: PIB

•••••••WORLD ROBOT CONFERENCE 2018 TO BE CONDUCTED IN BEIJING

What Is It?

The 2018 World Robot Conference will be held in Beijing from Aug 15 to 19

The Conference will be organized by-

China Association for Science and Technology (CAST)

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)

Beijing Municipal People’s Government

A robot competition will be held during the conference in which the participants will compete in five categories.

The event will witness more than 12,000 competing teams from more than 10 countries and regions.

The basic objective of the Conference is to stimulate passion and innovation in the robot industry, and help with research and development

The WRC 2018 will offer a venue where academic thoughts can be exchanged at high levels and the latest achievements demonstrated.

The topic of interest at the WRC 2018 would be

Robots

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Automation

Robotics and Control Systems


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The WRC Symposium on Advanced Robotics and Automation (WRC SARA 2018) will be held as a special technical meeting during the World Robot Conference (WRC).

The first WRC was held in 2015, and has since then continued to grow into the world’s largest-scale and top-level conference for academics and industrialists in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence fields.

Source: Business Today

•••••••TRAI PROPOSES USE OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY TO CURB

PESKY CALLS, SMSWhat Is It?

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Tuesday issued draft guidelines to curb pesky calls and SMSes by using blockchain technology.

The regulator said that it will work together with telecom operators and other stakeholders to firm up a regulatory framework to address unsolicited commercial communication.

The draft Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation, 2018, will be open for comment till 11 June.

Blockchain will ensure two things -- non- repudiative and confidentiality. Only those authorised to access details will be able to access subscriber details and only when they need to deliver service.

The new technology based norms will record all communication between subscribers and entities, capturing customer consent for information and authorised telemarketing agencies.

It is learnt that many telemarketing firms get registered with telecom companies to obtain subscriber details. The new system will give access to only authorised agencies at the time they need to deliver service and details of only those subscribers who have agreed to receive the message.

“The digital record will show entire communication between entries involved.”

The draft proposes to check misuse of repeated unsolicited calls being made even to those subscribers who have given consent.

A subscriber may have given consent for a service but that consent is liable to be misused. under the proposed regulation.

The subscriber will be able to revoke consent given to entities whenever he or she desires through Trai app and other mechanism that will be provided under the regulation


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What is blockchain technology?

Blockchain is the digital and decentralized ledger that records all transactions.

Every time someone buys digital coins on a decentralized exchange, sells coins, transfers coins, or buys a good or service with virtual coins, a ledger records that transaction, often in an encrypted fashion, to protect it from cybercriminals.

These transactions are also recorded and processed without a third-party provider, which is usually a bank.

Source: LiveMint

•••••••RUTHENIUM (RU): FOURTH ELEMENT SHOWING MAGNETISM AT ROOM

TEMPERATURE DISCOVEREDWhat Is It?

A new experimental discovery, led by researchers at the University of Minnesota, demonstrates that the chemical element ruthenium (Ru) is the fourth single element to have unique magnetic properties at room temperature.

The discovery could be used to improve sensors, devices in the computer memory and logic industry, or other devices using magnetic materials.

The use of ferromagnetism, or the basic mechanism by which certain materials (such as iron) form permanent magnets or are attracted to magnets, reaches back as far as ancient times when lodestone was used for navigation. Since then only three elements on the periodic table have been found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature -- iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni).

The rare earth element gadolinium (Gd) nearly misses by only 8 degrees Celsius.

Magnetic materials are very important in industry and modern technology and have been used for fundamental studies and in many everyday applications such as sensors, electric motors, generators, hard disk media, and most recently spintronic memories.

As thin film growth has improved over the past few decades, so has the ability to control the structure of crystal lattices -- or even force structures that are impossible in nature.

This new study demonstrates that Ru can be the fourth single element ferromagnetic material by using ultra-thin films to force the ferromagnetic phase.

Source: Science Daily

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT

NDMA WORKSHOP FOR CREATING DISASTER DATABASE BEGINS

What Is It? A National Workshop on Data Requirements for Disaster Risk Reduction Database began here today. The workshop is being organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) with an aim to develop a uniform and credible national-level disaster database.

The two-day workshop is aimed at developing a consensus among various stakeholders on disasters and thresholds and to develop standardised systems for data collection, updation and validation to ensure accuracy and quality.

Such a database would help track our progress towards achieving the targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR).

Once ready, this database would be able to provide real time disaggregated data. This granular data would lend itself to generating evidences and analyses, which would help plan interventions that build disaster risk resilience.

The session also discussed global experiences and best practices in institutionalising disaster databases as well as the challenges in maintaining and utilising it were discussed

Officials from NDMA and representatives of concerned Central Ministries and Departments, State Governments, UN agencies, Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs), Disaster Management Institutes and Universities are participating in the workshop.

Source: PIB

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT

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TASK FORCE ON ESTABLISHMENT OF CDRI SUBMITS REPORT TO MHA

What Is It?

The Task Force constituted on “Establishing a Coalition on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)” has submitted its report to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The Task Force was constituted by MHA in August, 2017 and was headed by Preeti Saran, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs.

Task force in its report provides step-by-step implementation plan and analysis in order to build and operationalize CDRI.

It includes business case for CDRI, analysis of best practices of international partnerships in disaster risk and other thematic areas lead by India, preliminary design of oalition and roll-out plan.

Background

During Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) held in New Delhi in November 2016, Prime Minister had outlined 10-point Agenda for disaster risk reduction.

Under the first agenda, India had committed to work with other partner countries and key stakeholders to build coalition or centre for promoting disaster resilient infrastructure in the region.

This was to generate new knowledge for hazard risk assessment, disaster resilient technologies and mechanism for integrating risk reduction in infrastructure financing. With a view to take this agenda further forward, MHA had constituted Task Force. It was mandated to prepare its report on establishing CDRI.

Source: PIB

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT

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PRESIDENT INAUGURATES INTEGRATED CENTRE FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT FOR CBRN EMERGENCIES AT BARC

What Is It?

The Integrated Centre for Crisis Management (ICCM) was inaugurated by the President Ram Nath Kovind at BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) in Mumbai.

The centre will help the nation respond more effectively to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies.

It would will monitor radiological data from a network of around 504 radiation sensors across the country.

Mr. Kovind also inaugurated three other nuclear facilities of the DEA (Department of Atomic Energy).

These facilities include-

Metal fuel pin fabrication facility

High power electron beam melting furnace

Integrated enriched boron tri-fluoride gas generation facility

He also launched a multi-leaf collimator system developed by BARC that will enable gamma radiation to be exposed only on cancer-affected organs.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

BARC is India’s premier nuclear research facility based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

It is multi-disciplinary research center with extensive infrastructure for advanced research and development. Its R&D covers entire spectrum of nuclear science, engineering and related reas.

BARC’s core mandate is to sustain peaceful applications of nuclear energy, primarily for power generation.

Source: PIB

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT

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DEFENCE & INTERNAL SECURITY

BRAHMOS MISSILE SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRED ALONG ODISHA COAST

What Is It?

India successfully test-fired the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a test range along the Odisha coast.

It was test-fired to validate some new features.

The missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher stationed at Launch pad 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha.

Its “life extension” technologies are developed for the first time in India by the DRDO and team BraHmos.

It is developed by BrahMos Aerospace and DRDO, and manufactured by state-owned Electronics Corporation of India.

It was the first time a ground-launched BrahMos equipped with an indigenous seeker was successfully tested.

BrahMos is a two-stage missile, the first stage being solid and the second one, a ramjet liquid propellant.

This missile has already been introduced in the Indian Army and Navy, while the Air Force version had undergone successful trial.

It will result in huge savings of replacement cost of missiles held in the inventory of the armed forces.

The last test firing of a BrahMos surface-to-surface (Block III) cruise missile took place in March at the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan.

BRAHMOS is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is the fastest cruise missile in the world. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace.

Source: PIB

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CHHATTISGARH TO GET ‘BLACK PANTHER’- SPECIALIZED COMBAT UNIT

What Is It?The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that Chhattisgarh would get a specialized anti-Naxal combat force called “Black Panther”.

It will be a new force on the lines of the Greyhounds.

This announcement was made by Rajnath Singh after chairing a meeting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).

The Greyhounds is a special force in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh that specializes in anti-insurgency operations against Naxals and Maoists.

Greyhounds are the best anti-insurgency force that specializes in anti-Maoist operations and as experts in jungle warfare.

Training for the personnel who will be part of it is being imparted and it would be launched soon.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••INDIAN NAVY CONDUCTS ‘PRASTHAN’ EXERCISE

What Is It?The Eastern Naval Command conducted a 2-day offshore security exercise ’Prasthan’.

The exercise was conducted in the KG Basin and Ravva area located in the Krishna Godavari Basin.

The exercise was conducted on the MHN platform of ONGC.

This exercise is conducted by the Headquarters Western Naval Command, in every six months.

It aims to integrate maritime stakeholders, including the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, ONGC, Port Trust, Customs, State Fisheries department and Marine Police, towards refining standard operating procedures for response to various contingencies that could occur in the ODAs (Offshore Development Area).

The basic objective is to evaluate surveillance capabilities of offshore rigs against unaltered intruders.

It also prepares all agencies in handling a crisis developing in the offshore development area.

Source: PIB

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PROBLEMS WITH DNA REGISTRY

Why in news?

Building such a database is not easy, does not always offer justice, and is an ethical landmine.

How pathetic is the conviction rates of criminals?

Despite the spate of violent attacks against women, including rapes, in India, very few of the men implicated have been convicted.

While identifying the rapist is the first step to serving justice, his identity does not guarantee due punishment or a stiff sentence for the crime.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, only about a quarter of rape cases ended in conviction in 2016.

These rates are low in other countries too.

The outrage over these attacks has reinforced the belief that India needs a sex offenders’ database or a DNA database of those accused and charged with rape.

India has developed a draft Bill for such a DNA database and the Andhra Pradesh government even announced that it has signed up with a private agency for collecting DNA from all its citizens.

What are the concerns involved?

Based on experience in other countries, building such a database is not easy, does not always offer justice, and is an ethical landmine of sorts, say many experts who have been studying the use of DNA databases for forensics.

Even those who routinely use DNA databases express serious concerns about DNA databases and profiling.

For instance Innocence Project, which uses DNA to exonerate people on death row, has said that we need to make “forensic science more about science and less about law


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enforcement so it becomes an impartial assessor of evidence rather than a branch of law enforcement.”

DNA identification technologies have advanced so much that even minor genetic differences, such as those among family members, may be used to distinguish individuals and identify a person from his or her unique DNA.

Still, planting of DNA in a crime scene, misinterpretation of tests, and errors in analyses have all taken place in cases where DNA has been used to implicate a suspect, resulting in the miscarriage of justice.

Besides, everybody leaves traces of DNA in numerous places, as cells are shed, leading to ridiculous mistakes such as the Phantom of Heilbronn (when the German police admitted that a woman they were searching for more than 15 years based on DNA traces at crime scenes never in fact existed).

Protecting innocent people’s privacy and their civil liberties and rights are the main concerns.

How are the particular people groups targeted?In the aftermath of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, people will have a better appreciation of how their DNA information could be misused just as their personal information and profiles are being misused by many data mining companies.

When DNA tests were initially used, they were meant to supplement other evidence.

For instance, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Combined DNA Index System was first developed, it was limited to those who had been convicted of serious crimes.

But the law was changed and now DNA is collected from suspects who may be arrested (not convicted) or charged with minor offences.

The expansion of this technology to include potentially innocent people squashes their constitutional rights with the assumption of guilt.

The police sometimes use DNA dragnets whereby all the people in a community are persuaded to give their saliva or blood in order to identify a possible suspect amongst them.

These methods are simply an expansion of the ‘stop and search’ approach to target particular groups of people on the basis of race, ethnicity or class, even though most of their members would be innocent.

Such samples later get included in forensic DNA databanks, thus violating people’s civil liberties.

In a number of cases, the police may follow persons they suspect and then gather their DNA surreptitiously (for example, by taking a bottle or cup they were drinking from) and without warrants.

Collecting this so-called “abandoned DNA” has been challenged as being clearly unethical and unlawful.


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Number of people would fall under suspicion simply because they are related to a suspect.

As with Facebook, where a person’s personal details also end up breaching the privacy of their friends, there is lot to be concerned about.

Law enforcement is responsible for gathering DNA for forensics, and police bias towards minorities leads to the latter’s over-representation.

It was reported that in 2007, close to three-quarters of the young black male population in the U.K. were on the DNA database.

If such a system were set up in India, one would expect minorities to make up the bulk of the DNA, not implying that they are the criminals, just that they are the ones the police would most suspect and therefore gather DNA from.

What are the protections available?An increasing number of sites for genealogy, genetic testing, medical information and criminal justice are now gathering and maintaining such information.

How can it be used in a way that respects the rights of people and their privacy?

In 2010, the National DNA Database of the U.K. contained DNA profiles and samples from about six million individuals.

Later, based on the requirements of the Protection of Freedoms Act of 2012, the U.K. government said that it deleted the profiles of close to 1.8 million innocent adults and children.

Some people have said that having everyone’s DNA in the database would be a good thing, since anyone can be apprehended if matched to a crime scene.

But experience with the U.K. and U.S. databanks has shown that having more innocent people’s DNA stored increases the chances of a false positive and has not increased the chances of finding a guilty match.

What are the Indian scenario?Regarding a DNA database for India, at the very least, the following should be ensured.

One, it is absolutely essential that the people from whom DNA is taken give their informed consent; taking DNA surreptitiously should be prohibited.

Two, a court order should be required for obtaining DNA without informed consent and the DNA should only be compared with the crime scene DNA for the suspect.

Three, those who are cleared for a crime should not have their DNA information stored, and DNA gathered from offenders should be destroyed after identification so that such information is not used for profiling in future.

Four, a court order should be necessary to access medical records for genetic data.

Source: The Hindu

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A VIOLENT TIMES

Why in news?

The Shopian fury shows a need for a political out reach to various sections in the Valley.

How is normal life affected by various extraneous factors?

Shopian in south Kashmir is on edge.

On Sunday five militants, including slain Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commander’ Burhan Wani’s aide and a Kashmir University assistant professor, were killed in Badigam village of Shopian district in an encounter.

In protests that followed, at least five civilians died and over 130 were injured in clashes with the security forces.

Sun¬day’s violence capped a week of violence in Jammu and Kashmir, with a death toll of at least 24.

What is the ground situation?

Early on Sunday morning, a gun fight broke out after a Rashtriya Rifles unit launched a cordon and search operation on a specific input.

As the fire fight between the two sides began and when security forces rushed in more reinforcements, including para commandos and the Jammu and Kashmir police’s Special Operations Group, civilians began to gather in protest.

Dozens took to the streets, throwing stones at the security forces, who retaliated with teargas and pellet guns.

The security forces believe it was a strategy to distract them and facilitate the militants’ escape.

The protests were not just limited to the operation site, and clashes were reported from at least two other locations in the Valley.

Sunday, unfortunately, was not an unusual day in the Valley.

What is the new normal?

It reflected a new normal, which includes daily violence involving the security forces, civilians and militants, all of it mostly ignored by the Indian political establishment.

It not only highlighted how Shopian, once a relatively peaceful area, has been transformed, but also how violence in the Valley shifts to different geographies instead of being confined to traditional militant strongholds.


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What does stats say?

According to official data, after claiming a few thousand lives annually starting 1990, violence in the State began to decline in 2007-08, with 2012 seeing it dip to 117 deaths.

However, starting 2013 it has been climbing back up sharply.

The killing of Burhan Wani in July 2016 triggered a fresh round of violence and several dozen local youth have taken up guns since then.

In 2017, all of 358 people died in the Valley.

Episodic spells of stone pelting, with the intensity and duration varying, have posed a particularly diffcult dilemma for the security forces and the civil administration.

The challenge is not only to calm the street and stare down militants.

It is to do so in a manner that keeps civilians out of harm’s way, so that alienation does not deepen.

That the authorities are failing to do so is evident from reports of increased recruitment by militant groups even in once tranquil areas such as Shopian.

Homegrown militancy is a reflection of alienation, and the alarming reports of its revival demand a security strategy as well as a political outreach.

In 2010, the political establishment res¬ponded to the summer of intense protests by reaching out to the Valley with an all party delegation.

The Centre must consider sending a similar all party delegation to the State, before summer sets in.

Source: The Hindu

•••••••FORGING PEACE IN NAGALAND

Why in news?

Insularity and intransigence will only derail the Framework Agreement.

What is the state of affair in Nagaland?

Reams have been written about the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015 between Union government and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), or NSCN-IM.


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The agreement has raised expectations among the Naga people but also apprehension in neighbouring Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, and rightly so.

States that have been created after due consideration of a number of factors and their geographical boundaries clearly mapped out can hardly be expected to take kindly to any attempt at rearranging those boundaries.

But let’s look at whether this is the only sticking point or if there are issues too - between the protagonists of the Naga peace talks, the NSCN-IM, and Delhi.

How are common people of Nagaland viewing the deal?

A section of articulate Nagas who have questioned the secrecy around the Framework Agreement believe that its terms need to be discussed and debated.

Most in Nagaland speak with derision about the NSCN-IM because it is led by Th. Muivah, a Tangkhul Naga from Manipur.

The question often asked on social media is,why should a Tangkhul Naga decide the future of the Nagas of Nagaland vide the Framework Agreement?

It is true that the NSCN-IM had, for several decades, used the gun to silence its detractors, and indulged in large-scale extortion and imposed its diktat on the Nagas.

It has also tried to sabotage platforms such as the Forum for Naga Reconciliation for alternative discourses on the peace process.

But to be fair to the NSCN-IM, its leaders have remained steadfast to the goal of wresting an “honourable settlement” for the Naga people from the Government of India.

In the Indian establishment too, there are layers of prejudice as far as the Naga demand is concerned.

There are some in the security establishment and the political dispensation who dismiss outright Naga claims of a “unique history,” instead of trying to understand where this claim arises from.

What are the Lessons to be learned from JP?

It is to the credit of democratic India that it produced a statesman like Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) who, in his interactions with the Nagas, showed incredible comprehension and empathy about their history and origin.

JP traversed the length and breadth of Nagaland, later bringing out a book, Nagaland Mein Shanti Ka Prayas (The Attempts to Forge Peace in Nagaland).

He was perhaps one of the first national leaders to argue about a civilisational unity in India which preceded its political unity.


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JP was speaking about all the tribes inhabiting India’s easternmost periphery, much before the term “India” was coined to define this country.

Even today the tribes of this region are not influenced by the “Indian” culture.

They are proud inheritors of a unique culture.

How is Indian Constitution viewed in Nagaland?

The Nagas contend that they never signed the Instrument of Accession to India (which the Khasi chieftains of present-day Meghalaya and the Maharajahs of Manipur and Tripura did) and hence cannot be made prisoners to a Constitution they never had a hand in crafting.

But at the same time, the Nagas too must admit that they have journeyed a long way with the rest of India.

Both have developed a comfort level with each other and taken cognisance of the sticking points that prevent the resolution of a long-drawn struggle.

Therefore, it is time to shed political egos and move on keeping in mind the best interests of the next generation of aspirational Nagas.

Today the Nagas have transcended the victimhood syndrome and shed their hatred for an India once perceived to be the enemy.

The current interlocutor, R.N. Ravi, too has been most open and accepting of a broad spectrum of views from a cross-section of Naga civil society.

It is in this climate of mutual respect that the Framework Agreement ought to proceed, which is what drives it, according to Mr. Ravi.

Insularity and intransigence from either side or from both sides is unlikely to result in any good for the Naga people.

Speaking of a peace deal within the Constitution, let us admit that pluralism is its cornerstone.

And pluralism legitimises the compromises that are necessary to negotiate contesting claims in a country like India.

Source: The Hindu

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A CHANCE IN SRINAGAR

Why in news?

The Prime Minister must take political ownership of the Centre’s Ramzan ceasefire.

What is the state of affair in Srinagar?

Centre’s announcement of a cessation of operations in Jammu and Kashmir during the month of Ramzan is a welcome step.

The direction to the security forces not to launch operations in the State during this period, while allowing them to reserve “the right to retaliate if attacked or if it is essential to protect the lives of innocent people”, is aimed at bringing respite to the Valley after two years of escalated violence, since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commander’ Burhan Wani in July 2016.

The decision came days after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti informed the Centre that an all-party meeting had called for a ceasefire.

The quick response will help her recover some equilibrium politically, and get an administrative grip on the street.

How the situation in the state is against India?

In this current phase of violence in the Valley, there has been a marked increase in homegrown militancy.

All too often, the funeral of a local militant has become the rallying point for anti state protests, which lead to new recruitment.

The ceasefire will limit such occasions.

The stone pelting protests too have taken their toll and deepened alienation.

The cessation of cordon and search operations is a high risk initiative - but it is the very riskiness of the gesture that could invite confidence among local groups to consider ways and means to mark an end to the violent couple of years.


A series of calibrated complementary steps are required if any lasting contribution to improving the situation on the ground is to be made.

Importantly, the announcement came just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Srinagar on Saturday, and his remarks will be closely tracked.

The ceasefire has brought back memories of the 2000 Ramzan effort of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.


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That initiative set in motion a series of developments towards dialogue, despite the still fresh wounds of the 1999 Kargil conflict.

There are parallels between those days and to day.

How violence in the state is increasing day by day?

In terms of violence, Kashmir is quickly spiralling out of control to the level seen 15 years ago.

Even as the security forces have gunned down 64 suspected terrorists in 2018, a large number of young Kashmiris have taken up arms.

According to the latest data from the State police, 69 local youth have joined militancy, 35 of them in the wake of the April 1 operations in which 13 locals were killed.

But just a temporary halt to security operations in Kashmir is not enough.

At best, it can be the first step in a long and diffcult road to recovery, and eventually peace.

Currently, the 2003 ceasefire on the Pakistan border is in tatters.

It must be urgently restored.

But most important, a political outreach, possibly unconditional, is required to help Kashmir get back to normal.

As Mr. Vajpayee did back then, Mr. Modi must take political ownership of the outreach.

Else, the Ramzan ceasefire could remain an isolated outreach.

Source: The Hindu

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GOVERNMENT SCHEME

SWACHH BHARAT MISSION LAUNCHES GOBAR-DHAN

What Is It?

GOBAR-DHAN scheme was launched the Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti.GOBAR-DHAN stands for Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources (GOBAR) – DHAN.

The scheme was launched at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal, Haryana.

This scheme aims to positively contribute to cleanliness and generate energy from solid waste. It has twin objectives- to make villages clean and generate energy from cattle and other waste.

Features of the scheme

This scheme was announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while presenting Union Budget 2018.

Under this scheme, bio-gas plants will be set up at individual or community level and also at the level of Self Help Groups and NGOs like Gaushalas.

The funds required to setup bio-gas plants will be provided by central and state governments in the ratio of 60:40.

A target has been set by the Government to setup nearly 700 bio-gas units in different states under the scheme during 2018-19.

The scheme will create new rural livelihood opportunities and enhance income for farmers and other rural people.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME

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This scheme will be run by Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).

The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) comprises two main components for creating clean villages-creating open defecation free (ODF) villages managing solid and liquid waste in villages

Under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), over 3.5 lakh villages, 374 districts and 16 States/UTs across India have already been declared open defecation free (ODF).

The GOBAR-DHAN scheme is an important element of this ODF-plus strategy.

Source: PIB

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CCEA APPROVED CONTINUATION OF ‘KRISHONNATI YOJANA’

What Is It?

The government approved the continuation of the agriculture sector umbrella programme, ‘Green Revolution - Krishonnati Yojana’, with a central outlay of Rs 33,269.97 crore till March 2020.

The programme, comprises of 11 schemes to develop the agriculture and allied sector in a holistic and scientific manner to increase the income of farmers by enhancing production, productivity and better returns on produce.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Af-EOM fairs (CCEA) approved the scheme as part of its objective to double farmers’ income by 2022. “The schemes will be continued with an expenditure of Rs 33,269.976 crore for three financial years, i.e., 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The schemes focus on creating and strengthening of infrastructure of production, reducing production cost and marketing of agriculture and allied produce.

These schemes have been under implementation for varying duration during past few years,” said the statement adding that in 2017-18, it was decided to club all these schemes under one umbrella.

Krishonnati Yojana

Krishonnati Yojana is the name of umbrella comprising all the schemes of the government related to crop husbandry including micro-irrigation but excluding major, medium and minor irrigation.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME

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The Schemes/Missions focus on creating/strengthening of infrastructure of production, reducing production cost and marketing of agriculture and allied produce. These schemes / missions have been under implementation for varying duration during past few years.

Government has approved this scheme is to double farmers income by 2022. The key objective of Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana is explained here.

To create and strengthen the infrastructure of agriculture product production

To reducing the crops production cost

To market the agriculture and allied produce in efficient manner

Source: PIB

•••••••PRADHAN MANTRI SWASTHYA SURAKSHA YOJANA: CABINET APPROVES

SETTING UP OF 20 AIIMSWhat Is It?

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved a plan to set up 20 All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) across the country, six of which have already been established, and to upgrade 73 medical colleges.

The decisions are part of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), which has been extended by two years till 2020, with a financial outlay of Rs 14,832 crore.

Under this (PMSSY), we are going to set up 20 AIIMS in the country, six have already been established, and would upgrade 73 medical colleges.

The decision to extend the PMSSY was aimed to meet the shortfall in healthcare professionals and facilities across the country.

Setting up of new AIIMS would not only transform health education and training but also address the shortfall of healthcare professionals in the region.

Setting up of new AIIMS in various states will lead to employment generation for nearly 3,000 people in various faculty and non-faculty posts in each of the AIIMS.

The construction of new AIIMS will be fully funded by the Central government. It will also bear the operations and maintenance expenses of these facilities.

The upgradation programme broadly envisages improving health infrastructure through construction of super specialty blocks, trauma centres and others, according to the statement.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME

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The procurement of medical equipment for existing as well as new facilities will be done on sharing basis by both Central and state governments.

“PMSSY was started during the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee to provide quality healthcare in remote areas as it’s not right to put all the pressure on AIIMS in Delhi.

Source: PIB

•••••••GOVERNMENT TO EXPAND VAN DHAN VIKAS KENDRAS IN TRIBAL

DISTRICTS ACROSS COUNTRY

What Is It?

Van Dhan Vikas Kendra was launched by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 14thApril, 2018 and had called for convergence of Jan Dhan, Van Dhan and Govardhan Schemes.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), Government of India proposes to expand Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in Tribal Districts across the country.

As per the plan,TRIFED will facilitate establishment of MFP-led multi-purpose Van Dhan Vikas Kendras, a cluster of 10 SHGs comprising of 30 tribal MFP gatherers each, in the tribal areas.

This initiative is aimed at mainstreaming the tribal community by promoting primary level value addition to MFP at grassroots level.

Through this initiative, the share of tribals in the value chain of Non-Timber Forest Produce is expected to rise from the present 20% to around 60%.

To begin with, this initiative is proposed to be taken up on priority in the 39 Districts with more than 50% tribal population and to then gradually be expanded to other Tribal Districts in India.

The scheme will be implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level. At State level, the State Nodal Agency for MFPs and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at grassroot level.

Locally the Kendras are proposed to be managed by a Managing Committee (an SHG) consisting of representatives of Van Dhan SHGs in the cluster.

In the past, the Government of India has brought in certain reforms in the sector through Provisions of Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 which conferred ownership rights on tribal Gram Sabhas in respect of MFP found in their area.

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In 2014, the Scheme of MSP for MFP was introduced which provides minimum support price to MFP gatherers for selected MFPs.

While the steps are in right direction, however, most of the trade related to the MFPs is unorganized in nature, which has led to low returns to the gatherers and high wastages due to limited value addition.

Thus, a more holistic approach with robust institutional mechanisms is required for strengthening the backward and forward linkages of MFP supply chain and particularly for mainstreaming the tribal community.

Source: PIB

•••••••TELANGANA: RYTHU BANDHU SCHEME LAUNCHED FOR FARMERS

What Is It?

The Telangana Government has launched the Rythu Bandhu Scheme for the farmers.

Rythu Bandhu refers to a Friend of Farmers.

The scheme was launched by the Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekhar Rao.

It is an investment support scheme dedicated to the farmers.

The scheme will ensure that a large majority of farmers in the state will get Rs 8,000 per acre per year for two crops.

This would support the farmers to maximise the agricultural productivity in the state.

The state government has already set aside Rs 12,000 crore in the 2018-19 budget exclusively for this scheme.

Out of the 2.9 crore acres land in the state, around 1.4 crore acres of land has been identified as cultivable land.

The government will issue cheques as well as passbooks to all 58 lakh eligible farmers.

This will help the farmers in investing in the crops and procuring materials like fertilizers.

Source: PIB

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GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES FULL-FLEDGED GREEN SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

What Is It?

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched full-fledged Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP). It aims to train over 5.5 lakh workers in environment and forest sectors in the country through 30 courses by 2021 for sustainable conservation and management of natural resources.

GSDP-ENVIS mobile application was also launched to provide more information and applying to courses under GSDP programme.

GSDP was launched as pilot project in 2017 by MoEFCC in partnership with National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) to develop green skilled workers having technical knowledge and commitment to sustainable development.

Under it, skilling of youth (especially 10th and 12th dropouts) will be undertaken for increasing availability of skilled workforce in environment and forest sector to provide them gainful employment or self-employment.

The green skills under it will be imparted in more than 30 programmes in diverse fields identified, which will be conducted in 84 institutions across country.

Moreover, vast network and expertise of Environmental Information System (ENVIS) hubs and Resource Partners (RPs) will be utilized for implementation of this programme.

In the first stage, pool of master trainers and specialists is being created, who can further train youth across country.

All skilling courses under this programme will be National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) compliant. The MoEFCC will give certificate indicating skilling levels to all successful candidates.

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The programme endeavours to develop green skilled workers having technical knowledge and commitment to sustainable development.

It will go long way in reaping demographic dividend in the country and filling the skill gaps in environment and forest sector.

It will help in attainment of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs) and Waste Management Rules 2016).

Source: PIB

•••••••CABINET APPROVES CORPUS FOR MICRO IRRIGATION FUND WITH NABARD UNDER PRADHAN MANTRI KRISHI SINCHAYEE YOJANA

What Is It?

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today has approved an initial Corpus of Rs.5,000 crore for setting up of a dedicated “Micro Irrigation Fund” (MIF) with NABARD under Pradhan MantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana (PMKSY).

The allocation of Rs. 2,000 crore and Rs. 3,000 crore will be utilised during 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively. NABARD will extend the loan to State Governments during this period. Borrowings from NABARD shall be paid back in 7 years including the grace period of two years.

The lending rate under MIF has been proposed at 3% lower than the cost of raising the fund by NABARD.

This cost shall be met from the ongoing scheme of PMKSY-PDMC by amending the existing guidelines

The total financial implication on interest subvention comes to about Rs 750 crore.

The dedicated Micro Irrigation Fund would supplement the efforts of Per Drop More Crop Component (PDMC) of Pradhan MantriKrishiSinchayeeYojana in an effective and timely manner.

With the additional investment for micro irrigation accessing MIF, innovative composite/ commodity/ community/ cluster based micro irrigation projects/ proposals may bringabout 10 lakh ha.

The Fund will facilitate States to mobilise resources for theirinitiatives, including additional (top up subsidy) in implementation of PMKSY-PDMC toachieve the annual target of about 2 Million ha/year during the remaining period of 14thFinance Commission under Per Drop More Crop Component of PMKSY as recommended by the Group of Secretaries.

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Farmers Producers Organization (FPO)/Cooperatives/State Level Agencies can also access the funds with State Government Guarantee or equivalent collateral. Farmers Co-operatives may access this fund for innovative cluster based Community Irrigation Projects.

Source: PIB

•••••••GOVT LAUNCHES SAMAGRA SHIKSHA SCHEME FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION

What Is It?

Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar launched Samagra Shiksha scheme for school education.

He had announced the launch of ‘Samagra Shiksha’ programme subsuming three existing schemes-

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shikskha Abhiyan (RMSA)

Teacher Education (TE).

It is an integrated scheme for school education from pre-school to senior secondary levels.

The scheme focuses on improving quality of education, enhancing the Learning outcomes, bridging social and gender gaps in the school education and using technology to empower children and teachers.

It mainly focuses on digital education and introducing skill development at the school level.

An annual grant of five thousand to 20 thousand rupees will be provided for strengthening libraries in schools.

The scheme will provide holistic education for holistic development.

Source: PIB

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SPORTSINDIA’S 1ST NATIONAL SPORTS UNIVERSITY TO SET UP IN MANIPUR

What Is It?

The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to set up the country’s first national sports university in Imphal (west), Manipur.

The ordinance is on the lines of National Sports University Bill, 2017 which is was introduced in Lok Sabha in August, 2017.

National Sports University Bill, 2017 establishes National Sports University in Manipur.

The specialized university will be the first of its kind in the country and adopt best international practices.

The Manipur government has already allocated land for the proposed university.

The proposal to set up the national sports university in Manipur was initially announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Rs. 100 crore funds were allocated for it in the 2014-15 budget.

It also empowers the University to grant degrees, diplomas and certificates.

The university aims to fill the void in various areas such as sports science, sports technology and high-performance training.

It would be the first Central University in India, to focus on sports education.

It aims to strengthen physical education and sports training programmes.

It would train talented athletes to help them to evolve into international level athletes

Source: PIB

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SPORTS

Documents

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