Panel to Examine OBC Sub-Categorisation Seeks Third Extension

The commission set up to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBC) has sought a third extension till November 2018 for submission of the crucial report on creating quotas within quotas.

• In 2017, the five-member panel had been constituted to complete the task of sub-categorising 5000-odd castes in the central OBC list so as to ensure “more equitable distribution” of opportunities in central government jobs and educational institutions.
• The Commission was set up under Article 340 of the Constitution.
• The Commission has already sought and was granted extensions twice citing the ‘voluminous’ nature of its task.
• With the benefits of the reservation being cornered mostly by the dominant OBC groups over the years, the sub-categorisation panel report is expected to recommend sub-quotas for the extremely backward classes within the OBCs.
• In 2015, the National Commission for Backward Classes had recommended that OBCs be categorised into extremely backward classes, more backward classes and backward classes.
• At present, eleven states have sub-categorised OBCs for their state services. The central government has also been following a similar methodology for the central OBC list.

Snakebites: A Burden for India

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for a global effort against ‘envenoming’.

• In May, the WHO’s 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva adopted a resolution “to accelerate and coordinate global efforts to control snakebite ‘envenoming’ — the life-threatening disease that follows the bite of a venomous snake”.
• India currently manufactures only polyvalent anti-snake venom (ASV).
• India is a signatory of the resolution.

Relevance for India

• Approximately 50,000 die in India each year due to snakebites. However, according to WHO it may only be 10% of the actual burden.
• Of the 300-odd species of snakes found in India, 52 are venomous, but all their poisons are different.
• The nearly 120-year-old Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd is the only government-owned maker.

Reason behind the Situation

• Poorly trained doctors, and lack of anti-snake venom (ASV)
• ASV manufacture requires a series of forest department permissions. Horses are needed for the test, for which a large space is necessary. Private companies do not find all this financially feasible.
• Overall, India produces some 1.5 million vials of ASV every year, which is a third of the estimated annual requirement.
• The research showed that “in most cases, primary health centres referred patients elsewhere and the golden hour(the first hour, when emergency treatment is most likely to be successful) was lost”.

Suggestions

• The government should improve health infrastructure facilities i.e. trained doctors, availability of anti-snake venom (ASV) etc.
• The potency of ASV is reducing in the last few years. There is a need for research to understand which combination works best.
• A snake’s venom changes with terrain, diet and environment, therefore scientists should incorporate all the factors in the research.

Trump-Putin Summit

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in the Finnish capital Helsinki in a summit that was closely watched across the world for its potential to reset relations between the two countries.

Key Highlights

• The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is set to expire in 2021 and Russia has shown interest in extending it.
• From the crisis in Ukraine, the civil war in Syria, Iran nuclear deal and to the threat posed by nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, were discussed at the summit.
• Despite conclusive allegations of Russian meddling in U.S. politics by the U.S Intelligence Agencies, the US President claimed that he saw no reason to believe Russia interfered in the elections.

Background

• The summit comes at a time of tensions with the US and its traditional allies in Europe and Asia on issues ranging from accusations by the United States on members of the NATO dependent on the US for their security to the tariffs and trade wars.
• It also comes amid a rise in tensions between Europe and Russia—Britain’s accusations against Russia that it is responsible for a deadly nerve agent attack on its territory and the latter’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and its support for the Syrian regime.
• The summit follows after the indictments of 12 Russian military intelligence agents in the United States for meddling in the November 2016 US elections.

Why is the Summit Important for India?

• A successful Trump-Putin summit is good news for India. Deteriorating US-Russia ties have put considerable strain on India. The most recent example being the Countering America’s
• Adversaries through Sanctions Act, which can lead to sanctions being imposed on countries that engage in “significant transactions” with any of the listed Russian companies.

• India has been nervous about Russia’s increasing alienation from the West, which has propelled it closer to China, seen as India’s Asian strategic rival. On the other hand, India’s warming ties with Washington in the past few years had seen Russia become increasingly wary of India’s ties with the US.
• As a consequence, Russia, seen as India’s traditional friend especially during the Cold War years, was seen moving closer not only to China but also to India’s traditional rival, Pakistan. In 2016, Russia held its first-ever military exercises with Pakistan and also started selling weapons to Islamabad.

Study on District Mineral Foundations

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has released its report ‘People First: District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Status Report, 2018’ on the performance of District Mineral Foundations (DMFs).

• CSE has assessed its effectiveness through an analysis of DMF administration in 12 mining states in the country. The study reviewed 50 mining districts across 12 top mining states — including Odisha, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan — to understand how DMF trusts operate.

Key Findings

• None of the District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) have identified its mining-affected people as its beneficiaries.
• The focus of the programme is primarily on area development, depending on the location of mines or mining-related activities. While people living in the vicinity of mines are certainly affected, the area-specific approach leaves out some of the most crucial beneficiaries, such as people who have been displaced by mining and people who have lost their livelihoods (including forest-based livelihoods) due to mining.
• DMF administration in most states is dominated by bureaucrats and political representatives
• There is a lack of clear planning due to absence of a proper administrative set-up. There is also too much state government intervention in deciding how DMF funds will be used.
• Even though the state DMF Rules and the Union government’s flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana categorically emphasize upon this, people in mining-affected areas have been left out from the decision-making process of DMFs.
• The power and functions that were earlier vested with the Gram Sabha have now been given to a DMF Committee which is completely represented by members of Parliament, the legislative assembly and legislative council and officials.
• Overall, DMF investments are heavily focused on construction activities in all cases. Emphasis on improving the Human Development Indicators is minimal. For instance, there is very few initiative towards making many of the existing facilities – such as health centres, schools etc – functional.
• Except for a handful (out of 50 districts reviewed, only three have this), no DMF has yet setup an office for planning and coordination, engaging concerned officials and experts.
• Public disclosure of information is key to transparency and accountability maintained by the DMFs as a people’s institution. However, except for Odisha and Chhattisgarh, no other state has a proper DMF website so far.
• The other important factor is DMF audits - this has also not happened for most DMFs so far. There has been no performance evaluation or social audit, essential components for public schemes.
• All the aforementioned problems are leading to poorly planned or ad-hoc investments. There is no clear sense of prioritisation of the most pressing issues, and no systematic planning has happened so far. For example, not even a single district has made the required investments for improving child nutrition and under five mortality rates. This is a categorical problem in most mining-affected districts and is particularly worse in areas with high tribal population.

CSE Recommendations

• State governments must provide districts the flexibility to plan and invest on the needs of the local communities. The intended autonomy of DMF Trusts should be maintained.
• A systematic and bottom-up planning approach must be followed to make investments effective. The potential can also be improved by considering convergence with other programmes of the Central and state governments once priority issues are determined.
• Districts must identify DMF beneficiaries; there cannot be a Trust without beneficiaries. This will also help in targeted investments such as for addressing women and child development issues.
• Gram Sabhas (and ward members where applicable) should have a representation in the DMF body. Not following this is in contravention to the spirit of the DMF law as well as the state DMF Rules.
• For efficiency of operations, all DMFs must have an office comprising of officials and experts. Independent organizations/planning experts can be roped in from time to time for effective planning.
• District-specific DMF-related information must be made available through a website. To ensure access, information should be shared by using panchayat-level platforms.

Centre Imposes 25% Safeguard Duty on Import of Solar Cells

The Centre has put a safeguard duty of 25% on import of solar cells from China and Malaysia from July 30, 2018.

• The safeguard duty on imports would be applicable for two years. It would be reduced in the second year to 20% for six months and would be charged at 15% for the next six months.
• Imports of the cells from these countries account for more than 90 per cent of the total inbound shipments in the country.

• This comes following recommendations by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the commerce ministry.
• DGTR in its investigations has concluded that the increased imports of solar cells in India have caused "serious injury" and "threaten to cause serious injury" to the domestic producers.
• The imports of the cells have jumped to 9,790 MW in 2017-18 from 1,275 MW in 2014-15.
• The move is aimed at helping the domestic solar cell manufacturing sector, however, it could affect existing projects dependent on cheap imports because imported solar modules are 8-10% cheaper than those made in India, and solar modules comprise about 60% of total project costs. About 88% of module requirements are met through imports.

BEE Introduces State Energy Efficiency Index

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has come up with the country’s first state energy efficiency preparedness index.

• The index assumes significance in India as it now the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China, and ironically she is also among the most vulnerable to climate change.
• The introduction the index holds importance in the context of India’s commitments made at Paris.
• Energy efficiency could help India save 500 billion units of energy and avoid the need for 100 gigawatts (GW) of power capacity within 2030.
• This translates to a potential reduction of 557 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emission. India’s energy efficiency market is estimated at $23 billion with a vast potential to grow.

Key Highlights

• Energy Efficiency Index is based on 63 indicators in sectors such as buildings, industry, municipalities, transport, and agriculture and electricity distribution companies (discoms).
• These indicators are based on metrics such as policy and regulation, financing mechanisms, institutional capacity, adoption of energy efficiency measures and energy savings achieved.
• The Index will help track the progress in managing the energy footprint of states and the country, encourage competition between states and help in programme implementation.

Other Measures Taken

• The Government of India (GoI) enacted The Energy Conservation Act (EC Act) in 2001, with the overall objective of reducing the energy intensity of the Indian economy.
• In order to achieve a sustainable development path, India launched its National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) in 2008, with eight National Missions.
• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency is one such mission which outlines market-based initiatives to enhance energy efficiency.
• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat is another mission under which energy efficiency in buildings is covered as one of the initiatives.
• The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) was launched in 2015. It aims to rectify India’s high cost of electrification and the increased emissions from inefficient lighting by distributing 20W LED tube lights and BEE 5-star rated energy efficient fans to the consumers.
• The Government has introduced the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) programme. With an investment of $4.07 billion, the first phase of the PAT programme resulted in $1.46 billion savings.

Draft National E-commerce Policy

A task force headed by commerce secretary has submitted its recommendations on a draft national e-commerce policy. 

• India’s e-commerce sector, currently estimated to be worth around $25 billion, is expected to grow to $200 billion over the next 10 years.
• On account of cheaper smartphones and data tariffs, the bigger e-commerce firms expect their next phase of growth to come from tier-II and tier-III towns, where the expansion of 3G and 4G networks have put consumers online.
• This will result in job creation, productivity improvement, and increased consumer presence on online platforms. To fully benefit from these opportunities, it is important for policymakers to be cognizant also of the underlying challenges — which makes it imperative to have clearly laid-down rules for electronic commerce in the country.

Major Recommendations

• FDI may be allowed in inventory-based e-commerce companies up to 49%, with the condition that the e-tailer sells 100% “made in India” products.
  • This will allow e-commerce firms to offer their own brands as long as they are made in India.
  • Currently, 100% FDI in online retail of goods and services under marketplace model through the automatic route is permissible.

• The Competition Commission of India should consider amending the thresholds so that competition-distorting mergers and acquisitions below the existing threshold get mandatorily examined by it.
• Impose restrictions on group companies operating in marketplace model to prevent them from directly or indirectly influencing the prices of goods and services.
• The marketplaces will not be able to offer deep discounts through their in-house companies listed as sellers.
• Setting up of a Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which will act as the nodal agency for intra-government coordination, and provide a platform for e-commerce operators regarding complaints of fraudulent activities.
  • The Consumer Affairs Ministry’s National Consumer Helpline is currently the only redressal mechanism available for e-commerce related grievances like problems with delivery of products, artificial prices over and above maximum retail price (MRP), etc.
• E-commerce platforms must provide the government’s RuPay payment option.
  • The task force has also suggested that foreign e-commerce websites should be brought on a level playing field with their Indian counterparts by making them follow the same rules for payment systems such as two-factor authentication.
  • With the aim to make online payments safer, the task force has also suggested creating a fraud intelligence mechanism, using artificial intelligence-based authentication systems, for early detection of frauds. Currently, a large chunk of payments for online purchases is made through the cash-on-delivery option.
• The task force has recommended for data localization, and also a two-year sunset period for the industry to adjust before localization rules becomes mandatory.
  • It has also suggested direct and indirect tax incentives as well as according infrastructure status to data centres to encourage domestic data storage. 

• To encourage micro, small and medium enterprises, the task force recommends allowing them to follow inventory-based models for selling locally produced goods through an online platform.
• The goods and services tax (GST) procedures for e-commerce be simplified by allowing centralized registration instead of local registration.
• It can be noted that both the draft e-commerce policy and the Srikrishna panel have suggested for data localization as well as the government access to data stored in India for national security and public policy objectives subject to rules related to privacy, and consent.

NBRC Researchers Decipher the Cause of Microcephaly

National Brain Research Centre-led team of researchers has successfully identified the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which Zika virus causes microcephaly.

Key Highlights

• Zika virus causes brain defects in babies. Several cases of microcephaly, a rare birth defect in which the brain fails to grow properly, have been reported in various South American countries.
• The Envelop Protein (E protein) of the virus, which is responsible for the entry of the virus into brain stem cells, was responsible for arresting the proliferation of human foetal neural stem cells as they are unable to kill the stem cells as they are lot more resilient, however, it was able to kill the neurons. This combined effect reduces the pool of foetal brain cells leading to a smaller size of the brain.
• E protein in the Zika virus is very different from the envelop protein of other flaviviruses such as dengue, West Nile virus, yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis. The E protein was found to be more potent in arresting the proliferation of brain stem cells.
• Hence, neutralising the E protein of the virus can help prevent or reduce the harmful effects of the virus in a developing foetus. The E protein can be seen as a likely therapeutic target.

Important Facts for Prelims (1 August 2018)

Ile Aux Cochons

• It is an uninhabited island in the subantarctic Crozet Archipelago, administered by France and is roughly halfway between the tip of Africa and Antarctica.
• The island is known to be the planet’s largest colony of King Penguins.
• Recent satellite images show the population of King Penguins has declined drastically.
• Researchers believe that climate change may have played a role. In 1997, a particularly strong El Nino weather event warmed the Southern Indian Ocean, temporarily pushing the fish and squid on which King Penguins depend south, beyond their foraging range.