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Coir Geo Textile

Why in News Recently, the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA) has announced that coir geo textiles will be used for...

21 May 2020 News Analysis
Solarisation of Konark Sun Temple

Why in News The Government of India has launched a scheme for 100% solarisation of Konark sun temple and Konark town in Odisha. The scheme will...

21 May 2020 News Analysis
Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: Challenges

This article is based on “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan lays strong foundations for raising our per capita GDP” which was published in...

21 May 2020 News Editorials
India’s Afghan Policy and Taliban

This article is based on “Getting India back to the Afghan high table” which was published in The Hindu on 18/05/2020. It talks about...

20 May 2020 News Editorials
Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Corporate Affairs

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has taken several landmark initiatives in pursuance to the objective of providing greater “ Ease of...

20 May 2020 Paper 2
India to Chair WHO Executive Board

Why in News Recently, India has been elected to the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Executive Board. It will also be holding a Chairmanship...

20 May 2020 News Analysis
Fall in Global Carbon Emissions

Why in News Recently, the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO) has evaluated Covid-19’s effect on carbon...

20 May 2020 News Analysis
United Nations Relief and Works Agency

Why in News Recently, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), has applauded India’s financial support to keep its basic services...

20 May 2020 News Analysis
Illicit Drug Supply and Covid-19: UNODC

Why in News Recently, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report on ‘Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia:...

20 May 2020 News Analysis
GST Waiver will Increase Cost

Why in News The Ministry of Finance is not in favour of granting Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemption, as has been demanded by various sections of...

20 May 2020 News Analysis
Hotter Oceans and Supercyclones

Why in News The supercyclone ‘Amphan’ is likely to make landfall between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of...

20 May 2020 News Analysis
Agricultural Marketing Reforms

This article is based on “A 1991 moment for agriculture” which was published in The Indian Express on 18/05/2020. It talks about three...

19 May 2020 News Editorials
Domicile Certificates in J&K

Why in News Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir administration notified the J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020. It amended...

19 May 2020 News Analysis
The Big Picture: Visakhapatnam Gas Leak

A major leak from a polymer plant LG Polymers near Visakhapatnam impacted villages in a five-km radius, leaving at least 9 people dead and...

19 May 2020 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Objections to Etalin Hydroelectric Project

Why in News Recently, some conservationists and former members of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) have sought rejection of approval for the...

19 May 2020 News Analysis
Aksai Chin

Why in News Recently, Chinese media has accused India of building defence facilities in the Galwan Valley region of the contested Aksai Chin...

19 May 2020 News Analysis
New Super-Earth Planet

Why in News Recently, scientists have discovered a rare new Super-Earth planet. It is among only a handful of extra-solar planets that have been...

19 May 2020 News Analysis
International Museum Day

Why in News The Ministry of Culture hosted a webinar on “Revitalising Museums and Cultural Spaces” to celebrate the International Museum...

19 May 2020 News Analysis
Travel Bubble

Why in News Recently, the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania started a travel bubble to help put their economies back on track after...

19 May 2020 News Analysis
Possibility of Covid-19 being Syndemic

Why in News The possibilities of Covid-19 being syndemic have been raised in the backdrop of the World Health Organization (WHO) announcement that...

19 May 2020 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'Coir Geo Textile',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA)</strong> has announced that <strong>coir geo textiles</strong> will be used for construction of rural roads under the <strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This would give a<strong> boost to the Coir industry</strong> hit due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> pandemic.</li>
<li>NRIDA is an agency under the <strong>Ministry of Rural Development.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Geo Textiles</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are<strong> synthetic</strong> including polyester and polypropylene or <strong>man-made materials</strong> that have varying degrees of <strong>permeability.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Permeability means their surfaces have very small openings that allow liquid or gases to pass through.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Characteristics of Geo Textile Fabrics:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect and drain when used in association with soils.</li>
<li>It drains areas where water pools while keeping soil in place.</li>
<li>It serves as effective filters, catching some materials to prevent drains from clogging.</li>
<li>It reinforces earthen structures like drains by holding layers in place.</li>
<li>It protects against erosion in places like roads and beaches.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These functions make Geo Textile fabrics useful in many<strong> industries, especially construction and civil engineering.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Coir Geo Textile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Coir is a 100% natural fiber, obtained from a <strong>renewable source &ndash; the coconut husk.</strong></li>
<li>Coir Geo Textile is naturally <strong>resistant to rot, molds and moisture,</strong> and free from any microbial attack hence it needs no chemical treatment.</li>
<li>It has a<strong> permeable, natural and strong fabric</strong> with high durability.</li>
<li>It protects the land surface and promotes quick vegetation.</li>
<li>It is <strong>totally biodegradable,</strong> and helps in soil stabilisation.</li>
<li>It can dissipate the energy of flowing water and absorb the excess solar radiation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>PMGSY New Technology Guidelines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new guidelines encourage <strong>locally available materials</strong> and use of <strong>green technologies for construction of roads</strong> under<strong> Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).</strong></li>
<li>The State Governments are required to propose a <strong>minimum 15%</strong> of total length of annual road proposals under <strong>new technologies such as</strong> cement stabilization, Lime stabilization, cold mix, waste plastics, cell filled concrete, paneled cement concrete pavement, fly ash etc.</li>
<li>Out of this, <strong>5% roads</strong> are to be constructed using <strong>Indian Road Congress (IRC) accredited technology.</strong> The IRC has now accredited coir Geo textiles for construction of rural roads.</li>
<li>Thus, <strong>5% length of the rural roads under PMGSY-III will be constructed using coir geo textiles.</strong></li>
<li><strong>1674 km road</strong> will be constructed using<strong> Coir Geo textiles in 07 states i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamilanadu </strong>and in<strong> Telangana.</strong></li>
<li>There will be a requirement of<strong> One Crore Sq. mtrs of coir geo textiles,</strong> estimated cost of which would come to <strong>Rs.70 Crore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Road Congress</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) is the <strong>apex body of Highway Engineers</strong> in the country.</li>
<li>It was set up in December, 1934 on the recommendations of the <strong>Indian Road Development Committee</strong> also known as <strong>Jayakar Committee</strong> (under the Chairmanship of Shri M.R. Jayakar) with the objective of road development in India.</li>
<li>It works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.</li>
<li>It is committed to utilise global best practices and promote the <strong>use of cutting edge technologies</strong> for construction for the maintenance of roads, bridges and road transportation.</li>
<li>It promotes <strong>environmental strategy for promotion of cleaner, less energy intensive and less polluting construction techniques</strong> and use of recycled wastes.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Road Congress (IRC) accredited technology:</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Committee for Accreditation of New Materials and Techniques</strong> formed under the aegis of<strong> Highway Research Board of Indian Roads Congress</strong> gives accreditations to patented or new materials, techniques developed in India and abroad and evaluated as per recognized National/ International Specifications.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana - III</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Phase III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was <strong>launched in 2019.</strong></li>
<li>The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was<strong> launched to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations as part of a poverty reduction strategy.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency</strong> works to implement the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana across states.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Ministry of Rural Development along with state governments is responsible for the implementation of PMGSY.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to <strong>consolidate 1,25,000 Km</strong> road length in the States.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It involves consolidation through routes and major rural links connecting habitations to <strong>Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>duration</strong> of the third phase is <strong>2019-20 to 2024-25.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> funds</strong> are shared in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and State for all States except for 8 North Eastern states and Himachal Pradesh &amp; Uttarakhand for which it is 90:10.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1625286" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Solarisation of Konark Sun Temple',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Government of India has launched <strong>a scheme for 100% solarisation of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/konark-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Konark sun temple</a> and Konark town in Odisha.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The scheme will <strong>meet all energy requirements of Konark town with solar energy.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To take forward the Prime Minister&rsquo;s vision to develop the historical Sun temple town of Konark in Odisha as <strong>&lsquo;Surya Nagri&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>To convey a message of synergy between the modern use of solar energy and the ancient Sun Temple and the importance of promoting solar energy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plan:</strong> It envisages <strong>setting up of the 10-MW grid</strong> connected solar project and various solar off-grid applications such as solar trees, solar drinking water kiosks and off-grid solar power plants with battery storage.</li>
<li><strong>Funding:</strong> 100% <strong>Central Financial assistance (CFA)</strong> support of around Rs. 25 crore through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.</li>
<li><strong>Implementation Agency</strong>: Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Konark Temple<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590046028_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590046028_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Konark was built by<strong> King Narasimhadeva I</strong> of the<strong> Ganga Dynasty</strong> (1238-1264AD) in the <strong>13<sup>th</sup> century</strong> and is located in Eastern Odisha near the sacred city of <strong>Puri.</strong></li>
<li>The temple is designed in the shape of a <strong>colossal chariot.</strong> It is <strong>dedicated to the sun God.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple.</li>
<li>The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The temple was used as a navigational point by European sailors. They referred to it as the<strong> &lsquo;Black Pagoda&rsquo;</strong> due to its dark colour and its magnetic power that drew ships into the shore and caused shipwrecks.</li>
<li>It is the culmination of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/temple-architecture" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Odisha temple architecture</strong></a>.</li>
<li>It was declared a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO world heritage site</strong></a> in 1984.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1625340" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/solarisation-of-konark-sun-temple'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: Challenges',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/aatmanirbhar-gdp-lockdown-coronavirus-economy-liquidity-migrant-labourers-disparity-narendra-modi-6414740/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan lays strong foundations for raising our per capita GDP&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in the Indian Express on 18/05/2020. It talks about several challenges pertaining to Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the government announced an economic stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore and big-bang systemic reforms under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan</strong></a> (self-reliant India).</p>
<p>The intended objective of this plan is two-fold. First, interim measures such as liquidity infusion and direct cash transfers for the poor will work as shock absorbers for those in acute stress.</p>
<p>The second, long-term reforms in growth-critical sectors to make them globally competitive and attractive.</p>
<p>Together, these steps may revive the economic activity, impacted by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and create new opportunities for growth in sectors like agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), power, coal and mining, defence and aviation,etc.</p>
<p>However, there are several challenges that are needed to be addressed in order to fulfill the vision of this plan.</p>
<h3>Impact of this Stimulus Package</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Primary Sector:</strong> The measures (<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agricultural-marketing-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reforms to amend ECA, APMC, Contract framing, etc</a></strong>) announced for the agricultural and allied sectors are particularly transformative. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These reforms are steps towards the <strong>One Nation One Market</strong> objective and help India become the <strong>food factory of the world.</strong></li>
<li>These would finally help in achieving the goal of a self-sustainable rural economy.</li>
<li>Also, the MGNREGA infusion of Rs 40,000 crore may help in alleviating the distress of migrants when they return to their villages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Secondary Sector:</strong> Given the importance of MSMEs for Indian economy, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-msmes-in-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free loan facility for MSMEs</strong></a> under the package will help this finance-starved sector and thereby provide a kickstart to the dismal state of the economy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, as the MSME sector is the second largest employment generating sector in India, this step will help to sustain the labour intensive industries and thereby help in <strong>leveraging India&rsquo;s comparative advantage.</strong></li>
<li>Additionally, limiting imports of weapons and increasing the limit of foreign direct investment in defence from 49% to 74% will give a much-needed boost to the production in the Ordnance Factory Board, while reducing India&rsquo;s huge defence import bill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tertiary Sector:</strong> The government has adopted a balanced approach in addressing concerns across sectors. For example:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The newly launched <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/18-05-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM e-Vidya programme</strong></a> for multi-mode access to digital online education provides a uniform learning platform for the whole nation, which shall enable schools and universities to stream courses online without further loss of teaching hours.</li>
<li>Public expenditure on health will be increased by investing in grass root health institutions and ramping up health and wellness centres in rural and urban areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Related to Liquidity:</strong> The package of Rs 20 lakh crore comprises both fiscal and monetary measures, the latter being in the nature of credit guarantees and liquidity infusions into banks and other financial sector institutions rather than the economy per se.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Majority of the package is liquidity measures that are supposed to be transmitted by RBI to Banks and Banks to Citizens. This transmission wouldn&rsquo;t be as smooth owing to inefficient transmission of monetary policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Demand:</strong> The lockdown has lowered aggregate demand, and a fiscal stimulus is needed. However, the package, by relying overwhelmingly on credit infusion to boost the economy, has failed to recognise that investment will pick up only when people across income segments have money to spend.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Backward and Forward Linkages:</strong> Unless the rest of the domestic economy is revived, the MSME sector may face a shortage of demand, and its production may soon sputter to a close.</li>
<li><strong>Burgeoning Fiscal Deficit:</strong> Government claims that the stimulus package is around 10% of India&rsquo;s GDP. However, financing it would be difficult as the government is worried about containing the fiscal deficit.</li>
<li><strong>Difficulty in Mobilising Finances:</strong> The government seeks a disinvestment to mobilise the finances for the plan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the majority of Indian industries are already a bit debt-laden to take up the stake in PSUs.</li>
<li>Further, it is difficult to borrow the foriegn markets, as rupee with respect to dollar is all time low.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Enhancing Demand:</strong> The economic package for the country emerging out of the lockdown requires a stimulus enhancing demand across the economy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The best way for this is to spend on greenfiled infrastructure.</li>
<li>Infrastructure spending uniquely creates structures that raise productivity and extends spending power to the section of the population most affected by the lockdown, namely daily wage labourers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mobilising Finances:</strong> For financing of the stimulus package, India&rsquo;s foreign reserves stand at an all-time high which could be strategically used to finance its needs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rest may have to come from privatisation, taxation, loans and more international aid.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Holistic Reforms:</strong> Any stimulus package will fail to reflect the trickle-down effect, until and unless it is backed by reforms in various sectors.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, Atma nirbhar plan also encompasses the unfinished agenda of holistic reforms which may include reforms in Civil services, Education,Skill and Labour, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The economic crisis triggered by Covid-19 pandemic is much like the 1991 economic crisis, which was a harbinger of a paradigm shift via liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. The post-Covid-19 era may usher in unprecedented opportunities provided the implementation deficit is adequately addressed.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590038126_image.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590038126_image.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="570" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f3f0ff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Any financial stimulus package will fail to reflect the trickle-down effect unless it is backed by reforms in other sectors&rdquo;. Discuss the statement in context of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Zf0QKAcEZE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/afghanistan-ashraf-ghani-abdullah-taliban-peace-deal-6418096/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;One conflict less&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on May, 20<sup>th</sup> 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Afghan Policy and Taliban',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/getting-india-back-to-the-afghan-high-table/article31609810.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Getting India back to the Afghan high table&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 18/05/2020. It talks about the need to recalibrate India&rsquo;s Afghan policy, as the Taliban takes the central role in Afghanistan politics.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the United Nations Secretariat held a meeting of the <strong>&ldquo;6+2+1&rdquo; group on regional efforts to support peace in Afghanistan.</strong> This group includes six neighbouring countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; two global players the United States and Russia, and Afghanistan itself.</p>
<p>However, <strong>India has not been invited to this peace process.</strong> The reason given for keeping India out of this regional discussions is that India holds no &ldquo;boundary&rdquo; with Afghanistan. However, the &ldquo;6+2+1&rdquo; grouping ignored India&rsquo;s stand that its territory borders Afghanistan (along Wakhan Corridor) and is currently under Pakistan&rsquo;s illegal occupation.</p>
<p>Despite all the development work taken up by India in Afghanistan over the past 18 years since the Taliban were ousted from Kabul in 2001, it finds itself on the margins of international diplomacy in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>In this context, there is a need for India to recalibrate its Afghan policy, in order to secure its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-interest-in-iran-afganistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>strategic and economic interest</strong></a>.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Voice in the Afghan&rsquo;s Reconciliation Process</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the past, due to terror activities of the Taliban, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/us-taliban-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India has been very critical of the Taliban</strong></a> coming into power and shown resistance to publicly dealing with the Taliban.</li>
<li>Under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/usa-taliban-peace-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-Taliban peace deal</strong></a>, the Taliban will be in the centre of power in Afghanistan, as the US forces withdraw from Afghanistan.</li>
<li>In the present scenario, India has never announced its support for the U.S.-Taliban peace deal. Rather, India supports the Ashraf Ghani government and backs the idea of an <strong>Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled process.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, in order to provide legitimacy to recently held Afgan president elections, Ashraf Ghani entered into a power-sharing agreement with former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah.</li>
<li>This agreement will inevitably further weaken Ashraf Ghani and subsequently undermines Indian interest in the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to these factors, India&rsquo;s voice in the reconciliation process has been limited.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Interest in Afghanistan</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic and Strategic Interest:</strong> Afghanistan is a gateway to the oil and mineral-rich Central Asian republics.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Afghanistan's main advantage is its geography, as anyone who is in power in Afghanistan controls the land routes connecting India with Central Asia (via Afghanistan).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Developmental Projects:</strong> The massive reconstruction plans for the country to offer a lot of opportunities for Indian companies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Three major projects: the Afghan Parliament, the Zaranj-Delaram Highway, and the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam (Salma Dam), along with India&rsquo;s assistance of more than $3 billion in projects, hundreds of small development projects (of schools, hospitals and water projects) have cemented India&rsquo;s position in Afghanistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Security Interest:</strong> India has been the victim of state-sponsored terrorism emanating from Pakistan supported terrorist group operating in the region (e,g. Haqqani network). Thus, India has two priorities in Afghanistan:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>to prevent Pakistan from setting up a friendly government in Afghanistan, and</li>
<li>to avoid the return of jihadi groups, like al Qaeda, which could strike in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Ahead</h3>
<p><strong>India&rsquo;s Dilemma</strong></p>
<p>Due to the Taliban&rsquo;s coming to power, India faces a dilemma, between:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Should India reconsider its current policy that a lasting political settlement in Afghanistan must come through an<strong> &ldquo;Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan controlled process''</strong> (considering that the elected Afghan Government is hardly in control of the peace process).</li>
<li>Should India, consider the option of entering into <strong>direct talks with the Taliban.</strong> But, If India does so, it would constitute a major departure from its consistent policy of dealing only with recognised governments.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Dent in India&rsquo;s Goodwill</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The building blocks of India's goodwill are assistance in infrastructure projects, health care, education, trade and food security, and also in the easy access to Afghani citizens to study, train and work in India.</li>
<li>Above all, it is India&rsquo;s example as a pluralistic, inclusive democracy, inspires many in Afghanistan.</li>
<li>However, there has been a dent in India&rsquo;s goodwill, due to recent events in India, especially the controversy over the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/citizenship-amendment-act-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong></a>.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Exclusion of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has been excluded from the Afghanistan peace process many times including the recent meeting (6+2+1 grouping).</li>
<li>This poses a challenge for India to secure its interest in deciding the fate of Afghanistan and its people.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India must also pursue opportunities to fulfil its role in the peace efforts in Afghanistan, starting with efforts to bridge the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/afghanistan-s-power-sharing-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ghani-Abdullah divide</strong></a>, and bringing together other major leaders with whom India has built ties for decades.</li>
<li>India should take the diplomatic route to press for its inclusion in &ldquo;6+2+1&rdquo; dialogue, to claim its legitimate role in the Afghan peace process.</li>
<li>India should leverage the United Nations&rsquo;s call for a pause in conflicts during the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Covid-19+and+lockdown+drishti+ias&amp;oq=covid+&amp;aqs=chrome.1.69i57j69i59l3j0j69i60l3.4987j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> to restart dialogue with Pakistan, which in turn is necessary for lasting peace in Afghanistan.</li>
<li>Also, India can learn from US-Taliban talks where two opposing parties came to the negotiating table for talks on Afghanistan&rsquo;s future. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For India, given its abiding interest in Afghanistan&rsquo;s success and traditional warmth for its people, making that leap should be a bit easier. Thus, India can consider the appointment of a special envoy and start Track II diplomacy with the Taliban.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In the current situation, it is essential for India to maintain its strong links with the Afghan government, build and support its traditional Afghan allies and open lines of communication with the Taliban.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589979416_IndiaAfghanistan.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589979416_IndiaAfghanistan.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7f4e9;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>How a recent power-sharing agreement in Afghanistan will impact Indian interests in Afghanistan. Critically analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AasIzo2-04Y" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/central-governement-funds-states-aid-coronavirus-covid-19-6416283/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;A Lending Hand&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published on The Indian Express on May, 19<sup>th</sup> 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-afghan-policy-and-taliban'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Corporate Affairs',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA)</strong> has taken several landmark initiatives in pursuance to the objective of providing greater &ldquo; Ease of Doing Business&rdquo; to all stakeholders.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It brings greater transparency in corporate structure and fosters better Corporate compliance so as to enhance the efficiency of the processes under <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-the-companies-amendment-bill-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Companies Act, 2013</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ease of Doing Business Ranking</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has improved its ranking on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank&rsquo;s &ldquo;Doing Business&rdquo; 2020 report</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per the report, India has moved up 14 positions to 63<sup>rd</sup> position as compared to 77<sup>th</sup> position in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Resolving Insolvency Index:</strong> Ministry of Corporate Affairs has contributed towards insolvency resolution. As per the latest Report in the Resolving Insolvency Index, India&rsquo;s ranking jumped 56 places to 52 in 2019 from 108 in 2018. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recovery rate increased from 26.5% in 2018 to 71.6% in 2019 and time taken in recovery improved from 4.3 years in 2018 to 1.6 years in 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ease of Doing Business Report</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report was introduced in 2003 to provide an assessment of objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle.</li>
<li>The report measures the performance of countries across 10 different parameters namely-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Starting a Business,</li>
<li>Dealing with Construction permits,</li>
<li>Electricity availability,</li>
<li>Property registration,</li>
<li>Credit availability,</li>
<li>Protecting minority Investors,</li>
<li>Paying Taxes,</li>
<li>Trading across borders,</li>
<li>Contracts enforcement, and</li>
<li>Resolving Insolvency.</li>
<li>This time two more parameters were considered namely, employing workers and contracting with the government but these are not included in the score and rankings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/what-makes-doing-business-easier" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Steps Taken to Provide Ease of Doing Business</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Integrated Incorporation Form - <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/spice-web-form" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically</a></strong> (SPICe) introduced which extends 8 services (CIN, PAN, TIN, DIN, Name, EPFO, ESIC and GSTN) from three Ministries through a single form.</li>
<li><strong>RUN &ndash; Reserve Unique Name:</strong> It is a web service used for reserving a<strong> name</strong> for a new company or for changing its existing<strong> name.</strong> The web service helps verify whether the <strong>name</strong> chosen for the company is<strong> unique.</strong></li>
<li><strong>De-criminalization of technical &amp; procedural violations</strong> under Companies Act and reducing the burden on criminal courts &amp; NCLT by shifting 16 offences sections to monetary penalty regime vide Companies (Amendment ) Bill , 2019.</li>
<li><strong>Various exemptions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Revised De-Minimis exemption</strong> under Competition Act 2002 for speeding up Mergers &amp; Acquisitions of companies in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>'The De Minimis' exemption means an investment adviser is exempt from registration if they have 15 or fewer clients over a 12-month period with a physical address.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Exemptions from various provisions of Companies Act to Private companies, Government Companies, Charitable companies, Nidhis and IFSC (GIFT city) companies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Differential Voting Rights (DVRs):</strong> Provisions relating to issue of shares with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/policy-reforms-for-startups" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>DVRs</strong> </a>modified with the objective of enabling promoters of Indian companies to retain control of their companies in their pursuit for growth and creation of long-term value for shareholders, even as they raise equity capital from global investors.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoters or founders of a start up, often lose control of the firm when they dilute their stakes to raise multiple rounds of funding. This issue can be resolved by Differential Voting Rights (DVRs).</li>
<li>A DVR share is like an ordinary equity share, but it does not follow the common rule of one share-one vote,</li>
<li>It enables promoters to retain control over the company even after many new investors come in, by allowing shares with superior voting rights or lower or fractional voting rights to public investors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Debenture Redemption Reserve (DRR):</strong> Provisions relating to creation of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/debenture-redemption-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> DRR</strong></a> revised with the objective of deepening the bond market &amp; reducing the cost of capital by:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Removing the requirement for creation of a DRR of 25% of the value of outstanding debentures in respect of listed companies, NBFCs registered with RBI and for Housing Finance Companies registered with National Housing Bank (NHB) both for public issue as well as private placements;</li>
<li>Reduction in DRR for unlisted companies from the present level of 25% to 10% of the outstanding debentures.</li>
<li>The measure has been taken by the government with a view to <strong>reducing the cost of the capital</strong> raised by companies through issue of debentures and is expected to significantly deepen the bond market.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Debenture Redemption Reserve</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Debenture redemption reserve (DRR) is a provision stating that any Indian corporation that issues debentures must create a debenture redemption service in an effort to protect investors from the possibility of a company defaulting.</li>
<li>This provision was added to the Indian Companies Act of 1956 through an amendment introduced in the year 2000.</li>
<li>This rule offers investors a measure of protection, because debentures are not backed by an asset, a lien, or any other form of collateral.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Debentures are debt instruments</strong> used to raise capital from the general public, usually backed by the integrity and the creditworthiness of the issuer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Independent Databank: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/data-bank-of-independent-directors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Independent Directors Databank</a></strong> is launched to provide an easy to access &amp; navigate platform for the registration of existing Independent Directors as well as individuals aspiring to become independent directors.</li>
<li><strong>Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-corporate-social-responsibility-awards" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>First National CSR Awards were distributed</strong></a> by the President.</li>
<li>The term "Corporate Social Responsibility" can be referred to as corporate initiative to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on the environment and impact on social welfare.</li>
<li>In India, the concept of CSR is governed by clause 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.</li>
<li>India is the first country in the world to mandate CSR spending along with a framework to identify potential CSR activities.</li>
<li><strong>The CSR provisions within the Act is applicable to companies with an annual turnover of 1,000 crore and more, or a net worth of Rs. 500 crore and more, or a net profit of Rs. 5 crore and more.</strong></li>
<li>The Act <strong>encourages companies to spend 2% of their average net profit</strong> in the previous three years on CSR activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2019</strong></a> was passed by Parliament. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This amendment Bill provides for the timely conclusion of cases, greater flexibility for corporate restructuring for maximizing value of assets, protecting primacy of secured creditors and removing voting deadlock of homebuyers, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It provides a generic framework for insolvency and liquidation proceedings of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) other than banks.</li>
<li>The Rules essentially aim to serve as an interim mechanism to deal with any exigency pending introduction of a full-fledged enactment (Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill) to deal with financial resolution of Banks and other systemically important financial service providers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016</strong> was amended twice in 2018 to disqualify undesirable persons from regaining control of companies undergoing resolution and to balance the interests of various stakeholders in the Code, especially interests of home buyers and micro, small and medium enterprises, promoting resolution over liquidation of corporate debtor by lowering the voting threshold of committee of creditors and streamlining provisions relating to eligibility of resolution applicants.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-corporate-affairs'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'India to Chair WHO Executive Board',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has been elected to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation (WHO)</strong></a>&rsquo;s Executive Board. It will also be holding a <strong>Chairmanship</strong> of the Executive Board for the next <strong>one year (from May 2020- May 2021)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, the chairmanship of the WHO Executive Board is being held by <strong>Japan.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proposal to appoint India&rsquo;s nominee to the executive board was signed by the 194-nation at the <strong>73<sup>rd</sup> World Health Assembly</strong> between 18-19 May, 2020.</li>
<li>In 2019, WHO&rsquo;s South-East Asia group had unanimously decided that India would be elected to the executive board for a <strong>three-year-term</strong> beginning from May, 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>WHO Member States are grouped into <strong>6 WHO regions</strong> namely, African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Western Pacific Region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has been elected along with 10 other countries including Botswana, Colombia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Oman, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom.</li>
</ul>
<h3>WHO Executive Board</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Composition:</strong> The Executive Board is composed of<strong> 34 individuals technically qualified in the field of health,</strong> each one designated by a member state elected to do so by the World Health Assembly. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Member States are elected for <strong>three-year</strong> terms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Chairman:</strong> The chairman&rsquo;s post is held by rotation for one year among regional groups.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>not a full time assignment</strong> and the chairman is just required to chair the Executive Board&rsquo;s meetings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Meeting:</strong> The Board meets at least<strong> twice a year.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong> The main functions of the Executive Board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly, to advise it and generally to facilitate its work.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Health Assembly</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Health Assembly is the <strong>decision-making body of WHO.</strong></li>
<li>It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.</li>
<li>The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to <strong>determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. </strong></li>
<li>The Health Assembly is <strong>held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/harsh-vardhan-set-to-be-who-executive-board-chairman-6418494/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-to-chair-who-executive-board'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Fall in Global Carbon Emissions',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Center for International Climate and Environmental Research</strong> (CICERO) has evaluated <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a>&rsquo;s</strong> effect on <strong>carbon emissions.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has predicted that emissions will <strong>fall between 4.2 and 7.5%</strong> on last year, as <strong>against a rise of 1%</strong> which was earlier predicted for 2020 before the <a href="/https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who%20daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a> outbreak.</li>
<li>Earlier, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/opec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency</strong></a> (IEA) released <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-energy-review-2020-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Energy Review: 2020</strong></a> with details on the effects of the pandemic on global energy demand and carbon emissions.</li>
<li>In <strong>India,</strong> the nationwide lockdown led to minimal air pollution and<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-lockdown-improved-air-quality" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> improved the air quality</a>.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Data Analysis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Carbon emissions were <strong>5% lower</strong> than during the same time in 2019.</li>
<li><strong>Decline</strong> was noticed in <strong>coal emissions</strong> (8%),<strong> oil emissions</strong> (4.5%) and <strong>natural gas emissions</strong> (2.3%) as well.</li>
<li>Emissions declined the most in regions which were<strong> impacted the highest by the disease.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example, there was an 8% decline in emissions in <strong>China and Europe,</strong> and a 9% decline in the <strong>USA.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Countries in <strong>full <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lockdown</a></strong> are seeing an <strong>average decline of 25%</strong> in energy demand per week, while in those with a<strong> partial lockdown,</strong> the fall in energy demand is about <strong>18% per week.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Global energy demands have lowered due to the <strong>lockdowns</strong> and <strong>restricted road and air travel.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the first quarter of 2020, most <strong>carbon-intensive fuels saw the biggest fall</strong> in demand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It led to the <strong>decline in carbon emissions</strong> which was more than the fall in global energy demand.</li>
<li><strong>Commercial demand</strong> for energy has <strong>fallen</strong> as people are confined to their homes. However, <strong>domestic electricity demand</strong> has <strong>increased.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This temporary decline in carbon emissions will <strong>not slow down climate change</strong> as it is a <strong>cumulative problem</strong> and a drop from one single year will basically make no difference at all.</li>
<li><strong>A 5% drop is equivalent to 0.001 degree Celsius less warming.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Center for International Climate and Environmental Research</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>Norway&rsquo;s</strong> foremost institute for <strong>interdisciplinary climate research.</strong></li>
<li>It has played an active role in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</strong></a> (IPCC), since 1992.</li>
<li>CICERO has a <strong>national role</strong> in promoting knowledge about climate change and is <strong>internationally recognised</strong> as a driving force for innovative climate communication.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>International Energy Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an <strong>autonomous</strong> organisation which works to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1974,</strong> in the wake of the <strong>oil crisis of 1973</strong> after the <strong>OPEC cartel</strong> had shocked the world with a steep increase in oil prices.</li>
<li>It is headquartered in<strong> Paris, France.</strong></li>
<li>It releases the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-energy-outlook-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Energy Outlook report</strong></a>, annually.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> became its <strong>associate member in 2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The reduced emissions are not something to celebrate as it is expected that <strong>emissions will soar once economies restart.</strong></li>
<li>The only way to<strong> sustain</strong> the reduced emissions is governments taking<strong> conscious decisions to change the sources of energy</strong> like moving towards renewable energy sources.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/coronavirus-pandemic-global-carbon-emissions-6418117/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fall-in-global-carbon-emissions'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'United Nations Relief and Works Agency',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)</strong>, has applauded India&rsquo;s financial support to keep its basic services operating, under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> crisis.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government of India provided <strong>USD 2 million</strong> to the <strong>UNRWA</strong> in support of its core programmes and services, including education and health.</li>
<li>India had increased its annual contribution to the UNRWA from <strong>USD 1.25 million</strong> in 2016 to <strong>USD 5 million</strong> in 2019.</li>
<li>It pledged another USD 5 million for 2020 which opens its way to become a member of the agency&rsquo;s advisory commission.</li>
<li>It is also preparing medical supplies for the Palestinians.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations Relief and Works Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a United Nations agency established by the <strong>General Assembly in 1949.</strong></li>
<li>It supports the <strong>relief</strong> and <strong>human development</strong> of <strong>Palestinian refugees</strong> across its five fields of operation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its services encompass <strong>education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in <strong>Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.</strong></li>
<li>It is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support</li>
<li><strong>Palestine refugees</strong> are defined as persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine <strong>during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948,</strong> and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>17 agreements</strong> have been signed under an <strong>India-Palestine development partnership</strong> between the two sides in the fields of agriculture, health care, information technology, youth affairs, consular affairs, women empowerment and media.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India would provide an assistance of around<strong> USD 72 million</strong> through these agreements in <strong>projects</strong> like the<strong> post-2014 war reconstruction efforts in Gaza, construction of schools, setting up a centre of excellence for information and communication technologies at Al-Quds University</strong> and developing a<strong> satellite centre in Ramallah.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In March 2020, a delegation of<strong> United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP)</strong> visited india intended to engage India in the settling of the question of Palestine.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has reiterated its stand and supported the Two-State solution for the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Israel-Palestine issue</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In June 2019, India voted in favour of a decision introduced by Israel in the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong></a> that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization.</li>
<li>In June 2018, India had voted in favour of Palestine on the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a> (UNGA) resolution to investigate an indiscriminate force usage by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians.</li>
<li>As a part of Link West Policy, India has <strong>de-hyphenated its relationship</strong> with Israel and Palestine in 2018 to treat both the<strong> countries mutually independent and exclusive.</strong></li>
<li>In December 2017, India had criticised the United States vote for recognising Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the UNGA vote.</li>
<li>In 2014, India favoured <a href="/daily-news-editorials/the-relevance-of-unhrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNHRC&rsquo;s</strong></a> resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza. Despite supporting the probe, India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC in 2015.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/un-agency-serving-palestine-refugees-hails-indias-contribution-6417331/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/united-nations-relief-and-works-agency'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Illicit Drug Supply and Covid-19: UNODC',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime</strong> (UNODC) released a report on<strong> &lsquo;Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia: Latest Developments and Challenges&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to this report, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> induced <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>lockdowns</strong></a> and movement restrictions may lead to an initial <strong>statistical reduction in drug seizures,</strong> but <strong>without a real change in terms of supply.</strong></li>
<li>In other words, Covid-19 is unlikely to have any effect on illicit drug supply.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Shifting of Priorities:</strong> Rearrangement of governments&rsquo; priorities and resources to tackle the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong> </a>could <strong>threaten the efforts to strengthen drug prevention and treatment</strong> programmes.</li>
<li><strong>No Direct Correlation: Not every fluctuation</strong> in terms of drug seizures, prices, drug-related arrests or deaths in the coming months <strong>would be a direct or indirect consequence</strong> of the outbreak.</li>
<li><strong>Quick and Flexible Response:</strong> Active organised crime groups have shown <strong>flexibility to respond</strong> to shortages of supplies and have <strong>raised risk levels</strong> on certain trafficking routes.</li>
<li><strong>Local Capacities:</strong> Main synthetic drug of concern in the region, <strong>Methamphetamine</strong> (also called <strong>meth</strong>), was manufactured, trafficked and consumed without the need for globalised supply chains.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Context</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India reported a substantial increase in seizures of<strong> amphetamine-type stimulants</strong> (ATS), most of which are suspected to be meth.</li>
<li>The reasons behind the spike are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Growth in trafficking of meth from the <strong>Golden Triangle</strong> overland to Bangladesh, with some<strong> routes crossing India.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Golden Triangle</strong> represents the region coinciding with the<strong> rural mountains of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>Southeast Asia&rsquo;s main opium-producing</strong> region and one of the<strong> oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America.</strong></li>
<li>Use of <strong>maritime trafficking routes</strong> from Myanmar along the Andaman Sea, some of which <strong>cross Indian territorial waters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India is in the middle of two major illicit opium production regions in the world, the <strong>Golden Crescent in the west</strong> and the <strong>Golden Triangle in the east.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Golden Crescent</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This region of South Asia is a principal global site for opium production and distribution.</li>
<li>It comprises<strong> Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Easy Borders:</strong> The borders are porous and difficult to control in the lower Mekong region so cross-border movements in many places are not significantly hindered by Covid-19 measures.</li>
<li><strong>Evolving Ways of Trafficking:</strong> The methods of <strong>containerised trafficking, couriers</strong> and <strong>body-packing have reduced</strong> due to shutting down of borders and trade. However, dealers might <strong>come up with other ways</strong> limiting the impact of reduced trade.</li>
<li><strong>Limited Control:</strong> There is <strong>limited government control</strong> in the <strong>Golden Triangle,</strong> trafficking would continue at high volumes.</li>
<li><strong>Unaffected Supply:</strong> The supply of precursor chemicals is not likely to be disrupted because major organised crime groups<strong> source chemicals through direct diversion from industry</strong> and not diversion from illicit overseas trade channels.</li>
<li><strong>Lowest Price Level:</strong> The price of meth has dropped to the lowest level in a decade with the <strong>surge of supplies.</strong> This has in turn<strong> increased its affordability</strong> and, therefore, use.</li>
<li><strong>Increased Crime:</strong> Changed methods to access drugs and economic hardship might <strong>reduce the disposable income</strong> of some drug users, and <strong>result in increased crime.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Street dealing of drugs might be significantly impacted and altered due to movement restriction and social distancing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Additional Risks:</strong> Vulnerable populations of drug users may be exposed to additional risks as funding is re-prioritised, access to programmes and services becomes difficult and activities of treatment providers are hampered as they are dealing with the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Established in <strong>1997</strong> and was named UNODC in <strong>2002.</strong></li>
<li>It acts as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the<strong> United Nations International Drug Control Program</strong> (UNDCP) and the <strong>Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division of the United Nations Office at Vienna.</strong></li>
<li>UNODC publishes the <strong>World Drug Report.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Additional <strong>efforts</strong> would be required at the <strong>national, regional, and international level</strong> to carefully <strong>analyse methods and trends</strong> to understand changes to drug markets in the wake of the pandemic.</li>
<li>Moreover,<strong> methods or procedures</strong> to deal with illicit drug supply, their usage<strong> must be institutionalised</strong> in order to ensure that fight against this menace is not compromised in face of a pandemic or any other crisis.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-no-covid-shadow-over-illicit-drug-supply-unodc/article31626250.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/illicit-drug-supply-and-covid-19-unodc'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'GST Waiver will Increase Cost',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Ministry of Finance is not in favour of granting <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fall-in-goods-and-services-tax-gst-collections" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax (GST)</strong></a> exemption, as has been demanded by various sections of the industry.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Providing GST exemption will have serious <strong>adverse implications on state finances,</strong> also<strong> businesses would suffer</strong> and consumers would be hit by price rise.</li>
<li>Exemption would <strong>block Input Tax Credit (ITC)</strong> as manufacturers will pay GST on inputs but cannot claim ITC<strong> because the final product is tax-free.</strong> Thus, it will increase the cost of manufacturing, which will lead to increase in cost of products.</li>
<li>The GST exemption will also<strong> increase compliance burden for manufacturers</strong> who would be required to maintain separate accounts for inputs and goods used for the production of the item.</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>GST exemption provides incentive for imports,</strong> which do not have input taxes as compared to domestic supplies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This makes imported goods cheaper than locally produced goods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In the past when the GST exemption on sanitary napkins was allowed, it had led to similar hardship for domestic manufacturers of sanitary napkins.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Goods and Service Tax (GST) is an <strong>indirect tax</strong> levied on the supply of final goods and services. The GST has subsumed indirect taxes like excise duty, Value Added Tax (VAT), service tax, luxury tax etc.</li>
<li>It is essentially a<strong> consumption tax</strong> and is levied at the final consumption point.</li>
<li>It is levied only on the <strong>value addition</strong> and is collected on goods and services at each point of sale in the supply line.</li>
<li>The GST that a merchant pays to procure goods or services (i.e. on inputs) <strong>can be set off later</strong> against the tax applicable on supply of final goods and services. The set off tax is called <strong>input tax credit.</strong></li>
<li>The GST avoids the <strong>cascading effect or tax on tax</strong> which increases the tax burden on the end consumer.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Benefit of Input Tax Credit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Imagine a manufacturer of shirts. He buys raw material or inputs &mdash; cloth, thread, buttons, tailoring equipment &mdash; worth Rs 100, a sum that includes a tax of Rs 10. With these raw materials, he manufactures a shirt.</li>
<li>In the process of creating the shirt, the manufacturer adds value to the materials he started out with. Let us take this value added by him to be Rs 30. The gross value of his good would, then, be Rs 100 + 30, or Rs 130.</li>
<li>At a tax rate of 10%, the tax on output (this shirt) will then be Rs 13. But under GST, he can set off this tax (Rs 13) against the tax he has already paid on raw material/inputs (Rs 10). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the effective GST incidence on the manufacturer is only Rs 3 (13 &ndash; 10).</li>
<li>Rs. 10 is the <strong>input tax credit</strong> for the manufacturer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/coronavirus-lockdown-govt-not-in-favour-of-gst-waiver-6418228/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-waiver-will-increase-cost'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Hotter Oceans and Supercyclones',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-amphan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>supercyclone &lsquo;Amphan&rsquo;</strong></a> is likely to make landfall between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cyclone Amphan (pronounced as UM-PUN) is a tropical cyclone formed over Bay of Bengal that has turned into a<strong> &ldquo;super cyclonic storm (maximum wind speed is 120 knots)&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>higher than normal temperatures</strong> in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>countrywide lockdown</strong></a> <strong>due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> pandemic</strong> have played a role turning a storm into a super cyclone.</li>
<li>Additionally, the super cyclone Amphan is the<strong> strongest storm</strong> to have formed in the BoB <strong>since the super cyclone of 1999</strong> that ravaged Paradip in Odisha.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;Cyclones&rsquo; as a Regular Phenomenon</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The cyclones gain their <strong>energy from the heat and moisture</strong> generated from <strong>warm ocean surfaces.</strong></li>
<li>The BoB has<strong> higher</strong> Sea Surface Temperature (SST) compared to the Arabian Sea. Some of the reasons for higher SST of Bob are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Slow Flowing Winds:</strong> It keeps temperatures relatively high i.e. around 28 degrees around the year.</li>
<li><strong>Higher Rainfall:</strong> It provides required humidity for cyclone formation.</li>
<li><strong>Constant Inflow of Fresh Water:</strong> The inflow from the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers makes it impossible for the warm water to mix with the cooler water below, making it ideal for a cyclonic depression.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, the<strong> Arabian Sea receives stronger winds</strong> that help dissipate the heat, and the lack of constant fresh water supply helps the warm water mix with the cool water, reducing the temperature.</li>
<li>Additionally, the tropical cyclones in these seas are a typical feature of the summer months and <strong>play a role in aiding the arrival of the monsoon. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unusual Higher Temperature in BoB:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, the BoB has observed<strong> record summer temperatures</strong> due to the global warming from fossil fuel emissions that has been heating up oceans.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-fani" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cyclone Fani</strong></a> in 2019 was also fuelled by high temperatures in the BoB.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the first two weeks of May, there were <strong>maximum surface temperatures of 32-34&deg;C</strong> consecutively. These are record temperatures driven by climate change observed until now.</li>
<li>Such unusual warming around India is <strong>no longer restricted</strong> to just the BoB but also the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It makes <strong>storm prediction less reliable</strong> as well as <strong>disrupting monsoon patterns.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact of Lockdown:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Reduced particulate matter emissions</strong> during the lockdown resulted in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aerosol-levels-hit-20-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> fewer aerosols</strong></a>, such as black carbon, that are known to <strong>reflect sunlight and heat away from the surface.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Every year, the particulate pollution from the Indo-Gangetic plains is transported towards the BoB which influences the formation of clouds over the ocean.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>minimal presence of heat and sunlight reflecting aerosols</strong> in BoB resulted in <strong>fewer clouds and more heat.</strong> Further, it raised the temperature of BoB by <strong>1-3&deg;C higher than normal.</strong> Thus, the whole phenomenon has <strong>amplified the strength</strong> of the cyclone.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Overall Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The higher temperatures and minimal presence of aerosols helped the cyclone Amphan to intensify itself from a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-sarai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>category-1 cyclone</strong></a> <strong>to category-5</strong> in <strong>18 hours</strong> that is an unusually quick evolution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cyclones</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cyclones are the formation of a very <strong>low-pressure system</strong> with very high-speed winds revolving around it. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.</li>
<li>Before cloud formation, water takes up heat from the atmosphere to change into vapour. When water vapour changes back to liquid form as raindrops, this heat is released to the atmosphere.</li>
<li>The heat released to the atmosphere warms the air around. The air tends to rise and causes a drop in pressure. More air rushes to the centre of the storm. This cycle is repeated.</li>
<li>Hurricanes derive their energy from heated seawater which can be prevented by presence of upper-level-winds that disrupt the storm circulation forcing it to lose its strength.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hotter-oceans-spawn-super-cyclones/article31626124.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hotter-oceans-and-supercyclones'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Agricultural Marketing Reforms',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/economic-package-agriculture-relief-fund-farmers-nirmala-sitharaman-ashok-gulati-6414759/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;A 1991 moment for agriculture&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 18/05/2020. It talks about three agricultural reforms that the government intends to bring as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat plan.</p>
</div>
<p>In order to revive the Indian economy, the Centre government has announced the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan</strong></a>. As a part of it, the plan also focuses on bringing farm sector reforms.</p>
<p>It includes the announcement of Rs 1-lakh crore fund to finance agriculture infrastructure projects at the farm gate and produce aggregation points. Also, Rs 500 crore has been allocated to extended <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/operation-greens-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Operation Greens</strong></a> which comprises Tomatoes, Onion and Potatoes (TOP) to ALL fruits and vegetables (TOTAL).</p>
<p>Apart from it, the government has also shown the intention to usher in agricultural marketing reforms. These reforms relate to amending the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955, bringing a Central legislation to allow farmers to sell their products to anyone, outside the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agriculture-produce-to-agriculture-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>APMC</strong></a> mandi yard and creating a legal framework for contract farming.</p>
<p>These reforms are long overdue and if implemented, can go a long way in building efficient value chains and ensuring better returns for farmers.</p>
<h3>Issues in Agricultural Marketing</h3>
<p>Despite significant progress in food security, the farmers&rsquo; income remains subdued owing to the infrastructure deficit in agricultural supply chains. This combined with the nature of agricultural marketing laws in India, farmers suffer more in marketing their products than during the production process.</p>
<p><strong>Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ECA has been used by the Government to regulate the production, supply and distribution of a whole host of commodities it declares &lsquo;essential in order to make them available to consumers at fair prices.</li>
<li>The ECA gives consumers protection against irrational spikes in prices of essential commodities. However, it has acted against the interest of the farmers.</li>
<li>This has thwarted the creation of integrated value chains across the country.</li>
<li>ECA has its roots in the Defence of India Rules of 1943, when India was ravaged by famine and was facing the effects of World War II.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was scarcity-era legislation.</li>
<li>By the mid-1960s, hit by back-to-back droughts, India had to depend upon wheat imports from the US and the country was labelled as a &ldquo;ship to mouth&rdquo; economy.</li>
<li>However, today, India is the largest exporter of rice in the world and the second-largest producer of both wheat and rice, after China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to these factors, the Economic Survey 2020, has recommended repealing this &ldquo;anachronistic&rdquo; Act.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Working of ECA</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>If the Centre finds that a certain commodity is in short supply and its price is spiking, it can notify stock-holding limits on it for a specified period.</li>
<li>The States act on this notification to specify limits and take steps to ensure that these are adhered to.</li>
<li>Anybody trading or dealing in a commodity, be it wholesalers, retailers or even importers are prevented from stockpiling it beyond a certain quantity.</li>
<li>Also, the traders have to immediately sell into the market any stocks held beyond the mandated quantity.</li>
<li>Thus, the Government has invoked the Act umpteen times to ensure adequate supplies and cracked down on hoarders and black-marketeers of such commodities.</li>
<li>Given that almost all crops are seasonal, ensuring round-the-clock supply requires an adequate build-up of stocks during the season.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As, it may not always be possible to differentiate between genuine stock build-up and speculative hoarding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, with too-frequent stock limits, traders also may have no reason to invest in better storage infrastructure.</li>
<li>Also, food processing industries need to maintain large stocks to run their operations smoothly. Stock limits curtail their operations.</li>
<li>In such a situation, large scale private investments are unlikely to flow into food processing and cold storage facilities.</li>
<li>Due to lack of storage facilities, when farmers bring their produce to the market after the harvest, there is often a glut, and prices plummet.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All this hurts the farmer.</li>
<li>In the lean season, prices start flaring up for the consumers.</li>
<li>So, both farmer and consumer lose out because of the lack of storage facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>APMC Act</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the majority of the states, under the APMC acts, farmers are required to sell a large number of commodities in a local mandi where intermediaries often manipulate the price.</li>
<li>Thus, APMC markets have become monopsonistic (too many sellers and one buyer) with high intermediation costs.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Working of APMC</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In most APMCs, buyers have to route all purchases through licenced arhatiyas(middlemen).</li>
<li>These middlemen charge a commission for their &ldquo;services&rdquo; &mdash; many times, both from the buyer and seller.</li>
<li>The arhatiyas are often a moneylender, supplying seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers on credit. They, then, are forced to sell through him and settle their dues in perpetuity.</li>
<li>Also, mandi fees range from 0.5% to 5% on the value of the sale, while varying across states and commodities.</li>
<li>Further mandi fees on inter-state trade amount to double taxation, besides violating the idea of a single national market.</li>
<li>Distress sale due to lack of storage infrastructure.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At mandis the lowest prices are during the 3-4 post-harvest months and highest in the immediate pre-harvest period.</li>
<li>Farmers undertake maximum sales just after harvest, as they need to purchase inputs for the next sowing season.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Effects of These Reforms</h3>
<p><strong>Amending ECA</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dismantling of such controls under ECA would expand India&rsquo;s agri-exports and enable private investment in supply chains.</li>
<li>This could facilitate private investment in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-food-processing-industry-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>food processing industries</strong></a>, strengthening the farm-to-fork chain, and benefiting both producers and consumers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Dismantling APMC Monopoly</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proposed Central law to allow farmers to sell to anyone outside the APMC yard, may bring greater competition amongst buyers, lower the mandi fee and the commission for arhatiyas (commission agents) and reduce other cesses that many state governments impose on APMC markets.</li>
<li>Further, by removing barriers in inter-state trade will help farmers in the regions with surplus produce to get better prices and consumers in regions with shortages will have availability of agri-products at lower prices.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, India will have one common market for agri-produce, enabling efficient supply chain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Legal Environment for Contract Farming</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/question-of-seed-sovereignty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Contract Farming</strong> </a>will provide an assurance of a price to the farmers at the time of sowing.</li>
<li>This may help them take cropping decisions based on forwarding prices.</li>
<li>Also, the new system will minimise their market risks and may solve the issue of food shortages.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>There are many existing laws like Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (promotion and facilitation) Act, 2017, electronic national agriculture market (eNAM), Model Contract Farming Act, 2018 and Model Agriculture Land Leasing Act, 2016, which seeks to address the many problems, as intended by current reforms.</p>
<p>However, agriculture being a state subject, hinders the materialisation of these reforms on the ground. Therefore, in order to make India&rsquo;s farmer truly Atmanirbar (self-reliant), there is a need to follow the ethos of cooperative federalism.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589888414_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589888414_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fff5e6;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Indian farmers suffer more in marketing their products than during the production process&rdquo;. Analyse the statement in the context of agricultural marketing reforms in India.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2kas1EeqjGM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/taiwan-china-united-nations-covid-who-kashmir-unsc-6414739/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Taiwan Question&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on May 18<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agricultural-marketing-reforms'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Domicile Certificates in J&K',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir administration notified the J&amp;K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It <strong>amended the rules for issuing domicile certificates</strong> in the Union territory.</li>
<li>The new rules provide a <strong>simple time-bound and transparent procedure</strong> for issuance of domicile certificates.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>J&amp;K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It would provide the basis for issuing domicile certificates to those who meet the <strong>conditions as stated in the Centre&rsquo;s gazette notification</strong> that introduced the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centre-defines-j-k-domicile-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>domicile clause</strong></a> through an <strong>amendment to the Jammu And Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation And Recruitment) Act, 2010.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Domicile certificates</strong> have now been made a<strong> basic eligibility condition</strong> for <strong>appointment to any post</strong> under the Union Territory of J&amp;K.</li>
<li>Under the amended rules, <strong>eligible non-locals</strong> can also apply for the certificate. The new process will allow <strong>West Pakistan refugees, safai karamcharis and children of women who married non-locals</strong> to apply for jobs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Domicile:</strong> Under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amendments-to-the-j-k-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) Order 2020</strong></a>, <strong>domicile</strong> is defined <strong>as any person</strong> who has <strong>resided for a period of 15 years in the UT of J&amp;K or</strong> has studied <strong>for a period of seven years</strong> and appeared in class <strong>10<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup> examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&amp;K. </strong>It also has provisions related to migrants and government officials.&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Time Stipulated under the Rules:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It sets a fast track process in motion to <strong>issue the certificates within a</strong> stipulated time of <strong>15 days.</strong></li>
<li>If the certificate is not issued within the stipulated time, the applicant shall be free to approach an appellate authority.</li>
<li>The decision of the appellate authority shall be binding upon the issuing authority and the orders to complied within 7 days, failing which the defaulting officer has to face a penalty of <strong>Rs. 50,000,</strong> to be recovered from his/her salary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eligibility:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Permanent Residents:</strong> All Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside J&amp;K can apply for the certificates.</li>
<li><strong>Migrants:</strong> Kashmiri migrants living in or outside J&amp;K can get domicile certificates by producing their Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), ration card copy, voter card or any other valid document.</li>
<li><strong>Government Officials:</strong> Central government officials, All India Service Officers, officials of Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous bodies of the Central Government, Public Sector Banks, Statutory bodies, Central Universities and recognised research institutes of the Central Government, who have served in the <strong>Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for a total period of ten years,</strong> are eligible for the certificate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jk-notifies-amended-domicile-certificate-rules/article31617453.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/domicile-certificates-in-j-k'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture: Visakhapatnam Gas Leak',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zOc0JZFGbpU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>A major leak from a polymer plant LG Polymers near Visakhapatnam impacted villages in a five-km radius, leaving at least 9 people dead and thousands of citizens suffering from breathlessness and other problems in an early morning mishap that <strong>raised fears of a serious industrial disaster.</strong></p>
<p>The leak occurred early morning on May 7, 2020, at a private plastic making plant owned by LG Polymers Pvt Ltd, a part of South Korean conglomerate LG Corp. The chemical plant was closed due to the lockdown for a long time and attempts were made to restart the operation. During this course, some chemical activity got started in the tank and <strong>a large amount of Styrene gas was leaked in surroundings.</strong> The exact cause of this incident is still unknown and further investigations are going on.</p>
<p>Fire engines, the police, and ambulances reached the area to control the situation.The trained chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense team of NDRF rushed to the spot and evacuated 1,200 families to safe locations, and about 400 people were admitted to the hospital.</p>
<p>The National Human Rights Commission of India issued a notice to the Andhra Pradesh government and the Centre following the leakage of poisonous gas.</p>
<h3>Styrene and Its Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vizag-gas-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Styrene</strong></a> is a flammable liquid that is used in the manufacturing of polystyrene plastics, fiberglass, rubber, and latex.</li>
<li>It is also found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke, and in natural foods like fruits and vegetables.</li>
<li>A short-term exposure to the substance can result in respiratory problems, irritation in the eyes, irritation in the mucous membrane, and gastrointestinal issues.</li>
<li>Long-term exposure could drastically affect the central nervous system and lead to other related problems like peripheral neuropathy.</li>
<li>It could also lead to cancer and depression in some cases, though there isn&rsquo;t much evidence to indicate there may be an association between styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia.</li>
<li>Styrene is included in the schedule of the <strong>Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989.</strong> The rules lay down strict norms on how it should be handled and stored.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Role of NGT</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Green Tribunal slapped an interim penalty of Rs 50 crore on LG Polymers India, and sought response from the Centre and others for the &ldquo;damage to life, public health, and environment&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo-motu cognizance of the matter</li>
<li>It formed a committee under a retired judge of the Andhra Pradesh high court to inspect the site and determine the cause of the incident, the damage caused to life, environment and health, and steps to compensate victims.</li>
<li>In its order, the NGT directed the application of a <strong>strict liability principle</strong> for damage to the people and the environment.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Strict Liability Act</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The principle of strict liability evolved in the case of Rylands v Fletcher in the year 1868.</li>
<li>It states that &ldquo;the person who, for purposes of his own, brings on his land, and collects and keeps there anything likely to do mischief if it escapes, must keep it in at his peril, and, if he does not do so, he is prima facie answerable for all the damage which is the natural consequence of its escape.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Essentials of Strict Liability</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dangerous Substances: The defendant will be held strictly liable only if a &ldquo;dangerous&rdquo; substance escapes from his premises.</li>
<li>Escape: The material should escape from the premises and shouldn&rsquo;t be within the reach of the defendant after its escape.</li>
<li>Non-natural Use: To constitute a strict liability, there should be a non-natural use of the land.</li>
</ul>
<p>These three conditions need to be satisfied simultaneously to constitute a strict liability.</p>
</div>
<h3>Laws to Protect Against Chemical Disasters in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Laws Before and During Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984):</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At the time of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhopal-gas-tragedy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhopal gas tragedy</strong></a>, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the only relevant law specifying criminal liability for such incidents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Laws After Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984):</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bhopal Gas Leak (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985:</strong> It gives powers to the central government to secure the claims arising out of or connected with the Bhopal gas tragedy.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the provisions of this Act, such claims are dealt with speedily and equitably.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Environment Protection Act, 1986:</strong> It gives powers to the central government to undertake measures for improving the environment and set standards and inspect industrial units.</li>
<li><strong>The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991:</strong> It is an insurance meant to provide relief to persons affected by accidents that occur while handling hazardous substances.</li>
<li><strong>The National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997:</strong> Under this Act, the National Environment Appellate Authority can hear appeals regarding the restriction of areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries shall not be carried out or shall be carried out subject to certain safeguards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.</li>
<li><strong>National Green Tribunal, 2010:</strong> It provided for the establishment of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal</strong></a> for effective and expeditious disposal of cases related to environmental protection and conservation of forests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The Andhra Pradesh government must focus immediately on the medical needs of those who have been grievously affected by the gas leak, which has inevitably led to comparisons with the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Access to health care:</strong> Solatium payments and compensation for the victims and families are important, but so is access to the highest quality of health care for the victims. The incident is also a warning for industries across India.</li>
<li><strong>Develop safety culture:</strong> There&rsquo;s a need to adopt proper safety measures following the best international standards. Three-tier measures are required, which involves
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Passive safety measures like having a green belt of trees around the periphery of industries should be adopted;</li>
<li>Industries should pre-announce to the local people if they use hazardous chemicals;</li>
<li>Precautionary drills must be conducted by industries as a part of their CSR programs;</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plant Inspection:</strong> Proper plant inspection should be done even during the closure
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A proper audit of all plants must take place as prevention is better than cure and in this case, it is life-saving.</li>
<li>Monitor the health of cattle by bringing in teams of veterinary doctors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fix Accountability:</strong> Maintenance of Hazardous Chemicals; Have strict legal actions and fix accountability after having a thorough investigation; State government should keep a check on the number of people living near hazardous industries and proper disaster planning must be adopted.</li>
</ul>
<p>Authorities must look at the safety aspects and take all precautionary measures beforehand, as the lockdown starts being gradually lifted. As India aims for a wider manufacturing base, it needs to strengthen its approach to public and occupational safety. Transparent oversight is not a hurdle to industrial growth. It advances sustainable development by eliminating terrible mistakes.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UF7ixCcKiHA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Learn more:</strong> Editorial analysis on Vizag Gas Leak.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-visakhapatnam-gas-leak'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Objections to Etalin Hydroelectric Project',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, some conservationists and former members of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wildlife-panel-holds-virtual-conference" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Board of Wildlife</strong></a> (NBWL) have sought rejection of approval for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/etalin-hydroelectric-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Etalin Hydroelectric Project</strong></a> in the <strong>Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Project is based on the river <strong>Dibang</strong> and is proposed to be <strong>completed in 7 years.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dibang is a<strong> tributary of the Brahmaputra</strong> river which flows through the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It <strong>envisages construction of two dams</strong> over the tributaries of Dibang: <strong>Dir</strong> and <strong>Tangon.</strong></li>
<li>The Project falls<strong> under the richest bio-geographical province of the Himalayan zone</strong> and would be located at the junction of major <strong>biogeographic</strong> zones like Palaearctic Zone and Indo-Malayan Zone.</li>
<li>It is expected to be <strong>one of the biggest hydropower projects in India</strong> in terms of <strong>installed capacity.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Biogeographic Regions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the large distinctive units of similar ecology, biome representation, community and species.</li>
<li>Originally,<strong> six biogeographic regions</strong> were identified:<strong> Palearctic</strong> (Europe and Asia), <strong>Nearctic</strong> (North America), <strong>Neotropical</strong> (Mexico, Central and South America), <strong>Ethiopian/Afrotropic</strong> (Africa), <strong>Oriental/Indo-Malayan</strong> (Southeast Asia, Indonesia) and <strong>Australian</strong> (Australia and New Guinea). <strong>Currently, eight are recognised</strong> since the addition of <strong>Oceania</strong> (Polynesia, Fiji and Micronesia) and <strong>Antarctica.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589884643_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589884643_image5.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><strong>Palaearctic Zone</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This includes arctic and temperate Eurasia and all islands surrounding the continent in the Arctic, in the sea of Japan and the eastern half of the North Atlantic.</li>
<li>It also includes the Macaronesian islands, Mediterranean North Africa and Arabia.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Indo-Malayan Zone</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Its natural boundaries contain tropical Asia from the Balochistan mountains of Pakistan eastward to the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayan crest, including the tropical southern fringe of China with Taiwan, the whole of Southeast Asia and the Philippines.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/panel-approves-scheme-to-trade-in-forests" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Forest Advisory Committee</strong></a> (FAC) of the <strong>Ministry of Environment Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> (MoEFCC) highlighted that the project will <strong>clear 2.7 lakh trees</strong> in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest and subtropical rainforests.</li>
<li>According to a sub-committee of FAC, the project <strong>may be allowed subject to the condition</strong> that the financial outlay of Wildlife Conservation Plan be deposited to the Forest Department by user agency on the basis of a study done by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sal-forest-tortoise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Institute of India</strong></a> (WII).</li>
<li>However, there were protests by green groups due to which MoEFCC <strong>transferred the project</strong> to the Union <strong>Power Ministry.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Conservationists highlighted that the FAC sub-committee <strong>ignored established tenets of forest conservation and related legal issues</strong> while recommending the proposal.</li>
<li>FAC <strong>ignored the threat of forest fragmentation.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Forest fragmentation</strong> results from ill-planned intrusion of developmental projects into contiguous landscapes with natural forests and threatens rare floral and faunal species in a biodiversity hotspot.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>FAC&rsquo;s <strong>site inspection report was also questioned for leaving out key details</strong> like number of grids across an altitudinal range inspected and the status of vegetation there, direct and indirect signs of wild animals listed in the various <strong>schedules of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-conservation-of-migratory-species" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wildlife Protection Act, 1972</a></strong> and overall appreciation of the ecological value of the area.</li>
<li>The <strong>inadequacy of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sc-suspended-ec-for-airport-in-goa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environment Impact Assessment</a> report</strong> on Etalin was also highlighted.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Wildlife officials ignored observations which include the threat to 25 globally endangered mammal and bird species in the area to be affected.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The proposed <strong>mitigation measures</strong> like setting up butterfly and reptile parks are <strong>inadequate and insufficient.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/scrap-disastrous-arunachal-mega-dam-project-say-activists/article31616024.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/objections-to-etalin-hydroelectric-project'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Aksai Chin',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Chinese media has accused India of building defence facilities in the <strong>Galwan Valley region</strong> of the contested Aksai Chin area.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>China controls Aksai Chin area, while India claims that it is part of Indian territory</strong> (Union territory of Ladakh).</li>
<li>Chinese media claims that the actions by the Indian side have seriously violated China and India&rsquo;s agreements on border issues.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also claims that India has violated China&rsquo;s territorial sovereignty and harmed military relations between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has not responded to the accusation yet.</li>
<li>The latest round of conflict comes days after Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/face-off-between-india-and-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NakuLa area in north Sikkim and Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh</strong></a>.</li>
<li>India and China have an <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/disputed-territories-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>unresolved 3488 km long border dispute</strong></a> that has cast a shadow on ties for decades.</li>
<li>Prolonged rounds of negotiations have failed to resolve the dispute between the two neighbours.</li>
<li>However, in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-ties-marching-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wuhan</strong></a> <strong>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-2nd-informal-summit-mamallapuram-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahabalipuram</a> summits</strong>, both China and India had reaffirmed that they will make efforts to<strong> &ldquo;ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Also, on 1<sup>st</sup> April, 2020 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-70-years-of-diplomatic-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and China completed their 70 years of diplomatic relations.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Dispute over Aksai Chin</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>During the time of British rule in India, two borders between India and China were proposed-<strong> Johnson&rsquo;s Line</strong> and <strong>McDonald Line.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Johnson&rsquo;s line (proposed in 1865) shows Aksai Chin in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir</strong> (now Ladakh) i.e. under India&rsquo;s control <strong>whereas McDonald Line (proposed in 1893) places it under China&rsquo;s control.</strong></li>
<li>India considers Johnson Line as a correct, rightful national border with China, while on the other hand, China considers the McDonald Line as the correct border with India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>At present, Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the line separating Indian areas of Ladakh from Aksai Chin. It is concurrent with the Chinese Aksai Chin claim line.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589883064_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589883064_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="550" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-building-facilities-in-aksai-chin-china-daily-6416390/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aksai-chin'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'New Super-Earth Planet',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, scientists have discovered a rare new <strong>Super-Earth planet.</strong> It is among only a handful of<strong> extra-solar planets</strong> that have been detected with <strong>both sizes and orbits close to that of Earth.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589880801_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589880801_image4.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mass :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Host Star:</strong> The host star of the Super-Earth&rsquo;s system has about <strong>10% the mass</strong> of the Sun. The <strong>lower mass of the host star</strong> makes a<strong> &lsquo;year&rsquo;</strong> on the planet of approximately <strong>617 days.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Super-Earth Planet:</strong> The planet is expected to have a <strong>mass between the Earth&rsquo;s mass and that of Neptune.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Orbit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With reference to the Solar system, the Super-Earth planet would orbit at a radius anywhere between that of Venus and Earth in our solar system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Planet Discovery:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Super-Earth planet has been discovered using the <strong>gravitational microlensing technique.</strong></li>
<li>Gravitational microlensing is an astronomical phenomenon due to the gravitational lens effect. It can be used to detect objects that <strong>range from the mass of a planet to the mass of a star,</strong> regardless of the light they emit.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The microlensing effect is rare, with only about one in a million stars in the galaxy being affected at any given time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Furthermore, such type of observation <strong>does not repeat,</strong> and the probabilities of catching a planet <strong>at the same time are extremely low.</strong></li>
<li>The other methods for exoplanets discovery include: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Radial Velocity Method:</strong> The planet causes the<strong> parent star to wobble around in its orbit,</strong> and as the planet moves to and fro, it changes the color of the light we see.</li>
<li><strong>Transit Method:</strong> When an exoplanet passes in front of its star, some of the starlight passes <strong>through its atmosphere.</strong> Scientists can analyze the<strong> colors of this light</strong> in order to get valuable clues about its composition.</li>
<li><strong>Direct Image Method :</strong> The <strong>direct image can take pictures of exoplanets</strong> by removing the glare of the stars they orbit.</li>
<li><strong>Astrometry:</strong> The orbit of the planet can cause a star to wobble around in spaces in relation to nearby stars in the sky. This method is quite similar to the Radial Velocity method. However, here scientists take a<strong> series of images of a star</strong> and some of the other stars that are near it in the sky. In each picture, they <strong>compare the distances between these reference stars</strong> and the star they're checking for exoplanets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Exoplanet</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first confirmation of detection of exoplanets occurred in 1992.</li>
<li>Exoplanets are very hard to see directly with telescopes. They are <strong>hidden by the bright glare of the stars</strong> they orbit. So, astronomers use other ways to detect and study exoplanets such as looking at the effects these planets have on the stars they orbit.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/astronomers-discover-one-in-a-million-super-earth-6408529/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'International Museum Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Ministry of Culture hosted a webinar on &ldquo;Revitalising Museums and Cultural Spaces&rdquo; to</strong> celebrate the International Museum Day.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) created by the Ministry of Electronics &amp; Information Technology (MeitY) provided technical assistance for conducting the Webinar.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> International Museum Day</strong> is celebrated every year on <strong>18 May</strong> to raise awareness about the fact that &ldquo;museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.&rdquo;</li>
<li>The International Museum Day <strong>2020</strong> was celebrated with the <strong>theme &ldquo;Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>International Museum Day was <strong>instituted in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Council of Museum</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ICOM is the main and only organisation of museums and museum professionals with global scope, committed to promotion and protection of natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.</li>
<li>It was created in 1946 and is <strong>headquartered in Paris, France.</strong> It serves as a network of museum professionals (35,000 members in 137 countries) acting in a wide range of museum- and heritage-related disciplines.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Administration of Museums in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Multiple ministries hold charges of various Museums.</li>
<li>Not all Museums are administered by the <strong>Ministry of Culture.</strong></li>
<li>Some are run without government support by a handful of people <strong>under a Board of Trustees.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The Budget 2020</strong> proposed the setting up of an Indian <strong>Institute of Heritage and Conservation</strong> with the status of a deemed university under the Ministry of Culture.</li>
<li><strong>The National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums</strong> (under the Ministry of Culture) have been launched for digitisation of the collections of the Museums.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Notable Museums in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Museum, New Delhi (Subordinate Office under the Ministry of Culture)</li>
<li>National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru</li>
<li>Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH), Kolkata</li>
<li>Asiatic Society, Kolkata</li>
<li>National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), New Delhi</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1624938" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Travel Bubble',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/baltic-nations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Baltic countries</strong></a><strong> of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania</strong> started a <strong>travel bubble</strong> to help put their economies back on track after <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lockdowns</a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>All three have been <strong>fairly successful at managing the Covid-19 outbreak</strong> and remaining comparatively safe.</li>
<li>In the Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania travel bubble, residents would be able to<strong> travel freely by rail, air and sea without quarantine measures.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Baltic Countries</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877211_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877211_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="567" height="612" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Baltic countries, the<strong> northeastern region of Europe,</strong> include the countries of <strong>Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania,</strong> on the<strong> eastern shores of the Baltic Sea.</strong></li>
<li>The Baltic states are bounded on the <strong>west and north</strong> by the <strong>Baltic Sea,</strong> which gives the region its name, on the <strong>east</strong> by<strong> Russia,</strong> on the <strong>southeast</strong> by <strong>Belarus</strong> and on the <strong>southwest</strong> by <strong>Poland</strong> and an <strong>exclave of Russia.</strong></li>
<li>In <strong>1991,</strong> their then popularly elected governments declared <strong>independence from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics</strong> (USSR) with overwhelming support.</li>
<li>All three of them are <strong>members</strong> of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union</strong></a> (EU) and are sparsely populated (Lithuania-28 lakh, Latvia-19.2 lakh, Estonia-13.3 lakh people).</li>
<li><strong>India and Baltic countries</strong> have<strong> historical connect and common linguistic roots.</strong> The cutting edge <strong>technology and innovation ecosystems</strong> of the Baltic countries complement India&rsquo;s huge market and appetite for these technologies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Travel Bubble:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating a travel bubble involves <strong>reconnecting countries or states</strong> which have shown a<strong> good level of success in containing the Covid-19 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> domestically.</strong></li>
<li>Such a bubble would allow the members of the group to <strong>restart trade ties</strong> with each other and <strong>open travel and tourism.</strong></li>
<li>According to a report, potential travel bubbles among better-performing countries around the world would <strong>account for around 35% of the global <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gdp-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gross Domestic Product</a></strong> (GDP).</li>
<li>Travel bubbles are<strong> favoured by smaller countries</strong> because they are likely to benefit after being able to trade again with larger partners.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Criteria for Entering the Travel Bubble:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People from the outside countries, willing to join the bubble corridor, will have to go into isolation for 14 days.</li>
<li>One should not have travelled outside the member countries of the travel bubble, in the past 14 days.</li>
<li>One should not be infected with coronavirus and should not have come in contact with anyone who has been coronavirus infected.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Countries to Start:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pitch-black" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Australia</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-new-zealand" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Zealand</strong></a> reached an agreement to form a travel bubble, once it becomes safe to operate flights between them. Once it opens, the <strong>trans-Tasman zone</strong> (around <strong>Tasman Sea</strong>) will allow travel without a quarantine period.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Trans-Tasman Zone:</strong> Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is an <strong>arrangement between Australia and New Zealand</strong> which allows for the<strong> free movement of citizens</strong> of one of these countries to the other. The arrangement <strong>came into effect in 1973</strong> and allows citizens of each country<strong> to reside and work</strong> in the other country, <strong>with some restrictions.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877137_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877137_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-70-years-of-diplomatic-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China</strong> </a>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prime-ministers-visit-to-south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Korea</strong> </a>have launched a fast track channel for business travellers.</li>
<li>In the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-us-relations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA</strong></a>, travel bubbles are being suggested to group states who are doing well against the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-the-travel-bubble-idea-that-many-are-pinning-hopes-on-6416715/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Possibility of Covid-19 being Syndemic',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The possibilities of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> being<strong> syndemic</strong> have been raised in the backdrop of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong></a> announcement that Covid-19 <strong>less likely to be eliminated <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/endemic-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(i.e. may become endemic)</a>.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rapid spread of Covid-19 across the world has been characterised as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Pandemic&rsquo;</strong></a> by the WHO.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pandemic:</strong> A pandemic is declared when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world beyond expectations.</li>
<li><strong>Epidemic:</strong> An epidemic is a large outbreak, one that spreads among a population or region. It is less severe than pandemic due to a limited area of spread.</li>
<li><strong>Endemic:</strong> A disease is called endemic when the presence or usual prevalence of its infectious agent is constant within a given geographical area or population group.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A syndemic is a situation when <strong>two or more epidemics interact synergistically</strong> to produce an increased burden of disease in a population.</li>
<li>A situation of syndemic was first described by medical anthropologist <strong>Merrill Singer in the mid-1990s.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Possibility of Syndemic in the Current Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 Pandemic and Presence of Dengue, Malaria:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The least possibility of elimination of Covid-19 pandemic and warning about the second wave of Covid-19 infections worldwide have reinforced the presence of Covid-19 for the long term.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, the alarm is being raised about diseases like dengue and malaria emerging with the upcoming <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/monsoon-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>monsoon season</strong></a> in tropical South Asia.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a possibility that the world will face increased burden of the diseases and thus the situation of syndemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Presence of Antibiotic Resistance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The second wave of infection due to Covid-19 is suspected to be seen in those with <strong>weakened immunity.</strong></li>
<li>At the same time, the world already faces antibiotic resistance and if Covid-19 deepens as a syndemic in populations with antibiotic resistance, the world will face comorbidities.</li>
<li>Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/to-the-point-paper-3-antimicrobial-resistance-amr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Antibiotic resistance</strong></a> is the ability of bacteria or other microbes to resist the effects of an antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in some way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of drugs, chemicals, or other agents designed to cure or prevent infections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Past Instances of Syndemic:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The 1957 Asian influenza pandemic observed deaths not only due to the primary viral infection, but also due to secondary bacterial infections among influenza patients. In short, it was a viral/bacterial syndemic.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, researchers have shown that in Kenya, 5% of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-aids-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections</strong> </a>are due to higher HIV infectiousness of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>malaria</strong></a>-infected HIV patients.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Possible Solutions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Whole world will need to implement <strong>large-scale population testing</strong> for Covid-19 (such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antibody-kits-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PCR and antibody testing</strong></a>) to contain it at its base level.</li>
<li>The societies around the world will also have to consider<strong> innovations in population health surveillance technology</strong> and develop creative business models at a scale.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/preparing-for-a-syndemic/article31617304.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'title' => 'Coir Geo Textile',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA)</strong> has announced that <strong>coir geo textiles</strong> will be used for construction of rural roads under the <strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This would give a<strong> boost to the Coir industry</strong> hit due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> pandemic.</li>
<li>NRIDA is an agency under the <strong>Ministry of Rural Development.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Geo Textiles</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are<strong> synthetic</strong> including polyester and polypropylene or <strong>man-made materials</strong> that have varying degrees of <strong>permeability.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Permeability means their surfaces have very small openings that allow liquid or gases to pass through.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Characteristics of Geo Textile Fabrics:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect and drain when used in association with soils.</li>
<li>It drains areas where water pools while keeping soil in place.</li>
<li>It serves as effective filters, catching some materials to prevent drains from clogging.</li>
<li>It reinforces earthen structures like drains by holding layers in place.</li>
<li>It protects against erosion in places like roads and beaches.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These functions make Geo Textile fabrics useful in many<strong> industries, especially construction and civil engineering.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Coir Geo Textile:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Coir is a 100% natural fiber, obtained from a <strong>renewable source &ndash; the coconut husk.</strong></li>
<li>Coir Geo Textile is naturally <strong>resistant to rot, molds and moisture,</strong> and free from any microbial attack hence it needs no chemical treatment.</li>
<li>It has a<strong> permeable, natural and strong fabric</strong> with high durability.</li>
<li>It protects the land surface and promotes quick vegetation.</li>
<li>It is <strong>totally biodegradable,</strong> and helps in soil stabilisation.</li>
<li>It can dissipate the energy of flowing water and absorb the excess solar radiation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>PMGSY New Technology Guidelines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new guidelines encourage <strong>locally available materials</strong> and use of <strong>green technologies for construction of roads</strong> under<strong> Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).</strong></li>
<li>The State Governments are required to propose a <strong>minimum 15%</strong> of total length of annual road proposals under <strong>new technologies such as</strong> cement stabilization, Lime stabilization, cold mix, waste plastics, cell filled concrete, paneled cement concrete pavement, fly ash etc.</li>
<li>Out of this, <strong>5% roads</strong> are to be constructed using <strong>Indian Road Congress (IRC) accredited technology.</strong> The IRC has now accredited coir Geo textiles for construction of rural roads.</li>
<li>Thus, <strong>5% length of the rural roads under PMGSY-III will be constructed using coir geo textiles.</strong></li>
<li><strong>1674 km road</strong> will be constructed using<strong> Coir Geo textiles in 07 states i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamilanadu </strong>and in<strong> Telangana.</strong></li>
<li>There will be a requirement of<strong> One Crore Sq. mtrs of coir geo textiles,</strong> estimated cost of which would come to <strong>Rs.70 Crore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Road Congress</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) is the <strong>apex body of Highway Engineers</strong> in the country.</li>
<li>It was set up in December, 1934 on the recommendations of the <strong>Indian Road Development Committee</strong> also known as <strong>Jayakar Committee</strong> (under the Chairmanship of Shri M.R. Jayakar) with the objective of road development in India.</li>
<li>It works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.</li>
<li>It is committed to utilise global best practices and promote the <strong>use of cutting edge technologies</strong> for construction for the maintenance of roads, bridges and road transportation.</li>
<li>It promotes <strong>environmental strategy for promotion of cleaner, less energy intensive and less polluting construction techniques</strong> and use of recycled wastes.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Road Congress (IRC) accredited technology:</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Committee for Accreditation of New Materials and Techniques</strong> formed under the aegis of<strong> Highway Research Board of Indian Roads Congress</strong> gives accreditations to patented or new materials, techniques developed in India and abroad and evaluated as per recognized National/ International Specifications.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana - III</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Phase III of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was <strong>launched in 2019.</strong></li>
<li>The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was<strong> launched to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations as part of a poverty reduction strategy.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency</strong> works to implement the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana across states.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Ministry of Rural Development along with state governments is responsible for the implementation of PMGSY.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to <strong>consolidate 1,25,000 Km</strong> road length in the States.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It involves consolidation through routes and major rural links connecting habitations to <strong>Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>duration</strong> of the third phase is <strong>2019-20 to 2024-25.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> funds</strong> are shared in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and State for all States except for 8 North Eastern states and Himachal Pradesh &amp; Uttarakhand for which it is 90:10.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1625286" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coir-geo-textile'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Solarisation of Konark Sun Temple',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Government of India has launched <strong>a scheme for 100% solarisation of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/konark-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Konark sun temple</a> and Konark town in Odisha.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The scheme will <strong>meet all energy requirements of Konark town with solar energy.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To take forward the Prime Minister&rsquo;s vision to develop the historical Sun temple town of Konark in Odisha as <strong>&lsquo;Surya Nagri&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>To convey a message of synergy between the modern use of solar energy and the ancient Sun Temple and the importance of promoting solar energy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plan:</strong> It envisages <strong>setting up of the 10-MW grid</strong> connected solar project and various solar off-grid applications such as solar trees, solar drinking water kiosks and off-grid solar power plants with battery storage.</li>
<li><strong>Funding:</strong> 100% <strong>Central Financial assistance (CFA)</strong> support of around Rs. 25 crore through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.</li>
<li><strong>Implementation Agency</strong>: Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Konark Temple<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590046028_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590046028_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Konark was built by<strong> King Narasimhadeva I</strong> of the<strong> Ganga Dynasty</strong> (1238-1264AD) in the <strong>13<sup>th</sup> century</strong> and is located in Eastern Odisha near the sacred city of <strong>Puri.</strong></li>
<li>The temple is designed in the shape of a <strong>colossal chariot.</strong> It is <strong>dedicated to the sun God.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple.</li>
<li>The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The temple was used as a navigational point by European sailors. They referred to it as the<strong> &lsquo;Black Pagoda&rsquo;</strong> due to its dark colour and its magnetic power that drew ships into the shore and caused shipwrecks.</li>
<li>It is the culmination of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/temple-architecture" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Odisha temple architecture</strong></a>.</li>
<li>It was declared a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO world heritage site</strong></a> in 1984.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1625340" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/solarisation-of-konark-sun-temple'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: Challenges',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/aatmanirbhar-gdp-lockdown-coronavirus-economy-liquidity-migrant-labourers-disparity-narendra-modi-6414740/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan lays strong foundations for raising our per capita GDP&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in the Indian Express on 18/05/2020. It talks about several challenges pertaining to Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the government announced an economic stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore and big-bang systemic reforms under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan</strong></a> (self-reliant India).</p>
<p>The intended objective of this plan is two-fold. First, interim measures such as liquidity infusion and direct cash transfers for the poor will work as shock absorbers for those in acute stress.</p>
<p>The second, long-term reforms in growth-critical sectors to make them globally competitive and attractive.</p>
<p>Together, these steps may revive the economic activity, impacted by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and create new opportunities for growth in sectors like agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), power, coal and mining, defence and aviation,etc.</p>
<p>However, there are several challenges that are needed to be addressed in order to fulfill the vision of this plan.</p>
<h3>Impact of this Stimulus Package</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Primary Sector:</strong> The measures (<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agricultural-marketing-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reforms to amend ECA, APMC, Contract framing, etc</a></strong>) announced for the agricultural and allied sectors are particularly transformative. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These reforms are steps towards the <strong>One Nation One Market</strong> objective and help India become the <strong>food factory of the world.</strong></li>
<li>These would finally help in achieving the goal of a self-sustainable rural economy.</li>
<li>Also, the MGNREGA infusion of Rs 40,000 crore may help in alleviating the distress of migrants when they return to their villages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Secondary Sector:</strong> Given the importance of MSMEs for Indian economy, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/role-of-msmes-in-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free loan facility for MSMEs</strong></a> under the package will help this finance-starved sector and thereby provide a kickstart to the dismal state of the economy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, as the MSME sector is the second largest employment generating sector in India, this step will help to sustain the labour intensive industries and thereby help in <strong>leveraging India&rsquo;s comparative advantage.</strong></li>
<li>Additionally, limiting imports of weapons and increasing the limit of foreign direct investment in defence from 49% to 74% will give a much-needed boost to the production in the Ordnance Factory Board, while reducing India&rsquo;s huge defence import bill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tertiary Sector:</strong> The government has adopted a balanced approach in addressing concerns across sectors. For example:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The newly launched <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/18-05-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM e-Vidya programme</strong></a> for multi-mode access to digital online education provides a uniform learning platform for the whole nation, which shall enable schools and universities to stream courses online without further loss of teaching hours.</li>
<li>Public expenditure on health will be increased by investing in grass root health institutions and ramping up health and wellness centres in rural and urban areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Related to Liquidity:</strong> The package of Rs 20 lakh crore comprises both fiscal and monetary measures, the latter being in the nature of credit guarantees and liquidity infusions into banks and other financial sector institutions rather than the economy per se.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Majority of the package is liquidity measures that are supposed to be transmitted by RBI to Banks and Banks to Citizens. This transmission wouldn&rsquo;t be as smooth owing to inefficient transmission of monetary policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Demand:</strong> The lockdown has lowered aggregate demand, and a fiscal stimulus is needed. However, the package, by relying overwhelmingly on credit infusion to boost the economy, has failed to recognise that investment will pick up only when people across income segments have money to spend.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Backward and Forward Linkages:</strong> Unless the rest of the domestic economy is revived, the MSME sector may face a shortage of demand, and its production may soon sputter to a close.</li>
<li><strong>Burgeoning Fiscal Deficit:</strong> Government claims that the stimulus package is around 10% of India&rsquo;s GDP. However, financing it would be difficult as the government is worried about containing the fiscal deficit.</li>
<li><strong>Difficulty in Mobilising Finances:</strong> The government seeks a disinvestment to mobilise the finances for the plan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the majority of Indian industries are already a bit debt-laden to take up the stake in PSUs.</li>
<li>Further, it is difficult to borrow the foriegn markets, as rupee with respect to dollar is all time low.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Enhancing Demand:</strong> The economic package for the country emerging out of the lockdown requires a stimulus enhancing demand across the economy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The best way for this is to spend on greenfiled infrastructure.</li>
<li>Infrastructure spending uniquely creates structures that raise productivity and extends spending power to the section of the population most affected by the lockdown, namely daily wage labourers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mobilising Finances:</strong> For financing of the stimulus package, India&rsquo;s foreign reserves stand at an all-time high which could be strategically used to finance its needs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rest may have to come from privatisation, taxation, loans and more international aid.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Holistic Reforms:</strong> Any stimulus package will fail to reflect the trickle-down effect, until and unless it is backed by reforms in various sectors.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, Atma nirbhar plan also encompasses the unfinished agenda of holistic reforms which may include reforms in Civil services, Education,Skill and Labour, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The economic crisis triggered by Covid-19 pandemic is much like the 1991 economic crisis, which was a harbinger of a paradigm shift via liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. The post-Covid-19 era may usher in unprecedented opportunities provided the implementation deficit is adequately addressed.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590038126_image.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1590038126_image.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="570" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f3f0ff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Any financial stimulus package will fail to reflect the trickle-down effect unless it is backed by reforms in other sectors&rdquo;. Discuss the statement in context of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Zf0QKAcEZE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/afghanistan-ashraf-ghani-abdullah-taliban-peace-deal-6418096/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;One conflict less&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on May, 20<sup>th</sup> 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Afghan Policy and Taliban',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/getting-india-back-to-the-afghan-high-table/article31609810.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Getting India back to the Afghan high table&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 18/05/2020. It talks about the need to recalibrate India&rsquo;s Afghan policy, as the Taliban takes the central role in Afghanistan politics.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the United Nations Secretariat held a meeting of the <strong>&ldquo;6+2+1&rdquo; group on regional efforts to support peace in Afghanistan.</strong> This group includes six neighbouring countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; two global players the United States and Russia, and Afghanistan itself.</p>
<p>However, <strong>India has not been invited to this peace process.</strong> The reason given for keeping India out of this regional discussions is that India holds no &ldquo;boundary&rdquo; with Afghanistan. However, the &ldquo;6+2+1&rdquo; grouping ignored India&rsquo;s stand that its territory borders Afghanistan (along Wakhan Corridor) and is currently under Pakistan&rsquo;s illegal occupation.</p>
<p>Despite all the development work taken up by India in Afghanistan over the past 18 years since the Taliban were ousted from Kabul in 2001, it finds itself on the margins of international diplomacy in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>In this context, there is a need for India to recalibrate its Afghan policy, in order to secure its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-interest-in-iran-afganistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>strategic and economic interest</strong></a>.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Voice in the Afghan&rsquo;s Reconciliation Process</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the past, due to terror activities of the Taliban, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/us-taliban-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India has been very critical of the Taliban</strong></a> coming into power and shown resistance to publicly dealing with the Taliban.</li>
<li>Under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/usa-taliban-peace-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-Taliban peace deal</strong></a>, the Taliban will be in the centre of power in Afghanistan, as the US forces withdraw from Afghanistan.</li>
<li>In the present scenario, India has never announced its support for the U.S.-Taliban peace deal. Rather, India supports the Ashraf Ghani government and backs the idea of an <strong>Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled process.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, in order to provide legitimacy to recently held Afgan president elections, Ashraf Ghani entered into a power-sharing agreement with former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah.</li>
<li>This agreement will inevitably further weaken Ashraf Ghani and subsequently undermines Indian interest in the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to these factors, India&rsquo;s voice in the reconciliation process has been limited.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Interest in Afghanistan</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic and Strategic Interest:</strong> Afghanistan is a gateway to the oil and mineral-rich Central Asian republics.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Afghanistan's main advantage is its geography, as anyone who is in power in Afghanistan controls the land routes connecting India with Central Asia (via Afghanistan).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Developmental Projects:</strong> The massive reconstruction plans for the country to offer a lot of opportunities for Indian companies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Three major projects: the Afghan Parliament, the Zaranj-Delaram Highway, and the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam (Salma Dam), along with India&rsquo;s assistance of more than $3 billion in projects, hundreds of small development projects (of schools, hospitals and water projects) have cemented India&rsquo;s position in Afghanistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Security Interest:</strong> India has been the victim of state-sponsored terrorism emanating from Pakistan supported terrorist group operating in the region (e,g. Haqqani network). Thus, India has two priorities in Afghanistan:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>to prevent Pakistan from setting up a friendly government in Afghanistan, and</li>
<li>to avoid the return of jihadi groups, like al Qaeda, which could strike in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Ahead</h3>
<p><strong>India&rsquo;s Dilemma</strong></p>
<p>Due to the Taliban&rsquo;s coming to power, India faces a dilemma, between:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Should India reconsider its current policy that a lasting political settlement in Afghanistan must come through an<strong> &ldquo;Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan controlled process''</strong> (considering that the elected Afghan Government is hardly in control of the peace process).</li>
<li>Should India, consider the option of entering into <strong>direct talks with the Taliban.</strong> But, If India does so, it would constitute a major departure from its consistent policy of dealing only with recognised governments.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Dent in India&rsquo;s Goodwill</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The building blocks of India's goodwill are assistance in infrastructure projects, health care, education, trade and food security, and also in the easy access to Afghani citizens to study, train and work in India.</li>
<li>Above all, it is India&rsquo;s example as a pluralistic, inclusive democracy, inspires many in Afghanistan.</li>
<li>However, there has been a dent in India&rsquo;s goodwill, due to recent events in India, especially the controversy over the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/citizenship-amendment-act-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong></a>.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Exclusion of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has been excluded from the Afghanistan peace process many times including the recent meeting (6+2+1 grouping).</li>
<li>This poses a challenge for India to secure its interest in deciding the fate of Afghanistan and its people.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps To Be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India must also pursue opportunities to fulfil its role in the peace efforts in Afghanistan, starting with efforts to bridge the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/afghanistan-s-power-sharing-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ghani-Abdullah divide</strong></a>, and bringing together other major leaders with whom India has built ties for decades.</li>
<li>India should take the diplomatic route to press for its inclusion in &ldquo;6+2+1&rdquo; dialogue, to claim its legitimate role in the Afghan peace process.</li>
<li>India should leverage the United Nations&rsquo;s call for a pause in conflicts during the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Covid-19+and+lockdown+drishti+ias&amp;oq=covid+&amp;aqs=chrome.1.69i57j69i59l3j0j69i60l3.4987j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> to restart dialogue with Pakistan, which in turn is necessary for lasting peace in Afghanistan.</li>
<li>Also, India can learn from US-Taliban talks where two opposing parties came to the negotiating table for talks on Afghanistan&rsquo;s future. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For India, given its abiding interest in Afghanistan&rsquo;s success and traditional warmth for its people, making that leap should be a bit easier. Thus, India can consider the appointment of a special envoy and start Track II diplomacy with the Taliban.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In the current situation, it is essential for India to maintain its strong links with the Afghan government, build and support its traditional Afghan allies and open lines of communication with the Taliban.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589979416_IndiaAfghanistan.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589979416_IndiaAfghanistan.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7f4e9;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>How a recent power-sharing agreement in Afghanistan will impact Indian interests in Afghanistan. Critically analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AasIzo2-04Y" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/central-governement-funds-states-aid-coronavirus-covid-19-6416283/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;A Lending Hand&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published on The Indian Express on May, 19<sup>th</sup> 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-afghan-policy-and-taliban'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Corporate Affairs',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA)</strong> has taken several landmark initiatives in pursuance to the objective of providing greater &ldquo; Ease of Doing Business&rdquo; to all stakeholders.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It brings greater transparency in corporate structure and fosters better Corporate compliance so as to enhance the efficiency of the processes under <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-the-companies-amendment-bill-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Companies Act, 2013</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ease of Doing Business Ranking</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has improved its ranking on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank&rsquo;s &ldquo;Doing Business&rdquo; 2020 report</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per the report, India has moved up 14 positions to 63<sup>rd</sup> position as compared to 77<sup>th</sup> position in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Resolving Insolvency Index:</strong> Ministry of Corporate Affairs has contributed towards insolvency resolution. As per the latest Report in the Resolving Insolvency Index, India&rsquo;s ranking jumped 56 places to 52 in 2019 from 108 in 2018. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recovery rate increased from 26.5% in 2018 to 71.6% in 2019 and time taken in recovery improved from 4.3 years in 2018 to 1.6 years in 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ease of Doing Business Report</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report was introduced in 2003 to provide an assessment of objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle.</li>
<li>The report measures the performance of countries across 10 different parameters namely-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Starting a Business,</li>
<li>Dealing with Construction permits,</li>
<li>Electricity availability,</li>
<li>Property registration,</li>
<li>Credit availability,</li>
<li>Protecting minority Investors,</li>
<li>Paying Taxes,</li>
<li>Trading across borders,</li>
<li>Contracts enforcement, and</li>
<li>Resolving Insolvency.</li>
<li>This time two more parameters were considered namely, employing workers and contracting with the government but these are not included in the score and rankings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/what-makes-doing-business-easier" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Steps Taken to Provide Ease of Doing Business</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Integrated Incorporation Form - <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/spice-web-form" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically</a></strong> (SPICe) introduced which extends 8 services (CIN, PAN, TIN, DIN, Name, EPFO, ESIC and GSTN) from three Ministries through a single form.</li>
<li><strong>RUN &ndash; Reserve Unique Name:</strong> It is a web service used for reserving a<strong> name</strong> for a new company or for changing its existing<strong> name.</strong> The web service helps verify whether the <strong>name</strong> chosen for the company is<strong> unique.</strong></li>
<li><strong>De-criminalization of technical &amp; procedural violations</strong> under Companies Act and reducing the burden on criminal courts &amp; NCLT by shifting 16 offences sections to monetary penalty regime vide Companies (Amendment ) Bill , 2019.</li>
<li><strong>Various exemptions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Revised De-Minimis exemption</strong> under Competition Act 2002 for speeding up Mergers &amp; Acquisitions of companies in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>'The De Minimis' exemption means an investment adviser is exempt from registration if they have 15 or fewer clients over a 12-month period with a physical address.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Exemptions from various provisions of Companies Act to Private companies, Government Companies, Charitable companies, Nidhis and IFSC (GIFT city) companies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Differential Voting Rights (DVRs):</strong> Provisions relating to issue of shares with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/policy-reforms-for-startups" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>DVRs</strong> </a>modified with the objective of enabling promoters of Indian companies to retain control of their companies in their pursuit for growth and creation of long-term value for shareholders, even as they raise equity capital from global investors.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoters or founders of a start up, often lose control of the firm when they dilute their stakes to raise multiple rounds of funding. This issue can be resolved by Differential Voting Rights (DVRs).</li>
<li>A DVR share is like an ordinary equity share, but it does not follow the common rule of one share-one vote,</li>
<li>It enables promoters to retain control over the company even after many new investors come in, by allowing shares with superior voting rights or lower or fractional voting rights to public investors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Debenture Redemption Reserve (DRR):</strong> Provisions relating to creation of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/debenture-redemption-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> DRR</strong></a> revised with the objective of deepening the bond market &amp; reducing the cost of capital by:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Removing the requirement for creation of a DRR of 25% of the value of outstanding debentures in respect of listed companies, NBFCs registered with RBI and for Housing Finance Companies registered with National Housing Bank (NHB) both for public issue as well as private placements;</li>
<li>Reduction in DRR for unlisted companies from the present level of 25% to 10% of the outstanding debentures.</li>
<li>The measure has been taken by the government with a view to <strong>reducing the cost of the capital</strong> raised by companies through issue of debentures and is expected to significantly deepen the bond market.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Debenture Redemption Reserve</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Debenture redemption reserve (DRR) is a provision stating that any Indian corporation that issues debentures must create a debenture redemption service in an effort to protect investors from the possibility of a company defaulting.</li>
<li>This provision was added to the Indian Companies Act of 1956 through an amendment introduced in the year 2000.</li>
<li>This rule offers investors a measure of protection, because debentures are not backed by an asset, a lien, or any other form of collateral.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Debentures are debt instruments</strong> used to raise capital from the general public, usually backed by the integrity and the creditworthiness of the issuer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Independent Databank: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/data-bank-of-independent-directors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Independent Directors Databank</a></strong> is launched to provide an easy to access &amp; navigate platform for the registration of existing Independent Directors as well as individuals aspiring to become independent directors.</li>
<li><strong>Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-corporate-social-responsibility-awards" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>First National CSR Awards were distributed</strong></a> by the President.</li>
<li>The term "Corporate Social Responsibility" can be referred to as corporate initiative to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on the environment and impact on social welfare.</li>
<li>In India, the concept of CSR is governed by clause 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.</li>
<li>India is the first country in the world to mandate CSR spending along with a framework to identify potential CSR activities.</li>
<li><strong>The CSR provisions within the Act is applicable to companies with an annual turnover of 1,000 crore and more, or a net worth of Rs. 500 crore and more, or a net profit of Rs. 5 crore and more.</strong></li>
<li>The Act <strong>encourages companies to spend 2% of their average net profit</strong> in the previous three years on CSR activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2019</strong></a> was passed by Parliament. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This amendment Bill provides for the timely conclusion of cases, greater flexibility for corporate restructuring for maximizing value of assets, protecting primacy of secured creditors and removing voting deadlock of homebuyers, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It provides a generic framework for insolvency and liquidation proceedings of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) other than banks.</li>
<li>The Rules essentially aim to serve as an interim mechanism to deal with any exigency pending introduction of a full-fledged enactment (Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill) to deal with financial resolution of Banks and other systemically important financial service providers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016</strong> was amended twice in 2018 to disqualify undesirable persons from regaining control of companies undergoing resolution and to balance the interests of various stakeholders in the Code, especially interests of home buyers and micro, small and medium enterprises, promoting resolution over liquidation of corporate debtor by lowering the voting threshold of committee of creditors and streamlining provisions relating to eligibility of resolution applicants.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-corporate-affairs'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'India to Chair WHO Executive Board',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has been elected to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation (WHO)</strong></a>&rsquo;s Executive Board. It will also be holding a <strong>Chairmanship</strong> of the Executive Board for the next <strong>one year (from May 2020- May 2021)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, the chairmanship of the WHO Executive Board is being held by <strong>Japan.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proposal to appoint India&rsquo;s nominee to the executive board was signed by the 194-nation at the <strong>73<sup>rd</sup> World Health Assembly</strong> between 18-19 May, 2020.</li>
<li>In 2019, WHO&rsquo;s South-East Asia group had unanimously decided that India would be elected to the executive board for a <strong>three-year-term</strong> beginning from May, 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>WHO Member States are grouped into <strong>6 WHO regions</strong> namely, African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Western Pacific Region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has been elected along with 10 other countries including Botswana, Colombia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Oman, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom.</li>
</ul>
<h3>WHO Executive Board</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Composition:</strong> The Executive Board is composed of<strong> 34 individuals technically qualified in the field of health,</strong> each one designated by a member state elected to do so by the World Health Assembly. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Member States are elected for <strong>three-year</strong> terms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Chairman:</strong> The chairman&rsquo;s post is held by rotation for one year among regional groups.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>not a full time assignment</strong> and the chairman is just required to chair the Executive Board&rsquo;s meetings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Meeting:</strong> The Board meets at least<strong> twice a year.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong> The main functions of the Executive Board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly, to advise it and generally to facilitate its work.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Health Assembly</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Health Assembly is the <strong>decision-making body of WHO.</strong></li>
<li>It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.</li>
<li>The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to <strong>determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. </strong></li>
<li>The Health Assembly is <strong>held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/harsh-vardhan-set-to-be-who-executive-board-chairman-6418494/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-to-chair-who-executive-board'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Fall in Global Carbon Emissions',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Center for International Climate and Environmental Research</strong> (CICERO) has evaluated <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a>&rsquo;s</strong> effect on <strong>carbon emissions.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has predicted that emissions will <strong>fall between 4.2 and 7.5%</strong> on last year, as <strong>against a rise of 1%</strong> which was earlier predicted for 2020 before the <a href="/https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who%20daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a> outbreak.</li>
<li>Earlier, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/opec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency</strong></a> (IEA) released <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-energy-review-2020-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Energy Review: 2020</strong></a> with details on the effects of the pandemic on global energy demand and carbon emissions.</li>
<li>In <strong>India,</strong> the nationwide lockdown led to minimal air pollution and<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-lockdown-improved-air-quality" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> improved the air quality</a>.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Data Analysis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Carbon emissions were <strong>5% lower</strong> than during the same time in 2019.</li>
<li><strong>Decline</strong> was noticed in <strong>coal emissions</strong> (8%),<strong> oil emissions</strong> (4.5%) and <strong>natural gas emissions</strong> (2.3%) as well.</li>
<li>Emissions declined the most in regions which were<strong> impacted the highest by the disease.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example, there was an 8% decline in emissions in <strong>China and Europe,</strong> and a 9% decline in the <strong>USA.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Countries in <strong>full <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lockdown</a></strong> are seeing an <strong>average decline of 25%</strong> in energy demand per week, while in those with a<strong> partial lockdown,</strong> the fall in energy demand is about <strong>18% per week.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Global energy demands have lowered due to the <strong>lockdowns</strong> and <strong>restricted road and air travel.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the first quarter of 2020, most <strong>carbon-intensive fuels saw the biggest fall</strong> in demand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It led to the <strong>decline in carbon emissions</strong> which was more than the fall in global energy demand.</li>
<li><strong>Commercial demand</strong> for energy has <strong>fallen</strong> as people are confined to their homes. However, <strong>domestic electricity demand</strong> has <strong>increased.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This temporary decline in carbon emissions will <strong>not slow down climate change</strong> as it is a <strong>cumulative problem</strong> and a drop from one single year will basically make no difference at all.</li>
<li><strong>A 5% drop is equivalent to 0.001 degree Celsius less warming.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Center for International Climate and Environmental Research</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>Norway&rsquo;s</strong> foremost institute for <strong>interdisciplinary climate research.</strong></li>
<li>It has played an active role in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</strong></a> (IPCC), since 1992.</li>
<li>CICERO has a <strong>national role</strong> in promoting knowledge about climate change and is <strong>internationally recognised</strong> as a driving force for innovative climate communication.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>International Energy Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an <strong>autonomous</strong> organisation which works to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1974,</strong> in the wake of the <strong>oil crisis of 1973</strong> after the <strong>OPEC cartel</strong> had shocked the world with a steep increase in oil prices.</li>
<li>It is headquartered in<strong> Paris, France.</strong></li>
<li>It releases the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-energy-outlook-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Energy Outlook report</strong></a>, annually.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> became its <strong>associate member in 2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The reduced emissions are not something to celebrate as it is expected that <strong>emissions will soar once economies restart.</strong></li>
<li>The only way to<strong> sustain</strong> the reduced emissions is governments taking<strong> conscious decisions to change the sources of energy</strong> like moving towards renewable energy sources.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/coronavirus-pandemic-global-carbon-emissions-6418117/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fall-in-global-carbon-emissions'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'United Nations Relief and Works Agency',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)</strong>, has applauded India&rsquo;s financial support to keep its basic services operating, under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> crisis.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government of India provided <strong>USD 2 million</strong> to the <strong>UNRWA</strong> in support of its core programmes and services, including education and health.</li>
<li>India had increased its annual contribution to the UNRWA from <strong>USD 1.25 million</strong> in 2016 to <strong>USD 5 million</strong> in 2019.</li>
<li>It pledged another USD 5 million for 2020 which opens its way to become a member of the agency&rsquo;s advisory commission.</li>
<li>It is also preparing medical supplies for the Palestinians.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations Relief and Works Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a United Nations agency established by the <strong>General Assembly in 1949.</strong></li>
<li>It supports the <strong>relief</strong> and <strong>human development</strong> of <strong>Palestinian refugees</strong> across its five fields of operation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its services encompass <strong>education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in <strong>Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.</strong></li>
<li>It is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support</li>
<li><strong>Palestine refugees</strong> are defined as persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine <strong>during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948,</strong> and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>17 agreements</strong> have been signed under an <strong>India-Palestine development partnership</strong> between the two sides in the fields of agriculture, health care, information technology, youth affairs, consular affairs, women empowerment and media.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India would provide an assistance of around<strong> USD 72 million</strong> through these agreements in <strong>projects</strong> like the<strong> post-2014 war reconstruction efforts in Gaza, construction of schools, setting up a centre of excellence for information and communication technologies at Al-Quds University</strong> and developing a<strong> satellite centre in Ramallah.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In March 2020, a delegation of<strong> United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP)</strong> visited india intended to engage India in the settling of the question of Palestine.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has reiterated its stand and supported the Two-State solution for the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Israel-Palestine issue</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In June 2019, India voted in favour of a decision introduced by Israel in the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong></a> that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization.</li>
<li>In June 2018, India had voted in favour of Palestine on the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a> (UNGA) resolution to investigate an indiscriminate force usage by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians.</li>
<li>As a part of Link West Policy, India has <strong>de-hyphenated its relationship</strong> with Israel and Palestine in 2018 to treat both the<strong> countries mutually independent and exclusive.</strong></li>
<li>In December 2017, India had criticised the United States vote for recognising Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the UNGA vote.</li>
<li>In 2014, India favoured <a href="/daily-news-editorials/the-relevance-of-unhrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNHRC&rsquo;s</strong></a> resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza. Despite supporting the probe, India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC in 2015.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/un-agency-serving-palestine-refugees-hails-indias-contribution-6417331/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/united-nations-relief-and-works-agency'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Illicit Drug Supply and Covid-19: UNODC',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime</strong> (UNODC) released a report on<strong> &lsquo;Synthetic Drugs in East and Southeast Asia: Latest Developments and Challenges&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to this report, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> induced <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>lockdowns</strong></a> and movement restrictions may lead to an initial <strong>statistical reduction in drug seizures,</strong> but <strong>without a real change in terms of supply.</strong></li>
<li>In other words, Covid-19 is unlikely to have any effect on illicit drug supply.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Shifting of Priorities:</strong> Rearrangement of governments&rsquo; priorities and resources to tackle the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong> </a>could <strong>threaten the efforts to strengthen drug prevention and treatment</strong> programmes.</li>
<li><strong>No Direct Correlation: Not every fluctuation</strong> in terms of drug seizures, prices, drug-related arrests or deaths in the coming months <strong>would be a direct or indirect consequence</strong> of the outbreak.</li>
<li><strong>Quick and Flexible Response:</strong> Active organised crime groups have shown <strong>flexibility to respond</strong> to shortages of supplies and have <strong>raised risk levels</strong> on certain trafficking routes.</li>
<li><strong>Local Capacities:</strong> Main synthetic drug of concern in the region, <strong>Methamphetamine</strong> (also called <strong>meth</strong>), was manufactured, trafficked and consumed without the need for globalised supply chains.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Context</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India reported a substantial increase in seizures of<strong> amphetamine-type stimulants</strong> (ATS), most of which are suspected to be meth.</li>
<li>The reasons behind the spike are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Growth in trafficking of meth from the <strong>Golden Triangle</strong> overland to Bangladesh, with some<strong> routes crossing India.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Golden Triangle</strong> represents the region coinciding with the<strong> rural mountains of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>Southeast Asia&rsquo;s main opium-producing</strong> region and one of the<strong> oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America.</strong></li>
<li>Use of <strong>maritime trafficking routes</strong> from Myanmar along the Andaman Sea, some of which <strong>cross Indian territorial waters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India is in the middle of two major illicit opium production regions in the world, the <strong>Golden Crescent in the west</strong> and the <strong>Golden Triangle in the east.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Golden Crescent</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This region of South Asia is a principal global site for opium production and distribution.</li>
<li>It comprises<strong> Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Easy Borders:</strong> The borders are porous and difficult to control in the lower Mekong region so cross-border movements in many places are not significantly hindered by Covid-19 measures.</li>
<li><strong>Evolving Ways of Trafficking:</strong> The methods of <strong>containerised trafficking, couriers</strong> and <strong>body-packing have reduced</strong> due to shutting down of borders and trade. However, dealers might <strong>come up with other ways</strong> limiting the impact of reduced trade.</li>
<li><strong>Limited Control:</strong> There is <strong>limited government control</strong> in the <strong>Golden Triangle,</strong> trafficking would continue at high volumes.</li>
<li><strong>Unaffected Supply:</strong> The supply of precursor chemicals is not likely to be disrupted because major organised crime groups<strong> source chemicals through direct diversion from industry</strong> and not diversion from illicit overseas trade channels.</li>
<li><strong>Lowest Price Level:</strong> The price of meth has dropped to the lowest level in a decade with the <strong>surge of supplies.</strong> This has in turn<strong> increased its affordability</strong> and, therefore, use.</li>
<li><strong>Increased Crime:</strong> Changed methods to access drugs and economic hardship might <strong>reduce the disposable income</strong> of some drug users, and <strong>result in increased crime.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Street dealing of drugs might be significantly impacted and altered due to movement restriction and social distancing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Additional Risks:</strong> Vulnerable populations of drug users may be exposed to additional risks as funding is re-prioritised, access to programmes and services becomes difficult and activities of treatment providers are hampered as they are dealing with the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Established in <strong>1997</strong> and was named UNODC in <strong>2002.</strong></li>
<li>It acts as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the<strong> United Nations International Drug Control Program</strong> (UNDCP) and the <strong>Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division of the United Nations Office at Vienna.</strong></li>
<li>UNODC publishes the <strong>World Drug Report.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Additional <strong>efforts</strong> would be required at the <strong>national, regional, and international level</strong> to carefully <strong>analyse methods and trends</strong> to understand changes to drug markets in the wake of the pandemic.</li>
<li>Moreover,<strong> methods or procedures</strong> to deal with illicit drug supply, their usage<strong> must be institutionalised</strong> in order to ensure that fight against this menace is not compromised in face of a pandemic or any other crisis.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-no-covid-shadow-over-illicit-drug-supply-unodc/article31626250.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/illicit-drug-supply-and-covid-19-unodc'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'GST Waiver will Increase Cost',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Ministry of Finance is not in favour of granting <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fall-in-goods-and-services-tax-gst-collections" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Goods and Services Tax (GST)</strong></a> exemption, as has been demanded by various sections of the industry.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Providing GST exemption will have serious <strong>adverse implications on state finances,</strong> also<strong> businesses would suffer</strong> and consumers would be hit by price rise.</li>
<li>Exemption would <strong>block Input Tax Credit (ITC)</strong> as manufacturers will pay GST on inputs but cannot claim ITC<strong> because the final product is tax-free.</strong> Thus, it will increase the cost of manufacturing, which will lead to increase in cost of products.</li>
<li>The GST exemption will also<strong> increase compliance burden for manufacturers</strong> who would be required to maintain separate accounts for inputs and goods used for the production of the item.</li>
<li>Further, the <strong>GST exemption provides incentive for imports,</strong> which do not have input taxes as compared to domestic supplies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This makes imported goods cheaper than locally produced goods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In the past when the GST exemption on sanitary napkins was allowed, it had led to similar hardship for domestic manufacturers of sanitary napkins.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Goods and Services Tax</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Goods and Service Tax (GST) is an <strong>indirect tax</strong> levied on the supply of final goods and services. The GST has subsumed indirect taxes like excise duty, Value Added Tax (VAT), service tax, luxury tax etc.</li>
<li>It is essentially a<strong> consumption tax</strong> and is levied at the final consumption point.</li>
<li>It is levied only on the <strong>value addition</strong> and is collected on goods and services at each point of sale in the supply line.</li>
<li>The GST that a merchant pays to procure goods or services (i.e. on inputs) <strong>can be set off later</strong> against the tax applicable on supply of final goods and services. The set off tax is called <strong>input tax credit.</strong></li>
<li>The GST avoids the <strong>cascading effect or tax on tax</strong> which increases the tax burden on the end consumer.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Benefit of Input Tax Credit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Imagine a manufacturer of shirts. He buys raw material or inputs &mdash; cloth, thread, buttons, tailoring equipment &mdash; worth Rs 100, a sum that includes a tax of Rs 10. With these raw materials, he manufactures a shirt.</li>
<li>In the process of creating the shirt, the manufacturer adds value to the materials he started out with. Let us take this value added by him to be Rs 30. The gross value of his good would, then, be Rs 100 + 30, or Rs 130.</li>
<li>At a tax rate of 10%, the tax on output (this shirt) will then be Rs 13. But under GST, he can set off this tax (Rs 13) against the tax he has already paid on raw material/inputs (Rs 10). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the effective GST incidence on the manufacturer is only Rs 3 (13 &ndash; 10).</li>
<li>Rs. 10 is the <strong>input tax credit</strong> for the manufacturer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/coronavirus-lockdown-govt-not-in-favour-of-gst-waiver-6418228/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-waiver-will-increase-cost'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Hotter Oceans and Supercyclones',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-amphan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>supercyclone &lsquo;Amphan&rsquo;</strong></a> is likely to make landfall between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cyclone Amphan (pronounced as UM-PUN) is a tropical cyclone formed over Bay of Bengal that has turned into a<strong> &ldquo;super cyclonic storm (maximum wind speed is 120 knots)&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>higher than normal temperatures</strong> in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>countrywide lockdown</strong></a> <strong>due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> pandemic</strong> have played a role turning a storm into a super cyclone.</li>
<li>Additionally, the super cyclone Amphan is the<strong> strongest storm</strong> to have formed in the BoB <strong>since the super cyclone of 1999</strong> that ravaged Paradip in Odisha.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;Cyclones&rsquo; as a Regular Phenomenon</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The cyclones gain their <strong>energy from the heat and moisture</strong> generated from <strong>warm ocean surfaces.</strong></li>
<li>The BoB has<strong> higher</strong> Sea Surface Temperature (SST) compared to the Arabian Sea. Some of the reasons for higher SST of Bob are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Slow Flowing Winds:</strong> It keeps temperatures relatively high i.e. around 28 degrees around the year.</li>
<li><strong>Higher Rainfall:</strong> It provides required humidity for cyclone formation.</li>
<li><strong>Constant Inflow of Fresh Water:</strong> The inflow from the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers makes it impossible for the warm water to mix with the cooler water below, making it ideal for a cyclonic depression.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, the<strong> Arabian Sea receives stronger winds</strong> that help dissipate the heat, and the lack of constant fresh water supply helps the warm water mix with the cool water, reducing the temperature.</li>
<li>Additionally, the tropical cyclones in these seas are a typical feature of the summer months and <strong>play a role in aiding the arrival of the monsoon. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unusual Higher Temperature in BoB:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, the BoB has observed<strong> record summer temperatures</strong> due to the global warming from fossil fuel emissions that has been heating up oceans.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-fani" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cyclone Fani</strong></a> in 2019 was also fuelled by high temperatures in the BoB.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the first two weeks of May, there were <strong>maximum surface temperatures of 32-34&deg;C</strong> consecutively. These are record temperatures driven by climate change observed until now.</li>
<li>Such unusual warming around India is <strong>no longer restricted</strong> to just the BoB but also the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It makes <strong>storm prediction less reliable</strong> as well as <strong>disrupting monsoon patterns.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact of Lockdown:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Reduced particulate matter emissions</strong> during the lockdown resulted in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aerosol-levels-hit-20-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> fewer aerosols</strong></a>, such as black carbon, that are known to <strong>reflect sunlight and heat away from the surface.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Every year, the particulate pollution from the Indo-Gangetic plains is transported towards the BoB which influences the formation of clouds over the ocean.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>minimal presence of heat and sunlight reflecting aerosols</strong> in BoB resulted in <strong>fewer clouds and more heat.</strong> Further, it raised the temperature of BoB by <strong>1-3&deg;C higher than normal.</strong> Thus, the whole phenomenon has <strong>amplified the strength</strong> of the cyclone.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Overall Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The higher temperatures and minimal presence of aerosols helped the cyclone Amphan to intensify itself from a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-sarai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>category-1 cyclone</strong></a> <strong>to category-5</strong> in <strong>18 hours</strong> that is an unusually quick evolution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cyclones</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cyclones are the formation of a very <strong>low-pressure system</strong> with very high-speed winds revolving around it. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.</li>
<li>Before cloud formation, water takes up heat from the atmosphere to change into vapour. When water vapour changes back to liquid form as raindrops, this heat is released to the atmosphere.</li>
<li>The heat released to the atmosphere warms the air around. The air tends to rise and causes a drop in pressure. More air rushes to the centre of the storm. This cycle is repeated.</li>
<li>Hurricanes derive their energy from heated seawater which can be prevented by presence of upper-level-winds that disrupt the storm circulation forcing it to lose its strength.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hotter-oceans-spawn-super-cyclones/article31626124.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hotter-oceans-and-supercyclones'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Agricultural Marketing Reforms',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/economic-package-agriculture-relief-fund-farmers-nirmala-sitharaman-ashok-gulati-6414759/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;A 1991 moment for agriculture&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 18/05/2020. It talks about three agricultural reforms that the government intends to bring as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat plan.</p>
</div>
<p>In order to revive the Indian economy, the Centre government has announced the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan</strong></a>. As a part of it, the plan also focuses on bringing farm sector reforms.</p>
<p>It includes the announcement of Rs 1-lakh crore fund to finance agriculture infrastructure projects at the farm gate and produce aggregation points. Also, Rs 500 crore has been allocated to extended <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/operation-greens-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Operation Greens</strong></a> which comprises Tomatoes, Onion and Potatoes (TOP) to ALL fruits and vegetables (TOTAL).</p>
<p>Apart from it, the government has also shown the intention to usher in agricultural marketing reforms. These reforms relate to amending the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955, bringing a Central legislation to allow farmers to sell their products to anyone, outside the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agriculture-produce-to-agriculture-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>APMC</strong></a> mandi yard and creating a legal framework for contract farming.</p>
<p>These reforms are long overdue and if implemented, can go a long way in building efficient value chains and ensuring better returns for farmers.</p>
<h3>Issues in Agricultural Marketing</h3>
<p>Despite significant progress in food security, the farmers&rsquo; income remains subdued owing to the infrastructure deficit in agricultural supply chains. This combined with the nature of agricultural marketing laws in India, farmers suffer more in marketing their products than during the production process.</p>
<p><strong>Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ECA has been used by the Government to regulate the production, supply and distribution of a whole host of commodities it declares &lsquo;essential in order to make them available to consumers at fair prices.</li>
<li>The ECA gives consumers protection against irrational spikes in prices of essential commodities. However, it has acted against the interest of the farmers.</li>
<li>This has thwarted the creation of integrated value chains across the country.</li>
<li>ECA has its roots in the Defence of India Rules of 1943, when India was ravaged by famine and was facing the effects of World War II.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was scarcity-era legislation.</li>
<li>By the mid-1960s, hit by back-to-back droughts, India had to depend upon wheat imports from the US and the country was labelled as a &ldquo;ship to mouth&rdquo; economy.</li>
<li>However, today, India is the largest exporter of rice in the world and the second-largest producer of both wheat and rice, after China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to these factors, the Economic Survey 2020, has recommended repealing this &ldquo;anachronistic&rdquo; Act.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Working of ECA</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>If the Centre finds that a certain commodity is in short supply and its price is spiking, it can notify stock-holding limits on it for a specified period.</li>
<li>The States act on this notification to specify limits and take steps to ensure that these are adhered to.</li>
<li>Anybody trading or dealing in a commodity, be it wholesalers, retailers or even importers are prevented from stockpiling it beyond a certain quantity.</li>
<li>Also, the traders have to immediately sell into the market any stocks held beyond the mandated quantity.</li>
<li>Thus, the Government has invoked the Act umpteen times to ensure adequate supplies and cracked down on hoarders and black-marketeers of such commodities.</li>
<li>Given that almost all crops are seasonal, ensuring round-the-clock supply requires an adequate build-up of stocks during the season.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As, it may not always be possible to differentiate between genuine stock build-up and speculative hoarding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, with too-frequent stock limits, traders also may have no reason to invest in better storage infrastructure.</li>
<li>Also, food processing industries need to maintain large stocks to run their operations smoothly. Stock limits curtail their operations.</li>
<li>In such a situation, large scale private investments are unlikely to flow into food processing and cold storage facilities.</li>
<li>Due to lack of storage facilities, when farmers bring their produce to the market after the harvest, there is often a glut, and prices plummet.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All this hurts the farmer.</li>
<li>In the lean season, prices start flaring up for the consumers.</li>
<li>So, both farmer and consumer lose out because of the lack of storage facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>APMC Act</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the majority of the states, under the APMC acts, farmers are required to sell a large number of commodities in a local mandi where intermediaries often manipulate the price.</li>
<li>Thus, APMC markets have become monopsonistic (too many sellers and one buyer) with high intermediation costs.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Working of APMC</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In most APMCs, buyers have to route all purchases through licenced arhatiyas(middlemen).</li>
<li>These middlemen charge a commission for their &ldquo;services&rdquo; &mdash; many times, both from the buyer and seller.</li>
<li>The arhatiyas are often a moneylender, supplying seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers on credit. They, then, are forced to sell through him and settle their dues in perpetuity.</li>
<li>Also, mandi fees range from 0.5% to 5% on the value of the sale, while varying across states and commodities.</li>
<li>Further mandi fees on inter-state trade amount to double taxation, besides violating the idea of a single national market.</li>
<li>Distress sale due to lack of storage infrastructure.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At mandis the lowest prices are during the 3-4 post-harvest months and highest in the immediate pre-harvest period.</li>
<li>Farmers undertake maximum sales just after harvest, as they need to purchase inputs for the next sowing season.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Effects of These Reforms</h3>
<p><strong>Amending ECA</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dismantling of such controls under ECA would expand India&rsquo;s agri-exports and enable private investment in supply chains.</li>
<li>This could facilitate private investment in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-food-processing-industry-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>food processing industries</strong></a>, strengthening the farm-to-fork chain, and benefiting both producers and consumers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Dismantling APMC Monopoly</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proposed Central law to allow farmers to sell to anyone outside the APMC yard, may bring greater competition amongst buyers, lower the mandi fee and the commission for arhatiyas (commission agents) and reduce other cesses that many state governments impose on APMC markets.</li>
<li>Further, by removing barriers in inter-state trade will help farmers in the regions with surplus produce to get better prices and consumers in regions with shortages will have availability of agri-products at lower prices.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, India will have one common market for agri-produce, enabling efficient supply chain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Legal Environment for Contract Farming</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/question-of-seed-sovereignty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Contract Farming</strong> </a>will provide an assurance of a price to the farmers at the time of sowing.</li>
<li>This may help them take cropping decisions based on forwarding prices.</li>
<li>Also, the new system will minimise their market risks and may solve the issue of food shortages.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>There are many existing laws like Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (promotion and facilitation) Act, 2017, electronic national agriculture market (eNAM), Model Contract Farming Act, 2018 and Model Agriculture Land Leasing Act, 2016, which seeks to address the many problems, as intended by current reforms.</p>
<p>However, agriculture being a state subject, hinders the materialisation of these reforms on the ground. Therefore, in order to make India&rsquo;s farmer truly Atmanirbar (self-reliant), there is a need to follow the ethos of cooperative federalism.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589888414_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589888414_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fff5e6;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Indian farmers suffer more in marketing their products than during the production process&rdquo;. Analyse the statement in the context of agricultural marketing reforms in India.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2kas1EeqjGM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/taiwan-china-united-nations-covid-who-kashmir-unsc-6414739/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Taiwan Question&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on May 18<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/agricultural-marketing-reforms'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Domicile Certificates in J&K',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir administration notified the J&amp;K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It <strong>amended the rules for issuing domicile certificates</strong> in the Union territory.</li>
<li>The new rules provide a <strong>simple time-bound and transparent procedure</strong> for issuance of domicile certificates.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>J&amp;K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It would provide the basis for issuing domicile certificates to those who meet the <strong>conditions as stated in the Centre&rsquo;s gazette notification</strong> that introduced the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centre-defines-j-k-domicile-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>domicile clause</strong></a> through an <strong>amendment to the Jammu And Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation And Recruitment) Act, 2010.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Domicile certificates</strong> have now been made a<strong> basic eligibility condition</strong> for <strong>appointment to any post</strong> under the Union Territory of J&amp;K.</li>
<li>Under the amended rules, <strong>eligible non-locals</strong> can also apply for the certificate. The new process will allow <strong>West Pakistan refugees, safai karamcharis and children of women who married non-locals</strong> to apply for jobs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Domicile:</strong> Under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/amendments-to-the-j-k-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) Order 2020</strong></a>, <strong>domicile</strong> is defined <strong>as any person</strong> who has <strong>resided for a period of 15 years in the UT of J&amp;K or</strong> has studied <strong>for a period of seven years</strong> and appeared in class <strong>10<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup> examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&amp;K. </strong>It also has provisions related to migrants and government officials.&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Time Stipulated under the Rules:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It sets a fast track process in motion to <strong>issue the certificates within a</strong> stipulated time of <strong>15 days.</strong></li>
<li>If the certificate is not issued within the stipulated time, the applicant shall be free to approach an appellate authority.</li>
<li>The decision of the appellate authority shall be binding upon the issuing authority and the orders to complied within 7 days, failing which the defaulting officer has to face a penalty of <strong>Rs. 50,000,</strong> to be recovered from his/her salary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eligibility:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Permanent Residents:</strong> All Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside J&amp;K can apply for the certificates.</li>
<li><strong>Migrants:</strong> Kashmiri migrants living in or outside J&amp;K can get domicile certificates by producing their Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), ration card copy, voter card or any other valid document.</li>
<li><strong>Government Officials:</strong> Central government officials, All India Service Officers, officials of Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous bodies of the Central Government, Public Sector Banks, Statutory bodies, Central Universities and recognised research institutes of the Central Government, who have served in the <strong>Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for a total period of ten years,</strong> are eligible for the certificate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jk-notifies-amended-domicile-certificate-rules/article31617453.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/domicile-certificates-in-j-k'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Visakhapatnam Gas Leak',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zOc0JZFGbpU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>A major leak from a polymer plant LG Polymers near Visakhapatnam impacted villages in a five-km radius, leaving at least 9 people dead and thousands of citizens suffering from breathlessness and other problems in an early morning mishap that <strong>raised fears of a serious industrial disaster.</strong></p>
<p>The leak occurred early morning on May 7, 2020, at a private plastic making plant owned by LG Polymers Pvt Ltd, a part of South Korean conglomerate LG Corp. The chemical plant was closed due to the lockdown for a long time and attempts were made to restart the operation. During this course, some chemical activity got started in the tank and <strong>a large amount of Styrene gas was leaked in surroundings.</strong> The exact cause of this incident is still unknown and further investigations are going on.</p>
<p>Fire engines, the police, and ambulances reached the area to control the situation.The trained chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense team of NDRF rushed to the spot and evacuated 1,200 families to safe locations, and about 400 people were admitted to the hospital.</p>
<p>The National Human Rights Commission of India issued a notice to the Andhra Pradesh government and the Centre following the leakage of poisonous gas.</p>
<h3>Styrene and Its Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vizag-gas-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Styrene</strong></a> is a flammable liquid that is used in the manufacturing of polystyrene plastics, fiberglass, rubber, and latex.</li>
<li>It is also found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke, and in natural foods like fruits and vegetables.</li>
<li>A short-term exposure to the substance can result in respiratory problems, irritation in the eyes, irritation in the mucous membrane, and gastrointestinal issues.</li>
<li>Long-term exposure could drastically affect the central nervous system and lead to other related problems like peripheral neuropathy.</li>
<li>It could also lead to cancer and depression in some cases, though there isn&rsquo;t much evidence to indicate there may be an association between styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia.</li>
<li>Styrene is included in the schedule of the <strong>Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989.</strong> The rules lay down strict norms on how it should be handled and stored.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Role of NGT</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Green Tribunal slapped an interim penalty of Rs 50 crore on LG Polymers India, and sought response from the Centre and others for the &ldquo;damage to life, public health, and environment&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo-motu cognizance of the matter</li>
<li>It formed a committee under a retired judge of the Andhra Pradesh high court to inspect the site and determine the cause of the incident, the damage caused to life, environment and health, and steps to compensate victims.</li>
<li>In its order, the NGT directed the application of a <strong>strict liability principle</strong> for damage to the people and the environment.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Strict Liability Act</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The principle of strict liability evolved in the case of Rylands v Fletcher in the year 1868.</li>
<li>It states that &ldquo;the person who, for purposes of his own, brings on his land, and collects and keeps there anything likely to do mischief if it escapes, must keep it in at his peril, and, if he does not do so, he is prima facie answerable for all the damage which is the natural consequence of its escape.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Essentials of Strict Liability</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dangerous Substances: The defendant will be held strictly liable only if a &ldquo;dangerous&rdquo; substance escapes from his premises.</li>
<li>Escape: The material should escape from the premises and shouldn&rsquo;t be within the reach of the defendant after its escape.</li>
<li>Non-natural Use: To constitute a strict liability, there should be a non-natural use of the land.</li>
</ul>
<p>These three conditions need to be satisfied simultaneously to constitute a strict liability.</p>
</div>
<h3>Laws to Protect Against Chemical Disasters in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Laws Before and During Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984):</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At the time of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhopal-gas-tragedy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhopal gas tragedy</strong></a>, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was the only relevant law specifying criminal liability for such incidents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Laws After Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984):</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bhopal Gas Leak (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985:</strong> It gives powers to the central government to secure the claims arising out of or connected with the Bhopal gas tragedy.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the provisions of this Act, such claims are dealt with speedily and equitably.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Environment Protection Act, 1986:</strong> It gives powers to the central government to undertake measures for improving the environment and set standards and inspect industrial units.</li>
<li><strong>The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991:</strong> It is an insurance meant to provide relief to persons affected by accidents that occur while handling hazardous substances.</li>
<li><strong>The National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997:</strong> Under this Act, the National Environment Appellate Authority can hear appeals regarding the restriction of areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries shall not be carried out or shall be carried out subject to certain safeguards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.</li>
<li><strong>National Green Tribunal, 2010:</strong> It provided for the establishment of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal</strong></a> for effective and expeditious disposal of cases related to environmental protection and conservation of forests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The Andhra Pradesh government must focus immediately on the medical needs of those who have been grievously affected by the gas leak, which has inevitably led to comparisons with the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Access to health care:</strong> Solatium payments and compensation for the victims and families are important, but so is access to the highest quality of health care for the victims. The incident is also a warning for industries across India.</li>
<li><strong>Develop safety culture:</strong> There&rsquo;s a need to adopt proper safety measures following the best international standards. Three-tier measures are required, which involves
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Passive safety measures like having a green belt of trees around the periphery of industries should be adopted;</li>
<li>Industries should pre-announce to the local people if they use hazardous chemicals;</li>
<li>Precautionary drills must be conducted by industries as a part of their CSR programs;</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plant Inspection:</strong> Proper plant inspection should be done even during the closure
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A proper audit of all plants must take place as prevention is better than cure and in this case, it is life-saving.</li>
<li>Monitor the health of cattle by bringing in teams of veterinary doctors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fix Accountability:</strong> Maintenance of Hazardous Chemicals; Have strict legal actions and fix accountability after having a thorough investigation; State government should keep a check on the number of people living near hazardous industries and proper disaster planning must be adopted.</li>
</ul>
<p>Authorities must look at the safety aspects and take all precautionary measures beforehand, as the lockdown starts being gradually lifted. As India aims for a wider manufacturing base, it needs to strengthen its approach to public and occupational safety. Transparent oversight is not a hurdle to industrial growth. It advances sustainable development by eliminating terrible mistakes.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UF7ixCcKiHA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Learn more:</strong> Editorial analysis on Vizag Gas Leak.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-visakhapatnam-gas-leak'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Objections to Etalin Hydroelectric Project',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, some conservationists and former members of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wildlife-panel-holds-virtual-conference" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Board of Wildlife</strong></a> (NBWL) have sought rejection of approval for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/etalin-hydroelectric-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Etalin Hydroelectric Project</strong></a> in the <strong>Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Project is based on the river <strong>Dibang</strong> and is proposed to be <strong>completed in 7 years.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Dibang is a<strong> tributary of the Brahmaputra</strong> river which flows through the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It <strong>envisages construction of two dams</strong> over the tributaries of Dibang: <strong>Dir</strong> and <strong>Tangon.</strong></li>
<li>The Project falls<strong> under the richest bio-geographical province of the Himalayan zone</strong> and would be located at the junction of major <strong>biogeographic</strong> zones like Palaearctic Zone and Indo-Malayan Zone.</li>
<li>It is expected to be <strong>one of the biggest hydropower projects in India</strong> in terms of <strong>installed capacity.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Biogeographic Regions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the large distinctive units of similar ecology, biome representation, community and species.</li>
<li>Originally,<strong> six biogeographic regions</strong> were identified:<strong> Palearctic</strong> (Europe and Asia), <strong>Nearctic</strong> (North America), <strong>Neotropical</strong> (Mexico, Central and South America), <strong>Ethiopian/Afrotropic</strong> (Africa), <strong>Oriental/Indo-Malayan</strong> (Southeast Asia, Indonesia) and <strong>Australian</strong> (Australia and New Guinea). <strong>Currently, eight are recognised</strong> since the addition of <strong>Oceania</strong> (Polynesia, Fiji and Micronesia) and <strong>Antarctica.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589884643_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589884643_image5.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><strong>Palaearctic Zone</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This includes arctic and temperate Eurasia and all islands surrounding the continent in the Arctic, in the sea of Japan and the eastern half of the North Atlantic.</li>
<li>It also includes the Macaronesian islands, Mediterranean North Africa and Arabia.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Indo-Malayan Zone</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Its natural boundaries contain tropical Asia from the Balochistan mountains of Pakistan eastward to the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayan crest, including the tropical southern fringe of China with Taiwan, the whole of Southeast Asia and the Philippines.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/panel-approves-scheme-to-trade-in-forests" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Forest Advisory Committee</strong></a> (FAC) of the <strong>Ministry of Environment Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> (MoEFCC) highlighted that the project will <strong>clear 2.7 lakh trees</strong> in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest and subtropical rainforests.</li>
<li>According to a sub-committee of FAC, the project <strong>may be allowed subject to the condition</strong> that the financial outlay of Wildlife Conservation Plan be deposited to the Forest Department by user agency on the basis of a study done by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sal-forest-tortoise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Institute of India</strong></a> (WII).</li>
<li>However, there were protests by green groups due to which MoEFCC <strong>transferred the project</strong> to the Union <strong>Power Ministry.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Conservationists highlighted that the FAC sub-committee <strong>ignored established tenets of forest conservation and related legal issues</strong> while recommending the proposal.</li>
<li>FAC <strong>ignored the threat of forest fragmentation.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Forest fragmentation</strong> results from ill-planned intrusion of developmental projects into contiguous landscapes with natural forests and threatens rare floral and faunal species in a biodiversity hotspot.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>FAC&rsquo;s <strong>site inspection report was also questioned for leaving out key details</strong> like number of grids across an altitudinal range inspected and the status of vegetation there, direct and indirect signs of wild animals listed in the various <strong>schedules of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-conservation-of-migratory-species" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wildlife Protection Act, 1972</a></strong> and overall appreciation of the ecological value of the area.</li>
<li>The <strong>inadequacy of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sc-suspended-ec-for-airport-in-goa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environment Impact Assessment</a> report</strong> on Etalin was also highlighted.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Wildlife officials ignored observations which include the threat to 25 globally endangered mammal and bird species in the area to be affected.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The proposed <strong>mitigation measures</strong> like setting up butterfly and reptile parks are <strong>inadequate and insufficient.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/scrap-disastrous-arunachal-mega-dam-project-say-activists/article31616024.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/objections-to-etalin-hydroelectric-project'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Aksai Chin',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Chinese media has accused India of building defence facilities in the <strong>Galwan Valley region</strong> of the contested Aksai Chin area.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>China controls Aksai Chin area, while India claims that it is part of Indian territory</strong> (Union territory of Ladakh).</li>
<li>Chinese media claims that the actions by the Indian side have seriously violated China and India&rsquo;s agreements on border issues.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also claims that India has violated China&rsquo;s territorial sovereignty and harmed military relations between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has not responded to the accusation yet.</li>
<li>The latest round of conflict comes days after Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/face-off-between-india-and-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NakuLa area in north Sikkim and Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh</strong></a>.</li>
<li>India and China have an <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/disputed-territories-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>unresolved 3488 km long border dispute</strong></a> that has cast a shadow on ties for decades.</li>
<li>Prolonged rounds of negotiations have failed to resolve the dispute between the two neighbours.</li>
<li>However, in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-ties-marching-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wuhan</strong></a> <strong>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-2nd-informal-summit-mamallapuram-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahabalipuram</a> summits</strong>, both China and India had reaffirmed that they will make efforts to<strong> &ldquo;ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Also, on 1<sup>st</sup> April, 2020 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-70-years-of-diplomatic-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and China completed their 70 years of diplomatic relations.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Dispute over Aksai Chin</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>During the time of British rule in India, two borders between India and China were proposed-<strong> Johnson&rsquo;s Line</strong> and <strong>McDonald Line.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Johnson&rsquo;s line (proposed in 1865) shows Aksai Chin in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir</strong> (now Ladakh) i.e. under India&rsquo;s control <strong>whereas McDonald Line (proposed in 1893) places it under China&rsquo;s control.</strong></li>
<li>India considers Johnson Line as a correct, rightful national border with China, while on the other hand, China considers the McDonald Line as the correct border with India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>At present, Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the line separating Indian areas of Ladakh from Aksai Chin. It is concurrent with the Chinese Aksai Chin claim line.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589883064_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589883064_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="550" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-building-facilities-in-aksai-chin-china-daily-6416390/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aksai-chin'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'New Super-Earth Planet',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, scientists have discovered a rare new <strong>Super-Earth planet.</strong> It is among only a handful of<strong> extra-solar planets</strong> that have been detected with <strong>both sizes and orbits close to that of Earth.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589880801_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589880801_image4.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mass :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Host Star:</strong> The host star of the Super-Earth&rsquo;s system has about <strong>10% the mass</strong> of the Sun. The <strong>lower mass of the host star</strong> makes a<strong> &lsquo;year&rsquo;</strong> on the planet of approximately <strong>617 days.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Super-Earth Planet:</strong> The planet is expected to have a <strong>mass between the Earth&rsquo;s mass and that of Neptune.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Orbit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With reference to the Solar system, the Super-Earth planet would orbit at a radius anywhere between that of Venus and Earth in our solar system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Planet Discovery:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Super-Earth planet has been discovered using the <strong>gravitational microlensing technique.</strong></li>
<li>Gravitational microlensing is an astronomical phenomenon due to the gravitational lens effect. It can be used to detect objects that <strong>range from the mass of a planet to the mass of a star,</strong> regardless of the light they emit.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The microlensing effect is rare, with only about one in a million stars in the galaxy being affected at any given time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Furthermore, such type of observation <strong>does not repeat,</strong> and the probabilities of catching a planet <strong>at the same time are extremely low.</strong></li>
<li>The other methods for exoplanets discovery include: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Radial Velocity Method:</strong> The planet causes the<strong> parent star to wobble around in its orbit,</strong> and as the planet moves to and fro, it changes the color of the light we see.</li>
<li><strong>Transit Method:</strong> When an exoplanet passes in front of its star, some of the starlight passes <strong>through its atmosphere.</strong> Scientists can analyze the<strong> colors of this light</strong> in order to get valuable clues about its composition.</li>
<li><strong>Direct Image Method :</strong> The <strong>direct image can take pictures of exoplanets</strong> by removing the glare of the stars they orbit.</li>
<li><strong>Astrometry:</strong> The orbit of the planet can cause a star to wobble around in spaces in relation to nearby stars in the sky. This method is quite similar to the Radial Velocity method. However, here scientists take a<strong> series of images of a star</strong> and some of the other stars that are near it in the sky. In each picture, they <strong>compare the distances between these reference stars</strong> and the star they're checking for exoplanets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Exoplanet</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first confirmation of detection of exoplanets occurred in 1992.</li>
<li>Exoplanets are very hard to see directly with telescopes. They are <strong>hidden by the bright glare of the stars</strong> they orbit. So, astronomers use other ways to detect and study exoplanets such as looking at the effects these planets have on the stars they orbit.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/astronomers-discover-one-in-a-million-super-earth-6408529/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-super-earth-planet'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'International Museum Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Ministry of Culture hosted a webinar on &ldquo;Revitalising Museums and Cultural Spaces&rdquo; to</strong> celebrate the International Museum Day.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) created by the Ministry of Electronics &amp; Information Technology (MeitY) provided technical assistance for conducting the Webinar.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> International Museum Day</strong> is celebrated every year on <strong>18 May</strong> to raise awareness about the fact that &ldquo;museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.&rdquo;</li>
<li>The International Museum Day <strong>2020</strong> was celebrated with the <strong>theme &ldquo;Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>International Museum Day was <strong>instituted in 1977 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Council of Museum</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ICOM is the main and only organisation of museums and museum professionals with global scope, committed to promotion and protection of natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.</li>
<li>It was created in 1946 and is <strong>headquartered in Paris, France.</strong> It serves as a network of museum professionals (35,000 members in 137 countries) acting in a wide range of museum- and heritage-related disciplines.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Administration of Museums in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Multiple ministries hold charges of various Museums.</li>
<li>Not all Museums are administered by the <strong>Ministry of Culture.</strong></li>
<li>Some are run without government support by a handful of people <strong>under a Board of Trustees.</strong></li>
<li><strong>The Budget 2020</strong> proposed the setting up of an Indian <strong>Institute of Heritage and Conservation</strong> with the status of a deemed university under the Ministry of Culture.</li>
<li><strong>The National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums</strong> (under the Ministry of Culture) have been launched for digitisation of the collections of the Museums.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Notable Museums in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Museum, New Delhi (Subordinate Office under the Ministry of Culture)</li>
<li>National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru</li>
<li>Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH), Kolkata</li>
<li>Asiatic Society, Kolkata</li>
<li>National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), New Delhi</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1624938" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-museum-day'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Travel Bubble',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/baltic-nations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Baltic countries</strong></a><strong> of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania</strong> started a <strong>travel bubble</strong> to help put their economies back on track after <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lockdowns</a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>All three have been <strong>fairly successful at managing the Covid-19 outbreak</strong> and remaining comparatively safe.</li>
<li>In the Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania travel bubble, residents would be able to<strong> travel freely by rail, air and sea without quarantine measures.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Baltic Countries</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877211_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877211_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="567" height="612" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Baltic countries, the<strong> northeastern region of Europe,</strong> include the countries of <strong>Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania,</strong> on the<strong> eastern shores of the Baltic Sea.</strong></li>
<li>The Baltic states are bounded on the <strong>west and north</strong> by the <strong>Baltic Sea,</strong> which gives the region its name, on the <strong>east</strong> by<strong> Russia,</strong> on the <strong>southeast</strong> by <strong>Belarus</strong> and on the <strong>southwest</strong> by <strong>Poland</strong> and an <strong>exclave of Russia.</strong></li>
<li>In <strong>1991,</strong> their then popularly elected governments declared <strong>independence from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics</strong> (USSR) with overwhelming support.</li>
<li>All three of them are <strong>members</strong> of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union</strong></a> (EU) and are sparsely populated (Lithuania-28 lakh, Latvia-19.2 lakh, Estonia-13.3 lakh people).</li>
<li><strong>India and Baltic countries</strong> have<strong> historical connect and common linguistic roots.</strong> The cutting edge <strong>technology and innovation ecosystems</strong> of the Baltic countries complement India&rsquo;s huge market and appetite for these technologies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Travel Bubble:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating a travel bubble involves <strong>reconnecting countries or states</strong> which have shown a<strong> good level of success in containing the Covid-19 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> domestically.</strong></li>
<li>Such a bubble would allow the members of the group to <strong>restart trade ties</strong> with each other and <strong>open travel and tourism.</strong></li>
<li>According to a report, potential travel bubbles among better-performing countries around the world would <strong>account for around 35% of the global <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gdp-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gross Domestic Product</a></strong> (GDP).</li>
<li>Travel bubbles are<strong> favoured by smaller countries</strong> because they are likely to benefit after being able to trade again with larger partners.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Criteria for Entering the Travel Bubble:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People from the outside countries, willing to join the bubble corridor, will have to go into isolation for 14 days.</li>
<li>One should not have travelled outside the member countries of the travel bubble, in the past 14 days.</li>
<li>One should not be infected with coronavirus and should not have come in contact with anyone who has been coronavirus infected.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Countries to Start:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pitch-black" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Australia</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-new-zealand" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Zealand</strong></a> reached an agreement to form a travel bubble, once it becomes safe to operate flights between them. Once it opens, the <strong>trans-Tasman zone</strong> (around <strong>Tasman Sea</strong>) will allow travel without a quarantine period.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Trans-Tasman Zone:</strong> Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is an <strong>arrangement between Australia and New Zealand</strong> which allows for the<strong> free movement of citizens</strong> of one of these countries to the other. The arrangement <strong>came into effect in 1973</strong> and allows citizens of each country<strong> to reside and work</strong> in the other country, <strong>with some restrictions.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877137_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589877137_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-70-years-of-diplomatic-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China</strong> </a>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prime-ministers-visit-to-south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Korea</strong> </a>have launched a fast track channel for business travellers.</li>
<li>In the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-us-relations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA</strong></a>, travel bubbles are being suggested to group states who are doing well against the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-the-travel-bubble-idea-that-many-are-pinning-hopes-on-6416715/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Possibility of Covid-19 being Syndemic',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The possibilities of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> being<strong> syndemic</strong> have been raised in the backdrop of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong></a> announcement that Covid-19 <strong>less likely to be eliminated <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/endemic-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(i.e. may become endemic)</a>.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rapid spread of Covid-19 across the world has been characterised as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Pandemic&rsquo;</strong></a> by the WHO.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pandemic:</strong> A pandemic is declared when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world beyond expectations.</li>
<li><strong>Epidemic:</strong> An epidemic is a large outbreak, one that spreads among a population or region. It is less severe than pandemic due to a limited area of spread.</li>
<li><strong>Endemic:</strong> A disease is called endemic when the presence or usual prevalence of its infectious agent is constant within a given geographical area or population group.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A syndemic is a situation when <strong>two or more epidemics interact synergistically</strong> to produce an increased burden of disease in a population.</li>
<li>A situation of syndemic was first described by medical anthropologist <strong>Merrill Singer in the mid-1990s.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Possibility of Syndemic in the Current Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 Pandemic and Presence of Dengue, Malaria:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The least possibility of elimination of Covid-19 pandemic and warning about the second wave of Covid-19 infections worldwide have reinforced the presence of Covid-19 for the long term.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, the alarm is being raised about diseases like dengue and malaria emerging with the upcoming <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/monsoon-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>monsoon season</strong></a> in tropical South Asia.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a possibility that the world will face increased burden of the diseases and thus the situation of syndemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Presence of Antibiotic Resistance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The second wave of infection due to Covid-19 is suspected to be seen in those with <strong>weakened immunity.</strong></li>
<li>At the same time, the world already faces antibiotic resistance and if Covid-19 deepens as a syndemic in populations with antibiotic resistance, the world will face comorbidities.</li>
<li>Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/to-the-point-paper-3-antimicrobial-resistance-amr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Antibiotic resistance</strong></a> is the ability of bacteria or other microbes to resist the effects of an antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in some way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of drugs, chemicals, or other agents designed to cure or prevent infections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Past Instances of Syndemic:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The 1957 Asian influenza pandemic observed deaths not only due to the primary viral infection, but also due to secondary bacterial infections among influenza patients. In short, it was a viral/bacterial syndemic.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, researchers have shown that in Kenya, 5% of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-aids-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections</strong> </a>are due to higher HIV infectiousness of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>malaria</strong></a>-infected HIV patients.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Possible Solutions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Whole world will need to implement <strong>large-scale population testing</strong> for Covid-19 (such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antibody-kits-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PCR and antibody testing</strong></a>) to contain it at its base level.</li>
<li>The societies around the world will also have to consider<strong> innovations in population health surveillance technology</strong> and develop creative business models at a scale.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/preparing-for-a-syndemic/article31617304.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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