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Video Conference of SAARC Leaders on COVID-19

Why in News The Video Conference of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Leaders on COVID-19 was held recently. All the...

16 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Successful Trails in Treating Drug-Resistant TB

Why in News Recently, a small trial was undertaken to test the safety and efficacy of a few oral drugs against the extensively drug-resistant TB...

16 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Defence Fund Shortfall

Why in News Recently, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has shown concern at the widening gap between projections and allocations in the...

16 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Tara Tarini Temple

Why in News The annual Chaitra Jatra festival scheduled to be held on 17th March, 2020 at Odisha’s Tara Tarini hill shrine has been cancelled...

16 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Krishna Raja Sagar Dam

Why in News The water level in the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district (Karnataka) is coming down rapidly owing to the increase in the...

16 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Iron Rain on Exoplanet

Why in News Wasp-76b, an exoplanet (planet outside the solar system), probably has iron raining on it. Key Points Wasp-76b orbits so close...

16 Mar 2020 News Analysis
ROPAX Service

Why in News The Ministry of Shipping has launched a roll on-roll off cum passenger ferry service, called ‘ROPAX’, between Mumbai and...

16 Mar 2020 News Analysis
India’s Diaspora

This article is based on “The ambit and the limits of ‘diaspora diplomacy’ ” which was published in The Hindu on...

14 Mar 2020 News Editorials
AT-1 Bonds

Why in News Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made a proposal to write-down Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) bonds as part of the SBI-led...

14 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Spanish Flu

Why in News As COVID-19 declared a global health crisis, parallels are being drawn with the Spanish influenza of 1918-19, which is considered the...

14 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Effects of Changing Groundwater Levels on Himalayas

Why in News Recently, researchers from the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG) have found that the Himalayan range subsides and moves up...

14 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Masks and Hand Sanitizers Under EC Act, 1955

Why in News Recently, the central government has notified that masks (2 ply and 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitizers as essential...

14 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Speeding up Generation of RBCs in the Lab

Why in News A team of Indian researchers have invented a process through which generation of Red Blood Cells(RBCs) outside the body (in vitro) from...

14 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Foreigners Tribunals

Why in News Amnesty International has raised allegations over the functioning of the Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) in Assam. Key Points In a report...

13 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Methanotrophic Bacteria for Methane Mitigation

Why in News Recently, scientists at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune have enriched, isolated and cultivated 45 different strains of...

13 Mar 2020 News Analysis
35th Inception Day Of NCRB

Why in News Recently, on the occasion of 35th Inception Day of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Crime Multi Agency Centre and National...

13 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Nidhi Companies

Why in News Recently, The Central Government has amended the provisions related to Nidhi companies under the Companies Act, 2013 and the...

13 Mar 2020 News Analysis
National Sports Development Fund

Why in News Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) has contributed ₹1 crore to the National Sports Development Fund...

13 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Why in News Recently, the Parliament has passed the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The Bill replaces the ordinance for amendment of the...

13 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Nuclear Power Plants in India

Why in News Recently, the government provided details related to various nuclear power plants in the country. Presently, India has 22 operating...

13 Mar 2020 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'Video Conference of SAARC Leaders on COVID-19 ',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Video Conference of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)</a> Leaders on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID-19</a></strong>&nbsp;was held recently.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>All the <strong>members of SAARC</strong> (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Pakistan) attended the conference.</li>
<li>The conference is considered as a <strong>step towards the revival of SAARC</strong> as the SAARC Summit has not taken place since 2014 because of India-Pakistan tensions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584350767_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584350767_image5.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>COVID-19 Emergency Fund:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has proposed to create a <strong>COVID-19 Emergency Fund</strong> which could be based on a<strong> voluntary contribution</strong> from all SAARC members.</li>
<li>Further, <strong>$10 million</strong> has been extended by <strong>India</strong> as a contribution to the fund.</li>
<li>The fund can be used to meet the <strong>cost of immediate actions</strong> by any member and will be coordinated through foreign secretaries and embassies of the member countries.</li>
<li>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> has also constituted the <strong>COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund</strong> with the help of corporate bodies, foundations and the UN Foundation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Proposals by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has also proposed a <strong>rapid response team of doctors and specialists,</strong> along with testing kits and other equipment for all the member countries.</li>
<li>India has set up an <strong>Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal</strong> to better trace possible virus carriers and the people they contacted. India has offered to share it with member countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Issues and Measure:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The conference also discussed <strong>longer-term economic consequences</strong> of COVID-19.</li>
<li>The member countries have also proposed <strong>to insulate internal trade of South Asia and local value chains</strong> from its impact.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measures by SAARC to Manage Health Pandemics:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has been decided to frame and enforce the<strong> common SAARC <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> protocols.</strong></li>
<li>The members have also decided to establish a <strong>working group of national authorities for health information, data exchange and coordination</strong> in real-time.</li>
<li>It has also proposed a <strong>SAARC health ministers&rsquo; conference </strong>and the<strong> development of regional mechanisms</strong> to share disease surveillance data in real-time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Country-Specific Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Afghanistan</strong> has highlighted the <strong>vulnerability</strong> as it shares a <strong>long and open border with Iran,</strong> one of the worst affected countries in the world.</li>
<li>The <strong>Maldives</strong> has cited the<strong> economic downturn</strong> owing to the <strong>drop in tourists inflow from Italy, China and Europe - the main source of tourists for the country</strong> and sought a South Asian response to the crisis.</li>
<li>The<strong> tourism-dependent countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka</strong> has also sighted issues related to the <strong>economic slowdown.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-pm-modi-participates-in-saarc-videoconference-to-formulate-joint-strategy-to-combat-covid-19/article31074653.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/video-conference-of-saarc-leaders-on-covid-19'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Successful Trails in Treating Drug-Resistant TB',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a small trial was undertaken to test the safety and efficacy of a few oral drugs against the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-with-the-world-bank-to-eliminate-tb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB)</strong></a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The trial showed encouraging results with a <strong>success rate of 90%.</strong></li>
<li>The favourable<strong> results held true regardless of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/hiv-new-hope" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HIV status</a></strong> of the patients.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The trial (Nix-TB) tested three oral drugs namely <strong>bedaquiline, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tb-drug-pretomanid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pretomanid </a></strong>and<strong> linezolid</strong> in patients with XDR-TB and MDR-TB.</li>
<li><strong>Success Rate</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> 90% treatment success</strong> in the case of hard-to-treat patients is at par with the success rate seen while treating drug-sensitive TB.</li>
<li>Of the 109 patients treated, <strong>11 had unfavourable outcomes.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Of the 11 patients, there were seven deaths and two had a relapse during the six-month follow-up period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The treatment success rate was <strong>89% for XDR-TB and 92% for MDR-TB.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The MDR-TB patients included in the trial were either not responsive to standard treatment or had discontinued treatment due to side effects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is caused by <strong>bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)</strong> that most often affect the lungs.</li>
<li><strong>Transmission:</strong> TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.</li>
<li><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.</li>
<li><strong>Treatment:</strong> TB is treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a standard 6 month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a form of TB caused by bacteria that <strong>do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin,</strong> the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs.</li>
<li>MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a more serious form of MDR-TB caused by bacteria that <strong>do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs,</strong> often leaving patients without any further treatment options.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/trial-shows-success-in-treating-drug-resistant-tb/article31069610.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/successful-trails-in-treating-drug-resistant-tb'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Defence Fund Shortfall',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence</strong> has shown concern at the widening gap between projections and allocations in the defence <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-highlights" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>budget</strong></a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Committee noted that<strong> since 2015-16,</strong> none of the three Services (Army, Navy and Air Force) has been given the matching allocation as per the projection.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings of the Committee<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584347358_image2.png" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a <strong>considerable shortage in the allocation in the Capital Head,</strong> which is <strong>35% less than the projection.</strong></li>
<li>The Committee noted that<strong> committed liabilities</strong> constitute a significant part of the Capital Head and inadequate allocation would definitely lead to &lsquo;default situation&rsquo; on contractual obligations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Committed liabilities are payments anticipated during a financial year for contracts concluded in previous years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Such a situation is <strong>not conducive for preparation of the country to modern-day warfare,</strong> where possession of capital intensive modern machines is a prerequisite for tilting the result of the war in favour and also to have a credible deterrence.</li>
<li><strong>Both the Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF)</strong> have a situation where their <strong>committed liabilities are more than their share of the capital allocation</strong> in the Budget.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To offset this, the Services have been <strong>forced to defer payment of committed liabilities of the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU)</strong> among other measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The shortfall in expenditure will affect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Operationalisation of <strong>three tri-service organizations</strong> i.e. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defence-space-research-agency-dsra" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Defence Space Agency</strong></a> <strong>(DSA), Defence Cyber Agency (DCYA) </strong>and<strong> Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD).</strong></li>
<li>Operational readiness of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tri-service-command-in-the-domain-of-special-operations-cyberspace-and-space" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andaman and Nicobar Command</a> (ANC).</strong></li>
<li>Maintenance of <strong>SIGINT (Signal Intelligence)</strong> equipment.</li>
<li>Administration of training institutes and operational units.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The committee has recommended a <strong>dedicated fund for committed liabilities and procurements</strong> before the shortfall impacts modernisation, invariably from next Budget onwards (2021-22).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/defence-house-panel-recommends-dedicated-fund-for-committed-liabilities-new-schemes/article31069726.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/defence-fund-shortfall'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Tara Tarini Temple',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The annual<strong> Chaitra Jatra festival</strong> scheduled to be held on 17<sup>th</sup> March, 2020 at <strong>Odisha&rsquo;s Tara Tarini hill shrine</strong> has been <strong>cancelled</strong> as a precautionary measure against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> infection.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The festival is <strong>held on each Tuesday in the month of Chaitra,</strong> which falls in March-April as per the English calendar.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584347042_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584347042_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="259" height="195" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tara Tarini hill shrine, located at a hilltop on banks of the <strong>Rushikulya river,</strong> is a major centre of <strong>Shakti worship in Odisha.</strong></li>
<li>The twin goddesses Tara and Tarini represent one Shakti and are the <strong>main deity of Ganjam district (Odisha).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tara is an important deity of Mahayana Buddhist Sect.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This temple had been built as per traditional <strong>Rekha style of Odia <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/temple-architecture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temple architecture</a></strong>, as per which famous Jagannath temple of Puri and Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar have been built.</li>
<li>Unlike other temples, it wasn&rsquo;t built under the patronage of a King or a Noble, the temple was set up by a <strong>Brahmin named Basu Praharaj</strong> as per popular legend.</li>
<li>Since its inception it has been an established <strong>seat of Tantrism.</strong></li>
<li>Indian Navy&rsquo;s sailboat <strong>INSV Tarini</strong> was named after Tara Tarini hill shrine.The first Indian all-woman crew had circumnavigated the globe in INSV Tarini.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/covid-19-odisha-cancels-annual-chaitra-jatra-festival/article31077548.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/tara-tarini-temple'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Krishna Raja Sagar Dam',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The water level in the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district (Karnataka) is coming down rapidly owing to the increase in the evaporation rate and the decrease in the inflows as a result of summer.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Krishna Raja Sagar Dam was built across river Kaveri for the <strong>Mysore and Mandya districts in Karnataka</strong> in 1932.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584346799_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584346799_image4.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="320" height="219" /></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The dam is named for the then ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, <strong>Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Dam is the creation of one of the greatest engineers that India had produced, Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah. His birthday, <strong>15<sup>th</sup> September is celebrated as Engineers day.</strong></li>
<li>The reservoir is also the main source of drinking water for <strong>all of Mysore city and almost the whole of Bangalore.</strong></li>
<li>The water released from this dam is further used as an important source of water in the <strong>state of Tamil Nadu.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Kaveri River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> The river rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in southwestern Karnataka.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It flows in a southeasterly direction through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls. Before emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, the river breaks into a large number of distributaries forming a wide delta called the &ldquo;garden of southern India.&rdquo;</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini and Harangi.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/as-summer-picks-up-water-level-at-krs-comes-down/article31078451.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/krishna-raja-sagar-dam'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Iron Rain on Exoplanet',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Wasp-76b,</strong> an<strong> exoplanet</strong> (planet outside the solar system), probably has<strong> iron raining</strong> on it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Wasp-76b orbits so close to its host star that its dayside temperatures exceed 2,400 degrees Celsius - hot enough to vaporise metals like iron.</li>
<li>The planet's nightside, on the other hand, is 1,000 degrees cooler, allowing those metals to condense and rain out.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Wasp-76b</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Wasp-76b is a <strong>huge gas planet</strong> that is<strong> twice the width of Jupiter.</strong> Its name comes from the UK-led Wasp telescope system that detected it in 2016.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The UK <strong>Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP)</strong> is a collaborative project involving several UK universities. The primary aim is the discovery of exoplanets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is <strong>640 light-years from the Earth</strong> and is so close to its star that it takes just 43 hours to complete one revolution.</li>
<li>Another of the planet's interesting features is that it always presents the same face to the star - a behaviour scientists call being <strong>"tidally locked".</strong> Earth's Moon does exactly the same thing.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tidal locking is the name given to the situation when an object&rsquo;s orbital period matches its rotational period.</li>
<li>The moon takes 28 days to go around the Earth and 28 days to rotate once around its axis. This results in the same face of the Moon always facing the Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iron-rain-on-exoplanet'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'ROPAX Service',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> Ministry of Shipping</strong> has launched a <strong>roll on-roll off cum passenger ferry service,</strong> called <strong>&lsquo;ROPAX&rsquo;, between Mumbai and Mandwa</strong> (Maharashtra).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ROPAX service is a <strong>water transport service</strong> project under <strong>Eastern Waterfront Development.</strong></li>
<li>The road distance from Mumbai to Mandwa is about 110 kilometres, and it takes three to four hours, whereas by waterway the distance is about 18 kilometres and a journey of just an hour.</li>
<li><strong>ROPAX Vessel M2M -1</strong> was built in Greece in September 2019. This Vessel has a speed of 14 knots and can carry 200 cars and 1000 passengers at a time. It is capable of operating even in a monsoon season.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People will be able to travel in their cars directly on to the ROPAX vessel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>benefits</strong> of this service include reduction in the travel time, vehicular emission and traffic on the road.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Eastern Waterfront Development</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Eastern Waterfront is the <strong>Mumbai Port Trust&rsquo;s (MbPT&rsquo;s) plan</strong> to develop the port lands across Mumbai&rsquo;s eastern coast stretching from Sassoon Dock to Wadala. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MbPT is an autonomous Body of the Government of India under the Ministry of Shipping.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Some of the major proposals under the project include a 93- hectare park near Haji Bunder, around 17 hectares for tourism-related projects such as themed streets and affordable housing.</li>
<li>The project also has a focus on a water transport by making a provision for water taxis, international and domestic cruises and ro-pax (roll on/roll off passengers) services.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606464" 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/ropax-service'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Diaspora',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><br />This article is based on &ldquo;<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-ambit-and-the-limits-of-diaspora-diplomacy/article31063020.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The ambit and the limits of &lsquo;diaspora diplomacy&rsquo;</a> &rdquo; which was published in The Hindu on 14/03/2020. It talks about issues and opportunities pertaining to the Indian diaspora.</p>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Migration Report 2020</a>, India continues to be the largest country of origin of international migrants with a 17.5 million-strong diaspora across the world, and it received the highest remittance of $78.6 billion (<strong>this amounts to a whopping 3.4% of India&rsquo;s GDP)</strong> from Indians living abroad.</p>
<p>Today, the Indian diaspora is more prosperous than before and its involvement in India&rsquo;s development is increasing. It contributes by <strong>way of remittances, investment, lobbying for India, promoting Indian culture abroad and for building a good image of India by their intelligence and industry</strong>.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Note:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term &ldquo;diaspora&rdquo; is derived from the Greek word diaspeirein, which means &ldquo;dispersion&rdquo;. Over time, the term evolved, and now loosely refers to any person/s belonging to a particular country with a common origin or culture, but residing outside their homeland for various reasons.</li>
<li>In India, diaspora is commonly understood to include Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), of which PIO and OCI card holders were merged under one category &mdash; OCI &mdash; in 2015.</li>
<li>The Indian migration began in large numbers during the British rule as indentured labourers to former colonies like Fiji, Kenya and Malaysia.</li>
<li>It continued in the post-independence period with Indians from different social strata moving to countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, and Gulf countries.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India's Diaspora Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India was initially sensitive to the view that championing the cause of overseas Indians might offend the host countries, who should be fully responsible for their welfare and security. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>J L Nehru&rsquo;s views were that the diaspora could not expect India to fight for their rights and therefore India&rsquo;s foreign policy in the 1950s was accordingly structured as a model of non-interference whenever the emigrant Indians got into trouble in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, Rajiv Gandhi was the first Prime Minister who changed the diaspora policy in the 1980s by inviting Indians abroad, regardless of their nationality, to participate in nation-building, much like the overseas Chinese communities.</li>
<li>Then under, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government after 2000, there came a host of positive measures such as a separate Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, Overseas Citizen of India Card, NRI funds and voting rights for Indian citizens abroad.</li>
<li>Furthermore, in 2015, the Ministry of External Affairs launched the e-migrate system that requires all foreign employers to register in the database.</li>
<li>The current government has launched a scheme called &lsquo;Know India Program&rsquo; (KIP) in 2016 for diaspora engagement which familiarizes Indian-origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots and contemporary India,</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance of Indian Diaspora</h3>
<p><strong></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic Front:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian diaspora is one of the richest minorities in many developed countries, this helped them to lobby for favourable terms regarding India's interests. For example, at 2.8 million, Indians may number just 1% of the U.S. population, but they are the most educated and richest minority, according to a 2013 Pew survey.</li>
<li>The migration of less-skilled labour (especially to West Asia) has also helped in bringing down disguised unemployment in India.</li>
<li>In general, migrants' remittances have positive systemic effects on the balance of payments. Remittances of $70-80 billion help to bridge a wider trade deficit.</li>
<li>By weaving a web of cross-national networks, the migrant workers facilitated the flow of tacit information, commercial and business ideas, and technologies into India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Front:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many people of Indian origin hold top political positions in many countries, in the US itself they are now a significant part of Republicans and Democrats, as well as the government.</li>
<li>The political clout of India's diaspora can be estimated by the fact, the role it played in turning around doubting legislators into voting for the India-U.S. nuclear deal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Foreign Policy Front:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian diaspora is not just a part of India&rsquo;s soft power, but a fully transferable political vote bank as well.</li>
<li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s reception at Madison Square Garden is a way of thanking the Indian-American community members who played a big part in his electronic campaign and election funding.</li>
<li>The institutionalisation of &ldquo;diaspora diplomacy&rdquo; is a distinct indication for the fact that a country&rsquo;s diaspora community has become considerably more important as a subject of interest for foreign policy and associated government activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Note: <br /><br />Diaspora Diplomacy: A collective action that is driven by a country&rsquo;s diaspora, that influences host country&rsquo;s culture, politics, and economics in a manner that is mutually beneficial for the homeland and the new home base.</p>
</div>
<h3><br />Challenges Faced by Indian Diaspora</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Heterogeneous diaspora:</strong> Indian Diaspora has different demands from the Indian Government.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The diaspora from the Gulf, for example, look to India for support on welfare issues.</li>
<li>While those from wealthier nations such as the US look to India for investment opportunities.</li>
<li>The Indian communities in countries such as Fiji and Mauritius, meanwhile, desire to reconnect with the country on cultural grounds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Anti-Globalization:</strong> With the rising Anti-globalization wave, there has been an increase in the incidents of suspected hate crimes against the Indian community.</li>
<li><strong>West Asian Crisis:</strong> The volatility in West Asia, together with the fall in oil prices, has caused fears of a massive return of Indian nationals, curtailing remittances and making demands on the job market.</li>
<li><strong>Returning Diaspora:</strong> India must also realise that diaspora in West Asia is semi-skilled and mainly engaged in the infrastructure sector. After the infrastructure boom will get over India should be ready for the eventuality of Indian workers returning.</li>
<li><strong>Regulatory Cholesterol:</strong> There are many inadequacies of the Indian system for the diaspora to collaborate with India or to invest in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, grievances like red tape, multiple clearances, distrust of government are acting as hindrances in fulfilling opportunities presented by Indian Diaspora.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Negative Fallout:</strong> It must be remembered that having a strong diaspora does not always translate to benefits for the home country.<br />India has had problems with negative campaigning and foreign funding, coming from abroad, for separatist movements like the Khalistan movement.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>Indian diaspora can provide the requisite strategic impulse, which makes it all the more important to unlock India's potential.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India should formulate a new NRI policy, the government must immediately work with developed countries to ask that they kick back a portion of the income tax revenues they collect from the Indian diaspora.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is fair because these countries did not invest anything in creating this talent but benefit immediately when the immigrant pays taxes abroad.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a need for a strategic diaspora evacuation policy from conflict zones in a world where crises materialise without warnings and give very little reaction time for governments.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s foreign policy aims to translate partnerships to benefits for key projects like Swachh Bharat, Clean Ganga, Make In India, Digital India, and Skill India, the diaspora has plenty of scopes to contribute.</li>
<li><strong>VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty)</strong> scheme which seeks to formalise a rotation program wherein top NRI scientists, engineers, doctors, managers and professionals serve Indian public sector organizations for a brief period, lending their expertise- is a step in the right direction.</li>
<li>Improvement in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ease of doing business</strong> </a>will go long, in enabling investments from the Indian diaspora.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Drishti Mains Question</p>
<p>Indian diaspora can provide the requisite strategic impulse to unlock India's potential as a global power. Discuss.</p>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-diaspora'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'AT-1 Bonds',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong></a> has made a proposal to write-down Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) bonds as part of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-yes-bank-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SBI-led restructuring package for Yes Bank.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>AT-1 bonds are a type of <strong>unsecured, perpetual bonds</strong> that banks issue to shore up their core capital base to meet the<strong> Basel-III norms.</strong></li>
<li>There are<strong> two routes</strong> through which these bonds can be acquired:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Initial private placement offers</strong> of AT-1 bonds by banks seeking to raise money.</li>
<li><strong>Secondary market buys</strong> of already-traded AT-1 bonds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>AT-1 bonds are like any other bonds issued by banks and companies, but pay a <strong>slightly higher rate of interest</strong> compared to other bonds.</li>
<li>These bonds are also <strong>listed and traded on the exchanges.</strong> So, if an AT-1 bondholder needs money, he can sell it in the secondary market.</li>
<li>Investors <strong>cannot return these bonds</strong> to the issuing bank and get the money. i.e there is<strong> no put option available</strong> to its holders.</li>
<li>However, the issuing banks have the <strong>option to recall AT-1 bonds</strong> issued by them (termed call options that allow banks to redeem them after 5 or 10 years).</li>
<li>Banks issuing AT-1 bonds can skip interest payouts for a particular year or even reduce the bonds&rsquo; face value.</li>
<li>AT-1 bonds are<strong> regulated by RBI.</strong> If the RBI feels that a bank needs a rescue, it can simply ask the bank to write off its outstanding AT-1 bonds without consulting its investors.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Basel-III Norms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an international regulatory accord that introduced a set of reforms designed to improve the regulation, supervision and risk management within the banking sector, post 2008 financial crisis.</li>
<li>Under the Basel-III norms, <strong>banks were asked to maintain a certain minimum level of capital</strong> and not lend all the money they receive from deposits.</li>
<li>According to Basel-III norms banks' regulatory capital is divided<strong> into Tier 1 and Tier 2,</strong> while <strong>Tier 1 is subdivided into Common Equity Tier-1 (CET-1) and Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) capital.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Common Equity Tier 1 capital</strong> includes equity instruments where returns are linked to the banks&rsquo; performance and therefore the performance of the share price. They have no maturity.</li>
<li><strong>Additional Tier-1 capital</strong> are perpetual bonds which carry a fixed coupon payable annually from past or present profits of the bank.</li>
<li>They have no maturity, and their dividends can be cancelled at any time.</li>
<li>Together, CET and AT-1 are called Common Equity. Under Basel III norms, minimum requirement for Common Equity Capital has been defined.</li>
<li>Tier 2 capital consists of unsecured subordinated debt with an original maturity of at least five years.</li>
<li>According to the Basel norms, if minimum Tier-1 capital falls below 6%, it allows for a write-off of these bonds.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>RBI&rsquo;s Regulations Over Banks</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a situation where a bank faces severe losses leading to erosion of regulatory capital, the <strong>RBI can decide</strong> if the bank has reached a situation wherein it is no longer viable.</li>
<li>The RBI can then activate a <strong>Point of Non-Viability Trigger (PONV)</strong> and <strong>assume executive powers of the bank.</strong></li>
<li>By doing so, the RBI can do whatever is required to get the bank on track, including<strong> superseding the existing management, forcing the bank to raise additional capital and so on.</strong></li>
<li>However, activating PONV is followed by a write down of the AT-1 bonds, as<strong> determined by the RBI through the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/at-1-bonds'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Spanish Flu',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>As <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-s-preparedness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID-19</a> declared a global health crisis, parallels are being drawn with the Spanish influenza of 1918-19, which is considered the most devastating pandemic in recent history.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Spanish flu was caused by an <strong>H1N1 influenza virus</strong>.</li>
<li>There is <strong>no universal consensus</strong> regarding where the virus originated. It is believed that <strong>World War I</strong> was partly responsible for it&rsquo;s spread.</li>
<li><strong>Spain was one of the earliest countries</strong> where the epidemic was identified, but historians believe this was likely a result of wartime censorship.</li>
<li>Spain was a neutral nation during the war and did not enforce strict censorship of its press, which freely published early accounts of the illness. As a result, people falsely believed the illness was specific to Spain, and the name<strong> "Spanish flu"</strong> stuck.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How was the Outbreak Tamed</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Awareness:</strong> That word got around about this killer disease through government efforts and through informal communications.<br />Social Distance: People were practising social distancing and taking other preventive steps.</li>
<li><strong>Natural Phenomenon:</strong> The virus evolved to become milder in the process.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a theory that, <strong>as viruses propagate, the more virulent strains are unable to survive, reproduce, and propagate</strong> as effectively as the less virulent strains, because their hosts die before the virus can jump to new susceptible hosts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Climatic Conditions:</strong> Differences in climate across India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Influenza viruses tend to not do as well in warm and moist conditions as they do in cooler, drier conditions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning from the Spanish flu</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Quick Response:</strong> A quick initial emergency response to deal with pandemic COVID-19.Locations close to an entry point will have extremely short windows of time to deal with a virulent pathogen.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While locations that are distant from the entry point will have longer windows of time to prepare for and deal with less-lethal variants of the disease.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hygiene:</strong> To be extra vigilant about hygiene and aggressively practice social distancing.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>H1N1 Virus</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>H1N1 influenza virus causes <strong>Swine Flu</strong>.</li>
<li>Swine Flu is an<strong> infection</strong> of the <strong>respiratory tract</strong> characterized by the usual symptoms of flu &mdash; cough, nasal secretions, fever, loss of appetite, fatigue, and headache.</li>
<li>It is called swine flu because it was known in the past to occur in people who had been in the <strong>vicinity of pigs.</strong></li>
<li>The virus is transmitted by short-distance airborne transmission, particularly in crowded enclosed spaces. Hand contamination and direct contact are other possible sources of transmission.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/lessons-from-a-pandemic-a-century-ago-coroanvirus-spanish-flu-6313344/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source:IE</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/spanish-flu'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Effects of Changing Groundwater Levels on Himalayas',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, researchers from the <strong>Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG)</strong> have found that the Himalayan range subsides and moves up depending on the seasonal changes in groundwater, apart from the normal and common reasons.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IIG is an <strong>autonomous institute</strong> under the <strong>Department of Science &amp; Technology (DST)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-visual-positioning-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Global Positioning System</a> (GPS)</strong> and <strong>Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE)</strong> data were used to quantify the variations of hydrologic mass.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The GRACE satellites, <strong>launched by the US in 2002, monitor changes in water and snow stores on the continents</strong>, enabling the researchers to study terrestrial hydrology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The combined GPS and GRACE data suggest a <strong>12% reduction in the rate of the subsurface slip</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>subsidence rate is associated with groundwater consumption</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Subsurface slip</strong> refers to <strong>how fast the fault is slipping relative to the foot and hanging wall</strong>.</li>
<li>The slip occurs at the <strong>Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT)</strong>, due to hydrological variations and human activities, over which there is the periodic release of accumulated strain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Water acts as a <strong>lubricating agent</strong> and in the dry season, the <strong>rate of the slip of the fault in the region is reduced</strong>.</li>
<li>There are<strong> normal and common reasons</strong> also affecting the Himalayas apart from the groundwater levels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Himalayan foothills and the Indo-Gangetic plain are sinking because its <strong>contiguous areas are rising due to tectonic activity</strong> associated with landmass movement or continental drift.</li>
<li>In the Himalaya, <strong>seasonal water from glaciers</strong> as well as <strong>monsoon precipitation</strong> plays a key role in the deformation of the crust and the seismicity associated with it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This is the first study to look at the rising Himalayas from a <strong>hydrological standpoint</strong>.</li>
<li>Since the Himalayas play an important role in influencing climate in the Indian subcontinent, the study will help in <strong>understanding the effects of hydrology on climate</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Fault</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>planar or gently curved fracture in the rocks of the Earth&rsquo;s crust</strong>, where compressional or tensional forces cause relative displacement of the rocks on the opposite sides of the fracture.</li>
<li>When rocks slip past each other in faulting, the upper or overlying block along the fault plane is called the <strong>hanging wall or headwall</strong>; the block below is called the footwall.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Main Himalayan Thrust</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Indian plate under thrusts the Eurasian plate</strong> along a northerly dipping detachment surface known as Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) that separates the downgoing Indian plate from the overriding Himalayan wedge.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606255" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/effects-of-changing-groundwater-levels-on-himalayas'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Masks and Hand Sanitizers Under EC Act, 1955',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />Recently, the central government has notified that <strong>masks (2 ply and 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitizers as essential commodities</strong> up to June 30, 2020, under the <strong>Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (EC Act)</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The invocation of the EC Act aims to ensure that these products, key for preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection, are available to people at the <strong>right price and of the right quality</strong>.</li>
<li>The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food &amp; Public Distribution has also issued an advisory under the <strong>Legal Metrology Act, 2009 to ensure these items are not sold for more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Essential Commodities Act, 1955:</strong> This Act intends to provide, in the interest of the general public, for the control of the production, supply and distribution of, and trade and commerce, in certain commodities.</li>
<li><strong>The Legal Metrology Act, 2009:</strong> It aims to establish and enforce standards of weights and measures, regulate trade and commerce in weights, measures and other goods which are sold or distributed by weight, measure or number and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.</li>
<li>Both the mentioned Acts are<strong> regulated and administered</strong> by the<strong> Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the EC Act, the States and Union Territories <strong>can ensure that manufacturers enhance their production capacity so that masks and hand sanitizers are widely available to consumers</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The invocation of EC Act has empowered the Centre as well as states to regulate the production, quality, distributions of masks and hand sanitizers.</li>
<li>It will also help to smoothen the sale and availability of the above items and carry out operations against speculators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Consumer Affairs Ministry has also invoked the <strong>Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980 which would carry out action against those involved in overpricing and black marketing of the products</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/coronavirus-masks-sanitisers-declared-essential-commodities/article31063103.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: TH</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/masks-and-hand-sanitizers-under-ec-act-1955'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Speeding up Generation of RBCs in the Lab',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />A team of Indian researchers have invented a process through which <strong>generation of Red Blood Cells(RBCs) outside the body (in vitro) from Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) can be speeded up</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The invented process would help to <strong>fasten the process of transfusion of RBCs</strong> in life-saving treatments for numerous conditions such as severe anaemia, transplant surgery, pregnancy-related complications, and blood-related cancers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The blood banks, particularly in developing countries, often face a <strong>severe shortage of whole blood as well as components of blood like red blood cells.</strong></li>
<li>Various groups have been able to produce RBCs in the laboratory from HSCs. However, the process takes a <strong>long time - around 21 days.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/commercial-cord-blood-banking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">umbilical cord blood</a> contains special cells called hematopoietic stem cells that can be used to treat some types of diseases.</li>
<li>Hematopoietic stem cells c<strong>an mature into different types of blood cells</strong> in the body.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The resources required to grow cells in the laboratory over such a<strong> long duration can be very expensive</strong> for the generation of RBCs on a large scale for clinical purposes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The process of generation of RBCs in the laboratory from HSCs can be <strong>speeded up by adding a very low concentration of a small protein molecule called `Transforming Growth Factor &beta;1&rsquo; (TGF-&beta;1), along with a hormone called `Erythropoietin&rsquo; (EPO)</strong>. The whole process takes<strong> 18 days.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Usually, the addition of only Erythropoietin (EPO) to HSCs generate RBCs in<strong> 21 days</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian researchers have found that the <strong>addition of TGF-&beta;1 with EPO</strong> has <strong>cut down</strong> the processing time by <strong>three days</strong>.</li>
<li>The physical appearance and the quality of the cells formed has revealed that the RBCs formed using this procedure are <strong>normal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Blood </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Blood is a fluid connective tissue that consists of plasma, blood cells and platelets.</li>
<li>It helps to circulate oxygen and nutrients to various cells and tissues.</li>
<li>The major types of blood cells include:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Red Blood Cell</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are also known as <strong>Erythrocytes</strong>.</li>
<li>RBCs contain the iron-rich protein called <strong>haemoglobin</strong> that gives blood its <strong>red colour</strong>.</li>
<li>RBCs are the most copious blood cell produced in bone marrows. Their main function is to transport oxygen from and to various tissues and organs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>White Blood Cells</strong>&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The White Blood Cells (WBCs) are also known as <strong>Leucocytes</strong> and are the <strong>colourless</strong> blood cells as it is <strong>devoid of haemoglobin</strong>.</li>
<li>It mainly contributes to<strong> immunity and defence mechanism</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/speeding-up-generation-of-rbcs-in-the-lab'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Foreigners Tribunals',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Amnesty International</strong> has raised <strong>allegations over the functioning of the Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) in Assam.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a report titled <strong>&lsquo;Designed to Exclude&rsquo;</strong>, Amnesty International has asserted that the Supreme Court and Gauhati High Court had enabled the FTs to create a statelessness crisis in Assam.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There appear to be <strong>aberrations in some cases to the policy of assessing the performance of a FT member.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The organization has observed that the FTs that determined the paramount right to citizenship in Assam were often dismissive, used derogatory language, controlled their own procedures and applied them in arbitrary ways.</li>
<li>It has also called for a <strong>review of the existing legislative regime governing the determination of nationality</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Foreigners Tribunals in Assam</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The tribunals are <strong>quasi-judicial bodies,</strong> to determine if a person staying illegally is a &ldquo;foreigner&rdquo; or not.</li>
<li>Every individual, whose name does not figure in the<strong> final <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-national-register-of-citizens-nrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Register of Citizens (NRC)</a></strong>, can represent his/her case in front of the appellate authority i.e. Foreigners Tribunals (FT).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Assam has set up FTs, specifically to handle the cases of 19.06 lakh people left out of the updated NRC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the provisions of<strong> Foreigners Act 1946</strong> and <strong>Foreigners (Tribunals) Order 1964</strong>, only Foreigners Tribunals are empowered to declare a person as a foreigner.</li>
<li>The <strong>Assam Police Border Organisation,</strong> a wing of the State police tasked with detecting foreigners, readies the cases for the tribunals to decide who is a foreigner and who is not.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Foreigners Tribunal Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Each FT member is appointed under the Foreigners Tribunal Act, 1941, and Foreigners Tribunal Order, 1984, as per the guidelines issued by the government from time to time.</li>
<li>A member can be a retired judicial officer of the Assam Judicial Service, a retired civil servant not below the rank of secretary and additional secretary with judicial experience, or a practising advocate not below the age of 35 years and with at least seven years of practice.</li>
<li>A member is also required to have a fair knowledge of the official languages of Assam (Assamese, Bengali, Bodo and English) as well as be conversant with the historical background to the foreigners&rsquo; issue.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Amnesty International</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>AI is an <strong>international Non Governmental Organization (NGO)</strong> founded in <strong>London</strong> on May 28, 1961,</li>
<li>It seeks to publicize violations by governments and other entities of rights recognized in the <strong>Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948),</strong> especially freedom of speech and of conscience and the right against torture.</li>
<li>It also works with intergovernmental human rights bodies to expand and enforce human rights protections in international law.</li>
<li>In 1977 AI was awarded the <strong>Nobel Prize for Peace.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/assam-decides-tribunal-members-term-on-rate-of-declaring-foreigners-amnesty/article31051919.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/foreigners-tribunals-1'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Methanotrophic Bacteria for Methane Mitigation',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, scientists at the <strong>Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune</strong> have enriched, isolated and cultivated 45 different strains of <strong>methanotrophs (methane-utilising bacteria)</strong> and created the <strong>first indigenous</strong> methanotroph culture.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ARI is an <strong>autonomous institute</strong> under the <strong>Department of Science &amp; Technology</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Scientists used some of the isolated strains of methanotrophs as <strong>bio-inoculants</strong> in rice plants.</li>
<li>They found that there was a <strong>decrease in methane emissions in inoculated plants with a positive or neutral effect</strong> on the growth of the rice. This finding could lead to the development of microbial inoculants for methane mitigation in rice.</li>
<li>Methanotrophs <strong>metabolise and convert methane into carbon-di-oxide enabling them to reduce methane emissions</strong> from rice plants.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In rice fields, methanotrophs are active near the roots or soil-water interfaces.</li>
<li><strong>Rice fields are human-made wetlands</strong> and are waterlogged for a considerable period.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Anaerobic degradation of organic matter</strong> results in the <strong>generation of methane</strong>.</li>
<li>Rice fields contribute to nearly <strong>10% of global methane emissions</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Inoculation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In microbiology, inoculation is defined as<strong> introducing microorganisms into a culture where they can grow and reproduce</strong>. More generally, it can also be defined as introducing a certain substance into another substance.</li>
<li>Bio-inoculants are living organisms containing strains of specific bacteria, fungi, or algae. These are also known as <strong>microbial inoculants</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Methanotrophs can <strong>effectively reduce the emission of methane</strong>, which is the <strong>second most important <a href="/infographics/info-paper3/greenhouse-gas-emission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greenhouse gas</a> (GHG)</strong> and 26 times more potent as compared to carbon-di-oxide.</li>
<li>Native methanotrophs isolated from rice fields can be excellent <strong>models to understand the effect of various factors on methane mitigation</strong>.</li>
<li>Besides methane mitigation studies, methanotrophs can also be used in <strong>methane value addition (valorization) studies</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bio-methane generated from waste can be used by the methanotrophs and can be <strong>converted to value-added products such as single-cell proteins</strong>, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>biodiesel</strong></a>, and so on.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/methanotrophic-bacteria-for-methane-mitigation'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => '35th Inception Day Of NCRB',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, on the occasion of 35<sup>th</sup> Inception Day of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Crime Multi Agency Centre and National Cybercrime Training Centre has been launched.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Crime Multi-Agency Centre (Cri-MAC)</strong> has been launched for sharing the information on heinous crime and other issues related to inter-state coordination.</li>
<li><strong>National Cybercrime Training Centre (NCTC)</strong> has been launched for professional quality eLearning services on cyber crime investigation on large scale to police officers, judges, prosecutors and other stakeholders.</li>
<li><strong>Few important initiatives/roles of NCRB:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Coordination and networking among the police stations and police offices across India.</li>
<li><strong>National Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)</strong> provides a huge database of fingerprints helping in solving crimes faster. It is a network based pan India system for recording and sharing of fingerprints of criminals in various crimes</li>
<li>Important publications including <strong>&lsquo;Crime in India&rsquo;</strong>,<strong> &lsquo;Accidental Deaths &amp; Suicides in India&rsquo;</strong>, <strong>&lsquo;Prison Statistics India&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;FingerPrint in India&rsquo; </strong>is&nbsp;released by NCRB.</li>
<li>It organised <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/citizen-centric-services-of-ncrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CCTNS Hackathon &amp; Cyber Challenge 2020</strong></a> which helped in gathering innovative ideas for improving CCTNS.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Crime Record Bureau</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NCRB was <strong>set-up in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)</strong> to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals so as to assist the investigators in linking crime to the perpetrators.</li>
<li>It is headquartered in New Delhi.</li>
<li>It was set up based on the recommendations of the <strong>National Police Commission (1977-1981) and the MHA&rsquo;s Taskforce (1985).</strong></li>
<li>It was constituted by merging the Directorate of Coordination and Police Computer (DCPC), Inter-State Criminals Data Branch of CBI, Central Finger Print Bureau of CBI and Statistical Branch of BPR&amp;D.</li>
<li>NCRB brings out the annual comprehensive statistics of crime across the country through &lsquo;Crime in India&rsquo; report.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Being published since 1953, the report serves as a crucial tool in understanding the law and order situation across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It <strong>developed CCTNS in 2009</strong> which interconnects approximately 15000 police stations and 6000 higher offices across the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CCTNS digitises data related to FIR registration, investigation and charge sheets in all police stations leading to the development of a national database of crimes and criminals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606189" 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/35-th-inception-day-of-ncrb'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Nidhi Companies',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />Recently, The Central Government has amended the provisions related to Nidhi companies under the Companies Act, 2013 and the Rules.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The amendments have been made to make the regulatory regime for Nidhi Companies more effective.</li>
<li>This will accomplish the objectives of transparency &amp; investor friendliness in the corporate environment of the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under <strong>Nidhi Rules, 2014</strong>, Nidhi is a company which has been incorporated as a Nidhi with the object of cultivating the habit of thrift and saving amongst its members, <strong>receiving deposits from, and lending to, its members only, for their mutual benefit</strong>.</li>
<li>It is a company <strong>registered</strong> under the <strong>Companies Act, 2013</strong>.</li>
<li>It works on the principle of mutual benefits that are regulated by the <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs</strong>.</li>
<li>Nidhi Company is a class of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Non-Banking Financial Company(NBFC)</a> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reserve Bank of India(RBI)</a> has powers to issue directives for them related to their deposit acceptance activities.</li>
<li>However, since these Nidhis deal with their <strong>shareholder-members only</strong>, RBI has exempted them from the core provisions of the RBI Act and other directions applicable to NBFCs.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nidhi-companies'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'National Sports Development Fund',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Security Printing &amp; Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL)</strong> has contributed ₹1 crore to the <strong>National Sports Development Fund</strong> under the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/injeti-srinivas-committee-report-on-csr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">corporate social responsibility</a> (CSR)</strong> initiatives.</p>
<p>The contribution has been made in line with the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/target-olympic-podium-top-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target Olympic Podium Scheme</a> (TOPS)</strong> for the top athletes of India, selected for the Tokyo Olympics, 2020 and beyond.</p>
<h3>National Sports Development Fund</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was established in <strong>1998</strong> under the <strong>Charitable Endowments Act, 1890</strong>.</li>
<li>Purpose of its creation was to <strong>impart momentum and flexibility</strong> in assisting the cause of sports.</li>
<li>The Fund helps sportspersons excel by <strong>providing them opportunities to train</strong> under coaches of international repute with technical, scientific and psychological support and giving them exposure to international competitions.</li>
<li>It also <strong>provides financial assistance</strong> for the development of infrastructure and other activities for the promotion of sports.</li>
<li>The Fund is <strong>managed by a Council constituted by the Central Government</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chairperson:</strong> Union Minister in charge of Youth Affairs and Sports.</li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong> Senior Officers of the Department of Sports, Chairman &amp; Managing Directors of Private and Public Sector Companies/Corporations, representatives of Sports Promotion Boards, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Security Printing &amp; Minting Corporation of India Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>wholly-owned Schedule &lsquo;A&rsquo; Miniratna Category-I company of Government of India</strong>, incorporated on 13<sup>th</sup> January 2006.</li>
<li>The<strong> Ministry of Finance exercises its administrative control</strong> over SPMCIL through Board of Directors.</li>
<li>SPMCIL is <strong>engaged in</strong> the manufacture/ production of Currency and Bank Notes, Security Paper, Non-Judicial Stamp Papers, Postal Stamps &amp; Stationery, Travel Documents viz. Passport and Visa, Security certificates, Cheques, Bonds, Warrant, Special Certificates with security features, Security Inks, Circulation &amp; Commemorative Coins, Medallions, Refining of Gold &amp; Silver, and Assay of Precious Metals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=199658" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-sports-development-fund'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />Recently, the Parliament has passed the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill replaces the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/investment-in-coal-mining">ordinance for amendment</a> of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 (CMSP Act) which was promulgated on 11th January 2020.</li>
<li>The Bill is expected to open a <strong>new era in Indian coal &amp; mining sector especially to promote <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020">Ease of Doing Business</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>MMDR Act</strong> regulates the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/mining-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>overall mining sector in India</strong></a>.</li>
<li>The <strong>CMSP Act</strong> provides for the auction and allocation of coal mines whose allocation was cancelled by the Supreme Court in 2014.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Schedule I</strong> of the Act provides a list of all such mines; Schedule II and III are sub-classes of the mines listed in the Schedule I.</li>
<li><strong>Schedule II</strong> mines are those where production had already started before the Supreme court&rsquo;s order in 2014 and Schedule III mines are ones that had been earmarked for a specific end-use.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Removal of restriction on end-use of coal:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently, companies acquiring Schedule II and Schedule III coal mines through auctions can use the coal produced <strong>only for specified end-uses such as power generation and steel production</strong>.</li>
<li>The Bill removes this restriction on the use of coal mined by such companies. And thus companies will be allowed to carry on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/investment-in-coal-mining" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coal mining operation</a> for own consumption, sale or for any other purposes, as may be specified by the central government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eligibility for auction of coal and lignite blocks:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill clarifies that the companies <strong>need not possess any prior coal mining experience in India in order to participate in the auction of coal and lignite blocks</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composite license for prospecting and mining:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill adds a <strong>new type of license</strong>, called <strong>prospecting license-cum-mining lease</strong>. It will be a composite license providing for both prospecting and mining activities.</li>
<li><strong>Currently, separate licenses</strong> are provided for prospecting and mining of coal and lignite, called prospecting license, and mining lease, respectively. Prospecting includes exploring, locating, or finding mineral deposit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advance action for auction:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill provides that <strong>state governments</strong> can take <strong>advance action for auction of a mining lease before its expiry</strong>.</li>
<li>Under the MMDR Act, mining leases for specified minerals (minerals other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals) are auctioned on the expiry of the lease period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transfer of statutory clearances to new bidders:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill provides that the various approvals, licenses, and clearances given to the previous lessee will be <strong>extended to the successful bidder for a period of two years</strong>.</li>
<li>During this period, the new lessee will be allowed to continue mining operations. However, the new lessee <strong>must obtain</strong> all the required clearances within this two-year period.</li>
<li>Currently, upon expiry, mining leases for specified minerals (minerals other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals) can be transferred to new persons through auction. This <strong>new lessee is required to obtain statutory clearances before starting mining operations</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prior approval from the central government:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill provides that <strong>prior approval of the central government will not be required</strong> by the state government in granting licenses for coal and lignite, in certain cases.</li>
<li>These include cases where the allocation has been done by the central government, and the mining block has been reserved to conserve a mineral.</li>
<li>Under the MMDR Act, state governments <strong>require prior approval of the central government</strong> for granting reconnaissance permit, prospecting license, or mining lease for coal and lignite.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606090" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mineral-laws-amendment-bill-2020'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Nuclear Power Plants in India',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government provided details related to various nuclear power plants in the country.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Presently, <strong>India has 22 operating nuclear power reactors</strong>, with an installed capacity of 6780 MegaWatt electric (MWe). Among these eighteen reactors are <strong>Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs)</strong> and four are <strong>Light Water Reactors (LWRs).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nuclear-energy-conclave" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>nuclear energy programme</strong></a> in India was launched around the time of independence under the leadership of Homi J Bhabha.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)</strong> is being implemented by the <strong>Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI)</strong>, a wholly owned Enterprise of the Government of India under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PHWR is a nuclear power reactor, commonly using<strong> unenriched natural uranium</strong> as its fuel. It uses <strong>heavy water (Deuterium oxide D<sub>2</sub>O)</strong> as its coolant and moderator.</li>
<li>The <strong>heavy water coolant is kept under pressure</strong>, allowing it to be heated to higher temperatures without boiling, much as in a typical pressurized water reactor.</li>
<li>While heavy water is significantly more expensive than ordinary light water, it yields<strong> greatly enhanced neutron economy,</strong> allowing the reactor to operate without fuel enrichment facilities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Light Water Reactor</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The light water reactor is a type of <strong>thermal- neutron reactor</strong> that <strong>utilizes normal water</strong> as opposed to heavy water.</li>
<li>It is fuelled by<strong> Low Enriched Uranium.</strong></li>
<li>It uses water as both a coolant method and a neutron moderator.</li>
<li>It <strong>produces heat by controlled nuclear fission.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that <strong>generates more fissile material than it consumes</strong>. These are designed to <strong>extend the nuclear fuel supply</strong> for electric power generation.</li>
<li>Breeder reactors achieve this because their neutron economy is high enough to create more fissile fuel than they use, by irradiation of a fertile material, such as <strong>Uranium-238</strong> or <strong>Thorium-232</strong> that is loaded into the reactor along with fissile fuel.</li>
<li><strong>PFBR is a 500 MWe fast breeder nuclear reactor</strong> presently being constructed at the <strong>Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu).</strong></li>
<li>It is fuelled by <strong>Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>MOX fuel is <strong>manufactured from plutonium recovered from used reactor fuel,</strong> <strong>mixed with depleted uranium.</strong><strong></strong></li>
<li>Mixed oxide (MOX) fuel provides almost 5% of the new nuclear fuel used today.</li>
<li>MOX fuel also provides a means of burning weapons-grade plutonium (from military sources) to produce electricity.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Depleted Uranium</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to produce fuel for certain types of nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons, uranium has to be "enriched" in the U-235 isotope, which is responsible for nuclear fission.</li>
<li>During the enrichment process the fraction of U-235 is increased from its natural level (0.72% by mass) to between 2% and 94% by mass.</li>
<li>The <strong>by-product uranium mixture (after the enriched uranium is removed)</strong> has reduced concentrations of U-235 and U-234. This by-product of the enrichment process is known as depleted uranium (DU).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1605939" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Video Conference of SAARC Leaders on COVID-19 ',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Video Conference of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)</a> Leaders on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID-19</a></strong>&nbsp;was held recently.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>All the <strong>members of SAARC</strong> (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Pakistan) attended the conference.</li>
<li>The conference is considered as a <strong>step towards the revival of SAARC</strong> as the SAARC Summit has not taken place since 2014 because of India-Pakistan tensions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584350767_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584350767_image5.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>COVID-19 Emergency Fund:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has proposed to create a <strong>COVID-19 Emergency Fund</strong> which could be based on a<strong> voluntary contribution</strong> from all SAARC members.</li>
<li>Further, <strong>$10 million</strong> has been extended by <strong>India</strong> as a contribution to the fund.</li>
<li>The fund can be used to meet the <strong>cost of immediate actions</strong> by any member and will be coordinated through foreign secretaries and embassies of the member countries.</li>
<li>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> has also constituted the <strong>COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund</strong> with the help of corporate bodies, foundations and the UN Foundation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Proposals by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has also proposed a <strong>rapid response team of doctors and specialists,</strong> along with testing kits and other equipment for all the member countries.</li>
<li>India has set up an <strong>Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal</strong> to better trace possible virus carriers and the people they contacted. India has offered to share it with member countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Issues and Measure:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The conference also discussed <strong>longer-term economic consequences</strong> of COVID-19.</li>
<li>The member countries have also proposed <strong>to insulate internal trade of South Asia and local value chains</strong> from its impact.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measures by SAARC to Manage Health Pandemics:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has been decided to frame and enforce the<strong> common SAARC <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> protocols.</strong></li>
<li>The members have also decided to establish a <strong>working group of national authorities for health information, data exchange and coordination</strong> in real-time.</li>
<li>It has also proposed a <strong>SAARC health ministers&rsquo; conference </strong>and the<strong> development of regional mechanisms</strong> to share disease surveillance data in real-time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Country-Specific Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Afghanistan</strong> has highlighted the <strong>vulnerability</strong> as it shares a <strong>long and open border with Iran,</strong> one of the worst affected countries in the world.</li>
<li>The <strong>Maldives</strong> has cited the<strong> economic downturn</strong> owing to the <strong>drop in tourists inflow from Italy, China and Europe - the main source of tourists for the country</strong> and sought a South Asian response to the crisis.</li>
<li>The<strong> tourism-dependent countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka</strong> has also sighted issues related to the <strong>economic slowdown.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-pm-modi-participates-in-saarc-videoconference-to-formulate-joint-strategy-to-combat-covid-19/article31074653.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/video-conference-of-saarc-leaders-on-covid-19'
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	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Successful Trails in Treating Drug-Resistant TB',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a small trial was undertaken to test the safety and efficacy of a few oral drugs against the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-with-the-world-bank-to-eliminate-tb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB)</strong></a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The trial showed encouraging results with a <strong>success rate of 90%.</strong></li>
<li>The favourable<strong> results held true regardless of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/hiv-new-hope" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HIV status</a></strong> of the patients.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The trial (Nix-TB) tested three oral drugs namely <strong>bedaquiline, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tb-drug-pretomanid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pretomanid </a></strong>and<strong> linezolid</strong> in patients with XDR-TB and MDR-TB.</li>
<li><strong>Success Rate</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> 90% treatment success</strong> in the case of hard-to-treat patients is at par with the success rate seen while treating drug-sensitive TB.</li>
<li>Of the 109 patients treated, <strong>11 had unfavourable outcomes.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Of the 11 patients, there were seven deaths and two had a relapse during the six-month follow-up period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The treatment success rate was <strong>89% for XDR-TB and 92% for MDR-TB.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The MDR-TB patients included in the trial were either not responsive to standard treatment or had discontinued treatment due to side effects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is caused by <strong>bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)</strong> that most often affect the lungs.</li>
<li><strong>Transmission:</strong> TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.</li>
<li><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.</li>
<li><strong>Treatment:</strong> TB is treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a standard 6 month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a form of TB caused by bacteria that <strong>do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin,</strong> the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs.</li>
<li>MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a more serious form of MDR-TB caused by bacteria that <strong>do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs,</strong> often leaving patients without any further treatment options.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/trial-shows-success-in-treating-drug-resistant-tb/article31069610.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Defence Fund Shortfall',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence</strong> has shown concern at the widening gap between projections and allocations in the defence <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-highlights" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>budget</strong></a>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Committee noted that<strong> since 2015-16,</strong> none of the three Services (Army, Navy and Air Force) has been given the matching allocation as per the projection.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings of the Committee<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584347358_image2.png" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a <strong>considerable shortage in the allocation in the Capital Head,</strong> which is <strong>35% less than the projection.</strong></li>
<li>The Committee noted that<strong> committed liabilities</strong> constitute a significant part of the Capital Head and inadequate allocation would definitely lead to &lsquo;default situation&rsquo; on contractual obligations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Committed liabilities are payments anticipated during a financial year for contracts concluded in previous years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Such a situation is <strong>not conducive for preparation of the country to modern-day warfare,</strong> where possession of capital intensive modern machines is a prerequisite for tilting the result of the war in favour and also to have a credible deterrence.</li>
<li><strong>Both the Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF)</strong> have a situation where their <strong>committed liabilities are more than their share of the capital allocation</strong> in the Budget.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To offset this, the Services have been <strong>forced to defer payment of committed liabilities of the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU)</strong> among other measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The shortfall in expenditure will affect:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Operationalisation of <strong>three tri-service organizations</strong> i.e. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defence-space-research-agency-dsra" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Defence Space Agency</strong></a> <strong>(DSA), Defence Cyber Agency (DCYA) </strong>and<strong> Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD).</strong></li>
<li>Operational readiness of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tri-service-command-in-the-domain-of-special-operations-cyberspace-and-space" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andaman and Nicobar Command</a> (ANC).</strong></li>
<li>Maintenance of <strong>SIGINT (Signal Intelligence)</strong> equipment.</li>
<li>Administration of training institutes and operational units.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The committee has recommended a <strong>dedicated fund for committed liabilities and procurements</strong> before the shortfall impacts modernisation, invariably from next Budget onwards (2021-22).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/defence-house-panel-recommends-dedicated-fund-for-committed-liabilities-new-schemes/article31069726.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defence-fund-shortfall'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Tara Tarini Temple',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The annual<strong> Chaitra Jatra festival</strong> scheduled to be held on 17<sup>th</sup> March, 2020 at <strong>Odisha&rsquo;s Tara Tarini hill shrine</strong> has been <strong>cancelled</strong> as a precautionary measure against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> infection.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The festival is <strong>held on each Tuesday in the month of Chaitra,</strong> which falls in March-April as per the English calendar.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584347042_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584347042_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="259" height="195" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tara Tarini hill shrine, located at a hilltop on banks of the <strong>Rushikulya river,</strong> is a major centre of <strong>Shakti worship in Odisha.</strong></li>
<li>The twin goddesses Tara and Tarini represent one Shakti and are the <strong>main deity of Ganjam district (Odisha).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tara is an important deity of Mahayana Buddhist Sect.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This temple had been built as per traditional <strong>Rekha style of Odia <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/temple-architecture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temple architecture</a></strong>, as per which famous Jagannath temple of Puri and Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar have been built.</li>
<li>Unlike other temples, it wasn&rsquo;t built under the patronage of a King or a Noble, the temple was set up by a <strong>Brahmin named Basu Praharaj</strong> as per popular legend.</li>
<li>Since its inception it has been an established <strong>seat of Tantrism.</strong></li>
<li>Indian Navy&rsquo;s sailboat <strong>INSV Tarini</strong> was named after Tara Tarini hill shrine.The first Indian all-woman crew had circumnavigated the globe in INSV Tarini.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/covid-19-odisha-cancels-annual-chaitra-jatra-festival/article31077548.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/tara-tarini-temple'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Krishna Raja Sagar Dam',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The water level in the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district (Karnataka) is coming down rapidly owing to the increase in the evaporation rate and the decrease in the inflows as a result of summer.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Krishna Raja Sagar Dam was built across river Kaveri for the <strong>Mysore and Mandya districts in Karnataka</strong> in 1932.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584346799_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584346799_image4.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="320" height="219" /></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The dam is named for the then ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, <strong>Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Dam is the creation of one of the greatest engineers that India had produced, Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah. His birthday, <strong>15<sup>th</sup> September is celebrated as Engineers day.</strong></li>
<li>The reservoir is also the main source of drinking water for <strong>all of Mysore city and almost the whole of Bangalore.</strong></li>
<li>The water released from this dam is further used as an important source of water in the <strong>state of Tamil Nadu.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Kaveri River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> The river rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in southwestern Karnataka.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It flows in a southeasterly direction through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls. Before emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, the river breaks into a large number of distributaries forming a wide delta called the &ldquo;garden of southern India.&rdquo;</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini and Harangi.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/as-summer-picks-up-water-level-at-krs-comes-down/article31078451.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/krishna-raja-sagar-dam'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Iron Rain on Exoplanet',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Wasp-76b,</strong> an<strong> exoplanet</strong> (planet outside the solar system), probably has<strong> iron raining</strong> on it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Wasp-76b orbits so close to its host star that its dayside temperatures exceed 2,400 degrees Celsius - hot enough to vaporise metals like iron.</li>
<li>The planet's nightside, on the other hand, is 1,000 degrees cooler, allowing those metals to condense and rain out.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Wasp-76b</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Wasp-76b is a <strong>huge gas planet</strong> that is<strong> twice the width of Jupiter.</strong> Its name comes from the UK-led Wasp telescope system that detected it in 2016.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The UK <strong>Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP)</strong> is a collaborative project involving several UK universities. The primary aim is the discovery of exoplanets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is <strong>640 light-years from the Earth</strong> and is so close to its star that it takes just 43 hours to complete one revolution.</li>
<li>Another of the planet's interesting features is that it always presents the same face to the star - a behaviour scientists call being <strong>"tidally locked".</strong> Earth's Moon does exactly the same thing.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tidal locking is the name given to the situation when an object&rsquo;s orbital period matches its rotational period.</li>
<li>The moon takes 28 days to go around the Earth and 28 days to rotate once around its axis. This results in the same face of the Moon always facing the Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'ROPAX Service',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> Ministry of Shipping</strong> has launched a <strong>roll on-roll off cum passenger ferry service,</strong> called <strong>&lsquo;ROPAX&rsquo;, between Mumbai and Mandwa</strong> (Maharashtra).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ROPAX service is a <strong>water transport service</strong> project under <strong>Eastern Waterfront Development.</strong></li>
<li>The road distance from Mumbai to Mandwa is about 110 kilometres, and it takes three to four hours, whereas by waterway the distance is about 18 kilometres and a journey of just an hour.</li>
<li><strong>ROPAX Vessel M2M -1</strong> was built in Greece in September 2019. This Vessel has a speed of 14 knots and can carry 200 cars and 1000 passengers at a time. It is capable of operating even in a monsoon season.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People will be able to travel in their cars directly on to the ROPAX vessel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>benefits</strong> of this service include reduction in the travel time, vehicular emission and traffic on the road.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Eastern Waterfront Development</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Eastern Waterfront is the <strong>Mumbai Port Trust&rsquo;s (MbPT&rsquo;s) plan</strong> to develop the port lands across Mumbai&rsquo;s eastern coast stretching from Sassoon Dock to Wadala. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MbPT is an autonomous Body of the Government of India under the Ministry of Shipping.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Some of the major proposals under the project include a 93- hectare park near Haji Bunder, around 17 hectares for tourism-related projects such as themed streets and affordable housing.</li>
<li>The project also has a focus on a water transport by making a provision for water taxis, international and domestic cruises and ro-pax (roll on/roll off passengers) services.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606464" 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/ropax-service'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Diaspora',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><br />This article is based on &ldquo;<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-ambit-and-the-limits-of-diaspora-diplomacy/article31063020.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The ambit and the limits of &lsquo;diaspora diplomacy&rsquo;</a> &rdquo; which was published in The Hindu on 14/03/2020. It talks about issues and opportunities pertaining to the Indian diaspora.</p>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Migration Report 2020</a>, India continues to be the largest country of origin of international migrants with a 17.5 million-strong diaspora across the world, and it received the highest remittance of $78.6 billion (<strong>this amounts to a whopping 3.4% of India&rsquo;s GDP)</strong> from Indians living abroad.</p>
<p>Today, the Indian diaspora is more prosperous than before and its involvement in India&rsquo;s development is increasing. It contributes by <strong>way of remittances, investment, lobbying for India, promoting Indian culture abroad and for building a good image of India by their intelligence and industry</strong>.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Note:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The term &ldquo;diaspora&rdquo; is derived from the Greek word diaspeirein, which means &ldquo;dispersion&rdquo;. Over time, the term evolved, and now loosely refers to any person/s belonging to a particular country with a common origin or culture, but residing outside their homeland for various reasons.</li>
<li>In India, diaspora is commonly understood to include Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), of which PIO and OCI card holders were merged under one category &mdash; OCI &mdash; in 2015.</li>
<li>The Indian migration began in large numbers during the British rule as indentured labourers to former colonies like Fiji, Kenya and Malaysia.</li>
<li>It continued in the post-independence period with Indians from different social strata moving to countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, and Gulf countries.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India's Diaspora Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India was initially sensitive to the view that championing the cause of overseas Indians might offend the host countries, who should be fully responsible for their welfare and security. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>J L Nehru&rsquo;s views were that the diaspora could not expect India to fight for their rights and therefore India&rsquo;s foreign policy in the 1950s was accordingly structured as a model of non-interference whenever the emigrant Indians got into trouble in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, Rajiv Gandhi was the first Prime Minister who changed the diaspora policy in the 1980s by inviting Indians abroad, regardless of their nationality, to participate in nation-building, much like the overseas Chinese communities.</li>
<li>Then under, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government after 2000, there came a host of positive measures such as a separate Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) Card, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, Overseas Citizen of India Card, NRI funds and voting rights for Indian citizens abroad.</li>
<li>Furthermore, in 2015, the Ministry of External Affairs launched the e-migrate system that requires all foreign employers to register in the database.</li>
<li>The current government has launched a scheme called &lsquo;Know India Program&rsquo; (KIP) in 2016 for diaspora engagement which familiarizes Indian-origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots and contemporary India,</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance of Indian Diaspora</h3>
<p><strong></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic Front:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian diaspora is one of the richest minorities in many developed countries, this helped them to lobby for favourable terms regarding India's interests. For example, at 2.8 million, Indians may number just 1% of the U.S. population, but they are the most educated and richest minority, according to a 2013 Pew survey.</li>
<li>The migration of less-skilled labour (especially to West Asia) has also helped in bringing down disguised unemployment in India.</li>
<li>In general, migrants' remittances have positive systemic effects on the balance of payments. Remittances of $70-80 billion help to bridge a wider trade deficit.</li>
<li>By weaving a web of cross-national networks, the migrant workers facilitated the flow of tacit information, commercial and business ideas, and technologies into India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Front:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many people of Indian origin hold top political positions in many countries, in the US itself they are now a significant part of Republicans and Democrats, as well as the government.</li>
<li>The political clout of India's diaspora can be estimated by the fact, the role it played in turning around doubting legislators into voting for the India-U.S. nuclear deal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Foreign Policy Front:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian diaspora is not just a part of India&rsquo;s soft power, but a fully transferable political vote bank as well.</li>
<li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s reception at Madison Square Garden is a way of thanking the Indian-American community members who played a big part in his electronic campaign and election funding.</li>
<li>The institutionalisation of &ldquo;diaspora diplomacy&rdquo; is a distinct indication for the fact that a country&rsquo;s diaspora community has become considerably more important as a subject of interest for foreign policy and associated government activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Note: <br /><br />Diaspora Diplomacy: A collective action that is driven by a country&rsquo;s diaspora, that influences host country&rsquo;s culture, politics, and economics in a manner that is mutually beneficial for the homeland and the new home base.</p>
</div>
<h3><br />Challenges Faced by Indian Diaspora</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Heterogeneous diaspora:</strong> Indian Diaspora has different demands from the Indian Government.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The diaspora from the Gulf, for example, look to India for support on welfare issues.</li>
<li>While those from wealthier nations such as the US look to India for investment opportunities.</li>
<li>The Indian communities in countries such as Fiji and Mauritius, meanwhile, desire to reconnect with the country on cultural grounds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Anti-Globalization:</strong> With the rising Anti-globalization wave, there has been an increase in the incidents of suspected hate crimes against the Indian community.</li>
<li><strong>West Asian Crisis:</strong> The volatility in West Asia, together with the fall in oil prices, has caused fears of a massive return of Indian nationals, curtailing remittances and making demands on the job market.</li>
<li><strong>Returning Diaspora:</strong> India must also realise that diaspora in West Asia is semi-skilled and mainly engaged in the infrastructure sector. After the infrastructure boom will get over India should be ready for the eventuality of Indian workers returning.</li>
<li><strong>Regulatory Cholesterol:</strong> There are many inadequacies of the Indian system for the diaspora to collaborate with India or to invest in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, grievances like red tape, multiple clearances, distrust of government are acting as hindrances in fulfilling opportunities presented by Indian Diaspora.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Negative Fallout:</strong> It must be remembered that having a strong diaspora does not always translate to benefits for the home country.<br />India has had problems with negative campaigning and foreign funding, coming from abroad, for separatist movements like the Khalistan movement.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>Indian diaspora can provide the requisite strategic impulse, which makes it all the more important to unlock India's potential.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India should formulate a new NRI policy, the government must immediately work with developed countries to ask that they kick back a portion of the income tax revenues they collect from the Indian diaspora.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is fair because these countries did not invest anything in creating this talent but benefit immediately when the immigrant pays taxes abroad.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a need for a strategic diaspora evacuation policy from conflict zones in a world where crises materialise without warnings and give very little reaction time for governments.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s foreign policy aims to translate partnerships to benefits for key projects like Swachh Bharat, Clean Ganga, Make In India, Digital India, and Skill India, the diaspora has plenty of scopes to contribute.</li>
<li><strong>VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty)</strong> scheme which seeks to formalise a rotation program wherein top NRI scientists, engineers, doctors, managers and professionals serve Indian public sector organizations for a brief period, lending their expertise- is a step in the right direction.</li>
<li>Improvement in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ease of doing business</strong> </a>will go long, in enabling investments from the Indian diaspora.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Drishti Mains Question</p>
<p>Indian diaspora can provide the requisite strategic impulse to unlock India's potential as a global power. Discuss.</p>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-diaspora'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'AT-1 Bonds',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong></a> has made a proposal to write-down Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) bonds as part of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-yes-bank-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SBI-led restructuring package for Yes Bank.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>AT-1 bonds are a type of <strong>unsecured, perpetual bonds</strong> that banks issue to shore up their core capital base to meet the<strong> Basel-III norms.</strong></li>
<li>There are<strong> two routes</strong> through which these bonds can be acquired:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Initial private placement offers</strong> of AT-1 bonds by banks seeking to raise money.</li>
<li><strong>Secondary market buys</strong> of already-traded AT-1 bonds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>AT-1 bonds are like any other bonds issued by banks and companies, but pay a <strong>slightly higher rate of interest</strong> compared to other bonds.</li>
<li>These bonds are also <strong>listed and traded on the exchanges.</strong> So, if an AT-1 bondholder needs money, he can sell it in the secondary market.</li>
<li>Investors <strong>cannot return these bonds</strong> to the issuing bank and get the money. i.e there is<strong> no put option available</strong> to its holders.</li>
<li>However, the issuing banks have the <strong>option to recall AT-1 bonds</strong> issued by them (termed call options that allow banks to redeem them after 5 or 10 years).</li>
<li>Banks issuing AT-1 bonds can skip interest payouts for a particular year or even reduce the bonds&rsquo; face value.</li>
<li>AT-1 bonds are<strong> regulated by RBI.</strong> If the RBI feels that a bank needs a rescue, it can simply ask the bank to write off its outstanding AT-1 bonds without consulting its investors.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Basel-III Norms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an international regulatory accord that introduced a set of reforms designed to improve the regulation, supervision and risk management within the banking sector, post 2008 financial crisis.</li>
<li>Under the Basel-III norms, <strong>banks were asked to maintain a certain minimum level of capital</strong> and not lend all the money they receive from deposits.</li>
<li>According to Basel-III norms banks' regulatory capital is divided<strong> into Tier 1 and Tier 2,</strong> while <strong>Tier 1 is subdivided into Common Equity Tier-1 (CET-1) and Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) capital.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Common Equity Tier 1 capital</strong> includes equity instruments where returns are linked to the banks&rsquo; performance and therefore the performance of the share price. They have no maturity.</li>
<li><strong>Additional Tier-1 capital</strong> are perpetual bonds which carry a fixed coupon payable annually from past or present profits of the bank.</li>
<li>They have no maturity, and their dividends can be cancelled at any time.</li>
<li>Together, CET and AT-1 are called Common Equity. Under Basel III norms, minimum requirement for Common Equity Capital has been defined.</li>
<li>Tier 2 capital consists of unsecured subordinated debt with an original maturity of at least five years.</li>
<li>According to the Basel norms, if minimum Tier-1 capital falls below 6%, it allows for a write-off of these bonds.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>RBI&rsquo;s Regulations Over Banks</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a situation where a bank faces severe losses leading to erosion of regulatory capital, the <strong>RBI can decide</strong> if the bank has reached a situation wherein it is no longer viable.</li>
<li>The RBI can then activate a <strong>Point of Non-Viability Trigger (PONV)</strong> and <strong>assume executive powers of the bank.</strong></li>
<li>By doing so, the RBI can do whatever is required to get the bank on track, including<strong> superseding the existing management, forcing the bank to raise additional capital and so on.</strong></li>
<li>However, activating PONV is followed by a write down of the AT-1 bonds, as<strong> determined by the RBI through the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/at-1-bonds'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Spanish Flu',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>As <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-s-preparedness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID-19</a> declared a global health crisis, parallels are being drawn with the Spanish influenza of 1918-19, which is considered the most devastating pandemic in recent history.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Spanish flu was caused by an <strong>H1N1 influenza virus</strong>.</li>
<li>There is <strong>no universal consensus</strong> regarding where the virus originated. It is believed that <strong>World War I</strong> was partly responsible for it&rsquo;s spread.</li>
<li><strong>Spain was one of the earliest countries</strong> where the epidemic was identified, but historians believe this was likely a result of wartime censorship.</li>
<li>Spain was a neutral nation during the war and did not enforce strict censorship of its press, which freely published early accounts of the illness. As a result, people falsely believed the illness was specific to Spain, and the name<strong> "Spanish flu"</strong> stuck.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How was the Outbreak Tamed</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Awareness:</strong> That word got around about this killer disease through government efforts and through informal communications.<br />Social Distance: People were practising social distancing and taking other preventive steps.</li>
<li><strong>Natural Phenomenon:</strong> The virus evolved to become milder in the process.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a theory that, <strong>as viruses propagate, the more virulent strains are unable to survive, reproduce, and propagate</strong> as effectively as the less virulent strains, because their hosts die before the virus can jump to new susceptible hosts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Climatic Conditions:</strong> Differences in climate across India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Influenza viruses tend to not do as well in warm and moist conditions as they do in cooler, drier conditions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning from the Spanish flu</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Quick Response:</strong> A quick initial emergency response to deal with pandemic COVID-19.Locations close to an entry point will have extremely short windows of time to deal with a virulent pathogen.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While locations that are distant from the entry point will have longer windows of time to prepare for and deal with less-lethal variants of the disease.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hygiene:</strong> To be extra vigilant about hygiene and aggressively practice social distancing.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>H1N1 Virus</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>H1N1 influenza virus causes <strong>Swine Flu</strong>.</li>
<li>Swine Flu is an<strong> infection</strong> of the <strong>respiratory tract</strong> characterized by the usual symptoms of flu &mdash; cough, nasal secretions, fever, loss of appetite, fatigue, and headache.</li>
<li>It is called swine flu because it was known in the past to occur in people who had been in the <strong>vicinity of pigs.</strong></li>
<li>The virus is transmitted by short-distance airborne transmission, particularly in crowded enclosed spaces. Hand contamination and direct contact are other possible sources of transmission.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/lessons-from-a-pandemic-a-century-ago-coroanvirus-spanish-flu-6313344/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source:IE</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/spanish-flu'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Effects of Changing Groundwater Levels on Himalayas',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, researchers from the <strong>Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG)</strong> have found that the Himalayan range subsides and moves up depending on the seasonal changes in groundwater, apart from the normal and common reasons.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IIG is an <strong>autonomous institute</strong> under the <strong>Department of Science &amp; Technology (DST)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-visual-positioning-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Global Positioning System</a> (GPS)</strong> and <strong>Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE)</strong> data were used to quantify the variations of hydrologic mass.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The GRACE satellites, <strong>launched by the US in 2002, monitor changes in water and snow stores on the continents</strong>, enabling the researchers to study terrestrial hydrology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The combined GPS and GRACE data suggest a <strong>12% reduction in the rate of the subsurface slip</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>subsidence rate is associated with groundwater consumption</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Subsurface slip</strong> refers to <strong>how fast the fault is slipping relative to the foot and hanging wall</strong>.</li>
<li>The slip occurs at the <strong>Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT)</strong>, due to hydrological variations and human activities, over which there is the periodic release of accumulated strain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Water acts as a <strong>lubricating agent</strong> and in the dry season, the <strong>rate of the slip of the fault in the region is reduced</strong>.</li>
<li>There are<strong> normal and common reasons</strong> also affecting the Himalayas apart from the groundwater levels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Himalayan foothills and the Indo-Gangetic plain are sinking because its <strong>contiguous areas are rising due to tectonic activity</strong> associated with landmass movement or continental drift.</li>
<li>In the Himalaya, <strong>seasonal water from glaciers</strong> as well as <strong>monsoon precipitation</strong> plays a key role in the deformation of the crust and the seismicity associated with it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This is the first study to look at the rising Himalayas from a <strong>hydrological standpoint</strong>.</li>
<li>Since the Himalayas play an important role in influencing climate in the Indian subcontinent, the study will help in <strong>understanding the effects of hydrology on climate</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Fault</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>planar or gently curved fracture in the rocks of the Earth&rsquo;s crust</strong>, where compressional or tensional forces cause relative displacement of the rocks on the opposite sides of the fracture.</li>
<li>When rocks slip past each other in faulting, the upper or overlying block along the fault plane is called the <strong>hanging wall or headwall</strong>; the block below is called the footwall.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Main Himalayan Thrust</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Indian plate under thrusts the Eurasian plate</strong> along a northerly dipping detachment surface known as Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) that separates the downgoing Indian plate from the overriding Himalayan wedge.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606255" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/effects-of-changing-groundwater-levels-on-himalayas'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Masks and Hand Sanitizers Under EC Act, 1955',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />Recently, the central government has notified that <strong>masks (2 ply and 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitizers as essential commodities</strong> up to June 30, 2020, under the <strong>Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (EC Act)</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The invocation of the EC Act aims to ensure that these products, key for preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection, are available to people at the <strong>right price and of the right quality</strong>.</li>
<li>The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food &amp; Public Distribution has also issued an advisory under the <strong>Legal Metrology Act, 2009 to ensure these items are not sold for more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Essential Commodities Act, 1955:</strong> This Act intends to provide, in the interest of the general public, for the control of the production, supply and distribution of, and trade and commerce, in certain commodities.</li>
<li><strong>The Legal Metrology Act, 2009:</strong> It aims to establish and enforce standards of weights and measures, regulate trade and commerce in weights, measures and other goods which are sold or distributed by weight, measure or number and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.</li>
<li>Both the mentioned Acts are<strong> regulated and administered</strong> by the<strong> Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the EC Act, the States and Union Territories <strong>can ensure that manufacturers enhance their production capacity so that masks and hand sanitizers are widely available to consumers</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The invocation of EC Act has empowered the Centre as well as states to regulate the production, quality, distributions of masks and hand sanitizers.</li>
<li>It will also help to smoothen the sale and availability of the above items and carry out operations against speculators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Consumer Affairs Ministry has also invoked the <strong>Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980 which would carry out action against those involved in overpricing and black marketing of the products</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/coronavirus-masks-sanitisers-declared-essential-commodities/article31063103.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: TH</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/masks-and-hand-sanitizers-under-ec-act-1955'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Speeding up Generation of RBCs in the Lab',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />A team of Indian researchers have invented a process through which <strong>generation of Red Blood Cells(RBCs) outside the body (in vitro) from Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) can be speeded up</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The invented process would help to <strong>fasten the process of transfusion of RBCs</strong> in life-saving treatments for numerous conditions such as severe anaemia, transplant surgery, pregnancy-related complications, and blood-related cancers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The blood banks, particularly in developing countries, often face a <strong>severe shortage of whole blood as well as components of blood like red blood cells.</strong></li>
<li>Various groups have been able to produce RBCs in the laboratory from HSCs. However, the process takes a <strong>long time - around 21 days.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/commercial-cord-blood-banking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">umbilical cord blood</a> contains special cells called hematopoietic stem cells that can be used to treat some types of diseases.</li>
<li>Hematopoietic stem cells c<strong>an mature into different types of blood cells</strong> in the body.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The resources required to grow cells in the laboratory over such a<strong> long duration can be very expensive</strong> for the generation of RBCs on a large scale for clinical purposes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The process of generation of RBCs in the laboratory from HSCs can be <strong>speeded up by adding a very low concentration of a small protein molecule called `Transforming Growth Factor &beta;1&rsquo; (TGF-&beta;1), along with a hormone called `Erythropoietin&rsquo; (EPO)</strong>. The whole process takes<strong> 18 days.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Usually, the addition of only Erythropoietin (EPO) to HSCs generate RBCs in<strong> 21 days</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian researchers have found that the <strong>addition of TGF-&beta;1 with EPO</strong> has <strong>cut down</strong> the processing time by <strong>three days</strong>.</li>
<li>The physical appearance and the quality of the cells formed has revealed that the RBCs formed using this procedure are <strong>normal</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Blood </strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Blood is a fluid connective tissue that consists of plasma, blood cells and platelets.</li>
<li>It helps to circulate oxygen and nutrients to various cells and tissues.</li>
<li>The major types of blood cells include:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Red Blood Cell</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are also known as <strong>Erythrocytes</strong>.</li>
<li>RBCs contain the iron-rich protein called <strong>haemoglobin</strong> that gives blood its <strong>red colour</strong>.</li>
<li>RBCs are the most copious blood cell produced in bone marrows. Their main function is to transport oxygen from and to various tissues and organs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>White Blood Cells</strong>&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The White Blood Cells (WBCs) are also known as <strong>Leucocytes</strong> and are the <strong>colourless</strong> blood cells as it is <strong>devoid of haemoglobin</strong>.</li>
<li>It mainly contributes to<strong> immunity and defence mechanism</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/speeding-up-generation-of-rbcs-in-the-lab'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Foreigners Tribunals',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Amnesty International</strong> has raised <strong>allegations over the functioning of the Foreigners Tribunals (FTs) in Assam.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a report titled <strong>&lsquo;Designed to Exclude&rsquo;</strong>, Amnesty International has asserted that the Supreme Court and Gauhati High Court had enabled the FTs to create a statelessness crisis in Assam.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There appear to be <strong>aberrations in some cases to the policy of assessing the performance of a FT member.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The organization has observed that the FTs that determined the paramount right to citizenship in Assam were often dismissive, used derogatory language, controlled their own procedures and applied them in arbitrary ways.</li>
<li>It has also called for a <strong>review of the existing legislative regime governing the determination of nationality</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Foreigners Tribunals in Assam</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The tribunals are <strong>quasi-judicial bodies,</strong> to determine if a person staying illegally is a &ldquo;foreigner&rdquo; or not.</li>
<li>Every individual, whose name does not figure in the<strong> final <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-national-register-of-citizens-nrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Register of Citizens (NRC)</a></strong>, can represent his/her case in front of the appellate authority i.e. Foreigners Tribunals (FT).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Assam has set up FTs, specifically to handle the cases of 19.06 lakh people left out of the updated NRC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the provisions of<strong> Foreigners Act 1946</strong> and <strong>Foreigners (Tribunals) Order 1964</strong>, only Foreigners Tribunals are empowered to declare a person as a foreigner.</li>
<li>The <strong>Assam Police Border Organisation,</strong> a wing of the State police tasked with detecting foreigners, readies the cases for the tribunals to decide who is a foreigner and who is not.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Foreigners Tribunal Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Each FT member is appointed under the Foreigners Tribunal Act, 1941, and Foreigners Tribunal Order, 1984, as per the guidelines issued by the government from time to time.</li>
<li>A member can be a retired judicial officer of the Assam Judicial Service, a retired civil servant not below the rank of secretary and additional secretary with judicial experience, or a practising advocate not below the age of 35 years and with at least seven years of practice.</li>
<li>A member is also required to have a fair knowledge of the official languages of Assam (Assamese, Bengali, Bodo and English) as well as be conversant with the historical background to the foreigners&rsquo; issue.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Amnesty International</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>AI is an <strong>international Non Governmental Organization (NGO)</strong> founded in <strong>London</strong> on May 28, 1961,</li>
<li>It seeks to publicize violations by governments and other entities of rights recognized in the <strong>Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948),</strong> especially freedom of speech and of conscience and the right against torture.</li>
<li>It also works with intergovernmental human rights bodies to expand and enforce human rights protections in international law.</li>
<li>In 1977 AI was awarded the <strong>Nobel Prize for Peace.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/assam-decides-tribunal-members-term-on-rate-of-declaring-foreigners-amnesty/article31051919.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/foreigners-tribunals-1'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Methanotrophic Bacteria for Methane Mitigation',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, scientists at the <strong>Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune</strong> have enriched, isolated and cultivated 45 different strains of <strong>methanotrophs (methane-utilising bacteria)</strong> and created the <strong>first indigenous</strong> methanotroph culture.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ARI is an <strong>autonomous institute</strong> under the <strong>Department of Science &amp; Technology</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Scientists used some of the isolated strains of methanotrophs as <strong>bio-inoculants</strong> in rice plants.</li>
<li>They found that there was a <strong>decrease in methane emissions in inoculated plants with a positive or neutral effect</strong> on the growth of the rice. This finding could lead to the development of microbial inoculants for methane mitigation in rice.</li>
<li>Methanotrophs <strong>metabolise and convert methane into carbon-di-oxide enabling them to reduce methane emissions</strong> from rice plants.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In rice fields, methanotrophs are active near the roots or soil-water interfaces.</li>
<li><strong>Rice fields are human-made wetlands</strong> and are waterlogged for a considerable period.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Anaerobic degradation of organic matter</strong> results in the <strong>generation of methane</strong>.</li>
<li>Rice fields contribute to nearly <strong>10% of global methane emissions</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Inoculation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In microbiology, inoculation is defined as<strong> introducing microorganisms into a culture where they can grow and reproduce</strong>. More generally, it can also be defined as introducing a certain substance into another substance.</li>
<li>Bio-inoculants are living organisms containing strains of specific bacteria, fungi, or algae. These are also known as <strong>microbial inoculants</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Methanotrophs can <strong>effectively reduce the emission of methane</strong>, which is the <strong>second most important <a href="/infographics/info-paper3/greenhouse-gas-emission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greenhouse gas</a> (GHG)</strong> and 26 times more potent as compared to carbon-di-oxide.</li>
<li>Native methanotrophs isolated from rice fields can be excellent <strong>models to understand the effect of various factors on methane mitigation</strong>.</li>
<li>Besides methane mitigation studies, methanotrophs can also be used in <strong>methane value addition (valorization) studies</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bio-methane generated from waste can be used by the methanotrophs and can be <strong>converted to value-added products such as single-cell proteins</strong>, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>biodiesel</strong></a>, and so on.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/methanotrophic-bacteria-for-methane-mitigation'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => '35th Inception Day Of NCRB',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, on the occasion of 35<sup>th</sup> Inception Day of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Crime Multi Agency Centre and National Cybercrime Training Centre has been launched.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Crime Multi-Agency Centre (Cri-MAC)</strong> has been launched for sharing the information on heinous crime and other issues related to inter-state coordination.</li>
<li><strong>National Cybercrime Training Centre (NCTC)</strong> has been launched for professional quality eLearning services on cyber crime investigation on large scale to police officers, judges, prosecutors and other stakeholders.</li>
<li><strong>Few important initiatives/roles of NCRB:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Coordination and networking among the police stations and police offices across India.</li>
<li><strong>National Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)</strong> provides a huge database of fingerprints helping in solving crimes faster. It is a network based pan India system for recording and sharing of fingerprints of criminals in various crimes</li>
<li>Important publications including <strong>&lsquo;Crime in India&rsquo;</strong>,<strong> &lsquo;Accidental Deaths &amp; Suicides in India&rsquo;</strong>, <strong>&lsquo;Prison Statistics India&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;FingerPrint in India&rsquo; </strong>is&nbsp;released by NCRB.</li>
<li>It organised <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/citizen-centric-services-of-ncrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CCTNS Hackathon &amp; Cyber Challenge 2020</strong></a> which helped in gathering innovative ideas for improving CCTNS.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Crime Record Bureau</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NCRB was <strong>set-up in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)</strong> to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals so as to assist the investigators in linking crime to the perpetrators.</li>
<li>It is headquartered in New Delhi.</li>
<li>It was set up based on the recommendations of the <strong>National Police Commission (1977-1981) and the MHA&rsquo;s Taskforce (1985).</strong></li>
<li>It was constituted by merging the Directorate of Coordination and Police Computer (DCPC), Inter-State Criminals Data Branch of CBI, Central Finger Print Bureau of CBI and Statistical Branch of BPR&amp;D.</li>
<li>NCRB brings out the annual comprehensive statistics of crime across the country through &lsquo;Crime in India&rsquo; report.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Being published since 1953, the report serves as a crucial tool in understanding the law and order situation across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It <strong>developed CCTNS in 2009</strong> which interconnects approximately 15000 police stations and 6000 higher offices across the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CCTNS digitises data related to FIR registration, investigation and charge sheets in all police stations leading to the development of a national database of crimes and criminals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606189" 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/35-th-inception-day-of-ncrb'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Nidhi Companies',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />Recently, The Central Government has amended the provisions related to Nidhi companies under the Companies Act, 2013 and the Rules.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The amendments have been made to make the regulatory regime for Nidhi Companies more effective.</li>
<li>This will accomplish the objectives of transparency &amp; investor friendliness in the corporate environment of the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under <strong>Nidhi Rules, 2014</strong>, Nidhi is a company which has been incorporated as a Nidhi with the object of cultivating the habit of thrift and saving amongst its members, <strong>receiving deposits from, and lending to, its members only, for their mutual benefit</strong>.</li>
<li>It is a company <strong>registered</strong> under the <strong>Companies Act, 2013</strong>.</li>
<li>It works on the principle of mutual benefits that are regulated by the <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs</strong>.</li>
<li>Nidhi Company is a class of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/A%20nuanced%20understanding%20of%20the%20NBFC%20sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Non-Banking Financial Company(NBFC)</a> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reserve Bank of India(RBI)</a> has powers to issue directives for them related to their deposit acceptance activities.</li>
<li>However, since these Nidhis deal with their <strong>shareholder-members only</strong>, RBI has exempted them from the core provisions of the RBI Act and other directions applicable to NBFCs.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nidhi-companies'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'National Sports Development Fund',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Security Printing &amp; Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL)</strong> has contributed ₹1 crore to the <strong>National Sports Development Fund</strong> under the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/injeti-srinivas-committee-report-on-csr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">corporate social responsibility</a> (CSR)</strong> initiatives.</p>
<p>The contribution has been made in line with the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/target-olympic-podium-top-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target Olympic Podium Scheme</a> (TOPS)</strong> for the top athletes of India, selected for the Tokyo Olympics, 2020 and beyond.</p>
<h3>National Sports Development Fund</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was established in <strong>1998</strong> under the <strong>Charitable Endowments Act, 1890</strong>.</li>
<li>Purpose of its creation was to <strong>impart momentum and flexibility</strong> in assisting the cause of sports.</li>
<li>The Fund helps sportspersons excel by <strong>providing them opportunities to train</strong> under coaches of international repute with technical, scientific and psychological support and giving them exposure to international competitions.</li>
<li>It also <strong>provides financial assistance</strong> for the development of infrastructure and other activities for the promotion of sports.</li>
<li>The Fund is <strong>managed by a Council constituted by the Central Government</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chairperson:</strong> Union Minister in charge of Youth Affairs and Sports.</li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong> Senior Officers of the Department of Sports, Chairman &amp; Managing Directors of Private and Public Sector Companies/Corporations, representatives of Sports Promotion Boards, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Security Printing &amp; Minting Corporation of India Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>wholly-owned Schedule &lsquo;A&rsquo; Miniratna Category-I company of Government of India</strong>, incorporated on 13<sup>th</sup> January 2006.</li>
<li>The<strong> Ministry of Finance exercises its administrative control</strong> over SPMCIL through Board of Directors.</li>
<li>SPMCIL is <strong>engaged in</strong> the manufacture/ production of Currency and Bank Notes, Security Paper, Non-Judicial Stamp Papers, Postal Stamps &amp; Stationery, Travel Documents viz. Passport and Visa, Security certificates, Cheques, Bonds, Warrant, Special Certificates with security features, Security Inks, Circulation &amp; Commemorative Coins, Medallions, Refining of Gold &amp; Silver, and Assay of Precious Metals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=199658" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-sports-development-fund'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><br />Recently, the Parliament has passed the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill replaces the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/investment-in-coal-mining">ordinance for amendment</a> of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 (CMSP Act) which was promulgated on 11th January 2020.</li>
<li>The Bill is expected to open a <strong>new era in Indian coal &amp; mining sector especially to promote <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-2020">Ease of Doing Business</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>MMDR Act</strong> regulates the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/mining-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>overall mining sector in India</strong></a>.</li>
<li>The <strong>CMSP Act</strong> provides for the auction and allocation of coal mines whose allocation was cancelled by the Supreme Court in 2014.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Schedule I</strong> of the Act provides a list of all such mines; Schedule II and III are sub-classes of the mines listed in the Schedule I.</li>
<li><strong>Schedule II</strong> mines are those where production had already started before the Supreme court&rsquo;s order in 2014 and Schedule III mines are ones that had been earmarked for a specific end-use.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Removal of restriction on end-use of coal:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently, companies acquiring Schedule II and Schedule III coal mines through auctions can use the coal produced <strong>only for specified end-uses such as power generation and steel production</strong>.</li>
<li>The Bill removes this restriction on the use of coal mined by such companies. And thus companies will be allowed to carry on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/investment-in-coal-mining" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coal mining operation</a> for own consumption, sale or for any other purposes, as may be specified by the central government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eligibility for auction of coal and lignite blocks:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill clarifies that the companies <strong>need not possess any prior coal mining experience in India in order to participate in the auction of coal and lignite blocks</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Composite license for prospecting and mining:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill adds a <strong>new type of license</strong>, called <strong>prospecting license-cum-mining lease</strong>. It will be a composite license providing for both prospecting and mining activities.</li>
<li><strong>Currently, separate licenses</strong> are provided for prospecting and mining of coal and lignite, called prospecting license, and mining lease, respectively. Prospecting includes exploring, locating, or finding mineral deposit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advance action for auction:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill provides that <strong>state governments</strong> can take <strong>advance action for auction of a mining lease before its expiry</strong>.</li>
<li>Under the MMDR Act, mining leases for specified minerals (minerals other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals) are auctioned on the expiry of the lease period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transfer of statutory clearances to new bidders:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill provides that the various approvals, licenses, and clearances given to the previous lessee will be <strong>extended to the successful bidder for a period of two years</strong>.</li>
<li>During this period, the new lessee will be allowed to continue mining operations. However, the new lessee <strong>must obtain</strong> all the required clearances within this two-year period.</li>
<li>Currently, upon expiry, mining leases for specified minerals (minerals other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals) can be transferred to new persons through auction. This <strong>new lessee is required to obtain statutory clearances before starting mining operations</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prior approval from the central government:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill provides that <strong>prior approval of the central government will not be required</strong> by the state government in granting licenses for coal and lignite, in certain cases.</li>
<li>These include cases where the allocation has been done by the central government, and the mining block has been reserved to conserve a mineral.</li>
<li>Under the MMDR Act, state governments <strong>require prior approval of the central government</strong> for granting reconnaissance permit, prospecting license, or mining lease for coal and lignite.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1606090" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mineral-laws-amendment-bill-2020'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Nuclear Power Plants in India',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government provided details related to various nuclear power plants in the country.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Presently, <strong>India has 22 operating nuclear power reactors</strong>, with an installed capacity of 6780 MegaWatt electric (MWe). Among these eighteen reactors are <strong>Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs)</strong> and four are <strong>Light Water Reactors (LWRs).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nuclear-energy-conclave" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>nuclear energy programme</strong></a> in India was launched around the time of independence under the leadership of Homi J Bhabha.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)</strong> is being implemented by the <strong>Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI)</strong>, a wholly owned Enterprise of the Government of India under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PHWR is a nuclear power reactor, commonly using<strong> unenriched natural uranium</strong> as its fuel. It uses <strong>heavy water (Deuterium oxide D<sub>2</sub>O)</strong> as its coolant and moderator.</li>
<li>The <strong>heavy water coolant is kept under pressure</strong>, allowing it to be heated to higher temperatures without boiling, much as in a typical pressurized water reactor.</li>
<li>While heavy water is significantly more expensive than ordinary light water, it yields<strong> greatly enhanced neutron economy,</strong> allowing the reactor to operate without fuel enrichment facilities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Light Water Reactor</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The light water reactor is a type of <strong>thermal- neutron reactor</strong> that <strong>utilizes normal water</strong> as opposed to heavy water.</li>
<li>It is fuelled by<strong> Low Enriched Uranium.</strong></li>
<li>It uses water as both a coolant method and a neutron moderator.</li>
<li>It <strong>produces heat by controlled nuclear fission.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that <strong>generates more fissile material than it consumes</strong>. These are designed to <strong>extend the nuclear fuel supply</strong> for electric power generation.</li>
<li>Breeder reactors achieve this because their neutron economy is high enough to create more fissile fuel than they use, by irradiation of a fertile material, such as <strong>Uranium-238</strong> or <strong>Thorium-232</strong> that is loaded into the reactor along with fissile fuel.</li>
<li><strong>PFBR is a 500 MWe fast breeder nuclear reactor</strong> presently being constructed at the <strong>Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu).</strong></li>
<li>It is fuelled by <strong>Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>MOX fuel is <strong>manufactured from plutonium recovered from used reactor fuel,</strong> <strong>mixed with depleted uranium.</strong><strong></strong></li>
<li>Mixed oxide (MOX) fuel provides almost 5% of the new nuclear fuel used today.</li>
<li>MOX fuel also provides a means of burning weapons-grade plutonium (from military sources) to produce electricity.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Depleted Uranium</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to produce fuel for certain types of nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons, uranium has to be "enriched" in the U-235 isotope, which is responsible for nuclear fission.</li>
<li>During the enrichment process the fraction of U-235 is increased from its natural level (0.72% by mass) to between 2% and 94% by mass.</li>
<li>The <strong>by-product uranium mixture (after the enriched uranium is removed)</strong> has reduced concentrations of U-235 and U-234. This by-product of the enrichment process is known as depleted uranium (DU).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1605939" 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/nuclear-power-plants-in-india'
	]
]
$updates = object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

	'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
	'sql' => 'SELECT articles.article_id AS `articles__article_id`, articles.category_id AS `articles__category_id`, articles.title AS `articles__title`, articles.description AS `articles__description`, articles.shortdescription AS `articles__shortdescription`, articles.featuredimage AS `articles__featuredimage`, articles.tag_id AS `articles__tag_id`, articles.secondary_tag AS `articles__secondary_tag`, articles.type AS `articles__type`, articles.publishon AS `articles__publishon`, articles.posturl AS `articles__posturl`, articles.metatitle AS `articles__metatitle`, articles.metadescription AS `articles__metadescription`, articles.metakeyword AS `articles__metakeyword`, articles.status AS `articles__status`, articles.sort_order AS `articles__sort_order`, articles.addedby AS `articles__addedby`, articles.updatedby AS `articles__updatedby`, articles.added AS `articles__added`, articles.modified AS `articles__modified`, articles.whatsnewid AS `articles__whatsnewid`, articles.display_printpdf AS `articles__display_printpdf`, articles.display_comments AS `articles__display_comments`, articles.pdf_name AS `articles__pdf_name`, articles.display_archive AS `articles__display_archive` FROM articles articles WHERE status = :c0 ORDER BY publishon desc LIMIT 10',
	'params' => [
		':c0' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
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	],
	'defaultTypes' => [
		'articles__article_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.article_id' => 'integer',
		'article_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__category_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.category_id' => 'integer',
		'category_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__title' => 'string',
		'articles.title' => 'string',
		'title' => 'string',
		'articles__description' => 'text',
		'articles.description' => 'text',
		'description' => 'text',
		'articles__shortdescription' => 'string',
		'articles.shortdescription' => 'string',
		'shortdescription' => 'string',
		'articles__featuredimage' => 'string',
		'articles.featuredimage' => 'string',
		'featuredimage' => 'string',
		'articles__tag_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.tag_id' => 'integer',
		'tag_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'articles.secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'articles__type' => 'integer',
		'articles.type' => 'integer',
		'type' => 'integer',
		'articles__publishon' => 'datetime',
		'articles.publishon' => 'datetime',
		'publishon' => 'datetime',
		'articles__posturl' => 'string',
		'articles.posturl' => 'string',
		'posturl' => 'string',
		'articles__metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles.metatitle' => 'string',
		'metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles__metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles.metadescription' => 'string',
		'metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles__metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles.metakeyword' => 'text',
		'metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles__status' => 'integer',
		'articles.status' => 'integer',
		'status' => 'integer',
		'articles__sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles.sort_order' => 'integer',
		'sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles__addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.addedby' => 'integer',
		'addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.updatedby' => 'integer',
		'updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.added' => 'timestamp',
		'added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.modified' => 'timestamp',
		'modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles.whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_comments' => 'integer',
		'display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles__pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles.pdf_name' => 'string',
		'pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles__display_archive' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_archive' => 'integer',
		'display_archive' => 'integer'
	],
	'decorators' => (int) 0,
	'executed' => false,
	'hydrate' => true,
	'buffered' => true,
	'formatters' => (int) 0,
	'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
	'contain' => [],
	'matching' => [],
	'extraOptions' => [],
	'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}

}
$page = (int) 126
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 301
$title = 'Search'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 100
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/articlebox.ctp, line 5
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Search/index.ctp, line 85
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 765
Cake\Controller\Controller::render() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 623
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 125
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 93

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