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Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Why in News The Rajya Sabha approved the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, replacing an ordinance that was promulgated to cut corporate tax...

07 Dec 2019 News Analysis
White Dwarfs System

Why in News For the first time ever, astronomers have found an indirect evidence of a giant planet orbiting a white dwarf star (WDJ0914+1914). The...

07 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Transgender Persons Bill 2019

This article is based on “Why are there objections to the Transgender Persons Bill?” which was published in The Hindu on 1/12/2019. It...

06 Dec 2019 News Editorials
Repo Rate Unchanged

Why in News The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.15% in the...

06 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Exercise INDRA 2019

Exercise INDRA 2019, a joint, tri services exercise between India and Russia will be conducted in India from 10th-19th December 2019 simultaneously...

06 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Centre Stops Online Sale of Medicines

Why in News Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has directed all states and Union territories to prohibit the sale of medicines through...

06 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Why in News Recently, a boat capsized near Mauritania’s coast. Between 2005 and 2010, thousands have died off Mauritania’s coast in...

06 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Guidelines for Licencing of Small Finance Banks

Why in News Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has released final Guidelines for ‘on tap’ Licencing for Small Finance Banks...

06 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Dr B. R. Ambedkar's 63rd Mahaparinirvan Diwas

Why in News Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed every year on December 6 to commemorate death anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar. He is known as the...

06 Dec 2019 News Analysis
War on Women

This article is based on “Rape, impunity and state of denial” which was published in The Hindu on 05/12/2019. It highlights the rising...

05 Dec 2019 News Editorials
Telecom Sector: Issues and Challenges

Introduction India is currently the world’s second-largest telecommunications market with a subscriber base of 1.20 billion and has...

05 Dec 2019 Paper 3
Telecom Sector: Issues and Challenges

For...

05 Dec 2019 Paper 3
Bharat Bond Exchange Traded Fund

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister of India, has approved the Government’s plan to create and launch...

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Global Climate Risk Index 2020

Why in News The international environmental think tank ‘Germanwatch’ has recently released the Global Climate Risk Index 2019. The...

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
World Soil Day

Why in News World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December to highlight the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable...

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
World Malaria Report, 2019

Why in News The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the World Malaria Report, 2019. The report provides a comprehensive update on global...

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Navy Day

Why in News The Indian Navy Day is celebrated on December 4 every year to commemorate Operation Trident. The Navy also organises a Beating Retreat...

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Revamping the Agricultural Sector

This article is based on the “New Approach to Agriculture Sector” which was published in Livemint on 02/12/2019. It highlights the...

04 Dec 2019 News Editorials
Typhoon Kammuri

Why in News Recently, a typhoon struck the Philippines, bringing heavy rains and suspending air travel. The government issued the warnings of...

04 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Anaemia in Indian Children

Why in News A paper published in ‘Scientific Reports’ pointed out that about 58.5% of children below five years of age in India are...

04 Dec 2019 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Rajya Sabha approved the <strong>Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019,</strong> replacing an ordinance that was promulgated to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-and-corporate-tax" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cut corporate tax rates</strong></a> to boost growth rate in a slowing economy. Since it deals with taxes, the bill was introduced as a money bill in the Lok Sabha earlier.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Corporate tax is a tax imposed on the <strong>net income of the company.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019</strong> replaces an ordinance that <strong>reduced the tax rate for domestic companies from 30% and 25%</strong> (for those with an annual turnover of over ₹400 crores) to <strong>22%.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These rates are applicable for companies if they don&rsquo;t claim certain exemptions under the Income Tax Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The rate for <strong>new domestic manufacturing companies</strong> set up after October 1 was <strong>lowered to 15%.</strong></li>
<li>The new effective tax rate inclusive of surcharge and cess for domestic companies would be 25.17% and for new domestic manufacturing companies would be 17.01%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Money Bill</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A Bill is said to be a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/misuse-of-money-bills-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Money Bill</strong></a> if it only contains provisions related to<strong> taxation,</strong> borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated Fund of India. Bills that only contain provisions that are incidental to these matters would also be regarded as Money Bills.</li>
<li>A Money Bill may <strong>only be introduced in Lok Sabha,</strong> on the recommendation of the President. It must be passed in the Lok Sabha by a simple majority of all members present and voting.</li>
<li>The <strong>Rajya Sabha cannot amend money bills</strong> but can recommend amendments. A money bill, that solely concerns taxation or government spending, must be returned to the Lok Sabha<strong> within 14 days,</strong> or the bill is deemed to have passed both houses in the form it was originally passed by the Lok Sabha.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rs-clears-bill-to-lower-corporate-tax-rate/article30200750.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/taxation-laws-amendment-bill-2019'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'White Dwarfs System',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the first time ever, astronomers have found an indirect evidence of a giant planet orbiting a <strong>white dwarf star (WDJ0914+1914).</strong> The system was found in the Cancer constellation.</li>
<li>The planet was <strong>not seen directly</strong> but evidence of its presence was in the form of a disc of gas (hydrogen, oxygen and sulphur) formed due to its evaporating atmosphere. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Spikes of gas were detected by the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory in Chile.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the <strong>first evidence of an actual planet revolving around a white dwarf star.</strong> Prior to this discovery, only smaller objects such as asteroids had been detected.</li>
<li>WDJ0914+1914 is providing us with a glimpse into the very distant future of our own solar system. In about 4.5 billion years from now, the Sun will become a white dwarf evaporating all the planets.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575704242_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575704242_image1.jpg" width="514" height="257" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>White Dwarfs</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stars like our sun <strong>fuse hydrogen in their cores into helium</strong> through nuclear fusion reactions. White dwarfs are stars that have <strong>burned up all of the hydrogen</strong> they once used as nuclear fuel. Such stars have very high density.</li>
<li>Fusion in a star's core produces <strong>heat and outward pressure</strong> (they bloat up as enormous <strong>red giants</strong>), but this pressure is kept in balance by the inward push of gravity generated by a star's mass.</li>
<li>When the hydrogen, used as fuel, vanishes and fusion slows, gravity causes the star to <strong>collapse in on itself into white dwarfs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Black Dwarf:</strong> Eventually&mdash;over tens or even hundreds of billions of years&mdash;a white dwarf cools until it becomes a <strong>black dwarf, which emits no energy.</strong> Because the universe's oldest stars are only 10 billion to 20 billion years old there are no known black dwarfs</li>
<li>It must be noted that not all white dwarfs cool and transform into black dwarfs. Those white dwarfs which have enough mass reach a level called the <strong>Chandrasekhar Limit.</strong> At this point the pressure at its center becomes so great that the star will detonate in a <strong>thermonuclear supernova.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chandrasekhar Limit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Chandrasekhar Limit</strong> is the maximum mass theoretically possible for a stable white dwarf star. A limit which mandates that no white dwarf (a collapsed, degenerate star) can be more massive than about <strong>1.4 times the mass of the Sun.</strong> Any degenerate object more massive must inevitably collapse into a neutron star or black hole.</li>
<li>The limit is named after the <strong>Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar,</strong> who first proposed the idea in 1931. He was awarded the <strong>Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 for his work on the physical processes involved in the structure and evolution of stars.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/white-dwarfs-system'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Transgender Persons Bill 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/why-are-there-objections-to-the-transgender-persons-bill/article30125894.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Why are there objections to the Transgender Persons Bill?&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 1/12/2019. It talks about issues related to Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Parliament has passed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-transgender-persons-protection-of-rights-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019,</strong></a> which had been framed for the welfare of transgender persons.</p>
<p>However, the LGBTQ+ <strong>(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer)</strong> community as a whole organised protest across the country, urging changes to the Bill.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2013, the government set up an expert committee to study the problems of transgenders and recommend solutions.</li>
<li>In 2014, in <strong>National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India case,</strong> the Supreme Court of India declared transgender people to be a <strong>'third gender'.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also affirmed that the fundamental rights granted under the Constitution of India will be equally applicable to transgender people, and gave them the right to self-identification of their gender as male, female or third-gender.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2014, a <strong>private member Bill,</strong> The Rights of Transgendered Persons, was introduced in the Rajya Sabha.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The bill looked at a range of entitlements of such persons, providing specifically for them in health, education sectors, skill development and employment opportunities, and protection from abuse and torture.</li>
<li>However, this Bill got lapsed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2016, the<strong> Government introduced its own Bill</strong> in the Lok Sabha and it was referred to a Standing Committee.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Standing Committee, made a number of recommendations including defining the term persons with intersex variations, granting reservations for socially and educationally backward classes, and recognition of civil rights including marriage, partnership, divorce and adoption.</li>
<li>However, with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-19), that Bill lapsed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Definition of a transgender person:</strong> The Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth. It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Intersex variations is defined to mean a person who at birth shows variation in his or her primary sexual characteristics, external genitalia, chromosomes, or hormones from the normative standard of male or female body.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prohibition against discrimination:</strong> Any person who is found to be compelling a transgender person into<strong> bonded labour</strong> denying right of public passage to a transgender person, evicting a transgender from his/her place of residence, causing physical, sexual, verbal, economic and emotional abuse, can be penalised with imprisonment of not less than six months, that can extend up to two years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It <strong>prohibits discrimination</strong> against a transgender person on grounds including denial, discontinuation or unfair treatment in educational establishments, services, employment, healthcare.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Certificate of identity:</strong> The Bill states that a transgender person shall have the right to self-perceived gender identity.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A <strong>certificate of identity</strong> can be obtained at the District Magistrate's office and a revised certificate is to be obtained if sex is changed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bill has a provision that provides transgender the <strong>right of residence</strong> with parents and immediate family members.</li>
<li><strong>Welfare measures by the government:</strong> The Bill mentions that the Government will formulate transgender sensitive, non-stigmatising and non-discriminatory welfare schemes and programmes.</li>
<li>The government shall provide education, sports and recreational facilities for transgender people.</li>
<li>Provisions for separate HIV surveillance centres and sex reassignment surgeries should also be provided by the government.</li>
<li>The Central Government will set up the <strong>National Council for Transgender Persons (NCT).</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Poor understanding of gender and sexual identity</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill does not differentiate between transgenders, transsexuals, intersex persons and genderqueer.</li>
<li><strong>One-solution fits all approach:</strong> Treating Transgender, Transsexual and Intersex persons as same is insensitive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Transgenders have a different gender identity than what was assigned to them at birth, while intersex indicates the diversity of gender based on biological characteristics at birth. There are also multiple variations in intersex itself.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill is a consequence of the directions of the Supreme Court in the <strong>National Legal Services Authority vs. Union of India case.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The judgement directed that, along with recognising civil rights (including marriage, partnership, divorce and adoption), <strong>the LGBTQ+ community shall be granted reservations in public employment and education.</strong></li>
<li>The legislation doesn't provide reservation of LGBTQ+ community.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill is progressive in that it allows self-perception of gender identity, but <strong>regresses by mandating that each person would have to be recognised as &lsquo;transgender&rsquo; on the basis of a certificate of identity issued by a district magistrate.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, there are no avenues open either for appeal in the event a magistrate refuses to hand out such a certificate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill doesn't address the issue of non-consensual sex reassignment surgery.</li>
<li>The legislation does not explicitly define what constitutes discrimination in the context of the transgender community.</li>
<li>Lack of enforceability dilutes provisions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In April 2019, the <strong>Madras High Court in Arunkumar v. The Inspector-General of Registration</strong> took up the issue of the validity of consent given on behalf of intersex infants for undergoing sex-selective surgeries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It held that the consent of the parent cannot be considered as the consent of the child. Hence, such surgeries should be prohibited.</li>
<li>Therefore, this momentous judgment, which recognises the consent rights of intersex children and the right to bodily integrity, must be emulated throughout the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, there should be strict penal provisions to curb the non-consensual sex reassignment surgery in transgenders.</li>
<li>In order to adopt a holistic approach the narrative of &lsquo;Transgender rights&rsquo; should be replaced by <strong>gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics rights.</strong></li>
<li>The National Council for Transgender Persons which plays a vital role in the implementation of the law must be provided with greater representations from the community.</li>
<li>Transgender and intersex persons might require a range of unique health care needs. Therefore, the government should incorporate healthcare interventions into the Act.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #faffc2;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />The narrative of &lsquo;Transgender rights&rsquo; should be replaced by gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics rights. Analyse the statement in the context of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/transgender-persons-bill-2019'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Repo Rate Unchanged',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)</strong> of the <strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong> has decided to keep the <strong>repo rate unchanged at 5.15%</strong> in the recent bimonthly policy review.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575622081_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575622081_image4.png" width="356" height="354" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the first bi-monthly monetary meeting in the year 2019 in which the repo rate has been kept unchanged. <strong>Since February 2019,</strong> the RBI has cumulatively<strong> cut rates by 135 basis points (bps).</strong></li>
<li>The market was expecting the central bank to cut the repo rate further owing to the weak economic growth rate.</li>
<li>The repo rate has been kept <strong>unchanged owing to inflation pressure.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The RBI has revised its inflation forecast for the second half of the 2019-20 to 4.7-5.1% from earlier 3.5-3.7%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>RBI has also slashed its GDP growth forecast</strong> for 2019-20 from 6.1% projected earlier to 5%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Monetary Policy Committee</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Monetary Policy Committee is a<strong> statutory</strong> and institutionalized framework under the <strong>Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934,</strong> for maintaining price stability, while keeping in mind the objective of growth.</li>
<li>The<strong> Governor of RBI</strong> is<strong> ex-officio Chairman</strong> of the committee.</li>
<li>The MPC determines the policy interest rate (repo rate) required to achieve the inflation target (4%).</li>
<li>An RBI-appointed committee led by the then deputy governor Urjit Patel in 2014 recommended the establishment of the Monetary Policy Committee.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Repo rate</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>rate at which the central bank of a country (Reserve Bank of India in case of India) lends money to commercial banks</strong> in the event of any shortfall of funds.</li>
<li>It is used by monetary authorities to <strong>control inflation.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the event of inflation, central banks increase repo rate as this acts as a disincentive for banks to borrow from the central bank. This ultimately reduces the money supply in the economy and thus helps in arresting inflation.</li>
<li>The central bank takes the contrary position in the event of a fall in inflationary pressures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Ideally, a low repo rate <strong>should translate into low-cost loans for the general masses.</strong> When the RBI slashes its repo rate, it expects the banks to lower their interest rates charged on loans.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Current Economic Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Headline inflation spiked above the 4%</strong> medium-term target in October, 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> food and fuel inflation</strong> form one of the components of headline inflation in India.</li>
<li>The increase was largely due to increase in food prices as fuel group prices have been in deflation for four months in a row.</li>
<li><strong>Headline Inflation is different from Core Inflation. Core Inflation excludes volatile goods</strong> from the basket of commodities tracking Headline Inflation. These volatile commodities mainly comprise food and beverages (including vegetables) and fuel and light (crude oil).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Manufacturing has seen a 1% contraction</strong> in the second quarter after almost a flat first quarter. This is clearly reflected in capacity utilisation of the industry that has dropped to 68.9% in July-September 2019 compared with 73.6% in April-June 2019.</li>
<li>The <strong>output in eight core industries &mdash;</strong> which make up 40% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP)&mdash;<strong> contracted</strong> for the second consecutive month in October 2019.</li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI&rsquo;s Stand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Several measures already initiated by the Government and the monetary easing undertaken by the Reserve Bank since February 2019 are gradually expected to further feed into the real economy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The focus must be on the need to <strong>maximise the impact of rate reductions.</strong></li>
<li>The Weighted Average Lending Rate (WALR) of scheduled commercial banks between December 2018 and October 2019 increased by 5 basis points bps against a cumulative policy rate cut to the tune of 135 bps. This implies that retail borrowers are yet to experience reduction in commercial lending rates of banks. For them, the cost of borrowing has yet not come down.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Data on corporate finance and on projects sanctioned by banks and financial institutions suggest some early signs of recovery in investment activity, though its sustainability needs to be watched closely. The need at this juncture is to<strong> address impediments, which are holding back investments.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/external-benchmark-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>introduction of external benchmarks</strong></a> is expected to strengthen monetary transmission. In this context, there is also a need for greater flexibility in the adjustment in interest rates on small saving schemes.</li>
<li>The<strong> forthcoming union budget (2020-21)</strong> will provide better insight into further measures to be undertaken by the Government and their impact on growth.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/rbi-keeps-repo-rate-unchanged-at-515-reduces-growth-forecast-to-5/article30178696.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/repo-rate-unchanged'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Exercise INDRA 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>Exercise INDRA 2019, a joint, tri services exercise between India and Russia</strong> will be conducted in India from 10<sup>th</sup>-19<sup>th</sup> December 2019 simultaneously at <strong>Babina (near Jhansi), Pune, and Goa.</strong> <a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575621700_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575621700_image6.png" width="346" height="245" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two countries will be able to imbibe the best practices from each other, jointly evolve and drills to defeat the menace of terror under the United Nations mandate.</li>
<li>The <strong>INDRA series of exercise began in 2003. It was conducted as a single service exercise</strong> alternately between the two countries. However, <strong>the first joint Tri Services Exercise was conducted in 2017.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Exercise INDRA 2018,</strong> a joint military exercise between Indian and Russia on combating insurgency under the aegis of the United Nations (UN) was conducted at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=195493" 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/exercise-indra-2019'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Centre Stops Online Sale of Medicines',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has directed all states and Union territories to prohibit the sale of medicines through unlicensed online platforms as per the Delhi High Court order.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In its <strong>Zaheer Ahmed case (2018),</strong> the Delhi High Court had said that online sale of medicines should be prohibited until draft rules to regulate e-pharmacies are finalized and put in place.</li>
<li>Online sale of prescription medicines is a relatively recent phenomenon in India and laws are yet to be framed to regulate the industry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government has prepared <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addressable-market-for-e-pharmacies" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>draft e-pharmacy rules</strong></a> that are under consideration of a group of ministers (GoM) headed by the defence minister.</li>
<li>The Delhi High Court had stated that the drugs were sold online in <strong>violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics (D&amp;C) Act, 1940.</strong> Under the D&amp;C Act, 1940 and D&amp;C Rules, 1945 sale of spurious drugs is a punishable offence and State Licensing Authorities are empowered to take action in this regard.</li>
<li>However, e-pharmacies continued to sell online, after securing a stay from the Madras High Court in January 2019. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In December 2018, a single-judge Bench of the Madras High Court had told traders not to proceed with their online business in drugs till the rules are notified by the Central government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>E-pharmacies have claimed that their <strong>business model is well covered by the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000</strong> under the concept of intermediaries, and the <strong>pharmacy retail operations are covered by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It regulates the import, manufacturing and distribution of drugs in India.</li>
<li>Its objective is to ensure that the drugs and cosmetics sold in India are safe, effective and fulfills the safety standards and parameters.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Some Provisions of Draft Rules on Sale of Drugs by e-pharmacy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Those who want to sell pharmacy online will <strong>have to register with the</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-13th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)</strong></a>, the country's apex drug regulator and central licensing authority.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, they must retain prescriptions and verify details of patients and doctors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No e-pharmacy shall advertise</strong> any drug on radio or television or the Internet or print or any other media for any purpose.</li>
<li>The supply of any drug shall be made against a cash or credit memo generated through the <strong>e-pharmacy portal</strong> and such memos shall be maintained by the e-pharmacy registration holder as a record.</li>
</ul>
<h3>e-Pharmacy Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>e-pharmacies <strong>offer discounts, doorstep delivery, accountability</strong> in case of delay in services or non-availability of a particular brand or combination of drugs at the click of a button.</li>
<li>They offer the customers the <strong>convenience to compare and select their medicines.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disadvantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They present <strong>stiff competition and threaten the business of traditional pharmacies.</strong> Their growth can impact the livelihood of nearly a million chemists, distributors and their employees</li>
<li><strong>Monitoring of fake and illegal pharmacies</strong> could be a challenge and cyber experts need to be employed to tackle such cases.</li>
<li><strong>A scanned copy of a prescription is not considered authentic</strong> under the D&amp;C Act as well as under the IT Act.</li>
<li><strong>Drug abuse:</strong> One prescription can be uploaded on two different e-pharmacy sites, leading to drug abuse. Such multiple dispensing of prescriptions can lead to misuse of drugs and increase the number of drug addicts, especially youth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/government-directs-states-to-take-action-against-unlicensed-online-pharmacies-11575376011403.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source- Livemint</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centre-stops-online-sale-of-medicines'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Islamic Republic of Mauritania',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a boat capsized near Mauritania&rsquo;s coast. Between 2005 and 2010, thousands have died off Mauritania&rsquo;s coast in attempts to reach the Canary Islands (Spain).<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619407_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619407_image2.png" width="210" height="140" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>Mauritania is located on the <strong>Atlantic coast of Africa</strong> and is bounded to the northwest by Western Sahara, to the northeast by Algeria, to the east and southeast by Mali and to the southwest by Senegal.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>eleventh largest country of the continent</strong> and consists of <strong>desert largely.</strong></li>
<li>The capital is<strong> Nouakchott</strong> and it got<strong> independence from France on 28 November 1960.</strong></li>
<li>It has <strong>Arab-Berber population to the north</strong> and<strong> black Africans to the south</strong> and <strong>Arabic and French</strong> are the prominent <strong>languages.</strong></li>
<li>It is a member of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/afcfta-unlocking-africas-economic-might" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>African Union.</strong></a></li>
<li>In the <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/human-development-index-by-undp-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Human Development Index 2018,</strong></a> it was at rank 159.</li>
<li>The most prominent feature of this region is the <strong>Guelb er Richat,</strong> also known as <strong>the Eye of the Sahara,</strong> which is a deeply eroded dome consisting of a variety of intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619434_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619434_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="544" height="452" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/58-migrants-dead-after-boat-capsizes-off-mauritania/article30184052.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/islamic-republic-of-mauritania'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Guidelines for Licencing of Small Finance Banks',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>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</strong></a> has released final <strong>Guidelines for &lsquo;on tap&rsquo; Licencing for Small Finance Banks (SFBs).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RBI had issued in-principle approval to ten applicants for SFB in 2015. It was mentioned that after gaining experience in dealing with these banks, RBI would grant &lsquo;on-tap&rsquo; licensing.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An &ldquo;on-tap&rdquo; facility would mean the RBI will <strong>accept applications and grant licences </strong>for banks<strong> throughout the year.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Guidelines for &lsquo;on-tap&rsquo; Licencing</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Capital requirement:</strong> The minimum paid-up voting equity capital / net worth requirement shall be <strong>₹ 200 crores.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For <strong>Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs),</strong> desirous of voluntarily transiting into SFBs initial requirement of net worth shall be at <strong>₹ 100 crores,</strong> which will have to be <strong>increased to ₹ 200 crores</strong> within<strong> 5 years</strong> from the date of commencement of business.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Scheduled bank status to SFBs:</strong> SFBs will be given scheduled bank status <strong>immediately upon commencement of operations.</strong> Also, SFBs will have general permission to <strong>open banking outlets</strong> from the date of commencement of operations.</li>
<li><strong>Payments Banks conversion to SFBs:</strong> The<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/india-post-payment-bank-ippb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> payment banks</strong></a> can apply for conversion into SFB after <strong>5 years of operations</strong> if they are otherwise eligible as per these guidelines.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575626074_1575619092_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575626074_1575619092_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Small Finance Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The small finance bank will primarily undertake <strong>basic banking activities of acceptance of deposits and lending</strong> to unserved and underserved sections including small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries and unorganised sector entities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can also undertake other non-risk sharing simple financial services activities such as the distribution of mutual fund units, insurance products, pension products, etc. with the prior approval of the RBI</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eligible candidates</strong> for setting up SFB are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Resident<strong> individuals/professionals with 10 years of experience</strong> in <strong>banking and finance.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>companies and societies</strong> owned and controlled by <strong>residents.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Existing</strong> Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs), Local Area Banks (LABs) and payment banks that are owned and controlled by residents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It needs to open at least <strong>25%</strong> of its banking outlets in <strong>unbanked rural centres.</strong></li>
<li>The bank will be required to extend <strong>75% of its adjusted net bank credit</strong> to the <strong>Priority Sector Lending (PSL).</strong></li>
<li>At least<strong> 50% of its loan portfolio</strong> should constitute loans and advances of up to <strong>₹ 25 lakhs.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>maximum loan size and investment limit</strong> exposure to a single and group would be restricted to <strong>10% and 15% of its capital funds,</strong> respectively. They <strong>cannot extend large loans.</strong></li>
<li>If the initial shareholding by promoters in the bank is in excess of <strong>40% of paid-up voting equity capital,</strong> it should be brought <strong>down to 40% within a period of 5 years.</strong></li>
<li>The small finance banks will be subject to <strong>Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) </strong>and <strong>Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Banks are required to hold a certain proportion of their deposits in the form of cash is known as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-keeps-policy-rates-unchanged" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CRR</strong></a>. This minimum ratio (that is the part of the total deposits to be held as cash) is stipulated by the RBI.</li>
<li>The share of Net Demand and Time Liabilities that a bank is required to maintain safe and liquid assets, such as government securities, cash, and gold is termed as <strong>SLR.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/rbi-lays-down-guidelines-for-payments-banks-sfb-licence/article30195255.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/guidelines-for-licencing-of-small-finance-banks'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Dr B. R. Ambedkar's 63rd Mahaparinirvan Diwas',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed every year on December 6 to commemorate death anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He is known as the <strong>Father of the Indian Constitution</strong> and was independent <strong>India&rsquo;s first law minister.</strong></li>
<li>Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot orator, a scholar and thinker of comparative religions.<strong></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>&ldquo;Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment. It has to be cultivated. We must realise that our people have yet to learn it. Democracy in India is only a top-dressing on an Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic.&rdquo;</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><em>― B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste</em></p>
<p><em><strong>&ldquo;I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved&rdquo;</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><em><strong>― </strong>B.R. Ambedkar</em></p>
<h3>About Dr. Ambedkar</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ambedkar-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow, Central Province</strong></a> (now Madhya Pradesh).</li>
<li>He founded <strong>Bahishkrit Hitkarni Sabha (1923).</strong></li>
<li>He led the <strong>Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927</strong> to challenge the regressive customs of the Hindus.</li>
<li>He <strong>participated in all three round-table conferences.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Round Table Conferences</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>First Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in<strong> London on Nov. 12, 1930</strong> but the <strong>Congress did not participate</strong> in it.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In March 1931, Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin (Viceroy of India 1926-31) entered into a Pact, <strong>called Gandhi-Irwin Pact,</strong> by which the Congress called off the Civil Disobedience Movement and agreed to participate in the Round Table Conference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the <strong>7<sup>th</sup> of September, 1931.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Third Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the <strong>17<sup>th</sup> of November, 1932</strong> to consider the reports of various sub-committees appointed from time to time. It ultimately led to the <strong>passage of Govt. of India Act, 1935.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Congress did not participate</strong> as most of the leaders were in jail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1932 he signed <strong>Poona pact with Mahatma Gandhi,</strong> which abandoned the idea of separate electorates for the depressed classes (Communal Award). However, the seats reserved for the depressed classes were increased from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures and to 18% of the total in the Central Legislature.</li>
<li>In 1936, he was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly as a legislator (MLA).</li>
<li>In 1947, Dr. Ambedkar accepted PM Nehru's invitation to <strong>become Minister of Law in the first Cabinet of independent India.</strong></li>
<li>On August 29, 1947, he was appointed <strong>Chairman of the Drafting Committee</strong> for the new Constitution.</li>
<li>He resigned from the cabinet in 1951, over <strong>differences on the Hindu Code Bill.</strong></li>
<li>In 1956, he <strong>converted to Buddhism.</strong></li>
<li>He passed away on <strong>6<sup>th</sup> December 1956.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Chaitya Bhoomi</strong> is a memorial to B. R. Ambedkar located in Dadar, Mumbai.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dr-b-r-ambedkar-s-63rd-mahaparinirvan-diwas'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'War on Women',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/rape-impunity-and-state-of-denial/article30169803.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Rape, impunity and state of denial&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 05/12/2019. It highlights the rising cases of crimes against women and the issues associated with it.</p>
</div>
<p>In the wake of the recent brutal rape and murder of a young woman in Hyderabad, much of the public discourse has been confined to outrage, policing, punishment, and tougher laws. The horrific sexual crime incidents highlight the sorrow state of national emergency in India as far as crimes against women, specifically sexual crimes, are concerned.</p>
<h3>Worrisome Facts</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the <strong>National Crime Records Bureau data-2017</strong> (released in 2019), a total of <strong>3.59 lakh cases of</strong> <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/violence-against-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>crimes against women</strong></a> were reported, marking a 6% rise as compared to 2016. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Of this, assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty comprised 21.7%, and rape 7% which implies on an average, around 1,000 crimes were registered every day and 93 women were victims of rape every day (of which one-third were minors).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the data, <strong>Uttar Pradesh</strong> reported the <strong>highest number</strong> of crimes against women whereas <strong>Madhya Pradesh</strong> registered the<strong> highest number of rape cases</strong> in the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Underlying Issues and Challenges</h3>
<p><strong>Unreported Cases</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The above mentioned figures reflect only a small percentage of the crimes committed against women, as most of the cases go unreported.</li>
<li>The fear of<strong> societal shame and the patriarchal dominance</strong> in society prevents a woman from fighting for her justice.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the <strong>National Family Health Survey-4</strong> revealed that every third married woman had experienced physical and/or sexual violence but only 1.5% had sought help from the police.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In many cases, it has been noted that the culprit is the <strong>familiar individual.</strong> This prevents the victim from raising any voice against them.</li>
<li>The reluctant and less-sensitive attitude of the police officials while registering the cases makes the victim feel more victimized leading to under-reporting of cases.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Laxity in Criminal Justice System</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pendency of Cases:</strong> The NCRB report shows that the backlog of cases, including cases of child rape, is huge. For all crimes against women, the pendency of cases is <strong>as high as 89.6%.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2017, there were as many as 1.17 lakh rape cases from previous years pending trial.</li>
<li>Even the<strong> conviction rate</strong> is way too low (only 5,822 accused were convicted in 28,750 cases sent for trial in that year, that makes around 20%).</li>
<li>This failure to reform the justice system and ensure conviction leads to an increase in the impunity with which crimes against women are committed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bureaucratic Hurdles:</strong> The lax behavior by the concerned official authorities while conducting the investigation in a time-bound manner destroys the very purpose of the criminal justice system.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government tries to turn the attention to the issue of the extent of punishment, instead of focusing on the urgent steps required for the <strong>prevention of such crimes.</strong> For example, the <strong>Muzaffarpur Shelter Home</strong> sexual abuse, rape and torture of at least 35 girls, reported early last year (2018) is still under investigation with no justice of any kind in sight for the girls. It later came to light how government funding was misused by the perpetrators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Erring Laws:</strong> Most of the times, laws and legislations for women safety are either not in compliance with the international standards or are not implemented properly.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After the <strong>2012 Nirbhaya outrage</strong> in Delhi, and on the recommendations of the Justice J.S. Verma Committee, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 was passed, by bringing in changes to the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 to <strong>provide for death penalty for rape</strong> that led to death of the victim or reduced the survivor to a persistent vegetative state and anyone found guilty of rape more than once. In 2018, further changes were introduced giving death as the maximum punishment for every perpetrator in a gang-rape when the victim is less than 12, and life-long imprisonment if the victim is less than 16.</li>
<li>For instance, the <strong>Kathua and Unnao rapes</strong> only proved that legislation alone cannot ensure women&rsquo;s safety. Women remain unsafe, both in public or within the home.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solutions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Environment:</strong> India needs an <strong>ecosystem of care and empathy</strong> that focuses on the prevention of sexual assault, the protection of victims and the certainty of action against culprits. This places the onus significantly on the entire criminal justice system.</li>
<li><strong>Awareness:</strong> Preventive measures such as <strong>education and awareness</strong> (important in a deeply patriarchal society) help ensure women&rsquo;s safety. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Equally important is recognising the acts of sexual violence are deeply traumatic for survivors, and that it takes great courage and faith in the system to report them.</li>
<li>The police, dominated by men, must do more to clear all obstacles in the path of survivors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reporting:</strong> There is a need of a <strong>comprehensive and systematic research and analysis on crime against women</strong> at Central, State, district and block level. Accurate data collection is very important to inform policy initiatives.</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructure:</strong> In India, after the Nirbhaya case, the committee under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-s-verma-committee-on-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Justice J.S. Verma</strong></a> had made a series of recommendations for prevention of crimes that placed the responsibility on the Central and State governments to ensure the presence of social and physical infrastructure to prevent crimes against women. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The suggestions included changes in school and college syllabi to educate social values of equality and respect for women&rsquo;s autonomy; ensuring safe public transport, city and street lighting, CCTV cameras; mapping unsafe areas and provision of increased police patrolling in such areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Government Initiatives</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Constitutional Safeguards:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fundamental Rights:</strong> It guarantees all Indians the right to equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State on the basis of gender (Article 15(1)) and special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women (Article 15(3)).</li>
<li><strong>Fundamental Duties:</strong> It ensures that practices derogatory to the dignity of women are prohibited under Article 51 (A).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Legislative Framework:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005:</strong> It provides victims of domestic violence with a means for practical remedy through prosecution.</li>
<li><strong>The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961:</strong> It prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry.</li>
<li><strong>The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013:</strong> This legislative act seeks to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work.</li>
<li><strong>The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), 2012:</strong> enacted to protect minors from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding the interest of the child at every stage of the judicial process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has taken some steps, but there is a long way to go before women, especially from marginalised backgrounds, to feel secure and safe. Enhanced accessibility to justice needs to be ensured.</li>
<li>A <strong>UN report</strong> on<strong> &lsquo;steps required to provide safety and security for women&rsquo;</strong> states that, women&rsquo;s safety involves strategies and policies that have been formed before violence have prevented perpetration or victimisation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Prevention efforts involve strategic, long-term, comprehensive initiatives that address the risk and protective factors related to perpetration, victimisation and spectator behaviour.</li>
<li><strong>Awareness and sensitization</strong> of people is equally important in this regard to prevent the crime itself. In every curriculum gender sensitisation must be included right from school. Public places must be made safer for all. Boys and girls should be raised right in an atmosphere of freedom and a culture of mutual respect.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Capacity building and training</strong> programmes to service providers and law enforcement officers needs to be conducted to effectively handle cases of violence against women. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Better policing, <strong>fast-track courts,</strong> quick sentencing are the need of the hour as each can serve as a deterrent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There needs to be an <strong>overhaul of the criminal justice system</strong> in the country rather than emphasising on the stringent penalties.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The death penalty for rape and murder is already on the statute book. But the evidence suggests that such punishments have also not led to a decrease in crimes. Hence it is not just the extent and stringency of punishment, but also the certainty of fair procedures that need to be followed to discourage the crime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #4000ff; background-color: #e1effa;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong>India has taken some steps but there is a long way to go before women to feel secure and safe. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/war-on-women'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Telecom Sector: Issues and Challenges',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is currently the world&rsquo;s second-largest telecommunications market with a subscriber base of 1.20 billion and has registered strong growth in the past decade and a half.</li>
<li>Contribution of mobile phone industry as a part of gross domestic product (GDP) of the country in 2014 has been to the tune of US$ 400 billion.</li>
<li>According to a report prepared by the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA), as of January 2019, India has witnessed a 165% growth in app downloads in the past two years.</li>
<li>Based on the data available from GSMA, this sector will create close to 4 million additional jobs by 2020.</li>
<li>Tele-density of Indian telecom industry (wireless plus wire line) has grown from a low of 3.60% in March 2001 to 84% in March 2016.</li>
<li><strong>Telecom is the second highest revenue earner for the government, after income tax:</strong> The sector is expected to contribute as much as 90% of the government&rsquo;s non-tax revenue. Digital India programme is also almost completely dependent on the telecom sector.</li>
<li>The liberal and reformist policies of the Government of India have been instrumental along with strong consumer demand in the rapid growth in the Indian telecom sector. The deregulation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms has made the sector one of the fastest growing and a top five employment opportunity generator in the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Evolution of the Telecom Sector in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Indian telecom sector is <strong>more than 165 years old.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Telecommunications was first introduced in India in 1851</strong> when the first operational land lines were laid by the government near Kolkata (then Calcutta), although telephone services were formally introduced in India much later in 1881.</li>
<li>Further, in 1883, telephone services were merged with the postal system. <strong>In 1947, after India attained independence, all foreign telecommunication companies were nationalised to form the Posts, Telephone and Telegraph (PTT),</strong> a body that was governed by the Ministry of Communication.</li>
<li><strong>The Indian telecom sector was entirely under government ownership until 1984,</strong> when the private sector was allowed in telecommunication equipment manufacturing only.</li>
<li>The government concretised its earlier efforts towards developing R&amp;D in the sector by setting up an autonomous body &ndash; <strong>Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in 1984</strong> to develop state-of-the-art telecommunication technology to meet the growing needs of the Indian telecommunication network.</li>
<li>The actual evolution of the industry started after the <strong>Government separated the Department of Post and Telegraph in 1985 by setting up the Department of Posts and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).</strong><strong></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575544757_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575544757_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="601" height="451" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Issues and Challenges of Telecom Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>High Right-of-Way (ROW)</strong> cost: Sometimes, state governments charge a huge amount for permitting the laying of fiber, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of fixed line penetration:</strong> India has very little penetration of fixed-line in its network whereas most of the developed countries have a very high penetration of fixed lines (telephone line that traveled through a metal wire or optical fiber as part of a nationwide telephone network).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only around 25% of Towers in India are connected with fibre networks, whereas in developed nations, it is in excess of 70%.</li>
<li>5G Network requires towers to be connected to with very high-speed systems. Those high speeds are not possible on the present radio systems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Declining Average Revenue Per User (ARPU):</strong> ARPU decline now is sharp and steady, which, combined with falling profits and in some cases serious losses, is prompting the Indian telecom industry to look at consolidation as the only way to boost revenues.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the Supreme Court allowed the government&rsquo;s plea to recover adjusted gross revenue of about Rs 92,000 crore from telcos, that further adds to their stress.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Limited Spectrum Availability:</strong> Available spectrum is less than 40% as compared to European nations and 50% as compared to China.</li>
<li><strong>Low Broadband Penetration:</strong> Low broadband penetration in the country is a matter of concern. As per white paper presented on broadband at the last International Telecommunication Union (ITU), <strong>broadband penetration in India is only 7%.</strong></li>
<li>Over the Top (OTT) applications such as WhatsApp, OLA and so on do not need permission or a pact with a telecommunications company. This hampers the revenue of telecommunication service providers.</li>
<li><strong>Huge fluctuations in the duties on Telecom Equipment</strong> which contribute to connecting the whole system from the central server to the consumer.</li>
<li><strong>Timeframe of policy execution:</strong> Government have withdrawn a lot of things to benefit telecom sector but by the time it gets executed to the market, it becomes too late.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Telecom Infrastructure in Semi-rural and Rural areas:</strong> Service providers have to incur huge initial fixed cost to enter semi-rural and rural areas.</li>
<li><strong>Pressure on Margins Due to Stiff Competition:</strong> With competition heating up post entry of Reliance Jio, other telecom players are feeling the heat of substantial drop in tariff rates both for voice and data (more significant for data subscribers).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps Taken by the Government</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-national-digital-communications-policy-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Digital Communications Policy</strong></a> - <strong>2018 (NDCP-2018)</strong> was unveiled in Oct 2018, to replace National Telecom Policy-2012, to cater to the modern needs of the digital communications sector of India. The policy aims to attract USD 100 billion worth of investments and generate 4 million jobs in the sector by 2022.</li>
<li>Telecom Commission was re-designated as the <strong>"Digital Communications Commission&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>In 2017, Department of Telecom (DoT) came up with a gazette notification, advising the state governments to give quicker ROW permission and charge very little amount to service providers. Though, only some states responded.</li>
<li>The government has provided benefits to telecom sector by withdrawing some duties.</li>
<li>The government has fast-tracked reforms in the telecom sector and continues to be proactive in providing room for growth for telecom companies.</li>
<li>The Department of Information Technology intends to <strong>set up over 1 million internet-enabled common service centres across India</strong> as per the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National e-Governance Plan.</strong></a></li>
<li>FDI cap in the telecom sector has been increased to 100% from 74%. Out of 100%, 49% will be done through automatic route and the rest will be done through the FIPB approval route.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>FDI of up to 100% is permitted for infrastructure providers offering dark fibre, electronic mail and voice mail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Government of India has introduced Digital India programme under which all the sectors such as healthcare, retail, etc. will be connected through the internet.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suggestions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NDCP-2018 advocates:-</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Establishment of a <strong>National Digital Grid</strong> by creating a National Fibre Authority;</li>
<li>Establishing <strong>Common Service Ducts and utility corridors</strong> in all new city and highway road projects;</li>
<li>Creating a <strong>collaborative institutional mechanism</strong> between Centre, States and Local Bodies for Common Rights of Way, standardization of costs and timelines;</li>
<li><strong>Removal of barriers to approvals;</strong> and</li>
<li>Facilitating development of <strong>Open Access Next Generation Networks.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Explore the option of revenue sharing agreement</strong> between Internet players and telecommunication companies.</li>
<li><strong>Outsourcing non-core functions</strong> such as network maintenance, IT operations and customer service.</li>
<li><strong>Divestment of tower assets</strong> into separate companies will enable curb costs and focus on core operations.</li>
<li><strong>Introduce new and efficient technologies</strong> such as M2M (technology that enables networked devices to exchange information and perform actions without the manual assistance of humans) and cloud computing.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of industry status</strong> in line with other infrastructure sectors in the country to be implemented.</li>
<li><strong>Penetration of rural markets</strong> (72% of population staying in rural areas) will be the key growth driver.</li>
<li>The government should <strong>increase the network area through optical fibre</strong> instead of copper which is expensive. This is necessary to ensure last mile connectivity.</li>
<li>The government needs to prepare a ground for <strong>easy right-of-way permissions</strong> and lower cost of right-of-ways.</li>
<li>It is time to go for a <strong>generational shift</strong> to ensure that <strong>current tariff is financially viable</strong> for service providers.</li>
<li>Telecom Operators should leverage on the talent pool in the country which is bringing in a lot of<strong> new innovations in AI, blockchain technology</strong> etc.</li>
<li><strong>New Infrastructure on shareable basis</strong> just like the way telecom service providers share the cost of towers is need of the hour.</li>
<li>The government should spend more on R&amp;D and create an environment that makes India capable of manufacturing and exporting hardware components like mobile handsets, CCTV Cameras, touch screen monitors etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The telecom sector in India has to deal with various challenges like maintaining the sufficient spectrum, adoption of new technologies faster to be able to use the new features and techniques to serve the customers with better and feature rich service.</li>
<li>A proactive and facilitatory government role regarding telecom sector is the need of the hour given the huge opportunities provided by the sector.</li>
<li>Independent and statutory body, <strong>Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</strong> (TRAI) has an important role to play as a watchdog of the sector. A more proactive and timely Dispute Resolution by <strong>TDSAT</strong> (Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) is the need of the hour.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges-mindmap" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For Mind Map</em></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Telecom Sector: Issues and Challenges',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1577351950_Telecom%20Sector Issues and Challenges (Mind Map).png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1577351950_Telecom Sector Issues and Challenges (Mind Map).png" width="464" height="923" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For TTP</em></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges-mindmap'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Bharat Bond Exchange Traded Fund',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,</strong> chaired by the Prime Minister of India, has approved the Government&rsquo;s plan to create and launch <strong>India&rsquo;s first corporate bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) &mdash; Bharat Bond ETF.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Fund will provide additional source of money for Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), Central Public Financial Institutions (CPFIs) and other Government organizations to meet their borrowing requirements, apart from bank financing.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Exchange Traded Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) is a <strong>basket of securities that trade on an exchange,</strong> just like a stock.</li>
<li>ETF <strong>reflects the composition of an Index,</strong> like BSE Sensex. Its trading value is based on the Net Asset Value (NAV) of the underlying stocks (such as shares) that it represents.</li>
<li>ETF share prices fluctuate all day as it is bought and sold. This is <strong>different from mutual funds</strong> that only trade once a day after the market closes.</li>
<li>An ETF can own hundreds or thousands of stocks across various industries, or it could be isolated to one particular industry or sector.</li>
<li><strong>Bond ETFs</strong> are a type of ETFs which may include government bonds, corporate bonds, and state and local bonds&mdash;called municipal bonds.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A <strong>bond</strong> is an instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower (typically corporate or governmental).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Besides being cost efficient, ETFs offer a diversified investment portfolio to investors.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Features of Bharat Bond ETF<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534725_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534725_image5.jpg" width="369" height="300" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ETF will comprise a basket of bonds issued by the CPSEs, CPSUs, CPFIs, and other government organisations.</li>
<li>The<strong> unit size</strong> of the bond has been kept at <strong>just ₹1,000</strong> so that even retail investors can invest.</li>
<li>Each ETF will have a fixed maturity date and initially they will be issued in two series, of 3 years and 10 years. Each series will have a separate index of the same maturity series.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Index will be constructed by an independent index provider &ndash; <strong>National Stock Exchange.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bharat Bond ETF will ensure <strong>broader investor base</strong> through the participation of retail and High Networth Individuals (HNI).This will lead to an increase in the demand for bonds, thus <strong>reducing the cost of borrowing</strong> for borrowers i.e. government organizations.</li>
<li>The Bond ETF will provide safety, liquidity and predictable tax efficient returns.</li>
<li>The launch of this ETF is expected to eventually<strong> increase the size of bond ETFs in India</strong> leading to achieving key objectives at a larger scale - deepening bond markets, enhancing retail participation and reducing borrowing costs.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/cabinet-okays-bond-etfs/article30169849.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/bharat-bond-exchange-traded-fund'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Global Climate Risk Index 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The international environmental think tank &lsquo;Germanwatch&rsquo; has recently released the Global Climate Risk Index 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The index analyses the extent to which countries and regions have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" width="163" height="366" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Worst affected in 2018:</strong> Japan, Philippines and Germany</li>
<li><strong>Worst affected between 1999-2018 (long-term index):</strong> Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti</li>
<li><strong>Deaths and financial loss between 1999-2018:</strong> Altogether, about 5 lakh people died as a direct result of more than 12 000 extreme weather events globally. Losses amounted to around US$ 3.54 trillion (in purchasing power parities).</li>
<li><strong>Poor countries had to face much higher impacts:</strong> Of the ten most affected countries and territories in the period 1999-2018, seven were developing countries in the low income or lower-middle income country group, two were classified as upper-middle income countries (Thailand and Dominica) and one was an advanced economy generating high income (Puerto Rico).</li>
<li><strong>Link between climate change and the frequency &amp; severity of extreme heat:</strong> Heatwaves were one major cause of damage in 2018. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Of the ten most affected countries in 2018, Germany, Japan and India were suffering from extended periods of heat.</li>
<li>Across Europe, extreme heat spells are now up to 100 times more likely than a century ago.</li>
<li>Impact of heatwaves on African countries may be under-represented due to a lack of data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India, which suffered water shortages, crop failures and worst flooding, holds the <strong>5<sup>th</sup> position.</strong> It has fallen from its 14<sup>th</sup> rank of countries hit most by climate change-induced weather phenomena in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has also recorded the <strong>highest number of fatalities due to climate change</strong> and the <strong>second-highest monetary losses from its impact in 2018.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suggestions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 2019 Climate Summit in Madrid needs to address the lack of additional climate finance to help the poorest people and countries to address loss and damage. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These countries are <strong>more vulnerable to the damaging effects</strong> of a hazard but <strong>have lower coping capacity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The climate summit needs to result in: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>a decision on how the need for support for vulnerable countries concerning future loss and damage is to be determined on an ongoing basis</li>
<li>the necessary steps to generate and make available financial resources to meet these needs</li>
<li>strengthening the implementation of measures for adapting to climate change</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Germanwatch</strong></p>
<p>Germanwatch, based in Bonn and Berlin (Germany), is an independent development and environmental organisation which works for sustainable global development.</p>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-climate-risk-index-2020'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'World Soil Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Soil Day (WSD)</strong> is held annually on <strong>5 December</strong> to highlight the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> for WSD 2019 is<strong> &lsquo;Stop Soil Erosion, Save Our Future&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="216" height="210" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was recommended by the <strong>International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)</strong> in <strong>2002.</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)</strong></a> has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness-raising platform under the leadership of the<strong> Kingdom of Thailand</strong> within the framework of the<strong> Global Soil Partnership.</strong></li>
<li><strong>5 December 2014</strong> was designated as the <strong>first official World Soil Day</strong> by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a> <strong>(UNGA).</strong></li>
<li>The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official <strong>birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand,</strong> who <strong>officially sanctioned</strong> the event.</li>
<li>FAO gives <strong>two awards</strong> in line with this day-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award-</strong> an annual award that honours individuals, communities, organizations and countries that organized remarkable and engaging World Soil Day activities or campaigns in the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>The Glinka World Soil Prize-</strong> an annual award for dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving one of our world&rsquo;s most pressing environmental issue: <strong>soil degradation.</strong> It honours individuals and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed, or are still contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.fao.org/world-soil-day/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: FAO</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-soil-day'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'World Malaria Report, 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>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 released the <strong>World Malaria Report, 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report provides a comprehensive update on global and regional malaria data and trends including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, elimination and surveillance.</li>
<li>According to the report, <strong>228 million cases</strong> of malaria are observed <strong>worldwide, down from</strong> 251 million cases in <strong>2010.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Highest Burden:</strong> India along with 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa carried almost <strong>85% of the global malaria burden.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though <strong>India</strong> has observed the <strong>largest absolute reductions</strong> among the countries that share 85% of the malaria burden.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> It has declined globally between 2010 and 2018, from 71 to 57 cases per 1000 population.</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> The <strong>number of deaths due to malaria</strong> has <strong>decreased</strong> globally. (405,000 deaths in 2018 from 416,000 deaths in 2017).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> India reported <strong>2.6 million fewer cases</strong> in 2018 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>compared to 2017.</strong></a> Thus the overall incidence of malaria in the country has reduced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However,<strong> 7 states</strong> (Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh) account for about <strong>90% of the burden</strong> of malaria cases in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> Overall number of deaths due to malaria in India have reduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" width="509" height="194" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Steps taken at the global level</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</li>
<li>WHO has also released a new country-driven approach&ndash;<strong>&ldquo;High burden to high impact&rdquo;</strong> to enhance response to malaria in countries where malaria cases increased in 2018 as compared to 2017</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps taken by the Indian government</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (NSPME) (2017-22)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.</li>
<li>It is based on the <strong>National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016</strong> which is in line with <strong>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established <strong>&lsquo;Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)</strong> which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Malaria</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Malaria is caused by <strong>Plasmodium parasites.</strong></li>
<li>The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called <strong>"malaria vectors",</strong></li>
<li><strong>World Malaria Day</strong> is observed on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> April.</strong></li>
<li>It can be noted that WHO officially endorses disease-specific global awareness days for only four diseases viz. HIV-AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Hepatitis.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/malaria-drop-is-sharpest-in-india-90-of-cases-are-in-7-states-6151060/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2019'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Navy Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Indian Navy Day is celebrated on <strong>December 4</strong> every year to commemorate <strong>Operation Trident.</strong> The Navy also organises a <strong>Beating Retreat ceremony at Gateway of India in Mumbai</strong> on the eve of the Navy Day.</p>
<h3>Operation Trident</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a counter-attack by Indian Navy<strong> on the Karachi harbour</strong> during the<strong> Indo-Pakistan war in 1971.</strong></li>
<li>India used <strong>anti-ship missiles</strong> for the first time during this operation and destroyed the Pakistani destroyer ship <strong>PNS Khaibar.</strong></li>
<li>The Indian Navy's <strong>three warships - INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and INS Veer -</strong> played an important role in the attack.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Navy<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="150" height="223" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>headed</strong> by the <strong>President of India</strong> as its <strong>Supreme Commander.</strong></li>
<li>Indian Navy&rsquo;s <strong>Motto</strong> is - <strong>Sam no Varunah</strong> (शं नो वरूण&zwnj;:) that means that the God of water, Varuna, should be auspicious unto us.</li>
<li>Some of the <strong>earliest operations</strong> of the Indian Navy include its contribution in&nbsp;<strong>liberating Goa from Portugal in 1961.</strong></li>
<li>The Navy has developed as an admirable force with the making of the <strong>nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/deterrence-or-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INS Arihant</a></strong> and several other ships.</li>
<li>Indian Navy currently has <strong>one aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya</strong> which was a <strong>former Russian ship</strong> that was commissioned into service in 2013.</li>
<li>It <strong>operates three classes of submarines: Chakra</strong> (it has the <strong>nuclear-powered INS Chakra), Sindhughosh, and Shishumar.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Marine Commandos or MARCOS</strong> is the special force unit of the Indian Navy, trained to conduct amphibious warfare, counter-terrorism, special reconnaissance, hostage rescue and asymmetric warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They were the first to respond to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ten-years-after-the-mumbai-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>26/11 Mumbai</strong> </a>terror attacks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/navy-day-heres-a-quick-look-at-the-indian-navy-today/article21260246.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Revamping the Agricultural Sector',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the &ldquo;New Approach to Agriculture Sector&rdquo; which was published in Livemint on 02/12/2019. It highlights the problems faced by the Indian agricultural sector and the solutions to tackle it.</p>
</div>
<p>India faces several challenges related to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agricultural-distress-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>agriculture and food security</strong> </a>that include fragmentation of landholdings, degradation of resource quality, climate change induced adverse impact, large scale migration of agriculturists to non-farming sectors, etc. The current status of agriculture, therefore, needs critical evaluation in order to provide suitable remedial measures.</p>
<h3>Historical Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food security</strong></a> has been a national priority since Independence to fulfill the food demands of a rapidly growing population.</li>
<li><strong>Green Revolution</strong> that started in the mid-1960s through adoption of fertilizer-responsive high yielding varieties (HYVs), farm mechanization and use of agrochemicals including fertilizers transformed India from being a <strong>food importer to food exporter country</strong> within five decades.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last 50 years, food grain production (in the form of oilseeds, horticulture crops, etc.) in the country has increased by almost 3 times which has outpaced the growth of the population that went up by 2.6 times during this period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues in the Agriculture Sector</h3>
<p>While Green Revolution technologies intensified agricultural production, the misuse of inputs and deviant farm practices have led to an <strong>emergence of second-generation problems.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Multi-nutrient Deficiencies</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Practising the high yielding intensive agriculture has put an extreme pressure on soil health reflected by the <strong>continuous depletion of soil fertility.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to selective subsidy scheme in the form of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-approves-nutrient-based-subsidy-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme</strong></a> only for phosphatic and potassic (P&amp;K) fertilizers, there has been an overuse of these fertilizers. This has lead to the problem of <strong>nutrient mining</strong> (agricultural practices resulting in a negative nutrient balance) <strong>in Indian soil,</strong> impacting soil health over time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In addition to primary nutrients (NPK), deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients (boron, copper, iron, manganese, etc) have increased in Indian soils.</li>
<li>Inadequate, imbalanced and inefficient use of mineral fertilizers with lack of use of organic sources of plant nutrients has given rise to multi-nutrient deficiencies.</li>
<li><strong>Fertilizer/nutrient use efficiency</strong> (economic production obtained per unit of fertilizer/nutrient applied) is also relatively low in India such as, with nitrogen (30-40%), phosphorus (15-20%) and potash (60-70%). This not only affects the <strong>crop yields but also affects the environment</strong> due to the escape of unused nutrients.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>crop response to fertilizers</strong> has been declining continuously. The average crop response to fertilizer application (kg grain produced per kg of NPK applied) decreased from 12.1:1 (during the 1960s) to 5:1 (in the 2010s). With the decrease in crop response to fertilizers, the<strong> profitability of the farmers has gone down</strong> year after year.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Inefficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the agriculture sector, water management related challenges include low water use efficiency, water-energy nexus, growing water-intensive crops in water-deficient areas, poor quality waters characterized by the excessive toxic elements and salts, and poor rainwater management.</li>
<li><strong>Water salinization and waterlogging</strong> in canal command areas (like Punjab, Haryana, Western UP) and rapidly<strong> falling water tables</strong> in the tube well-irrigated areas have aggravated the problem.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>practise of flood irrigation</strong> (one of the most inefficient methods of irrigation) has led to the transformation of agro-climatic cropping patterns in India. For instance, easier availability of water through pumping of groundwater because of the <strong>availability of free electricity to farmers</strong>&nbsp;has made the farmers of north-western India shift to rice cultivation during <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>kharif season</strong></a> by replacing traditional maize and coarse cereals production.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Decreasing Farmers Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The declining farmers&rsquo; income is largely on account of <strong>low average crop productivity and poor price realization.</strong></li>
<li>Government announces <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/minimum-support-price" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price</strong></a> (MSP) for crops. However, farmers are forced to sell their produce at much lower prices due to the exploitation by the middlemen, called Aadhtees.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the absence of effective market interventions, infrastructure, backward and forward linkages, farmers are <strong>unable to recover the cost of production.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Remedial Measures</h3>
<p><strong>Sustenance of Soil Health</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Organic carbon content</strong> in Indian soils is relatively poor. Effective steps are needed to augment the organic nutrient sources that include agricultural composting (natural process of decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms under controlled conditions), returning crop residues to the soil, etc.</li>
<li>For <strong>soil health enhancement,</strong>&nbsp;the government can <strong>link composting to<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/who-applauds-swachh-bharats-rural-component" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Swachh Bharat Mission</a></strong> and provide it free of cost to the farmers.</li>
<li>The target of reducing the use of chemical fertilizers up to 25% can be achieved by <strong>doubling the nutrient use efficiency.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Correction in Fertilizer Policy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a number of initiatives such as shift from urea to 100% neem coated urea, reducing the weight of urea bag from 50 kg to 45 kg and providing soil health cards to all farmers have been taken <strong>to reduce urea consumption </strong>and <strong>promote more efficient use of nitrogen.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it has not helped much because under the prevailing fertilizer pricing policy there is a huge gap in urea vis-&agrave;-vis P&amp;K prices that continues to distort the NPK use ratio.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is time to revisit the present fertilizer pricing and subsidy scheme. Fertilizer policy should ensure balanced pricing of N, P, K, and micronutrients.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A simple solution in this regard is to bring urea under NBS scheme and transfer the subsidy directly into the farmers&rsquo; accounts rather than routing through the fertilizer industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Efficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Education of the society at large on the necessity of <strong>&lsquo;judicious use of water&rsquo;, &lsquo;har khet ko pani&rsquo; and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-krishi-sinchayee-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> &lsquo;more crop per drop'</a></strong> is a welcome step towards efficient usage of water.</li>
<li>Focus should be on agriculture sector with management technologies which have the potential of making water savings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Savings on water and nutrients under <strong>drip-fertigation</strong> (method of fertilizer application in which fertilizer is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system) range from 20% to 60% and 20-30%, respectively. The adoption and development of cropping/farming systems should be guided by the potential water availability.</li>
<li>Regulatory mechanisms should be put in place for sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Farmers&rsquo; Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The inter-ministerial committee constituted to examine issues relating to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/doubling-farmers-income-a-promise-to-be-fulfilled-by-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>doubling of farmers&rsquo; income by 2022,</strong></a> has identified seven sources of income growth namely,
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Improvement in crop productivity,</li>
<li>Improvement in livestock productivity,</li>
<li>Resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of production,</li>
<li>Increase in the cropping intensity,</li>
<li>Diversification towards high-value crops,</li>
<li>Improvement in real prices received by farmers, and</li>
<li>Shift from farm to non-farm occupations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the livelihood security of the country&rsquo;s millions of farmers (especially small and marginal ones), it is essential to shift to the approach of <strong>Integrated Farming System (IFS).</strong> The IFS model integrates the latest production technologies of farming and livestock/ aquaculture development and management.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Market Reforms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Market reforms are needed to ensure that remunerative prices to the farmers are given for their produce. A step towards bringing reforms in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/unaddressed-issues-in-agri-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agricultural Produce Market Committees</strong></a> (APMC) was taken by the government in July 2015 through the creation of <strong>National Agricultural Market (NAM).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since the APMCs are a state subject, operation of NAM faces innumerable difficulties. Unless NAM becomes successful, farmers shall keep facing exploitation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Central and State Governments need to work in tandem to provide support and required financial assistance to the farmers, so as to improve the availability and use of organic sources of plant nutrients.</li>
<li>Fertilizer policies need immediate course correction to promote the use of nutrients from inorganic, organic and biological sources. Industry freed from controls and task of reaching subsidy to the farmers by implementing DBT in true sense will encourage innovation in products and services.</li>
</ul>
<p>Indian agriculture is passing through a phase where the sustainability of soil health and crop yields have come into question. The dependence on fertilizers will continue to increase in the foreseeable future to meet the increasing nutrient demands for higher food production.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcffcc;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Briefly discuss the issues faced by the Indian agricultural sector and suggest corrective measures that can be undertaken to overcome them.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Typhoon Kammuri',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a typhoon struck the Philippines, bringing heavy rains and suspending air travel. The government issued the warnings of floods, storm surges and landslides.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is known locally as<strong> Tisoy</strong> and is the 20<sup>th</sup> typhoon to hit the country this year.</li>
<li><strong>Tropical Cyclone</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-western-disturbance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone</strong></a> is the formation of a very <strong>low-pressure system</strong> with <strong>very high-speed winds</strong> revolving around it. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.</li>
<li>Cyclones are called <strong>'Hurricanes' in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, 'Typhoons' in South-East Asia and China</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;Tropical Cyclones&rsquo; in the South-West Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" width="443" height="424" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/one-killed-as-typhoon-hits-philippines-hundreds-of-flights-halted-6148229/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Anaemia in Indian Children',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A paper published in &lsquo;Scientific Reports&rsquo; pointed out that <strong>about 58.5% of children below five years of age in India are anaemic.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over one lakh children were analyzed using the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey (2015-16) data.</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong>Socio-demographic factors</strong> such as the wealth of the family, maternal education, maternal age, type of residence are the main reasons behind the incidence of childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>Recently, a &lsquo;Lancet Global Health report&rsquo; also revealed that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-among-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>23% of Indian men suffer from anaemia.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Anaemia</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong> defines anaemia as a condition in which the <strong>number of red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Iron deficiency</strong> is the <strong>most common cause</strong> of anaemia, although other conditions, such as folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin A deficiencies, chronic inflammation, parasitic infections, and inherited disorders can all cause anaemia.</li>
<li>In its severe form, it is associated with fatigue, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness. <strong>Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" width="527" height="444" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Maternal Education</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Maternal education increases the chances of mothers being aware of different health issues and thus taking the correct and appropriate steps towards preventing such issues.</li>
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the mother's education and the incidence of childhood anaemia. In other words, as the mother&rsquo;s education level increases, the tendency of the child to be anaemic decreases significantly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wealth of the Family</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>52.9% of children in rich households were marked anaemic.</li>
<li>The number was 63.2% in the poorest households.</li>
<li>This suggests that a large number of children in poor households are anaemic, though the situation in rich households is also not that well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maternal Age</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the age of mothers and the incidence of anaemia in children. The children of younger mothers are more anaemic.</li>
<li>This reveals the powerlessness of mothers in the age group 15-19 years in ensuring that the children get the right food.</li>
<li>This also reveals the power dimension in the allocation and use of resources in the household.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Programmes Related to Anaemia</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> the government of India launched <strong>Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB)</strong> as part of the <strong>Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI) Program</strong> for <strong>accelerating</strong> the <strong>annual rate of decline</strong> of anaemia from <strong>one to three percentage points.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The target groups for AMB are <strong>Children</strong> (6-59 months, 5-9 years), <strong>Adolescent Girls &amp; Boys</strong> (10-19 years), <strong>Women of Reproductive Age</strong> (15-49 years), <strong>Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also launched the <strong>Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS)</strong> Programme to meet the challenge of high prevalence and incidence of anaemia amongst <strong>adolescent girls and boys.</strong></li>
<li>Other programmes introduced include Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), National Nutritional Anemia Control Program (NNACP), etc to combat anemia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A broader health strategy is required to effectively address the issue of anaemia. Also, there is a need to bridge the gap between policy and practice.</li>
<li>The mother&rsquo;s health needs to be addressed as anaemia in mothers and premature delivery can also lead to childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>In addition to the maternal influence on childhood anaemia, paternal and overall household influences need to be considered for a more comprehensive policy framework for intervention at the household level.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/study-of-one-lakh-individuals-finds-why-indias-children-are-anaemic/article30062583.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Rajya Sabha approved the <strong>Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019,</strong> replacing an ordinance that was promulgated to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-and-corporate-tax" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cut corporate tax rates</strong></a> to boost growth rate in a slowing economy. Since it deals with taxes, the bill was introduced as a money bill in the Lok Sabha earlier.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Corporate tax is a tax imposed on the <strong>net income of the company.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019</strong> replaces an ordinance that <strong>reduced the tax rate for domestic companies from 30% and 25%</strong> (for those with an annual turnover of over ₹400 crores) to <strong>22%.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These rates are applicable for companies if they don&rsquo;t claim certain exemptions under the Income Tax Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The rate for <strong>new domestic manufacturing companies</strong> set up after October 1 was <strong>lowered to 15%.</strong></li>
<li>The new effective tax rate inclusive of surcharge and cess for domestic companies would be 25.17% and for new domestic manufacturing companies would be 17.01%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Money Bill</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A Bill is said to be a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/misuse-of-money-bills-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Money Bill</strong></a> if it only contains provisions related to<strong> taxation,</strong> borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated Fund of India. Bills that only contain provisions that are incidental to these matters would also be regarded as Money Bills.</li>
<li>A Money Bill may <strong>only be introduced in Lok Sabha,</strong> on the recommendation of the President. It must be passed in the Lok Sabha by a simple majority of all members present and voting.</li>
<li>The <strong>Rajya Sabha cannot amend money bills</strong> but can recommend amendments. A money bill, that solely concerns taxation or government spending, must be returned to the Lok Sabha<strong> within 14 days,</strong> or the bill is deemed to have passed both houses in the form it was originally passed by the Lok Sabha.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rs-clears-bill-to-lower-corporate-tax-rate/article30200750.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/taxation-laws-amendment-bill-2019'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'White Dwarfs System',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the first time ever, astronomers have found an indirect evidence of a giant planet orbiting a <strong>white dwarf star (WDJ0914+1914).</strong> The system was found in the Cancer constellation.</li>
<li>The planet was <strong>not seen directly</strong> but evidence of its presence was in the form of a disc of gas (hydrogen, oxygen and sulphur) formed due to its evaporating atmosphere. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Spikes of gas were detected by the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory in Chile.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the <strong>first evidence of an actual planet revolving around a white dwarf star.</strong> Prior to this discovery, only smaller objects such as asteroids had been detected.</li>
<li>WDJ0914+1914 is providing us with a glimpse into the very distant future of our own solar system. In about 4.5 billion years from now, the Sun will become a white dwarf evaporating all the planets.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575704242_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575704242_image1.jpg" width="514" height="257" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>White Dwarfs</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stars like our sun <strong>fuse hydrogen in their cores into helium</strong> through nuclear fusion reactions. White dwarfs are stars that have <strong>burned up all of the hydrogen</strong> they once used as nuclear fuel. Such stars have very high density.</li>
<li>Fusion in a star's core produces <strong>heat and outward pressure</strong> (they bloat up as enormous <strong>red giants</strong>), but this pressure is kept in balance by the inward push of gravity generated by a star's mass.</li>
<li>When the hydrogen, used as fuel, vanishes and fusion slows, gravity causes the star to <strong>collapse in on itself into white dwarfs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Black Dwarf:</strong> Eventually&mdash;over tens or even hundreds of billions of years&mdash;a white dwarf cools until it becomes a <strong>black dwarf, which emits no energy.</strong> Because the universe's oldest stars are only 10 billion to 20 billion years old there are no known black dwarfs</li>
<li>It must be noted that not all white dwarfs cool and transform into black dwarfs. Those white dwarfs which have enough mass reach a level called the <strong>Chandrasekhar Limit.</strong> At this point the pressure at its center becomes so great that the star will detonate in a <strong>thermonuclear supernova.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Chandrasekhar Limit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Chandrasekhar Limit</strong> is the maximum mass theoretically possible for a stable white dwarf star. A limit which mandates that no white dwarf (a collapsed, degenerate star) can be more massive than about <strong>1.4 times the mass of the Sun.</strong> Any degenerate object more massive must inevitably collapse into a neutron star or black hole.</li>
<li>The limit is named after the <strong>Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar,</strong> who first proposed the idea in 1931. He was awarded the <strong>Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 for his work on the physical processes involved in the structure and evolution of stars.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/white-dwarfs-system'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Transgender Persons Bill 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/why-are-there-objections-to-the-transgender-persons-bill/article30125894.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Why are there objections to the Transgender Persons Bill?&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 1/12/2019. It talks about issues related to Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Parliament has passed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-transgender-persons-protection-of-rights-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019,</strong></a> which had been framed for the welfare of transgender persons.</p>
<p>However, the LGBTQ+ <strong>(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer)</strong> community as a whole organised protest across the country, urging changes to the Bill.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2013, the government set up an expert committee to study the problems of transgenders and recommend solutions.</li>
<li>In 2014, in <strong>National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India case,</strong> the Supreme Court of India declared transgender people to be a <strong>'third gender'.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also affirmed that the fundamental rights granted under the Constitution of India will be equally applicable to transgender people, and gave them the right to self-identification of their gender as male, female or third-gender.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2014, a <strong>private member Bill,</strong> The Rights of Transgendered Persons, was introduced in the Rajya Sabha.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The bill looked at a range of entitlements of such persons, providing specifically for them in health, education sectors, skill development and employment opportunities, and protection from abuse and torture.</li>
<li>However, this Bill got lapsed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2016, the<strong> Government introduced its own Bill</strong> in the Lok Sabha and it was referred to a Standing Committee.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Standing Committee, made a number of recommendations including defining the term persons with intersex variations, granting reservations for socially and educationally backward classes, and recognition of civil rights including marriage, partnership, divorce and adoption.</li>
<li>However, with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-19), that Bill lapsed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Definition of a transgender person:</strong> The Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth. It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Intersex variations is defined to mean a person who at birth shows variation in his or her primary sexual characteristics, external genitalia, chromosomes, or hormones from the normative standard of male or female body.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prohibition against discrimination:</strong> Any person who is found to be compelling a transgender person into<strong> bonded labour</strong> denying right of public passage to a transgender person, evicting a transgender from his/her place of residence, causing physical, sexual, verbal, economic and emotional abuse, can be penalised with imprisonment of not less than six months, that can extend up to two years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It <strong>prohibits discrimination</strong> against a transgender person on grounds including denial, discontinuation or unfair treatment in educational establishments, services, employment, healthcare.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Certificate of identity:</strong> The Bill states that a transgender person shall have the right to self-perceived gender identity.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A <strong>certificate of identity</strong> can be obtained at the District Magistrate's office and a revised certificate is to be obtained if sex is changed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bill has a provision that provides transgender the <strong>right of residence</strong> with parents and immediate family members.</li>
<li><strong>Welfare measures by the government:</strong> The Bill mentions that the Government will formulate transgender sensitive, non-stigmatising and non-discriminatory welfare schemes and programmes.</li>
<li>The government shall provide education, sports and recreational facilities for transgender people.</li>
<li>Provisions for separate HIV surveillance centres and sex reassignment surgeries should also be provided by the government.</li>
<li>The Central Government will set up the <strong>National Council for Transgender Persons (NCT).</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Poor understanding of gender and sexual identity</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill does not differentiate between transgenders, transsexuals, intersex persons and genderqueer.</li>
<li><strong>One-solution fits all approach:</strong> Treating Transgender, Transsexual and Intersex persons as same is insensitive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Transgenders have a different gender identity than what was assigned to them at birth, while intersex indicates the diversity of gender based on biological characteristics at birth. There are also multiple variations in intersex itself.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill is a consequence of the directions of the Supreme Court in the <strong>National Legal Services Authority vs. Union of India case.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The judgement directed that, along with recognising civil rights (including marriage, partnership, divorce and adoption), <strong>the LGBTQ+ community shall be granted reservations in public employment and education.</strong></li>
<li>The legislation doesn't provide reservation of LGBTQ+ community.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill is progressive in that it allows self-perception of gender identity, but <strong>regresses by mandating that each person would have to be recognised as &lsquo;transgender&rsquo; on the basis of a certificate of identity issued by a district magistrate.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, there are no avenues open either for appeal in the event a magistrate refuses to hand out such a certificate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill doesn't address the issue of non-consensual sex reassignment surgery.</li>
<li>The legislation does not explicitly define what constitutes discrimination in the context of the transgender community.</li>
<li>Lack of enforceability dilutes provisions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In April 2019, the <strong>Madras High Court in Arunkumar v. The Inspector-General of Registration</strong> took up the issue of the validity of consent given on behalf of intersex infants for undergoing sex-selective surgeries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It held that the consent of the parent cannot be considered as the consent of the child. Hence, such surgeries should be prohibited.</li>
<li>Therefore, this momentous judgment, which recognises the consent rights of intersex children and the right to bodily integrity, must be emulated throughout the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, there should be strict penal provisions to curb the non-consensual sex reassignment surgery in transgenders.</li>
<li>In order to adopt a holistic approach the narrative of &lsquo;Transgender rights&rsquo; should be replaced by <strong>gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics rights.</strong></li>
<li>The National Council for Transgender Persons which plays a vital role in the implementation of the law must be provided with greater representations from the community.</li>
<li>Transgender and intersex persons might require a range of unique health care needs. Therefore, the government should incorporate healthcare interventions into the Act.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #faffc2;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />The narrative of &lsquo;Transgender rights&rsquo; should be replaced by gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics rights. Analyse the statement in the context of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/transgender-persons-bill-2019'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Repo Rate Unchanged',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)</strong> of the <strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong> has decided to keep the <strong>repo rate unchanged at 5.15%</strong> in the recent bimonthly policy review.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575622081_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575622081_image4.png" width="356" height="354" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is the first bi-monthly monetary meeting in the year 2019 in which the repo rate has been kept unchanged. <strong>Since February 2019,</strong> the RBI has cumulatively<strong> cut rates by 135 basis points (bps).</strong></li>
<li>The market was expecting the central bank to cut the repo rate further owing to the weak economic growth rate.</li>
<li>The repo rate has been kept <strong>unchanged owing to inflation pressure.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The RBI has revised its inflation forecast for the second half of the 2019-20 to 4.7-5.1% from earlier 3.5-3.7%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>RBI has also slashed its GDP growth forecast</strong> for 2019-20 from 6.1% projected earlier to 5%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Monetary Policy Committee</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Monetary Policy Committee is a<strong> statutory</strong> and institutionalized framework under the <strong>Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934,</strong> for maintaining price stability, while keeping in mind the objective of growth.</li>
<li>The<strong> Governor of RBI</strong> is<strong> ex-officio Chairman</strong> of the committee.</li>
<li>The MPC determines the policy interest rate (repo rate) required to achieve the inflation target (4%).</li>
<li>An RBI-appointed committee led by the then deputy governor Urjit Patel in 2014 recommended the establishment of the Monetary Policy Committee.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Repo rate</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>rate at which the central bank of a country (Reserve Bank of India in case of India) lends money to commercial banks</strong> in the event of any shortfall of funds.</li>
<li>It is used by monetary authorities to <strong>control inflation.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the event of inflation, central banks increase repo rate as this acts as a disincentive for banks to borrow from the central bank. This ultimately reduces the money supply in the economy and thus helps in arresting inflation.</li>
<li>The central bank takes the contrary position in the event of a fall in inflationary pressures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Ideally, a low repo rate <strong>should translate into low-cost loans for the general masses.</strong> When the RBI slashes its repo rate, it expects the banks to lower their interest rates charged on loans.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Current Economic Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Headline inflation spiked above the 4%</strong> medium-term target in October, 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> food and fuel inflation</strong> form one of the components of headline inflation in India.</li>
<li>The increase was largely due to increase in food prices as fuel group prices have been in deflation for four months in a row.</li>
<li><strong>Headline Inflation is different from Core Inflation. Core Inflation excludes volatile goods</strong> from the basket of commodities tracking Headline Inflation. These volatile commodities mainly comprise food and beverages (including vegetables) and fuel and light (crude oil).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Manufacturing has seen a 1% contraction</strong> in the second quarter after almost a flat first quarter. This is clearly reflected in capacity utilisation of the industry that has dropped to 68.9% in July-September 2019 compared with 73.6% in April-June 2019.</li>
<li>The <strong>output in eight core industries &mdash;</strong> which make up 40% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP)&mdash;<strong> contracted</strong> for the second consecutive month in October 2019.</li>
</ul>
<h3>RBI&rsquo;s Stand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Several measures already initiated by the Government and the monetary easing undertaken by the Reserve Bank since February 2019 are gradually expected to further feed into the real economy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The focus must be on the need to <strong>maximise the impact of rate reductions.</strong></li>
<li>The Weighted Average Lending Rate (WALR) of scheduled commercial banks between December 2018 and October 2019 increased by 5 basis points bps against a cumulative policy rate cut to the tune of 135 bps. This implies that retail borrowers are yet to experience reduction in commercial lending rates of banks. For them, the cost of borrowing has yet not come down.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Data on corporate finance and on projects sanctioned by banks and financial institutions suggest some early signs of recovery in investment activity, though its sustainability needs to be watched closely. The need at this juncture is to<strong> address impediments, which are holding back investments.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/external-benchmark-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>introduction of external benchmarks</strong></a> is expected to strengthen monetary transmission. In this context, there is also a need for greater flexibility in the adjustment in interest rates on small saving schemes.</li>
<li>The<strong> forthcoming union budget (2020-21)</strong> will provide better insight into further measures to be undertaken by the Government and their impact on growth.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/rbi-keeps-repo-rate-unchanged-at-515-reduces-growth-forecast-to-5/article30178696.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Exercise INDRA 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>Exercise INDRA 2019, a joint, tri services exercise between India and Russia</strong> will be conducted in India from 10<sup>th</sup>-19<sup>th</sup> December 2019 simultaneously at <strong>Babina (near Jhansi), Pune, and Goa.</strong> <a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575621700_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575621700_image6.png" width="346" height="245" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two countries will be able to imbibe the best practices from each other, jointly evolve and drills to defeat the menace of terror under the United Nations mandate.</li>
<li>The <strong>INDRA series of exercise began in 2003. It was conducted as a single service exercise</strong> alternately between the two countries. However, <strong>the first joint Tri Services Exercise was conducted in 2017.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Exercise INDRA 2018,</strong> a joint military exercise between Indian and Russia on combating insurgency under the aegis of the United Nations (UN) was conducted at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=195493" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-indra-2019'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Centre Stops Online Sale of Medicines',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has directed all states and Union territories to prohibit the sale of medicines through unlicensed online platforms as per the Delhi High Court order.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In its <strong>Zaheer Ahmed case (2018),</strong> the Delhi High Court had said that online sale of medicines should be prohibited until draft rules to regulate e-pharmacies are finalized and put in place.</li>
<li>Online sale of prescription medicines is a relatively recent phenomenon in India and laws are yet to be framed to regulate the industry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government has prepared <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addressable-market-for-e-pharmacies" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>draft e-pharmacy rules</strong></a> that are under consideration of a group of ministers (GoM) headed by the defence minister.</li>
<li>The Delhi High Court had stated that the drugs were sold online in <strong>violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics (D&amp;C) Act, 1940.</strong> Under the D&amp;C Act, 1940 and D&amp;C Rules, 1945 sale of spurious drugs is a punishable offence and State Licensing Authorities are empowered to take action in this regard.</li>
<li>However, e-pharmacies continued to sell online, after securing a stay from the Madras High Court in January 2019. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In December 2018, a single-judge Bench of the Madras High Court had told traders not to proceed with their online business in drugs till the rules are notified by the Central government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>E-pharmacies have claimed that their <strong>business model is well covered by the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000</strong> under the concept of intermediaries, and the <strong>pharmacy retail operations are covered by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It regulates the import, manufacturing and distribution of drugs in India.</li>
<li>Its objective is to ensure that the drugs and cosmetics sold in India are safe, effective and fulfills the safety standards and parameters.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Some Provisions of Draft Rules on Sale of Drugs by e-pharmacy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Those who want to sell pharmacy online will <strong>have to register with the</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-13th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)</strong></a>, the country's apex drug regulator and central licensing authority.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, they must retain prescriptions and verify details of patients and doctors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>No e-pharmacy shall advertise</strong> any drug on radio or television or the Internet or print or any other media for any purpose.</li>
<li>The supply of any drug shall be made against a cash or credit memo generated through the <strong>e-pharmacy portal</strong> and such memos shall be maintained by the e-pharmacy registration holder as a record.</li>
</ul>
<h3>e-Pharmacy Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>e-pharmacies <strong>offer discounts, doorstep delivery, accountability</strong> in case of delay in services or non-availability of a particular brand or combination of drugs at the click of a button.</li>
<li>They offer the customers the <strong>convenience to compare and select their medicines.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disadvantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They present <strong>stiff competition and threaten the business of traditional pharmacies.</strong> Their growth can impact the livelihood of nearly a million chemists, distributors and their employees</li>
<li><strong>Monitoring of fake and illegal pharmacies</strong> could be a challenge and cyber experts need to be employed to tackle such cases.</li>
<li><strong>A scanned copy of a prescription is not considered authentic</strong> under the D&amp;C Act as well as under the IT Act.</li>
<li><strong>Drug abuse:</strong> One prescription can be uploaded on two different e-pharmacy sites, leading to drug abuse. Such multiple dispensing of prescriptions can lead to misuse of drugs and increase the number of drug addicts, especially youth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/government-directs-states-to-take-action-against-unlicensed-online-pharmacies-11575376011403.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source- Livemint</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/centre-stops-online-sale-of-medicines'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Islamic Republic of Mauritania',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a boat capsized near Mauritania&rsquo;s coast. Between 2005 and 2010, thousands have died off Mauritania&rsquo;s coast in attempts to reach the Canary Islands (Spain).<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619407_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619407_image2.png" width="210" height="140" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>Mauritania is located on the <strong>Atlantic coast of Africa</strong> and is bounded to the northwest by Western Sahara, to the northeast by Algeria, to the east and southeast by Mali and to the southwest by Senegal.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>eleventh largest country of the continent</strong> and consists of <strong>desert largely.</strong></li>
<li>The capital is<strong> Nouakchott</strong> and it got<strong> independence from France on 28 November 1960.</strong></li>
<li>It has <strong>Arab-Berber population to the north</strong> and<strong> black Africans to the south</strong> and <strong>Arabic and French</strong> are the prominent <strong>languages.</strong></li>
<li>It is a member of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/afcfta-unlocking-africas-economic-might" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>African Union.</strong></a></li>
<li>In the <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/human-development-index-by-undp-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Human Development Index 2018,</strong></a> it was at rank 159.</li>
<li>The most prominent feature of this region is the <strong>Guelb er Richat,</strong> also known as <strong>the Eye of the Sahara,</strong> which is a deeply eroded dome consisting of a variety of intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619434_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575619434_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="544" height="452" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/58-migrants-dead-after-boat-capsizes-off-mauritania/article30184052.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/islamic-republic-of-mauritania'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Guidelines for Licencing of Small Finance Banks',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>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</strong></a> has released final <strong>Guidelines for &lsquo;on tap&rsquo; Licencing for Small Finance Banks (SFBs).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RBI had issued in-principle approval to ten applicants for SFB in 2015. It was mentioned that after gaining experience in dealing with these banks, RBI would grant &lsquo;on-tap&rsquo; licensing.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An &ldquo;on-tap&rdquo; facility would mean the RBI will <strong>accept applications and grant licences </strong>for banks<strong> throughout the year.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Guidelines for &lsquo;on-tap&rsquo; Licencing</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Capital requirement:</strong> The minimum paid-up voting equity capital / net worth requirement shall be <strong>₹ 200 crores.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For <strong>Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs),</strong> desirous of voluntarily transiting into SFBs initial requirement of net worth shall be at <strong>₹ 100 crores,</strong> which will have to be <strong>increased to ₹ 200 crores</strong> within<strong> 5 years</strong> from the date of commencement of business.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Scheduled bank status to SFBs:</strong> SFBs will be given scheduled bank status <strong>immediately upon commencement of operations.</strong> Also, SFBs will have general permission to <strong>open banking outlets</strong> from the date of commencement of operations.</li>
<li><strong>Payments Banks conversion to SFBs:</strong> The<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/india-post-payment-bank-ippb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> payment banks</strong></a> can apply for conversion into SFB after <strong>5 years of operations</strong> if they are otherwise eligible as per these guidelines.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575626074_1575619092_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575626074_1575619092_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Small Finance Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The small finance bank will primarily undertake <strong>basic banking activities of acceptance of deposits and lending</strong> to unserved and underserved sections including small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries and unorganised sector entities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can also undertake other non-risk sharing simple financial services activities such as the distribution of mutual fund units, insurance products, pension products, etc. with the prior approval of the RBI</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eligible candidates</strong> for setting up SFB are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Resident<strong> individuals/professionals with 10 years of experience</strong> in <strong>banking and finance.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>companies and societies</strong> owned and controlled by <strong>residents.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Existing</strong> Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs), Local Area Banks (LABs) and payment banks that are owned and controlled by residents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It needs to open at least <strong>25%</strong> of its banking outlets in <strong>unbanked rural centres.</strong></li>
<li>The bank will be required to extend <strong>75% of its adjusted net bank credit</strong> to the <strong>Priority Sector Lending (PSL).</strong></li>
<li>At least<strong> 50% of its loan portfolio</strong> should constitute loans and advances of up to <strong>₹ 25 lakhs.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>maximum loan size and investment limit</strong> exposure to a single and group would be restricted to <strong>10% and 15% of its capital funds,</strong> respectively. They <strong>cannot extend large loans.</strong></li>
<li>If the initial shareholding by promoters in the bank is in excess of <strong>40% of paid-up voting equity capital,</strong> it should be brought <strong>down to 40% within a period of 5 years.</strong></li>
<li>The small finance banks will be subject to <strong>Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) </strong>and <strong>Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Banks are required to hold a certain proportion of their deposits in the form of cash is known as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-keeps-policy-rates-unchanged" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CRR</strong></a>. This minimum ratio (that is the part of the total deposits to be held as cash) is stipulated by the RBI.</li>
<li>The share of Net Demand and Time Liabilities that a bank is required to maintain safe and liquid assets, such as government securities, cash, and gold is termed as <strong>SLR.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/rbi-lays-down-guidelines-for-payments-banks-sfb-licence/article30195255.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/guidelines-for-licencing-of-small-finance-banks'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Dr B. R. Ambedkar's 63rd Mahaparinirvan Diwas',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed every year on December 6 to commemorate death anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>He is known as the <strong>Father of the Indian Constitution</strong> and was independent <strong>India&rsquo;s first law minister.</strong></li>
<li>Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot orator, a scholar and thinker of comparative religions.<strong></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>&ldquo;Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment. It has to be cultivated. We must realise that our people have yet to learn it. Democracy in India is only a top-dressing on an Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic.&rdquo;</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><em>― B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste</em></p>
<p><em><strong>&ldquo;I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved&rdquo;</strong></em></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><em><strong>― </strong>B.R. Ambedkar</em></p>
<h3>About Dr. Ambedkar</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ambedkar-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow, Central Province</strong></a> (now Madhya Pradesh).</li>
<li>He founded <strong>Bahishkrit Hitkarni Sabha (1923).</strong></li>
<li>He led the <strong>Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927</strong> to challenge the regressive customs of the Hindus.</li>
<li>He <strong>participated in all three round-table conferences.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Round Table Conferences</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>First Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in<strong> London on Nov. 12, 1930</strong> but the <strong>Congress did not participate</strong> in it.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In March 1931, Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin (Viceroy of India 1926-31) entered into a Pact, <strong>called Gandhi-Irwin Pact,</strong> by which the Congress called off the Civil Disobedience Movement and agreed to participate in the Round Table Conference.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Second Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the <strong>7<sup>th</sup> of September, 1931.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Third Round Table Conference:</strong> It was held in London on the <strong>17<sup>th</sup> of November, 1932</strong> to consider the reports of various sub-committees appointed from time to time. It ultimately led to the <strong>passage of Govt. of India Act, 1935.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Congress did not participate</strong> as most of the leaders were in jail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1932 he signed <strong>Poona pact with Mahatma Gandhi,</strong> which abandoned the idea of separate electorates for the depressed classes (Communal Award). However, the seats reserved for the depressed classes were increased from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures and to 18% of the total in the Central Legislature.</li>
<li>In 1936, he was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly as a legislator (MLA).</li>
<li>In 1947, Dr. Ambedkar accepted PM Nehru's invitation to <strong>become Minister of Law in the first Cabinet of independent India.</strong></li>
<li>On August 29, 1947, he was appointed <strong>Chairman of the Drafting Committee</strong> for the new Constitution.</li>
<li>He resigned from the cabinet in 1951, over <strong>differences on the Hindu Code Bill.</strong></li>
<li>In 1956, he <strong>converted to Buddhism.</strong></li>
<li>He passed away on <strong>6<sup>th</sup> December 1956.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Chaitya Bhoomi</strong> is a memorial to B. R. Ambedkar located in Dadar, Mumbai.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dr-b-r-ambedkar-s-63rd-mahaparinirvan-diwas'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'War on Women',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/rape-impunity-and-state-of-denial/article30169803.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Rape, impunity and state of denial&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 05/12/2019. It highlights the rising cases of crimes against women and the issues associated with it.</p>
</div>
<p>In the wake of the recent brutal rape and murder of a young woman in Hyderabad, much of the public discourse has been confined to outrage, policing, punishment, and tougher laws. The horrific sexual crime incidents highlight the sorrow state of national emergency in India as far as crimes against women, specifically sexual crimes, are concerned.</p>
<h3>Worrisome Facts</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the <strong>National Crime Records Bureau data-2017</strong> (released in 2019), a total of <strong>3.59 lakh cases of</strong> <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/violence-against-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>crimes against women</strong></a> were reported, marking a 6% rise as compared to 2016. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Of this, assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty comprised 21.7%, and rape 7% which implies on an average, around 1,000 crimes were registered every day and 93 women were victims of rape every day (of which one-third were minors).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the data, <strong>Uttar Pradesh</strong> reported the <strong>highest number</strong> of crimes against women whereas <strong>Madhya Pradesh</strong> registered the<strong> highest number of rape cases</strong> in the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Underlying Issues and Challenges</h3>
<p><strong>Unreported Cases</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The above mentioned figures reflect only a small percentage of the crimes committed against women, as most of the cases go unreported.</li>
<li>The fear of<strong> societal shame and the patriarchal dominance</strong> in society prevents a woman from fighting for her justice.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the <strong>National Family Health Survey-4</strong> revealed that every third married woman had experienced physical and/or sexual violence but only 1.5% had sought help from the police.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In many cases, it has been noted that the culprit is the <strong>familiar individual.</strong> This prevents the victim from raising any voice against them.</li>
<li>The reluctant and less-sensitive attitude of the police officials while registering the cases makes the victim feel more victimized leading to under-reporting of cases.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Laxity in Criminal Justice System</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pendency of Cases:</strong> The NCRB report shows that the backlog of cases, including cases of child rape, is huge. For all crimes against women, the pendency of cases is <strong>as high as 89.6%.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2017, there were as many as 1.17 lakh rape cases from previous years pending trial.</li>
<li>Even the<strong> conviction rate</strong> is way too low (only 5,822 accused were convicted in 28,750 cases sent for trial in that year, that makes around 20%).</li>
<li>This failure to reform the justice system and ensure conviction leads to an increase in the impunity with which crimes against women are committed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bureaucratic Hurdles:</strong> The lax behavior by the concerned official authorities while conducting the investigation in a time-bound manner destroys the very purpose of the criminal justice system.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government tries to turn the attention to the issue of the extent of punishment, instead of focusing on the urgent steps required for the <strong>prevention of such crimes.</strong> For example, the <strong>Muzaffarpur Shelter Home</strong> sexual abuse, rape and torture of at least 35 girls, reported early last year (2018) is still under investigation with no justice of any kind in sight for the girls. It later came to light how government funding was misused by the perpetrators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Erring Laws:</strong> Most of the times, laws and legislations for women safety are either not in compliance with the international standards or are not implemented properly.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After the <strong>2012 Nirbhaya outrage</strong> in Delhi, and on the recommendations of the Justice J.S. Verma Committee, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 was passed, by bringing in changes to the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 to <strong>provide for death penalty for rape</strong> that led to death of the victim or reduced the survivor to a persistent vegetative state and anyone found guilty of rape more than once. In 2018, further changes were introduced giving death as the maximum punishment for every perpetrator in a gang-rape when the victim is less than 12, and life-long imprisonment if the victim is less than 16.</li>
<li>For instance, the <strong>Kathua and Unnao rapes</strong> only proved that legislation alone cannot ensure women&rsquo;s safety. Women remain unsafe, both in public or within the home.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solutions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Environment:</strong> India needs an <strong>ecosystem of care and empathy</strong> that focuses on the prevention of sexual assault, the protection of victims and the certainty of action against culprits. This places the onus significantly on the entire criminal justice system.</li>
<li><strong>Awareness:</strong> Preventive measures such as <strong>education and awareness</strong> (important in a deeply patriarchal society) help ensure women&rsquo;s safety. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Equally important is recognising the acts of sexual violence are deeply traumatic for survivors, and that it takes great courage and faith in the system to report them.</li>
<li>The police, dominated by men, must do more to clear all obstacles in the path of survivors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reporting:</strong> There is a need of a <strong>comprehensive and systematic research and analysis on crime against women</strong> at Central, State, district and block level. Accurate data collection is very important to inform policy initiatives.</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructure:</strong> In India, after the Nirbhaya case, the committee under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-s-verma-committee-on-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Justice J.S. Verma</strong></a> had made a series of recommendations for prevention of crimes that placed the responsibility on the Central and State governments to ensure the presence of social and physical infrastructure to prevent crimes against women. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The suggestions included changes in school and college syllabi to educate social values of equality and respect for women&rsquo;s autonomy; ensuring safe public transport, city and street lighting, CCTV cameras; mapping unsafe areas and provision of increased police patrolling in such areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Government Initiatives</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Constitutional Safeguards:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fundamental Rights:</strong> It guarantees all Indians the right to equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State on the basis of gender (Article 15(1)) and special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women (Article 15(3)).</li>
<li><strong>Fundamental Duties:</strong> It ensures that practices derogatory to the dignity of women are prohibited under Article 51 (A).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Legislative Framework:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005:</strong> It provides victims of domestic violence with a means for practical remedy through prosecution.</li>
<li><strong>The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961:</strong> It prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry.</li>
<li><strong>The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013:</strong> This legislative act seeks to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work.</li>
<li><strong>The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), 2012:</strong> enacted to protect minors from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding the interest of the child at every stage of the judicial process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has taken some steps, but there is a long way to go before women, especially from marginalised backgrounds, to feel secure and safe. Enhanced accessibility to justice needs to be ensured.</li>
<li>A <strong>UN report</strong> on<strong> &lsquo;steps required to provide safety and security for women&rsquo;</strong> states that, women&rsquo;s safety involves strategies and policies that have been formed before violence have prevented perpetration or victimisation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Prevention efforts involve strategic, long-term, comprehensive initiatives that address the risk and protective factors related to perpetration, victimisation and spectator behaviour.</li>
<li><strong>Awareness and sensitization</strong> of people is equally important in this regard to prevent the crime itself. In every curriculum gender sensitisation must be included right from school. Public places must be made safer for all. Boys and girls should be raised right in an atmosphere of freedom and a culture of mutual respect.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Capacity building and training</strong> programmes to service providers and law enforcement officers needs to be conducted to effectively handle cases of violence against women. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Better policing, <strong>fast-track courts,</strong> quick sentencing are the need of the hour as each can serve as a deterrent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There needs to be an <strong>overhaul of the criminal justice system</strong> in the country rather than emphasising on the stringent penalties.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The death penalty for rape and murder is already on the statute book. But the evidence suggests that such punishments have also not led to a decrease in crimes. Hence it is not just the extent and stringency of punishment, but also the certainty of fair procedures that need to be followed to discourage the crime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #4000ff; background-color: #e1effa;"><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong>India has taken some steps but there is a long way to go before women to feel secure and safe. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/war-on-women'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Telecom Sector: Issues and Challenges',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is currently the world&rsquo;s second-largest telecommunications market with a subscriber base of 1.20 billion and has registered strong growth in the past decade and a half.</li>
<li>Contribution of mobile phone industry as a part of gross domestic product (GDP) of the country in 2014 has been to the tune of US$ 400 billion.</li>
<li>According to a report prepared by the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA), as of January 2019, India has witnessed a 165% growth in app downloads in the past two years.</li>
<li>Based on the data available from GSMA, this sector will create close to 4 million additional jobs by 2020.</li>
<li>Tele-density of Indian telecom industry (wireless plus wire line) has grown from a low of 3.60% in March 2001 to 84% in March 2016.</li>
<li><strong>Telecom is the second highest revenue earner for the government, after income tax:</strong> The sector is expected to contribute as much as 90% of the government&rsquo;s non-tax revenue. Digital India programme is also almost completely dependent on the telecom sector.</li>
<li>The liberal and reformist policies of the Government of India have been instrumental along with strong consumer demand in the rapid growth in the Indian telecom sector. The deregulation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms has made the sector one of the fastest growing and a top five employment opportunity generator in the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Evolution of the Telecom Sector in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Indian telecom sector is <strong>more than 165 years old.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Telecommunications was first introduced in India in 1851</strong> when the first operational land lines were laid by the government near Kolkata (then Calcutta), although telephone services were formally introduced in India much later in 1881.</li>
<li>Further, in 1883, telephone services were merged with the postal system. <strong>In 1947, after India attained independence, all foreign telecommunication companies were nationalised to form the Posts, Telephone and Telegraph (PTT),</strong> a body that was governed by the Ministry of Communication.</li>
<li><strong>The Indian telecom sector was entirely under government ownership until 1984,</strong> when the private sector was allowed in telecommunication equipment manufacturing only.</li>
<li>The government concretised its earlier efforts towards developing R&amp;D in the sector by setting up an autonomous body &ndash; <strong>Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in 1984</strong> to develop state-of-the-art telecommunication technology to meet the growing needs of the Indian telecommunication network.</li>
<li>The actual evolution of the industry started after the <strong>Government separated the Department of Post and Telegraph in 1985 by setting up the Department of Posts and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).</strong><strong></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575544757_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575544757_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="601" height="451" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Issues and Challenges of Telecom Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>High Right-of-Way (ROW)</strong> cost: Sometimes, state governments charge a huge amount for permitting the laying of fiber, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of fixed line penetration:</strong> India has very little penetration of fixed-line in its network whereas most of the developed countries have a very high penetration of fixed lines (telephone line that traveled through a metal wire or optical fiber as part of a nationwide telephone network).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only around 25% of Towers in India are connected with fibre networks, whereas in developed nations, it is in excess of 70%.</li>
<li>5G Network requires towers to be connected to with very high-speed systems. Those high speeds are not possible on the present radio systems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Declining Average Revenue Per User (ARPU):</strong> ARPU decline now is sharp and steady, which, combined with falling profits and in some cases serious losses, is prompting the Indian telecom industry to look at consolidation as the only way to boost revenues.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the Supreme Court allowed the government&rsquo;s plea to recover adjusted gross revenue of about Rs 92,000 crore from telcos, that further adds to their stress.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Limited Spectrum Availability:</strong> Available spectrum is less than 40% as compared to European nations and 50% as compared to China.</li>
<li><strong>Low Broadband Penetration:</strong> Low broadband penetration in the country is a matter of concern. As per white paper presented on broadband at the last International Telecommunication Union (ITU), <strong>broadband penetration in India is only 7%.</strong></li>
<li>Over the Top (OTT) applications such as WhatsApp, OLA and so on do not need permission or a pact with a telecommunications company. This hampers the revenue of telecommunication service providers.</li>
<li><strong>Huge fluctuations in the duties on Telecom Equipment</strong> which contribute to connecting the whole system from the central server to the consumer.</li>
<li><strong>Timeframe of policy execution:</strong> Government have withdrawn a lot of things to benefit telecom sector but by the time it gets executed to the market, it becomes too late.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Telecom Infrastructure in Semi-rural and Rural areas:</strong> Service providers have to incur huge initial fixed cost to enter semi-rural and rural areas.</li>
<li><strong>Pressure on Margins Due to Stiff Competition:</strong> With competition heating up post entry of Reliance Jio, other telecom players are feeling the heat of substantial drop in tariff rates both for voice and data (more significant for data subscribers).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps Taken by the Government</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-national-digital-communications-policy-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Digital Communications Policy</strong></a> - <strong>2018 (NDCP-2018)</strong> was unveiled in Oct 2018, to replace National Telecom Policy-2012, to cater to the modern needs of the digital communications sector of India. The policy aims to attract USD 100 billion worth of investments and generate 4 million jobs in the sector by 2022.</li>
<li>Telecom Commission was re-designated as the <strong>"Digital Communications Commission&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li>In 2017, Department of Telecom (DoT) came up with a gazette notification, advising the state governments to give quicker ROW permission and charge very little amount to service providers. Though, only some states responded.</li>
<li>The government has provided benefits to telecom sector by withdrawing some duties.</li>
<li>The government has fast-tracked reforms in the telecom sector and continues to be proactive in providing room for growth for telecom companies.</li>
<li>The Department of Information Technology intends to <strong>set up over 1 million internet-enabled common service centres across India</strong> as per the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National e-Governance Plan.</strong></a></li>
<li>FDI cap in the telecom sector has been increased to 100% from 74%. Out of 100%, 49% will be done through automatic route and the rest will be done through the FIPB approval route.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>FDI of up to 100% is permitted for infrastructure providers offering dark fibre, electronic mail and voice mail.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Government of India has introduced Digital India programme under which all the sectors such as healthcare, retail, etc. will be connected through the internet.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suggestions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NDCP-2018 advocates:-</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Establishment of a <strong>National Digital Grid</strong> by creating a National Fibre Authority;</li>
<li>Establishing <strong>Common Service Ducts and utility corridors</strong> in all new city and highway road projects;</li>
<li>Creating a <strong>collaborative institutional mechanism</strong> between Centre, States and Local Bodies for Common Rights of Way, standardization of costs and timelines;</li>
<li><strong>Removal of barriers to approvals;</strong> and</li>
<li>Facilitating development of <strong>Open Access Next Generation Networks.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Explore the option of revenue sharing agreement</strong> between Internet players and telecommunication companies.</li>
<li><strong>Outsourcing non-core functions</strong> such as network maintenance, IT operations and customer service.</li>
<li><strong>Divestment of tower assets</strong> into separate companies will enable curb costs and focus on core operations.</li>
<li><strong>Introduce new and efficient technologies</strong> such as M2M (technology that enables networked devices to exchange information and perform actions without the manual assistance of humans) and cloud computing.</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of industry status</strong> in line with other infrastructure sectors in the country to be implemented.</li>
<li><strong>Penetration of rural markets</strong> (72% of population staying in rural areas) will be the key growth driver.</li>
<li>The government should <strong>increase the network area through optical fibre</strong> instead of copper which is expensive. This is necessary to ensure last mile connectivity.</li>
<li>The government needs to prepare a ground for <strong>easy right-of-way permissions</strong> and lower cost of right-of-ways.</li>
<li>It is time to go for a <strong>generational shift</strong> to ensure that <strong>current tariff is financially viable</strong> for service providers.</li>
<li>Telecom Operators should leverage on the talent pool in the country which is bringing in a lot of<strong> new innovations in AI, blockchain technology</strong> etc.</li>
<li><strong>New Infrastructure on shareable basis</strong> just like the way telecom service providers share the cost of towers is need of the hour.</li>
<li>The government should spend more on R&amp;D and create an environment that makes India capable of manufacturing and exporting hardware components like mobile handsets, CCTV Cameras, touch screen monitors etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The telecom sector in India has to deal with various challenges like maintaining the sufficient spectrum, adoption of new technologies faster to be able to use the new features and techniques to serve the customers with better and feature rich service.</li>
<li>A proactive and facilitatory government role regarding telecom sector is the need of the hour given the huge opportunities provided by the sector.</li>
<li>Independent and statutory body, <strong>Telecom Regulatory Authority of India</strong> (TRAI) has an important role to play as a watchdog of the sector. A more proactive and timely Dispute Resolution by <strong>TDSAT</strong> (Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) is the need of the hour.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges-mindmap" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For Mind Map</em></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Telecom Sector: Issues and Challenges',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1577351950_Telecom%20Sector Issues and Challenges (Mind Map).png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1577351950_Telecom Sector Issues and Challenges (Mind Map).png" width="464" height="923" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For TTP</em></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper3/telecom-sector-issues-and-challenges-mindmap'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Bharat Bond Exchange Traded Fund',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,</strong> chaired by the Prime Minister of India, has approved the Government&rsquo;s plan to create and launch <strong>India&rsquo;s first corporate bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) &mdash; Bharat Bond ETF.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Fund will provide additional source of money for Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), Central Public Financial Institutions (CPFIs) and other Government organizations to meet their borrowing requirements, apart from bank financing.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Exchange Traded Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) is a <strong>basket of securities that trade on an exchange,</strong> just like a stock.</li>
<li>ETF <strong>reflects the composition of an Index,</strong> like BSE Sensex. Its trading value is based on the Net Asset Value (NAV) of the underlying stocks (such as shares) that it represents.</li>
<li>ETF share prices fluctuate all day as it is bought and sold. This is <strong>different from mutual funds</strong> that only trade once a day after the market closes.</li>
<li>An ETF can own hundreds or thousands of stocks across various industries, or it could be isolated to one particular industry or sector.</li>
<li><strong>Bond ETFs</strong> are a type of ETFs which may include government bonds, corporate bonds, and state and local bonds&mdash;called municipal bonds.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A <strong>bond</strong> is an instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower (typically corporate or governmental).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Besides being cost efficient, ETFs offer a diversified investment portfolio to investors.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Features of Bharat Bond ETF<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534725_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534725_image5.jpg" width="369" height="300" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ETF will comprise a basket of bonds issued by the CPSEs, CPSUs, CPFIs, and other government organisations.</li>
<li>The<strong> unit size</strong> of the bond has been kept at <strong>just ₹1,000</strong> so that even retail investors can invest.</li>
<li>Each ETF will have a fixed maturity date and initially they will be issued in two series, of 3 years and 10 years. Each series will have a separate index of the same maturity series.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Index will be constructed by an independent index provider &ndash; <strong>National Stock Exchange.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bharat Bond ETF will ensure <strong>broader investor base</strong> through the participation of retail and High Networth Individuals (HNI).This will lead to an increase in the demand for bonds, thus <strong>reducing the cost of borrowing</strong> for borrowers i.e. government organizations.</li>
<li>The Bond ETF will provide safety, liquidity and predictable tax efficient returns.</li>
<li>The launch of this ETF is expected to eventually<strong> increase the size of bond ETFs in India</strong> leading to achieving key objectives at a larger scale - deepening bond markets, enhancing retail participation and reducing borrowing costs.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/cabinet-okays-bond-etfs/article30169849.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/bharat-bond-exchange-traded-fund'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Global Climate Risk Index 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The international environmental think tank &lsquo;Germanwatch&rsquo; has recently released the Global Climate Risk Index 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The index analyses the extent to which countries and regions have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" width="163" height="366" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Worst affected in 2018:</strong> Japan, Philippines and Germany</li>
<li><strong>Worst affected between 1999-2018 (long-term index):</strong> Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti</li>
<li><strong>Deaths and financial loss between 1999-2018:</strong> Altogether, about 5 lakh people died as a direct result of more than 12 000 extreme weather events globally. Losses amounted to around US$ 3.54 trillion (in purchasing power parities).</li>
<li><strong>Poor countries had to face much higher impacts:</strong> Of the ten most affected countries and territories in the period 1999-2018, seven were developing countries in the low income or lower-middle income country group, two were classified as upper-middle income countries (Thailand and Dominica) and one was an advanced economy generating high income (Puerto Rico).</li>
<li><strong>Link between climate change and the frequency &amp; severity of extreme heat:</strong> Heatwaves were one major cause of damage in 2018. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Of the ten most affected countries in 2018, Germany, Japan and India were suffering from extended periods of heat.</li>
<li>Across Europe, extreme heat spells are now up to 100 times more likely than a century ago.</li>
<li>Impact of heatwaves on African countries may be under-represented due to a lack of data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India, which suffered water shortages, crop failures and worst flooding, holds the <strong>5<sup>th</sup> position.</strong> It has fallen from its 14<sup>th</sup> rank of countries hit most by climate change-induced weather phenomena in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has also recorded the <strong>highest number of fatalities due to climate change</strong> and the <strong>second-highest monetary losses from its impact in 2018.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suggestions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 2019 Climate Summit in Madrid needs to address the lack of additional climate finance to help the poorest people and countries to address loss and damage. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These countries are <strong>more vulnerable to the damaging effects</strong> of a hazard but <strong>have lower coping capacity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The climate summit needs to result in: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>a decision on how the need for support for vulnerable countries concerning future loss and damage is to be determined on an ongoing basis</li>
<li>the necessary steps to generate and make available financial resources to meet these needs</li>
<li>strengthening the implementation of measures for adapting to climate change</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Germanwatch</strong></p>
<p>Germanwatch, based in Bonn and Berlin (Germany), is an independent development and environmental organisation which works for sustainable global development.</p>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-climate-risk-index-2020'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'World Soil Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Soil Day (WSD)</strong> is held annually on <strong>5 December</strong> to highlight the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> for WSD 2019 is<strong> &lsquo;Stop Soil Erosion, Save Our Future&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="216" height="210" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was recommended by the <strong>International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)</strong> in <strong>2002.</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)</strong></a> has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness-raising platform under the leadership of the<strong> Kingdom of Thailand</strong> within the framework of the<strong> Global Soil Partnership.</strong></li>
<li><strong>5 December 2014</strong> was designated as the <strong>first official World Soil Day</strong> by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a> <strong>(UNGA).</strong></li>
<li>The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official <strong>birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand,</strong> who <strong>officially sanctioned</strong> the event.</li>
<li>FAO gives <strong>two awards</strong> in line with this day-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award-</strong> an annual award that honours individuals, communities, organizations and countries that organized remarkable and engaging World Soil Day activities or campaigns in the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>The Glinka World Soil Prize-</strong> an annual award for dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving one of our world&rsquo;s most pressing environmental issue: <strong>soil degradation.</strong> It honours individuals and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed, or are still contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.fao.org/world-soil-day/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: FAO</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-soil-day'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'World Malaria Report, 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>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 released the <strong>World Malaria Report, 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report provides a comprehensive update on global and regional malaria data and trends including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, elimination and surveillance.</li>
<li>According to the report, <strong>228 million cases</strong> of malaria are observed <strong>worldwide, down from</strong> 251 million cases in <strong>2010.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Highest Burden:</strong> India along with 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa carried almost <strong>85% of the global malaria burden.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though <strong>India</strong> has observed the <strong>largest absolute reductions</strong> among the countries that share 85% of the malaria burden.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> It has declined globally between 2010 and 2018, from 71 to 57 cases per 1000 population.</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> The <strong>number of deaths due to malaria</strong> has <strong>decreased</strong> globally. (405,000 deaths in 2018 from 416,000 deaths in 2017).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> India reported <strong>2.6 million fewer cases</strong> in 2018 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>compared to 2017.</strong></a> Thus the overall incidence of malaria in the country has reduced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However,<strong> 7 states</strong> (Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh) account for about <strong>90% of the burden</strong> of malaria cases in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> Overall number of deaths due to malaria in India have reduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" width="509" height="194" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Steps taken at the global level</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</li>
<li>WHO has also released a new country-driven approach&ndash;<strong>&ldquo;High burden to high impact&rdquo;</strong> to enhance response to malaria in countries where malaria cases increased in 2018 as compared to 2017</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps taken by the Indian government</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (NSPME) (2017-22)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.</li>
<li>It is based on the <strong>National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016</strong> which is in line with <strong>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established <strong>&lsquo;Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)</strong> which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Malaria</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Malaria is caused by <strong>Plasmodium parasites.</strong></li>
<li>The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called <strong>"malaria vectors",</strong></li>
<li><strong>World Malaria Day</strong> is observed on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> April.</strong></li>
<li>It can be noted that WHO officially endorses disease-specific global awareness days for only four diseases viz. HIV-AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Hepatitis.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/malaria-drop-is-sharpest-in-india-90-of-cases-are-in-7-states-6151060/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2019'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Navy Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Indian Navy Day is celebrated on <strong>December 4</strong> every year to commemorate <strong>Operation Trident.</strong> The Navy also organises a <strong>Beating Retreat ceremony at Gateway of India in Mumbai</strong> on the eve of the Navy Day.</p>
<h3>Operation Trident</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a counter-attack by Indian Navy<strong> on the Karachi harbour</strong> during the<strong> Indo-Pakistan war in 1971.</strong></li>
<li>India used <strong>anti-ship missiles</strong> for the first time during this operation and destroyed the Pakistani destroyer ship <strong>PNS Khaibar.</strong></li>
<li>The Indian Navy's <strong>three warships - INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and INS Veer -</strong> played an important role in the attack.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Navy<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="150" height="223" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>headed</strong> by the <strong>President of India</strong> as its <strong>Supreme Commander.</strong></li>
<li>Indian Navy&rsquo;s <strong>Motto</strong> is - <strong>Sam no Varunah</strong> (शं नो वरूण&zwnj;:) that means that the God of water, Varuna, should be auspicious unto us.</li>
<li>Some of the <strong>earliest operations</strong> of the Indian Navy include its contribution in&nbsp;<strong>liberating Goa from Portugal in 1961.</strong></li>
<li>The Navy has developed as an admirable force with the making of the <strong>nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/deterrence-or-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INS Arihant</a></strong> and several other ships.</li>
<li>Indian Navy currently has <strong>one aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya</strong> which was a <strong>former Russian ship</strong> that was commissioned into service in 2013.</li>
<li>It <strong>operates three classes of submarines: Chakra</strong> (it has the <strong>nuclear-powered INS Chakra), Sindhughosh, and Shishumar.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Marine Commandos or MARCOS</strong> is the special force unit of the Indian Navy, trained to conduct amphibious warfare, counter-terrorism, special reconnaissance, hostage rescue and asymmetric warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They were the first to respond to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ten-years-after-the-mumbai-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>26/11 Mumbai</strong> </a>terror attacks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/navy-day-heres-a-quick-look-at-the-indian-navy-today/article21260246.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/navy-day'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Revamping the Agricultural Sector',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the &ldquo;New Approach to Agriculture Sector&rdquo; which was published in Livemint on 02/12/2019. It highlights the problems faced by the Indian agricultural sector and the solutions to tackle it.</p>
</div>
<p>India faces several challenges related to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agricultural-distress-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>agriculture and food security</strong> </a>that include fragmentation of landholdings, degradation of resource quality, climate change induced adverse impact, large scale migration of agriculturists to non-farming sectors, etc. The current status of agriculture, therefore, needs critical evaluation in order to provide suitable remedial measures.</p>
<h3>Historical Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food security</strong></a> has been a national priority since Independence to fulfill the food demands of a rapidly growing population.</li>
<li><strong>Green Revolution</strong> that started in the mid-1960s through adoption of fertilizer-responsive high yielding varieties (HYVs), farm mechanization and use of agrochemicals including fertilizers transformed India from being a <strong>food importer to food exporter country</strong> within five decades.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last 50 years, food grain production (in the form of oilseeds, horticulture crops, etc.) in the country has increased by almost 3 times which has outpaced the growth of the population that went up by 2.6 times during this period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues in the Agriculture Sector</h3>
<p>While Green Revolution technologies intensified agricultural production, the misuse of inputs and deviant farm practices have led to an <strong>emergence of second-generation problems.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Multi-nutrient Deficiencies</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Practising the high yielding intensive agriculture has put an extreme pressure on soil health reflected by the <strong>continuous depletion of soil fertility.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to selective subsidy scheme in the form of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-approves-nutrient-based-subsidy-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme</strong></a> only for phosphatic and potassic (P&amp;K) fertilizers, there has been an overuse of these fertilizers. This has lead to the problem of <strong>nutrient mining</strong> (agricultural practices resulting in a negative nutrient balance) <strong>in Indian soil,</strong> impacting soil health over time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In addition to primary nutrients (NPK), deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients (boron, copper, iron, manganese, etc) have increased in Indian soils.</li>
<li>Inadequate, imbalanced and inefficient use of mineral fertilizers with lack of use of organic sources of plant nutrients has given rise to multi-nutrient deficiencies.</li>
<li><strong>Fertilizer/nutrient use efficiency</strong> (economic production obtained per unit of fertilizer/nutrient applied) is also relatively low in India such as, with nitrogen (30-40%), phosphorus (15-20%) and potash (60-70%). This not only affects the <strong>crop yields but also affects the environment</strong> due to the escape of unused nutrients.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>crop response to fertilizers</strong> has been declining continuously. The average crop response to fertilizer application (kg grain produced per kg of NPK applied) decreased from 12.1:1 (during the 1960s) to 5:1 (in the 2010s). With the decrease in crop response to fertilizers, the<strong> profitability of the farmers has gone down</strong> year after year.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Inefficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the agriculture sector, water management related challenges include low water use efficiency, water-energy nexus, growing water-intensive crops in water-deficient areas, poor quality waters characterized by the excessive toxic elements and salts, and poor rainwater management.</li>
<li><strong>Water salinization and waterlogging</strong> in canal command areas (like Punjab, Haryana, Western UP) and rapidly<strong> falling water tables</strong> in the tube well-irrigated areas have aggravated the problem.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>practise of flood irrigation</strong> (one of the most inefficient methods of irrigation) has led to the transformation of agro-climatic cropping patterns in India. For instance, easier availability of water through pumping of groundwater because of the <strong>availability of free electricity to farmers</strong>&nbsp;has made the farmers of north-western India shift to rice cultivation during <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>kharif season</strong></a> by replacing traditional maize and coarse cereals production.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Decreasing Farmers Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The declining farmers&rsquo; income is largely on account of <strong>low average crop productivity and poor price realization.</strong></li>
<li>Government announces <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/minimum-support-price" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price</strong></a> (MSP) for crops. However, farmers are forced to sell their produce at much lower prices due to the exploitation by the middlemen, called Aadhtees.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the absence of effective market interventions, infrastructure, backward and forward linkages, farmers are <strong>unable to recover the cost of production.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Remedial Measures</h3>
<p><strong>Sustenance of Soil Health</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Organic carbon content</strong> in Indian soils is relatively poor. Effective steps are needed to augment the organic nutrient sources that include agricultural composting (natural process of decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms under controlled conditions), returning crop residues to the soil, etc.</li>
<li>For <strong>soil health enhancement,</strong>&nbsp;the government can <strong>link composting to<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/who-applauds-swachh-bharats-rural-component" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Swachh Bharat Mission</a></strong> and provide it free of cost to the farmers.</li>
<li>The target of reducing the use of chemical fertilizers up to 25% can be achieved by <strong>doubling the nutrient use efficiency.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Correction in Fertilizer Policy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a number of initiatives such as shift from urea to 100% neem coated urea, reducing the weight of urea bag from 50 kg to 45 kg and providing soil health cards to all farmers have been taken <strong>to reduce urea consumption </strong>and <strong>promote more efficient use of nitrogen.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it has not helped much because under the prevailing fertilizer pricing policy there is a huge gap in urea vis-&agrave;-vis P&amp;K prices that continues to distort the NPK use ratio.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is time to revisit the present fertilizer pricing and subsidy scheme. Fertilizer policy should ensure balanced pricing of N, P, K, and micronutrients.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A simple solution in this regard is to bring urea under NBS scheme and transfer the subsidy directly into the farmers&rsquo; accounts rather than routing through the fertilizer industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Efficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Education of the society at large on the necessity of <strong>&lsquo;judicious use of water&rsquo;, &lsquo;har khet ko pani&rsquo; and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-krishi-sinchayee-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> &lsquo;more crop per drop'</a></strong> is a welcome step towards efficient usage of water.</li>
<li>Focus should be on agriculture sector with management technologies which have the potential of making water savings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Savings on water and nutrients under <strong>drip-fertigation</strong> (method of fertilizer application in which fertilizer is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system) range from 20% to 60% and 20-30%, respectively. The adoption and development of cropping/farming systems should be guided by the potential water availability.</li>
<li>Regulatory mechanisms should be put in place for sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Farmers&rsquo; Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The inter-ministerial committee constituted to examine issues relating to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/doubling-farmers-income-a-promise-to-be-fulfilled-by-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>doubling of farmers&rsquo; income by 2022,</strong></a> has identified seven sources of income growth namely,
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Improvement in crop productivity,</li>
<li>Improvement in livestock productivity,</li>
<li>Resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of production,</li>
<li>Increase in the cropping intensity,</li>
<li>Diversification towards high-value crops,</li>
<li>Improvement in real prices received by farmers, and</li>
<li>Shift from farm to non-farm occupations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the livelihood security of the country&rsquo;s millions of farmers (especially small and marginal ones), it is essential to shift to the approach of <strong>Integrated Farming System (IFS).</strong> The IFS model integrates the latest production technologies of farming and livestock/ aquaculture development and management.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Market Reforms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Market reforms are needed to ensure that remunerative prices to the farmers are given for their produce. A step towards bringing reforms in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/unaddressed-issues-in-agri-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agricultural Produce Market Committees</strong></a> (APMC) was taken by the government in July 2015 through the creation of <strong>National Agricultural Market (NAM).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since the APMCs are a state subject, operation of NAM faces innumerable difficulties. Unless NAM becomes successful, farmers shall keep facing exploitation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Central and State Governments need to work in tandem to provide support and required financial assistance to the farmers, so as to improve the availability and use of organic sources of plant nutrients.</li>
<li>Fertilizer policies need immediate course correction to promote the use of nutrients from inorganic, organic and biological sources. Industry freed from controls and task of reaching subsidy to the farmers by implementing DBT in true sense will encourage innovation in products and services.</li>
</ul>
<p>Indian agriculture is passing through a phase where the sustainability of soil health and crop yields have come into question. The dependence on fertilizers will continue to increase in the foreseeable future to meet the increasing nutrient demands for higher food production.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcffcc;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Briefly discuss the issues faced by the Indian agricultural sector and suggest corrective measures that can be undertaken to overcome them.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Typhoon Kammuri',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a typhoon struck the Philippines, bringing heavy rains and suspending air travel. The government issued the warnings of floods, storm surges and landslides.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is known locally as<strong> Tisoy</strong> and is the 20<sup>th</sup> typhoon to hit the country this year.</li>
<li><strong>Tropical Cyclone</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-western-disturbance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone</strong></a> is the formation of a very <strong>low-pressure system</strong> with <strong>very high-speed winds</strong> revolving around it. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.</li>
<li>Cyclones are called <strong>'Hurricanes' in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, 'Typhoons' in South-East Asia and China</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;Tropical Cyclones&rsquo; in the South-West Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" width="443" height="424" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/one-killed-as-typhoon-hits-philippines-hundreds-of-flights-halted-6148229/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/typhoon-kammuri'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Anaemia in Indian Children',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A paper published in &lsquo;Scientific Reports&rsquo; pointed out that <strong>about 58.5% of children below five years of age in India are anaemic.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over one lakh children were analyzed using the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey (2015-16) data.</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong>Socio-demographic factors</strong> such as the wealth of the family, maternal education, maternal age, type of residence are the main reasons behind the incidence of childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>Recently, a &lsquo;Lancet Global Health report&rsquo; also revealed that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-among-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>23% of Indian men suffer from anaemia.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Anaemia</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong> defines anaemia as a condition in which the <strong>number of red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Iron deficiency</strong> is the <strong>most common cause</strong> of anaemia, although other conditions, such as folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin A deficiencies, chronic inflammation, parasitic infections, and inherited disorders can all cause anaemia.</li>
<li>In its severe form, it is associated with fatigue, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness. <strong>Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" width="527" height="444" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Maternal Education</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Maternal education increases the chances of mothers being aware of different health issues and thus taking the correct and appropriate steps towards preventing such issues.</li>
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the mother's education and the incidence of childhood anaemia. In other words, as the mother&rsquo;s education level increases, the tendency of the child to be anaemic decreases significantly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wealth of the Family</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>52.9% of children in rich households were marked anaemic.</li>
<li>The number was 63.2% in the poorest households.</li>
<li>This suggests that a large number of children in poor households are anaemic, though the situation in rich households is also not that well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maternal Age</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the age of mothers and the incidence of anaemia in children. The children of younger mothers are more anaemic.</li>
<li>This reveals the powerlessness of mothers in the age group 15-19 years in ensuring that the children get the right food.</li>
<li>This also reveals the power dimension in the allocation and use of resources in the household.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Programmes Related to Anaemia</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> the government of India launched <strong>Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB)</strong> as part of the <strong>Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI) Program</strong> for <strong>accelerating</strong> the <strong>annual rate of decline</strong> of anaemia from <strong>one to three percentage points.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The target groups for AMB are <strong>Children</strong> (6-59 months, 5-9 years), <strong>Adolescent Girls &amp; Boys</strong> (10-19 years), <strong>Women of Reproductive Age</strong> (15-49 years), <strong>Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also launched the <strong>Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS)</strong> Programme to meet the challenge of high prevalence and incidence of anaemia amongst <strong>adolescent girls and boys.</strong></li>
<li>Other programmes introduced include Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), National Nutritional Anemia Control Program (NNACP), etc to combat anemia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A broader health strategy is required to effectively address the issue of anaemia. Also, there is a need to bridge the gap between policy and practice.</li>
<li>The mother&rsquo;s health needs to be addressed as anaemia in mothers and premature delivery can also lead to childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>In addition to the maternal influence on childhood anaemia, paternal and overall household influences need to be considered for a more comprehensive policy framework for intervention at the household level.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/study-of-one-lakh-individuals-finds-why-indias-children-are-anaemic/article30062583.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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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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