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SURYA KIRAN - XIV

Why in News The joint military exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV’ between India and Nepal will be conducted in Nepal from 3rd- 16th...

30 Nov 2019 News Analysis
GDP Growth

Why in News As per the data released by the National Statistical Office, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth slipped to a 26-quarter...

30 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Seismometers Defunct in Earthquake-Prone Zones

Why in News 20 out of 35 seismometers and accelerographs in earthquake prone zones (Seismic zone III and IV) of Maharashtra were found...

30 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Indo-Nepal Territorial Dispute

This article is based on “A line runs through it” which was published in The Indian Express on 27/11/2019. It talks about various...

29 Nov 2019 News Editorials
Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Why in News Recently, a research study on congenital deformities in children born to women exposed to the 1984 gas leak in Bhopal was stopped from...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
U.S. Minimises its Share in NATO Budget

Why in News The U.S. contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) operating budget has been cut down at the cost of an...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience

The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) organized the 1st International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience"...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Indian Diaspora Largest in the World: UN Report

Why in News As per International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM) latest report, ‘Global Migration Report 2020’, India continues...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Why in news The Parliament has passed the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019. It will streamline operations of collective investment schemes or chit...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Supplementary Grants

Why in News Finance Minister tabled the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2019-20 in both the Houses of...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Defence Industrial Corridors

Why in News The Government has set up defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. These defence corridors will facilitate a...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
UNDP’s Accelerator Lab

Why in News The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched its Accelerator Lab in India. The project has been launched in...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Defence Acquisition Council

Why in News The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the procurement of weapons and equipment worth ₹22,800 crore. The focus was on...

29 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Policy Watch - Direct Tax Code

Recently, a draft legislation on new direct tax code has been submitted by the task force to the Finance Minister. The task force headed by...

28 Nov 2019 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
New Citizenship Regime

This article is based on “The misadventure of a new citizenship regime” which was published in The Hindu on 27/11/2019. It talks about...

28 Nov 2019 News Editorials
New Snake Species Found in Arunachal Pradesh

Why in News Recently, a new species of non-venomous burrowing snake, named Trachischium apteii has been found in the forested area of the Talley...

28 Nov 2019 News Analysis
NuGen Mobility Summit 2019

Why in News The three day NuGen Mobility Summit is being held at Manesar in Haryana. It is organised by the International Centre for Automotive...

28 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Emissions Gap Report by UNEP

Why in News Recently, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released ‘Emissions Gap Report’, according to which India is the...

28 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Exercise Mitra Shakti

Why in News The 7th edition of India-Sri Lanka joint military training exercise Mitra Shakti– 2019 is scheduled to be conducted in Pune from 01...

28 Nov 2019 News Analysis
Perils of Electoral Politics

This article is based on “Preventing political coalitions of convenience” which was published in The Hindu on 27/11/2019. It talks...

27 Nov 2019 News Editorials

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			'title' => 'SURYA KIRAN - XIV',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The joint military exercise<strong> &lsquo;SURYA KIRAN &ndash; XIV&rsquo; between India and Nepal</strong> will be <strong>conducted in Nepal</strong> from 3<sup>rd</sup>- 16<sup>th</sup> December 2019. <a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575102051_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575102051_image4.png" width="260" height="184" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The exercise will comprise of 300 soldiers from both Indian and Nepal Army who would be sharing their experience in conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations as also various humanitarian assistance missions by both the Armies.</li>
<li>The exercise is an<strong> annual event</strong> which is conducted <strong>alternatively in Nepal and India.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>13<sup>th</sup> (previous) edition</strong> of the exercise was conducted in <strong>Uttarakhand, India.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594165" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'GDP Growth',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>As per the data released by the National Statistical Office,<strong> India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/base-year-for-gdp-calculations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gross Domestic Product (GDP)</a></strong> growth slipped to a 26-quarter low of <strong>4.5%</strong> in the second quarter (Q2 i.e. July-September) of the financial year 2019-20.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The growth is the <strong>lowest in six years and three months</strong> with the previous low recorded at 4.3% during the January - March 2013.</li>
<li>In terms of quarterly growth, <strong>India has lost the tag of the fastest growing economy to China</strong> which posted a growth of 6% in the September quarter.</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for fall in growth include</strong>&nbsp;contraction in manufacturing, weak investment, and lower consumption demand.</li>
<li>The <strong>global economy is also facing a slowdown</strong> and this has hurt demand for India's exports, which have slumped in recent months.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101752_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101752_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="635" height="222" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101774_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101774_image3.jpg" width="229" height="384" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Growth in <strong>Gross Value Added (GVA) dipped</strong> to 4.3% in Q2 of 2019-20 from 6.9% in Q2 of 2018-2019.</li>
<li><strong>Manufacturing Sector Growth contracted</strong> 1% as against 6.9% growth last year during the same quarter.</li>
<li><strong>Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector</strong> recorded a growth rate of 2.1% as against 4.9% last year.</li>
<li>The <strong>&lsquo;Financial, Real Estate &amp; Professional Services&rsquo;</strong> category saw growth slow to 5.8% in Q2 of 2019-20, compared with 7% in Q2 of the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>Private final consumption expenditure,</strong> the closest proxy in the data to a measure of <strong>consumption demand,</strong> grew 5.06% in Q2 of 2019-20 as against the growth of 9.79% in Q2 of the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>Gross fixed capital formation,</strong> which is a measure of the <strong>level of investment</strong> in the country by both the government and the private sector, grew only 1.02% in Q2 of 2019-20 as against the growth of 11.8% in Q2 of last year.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recent Signs of Economic Slowdown</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>collapse of IL&amp;FS</strong> in September 2018.</li>
<li>The<strong> financial sector is on the brink</strong> as indicated by huge number of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-big-bank-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).</strong></a></li>
<li>Though the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-s-monetary-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India has cut the key policy rates (like Repo rate),</strong></a> the banks have not transferred the same to the final consumers. Thus, the two critical needs of the industry i.e.<strong> cost of credit and availability of credit,</strong> have not been met fully.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The cumulative cut of 135 basis points by the RBI over the last nine months has translated into a meager 29 basis points (just over a fifth), with banks still retaining a huge spread.</li>
<li>Cost of credit continues to remain high for most companies and the worst affected are small and medium enterprises.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government should give a high priority to implementing measures to bolster manufacturing output and kick-start an upturn in the investment cycle.</li>
<li>Accelerated spending by the government is another way out but this action would be opposite to the government&rsquo;s<strong> fiscal deficit target of 3.3% of GDP.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gross Value Added (GVA)</strong> provides for value of the amount of goods and services that have been produced in a country, minus the cost of all inputs and raw materials that are directly attributable to that production. It is used to measure the output or contribution of a particular sector.</li>
<li><strong>Gross Domestic Product (GDP)</strong> is the single standard indicator used across the globe to indicate the health of a nation's economy. It is the sum of private consumption, gross investment in the economy, government investment, government spending and net foreign trade (difference between exports and imports).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gdp-shrinks-to-45-in-july-september-quarter/article30116549.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Seismometers Defunct in Earthquake-Prone Zones',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>20 out of 35 <strong>seismometers and accelerographs</strong> in earthquake prone zones (Seismic zone III and IV) of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jayakwadi-dam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Maharashtra were found defunctioning.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>seismometer</strong> is an instrument used to measure and record earthquakes,whereas <strong>accelerographs</strong> prints the <strong>intensity of earthquakes.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>seismic zone III and zone IV</strong> fall under<strong> moderate and strong</strong> earthquake categories under Earthquake prone zones in India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Seismic Waves</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vibrations from an earthquake are categorised as P or S waves. They travel through the Earth in <strong>different ways and at different speeds.</strong> They can be<strong> detected and analysed.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>P-waves (P stands for primary)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are the first waves detected by<strong> seismograph.</strong></li>
<li>These are<strong> longitudinal waves</strong> i.e.they vibrates along the same direction as it travels.</li>
<li>Other examples of longitudinal waves include sound waves and waves in a stretched spring.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>S-waves (S stands for secondary)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These waves arrive at the detector <strong>after primary waves.</strong></li>
<li>These are <strong>transverse waves</strong> i.e. they vibrates at a right angle to the direction in which they travel.</li>
<li>Other examples of transverse waves include light waves and water waves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Both types of seismic waves</strong> can be detected near the earthquake centre but only P-waves can be detected on the other side of the Earth. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>P-waves can travel through solids and liquids (since they are longitudinal waves) whereas S-waves can only travel through solids (as they are transverse waves). This means the liquid part of the core blocks the passage of S-waves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The earthquake events are <strong>scaled either according to the magnitude or intensity</strong> of the shock.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> magnitude scale</strong> is known as the<strong> Richter scale.</strong> The magnitude relates to the energy released during the earthquake which is expressed in absolute numbers, 0-10.</li>
<li>The <strong>intensity scale or Mercalli scale</strong> takes into account the <strong>visible damage</strong> caused by the event. The range of intensity scale is from <strong>1-12.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Earthquake Prone Zones in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/massive-mountains-discovered-under-earths-crust" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earthquake</strong></a> is the violent shaking of the ground due to the release of accumulated stress of the moving lithospheric or crustal plates.</li>
<li>Over <strong>59 % of India&rsquo;s land area</strong> is under threat of <strong>moderate to severe</strong> earthquakes.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bureau-of-indian-standards-bis-act-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bureau of Indian Standards,</strong></a> based on the past seismic history, divided the country into <strong>four seismic zones,</strong> viz. <strong>Zone II, III, IV and V.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The regions away from the Himalayas and other inter-plate boundaries were considered to be relatively safe from damaging earthquakes.</li>
<li>However, occurrence of the <strong>Killari earthquake in Maharashtra (1993)</strong> resulted in<strong> revision</strong> of the seismic zoning map in which the low hazard zone or Seismic Zone I was <strong>merged</strong> with Seismic Zone II. Thus <strong>Zone I does not appear</strong> in mapping.</li>
<li><strong>Zone V</strong> is the <strong>most seismically active</strong> region, while <strong>zone II</strong> is the <strong>least</strong> active region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>zones</strong> are divided on the basis of <strong>Modified Mercalli (MM) intensity,</strong> which measures the <strong>impact of earthquakes.</strong></li>
<li>The area covered under different seismic zones include,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Zone II:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>low intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>40.93% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of major parts of peninsular region and Karnataka Plateau.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Zone III :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>moderate intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>30.79% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep islands, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal, Parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Zone IV :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>severe intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>17.49% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of remaining parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, Sikkim, Northern Parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, parts of Gujarat, small portions of Maharashtra near the west coast and Rajasthan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Zone V :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>very severe intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>10.79% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of the entire northeastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North Bihar and Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101197_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101197_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="538" height="406" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/16-seismometers-defunct-in-earthquake-prone-zones/article30121886.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Indo-Nepal Territorial Dispute',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/india-nepal-border-map-kalapani-6138381/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;A line runs through it&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Indian Express on 27/11/2019. It talks about various narratives of India-Nepal territorial dispute.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, anti-India demonstrations were seen on the streets of Nepal over the release of a new political map of India, made after the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&amp;K) into the Union Territories of J&amp;K and Ladakh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The maps showed Kalapani (at the India-Nepal-China trijunction) to the north and Susta (bordering Bihar) to the south as Indian territory.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reason for Anti-India Sentiments</h3>
<p><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-nepal-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nepal and India</a> have been bound together since ages through historical, religious, social, cultural, economic and political relations. The relationship is unique in a sense that neither country has allowed a political boundary to interrupt the free movement of people.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nepal is ruled by the Nepal Comunist Party (NCP) which has political leanings towards China.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China is also actively pursuing its foriegn policy to decrease India&rsquo;s influence over Nepal and mark its footprints in the territory of Nepal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A major rupture in relations between the two countries occurred in 2015 at the time of the making of the current constitution of Nepal (which replaced the 2007 Interim Constitution).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India unsuccessfully tried to pursue Nepal to amicably address the grievances of the Madheshi, Janajati and other disadvantaged groups who constitute the bulk of the Nepalese population.</li>
<li>Since then, misunderstandings, real or imaginary, persists between the two countries which have become an advantage to some third party players in Nepal like China.</li>
<li>Also, triggering anti-India sentiments by communists or the pro-China political leadership has become the new normal in Nepal&rsquo;s domestic politics. The nationalist sentiment has now become a potent instrument for political mobilisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Kalapani and Susta Dispute</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kalapani-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kalapani</a> territory has become a bone of contention between India and Nepal and the controversy has arisen due to the release of a new political map by India after bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Treaty of Sugauli</strong> concluded between British India and the Kingdom of Nepal in the year 1816, maps the Makhali river as the western boundary with India but different British maps showed the source of the tributary at different places which was mainly due to underdeveloped and less-defined surveying techniques used at that time.</li>
<li>The discrepancy in locating the source of the river led to boundary disputes between India and Nepal, with each country producing maps supporting their own claims.</li>
</ul>
<p>The Susta territorial dispute has arisen as a result of the shifting of the course of the Gandak river.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Treaty of Sagauli defined Gandak as the international boundary between India and Nepal.</li>
<li>When the treaty was signed, Susta was on the right bank of the river Gandak which falls in Nepal territorial control. But, in due course of time, the river has changed its course and Susta now falls on the left bank of the Gandak, which is controlled by India.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034872_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034872_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034882_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034882_image2.png" width="637" height="247" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Legal Dimension of Issue</h3>
<p>According to International Laws, the principles of <strong>avulsion and accretion</strong> are applicable in determining the borders when a boundary river changes course.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Avulsion:</strong> It is the pushing back of the shoreline by sudden, violent action of the elements, perceptible while in progress. Also it can be defined as the sudden and perceptible change in the land brought about by water, which may result in the addition or removal of land from a bank or shoreline.</li>
<li><strong>Accretion:</strong> It is the process of growth or enlargement by a gradual buildup. It is the natural, slow and gradual deposit of soil by the water.</li>
</ul>
<p>If the change of the river course is rapid &ndash; by <strong>avulsion</strong> &ndash; the boundary does not change. But if the river changes course gradually &ndash; that is, by <strong>accretion</strong> &ndash; the boundary changes accordingly.</p>
<p>Since, the Gandak change of course has been gradual, India claimed Susta as part of their territory as per international laws.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On several occasions, India has tried to resolve the issue through friendly and peaceful negotiations, but the Nepali leadership has always shown hesitation in resolving the issue.</li>
<li>In Nepal, the issue has become a tool for arousing strong public sentiment against India. Therefore, resolving the issue may not be in the best interest of Nepal's domestic politics.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Law on Trans-boundary Water Disputes</strong></p>
<p>The <strong>Convention on the Protection and Use of Trans-boundary and International Lakes,</strong> also known as the <strong>Water Convention</strong>, is an international environmental agreement under United Nations Economic Commission of Europe (UNECE).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was signed in Helsinki (Poland) in 1992.</li>
<li>The purpose of the Convention is to improve national attempts and measures for the protection and management of trans-boundary surface waters and groundwater.</li>
<li>Under the convention, parties are obliged to cooperate and create joint bodies for parties bordering the same trans-boundary waters.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India should maintain a policy of keeping away from the internal affairs of Nepal, while at the same time, in the spirit of friendship, India should guide the nation towards a more inclusive democracy.</li>
<li>Since the free movement of people is permitted across the border, Nepal enjoys immense strategic relevance from India&rsquo;s national security point of view, as terrorists often use Nepal to enter India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, stable and friendly relations with Nepal is one of pre-requisites which India can&rsquo;t afford to overlook.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India should also try to convey to Nepal&rsquo;s leadership about the congenial and friendly environment that 6 to 8 million Nepali citizens living in India enjoys. Therefore, any thoughtless erosion of this centuries old togetherness may prove difficult for both countries.</li>
</ul>
<p>The existing bilateral treaties between India and Nepal have not taken the shifting of Himalayan rivers into consideration. A primary reason for this is the lack of an approach where ecological concerns and needs of rivers are often dismissed.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Therefore, India and Nepal should try to resolve the boundary dispute by taking into account all shared environmental characteristics.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f3f7ba; border-color: #065f8c;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Highlight the dynamics of India-Nepal relationship with a special focus on border disputes.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Bhopal Gas Tragedy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a research study on congenital deformities in children born to women exposed to the 1984 gas leak in Bhopal was stopped from being published by an expert committee on the grounds of methodological flaws, poor design and inconclusive findings.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study found out that babies born to women exposed to gas were significantly more likely to have <strong>&ldquo;congenital malformations&rdquo;</strong> than those born to women unexposed to gas.</li>
<li>The findings came in response to a question under the Right To Information Act and were made public by an association of activists fighting for those affected by the leak.</li>
<li>The Supreme Court has admitted a curative petition, which demands more compensation for those affected by the disaster. Data on congenital defects in children were important in bolstering the case for compensation.</li>
<li>The expert committee consisted of scientists from the <strong>All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi;</strong> the <strong>National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal</strong>; and the <strong>Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Congenital Malformations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These can be defined as structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine (within the uterus) life and can be identified prenatally, at birth, or sometimes may only be detected later in infancy.</li>
<li>These are also known as birth defects, congenital disorders or congenital anomalies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Post-midnight on December 3, 1984, <strong>Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) (Chemical formula- CH3NCO or C2H3NO)</strong> leaked from the <strong>pesticide plant of Union Carbide (now Dow Chemicals)</strong>, an <strong>MNC</strong>, in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is estimated that about <strong>40 tonnes of gas and other chemicals leaked</strong> from the Union Carbide factory.</li>
<li>Methyl isocyanate is <strong>extremely toxic gas</strong> and if its concentration in the air touches <strong>21ppm</strong> (parts per million), it can cause death within minutes of inhaling the gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is one of the worst chemical disasters globally and still continues to have its ill effects on the people of the affected areas.</li>
<li>After the tragedy, the government of India enacted a <strong>Public Liability Insurance Act (1991),</strong> making it mandatory for industries to get insurance the premium for this insurance would contribute to an <strong>Environment Relief Fund</strong> to provide compensation to victims of a Bhopal-like disaster.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/expert-panel-bars-release-of-bhopal-tragedy-research-findings/article30110398.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: TH</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhopal-gas-tragedy'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'U.S. Minimises its Share in NATO Budget',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The U.S. contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation&rsquo;s (NATO) operating budget has been cut down at the cost of an increase in Germany&rsquo;s payments to the alliance. This move comes after repeated criticism of European members of the organisation by the U.S.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will come into effect from 2021, wherein the U.S. and Germany will contribute equally to NATO budget.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the new agreement, the U.S. will cut its contribution to 16.35% of the total NATO&rsquo;s budget while Germany and other allies&rsquo; contributions will go up.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>U.S. currently pays 22.1% of the NATO budget and Germany pays 14.8%, under a formula based on each country&rsquo;s gross national income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>France has refused to accept the new arrangement</strong> and will keep its contribution the same at 10.5%.</li>
<li>All allies have agreed on a <strong>new cost-sharing formula</strong> under which cost shares attributed to most European allies and Canada will go up, while the US share will come down.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier at the 2014 summit, NATO allies had agreed to spend 2% of their GDP on defence. However, the US suggested that countries not only meet their commitment of 2% expenditure on defence but also increase it to 4% immediately.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Till 2019, only <strong>eight of 29 members are able</strong> to spend 2% of their GDP on defence. Germany has also failed to meet this target.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Poor coordination between Europe and the U.S. and Turkey&rsquo;s military operation</strong> against the Kurds in northern Syria led to the deteriorating condition of NATO functioning so this is an important move to redefine the dynamics.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organization</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a military alliance established by the <strong>North Atlantic Treaty</strong> (also called the <strong>Washington Treaty</strong>) of <strong>April 4, 1949</strong>, by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.</li>
<li>It is headquartered at Brussels, Belgium.</li>
<li>A key provision of the treaty, the so-called <strong>Article 5</strong>, states that if one member of the alliance is attacked in Europe or North America, it is to be considered an attack on all members. That effectively put Western Europe under the "nuclear umbrella" of the US.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NATO has <strong>only once invoked Article 5</strong>, on September 12, 2001, <strong>following the 9/11 attacks</strong> on the World Trade Center in the US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NATO's protection does not extend to members' civil wars or internal coups.</li>
<li>As of 2019, there are <strong>29 member states</strong>, with <strong>Montenegro</strong> becoming the <strong>latest member</strong> to join the alliance in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>France withdrew from the integrated military command of NATO in 1966 but remained a member of the organization. However, it resumed its position in NATO&rsquo;s military command in 2009.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-to-cut-spending-on-nato-budget-germany-to-pay-more/article30109402.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/us-minimises-its-share-in-nato-budget'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong>National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)</strong> organized the <strong>1<sup>st</sup> International Conference on &ldquo;Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience"</strong> on 28<sup>th</sup> November, 2019 in New Delhi.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>aim</strong> was to bring together all stakeholders including relevant ministries, universities, as well as experts to discuss/debate/disseminate practically useful knowledge, experiences, information and innovations for landslides risk reduction and resilience at national and international levels.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Institute of Disaster Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NIDM comes under the <strong>Ministry of Home Affairs</strong> and is located in <strong>New Delhi</strong>.</li>
<li>Under the <strong>Disaster Management Act 2005,</strong> NIDM has been assigned nodal responsibilities for human resource development, capacity building, training, research, documentation and policy advocacy in the field of disaster management.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Landslides<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575021036_image1.png" style="float: right;" /></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A landslide is defined as the <strong>movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope</strong>. Landslides are a <strong>type of "mass wasting (a geomorphic process),"</strong> which denotes any down-slope movement of soil and rock under the <strong>direct influence of gravity</strong>.</li>
<li>Several things can trigger landslides, including the slow weathering of rocks as well as soil erosion, earthquakes and volcanic activity.</li>
<li>Loss Due To Landslides<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Based on <strong>Global Fatal Landslide database 2004-2016,</strong> globally in 4,862 distinct landslide events <strong>55,997 fatalities</strong> were recorded (earthquake triggered landslide events were not taken in account in this study).</li>
<li>Continent-wise, Asia suffers the maximum damages / losses due to landslides.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Among the Asian countries, South Asian nations are the worst sufferers and <strong>India is one of the worst affected by landslides</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As landslides are frequent and widespread, the <strong>annual cumulative losses</strong> worldwide <strong>amount to tens of billions of USD</strong> in terms of lost property, environmental damage, repair works, and the maintenance of defence measures.</li>
<li>As per Geological Survey of India, the window of economic loss due to landslides may reach between 1-2% of the gross national product in many developing countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1594071" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-conference-on-landslides-risk-reduction-and-resilience'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Indian Diaspora Largest in the World: UN Report',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>As per <strong>International Organisation for Migration&rsquo;s (IOM)</strong> latest report, <strong>&lsquo;Global Migration Report 2020&rsquo;</strong>, India continues to be the largest country of origin of international <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/human-migration-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migrants</a> with a <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>17.5 million-strong diaspora</strong></a> across the world.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India also received the <strong>highest remittance of $78.6 billion</strong> from Indians living abroad.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><strong>Migrants</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>total number of international migrants</strong> in 2019 is now estimated at <strong>270 million</strong>.</li>
<li>This is a very <strong>small percentage of the world&rsquo;s population (at 3.5%)</strong>, that is, the vast majority of people globally (96.5%) are estimated to be residing in the country in which they were born.</li>
<li>The <strong>top destination country</strong> remained the <strong>United States</strong> (50.7 million international migrants).</li>
<li>More than half of all international migrants (141 million) live in Europe and North America.</li>
<li>The top three <strong>countries of origin</strong> of international migrants &ndash; <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-the-top-source-of-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India (17.5 million)</strong></a> <strong>&gt; Mexico (11.8 million) &gt; China (10.7 million)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Remittances</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The international remittances increased to $689 billion in 2018.</li>
<li>The <strong>top three remittance recipients were India ($78.6 billion) &gt; China ($67.4 billion) &gt; Mexico ($35.7 billion)</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>United States remained the top remittance-sending country</strong> ($68 billion) followed by the United Arab Emirates ($44.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($36.1 billion).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Reasons for migration</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> Apart from U.S., other important <strong>migration corridors</strong> from poorer countries to richer nations were France, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Gulf countries have some of the largest numbers of <strong>temporary labour migrants</strong> in the world, including the United Arab Emirates, where they make up almost 90% of the population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ongoing conflicts and violence</strong> in Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen have led to massive internal displacement in the last two years. A total of 41.3 million people were forced to flee their homes at the end of 2018 &mdash; a record since monitoring began in 1998.</li>
<li><strong>Syria has the highest internally population of displaced people,</strong> at 6.1 million, followed by Colombia (5.8 million) and the Congo (3.1 million).</li>
<li><strong>Impact of climate and weather disasters,</strong> such as Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines contributed to 3.8 million displaced people, the largest number globally.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Organisation for Migration</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IOM, or as it was first known, the Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe (PICMME), was born in 1951 out of the chaos and displacement of Western Europe following the Second World War.</li>
<li>It is the leading inter-governmental organization, working under the mandate of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations</a>, in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.</li>
<li>With 173 member states, and further 8 states holding observer status, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>These data are critical for understanding the important role of migrants and migration in the development of both countries of origin and destination. Facilitating orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people will contribute much to achieving <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals</strong></a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/at-175-million-indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report/article30105882.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/indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in news</h3>
<p>The Parliament has passed the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/chit-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019</a>. It will streamline operations of <strong>collective investment schemes or chit funds</strong>, with the aim to protect investors that primarily comprises economically weaker sections of the society.</p>
<h3>Chit Funds</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this, the people agree to pay a certain amount from time to time into a fund. Periodically, one of the subscribers is chosen by drawing a chit to receive the prize amount from the fund.</li>
<li>Chit funds are <strong>legal and registered</strong> and are different from ponzi schemes as well as unregulated deposits.</li>
<li>It is used by the poor as it acts as both a source of finance and an avenue for savings.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ponzi Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new investors. Ponzi scheme organizers often promise high returns with little or no risk.</li>
<li>It leads victims to believe that profits are coming from product sales or other means, and they remain unaware that other investors are the source of funds.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Need of Amendment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>To Protect Investor Interest:</strong> It highlights the crucial role chit funds play in India&rsquo;s rural economy, providing people with access to funds and investment opportunities, especially in regions where banks and financial institutions do not have a presence.</li>
<li><strong>To Check Fraud:</strong> The Chit Funds Act of 1982 was amended to incorporate stringent measures to stop alleged fraud.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Features of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Names for a Chit Fund:</strong> The Act specifies various names which may be used to refer to a chit fund. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include chit, chit fund, and kuri.</li>
<li>It additionally inserts <strong>&lsquo;fraternity fund&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;rotating savings and credit institution&rsquo;</strong> to this list.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Presence of Subscribers through Video-Conferencing:</strong> The Act specifies that a chit will be drawn in the presence of at least two subscribers. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill seeks to allow these subscribers to join via video-conferencing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Foreman&rsquo;s Commission:</strong> The &lsquo;foreman&rsquo; is responsible for managing the chit fund. He is entitled to a maximum commission of 5% of the chit amount. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill seeks to increase the commission to 7%.</li>
<li>Further, the Bill allows the foreman a right to a lien against the credit balance from subscribers.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lien</strong> is the right of an individual to retain goods and securities in his possession that belongs to another until certain legal debts due to the person retaining the goods are satisfied.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aggregate Amount of Chits:</strong> Under the Act, chits may be conducted by firms, associations or individuals. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Act specifies the maximum amount of chit funds which may be collected. These limits are: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Currently, one lakh rupees</strong> for chits conducted by individuals, and for every individual in a firm or association with less than four partners, and <strong>Six lakh rupees</strong> for firms with four or more partners. The Bill increases these limits to three lakh rupees and 18 lakh rupees, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Application of the Act:</strong> Currently, the Act does not apply to: (i) any chit started before it was enacted, and (ii) any chit (or multiple chits being managed by the same foreman) where the amount is less than Rs 100. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill removes the limit of Rs 100, and allows the state governments to specify the base amount over which the provisions of the Act will apply.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.livemint.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: Live mint</a></strong></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chit-funds-amendment-bill-2019'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Supplementary Grants',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Finance Minister tabled the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2019-20 in both the Houses of Parliament.</p>
<h3>Supplementary Grants</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>When the authorised grants fall short of the required expenditure, an estimate is presented before the Parliament for <strong>Supplementary or Additional grants</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Comptroller and Auditor General</strong> of India bring such excesses to the notice of the Parliament.</li>
<li>The <strong>Public Accounts Committee</strong> examines these excesses and gives recommendations to the Parliament.</li>
<li>These grants are presented and passed by the Parliament before the <strong>end of the financial year</strong> (1<sup>st</sup> April to 31<sup>st</sup> March).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Grants</h3>
<p><strong>Additional Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted when a need has arisen during the current financial year for <strong>additional expenditure</strong> upon <strong>some new service</strong> not contemplated in the budget for that year. E.g.:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The demand for grants for the year 2019-20 also includes allocation of more than Rs 8,000 crore to the newly formed <strong>Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh</strong> and Rs 20 crore for upkeep of Ayodhya.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Excess Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted when money has been spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted for that service in the budget for that year. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is voted by <strong>the Lok Sabha</strong> after the financial year (since it is regulated by the same procedure which is applicable in the case of a regular budget, i.e. voted by the Lok Sabha).</li>
<li>Before the demands for excess grants are submitted to the Lok Sabha for voting, they must be approved by the <strong>Public Accounts Committee of Parliament</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Vote of Credit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted for meeting an <strong>unexpected demand upon resources</strong> of India, when on account of the magnitude or the indefinite character of the service, the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in a budget. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hence, it is like a <strong>blank cheque</strong> given to the Executive by the Lok Sabha.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Exceptional Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted for a special purpose and forms no part of the current service of any financial year.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Token Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted when funds to meet the proposed expenditure on a new service can be made available by <strong>reappropriation</strong>.</li>
<li>A demand for the grant of a token sum (of Re 1) is submitted to the vote of the Lok Sabha and if assented, funds are made available.</li>
<li><strong>Reappropriation</strong> involves transfer of funds from one head to another. It does not involve any additional expenditure.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Votes on Account</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Constitution has authorised the Lok Sabha to make any <strong>grant in advance</strong> in respect to the estimated expenditure for a part of the financial year, pending the completion of the voting of the demands for grants and the enactment of the appropriation bill. This provision is known as the <strong>&lsquo;vote on account&rsquo;</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is passed (or granted) after the general discussion on budget is over. It is generally granted for <strong>two months for an amount equivalent to one-sixth</strong> of the total estimation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> Supplementary, additional, excess, exceptional grants and vote of credit are regulated by the same procedure which is applicable in the case of a regular budget.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional Provision</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Supplementary, additional or excess grants and Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants are defined in the Constitution of India 1949.</li>
<li>Provisions under these Articles are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Article 115:</strong> Supplementary, additional or excess grants.</li>
<li><strong>Article 116:</strong> Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/govt-seeks-house-nod-for-additional-spending-of-over-rs-21000-crore-in-current-fiscal-6141790/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/supplementary-grants'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Defence Industrial Corridors',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Government has set up defence industrial corridors in <strong>Uttar Pradesh</strong> and <strong>Tamil Nadu</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These defence corridors will facilitate a well-planned and efficient industrial base that will lead to <strong>increased defence production</strong> in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India topped the list of arms importer accounting for 13% of the trade in weapons platform between 2012-2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The corridors overlap with existing defence public sector companies, and aim to ensure <strong>connectivity among various defence industrial units</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Connecting Cities in <strong>Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (6):</strong> Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Chitrakoot and Jhansi.</li>
<li>Connecting Cities in <strong>Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (5)</strong>: Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defence-industrial-corridors'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'UNDP’s Accelerator Lab',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Development Programme</strong></a> (UNDP) has launched its <strong>Accelerator Lab</strong> in India. The project has been launched in collaboration with the government&rsquo;s <strong>Atal Innovation Mission</strong> and will look to solve issues through innovative solutions.</p>
<h3>Objectives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This lab will seek to address some of the most pressing issues facing India, such as air pollution, sustainable water management and client-resilient livelihoods through innovation.</li>
<li>The vision is to make faster progress in meeting the ambitious <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</strong></a> of the U.N. by 2030.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Accelerator Lab</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Accelerator Lab is an innovative new initiative by the <strong>UNDP, State of Qatar</strong> and the <strong>Federal Republic of Germany</strong> to find 21<sup>st&nbsp;</sup>century solutions to today's complex new challenges.</li>
<li>India's Accelerator Lab will be part of a network of 60 global labs covering 78 nations, that will test and scale new solutions to global challenges like climate change and inequality.</li>
<li>These Labs will identify grassroots solutions together with local actors and validate their potential to accelerate development.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-gandhian-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atal Innovation Mission:</strong></a> It is a flagship national innovation initiative of the Government of India under the NITI Aayog. It aims to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>UNDP</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed.</li>
<li><strong>UNDP India's</strong> country programme for 2018-2022 has three major focus areas:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Inclusive growth</li>
<li>Environment and energy</li>
<li>Strengthening systems and institutions countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/undp-launches-accelerator-lab-in-india-to-work-on-tackling-pollution/article30108154.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/undps-accelerator-lab'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Defence Acquisition Council',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)</strong> has approved the <strong>procurement of weapons and equipment</strong> worth ₹22,800 crore.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The focus was on <strong>&lsquo;Make in India&rsquo;</strong> initiative i.e. on indigenous design, development and manufacturing of weapons and equipment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Weapons and Equipment Approved</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Thermal Imaging Night Sights for Assault Rifles:</strong> These would enable troops to undertake long range accurate engagements in dark and all weather conditions thereby enhancing the night fighting capabilities.</li>
<li><strong>Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These platforms would provide on-board command &amp; control and 'early warning' which would assist the Indian Air Force (IAF) in achieving effective air space dominance in the least possible time.</li>
<li>Induction of these aircraft will greatly enhance both the Air defence and offensive capabilities of the IAF.</li>
<li>The <strong>shortage</strong> of such force multipliers was felt during the aerial engagement with the Pakistan Air Force, <strong>a day after the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-post-balakot-challenge-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Balakot air strike</a></strong> in February, 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>P8I long range patrol aircraft for the Indian Navy:</strong> These aircraft would greatly strengthen the Navy's capabilities for maritime surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Vessel (ASV) strike. These <strong>would be procured from the United States</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Twin Engine Heavy Helicopters (TEHH) for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icgs-varaha" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Coast Guard</a>:</strong> These aircraft would enable the Coast Guard to undertake missions to prevent maritime terrorism, infiltration of terrorists by sea routes as well as search &amp; rescue operations.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Defence Acquisition Council</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Defence Acquisition Council is the <strong>highest decision-making body</strong> in the Defence Ministry for deciding on new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard.</li>
<li>The <strong>Minister of Defence</strong> is the <strong>Chairman</strong> of the Council.</li>
<li>It was formed, after the Group of Ministers recommendations on 'Reforming the National Security System', in <strong>2001, post Kargil War (1999)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/defence-ministry-approves-procurement-of-military-platforms-weapons-worth-22800-crore/article30107744.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: TH</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defence-acquisition-council'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Policy Watch - Direct Tax Code',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cQQ9Rxr8rVM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Recently, a draft legislation on new direct tax code has been submitted by the task force to the Finance Minister. The task force headed by <strong>Akhilesh Ranjan,</strong> was constituted in <strong>Nov 2017</strong> to review the existing Income Tax Act 1961.</p>
<p>The draft legislation submitted proposes far-reaching changes and significant relief to taxpayers. It also proposes incentives to start-ups and a new concept of settling disputes through mediation between taxpayer and tax collector.</p>
<h3>Why new tax code?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Income Tax Act, 1961, was constituted and enacted considering the need and state of the economy at that time, taking into account the mindset and thought process of the people about how income could be taxed.</li>
<li>Over the last 58 years, the economy has become more integrated, globalized, liberalized and new models of business have arisen. Therefore, the act needs to be redrafted and be made accommodative of the needs of the present as well as of the next few decades.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Direct Tax System</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Tax Rate:</strong> The tax rate in India is quite high for both individuals as well as corporate.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The reduction in corporate tax rate by Trump administration has led to the shifting of investment from other regions to the USA.</li>
<li>However, the government had reduced the corporate tax rate to 25% but treating domestic and foreign companies at par is an issue that needs to be resolved.</li>
<li>The individual tax rates also need to be rationalized in order to increase the tax base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tax Assessment:</strong> In India, the assessment process is physical which leads to the allegation of harassment by tax officials often referred to as tax terrorism. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a major roadblock in compliance and increasing the tax base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tax Dispute:</strong> In the Indian taxation system, there has been a huge number of tax litigations, which makes the whole tax dispute resolving mechanism unviable. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a major cause of concern in ease of doing business and enforcing contracts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Exemptions:</strong> There are a plethora of exemptions in direct tax code which makes the filling process more complex and reduce the effective tax rate.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Relevance of New Direct Code</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Complexities:</strong> The six-decade old tax code consists of around 700 sections of a very complex nature. It has evolved over time taking into account many amendments. Now the whole tax code has assumed a very haphazard form.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the simplification of tax laws would enable more people to become part of the direct tax regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Demographics:</strong> In the country of more than<strong> 1.2 billion,</strong> there are only <strong>74 million</strong> effective taxpayers which is a very shallow figure.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Considering the scale of Indian population and demographics, tax administration needs to take proactive steps in bringing more people within the tax-fold.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tax Administration:</strong> The present tax administration has evolved taking into account the experience it has gained in the past 6 decades. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the new tax code provides an opportunity to remove procedural loopholes and make the tax administration user-friendly, which is presently infamous for harassment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Technology:</strong> In 1961, the taxation process was completely physical. Now the use of new technology, social media, artificial intelligence has to be accommodated to make the process simpler and transparent.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the Income Tax department started the<strong> faceless assessment</strong> scheme on a pilot basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Changing Form of Business:</strong> In the past 6 decades, the nature of business has evolved a lot. The social media and internet marketing has become a new commodity which needs to be appropriately taxed. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the new tax code should involve provisions for taxing stakeholders beyond geographical boundaries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Faceless Assessment:</strong> It is a randomized and anonymized assessment, aims to eliminate physical interface between taxpayer and tax assessee.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this system, one need not appear before a tax officer and there is no physical movement of papers or person.</li>
<li>It will reduce a lot of pressure and address issues faced by tax administration during an assessment.</li>
<li>The need is to make the faceless or e-assessment widespread and mandatory.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Expectation from New Tax Code</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Abolition of Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) and Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT).</li>
<li>Abolition of cess and surcharges.</li>
<li>Minimization of exemptions.</li>
<li>Simplification of tax laws.</li>
<li>Tax-payer friendly administration.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What New Direct Tax Code means for Stakeholders?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Individuals:</strong> The difference between the cost of tax evasion and tax compliance is not very much. People due to fear of harassment do not enroll into tax system but they pay the cost illegally in form of bribe. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, they can be easily moved towards tax compliance by simplifying tax laws and making administration taxpayers friendly</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Corporate:</strong> Uniform tax rate for both local and foriegn companies propel ease of doing business in India thus increasing business activity in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the new direct tax code provides an opportunity to overhaul the whole investment scenario in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economy:</strong> The macro dimension added in the past few decades has made our economy more integrated with the rest of the world in terms of trade and investment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mobility of capital across the geographical boundaries has increased immensely and tax competition among countries has also become intense. There is also an international context to our tax policy.</li>
<li>Therefore, the DTC has the potential to boost the entire macro-cycle in the economy by boosting the tax base and collection, thereby increasing the tax-to-gdp ratio.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the sake of administrative convenience, we have focussed on the ability to pay, the tax law seldom tries to differentiate between high risk income and low risk income, legal income or illegal income, recurring income or non-recurring income . These nuances are difficult to administer but will bring more equity to the system. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>For Example:</strong> Income from government-securities and government job is highly secured while income from business is very risky, therefore, they must be taxed differently.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The very effort of the planners should be to boost income i.e to be taxed, to boost the base of wealth that creates income. Therefore, special consideration should be given to wealth creators.</li>
<li>The new tax code provides an opportunity to build a predictable tax regime which will attract long-term investment and lead to job creation.</li>
<li>Indian taxation system is plagued by ligitations in courts, therefore the new tax code must aims at reforming the dispute resolution mechanism by introducing a system of mediation or settlement.</li>
</ul>
<p>It is believed that whenever the country goes for a new tax code, it basically means to rationalise the tax rate and exemptions, therefore the risk of tax forgone in short term is quite high. Before implementing the new tax code, the country needs to stabilize the GST regime and ensure that the economy is in good state to absorb short term disruptions.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-direct-tax-code'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'New Citizenship Regime',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-misadventure-of-a-new-citizenship-regime/article30090226.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The misadventure of a new citizenship regime&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 27/11/2019. It talks about issues related to the nationwide exercise for preparing National Register of Citizens.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, a nationwide exercise for counting the citizens of the country was proposed in the Parliament in the form of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-national-register-of-citizens-nrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Register of Citizens (NRC).</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The objective of this latest initiative is to <strong>count citizens</strong> so as to separate them from non-citizens and expel the infiltrators out of the country.</li>
<li>The previously conducted exercise (NRC-1951) counted the<strong> residents</strong> (a person who has resided in a local area for the <strong>past 6 months</strong> or more) <strong>rather than citizens of the country.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The need for this nationwide exercise came into limelight in the backdrop of the similar <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/final-national-register-of-citizens" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>exercise conducted in the state of Assam</strong></a> (2019) under the supervision of the Supreme Court.</li>
<li>Also, the <em><strong>Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner</strong></em> will upload the <strong>Census of 2021</strong> along with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-population-register" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Population Register (NPR)</strong></a> next summer. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NPR is the database that consists of a comprehensive identity of every usual resident in the country.</li>
<li>As of January 2019, nearly 123 crore <strong>Aadhaar cards</strong> had been issued- which serves as a proof of residentship in India and not the citizenship. This can help in the formation of the NPR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues and Challenges associated with Nationwide NRC</h3>
<p>The underlying rationale, feasibility, and moral legitimacy with a nationwide NRC gives birth to various challenges:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Legal Inconsistencies:</strong> The NRC exercise raises suspicion of alienage in the minds of the citizens. The process of NRC is inconsistent with existing laws such as:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the <strong>Foreigners&rsquo; Act, 1946,</strong> the burden of proof lies on the individual charged with being a foreigner but in NRC the entire population has to give proof of their citizenship.</li>
<li>Even the <strong>Citizenship Act, 1955</strong> which deals with the provisions of acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship does not contain any provision for identifying aliens. But NRC declares the non-nationals as aliens.</li>
<li>The Supreme Court<strong> in 2005</strong> struck down the <strong>Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act (IMDT Act-</strong> which highlighted the mechanism for identifying the foreigners) claiming that the provisions mentioned in it are very stringent making the detection and deportation of illegal migrants almost impossible. But the NRC tries to repeat the same thing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Paucity of Resources:</strong> The associated costs and scarcity of resources to frame such nationwide NRC is a big challenge before the government.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Financial Costs:</strong> The entire Assam exercise is reported to have cost around <strong>₹1,600 crore</strong> to enrol 3.3 crore applicants which also ended up excluding 19 lakh people.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>On this basis, a nationwide NRC would require an outlay of <strong>₹4.26 lakh crore-</strong> which is four times the budgetary outlay for education this year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Human Resources:</strong> The work of authenticating the Indian electorate of 87.9 crore people would necessitate the deployment of around 1.33 crore officials (more than half of the government officials) for at least next 10 years. This will incur huge administrative burden on the already stressed administrative machinery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Risks:</strong> The NRC would give rise to the practice of<strong> &ldquo;paper citizenship&rdquo;</strong> acquired through the networks of kinship. The one who is not included in the list would lose the Indian nationality, putting undocumented nationals at risk of losing their citizenship in a futile search for non-national migrants who are better documented, as was found in the case of Assam. This poses a grave fear in the minds of the people.</li>
<li><strong>Inherent Political Drawbacks:</strong> There are many uncertainties that persist related to this exercise like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Cut-off date:</strong> There is speculation about a July 1948 date as the cut-off date in light of constitutional provisions, post-Partition jurisprudence, and the enactment of the Citizenship Act in 1955, but it still is unclear.</li>
<li>Will the enrolment process in the NRC be compulsory or voluntary (as was the case in Assam), and what might be the consequences of not seeking registration is debatable.</li>
<li><strong>Federal Challenge:</strong> Seeking the consent of State governments to conduct this exercise is a challenging task. Many North-eastern states are already protesting the NRC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NRC versus Citizenship Amendment Bill:</strong> On one hand NRC carves out a framework to eliminate illegal immigrants, on the other hand, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lok-sabha-passes-citizenship-amendment-bill-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Citizenship Amendment Bill (2016)</strong></a> creates a path to grant citizenship to preferred groups of the immigrants.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the implicit assumption in the case of Assam NRC was that the infiltrators were <strong>Bangladeshis</strong> (primarily Muslims) who must be disenfranchised. Whereas the Citizenship Amendment Bill explicitly promises to grant citizenship to migrants belonging to specified minority religious groups (all except Muslims) who face the fear of persecution in Afghanistan, <strong>Bangladesh,</strong> and Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Nationwide NRC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fear of Victimization:</strong> The exercise would lead to enhanced anxiety in the minds of excluded sections of the society, especially the minorities. The series of recent events such as <strong>vigilante violence</strong> against minorities, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/criminalising-triple-talaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triple talaq legislation</a>,</strong> and the reading down of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-article-370" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 370</strong></a> aggravates such fears.</li>
<li><strong>Psychological Fears:</strong> The fear of not having papers has already led to many suicides in Assam. The nationwide NRC would multi-fold such events.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At the end of a prolonged debate on citizenship, the Constituent Assembly settled on the<strong> principle of &lsquo;jus soli&rsquo;</strong> which means<strong> law of the soil</strong> or the birth-based citizenship as opposed to the racial citizenship implied by <em><strong>&lsquo;jus sanguinis&rsquo;</strong></em> <strong>(the right of blood).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and the NRC will only consolidate the shift from birth-based citizenship to the racial citizenship regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Constitutionally, India is a<strong> secular country-</strong> following the idea of the nation as a civic entity by transcending the ethnic differences. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NRC-CAB combination signals a <em><strong>transformative shift from a civic-national conception to an ethnonational conception of India.</strong> </em>This is expected to have adverse repercussions on the delicate and plural social fabric of the nation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To aptly identify and detect foreigners, and to secure the borders against illegal immigrants is a primary challenge that needs to be overcome first in order to address the internal security challenges faced by the nation.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" height="66">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #6a00ff; background-color: #e1ebfc;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br />A nationwide NRC is not a solution to check illegal migrants in the country. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/new-citizenship-regime'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'New Snake Species Found in Arunachal Pradesh',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a new species of <strong>non-venomous burrowing snake,</strong> named <strong>Trachischium apteii</strong> has been found in the forested area of the <strong>Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary</strong> near the town of <strong>Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It belongs to a group of <strong>fossorial (adapted to digging) snakes</strong> that live mostly <strong>underground,</strong> and <strong>surface mainly during or after a heavy monsoon shower.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574929768_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574929768_image2.jpg" width="341" height="183" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-snake-species-found-in-arunachal/article30099823.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/new-snake-species-found-in-arunachal-pradesh'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'NuGen Mobility Summit 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The three day NuGen Mobility Summit is being held at Manesar in Haryana. It is organised by the <strong>International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT).</strong></li>
<li>It is the <strong>largest automotive technology event</strong> in the country so far.</li>
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> of the event revolves around <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-mobility</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hydrogen-enriched-compressed-natural-gas-hcng" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>hydrogen mobility</strong></a> to ensure green, safe and affordable mobility.</li>
<li>The <strong>objective</strong> of the summit is to share new ideas, global experiences, innovations and future technology trends for faster adoption and development of advanced automotive technologies for a smarter and greener future.</li>
<li>The event also emphasizes over importance of <strong>combining agricultural sector with the automobile sector.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased agricultural production of non-edible oil</strong> can be used for manufacturing of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>biodiesel</strong></a>.,which in turn helps to <strong>reduce dependency on fossil fuels.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Centre for Automotive Technology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) is a division of NATRIP Implementation Society (NATIS) under the Department of Heavy Industries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Automotive Testing and R&amp;D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP)</strong> is the largest and most significant initiative in the automotive sector which comprises of representatives from the Government of India, a number of State Governments and Indian Automotive Industry.</li>
<li>It aims to create a state of the art testing, validation and R&amp;D infrastructure in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>ICAT provides services for testing, validation, design of all categories of vehicles.</li>
<li>It also intends to assist the automotive industry in adopting cutting edge technologies in vehicle evaluation and component development to ensure reliability, durability and compliance to the current and future regulations in new generation mobility solutions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1593836" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Emissions Gap Report by UNEP',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</strong> released <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-30th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Emissions Gap Report&rsquo;</strong></a>, according to which <strong>India is the fourth-largest emitter</strong> of Green House Gases (GHGs).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The world will fail to meet the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-warming-of-1-5-c-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>1.5&deg;C temperature goal</strong></a> of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-climate-change-act-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Paris Agreement</strong></a> unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall by 7.6 per cent each year.</li>
<li>The <strong>top four emitters (China, USA, EU and India)</strong> contributed to over<strong> 55% of the total emissions</strong> over the last decade, <strong>excluding emissions from land-use change</strong> such as deforestation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rankings would change if land-use change emissions were included, with Brazil likely to be the largest emitter.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Sectors that are the largest emitters- <strong>Energy&gt;Industry&gt;Forestry&gt;Transport&gt;Agriculture&gt;Building.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India</strong> is among a small group of countries that are on their <strong>way to achieve their self-declared climate targets</strong> under the Paris Agreement. However, the emissions largely depend on the growth of the economy of the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Emissions Gap Report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>flagship report from UNEP</strong> and it assesses the gap between anticipated emissions in 2030 and levels consistent with the 1.5&deg;C and 2&deg;C targets of the Paris Agreement.</li>
<li>Every year, the report features ways to bridge the gap. This year, the report looked at the <strong>potential of the energy transition &ndash;</strong> particularly in the <strong>power, transport and buildings sectors &ndash;</strong> and efficiency in the use of materials such as iron steel and cement.</li>
<li>It considers different scenarios, from no new climate policies since 2005 to full implementation of all national commitments under the Paris Agreement.</li>
<li>It provides the latest assessment of scientific studies on current and estimated future Green House Gases (GHGs) emissions and compares these with the emission levels permissible for the world to progress on a least-cost pathway to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India's Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to be achieved primarily, by 2030</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To reduce the emissions intensity of the GDP by about a third.</li>
<li>A total of 40% of the installed capacity for electricity will be from non-fossil fuel sources.</li>
<li>India also promised an additional carbon sink (a means to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-editorials/11-07-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>forest and tree cover</strong></a> by the year 2030.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-fourth-largest-emitter-of-greenhouse-gases-un-report-6140272/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Exercise Mitra Shakti',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>7<sup>th</sup> edition</strong> of<strong> India-Sri Lanka <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-maitree" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint military training exercise</a> Mitra Shakti&ndash; 2019</strong> is scheduled to be conducted in Pune from 01 - 14 December 2019.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574925993_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574925993_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="236" height="167" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The exercise aims to build and promote <strong>positive relations between armies of India and Sri Lanka for counter-insurgency &amp; counter-terrorism operations in the urban and rural environment</strong> under <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> mandate.</li>
<li>The joint exercise also aims for incorporating the current dynamics of United Nations peacekeeping operations through practical &amp; comprehensive discussions and tactical exercises.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1593715" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Perils of Electoral Politics',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/preventing-political-coalitions-of-convenience/article30079312.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Preventing political coalitions of convenience&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 27/11/2019. It talks about the perils of electoral politics in case of a hung assembly.</p>
</div>
<p>The perils of electoral politics can be seen recently in the Maharashtra state assembly elections, where a pre-poll alliance had won the mandate, but due to <strong>disagreements over power-sharing,</strong> a new post-poll coalition is forming the government.</p>
<p>The situation where none of the parties is able to secure a majority in elections, such political manoeuvring by political parties becomes imminent. However, it <strong>demeans the aspirations of the people of the State.</strong></p>
<h3>Issues Involved</h3>
<p><strong>Demise of Democracy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Pre-poll alliances function as a<strong> single consolidated unit.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Political parties generally do not contest elections against each other. Also, their cadres and volunteers work for the coalition and not just their individual parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the voters, vote for a set agenda and political ideology on whose premise the edifice of both the party and the coalition rest.</li>
<li>Therefore, post-poll alliance (if it is different from the pre-poll alliance), leads to the <strong>betrayal of voters and demise of principles of democracy.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Horse-Trading</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the event of a hung assembly, political parties are involved in horse-trading.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a practice in which, in the event of a hung assembly, some members of one political party deliberately join another party or simply resign.</li>
<li>They do so by being attracted to the prospect of becoming part or favouring the government which may come to power or for monetary/ vested interests.</li>
<li>This amounts to defection under Anti-defection law (10th schedule). However, loopholes under the same law are exploited, to get away from proceedings under anti-defection law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Role of Governor</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>hung assembly</strong> also raises a serious question regarding the role of the Governor in government formation and the manner in which it should be exercised.</li>
<li>Constitutionally, it is the <strong>Governor&rsquo;s discretion</strong> to select a Chief Minister and give him a chance to prove majority on the floor of the house.</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court, in SR Bommai case 1994, has given direction what the governor should do in such a situation, which is:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Governor has to invite the leader of the party commanding majority in the House or the single largest party/group to form the Government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the words &ldquo;largest party/group&rdquo; is again ambiguous. The &ldquo;group&rdquo; may include a Post-poll alliance or Pre-poll alliance.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to check and limit such post-poll &lsquo;alliances of convenience&rsquo;, wherein, even parties with diametrically opposite election manifestos and promises come together to share power.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Law Commission of India, in its 170<sup>th</sup> report on &lsquo;Reform of the electoral laws,</strong> had opined that a<strong> &lsquo;pre-election front/coalition&rsquo;</strong> of political parties should be <strong>treated as a &lsquo;political party&rsquo;</strong> for the purposes of the anti-defection law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The menace of horse-trading can be dealt with by strengthening anti-defection law.</li>
<li>The political parties and individual candidates should be mandated to disclose a list of <strong>&lsquo;probable post-poll alliances&rsquo;</strong> under a legal framework drafted by Election Commission.</li>
<li>The menace of Horse-trading can be dealt with by strengthening Anti-defection law.</li>
<li>It is high time that the <strong>Sarkaria Commission (1983) report,</strong> which discusses the role of Governor in case of the hung assembly must be implemented.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It recommended, in case of a hung assembly, the Governor should select a Chief Minister from among the following parties or group of parties by sounding them, in turn, in the order of preference indicated below:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>An alliance of parties that were formed prior to the elections.</li>
<li>The largest single party staking a claim to form a government with the support of others, including &ldquo;independents.&rdquo;</li>
<li>A post-electoral coalition of parties, with all the partners in the coalition joining the Government.</li>
<li>A post-electoral alliance of parties, with some of the parties in the alliance forming a Government and the remaining parties, including &ldquo;independents&rdquo; supporting the Government from outside.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Democracy cannot be restricted to the mere casting of votes and formation of government; it is also about the trust among the voters of an electorate that the mandate given by them must be reflected in the government formed after elections.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #edffff;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>Post-poll alliance, if it is different from the pre-poll alliance, leads to the betrayal of voters and demise of democracy. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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		'title' => 'SURYA KIRAN - XIV',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The joint military exercise<strong> &lsquo;SURYA KIRAN &ndash; XIV&rsquo; between India and Nepal</strong> will be <strong>conducted in Nepal</strong> from 3<sup>rd</sup>- 16<sup>th</sup> December 2019. <a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575102051_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575102051_image4.png" width="260" height="184" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The exercise will comprise of 300 soldiers from both Indian and Nepal Army who would be sharing their experience in conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations as also various humanitarian assistance missions by both the Armies.</li>
<li>The exercise is an<strong> annual event</strong> which is conducted <strong>alternatively in Nepal and India.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>13<sup>th</sup> (previous) edition</strong> of the exercise was conducted in <strong>Uttarakhand, India.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594165" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'GDP Growth',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>As per the data released by the National Statistical Office,<strong> India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/base-year-for-gdp-calculations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gross Domestic Product (GDP)</a></strong> growth slipped to a 26-quarter low of <strong>4.5%</strong> in the second quarter (Q2 i.e. July-September) of the financial year 2019-20.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The growth is the <strong>lowest in six years and three months</strong> with the previous low recorded at 4.3% during the January - March 2013.</li>
<li>In terms of quarterly growth, <strong>India has lost the tag of the fastest growing economy to China</strong> which posted a growth of 6% in the September quarter.</li>
<li><strong>Reasons for fall in growth include</strong>&nbsp;contraction in manufacturing, weak investment, and lower consumption demand.</li>
<li>The <strong>global economy is also facing a slowdown</strong> and this has hurt demand for India's exports, which have slumped in recent months.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101752_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101752_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="635" height="222" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101774_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101774_image3.jpg" width="229" height="384" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Growth in <strong>Gross Value Added (GVA) dipped</strong> to 4.3% in Q2 of 2019-20 from 6.9% in Q2 of 2018-2019.</li>
<li><strong>Manufacturing Sector Growth contracted</strong> 1% as against 6.9% growth last year during the same quarter.</li>
<li><strong>Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector</strong> recorded a growth rate of 2.1% as against 4.9% last year.</li>
<li>The <strong>&lsquo;Financial, Real Estate &amp; Professional Services&rsquo;</strong> category saw growth slow to 5.8% in Q2 of 2019-20, compared with 7% in Q2 of the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>Private final consumption expenditure,</strong> the closest proxy in the data to a measure of <strong>consumption demand,</strong> grew 5.06% in Q2 of 2019-20 as against the growth of 9.79% in Q2 of the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>Gross fixed capital formation,</strong> which is a measure of the <strong>level of investment</strong> in the country by both the government and the private sector, grew only 1.02% in Q2 of 2019-20 as against the growth of 11.8% in Q2 of last year.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recent Signs of Economic Slowdown</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>collapse of IL&amp;FS</strong> in September 2018.</li>
<li>The<strong> financial sector is on the brink</strong> as indicated by huge number of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-big-bank-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).</strong></a></li>
<li>Though the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-s-monetary-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India has cut the key policy rates (like Repo rate),</strong></a> the banks have not transferred the same to the final consumers. Thus, the two critical needs of the industry i.e.<strong> cost of credit and availability of credit,</strong> have not been met fully.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The cumulative cut of 135 basis points by the RBI over the last nine months has translated into a meager 29 basis points (just over a fifth), with banks still retaining a huge spread.</li>
<li>Cost of credit continues to remain high for most companies and the worst affected are small and medium enterprises.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government should give a high priority to implementing measures to bolster manufacturing output and kick-start an upturn in the investment cycle.</li>
<li>Accelerated spending by the government is another way out but this action would be opposite to the government&rsquo;s<strong> fiscal deficit target of 3.3% of GDP.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gross Value Added (GVA)</strong> provides for value of the amount of goods and services that have been produced in a country, minus the cost of all inputs and raw materials that are directly attributable to that production. It is used to measure the output or contribution of a particular sector.</li>
<li><strong>Gross Domestic Product (GDP)</strong> is the single standard indicator used across the globe to indicate the health of a nation's economy. It is the sum of private consumption, gross investment in the economy, government investment, government spending and net foreign trade (difference between exports and imports).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gdp-shrinks-to-45-in-july-september-quarter/article30116549.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Seismometers Defunct in Earthquake-Prone Zones',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>20 out of 35 <strong>seismometers and accelerographs</strong> in earthquake prone zones (Seismic zone III and IV) of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jayakwadi-dam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Maharashtra were found defunctioning.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>seismometer</strong> is an instrument used to measure and record earthquakes,whereas <strong>accelerographs</strong> prints the <strong>intensity of earthquakes.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>seismic zone III and zone IV</strong> fall under<strong> moderate and strong</strong> earthquake categories under Earthquake prone zones in India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Seismic Waves</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vibrations from an earthquake are categorised as P or S waves. They travel through the Earth in <strong>different ways and at different speeds.</strong> They can be<strong> detected and analysed.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>P-waves (P stands for primary)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These are the first waves detected by<strong> seismograph.</strong></li>
<li>These are<strong> longitudinal waves</strong> i.e.they vibrates along the same direction as it travels.</li>
<li>Other examples of longitudinal waves include sound waves and waves in a stretched spring.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>S-waves (S stands for secondary)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These waves arrive at the detector <strong>after primary waves.</strong></li>
<li>These are <strong>transverse waves</strong> i.e. they vibrates at a right angle to the direction in which they travel.</li>
<li>Other examples of transverse waves include light waves and water waves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Both types of seismic waves</strong> can be detected near the earthquake centre but only P-waves can be detected on the other side of the Earth. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>P-waves can travel through solids and liquids (since they are longitudinal waves) whereas S-waves can only travel through solids (as they are transverse waves). This means the liquid part of the core blocks the passage of S-waves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The earthquake events are <strong>scaled either according to the magnitude or intensity</strong> of the shock.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> magnitude scale</strong> is known as the<strong> Richter scale.</strong> The magnitude relates to the energy released during the earthquake which is expressed in absolute numbers, 0-10.</li>
<li>The <strong>intensity scale or Mercalli scale</strong> takes into account the <strong>visible damage</strong> caused by the event. The range of intensity scale is from <strong>1-12.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Earthquake Prone Zones in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/massive-mountains-discovered-under-earths-crust" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earthquake</strong></a> is the violent shaking of the ground due to the release of accumulated stress of the moving lithospheric or crustal plates.</li>
<li>Over <strong>59 % of India&rsquo;s land area</strong> is under threat of <strong>moderate to severe</strong> earthquakes.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bureau-of-indian-standards-bis-act-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bureau of Indian Standards,</strong></a> based on the past seismic history, divided the country into <strong>four seismic zones,</strong> viz. <strong>Zone II, III, IV and V.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The regions away from the Himalayas and other inter-plate boundaries were considered to be relatively safe from damaging earthquakes.</li>
<li>However, occurrence of the <strong>Killari earthquake in Maharashtra (1993)</strong> resulted in<strong> revision</strong> of the seismic zoning map in which the low hazard zone or Seismic Zone I was <strong>merged</strong> with Seismic Zone II. Thus <strong>Zone I does not appear</strong> in mapping.</li>
<li><strong>Zone V</strong> is the <strong>most seismically active</strong> region, while <strong>zone II</strong> is the <strong>least</strong> active region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>zones</strong> are divided on the basis of <strong>Modified Mercalli (MM) intensity,</strong> which measures the <strong>impact of earthquakes.</strong></li>
<li>The area covered under different seismic zones include,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Zone II:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>low intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>40.93% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of major parts of peninsular region and Karnataka Plateau.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Zone III :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>moderate intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>30.79% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep islands, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal, Parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Zone IV :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>severe intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>17.49% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of remaining parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, Sikkim, Northern Parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, parts of Gujarat, small portions of Maharashtra near the west coast and Rajasthan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Zone V :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It falls under <strong>very severe intensity zone.</strong></li>
<li>It covers <strong>10.79% area</strong> of the country.</li>
<li>It comprises of the entire northeastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North Bihar and Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101197_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575101197_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="538" height="406" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/16-seismometers-defunct-in-earthquake-prone-zones/article30121886.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/seismometers-defunct-in-earthquake-prone-zones'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Indo-Nepal Territorial Dispute',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/india-nepal-border-map-kalapani-6138381/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;A line runs through it&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Indian Express on 27/11/2019. It talks about various narratives of India-Nepal territorial dispute.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, anti-India demonstrations were seen on the streets of Nepal over the release of a new political map of India, made after the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&amp;K) into the Union Territories of J&amp;K and Ladakh.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The maps showed Kalapani (at the India-Nepal-China trijunction) to the north and Susta (bordering Bihar) to the south as Indian territory.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reason for Anti-India Sentiments</h3>
<p><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-nepal-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nepal and India</a> have been bound together since ages through historical, religious, social, cultural, economic and political relations. The relationship is unique in a sense that neither country has allowed a political boundary to interrupt the free movement of people.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nepal is ruled by the Nepal Comunist Party (NCP) which has political leanings towards China.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China is also actively pursuing its foriegn policy to decrease India&rsquo;s influence over Nepal and mark its footprints in the territory of Nepal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A major rupture in relations between the two countries occurred in 2015 at the time of the making of the current constitution of Nepal (which replaced the 2007 Interim Constitution).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India unsuccessfully tried to pursue Nepal to amicably address the grievances of the Madheshi, Janajati and other disadvantaged groups who constitute the bulk of the Nepalese population.</li>
<li>Since then, misunderstandings, real or imaginary, persists between the two countries which have become an advantage to some third party players in Nepal like China.</li>
<li>Also, triggering anti-India sentiments by communists or the pro-China political leadership has become the new normal in Nepal&rsquo;s domestic politics. The nationalist sentiment has now become a potent instrument for political mobilisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Kalapani and Susta Dispute</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kalapani-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kalapani</a> territory has become a bone of contention between India and Nepal and the controversy has arisen due to the release of a new political map by India after bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Treaty of Sugauli</strong> concluded between British India and the Kingdom of Nepal in the year 1816, maps the Makhali river as the western boundary with India but different British maps showed the source of the tributary at different places which was mainly due to underdeveloped and less-defined surveying techniques used at that time.</li>
<li>The discrepancy in locating the source of the river led to boundary disputes between India and Nepal, with each country producing maps supporting their own claims.</li>
</ul>
<p>The Susta territorial dispute has arisen as a result of the shifting of the course of the Gandak river.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Treaty of Sagauli defined Gandak as the international boundary between India and Nepal.</li>
<li>When the treaty was signed, Susta was on the right bank of the river Gandak which falls in Nepal territorial control. But, in due course of time, the river has changed its course and Susta now falls on the left bank of the Gandak, which is controlled by India.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034872_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034872_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034882_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575034882_image2.png" width="637" height="247" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Legal Dimension of Issue</h3>
<p>According to International Laws, the principles of <strong>avulsion and accretion</strong> are applicable in determining the borders when a boundary river changes course.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Avulsion:</strong> It is the pushing back of the shoreline by sudden, violent action of the elements, perceptible while in progress. Also it can be defined as the sudden and perceptible change in the land brought about by water, which may result in the addition or removal of land from a bank or shoreline.</li>
<li><strong>Accretion:</strong> It is the process of growth or enlargement by a gradual buildup. It is the natural, slow and gradual deposit of soil by the water.</li>
</ul>
<p>If the change of the river course is rapid &ndash; by <strong>avulsion</strong> &ndash; the boundary does not change. But if the river changes course gradually &ndash; that is, by <strong>accretion</strong> &ndash; the boundary changes accordingly.</p>
<p>Since, the Gandak change of course has been gradual, India claimed Susta as part of their territory as per international laws.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On several occasions, India has tried to resolve the issue through friendly and peaceful negotiations, but the Nepali leadership has always shown hesitation in resolving the issue.</li>
<li>In Nepal, the issue has become a tool for arousing strong public sentiment against India. Therefore, resolving the issue may not be in the best interest of Nepal's domestic politics.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Law on Trans-boundary Water Disputes</strong></p>
<p>The <strong>Convention on the Protection and Use of Trans-boundary and International Lakes,</strong> also known as the <strong>Water Convention</strong>, is an international environmental agreement under United Nations Economic Commission of Europe (UNECE).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was signed in Helsinki (Poland) in 1992.</li>
<li>The purpose of the Convention is to improve national attempts and measures for the protection and management of trans-boundary surface waters and groundwater.</li>
<li>Under the convention, parties are obliged to cooperate and create joint bodies for parties bordering the same trans-boundary waters.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India should maintain a policy of keeping away from the internal affairs of Nepal, while at the same time, in the spirit of friendship, India should guide the nation towards a more inclusive democracy.</li>
<li>Since the free movement of people is permitted across the border, Nepal enjoys immense strategic relevance from India&rsquo;s national security point of view, as terrorists often use Nepal to enter India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, stable and friendly relations with Nepal is one of pre-requisites which India can&rsquo;t afford to overlook.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India should also try to convey to Nepal&rsquo;s leadership about the congenial and friendly environment that 6 to 8 million Nepali citizens living in India enjoys. Therefore, any thoughtless erosion of this centuries old togetherness may prove difficult for both countries.</li>
</ul>
<p>The existing bilateral treaties between India and Nepal have not taken the shifting of Himalayan rivers into consideration. A primary reason for this is the lack of an approach where ecological concerns and needs of rivers are often dismissed.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Therefore, India and Nepal should try to resolve the boundary dispute by taking into account all shared environmental characteristics.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f3f7ba; border-color: #065f8c;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Highlight the dynamics of India-Nepal relationship with a special focus on border disputes.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indo-nepal-territorial-dispute'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Bhopal Gas Tragedy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a research study on congenital deformities in children born to women exposed to the 1984 gas leak in Bhopal was stopped from being published by an expert committee on the grounds of methodological flaws, poor design and inconclusive findings.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study found out that babies born to women exposed to gas were significantly more likely to have <strong>&ldquo;congenital malformations&rdquo;</strong> than those born to women unexposed to gas.</li>
<li>The findings came in response to a question under the Right To Information Act and were made public by an association of activists fighting for those affected by the leak.</li>
<li>The Supreme Court has admitted a curative petition, which demands more compensation for those affected by the disaster. Data on congenital defects in children were important in bolstering the case for compensation.</li>
<li>The expert committee consisted of scientists from the <strong>All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi;</strong> the <strong>National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal</strong>; and the <strong>Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Congenital Malformations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These can be defined as structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine (within the uterus) life and can be identified prenatally, at birth, or sometimes may only be detected later in infancy.</li>
<li>These are also known as birth defects, congenital disorders or congenital anomalies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Post-midnight on December 3, 1984, <strong>Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) (Chemical formula- CH3NCO or C2H3NO)</strong> leaked from the <strong>pesticide plant of Union Carbide (now Dow Chemicals)</strong>, an <strong>MNC</strong>, in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is estimated that about <strong>40 tonnes of gas and other chemicals leaked</strong> from the Union Carbide factory.</li>
<li>Methyl isocyanate is <strong>extremely toxic gas</strong> and if its concentration in the air touches <strong>21ppm</strong> (parts per million), it can cause death within minutes of inhaling the gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is one of the worst chemical disasters globally and still continues to have its ill effects on the people of the affected areas.</li>
<li>After the tragedy, the government of India enacted a <strong>Public Liability Insurance Act (1991),</strong> making it mandatory for industries to get insurance the premium for this insurance would contribute to an <strong>Environment Relief Fund</strong> to provide compensation to victims of a Bhopal-like disaster.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/expert-panel-bars-release-of-bhopal-tragedy-research-findings/article30110398.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: TH</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhopal-gas-tragedy'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'U.S. Minimises its Share in NATO Budget',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The U.S. contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation&rsquo;s (NATO) operating budget has been cut down at the cost of an increase in Germany&rsquo;s payments to the alliance. This move comes after repeated criticism of European members of the organisation by the U.S.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will come into effect from 2021, wherein the U.S. and Germany will contribute equally to NATO budget.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the new agreement, the U.S. will cut its contribution to 16.35% of the total NATO&rsquo;s budget while Germany and other allies&rsquo; contributions will go up.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>U.S. currently pays 22.1% of the NATO budget and Germany pays 14.8%, under a formula based on each country&rsquo;s gross national income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>France has refused to accept the new arrangement</strong> and will keep its contribution the same at 10.5%.</li>
<li>All allies have agreed on a <strong>new cost-sharing formula</strong> under which cost shares attributed to most European allies and Canada will go up, while the US share will come down.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier at the 2014 summit, NATO allies had agreed to spend 2% of their GDP on defence. However, the US suggested that countries not only meet their commitment of 2% expenditure on defence but also increase it to 4% immediately.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Till 2019, only <strong>eight of 29 members are able</strong> to spend 2% of their GDP on defence. Germany has also failed to meet this target.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Poor coordination between Europe and the U.S. and Turkey&rsquo;s military operation</strong> against the Kurds in northern Syria led to the deteriorating condition of NATO functioning so this is an important move to redefine the dynamics.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organization</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a military alliance established by the <strong>North Atlantic Treaty</strong> (also called the <strong>Washington Treaty</strong>) of <strong>April 4, 1949</strong>, by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.</li>
<li>It is headquartered at Brussels, Belgium.</li>
<li>A key provision of the treaty, the so-called <strong>Article 5</strong>, states that if one member of the alliance is attacked in Europe or North America, it is to be considered an attack on all members. That effectively put Western Europe under the "nuclear umbrella" of the US.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NATO has <strong>only once invoked Article 5</strong>, on September 12, 2001, <strong>following the 9/11 attacks</strong> on the World Trade Center in the US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NATO's protection does not extend to members' civil wars or internal coups.</li>
<li>As of 2019, there are <strong>29 member states</strong>, with <strong>Montenegro</strong> becoming the <strong>latest member</strong> to join the alliance in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>France withdrew from the integrated military command of NATO in 1966 but remained a member of the organization. However, it resumed its position in NATO&rsquo;s military command in 2009.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-to-cut-spending-on-nato-budget-germany-to-pay-more/article30109402.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/us-minimises-its-share-in-nato-budget'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong>National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)</strong> organized the <strong>1<sup>st</sup> International Conference on &ldquo;Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience"</strong> on 28<sup>th</sup> November, 2019 in New Delhi.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>aim</strong> was to bring together all stakeholders including relevant ministries, universities, as well as experts to discuss/debate/disseminate practically useful knowledge, experiences, information and innovations for landslides risk reduction and resilience at national and international levels.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Institute of Disaster Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NIDM comes under the <strong>Ministry of Home Affairs</strong> and is located in <strong>New Delhi</strong>.</li>
<li>Under the <strong>Disaster Management Act 2005,</strong> NIDM has been assigned nodal responsibilities for human resource development, capacity building, training, research, documentation and policy advocacy in the field of disaster management.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Landslides<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575021036_image1.png" style="float: right;" /></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A landslide is defined as the <strong>movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope</strong>. Landslides are a <strong>type of "mass wasting (a geomorphic process),"</strong> which denotes any down-slope movement of soil and rock under the <strong>direct influence of gravity</strong>.</li>
<li>Several things can trigger landslides, including the slow weathering of rocks as well as soil erosion, earthquakes and volcanic activity.</li>
<li>Loss Due To Landslides<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Based on <strong>Global Fatal Landslide database 2004-2016,</strong> globally in 4,862 distinct landslide events <strong>55,997 fatalities</strong> were recorded (earthquake triggered landslide events were not taken in account in this study).</li>
<li>Continent-wise, Asia suffers the maximum damages / losses due to landslides.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Among the Asian countries, South Asian nations are the worst sufferers and <strong>India is one of the worst affected by landslides</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As landslides are frequent and widespread, the <strong>annual cumulative losses</strong> worldwide <strong>amount to tens of billions of USD</strong> in terms of lost property, environmental damage, repair works, and the maintenance of defence measures.</li>
<li>As per Geological Survey of India, the window of economic loss due to landslides may reach between 1-2% of the gross national product in many developing countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1594071" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-conference-on-landslides-risk-reduction-and-resilience'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Indian Diaspora Largest in the World: UN Report',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>As per <strong>International Organisation for Migration&rsquo;s (IOM)</strong> latest report, <strong>&lsquo;Global Migration Report 2020&rsquo;</strong>, India continues to be the largest country of origin of international <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/human-migration-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migrants</a> with a <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>17.5 million-strong diaspora</strong></a> across the world.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India also received the <strong>highest remittance of $78.6 billion</strong> from Indians living abroad.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><strong>Migrants</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>total number of international migrants</strong> in 2019 is now estimated at <strong>270 million</strong>.</li>
<li>This is a very <strong>small percentage of the world&rsquo;s population (at 3.5%)</strong>, that is, the vast majority of people globally (96.5%) are estimated to be residing in the country in which they were born.</li>
<li>The <strong>top destination country</strong> remained the <strong>United States</strong> (50.7 million international migrants).</li>
<li>More than half of all international migrants (141 million) live in Europe and North America.</li>
<li>The top three <strong>countries of origin</strong> of international migrants &ndash; <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-the-top-source-of-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India (17.5 million)</strong></a> <strong>&gt; Mexico (11.8 million) &gt; China (10.7 million)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Remittances</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The international remittances increased to $689 billion in 2018.</li>
<li>The <strong>top three remittance recipients were India ($78.6 billion) &gt; China ($67.4 billion) &gt; Mexico ($35.7 billion)</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>United States remained the top remittance-sending country</strong> ($68 billion) followed by the United Arab Emirates ($44.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($36.1 billion).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Reasons for migration</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> Apart from U.S., other important <strong>migration corridors</strong> from poorer countries to richer nations were France, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Gulf countries have some of the largest numbers of <strong>temporary labour migrants</strong> in the world, including the United Arab Emirates, where they make up almost 90% of the population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ongoing conflicts and violence</strong> in Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen have led to massive internal displacement in the last two years. A total of 41.3 million people were forced to flee their homes at the end of 2018 &mdash; a record since monitoring began in 1998.</li>
<li><strong>Syria has the highest internally population of displaced people,</strong> at 6.1 million, followed by Colombia (5.8 million) and the Congo (3.1 million).</li>
<li><strong>Impact of climate and weather disasters,</strong> such as Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines contributed to 3.8 million displaced people, the largest number globally.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Organisation for Migration</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IOM, or as it was first known, the Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe (PICMME), was born in 1951 out of the chaos and displacement of Western Europe following the Second World War.</li>
<li>It is the leading inter-governmental organization, working under the mandate of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations</a>, in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.</li>
<li>With 173 member states, and further 8 states holding observer status, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>These data are critical for understanding the important role of migrants and migration in the development of both countries of origin and destination. Facilitating orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people will contribute much to achieving <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals</strong></a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/at-175-million-indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report/article30105882.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/indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in news</h3>
<p>The Parliament has passed the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/chit-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019</a>. It will streamline operations of <strong>collective investment schemes or chit funds</strong>, with the aim to protect investors that primarily comprises economically weaker sections of the society.</p>
<h3>Chit Funds</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this, the people agree to pay a certain amount from time to time into a fund. Periodically, one of the subscribers is chosen by drawing a chit to receive the prize amount from the fund.</li>
<li>Chit funds are <strong>legal and registered</strong> and are different from ponzi schemes as well as unregulated deposits.</li>
<li>It is used by the poor as it acts as both a source of finance and an avenue for savings.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ponzi Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new investors. Ponzi scheme organizers often promise high returns with little or no risk.</li>
<li>It leads victims to believe that profits are coming from product sales or other means, and they remain unaware that other investors are the source of funds.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Need of Amendment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>To Protect Investor Interest:</strong> It highlights the crucial role chit funds play in India&rsquo;s rural economy, providing people with access to funds and investment opportunities, especially in regions where banks and financial institutions do not have a presence.</li>
<li><strong>To Check Fraud:</strong> The Chit Funds Act of 1982 was amended to incorporate stringent measures to stop alleged fraud.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Features of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Names for a Chit Fund:</strong> The Act specifies various names which may be used to refer to a chit fund. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include chit, chit fund, and kuri.</li>
<li>It additionally inserts <strong>&lsquo;fraternity fund&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;rotating savings and credit institution&rsquo;</strong> to this list.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Presence of Subscribers through Video-Conferencing:</strong> The Act specifies that a chit will be drawn in the presence of at least two subscribers. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill seeks to allow these subscribers to join via video-conferencing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Foreman&rsquo;s Commission:</strong> The &lsquo;foreman&rsquo; is responsible for managing the chit fund. He is entitled to a maximum commission of 5% of the chit amount. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill seeks to increase the commission to 7%.</li>
<li>Further, the Bill allows the foreman a right to a lien against the credit balance from subscribers.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lien</strong> is the right of an individual to retain goods and securities in his possession that belongs to another until certain legal debts due to the person retaining the goods are satisfied.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aggregate Amount of Chits:</strong> Under the Act, chits may be conducted by firms, associations or individuals. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Act specifies the maximum amount of chit funds which may be collected. These limits are: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Currently, one lakh rupees</strong> for chits conducted by individuals, and for every individual in a firm or association with less than four partners, and <strong>Six lakh rupees</strong> for firms with four or more partners. The Bill increases these limits to three lakh rupees and 18 lakh rupees, respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Application of the Act:</strong> Currently, the Act does not apply to: (i) any chit started before it was enacted, and (ii) any chit (or multiple chits being managed by the same foreman) where the amount is less than Rs 100. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill removes the limit of Rs 100, and allows the state governments to specify the base amount over which the provisions of the Act will apply.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.livemint.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: Live mint</a></strong></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chit-funds-amendment-bill-2019'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Supplementary Grants',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Finance Minister tabled the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the financial year 2019-20 in both the Houses of Parliament.</p>
<h3>Supplementary Grants</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>When the authorised grants fall short of the required expenditure, an estimate is presented before the Parliament for <strong>Supplementary or Additional grants</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Comptroller and Auditor General</strong> of India bring such excesses to the notice of the Parliament.</li>
<li>The <strong>Public Accounts Committee</strong> examines these excesses and gives recommendations to the Parliament.</li>
<li>These grants are presented and passed by the Parliament before the <strong>end of the financial year</strong> (1<sup>st</sup> April to 31<sup>st</sup> March).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Grants</h3>
<p><strong>Additional Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted when a need has arisen during the current financial year for <strong>additional expenditure</strong> upon <strong>some new service</strong> not contemplated in the budget for that year. E.g.:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The demand for grants for the year 2019-20 also includes allocation of more than Rs 8,000 crore to the newly formed <strong>Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh</strong> and Rs 20 crore for upkeep of Ayodhya.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Excess Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted when money has been spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted for that service in the budget for that year. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is voted by <strong>the Lok Sabha</strong> after the financial year (since it is regulated by the same procedure which is applicable in the case of a regular budget, i.e. voted by the Lok Sabha).</li>
<li>Before the demands for excess grants are submitted to the Lok Sabha for voting, they must be approved by the <strong>Public Accounts Committee of Parliament</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Vote of Credit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted for meeting an <strong>unexpected demand upon resources</strong> of India, when on account of the magnitude or the indefinite character of the service, the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in a budget. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hence, it is like a <strong>blank cheque</strong> given to the Executive by the Lok Sabha.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Exceptional Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted for a special purpose and forms no part of the current service of any financial year.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Token Grant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is granted when funds to meet the proposed expenditure on a new service can be made available by <strong>reappropriation</strong>.</li>
<li>A demand for the grant of a token sum (of Re 1) is submitted to the vote of the Lok Sabha and if assented, funds are made available.</li>
<li><strong>Reappropriation</strong> involves transfer of funds from one head to another. It does not involve any additional expenditure.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Votes on Account</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Constitution has authorised the Lok Sabha to make any <strong>grant in advance</strong> in respect to the estimated expenditure for a part of the financial year, pending the completion of the voting of the demands for grants and the enactment of the appropriation bill. This provision is known as the <strong>&lsquo;vote on account&rsquo;</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is passed (or granted) after the general discussion on budget is over. It is generally granted for <strong>two months for an amount equivalent to one-sixth</strong> of the total estimation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> Supplementary, additional, excess, exceptional grants and vote of credit are regulated by the same procedure which is applicable in the case of a regular budget.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional Provision</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Supplementary, additional or excess grants and Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants are defined in the Constitution of India 1949.</li>
<li>Provisions under these Articles are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Article 115:</strong> Supplementary, additional or excess grants.</li>
<li><strong>Article 116:</strong> Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/govt-seeks-house-nod-for-additional-spending-of-over-rs-21000-crore-in-current-fiscal-6141790/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/supplementary-grants'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Defence Industrial Corridors',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Government has set up defence industrial corridors in <strong>Uttar Pradesh</strong> and <strong>Tamil Nadu</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These defence corridors will facilitate a well-planned and efficient industrial base that will lead to <strong>increased defence production</strong> in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India topped the list of arms importer accounting for 13% of the trade in weapons platform between 2012-2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The corridors overlap with existing defence public sector companies, and aim to ensure <strong>connectivity among various defence industrial units</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Connecting Cities in <strong>Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (6):</strong> Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Chitrakoot and Jhansi.</li>
<li>Connecting Cities in <strong>Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (5)</strong>: Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defence-industrial-corridors'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'UNDP’s Accelerator Lab',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Development Programme</strong></a> (UNDP) has launched its <strong>Accelerator Lab</strong> in India. The project has been launched in collaboration with the government&rsquo;s <strong>Atal Innovation Mission</strong> and will look to solve issues through innovative solutions.</p>
<h3>Objectives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This lab will seek to address some of the most pressing issues facing India, such as air pollution, sustainable water management and client-resilient livelihoods through innovation.</li>
<li>The vision is to make faster progress in meeting the ambitious <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</strong></a> of the U.N. by 2030.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Accelerator Lab</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Accelerator Lab is an innovative new initiative by the <strong>UNDP, State of Qatar</strong> and the <strong>Federal Republic of Germany</strong> to find 21<sup>st&nbsp;</sup>century solutions to today's complex new challenges.</li>
<li>India's Accelerator Lab will be part of a network of 60 global labs covering 78 nations, that will test and scale new solutions to global challenges like climate change and inequality.</li>
<li>These Labs will identify grassroots solutions together with local actors and validate their potential to accelerate development.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-gandhian-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atal Innovation Mission:</strong></a> It is a flagship national innovation initiative of the Government of India under the NITI Aayog. It aims to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>UNDP</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed.</li>
<li><strong>UNDP India's</strong> country programme for 2018-2022 has three major focus areas:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Inclusive growth</li>
<li>Environment and energy</li>
<li>Strengthening systems and institutions countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/undp-launches-accelerator-lab-in-india-to-work-on-tackling-pollution/article30108154.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/undps-accelerator-lab'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Defence Acquisition Council',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)</strong> has approved the <strong>procurement of weapons and equipment</strong> worth ₹22,800 crore.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The focus was on <strong>&lsquo;Make in India&rsquo;</strong> initiative i.e. on indigenous design, development and manufacturing of weapons and equipment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Weapons and Equipment Approved</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Thermal Imaging Night Sights for Assault Rifles:</strong> These would enable troops to undertake long range accurate engagements in dark and all weather conditions thereby enhancing the night fighting capabilities.</li>
<li><strong>Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These platforms would provide on-board command &amp; control and 'early warning' which would assist the Indian Air Force (IAF) in achieving effective air space dominance in the least possible time.</li>
<li>Induction of these aircraft will greatly enhance both the Air defence and offensive capabilities of the IAF.</li>
<li>The <strong>shortage</strong> of such force multipliers was felt during the aerial engagement with the Pakistan Air Force, <strong>a day after the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-post-balakot-challenge-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Balakot air strike</a></strong> in February, 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>P8I long range patrol aircraft for the Indian Navy:</strong> These aircraft would greatly strengthen the Navy's capabilities for maritime surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Vessel (ASV) strike. These <strong>would be procured from the United States</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Twin Engine Heavy Helicopters (TEHH) for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icgs-varaha" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Coast Guard</a>:</strong> These aircraft would enable the Coast Guard to undertake missions to prevent maritime terrorism, infiltration of terrorists by sea routes as well as search &amp; rescue operations.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Defence Acquisition Council</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Defence Acquisition Council is the <strong>highest decision-making body</strong> in the Defence Ministry for deciding on new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard.</li>
<li>The <strong>Minister of Defence</strong> is the <strong>Chairman</strong> of the Council.</li>
<li>It was formed, after the Group of Ministers recommendations on 'Reforming the National Security System', in <strong>2001, post Kargil War (1999)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/defence-ministry-approves-procurement-of-military-platforms-weapons-worth-22800-crore/article30107744.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: TH</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defence-acquisition-council'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Policy Watch - Direct Tax Code',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cQQ9Rxr8rVM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Recently, a draft legislation on new direct tax code has been submitted by the task force to the Finance Minister. The task force headed by <strong>Akhilesh Ranjan,</strong> was constituted in <strong>Nov 2017</strong> to review the existing Income Tax Act 1961.</p>
<p>The draft legislation submitted proposes far-reaching changes and significant relief to taxpayers. It also proposes incentives to start-ups and a new concept of settling disputes through mediation between taxpayer and tax collector.</p>
<h3>Why new tax code?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Income Tax Act, 1961, was constituted and enacted considering the need and state of the economy at that time, taking into account the mindset and thought process of the people about how income could be taxed.</li>
<li>Over the last 58 years, the economy has become more integrated, globalized, liberalized and new models of business have arisen. Therefore, the act needs to be redrafted and be made accommodative of the needs of the present as well as of the next few decades.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Direct Tax System</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Tax Rate:</strong> The tax rate in India is quite high for both individuals as well as corporate.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The reduction in corporate tax rate by Trump administration has led to the shifting of investment from other regions to the USA.</li>
<li>However, the government had reduced the corporate tax rate to 25% but treating domestic and foreign companies at par is an issue that needs to be resolved.</li>
<li>The individual tax rates also need to be rationalized in order to increase the tax base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tax Assessment:</strong> In India, the assessment process is physical which leads to the allegation of harassment by tax officials often referred to as tax terrorism. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a major roadblock in compliance and increasing the tax base.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tax Dispute:</strong> In the Indian taxation system, there has been a huge number of tax litigations, which makes the whole tax dispute resolving mechanism unviable. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a major cause of concern in ease of doing business and enforcing contracts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Exemptions:</strong> There are a plethora of exemptions in direct tax code which makes the filling process more complex and reduce the effective tax rate.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Relevance of New Direct Code</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Complexities:</strong> The six-decade old tax code consists of around 700 sections of a very complex nature. It has evolved over time taking into account many amendments. Now the whole tax code has assumed a very haphazard form.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the simplification of tax laws would enable more people to become part of the direct tax regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Demographics:</strong> In the country of more than<strong> 1.2 billion,</strong> there are only <strong>74 million</strong> effective taxpayers which is a very shallow figure.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Considering the scale of Indian population and demographics, tax administration needs to take proactive steps in bringing more people within the tax-fold.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tax Administration:</strong> The present tax administration has evolved taking into account the experience it has gained in the past 6 decades. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the new tax code provides an opportunity to remove procedural loopholes and make the tax administration user-friendly, which is presently infamous for harassment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Technology:</strong> In 1961, the taxation process was completely physical. Now the use of new technology, social media, artificial intelligence has to be accommodated to make the process simpler and transparent.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the Income Tax department started the<strong> faceless assessment</strong> scheme on a pilot basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Changing Form of Business:</strong> In the past 6 decades, the nature of business has evolved a lot. The social media and internet marketing has become a new commodity which needs to be appropriately taxed. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the new tax code should involve provisions for taxing stakeholders beyond geographical boundaries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Faceless Assessment:</strong> It is a randomized and anonymized assessment, aims to eliminate physical interface between taxpayer and tax assessee.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this system, one need not appear before a tax officer and there is no physical movement of papers or person.</li>
<li>It will reduce a lot of pressure and address issues faced by tax administration during an assessment.</li>
<li>The need is to make the faceless or e-assessment widespread and mandatory.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Expectation from New Tax Code</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Abolition of Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) and Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT).</li>
<li>Abolition of cess and surcharges.</li>
<li>Minimization of exemptions.</li>
<li>Simplification of tax laws.</li>
<li>Tax-payer friendly administration.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What New Direct Tax Code means for Stakeholders?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Individuals:</strong> The difference between the cost of tax evasion and tax compliance is not very much. People due to fear of harassment do not enroll into tax system but they pay the cost illegally in form of bribe. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, they can be easily moved towards tax compliance by simplifying tax laws and making administration taxpayers friendly</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Corporate:</strong> Uniform tax rate for both local and foriegn companies propel ease of doing business in India thus increasing business activity in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the new direct tax code provides an opportunity to overhaul the whole investment scenario in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economy:</strong> The macro dimension added in the past few decades has made our economy more integrated with the rest of the world in terms of trade and investment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mobility of capital across the geographical boundaries has increased immensely and tax competition among countries has also become intense. There is also an international context to our tax policy.</li>
<li>Therefore, the DTC has the potential to boost the entire macro-cycle in the economy by boosting the tax base and collection, thereby increasing the tax-to-gdp ratio.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the sake of administrative convenience, we have focussed on the ability to pay, the tax law seldom tries to differentiate between high risk income and low risk income, legal income or illegal income, recurring income or non-recurring income . These nuances are difficult to administer but will bring more equity to the system. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>For Example:</strong> Income from government-securities and government job is highly secured while income from business is very risky, therefore, they must be taxed differently.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The very effort of the planners should be to boost income i.e to be taxed, to boost the base of wealth that creates income. Therefore, special consideration should be given to wealth creators.</li>
<li>The new tax code provides an opportunity to build a predictable tax regime which will attract long-term investment and lead to job creation.</li>
<li>Indian taxation system is plagued by ligitations in courts, therefore the new tax code must aims at reforming the dispute resolution mechanism by introducing a system of mediation or settlement.</li>
</ul>
<p>It is believed that whenever the country goes for a new tax code, it basically means to rationalise the tax rate and exemptions, therefore the risk of tax forgone in short term is quite high. Before implementing the new tax code, the country needs to stabilize the GST regime and ensure that the economy is in good state to absorb short term disruptions.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-direct-tax-code'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'New Citizenship Regime',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-misadventure-of-a-new-citizenship-regime/article30090226.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The misadventure of a new citizenship regime&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 27/11/2019. It talks about issues related to the nationwide exercise for preparing National Register of Citizens.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, a nationwide exercise for counting the citizens of the country was proposed in the Parliament in the form of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-national-register-of-citizens-nrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Register of Citizens (NRC).</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The objective of this latest initiative is to <strong>count citizens</strong> so as to separate them from non-citizens and expel the infiltrators out of the country.</li>
<li>The previously conducted exercise (NRC-1951) counted the<strong> residents</strong> (a person who has resided in a local area for the <strong>past 6 months</strong> or more) <strong>rather than citizens of the country.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The need for this nationwide exercise came into limelight in the backdrop of the similar <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/final-national-register-of-citizens" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>exercise conducted in the state of Assam</strong></a> (2019) under the supervision of the Supreme Court.</li>
<li>Also, the <em><strong>Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner</strong></em> will upload the <strong>Census of 2021</strong> along with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-population-register" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Population Register (NPR)</strong></a> next summer. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NPR is the database that consists of a comprehensive identity of every usual resident in the country.</li>
<li>As of January 2019, nearly 123 crore <strong>Aadhaar cards</strong> had been issued- which serves as a proof of residentship in India and not the citizenship. This can help in the formation of the NPR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues and Challenges associated with Nationwide NRC</h3>
<p>The underlying rationale, feasibility, and moral legitimacy with a nationwide NRC gives birth to various challenges:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Legal Inconsistencies:</strong> The NRC exercise raises suspicion of alienage in the minds of the citizens. The process of NRC is inconsistent with existing laws such as:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the <strong>Foreigners&rsquo; Act, 1946,</strong> the burden of proof lies on the individual charged with being a foreigner but in NRC the entire population has to give proof of their citizenship.</li>
<li>Even the <strong>Citizenship Act, 1955</strong> which deals with the provisions of acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship does not contain any provision for identifying aliens. But NRC declares the non-nationals as aliens.</li>
<li>The Supreme Court<strong> in 2005</strong> struck down the <strong>Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act (IMDT Act-</strong> which highlighted the mechanism for identifying the foreigners) claiming that the provisions mentioned in it are very stringent making the detection and deportation of illegal migrants almost impossible. But the NRC tries to repeat the same thing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Paucity of Resources:</strong> The associated costs and scarcity of resources to frame such nationwide NRC is a big challenge before the government.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Financial Costs:</strong> The entire Assam exercise is reported to have cost around <strong>₹1,600 crore</strong> to enrol 3.3 crore applicants which also ended up excluding 19 lakh people.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>On this basis, a nationwide NRC would require an outlay of <strong>₹4.26 lakh crore-</strong> which is four times the budgetary outlay for education this year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Human Resources:</strong> The work of authenticating the Indian electorate of 87.9 crore people would necessitate the deployment of around 1.33 crore officials (more than half of the government officials) for at least next 10 years. This will incur huge administrative burden on the already stressed administrative machinery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Risks:</strong> The NRC would give rise to the practice of<strong> &ldquo;paper citizenship&rdquo;</strong> acquired through the networks of kinship. The one who is not included in the list would lose the Indian nationality, putting undocumented nationals at risk of losing their citizenship in a futile search for non-national migrants who are better documented, as was found in the case of Assam. This poses a grave fear in the minds of the people.</li>
<li><strong>Inherent Political Drawbacks:</strong> There are many uncertainties that persist related to this exercise like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Cut-off date:</strong> There is speculation about a July 1948 date as the cut-off date in light of constitutional provisions, post-Partition jurisprudence, and the enactment of the Citizenship Act in 1955, but it still is unclear.</li>
<li>Will the enrolment process in the NRC be compulsory or voluntary (as was the case in Assam), and what might be the consequences of not seeking registration is debatable.</li>
<li><strong>Federal Challenge:</strong> Seeking the consent of State governments to conduct this exercise is a challenging task. Many North-eastern states are already protesting the NRC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NRC versus Citizenship Amendment Bill:</strong> On one hand NRC carves out a framework to eliminate illegal immigrants, on the other hand, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lok-sabha-passes-citizenship-amendment-bill-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Citizenship Amendment Bill (2016)</strong></a> creates a path to grant citizenship to preferred groups of the immigrants.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the implicit assumption in the case of Assam NRC was that the infiltrators were <strong>Bangladeshis</strong> (primarily Muslims) who must be disenfranchised. Whereas the Citizenship Amendment Bill explicitly promises to grant citizenship to migrants belonging to specified minority religious groups (all except Muslims) who face the fear of persecution in Afghanistan, <strong>Bangladesh,</strong> and Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Nationwide NRC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fear of Victimization:</strong> The exercise would lead to enhanced anxiety in the minds of excluded sections of the society, especially the minorities. The series of recent events such as <strong>vigilante violence</strong> against minorities, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/criminalising-triple-talaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triple talaq legislation</a>,</strong> and the reading down of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-article-370" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 370</strong></a> aggravates such fears.</li>
<li><strong>Psychological Fears:</strong> The fear of not having papers has already led to many suicides in Assam. The nationwide NRC would multi-fold such events.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At the end of a prolonged debate on citizenship, the Constituent Assembly settled on the<strong> principle of &lsquo;jus soli&rsquo;</strong> which means<strong> law of the soil</strong> or the birth-based citizenship as opposed to the racial citizenship implied by <em><strong>&lsquo;jus sanguinis&rsquo;</strong></em> <strong>(the right of blood).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and the NRC will only consolidate the shift from birth-based citizenship to the racial citizenship regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Constitutionally, India is a<strong> secular country-</strong> following the idea of the nation as a civic entity by transcending the ethnic differences. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NRC-CAB combination signals a <em><strong>transformative shift from a civic-national conception to an ethnonational conception of India.</strong> </em>This is expected to have adverse repercussions on the delicate and plural social fabric of the nation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To aptly identify and detect foreigners, and to secure the borders against illegal immigrants is a primary challenge that needs to be overcome first in order to address the internal security challenges faced by the nation.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" height="66">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #6a00ff; background-color: #e1ebfc;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br />A nationwide NRC is not a solution to check illegal migrants in the country. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/new-citizenship-regime'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'New Snake Species Found in Arunachal Pradesh',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a new species of <strong>non-venomous burrowing snake,</strong> named <strong>Trachischium apteii</strong> has been found in the forested area of the <strong>Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary</strong> near the town of <strong>Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It belongs to a group of <strong>fossorial (adapted to digging) snakes</strong> that live mostly <strong>underground,</strong> and <strong>surface mainly during or after a heavy monsoon shower.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574929768_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574929768_image2.jpg" width="341" height="183" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-snake-species-found-in-arunachal/article30099823.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/new-snake-species-found-in-arunachal-pradesh'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'NuGen Mobility Summit 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The three day NuGen Mobility Summit is being held at Manesar in Haryana. It is organised by the <strong>International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT).</strong></li>
<li>It is the <strong>largest automotive technology event</strong> in the country so far.</li>
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> of the event revolves around <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-mobility</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hydrogen-enriched-compressed-natural-gas-hcng" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>hydrogen mobility</strong></a> to ensure green, safe and affordable mobility.</li>
<li>The <strong>objective</strong> of the summit is to share new ideas, global experiences, innovations and future technology trends for faster adoption and development of advanced automotive technologies for a smarter and greener future.</li>
<li>The event also emphasizes over importance of <strong>combining agricultural sector with the automobile sector.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased agricultural production of non-edible oil</strong> can be used for manufacturing of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>biodiesel</strong></a>.,which in turn helps to <strong>reduce dependency on fossil fuels.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Centre for Automotive Technology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) is a division of NATRIP Implementation Society (NATIS) under the Department of Heavy Industries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>National Automotive Testing and R&amp;D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP)</strong> is the largest and most significant initiative in the automotive sector which comprises of representatives from the Government of India, a number of State Governments and Indian Automotive Industry.</li>
<li>It aims to create a state of the art testing, validation and R&amp;D infrastructure in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>ICAT provides services for testing, validation, design of all categories of vehicles.</li>
<li>It also intends to assist the automotive industry in adopting cutting edge technologies in vehicle evaluation and component development to ensure reliability, durability and compliance to the current and future regulations in new generation mobility solutions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1593836" 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/nugen-mobility-summit-2019'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Emissions Gap Report by UNEP',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</strong> released <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-30th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Emissions Gap Report&rsquo;</strong></a>, according to which <strong>India is the fourth-largest emitter</strong> of Green House Gases (GHGs).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The world will fail to meet the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-warming-of-1-5-c-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>1.5&deg;C temperature goal</strong></a> of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-climate-change-act-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Paris Agreement</strong></a> unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall by 7.6 per cent each year.</li>
<li>The <strong>top four emitters (China, USA, EU and India)</strong> contributed to over<strong> 55% of the total emissions</strong> over the last decade, <strong>excluding emissions from land-use change</strong> such as deforestation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rankings would change if land-use change emissions were included, with Brazil likely to be the largest emitter.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Sectors that are the largest emitters- <strong>Energy&gt;Industry&gt;Forestry&gt;Transport&gt;Agriculture&gt;Building.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India</strong> is among a small group of countries that are on their <strong>way to achieve their self-declared climate targets</strong> under the Paris Agreement. However, the emissions largely depend on the growth of the economy of the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Emissions Gap Report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>flagship report from UNEP</strong> and it assesses the gap between anticipated emissions in 2030 and levels consistent with the 1.5&deg;C and 2&deg;C targets of the Paris Agreement.</li>
<li>Every year, the report features ways to bridge the gap. This year, the report looked at the <strong>potential of the energy transition &ndash;</strong> particularly in the <strong>power, transport and buildings sectors &ndash;</strong> and efficiency in the use of materials such as iron steel and cement.</li>
<li>It considers different scenarios, from no new climate policies since 2005 to full implementation of all national commitments under the Paris Agreement.</li>
<li>It provides the latest assessment of scientific studies on current and estimated future Green House Gases (GHGs) emissions and compares these with the emission levels permissible for the world to progress on a least-cost pathway to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India's Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to be achieved primarily, by 2030</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To reduce the emissions intensity of the GDP by about a third.</li>
<li>A total of 40% of the installed capacity for electricity will be from non-fossil fuel sources.</li>
<li>India also promised an additional carbon sink (a means to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-editorials/11-07-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>forest and tree cover</strong></a> by the year 2030.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-fourth-largest-emitter-of-greenhouse-gases-un-report-6140272/" 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/emission-gap-report-by-unep'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Exercise Mitra Shakti',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>7<sup>th</sup> edition</strong> of<strong> India-Sri Lanka <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-maitree" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint military training exercise</a> Mitra Shakti&ndash; 2019</strong> is scheduled to be conducted in Pune from 01 - 14 December 2019.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574925993_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1574925993_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="236" height="167" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The exercise aims to build and promote <strong>positive relations between armies of India and Sri Lanka for counter-insurgency &amp; counter-terrorism operations in the urban and rural environment</strong> under <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> mandate.</li>
<li>The joint exercise also aims for incorporating the current dynamics of United Nations peacekeeping operations through practical &amp; comprehensive discussions and tactical exercises.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1593715" 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-mitra-shakti'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Perils of Electoral Politics',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/preventing-political-coalitions-of-convenience/article30079312.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Preventing political coalitions of convenience&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 27/11/2019. It talks about the perils of electoral politics in case of a hung assembly.</p>
</div>
<p>The perils of electoral politics can be seen recently in the Maharashtra state assembly elections, where a pre-poll alliance had won the mandate, but due to <strong>disagreements over power-sharing,</strong> a new post-poll coalition is forming the government.</p>
<p>The situation where none of the parties is able to secure a majority in elections, such political manoeuvring by political parties becomes imminent. However, it <strong>demeans the aspirations of the people of the State.</strong></p>
<h3>Issues Involved</h3>
<p><strong>Demise of Democracy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Pre-poll alliances function as a<strong> single consolidated unit.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Political parties generally do not contest elections against each other. Also, their cadres and volunteers work for the coalition and not just their individual parties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the voters, vote for a set agenda and political ideology on whose premise the edifice of both the party and the coalition rest.</li>
<li>Therefore, post-poll alliance (if it is different from the pre-poll alliance), leads to the <strong>betrayal of voters and demise of principles of democracy.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Horse-Trading</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the event of a hung assembly, political parties are involved in horse-trading.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a practice in which, in the event of a hung assembly, some members of one political party deliberately join another party or simply resign.</li>
<li>They do so by being attracted to the prospect of becoming part or favouring the government which may come to power or for monetary/ vested interests.</li>
<li>This amounts to defection under Anti-defection law (10th schedule). However, loopholes under the same law are exploited, to get away from proceedings under anti-defection law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Role of Governor</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>hung assembly</strong> also raises a serious question regarding the role of the Governor in government formation and the manner in which it should be exercised.</li>
<li>Constitutionally, it is the <strong>Governor&rsquo;s discretion</strong> to select a Chief Minister and give him a chance to prove majority on the floor of the house.</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court, in SR Bommai case 1994, has given direction what the governor should do in such a situation, which is:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Governor has to invite the leader of the party commanding majority in the House or the single largest party/group to form the Government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the words &ldquo;largest party/group&rdquo; is again ambiguous. The &ldquo;group&rdquo; may include a Post-poll alliance or Pre-poll alliance.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to check and limit such post-poll &lsquo;alliances of convenience&rsquo;, wherein, even parties with diametrically opposite election manifestos and promises come together to share power.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Law Commission of India, in its 170<sup>th</sup> report on &lsquo;Reform of the electoral laws,</strong> had opined that a<strong> &lsquo;pre-election front/coalition&rsquo;</strong> of political parties should be <strong>treated as a &lsquo;political party&rsquo;</strong> for the purposes of the anti-defection law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The menace of horse-trading can be dealt with by strengthening anti-defection law.</li>
<li>The political parties and individual candidates should be mandated to disclose a list of <strong>&lsquo;probable post-poll alliances&rsquo;</strong> under a legal framework drafted by Election Commission.</li>
<li>The menace of Horse-trading can be dealt with by strengthening Anti-defection law.</li>
<li>It is high time that the <strong>Sarkaria Commission (1983) report,</strong> which discusses the role of Governor in case of the hung assembly must be implemented.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It recommended, in case of a hung assembly, the Governor should select a Chief Minister from among the following parties or group of parties by sounding them, in turn, in the order of preference indicated below:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>An alliance of parties that were formed prior to the elections.</li>
<li>The largest single party staking a claim to form a government with the support of others, including &ldquo;independents.&rdquo;</li>
<li>A post-electoral coalition of parties, with all the partners in the coalition joining the Government.</li>
<li>A post-electoral alliance of parties, with some of the parties in the alliance forming a Government and the remaining parties, including &ldquo;independents&rdquo; supporting the Government from outside.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Democracy cannot be restricted to the mere casting of votes and formation of government; it is also about the trust among the voters of an electorate that the mandate given by them must be reflected in the government formed after elections.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #edffff;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>Post-poll alliance, if it is different from the pre-poll alliance, leads to the betrayal of voters and demise of democracy. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/perils-of-electoral-politics'
	]
]
$updates = object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

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

}
$page = (int) 137
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 277
$title = 'Search'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

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

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