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Reservation: Not a Right

This article is based on “Reservation as right: on Supreme Court judgment” which was published in The Hindu on 11/02/2020. It talks...

11 Feb 2020 News Editorials
The Big Picture - SCO Summit 2020

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SC Upholds Changes to SC/ST Atrocities Law

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For...

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			'title' => 'Reservation: Not a Right',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
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<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/reservation-as-right/article30785768.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Reservation as right: on Supreme Court judgment&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 11/02/2020. It talks about the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on the reservation.</p>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>Recently, the Supreme Court has ruled that reservation in the matter of promotions in public posts is not a fundamental right, and a state cannot be compelled to offer the quota if it chooses not to. The idea that reservation is not a right may be in consonance with the Constitution, however, the government is still under the obligation to perform<strong> Reservation</strong> for vulnerable sections of society.</p>
<h3>What does the Supreme Court ruling hold?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Supreme Court held that Reservation programmes allowed in the Constitution are <strong>derived from &ldquo;enabling provisions&rdquo; and are not rights as such.</strong></li>
<li>It held that no mandamus can be issued by the court directing state governments to provide reservations.</li>
<li>In other words, it argued that there is <strong>neither a basic right to reservations nor a duty by the State government to provide it.</strong></li>
<li>The Supreme Court referred to Article 16(4) and 16(4A) while delivering its judgment in the matter.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Enabling provisions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Article 16 in the Constitution of India refers to equality of opportunity in government jobs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Article 16(1) provides for equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to 'employment or appointment' to any office under the State</li>
<li>Article 16(2) provides that there cannot be any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, Article 16(4) and 16(4A) provides for the grounds of positive discrimination or Reservation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Article 16 (4) provides that the State can make&nbsp;any provision for the <strong>reservation of appointments or posts</strong> in favour of any backward class of citizens who, in the opinion of the state, are not adequately represented in the services under the State.</li>
<li>Article 16 (4A) provides that State can make any provision for reservation<strong> in matters of promotion</strong> in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes if they are not adequately represented in the services under the State.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Also, through this judgment, the court reiterated its stand in <strong>M. Nagraj case,</strong> which stated that the state is not bound to provide reservation in promotions, but if it does so, it must be in favour of sections that are backward and inadequately represented in the services based on quantifiable data.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance of the Judgement</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It had been inferred from Article 16(4) and 16(4A), that these are exceptions to the equality of opportunity in government jobs, which state can exercise in order to provide social mobility to vulnerable classes.</li>
<li>Reservation is no longer seen by the Supreme Court as an exception to the equality rule; rather, it is a facet of equality.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The terms &ldquo;proportionate equality&rdquo; and &ldquo;substantive equality&rdquo; have been used to show that the equality norm acquires completion only when the marginalized sections are given legal backing.</li>
<li>For instance, if no quotas are implemented and no study on backwardness and extent of representation is done, it may result in a perceptible imbalance in social representation in public services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Judicial Scrutiny of Reservation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The State of Madras v. Smt.Champakam Dorairajan (1951) case was the first major verdict of the Supreme Court on the issue of Reservation. The case led to the First Amendment in the constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Supreme Court pointed out that while in the case of employment under the State, Article 16(4) provides for reservations in favour of backward class of citizens, no such provision was made in Article 15.</li>
<li>Pursuant to the Supreme Court&rsquo;s order in the case, the Parliament amended Article 15 by inserting Clause (4).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In <strong>Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) case</strong> the court examined the scope and extent of Article 16(4).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The court has said that the creamy layer of OBCs should be excluded from the list of beneficiaries of reservation, there should not be reservation in promotions, and total reserved quota should not exceed 50%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Parliament responded by enacting the 77<sup>th</sup> <strong>Constitutional Amendment Act</strong> which introduced Article 16(4A).</li>
<li>The Article confers power on the state to reserve seats in favor of SC and ST communities in promotions in Public Services if the communities are not adequately represented in public employment.</li>
<li>The Supreme Court in <strong>M. Nagaraj v. Union Of India 2006 case</strong> while upholding the constitutional validity of Art 16(4A) held that any such reservation policy in order to be constitutionally valid shall satisfy the following three constitutional requirements:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The SC and ST communities should be socially and educationally backward.</li>
<li>The SC and ST communities are not adequately represented in public employment.</li>
<li>Such a reservation policy shall not affect the overall efficiency of the administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In <strong>Jarnail Singh vs Lachhmi Narain Gupta case of 2018,</strong>&nbsp;the Supreme Court held that reservation in promotions does not require the state to collect quantifiable data on the backwardness of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.</li>
<li>The Court held that creamy layer exclusion extends to SC/STs and, hence the State cannot grant reservations in the promotion to SC/ST individuals who belong to the creamy layer of their community.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What is the Reservation?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Reservation&nbsp;is a form of positive discrimination, created to promote equality among marginalised sections, so as to protect them from social and historical injustice.</li>
<li>Generally, it means giving preferential treatment to marginalised sections of society in employment and access to education.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></li>
<li>It was also originally developed to correct years of discrimination and to give a boost to disadvantaged groups.</li>
<li>In India, people have been historically discriminated on the basis of caste.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pros of Reservation<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581426271_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581426271_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="285" height="177" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It ensures diversity in advanced education, equality in the workplace and offers protection from hatred.</li>
<li>It helps in the emancipation of disadvantaged individuals and thereby promotes equality for all.</li>
<li>It breaks stereotypes regarding caste, religion, and ethnicity.</li>
<li>It increases social mobility.</li>
<li>It is needed to compensate for centuries of oppression and discrimination and provides level-playing fields.</li>
<li>It seeks to bring equity in society by addressing 'graded inequalities'.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cons of Reservation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is concerns that leads to erosion of meritocracy.</li>
<li>It can still reinforce stereotypes as it demeans the achievements of marginalized sections.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People coming under the ambit of reservation, their success is labelled as a result of Reservation, instead of their capabilities and hard work.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are concerns that reservation can serve as a medium for reverse discrimination.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reverse discrimination is discrimination against members of a dominant or majority group, in favour of members of a minority or historically disadvantaged group.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to vote bank politics, even after discrimination issues have been diminishing, it is difficult to withdraw the reservation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p></p>
<p>The reservation policy was introduced only for a temporary timeframe until equality reigns amongst all bases of discrimination. However, the policy of reservation has been continuing for over six decades now and has been expanding.</p>
<p>Since, Reservation is necessary to provide equality, equity, and diversity in society. The Policy of reservation results in social upliftment of marginalized sections, however, there is a need for rationalizing this current policy so that a balance can be established between social mobility and merit.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f4f5d3;">
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss the importance of Reservation in striking a balance between social mobility and merit.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture - SCO Summit 2020',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9d1rU-bY78g" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government meeting is set to be held in India at the end of this year (2020). Invitations have been sent to all the member countries including Pakistan for the summit. However, there are apprehensions regarding Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister presence at the SCO summit.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In lieu of Pakistan sponsored terrorist activities in the country, India has scrapped all bilateral meetings with Pakistan and has held the neighbouring country responsible for such attacks in Kashmir.</li>
<li>India and Pakistan became full-time members of the SCO in <strong>2017.</strong> It is the first time that India is hosting an SCO summit.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Invitation to Pakistan</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2014, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif had visited India after an invitation from Indian Prime Minister in his swearing-in ceremony (which was sent to all Heads of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAARC</strong></a> countries). Since then no Pakistan Prime Minister has visited India.</li>
<li>Any bilateral meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the SCO summit would be crucial.</li>
<li>However, India has taken a <strong>constructive lead</strong> by sending the invitation to Pakistan, as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-and-the-shanghai-cooperation-organisation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SCO is important for India</strong></a> in maintaining its leading role in the Eurasia region.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, there are more concerning issues which India needs to address like connectivity via <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/chabahar-port-us-sanctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chabahar port</strong></a> in geopolitically turbulent West Asia, China&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/italy-joins-belt-road-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)</strong></a>, etc. as compared to pondering about invitation to Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>SCO as an Organization</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Geographic Extent:</strong> <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SCO</strong></a> is a significant organization that has a <strong>vast geographic expanse</strong> and is important for Central Asia, South-Asia and Asia-Pacific region.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a major <strong>Eurasian organization</strong> that represents half of the world&rsquo;s population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Member-states:</strong> The SCO has <strong>eight</strong> members namely <strong>India,</strong> Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and <strong>four observer</strong> states - Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India joined SCO in 2017 at the insistence of Russia, and China balanced India&rsquo;s entry with the entry of Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> The organization comprises four <strong>major nuclear powers</strong> operating in the area viz. India, Russia, China, and Pakistan. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has the capacity to counterbalance <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-minimises-its-share-in-nato-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)</strong></a>, therefore, it is sometimes considered as <strong>&ldquo;alliance of the East&rdquo;,</strong> i.e, the Eastern complementary of NATO.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mandate:</strong> SCO has an <strong>evolving mandate</strong> which started off by being an economic, political, cultural and regional security organization. But with time, the security (military coordination, cyber coordination, etc.) aspect gained prominence. Its mandate includes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoting mutual trust and cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research, technology and culture amongst the member states.</li>
<li>Enhancing ties in areas like education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection and healthcare.</li>
<li>Maintaining and ensuring peace, security and stability in the region.</li>
<li>Moving towards the establishment of democratic, fair and rational international political and economic order.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance for India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Significance:</strong> India has always been seen as a benign (friendly) territory to countries that formed part of the erstwhile USSR. India since the past has invested in these countries, but due to <strong>lack of accessibility,</strong> India&rsquo;s connection to these countries was restricted. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, these countries have apprehensions regarding the growing dominating role of Russia and China. Hence, in light of these developments, India can play a key role in the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diplomatic Ties:</strong> SCO provides a<strong> platform to exchange ideas with world leaders</strong> like Russia. Hence, India looks for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indias-balancing-with-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>positive engagement with the member nations</strong></a> of this organization.</li>
<li><strong>Military:</strong> SCO&rsquo;s joint military exercises,<strong> Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure</strong> (RATS is a structural institution that focuses on terrorism- a common threat affecting nations) inter alia, are significant to India. India can rally down the neighbouring countries acting as the hub of terrorism at these platforms.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The main functions of SCO-RATS are <strong>coordination and information sharing.</strong> As a member nation, India has actively participated in its activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Connectivity:</strong> Through this forum, India can seek another route to <strong>Eurasia</strong> and <strong>Central Asia via China</strong> (through its Xinjiang province).</li>
<li><strong>Economic Factor:</strong> Through this platform,<strong> new markets</strong> could be explored by India for selling Indian goods and <strong>tapping foreign resources,</strong> thereby benefiting the Indian industries (which are already facing the brunt of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/slowdown-in-india-part-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>economic slowdown</strong></a>).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Associated Projects: Developmental cooperation-</strong> including large-scale projects like telecommunication, infrastructure connectivity, etc. between the associated nations is neutral and can be continued. However, <strong>energy concerns</strong> pose a serious challenge that demands India&rsquo;s urgent attention in the prevailing political turmoil between the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-west-asia-crisis-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA and Iran &amp; Iraq.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Regional Influence:</strong> In lieu of close relations between <strong>Russia-China</strong> (due to trade of worth over $100billion) or <strong>China-Pakistan</strong> (due to <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/obor-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Pakistan Economic Corridor</strong></a>, Belt Road Initiative), India needs to manage its association and tensions with China so as to peacefully maintain the economic, territorial and cultural relations.</li>
<li><strong>Accessibility:</strong> According to <strong>Mackinder&rsquo;s Theory of Heartland,</strong> &ldquo;the core of global influence lies in the area known as the Heartland- a region of the world situated in <strong>Eurasia</strong> (due to its sheer size, a wealth of resources, and huge population).&rdquo; <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mackinder stated that the <strong>nation in control of the Heartland</strong> had the potential to<strong> &ldquo;command the world&rdquo;,</strong> but at the same time, also highlighted the <strong>great natural barriers</strong> which surrounded the Heartland.</li>
<li>India faces a challenge in <strong>harnessing and getting access</strong> to the Eurasian heartland because of prevailing geopolitical tensions in the concerned region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geopolitical Concerns:</strong> According to <strong>Spykman&rsquo;s Rimland Theory,</strong> the <strong>coastal areas or littorals</strong> of Eurasia are vital in controlling the World and not the Heartland. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the light of this theory, the<strong> rimland nations</strong> like Pakistan and Iran, therefore, play a major role in restricting India&rsquo;s growing hegemony in the region.</li>
<li>Also, how India manages a balance between these two theories will determine India&rsquo;s leading role in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581422813_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581422813_image1.jpg" width="650" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Military:</strong> China sees itself as a hegemonic power which wants to create a<strong> China-centric global order.</strong> India needs to contain this asymmetric power balance by<strong> building friendly relations</strong> with other countries, <strong>strengthening its defence</strong> capabilities, and <strong>managing the territorial disputes</strong> with China in a peaceful way.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> India also needs to <strong>foster &amp; expand its economic engagement</strong> with China. Traditionally, the demands of Western China including Xinjiang province were once fulfilled by India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, until the 1960s, India supplied foodgrains to Tibet.</li>
<li>Therefore, <strong>by opening new avenues for accessing Chinese resources,</strong> India could balance its current trade deficit with China in a better way.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ideologically:</strong> As now the ideological war between <strong>Communist China and Democratic India</strong> is over, the only prevailing border disputes could be effectively managed by continuous bilateral dialogues. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this regard, India&rsquo;s <strong>soft power</strong> could be harnessed so as to end the mysterious perception that is prevalent in the hinterland areas of China regarding India&rsquo;s aura.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Russia&rsquo;s Angle:</strong> India needs to<strong> allay Russian fears</strong> in the lieu of growing Indo-American ties. Russia holds a significant position for India be it historically, culturally, diplomatically or militarily. Therefore, India needs to increase its engagement with Russia through bilateral and multi-fora dialogues like on the sidelines of SCO.</li>
</ul>',
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		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'SC Upholds Changes to SC/ST Atrocities Law',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> has upheld the constitutional validity of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-clears-bill-to-restore-the-provisions-of-sc-st-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Amendment Act nullified the Court&rsquo;s 20<sup>th</sup> March, 2018 judgment which had diluted the stringent provisions of the original Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.</li>
<li>Petitions were filed challenging the 2018 Amendment Act on the grounds of violation of the <strong>fundamental right to equality (Article 14)</strong> and <strong>personal liberty (Article 21).</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581420950_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581420950_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="640" height="456" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Salient Features of the Amendment Act, 2018</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It added <strong>Section 18A</strong> to the original Act.</li>
<li>It delineates <strong>specific crimes</strong> against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as atrocities and <strong>describes strategies and prescribes punishments</strong> to counter these acts.</li>
<li>It identifies what acts constitute<strong> &ldquo;atrocities&rdquo;</strong> and all offences listed in the Act are <strong>cognizable.</strong> The police can arrest the offender without a warrant and start an investigation into the case without taking any orders from the court.</li>
<li>The Act calls upon all the states to convert an existing sessions court in each district into a <strong>Special Court</strong> to try cases registered under it and provides for the <strong>appointment of Public Prosecutors/Special Public Prosecutors</strong> for conducting cases in special courts.</li>
<li>It creates provisions for states to declare areas with high levels of caste violence to be<strong> &ldquo;atrocity-prone&rdquo;</strong> and to appoint qualified officers to monitor and maintain law and order.</li>
<li>It provides for the <strong>punishment for wilful neglect of duties by non-SC/ST public servants.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>implemented by the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations,</strong> which are<strong> provided due central assistance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Section 18A states that</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the Prevention of Atrocities Act, the preliminary enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First Information Report against any person.</li>
<li>The provision of section 438 (pre-arrest bail) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) shall not apply to a case under the Act, notwithstanding any judgment or order or direction of any Court.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-upholds-constitutional-validity-of-scst-amendment-act-2018/article30780857.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/sc-upholds-changes-to-sc-st-atrocities-law'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'US Nod to Integrated Air Defence Weapon System',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The US has approved the sale of an Integrated Air Defence Weapon System <strong>(IADWS)</strong> to India at an estimated cost of $1.9 billion.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The objective of the deal is to modernise India&rsquo;s armed forces and to expand its existing air defence architecture to counter threats posed by air attacks.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IADWS will be used along with <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/indigenisation-of-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>indigenous</strong></a>, Russian and Israeli systems to erect an ambitious multi-layered missile shield over the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi against aerial threats.</li>
<li>It comes amidst the massive military modernisation by China which is also flexing its military muscles in the strategic <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/new-indo-pacific-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific region.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Integrated Air Defence Weapon System</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Integrated Air Defence Weapon System <strong>(IADWS)</strong> is called the <strong>National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS-II).</strong></li>
<li>It is an upgraded version of the NASAMS developed by the US firm Raytheon in partnership with Kongsberg Defence &amp; Aerospace of Norway.</li>
<li>The IADWS system provides integrated air missile defence and is currently deployed around Washington, DC.</li>
<li>It includes launchers, targeting and guidance systems, advanced medium-range air-to-air missile<strong> (AMRAAM)</strong> and <strong>Stinger missiles,</strong> 3D Sentinel radars, fire-distribution centres and command-and-control units.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Proposed Multi-Layered Air Defence Shield for NCT of Delhi</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>innermost layer</strong> of protection will be through the <strong>NASAM-II.</strong></li>
<li>The indigenous<strong> Akash defence missile systems,</strong> with a 25-km range, will form the <strong>layer over</strong> the NASAMS-II.</li>
<li>The <strong>next layer</strong> will be through highly automated and mobile <strong>S-400 systems.</strong></li>
<li>Then will come the <strong>Barak-8</strong> medium-range surface-to-air missile systems.</li>
<li>The <strong>outermost layer</strong> will be provided by the indigenous two-tier <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mission-shakti-asat-and-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)</strong> is an American<strong> beyond-visual-range</strong> air-to-air missile capable of <strong>all-weather</strong> day-and-night operations.</li>
<li>Manufactured by Raytheon, more than 30 countries are using the AMRAAM.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Stinger Missiles</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stinger is a <strong>shoulder-fired Man-Portable</strong> Air Defense System (MANPADS) developed by the United States.</li>
<li>It is a fire-and-forget, lightweight (15kg) weapon with the <strong>reusable launcher.</strong></li>
<li>Stinger missile is an extremely effective weapon for <strong>shooting down aircraft.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-approves-sale-of-integrated-air-defence-weapon-system-to-india/article30787461.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-nod-to-integrated-air-defence-weapon-system'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'The SuperCam on Mars 2020 Rover',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>NASA</strong> is sending a robot called <strong>SuperCam</strong> aboard the <strong>Mars 2020 rover</strong> to study rocks and look for signs of past life on Mars.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The robot uses a camera, laser and spectrometers for studying <strong>mineralogy and chemistry from up to about 7 metres away.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>SuperCam's laser is uniquely capable of<strong> remotely clearing away surface dust,</strong> giving all of its instruments a clear view of the targets.</li>
<li>It can fire a laser to<strong> study rock targets smaller than a pencil point.</strong></li>
<li>It will look at rock textures and chemicals to find those that formed or changed in the water on Mars' long ago.</li>
<li>It will at different rock and<strong> &lsquo;soil&rsquo;</strong> types to find ones that could preserve signs of past microbial life on Mars - if any ever existed.</li>
<li>It will identify which elements in the Martian dust may be harmful to humans.</li>
<li>It will <strong>measure the air</strong> so that the scientists can learn about how atmospheric molecules, water ice, and dust absorb or reflect solar radiation. This data improves our ability to predict Martian weather.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mars 2020 rover</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mars 2020 rover will be launched by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mars-colonisation-through-sperm-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> NASA</strong> </a>in July-August 2020.</li>
<li>It has been designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life. The mission will collect and store a set of rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth in the future.</li>
<li>It will also test new technology to benefit future robotic and human exploration of Mars.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581409595_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581409595_image5.png" width="500" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-supercam-6261704/" 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/the-supercam-on-mars-2020-rover'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Gaganyaan',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Four Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots, chosen as candidate-astronauts for <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/to-the-point-paper3-mission-gaganyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s first manned mission Gaganyaan,</strong></a> have begun training at the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) in Moscow, Russia.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In June 2019, the Human Space Flight Centre of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> and the Russian government-owned Glavkosmos signed a contract for the training, which includes Russian support in the selection of candidates, their medical examination, and space training.</li>
<li>The candidates will study in detail the systems of the Soyuz manned spaceship, as well as be trained in short-term weightlessness mode aboard the Il-76MDK aircraft.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Soyuz is a Russian spacecraft. The Soyuz carries people and supplies to and from the space station.</li>
<li>The Il-76MDK is a military transport plane specially designed for parabolic flights of trainee astronauts and space tourists.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The candidates will also be trained to take appropriate actions during emergencies &mdash; for example should the spacecraft make an abnormal landing in (unplanned) climate and geographic zones.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Gaganyaan</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Gaganyaan is the ₹10,000-crore Indian human space flight scheduled for 2022. It is designed to have 3-7 crew members spend 3-7 days in space in a 400-km orbit.</li>
<li>The first of the two pre-Gaganyaan flights with a humanoid will be launched in 2020-end along with some of the six shortlisted microgravity experiments.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/four-indian-pilots-begin-astronaut-training-in-russia/article30786910.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/gaganyaan-6'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Chindu Yakshaganam',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Chindu Yakshaganam is an age-old art form popular in<strong> Telangana.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581408694_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581408694_image4.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The art form dates back to<strong> second century BC.</strong> It is <strong>similar</strong> to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/padmamur-s-yakshagana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Yakshaganam, a traditional theatre form particular to Karnataka.</strong></a></li>
<li>It is a <strong>theatre art form</strong> that <strong>combines</strong> dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form.</li>
<li>The word<strong> &lsquo;Chindu&rsquo; in Telugu</strong> means<strong> &lsquo;jump&rsquo;.</strong> As their presentation is interspersed with leaps and jumps, it gained the name of Chindu Yakshaganam.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Chindu is also derived from the <strong>artistes&rsquo; caste Chindu Madiga, </strong>a<strong> sub-caste of Madiga among SCs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Chindu Yakshaganam is <strong>also called Chindu Bhagavatam</strong> as most of the stories narrated are from <strong>&lsquo;Bhagavatam&rsquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bhagavatam refers to the<strong> Bhagavata Purana</strong> which can be translated as 'the history of the devotees of Vishnu'.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chindu-yakshaganam'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => '2 Billion Kilometres to Safety Campaign',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)</strong> has launched a global campaign calling on people all over the world to cover the distance travelled by refugees each year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>UNHCR traced the journeys of refugees around the world and calculated that collectively, people forced to flee travel approximately two billion kilometres every year to reach the first point of safety. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2016, <strong>Syrian refugees</strong> travelled more than 240 kilometres to reach <strong>Turkey. South Sudanese refugees</strong> travelled more than 640 kilometres to reach <strong>Kenya</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-report-on-myanmar-rohingya-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rohingya refugees in Myanmar</strong></a> travelled approximately 80 kilometres to reach <strong>Bangladesh.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The 2 Billion Kilometres to Safety campaign invites people to act in solidarity and run, walk or cycle to achieve a<strong> cumulative total of two billion kilometres.</strong></li>
<li>The campaign will also encourage people to support refugees by championing individual acts of solidarity. These acts, when taken together, acknowledge the resilience and strength of refugees.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Refugees</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Refugees are people forced to flee to another country because of war or persecution.</li>
<li>The majority of refugees stay close to home with most fleeing to neighbouring countries. Only 1% of them are ever resettled in third countries. <strong>Turkey hosts the maximum number of refugees</strong> followed by Pakistan, Uganda and Lebanon.</li>
<li>Around the world, less than a third of people forced to flee live in refugee camps.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a UN Refugee Agency and a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting the rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.</li>
<li>It was created in 1950 to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes.</li>
<li>It is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/matching-steps-with-refugees/article30784505.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/2-billion-kilometres-to-safety-campaign'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Godavari and Cauvery River Interlinking Project',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>National Water Development Agency (NWDA)</strong> has circulated a draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) on Godavari-Cauvery link project to the concerned states to elicit their views.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project envisages the <strong>diversion of 247 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of unutilised water in the Indravati sub-basin</strong> <strong>of the Godavari basin</strong> to meet the requirements between the Godavari and the Cauvery rivers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Water will be diverted from Godavari river to Nagarjuna Sagar dam(through lifting) and further south to meet the demands of Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery basins.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Godavari - Cauvery link comprises <strong>three components</strong> namely,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>the Godavari (Inchampalli/Janampet) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar),</li>
<li>the Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) &ndash; Pennar (Somasila) and</li>
<li>the Pennar (Somasila)&ndash;Cauvery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The project will provide irrigation facilities to 3.45 to 5.04 lakh hectares in Prakasam, Nellore, Krishna, Guntur, and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Water Development Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NWDA is a registered society under the <strong>Ministry of Jal Shakti.</strong></li>
<li>It was set up in the year <strong>1982</strong> to carry out detailed studies, surveys and investigations in respect of the Peninsular Component of National Perspective for Water Resources Development, which envisages inter-basin water transfer.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Godavari River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> Godavari river rises from Trimbakeshwar near Nasik in Maharashtra and flows for a length of about 1465 km before outfalling into the Bay of Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> The Godavari basin extends over states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in addition to smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Union territory of Puducherry.</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Pravara, Purna, Manjra, Penganga, Wardha, Wainganga, Pranhita (combined flow of Wainganga, Penganga, Wardha), Indravati, Maner and the Sabri.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Krishna River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> It originates near Mahabaleshwar (Satara) in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It runs from four states namely, Maharashtra, Karnataka,Telangana and Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Tungabhadra, Mallaprabha, Koyna, Bhima, Ghataprabha, Yerla, Warna, Dindi, Musi and Dudhganga.</li>
<li><strong>Nagarjunasagar</strong> dam is on the river Krishna.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pennar River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> It rises in Nandi Hills in Chikballapur District of Karnataka and runs north and east before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It is 597 kilometres long, with a drainage basin covering 55,213 km2 in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Jayamangali, Kunderu, Sagileru,Chitravathi, Papagni and Cheyyeru.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cauvery River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> The river rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in southwestern Karnataka.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It flows in a southeasterly direction through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls. Before emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, the river breaks into a large number of distributaries forming a wide delta called the &ldquo;garden of southern India.&rdquo;</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini and Harangi.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581405931_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581405931_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="523" height="618" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=199198" 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/godavari-and-cauvery-river-interlinking-project'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Solar Orbiter Mission',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>NASA has launched the <strong>Solar Orbiter</strong> to space on an <strong>Atlas 5 rocket</strong> from Florida on February 10.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The mission is a cooperative mission between <strong>NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA)</strong> which will help researchers to know <strong>how the star's energy affects Earth and humans in space.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581404727_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581404727_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="250" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Solar Orbiter Mission is a cooperative mission between <strong>NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).</strong></li>
<li>It a <strong>seven-year mission.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will observe the Sun with high spatial resolution telescopes and capture observations in the environment directly surrounding the spacecraft to know <strong>how the Sun can affect the space environment throughout the solar system.</strong></li>
<li>It also intends to give a better understanding of <strong>how stars can affect the space environment throughout the solar system.</strong></li>
<li>The spacecraft also will be the <strong>first to provide images of the Sun&rsquo;s poles.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The mapping of Sun&rsquo;s pole could allow for the first time to observe the concentrated source of solar wind that permeates our solar system.</li>
<li>The solar wind is the mixture of charged particles that are highly concentrated at the poles and beam through our solar system, affecting satellites and electronic devices on Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The mission will also study the <strong>magnetic environment</strong> around the Sun, which in turn will provide information about the <strong>Sun&rsquo;s 11-year solar cycle</strong> and its <strong>periodic outpouring of solar storms.</strong></li>
<li>Solar Orbiter carries <strong>ten instruments,</strong> three of which will help to survey <strong>how Sun&rsquo;s surface changes over time.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/nasa-esa-set-to-send-solar-orbiter-probe-to-map-suns-poles/article30779923.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/solar-orbiter-mission'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Genome India Project',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/genome-india-project-india-genetic-diversity-6259645/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Mapping life&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Indian Express on 10/02/2020. It talks about the significance, challenges and benefits emanating from Genome India Project.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Science and Technology</strong> has approved an ambitious gene-mapping project called the <strong>Genome India Project (GIP).</strong> The project has been described by the researchers as the &ldquo;first scratching of the surface of the vast genetic diversity of India&rdquo;.</p>
<p>It will enable new efficiencies in healthcare, medicine and life sciences. However, GIP also raises concerns pertaining to medical ethics, political misuse, etc.</p>
<h3>What is the Genome India Project?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Genome India Project, a collaboration of 20 institutions including the Indian Institute of Science and some IITs, will enable new efficiencies in medicine, agriculture and the life sciences.</li>
<li>Its aim is to ultimately build a grid of the Indian &ldquo;reference genome&rdquo;, to fully understand the type and nature of diseases and traits that comprise the diverse Indian population.</li>
<li>The mega project hopes to form a grid after collecting 10,000 samples in the first phase from across India, to arrive at a representative Indian genome.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is a Genome?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Every organism&rsquo;s genetic code is contained in its Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA), the building blocks of life.</li>
<li>The discovery that DNA is structured as a &ldquo;double helix&rdquo; by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, started the quest for understanding how genes dictate life, its traits, and what causes diseases.</li>
<li>A genome is all the genetic matter in an organism. It is defined as &ldquo;an organism&rsquo;s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes.</li>
<li>Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism.</li>
<li>In humans, a copy of the entire genome contains more than 3 billion DNA base pairs.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What is the significance of GIP?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Genome India Project is inspired by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/genome-india-project-approved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Human Genome Project (HGP 1990-2003)</a></strong>- an international programme that led to the decoding of the entire human genome.</li>
<li><strong>HGP has a major diversity problem</strong> as most genomes (over 95%) mapped under HGP have been sourced from urban middle-class white people. Thus, HGP should not really be seen as representative of the human genome.</li>
<li>In this context, the GIP aims to vastly add to the available information on the human species and advance the cause, both because of the scale of the Indian population and the diversity here. This diversity can be depicted by:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Horizontal Diversity:</strong> The Indian subcontinent has been the site of huge migrations, where the first migrations were from Africa. Also, there have been periodic migrations by various populations from all around the world, making this a very special case of almost all races and types intermingling genetically.</li>
<li><strong>Vertical Diversity:</strong> There has been endogamy or inter-marriage practised among distinct groups, resulting in some diseases passed on strictly within some groups and some other traits inherited by just some groups.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Studying and understanding both diversities would provide the bedrock of personalised healthcare for a very large group of persons on the planet.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Intended Benefits of GIP</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Precision Healthcare:</strong> GIP will help in the development of personalised medicine, anticipating diseases and modulating treatment according to the genome of patients.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the cardiovascular disease generally leads to heart attacks in South Asians, but to strokes in most parts of Africa.</li>
<li>If such propensities to disease can be mapped to variations across genomes, it is believed that public health interventions can be targeted better, and diseases anticipated before they develop.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sustainable Agriculture:</strong> Similar benefits would come to agriculture if there is a better understanding of the genetic basis of the susceptibility of plants to pests, insects and other issues hampering productivity. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can reduce dependence on chemicals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Cooperation:</strong> Global science would also benefit from a mapping project in one of the world&rsquo;s most diverse gene pools. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project is said to be among the most significant of its kind in the world because of its scale and the diversity it would bring to genetic studies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fear of Scientific Racism:</strong> The question of heredity and racial purity has obsessed civilisations, and more scientific studies of genes and classifying them could reinforce stereotypes and allow for politics and history to acquire a racial twist.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The work on cranial volume measurements of the physician <strong>Samuel Morton</strong> (regarded in America as the father of scientific racism) justified slavery before the US Civil War.</li>
<li>In India, a nation divided by identity politics, scientific work in mapping genetic groups may further strengthen the divisions in the society based on the prevalent notion of race.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Data &amp; Storage:</strong> After collection of the sample, the anonymity of the data and questions of its possible use and misuse would need to be addressed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is yet to pass a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Data Privacy Bill</strong></a> with adequate safeguards and launching the GIP before the privacy question is settled could give rise to another set of problems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Medical Ethics:</strong> In a project that aims only to create a database of genetic information poses a risk of doctors privately performing gene modification.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Selective breeding or Eugenics has always been controversial for long, as recently a Shenzhen-based scientist, created the world&rsquo;s first gene-edited babies, has been sentenced to three years in prison.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>To gain fully from the genomics revolution, India needs to collect information about the genetics of its population and train manpower capable of interpreting it. The information that is needed has to come from a large and sustained collection of data &mdash; fully sequenced individual genomes along with medical histories for the individuals who volunteer for this effort.</p>
<p>Genome India Project provides an opportunity for India to make leap and bounds progress in the fields of biotechnology, agriculture and healthcare. Thus, it should be carried with maximum speed and maximum caution.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7f7d0;">
<p><span style="color: #003366;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Genome India Project provides an opportunity for India to make great progress in the fields of biotechnology, agriculture and healthcare. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/genome-india-project-1'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Coastal Regulation Zone',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1582721375_Coastal%20Regulation Zone (Mind Map)_Artboard 1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1582721375_Coastal Regulation Zone (Mind Map)_Artboard 1.png" width="420" height="1390" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For TTP</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-mind-map'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Coastal Regulation Zone',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>The four high-rise luxury apartment complexes in Maradu municipality in Kochi, which violated Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notifications, were demolished on January 11 and 12 following a Supreme Court order.</p>
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The coastal areas of seas, bays, creeks, rivers, and backwaters which get influenced by tides up to 500 m from the high tide line (HTL) and the land between the low tide line (LTL) and the high tide line have been declared as <strong>coastal regulation zone (CRZ)</strong> in 1991.</li>
<li>The coastal regulation zones have been declared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change under the Environment Protection Act 1986.</li>
<li>While the CRZ Rules are made by the Union environment ministry, implementation is to be ensured by state governments through their Coastal Zone Management Authorities.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>HTL and LTL</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>High Tide Line:</strong> HTL means the line on the land up to which the highest water line reaches during the spring tide.</li>
<li><strong>Low Tide Line:</strong> Similarly, it means the line on the land up to which the lowest water line reaches during the spring tide.</li>
<li><strong>Spring tides:</strong> The position of both the sun and the moon in relation to the earth has direct bearing on tide height. When the sun, the moon and the earth are in a straight line, the height of the tide will be higher. These are called spring tides and they occur twice a month, one on full moon period and another during new moon period.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Importance of Regulation of Coastal Zones</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Protection of ecologically Sensitive Areas like mangroves, coral reefs which act as a shield against tsunami and cyclone</li>
<li>Improving the lives of coastal communities like fishing communities</li>
<li>Resilient measures for mitigating impacts of Climate Change and high-intensity Cyclones</li>
<li>To balance development with conservation of the coastal environment</li>
</ul>
<h3>Timeline of CRZ regulations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India, the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Rules govern human and industrial activity close to the coastline, in order to protect the fragile ecosystems near the sea.</li>
<li>They restrict certain kinds of activities &mdash; like large constructions, setting up of new industries, storage or disposal of hazardous material, mining, reclamation and bunding &mdash; within a certain distance from the coastline.</li>
<li>Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification was first issued in 1991 by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under <strong>Environment (Protection) Act, 1986</strong> with the mandate to take measures to protect and conserve our coastal environment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Shortcomings of CRZ 1991:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Uniform regulations for the entire Indian coastline without taking into account the diversity in terms of biodiversity, demographic patterns, natural resources, etc.</li>
<li>Laid no clear procedure for obtaining CRZ clearance.</li>
<li>Post clearance monitoring and enforcement mechanism was not laid out.</li>
<li>Measures/rules to check pollution emanating from land-based activities were not included.</li>
<li>Caused hardships to traditional communities living in ecologically sensitive coastal stretches (fishermen, slum dwellers, etc.).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several amendments were made in the CRZ 1991 notification which was consolidated and issued in the<strong> CRZ 2011 notification.</strong> The CRZ 2011 notification took into account the issues of CRZ 1991.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Objectives of CRZ 2011:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To conserve and protect coastal stretches;</li>
<li>To ensure livelihood security to the fishing &amp; local communities living in the coastal areas;</li>
<li>To promote development in a sustainable manner based on scientific principles, taking into account natural hazards and sea-level rise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In December 2018, Union cabinet approved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coastal-regulation-zone-crz-notification-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CRZ 2018 notification is based on recommendation of <strong>Shailesh Nayak committee</strong> constituted by the MoEFCC in June 2014 for comprehensive evaluation of provisions under CRZ 2011 notification as demanded by various coastal States/UTs along with other stakeholders</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Classifications of Coastal Zones under CRZ Notification 2011</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>CRZ-I (ecologically sensitive</strong> areas like mangroves, coral reefs, biosphere reserves etc.). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>No new construction shall be permitted in CRZ-I except<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Projects relating to the Department of Atomic Energy;</li>
<li>Construction of trans-harbour sea link and roads without affecting the tidal flow of water, between LTL and HTL. Etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Between Low Tide Line and High Tide Line in areas which are not ecologically sensitive, the following may be permitted;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Exploration and extraction of natural gas;</li>
<li>Construction of basic amenities like schools, roads, etc. for traditional inhabitants living within the biosphere reserves;</li>
<li>Salt harvesting by solar evaporation of seawater;</li>
<li>Desalination plants;</li>
<li>Storage of non-hazardous cargo such as edible oil, fertilizers within notified ports;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CRZ-II</strong> (Areas which are developed up to the shoreline and falling within the municipal limits; includes built-up area &ndash; <strong>villages and towns</strong> are that are already well established),<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Buildings are permissible on the landward side of the hazardous line.</li>
<li>Other activities such as desalination plants are also permissible.</li>
<li>Some construction is permitted only as per guidelines specified by the notification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CRZ-III:</strong> Areas that are relatively undisturbed and do not fall under either in Category I or II and also include rural and urban areas that are not substantially developed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 0-200 metres from HTL is a No Development Zone where no construction shall be permitted.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Only certain activities relating to agriculture, forestry, projects of Department of Atomic Energy, mining of rare minerals, salt manufacture, regasification of petroleum products, non-conventional energy sources and certain public facilities may be permitted in this zone.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Between 200-500 metres of HTL, those permitted in 0-200 metres zone, construction of houses for local communities and tourism projects are permissible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CRZ-IV:</strong> The aquatic area from low tide line up to territorial limits is classified as CRZ-IV including the area of the tidal influenced water body.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is no restriction on the traditional fishing undertaken by local communities.</li>
<li>No untreated sewage or solid waste shall be let off or dumped in these areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A separate draft<strong> Island Protection Zone</strong> Notification has been issued for protection of the islands of Andaman &amp; Nicobar and Lakshadweep under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Procedure for Clearances under CRZ 2011</h3>
<p>A specific procedure has been provided in the 2011 Notification for obtaining project clearance.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rapid Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Report;</li>
<li>Disaster Management Report and Risk Management Report;</li>
<li>CRZ map indicating HTL and LTL demarcated;</li>
<li>No Objection Certificate from the concerned Pollution Control Boards;</li>
<li>The clearance accorded to the projects shall be valid for a period of five years.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) given Special Dispensations under CRZ 2011</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sunderbans, Gulf of Khambat and Gulf of Kutch, Malvan, Achra-Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, Karwar and Coondapur in Karnataka, Vembanad in Kerala, Bhaitarkanika in Orissa, Coringa in East Godavari and Krishna in Andhra Pradesh would be declared as <strong>Critical Vulnerable Coastal Areas (CVCA)</strong> and the integrated management plan would be prepared for each of these areas in consultation with the local communities.</li>
<li>Beaches such as Mandrem, Morjim, Galgiba and Agonda in Goa have been designated as turtle nesting sites and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.</li>
<li>No developmental activities shall be permitted in these areas.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Shailesh Nayak Committee Report on Coastal Regulation Zone</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Shailesh Nayak committee was constituted in June 2014, and it submitted its report in January 2015.</li>
<li>The committee recommended relaxation on the terms set up by the CRZ 2011 notification. The major objective behind the recommendations was to boost tourism, port construction and real estate.</li>
<li>The committee suggested diluting the regulatory powers of the Central Government in the coastal areas. Except for those activities which require environmental clearances all other activity should fall under the ambit of state and local planning bodies.</li>
<li>Based on the recommendations of Shailesh Nayak committee, the suggestions were given by the coastal states and union territories, and the CRZ 2018 notifications were issued.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For Mind Map</em></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-1'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Guru Ravidas Jayanti',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Guru Ravidas Jayanti was celebrated on 9<sup>th</sup> February, 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ravidas Jayanti is <strong>celebrated on Magh Purnima,</strong> the full moon day in the month of Magh according to the Hindu lunar calendar.</li>
<li>Guru Ravidas was a 14<sup>th</sup> century saint and reformer of the <strong>Bhakti movement</strong> in North India.</li>
<li>It is believed that he was born in Varanasi in a cobbler&rsquo;s family.</li>
<li>He gained prominence due to his belief in one God and his unbiased religious poems.</li>
<li>He dedicated his whole life to the abolition of the caste system and openly despised the notion of a Brahminical society.</li>
<li>His devotional songs made an instant impact on the Bhakti Movement and around 41 of his poems were included in<strong> &lsquo;Guru Granth Sahib&rsquo;,</strong> the religious text of the Sikhs.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bhakti Movement</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The development of the Bhakti movement took place in Tamil Nadu between the seventh and ninth centuries.</li>
<li>It was reflected in the emotional poems of the Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) and Alvars (devotees of Vishnu). These saints looked upon religion not as a cold formal worship but as a loving bond based upon love between the worshipped and worshipper.</li>
<li>In course of time, the ideas of the South moved up to the North but it was a very slow process.</li>
<li>A more effective method for spreading the Bhakti ideology was the use of local languages. The Bhakti saints composed their verses in local languages.</li>
<li>They also translated Sanskrit works to make them understandable to a wider audience. Examples include Jnanadeva writing in Marathi, Kabir, Surdas and Tulsidas in Hindi, Shankaradeva popularising Assamese, Chaitanya and Chandidas spreading their message in Bengali, Mirabai in Hindi and Rajasthani.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1602541" 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/guru-ravidas-jayanti'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Poor Compensation Rate for Trafficking Survivors',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Based on the data of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crime-in-india-ncrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NCRB</strong></a>, a non-profit organisation released a report on compensation awarded to survivors of trafficking the country, which highlighted the poor status of compensation awarded during 2011- 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NCRB reports put the total number of cases of human trafficking at 35,983, but only 82 (0.2%) victims were awarded compensation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581323388_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581323388_image4.png" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report titled <strong>&lsquo;UNCOMPENSATE VICTIMS&rsquo;</strong> was released by Sanjog, a technical resource organisation that works to combat trafficking and gender-based violence.</li>
<li>Following the national outrage over the Nirbhaya gang-rape case (2012), the government had announced ₹1,000 crore fund to be used to combat sexual violence against persons &ndash; children or adults.</li>
<li>The amount of compensation to victims of trafficking varied from State to State, hence the <strong>Supreme Court</strong> had directed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-legal-services-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)</strong></a> to frame a standardised <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/compensation-scheme-must-cover-child-victims-sc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>victim compensation scheme.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study also reflects the number of trafficking survivors who applied for the victim compensation scheme to their respective legal services authority.</li>
<li>While 107 individuals applied under the scheme, in 102 cases between 2011 and 2019, courts directed the authorities to release compensation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reasons Behind the Low Rate of Compensation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Lack of awareness</li>
<li>A lack of information provided to survivors on victim compensation.</li>
<li>Low investment on part of legal aid</li>
<li><strong>Role of Legal Services Authorities:</strong> The study suggests grave <strong>inconsistencies</strong> on the part of legal services authorities, which have provided the data.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a lack of initiative on the part of legal services authorities.</li>
<li>Manipur&rsquo;s 2019 victim compensation scheme does<strong> not</strong> even have an entry in the schedule corresponding to human trafficking.</li>
<li>Survivors were able to apply only when they were informed and a private lawyer was involved in assisting them in filing the application for victim compensation.</li>
<li><strong>Multiple Agencies:</strong> From their rescue till rehabilitation, the survivors are in touch with multiple agencies but none of them takes any steps to help them get compensation.</li>
<li>District Legal Service Authority(DLSA) and State Legal Services Authority (SLSA)&rsquo;s response to the claims has been slow, and they hold the survivors&rsquo; claims with suspicion &ndash; often putting the burden of proof on the survivors themselves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Central Victim Compensation Fund scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Section 357-A of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)</strong> has provisions to compensate victims who suffered because of a crime. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Section 357A:</strong> Every State Government in coordination with the Central Government shall prepare a scheme for providing funds for the purpose of compensation to the victim of crime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government introduced the <strong>Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF)</strong> scheme to enable support to <strong>victims of rape, acid attacks, human trafficking</strong> and<strong> women killed or injured</strong> in the <strong>cross border firing.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Compensation for Civilian victims of cross border firing, shelling or IED explosion, terrorism and Maoist violence</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is also known as the Victim Compensation Scheme.</li>
<li>So far 24 states and 7 UTs have formulated the Victim Compensation Scheme.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Nirbhaya Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-stop-centre-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nirbhaya Fund</strong></a> Framework provides for a <strong>non-lapsable</strong> corpus fund for the<strong> safety and security of women.</strong></li>
<li>It is administered by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) of the <strong>Ministry of Finance.</strong></li>
<li>It can be utilized for projects and initiatives related to women safety.</li>
<li>Nirbhaya fund is being used in the <strong>Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF).</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-82-trafficking-survivors-awarded-relief-in-last-8-years/article30778464.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/poor-compensation-rate-for-trafficking-survivors'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Mt. Aconcagua',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Kaamya Karthikeyan, a twelve year old Indian student, has become the youngest girl in the world to summit <strong>Mt. Aconcagua,</strong> the <strong>highest peak in South America.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At 6962 metres, Mt. Aconcagua is the <strong>highest peak outside Asia.</strong> It lies in the <strong>Southern Andes</strong> (the world&rsquo;s longest mountain range that is located along the entire western coast of South America).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At 8,850 metres, <strong>Mount Everest</strong> is the highest mountain in Asia and the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Aconcagua is of volcanic origin, but it is not itself an active volcano.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581322659_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581322659_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="380" height="428" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1602585" 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/mt-aconcagua'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Reservations in Promotion is Not a Fundamental Right: SC',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Supreme Court has recently ruled that the <strong>states are not bound to provide <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/reservation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reservation</a> in appointments and promotions</strong> and that there is <strong>no fundamental right to reservation in promotions.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Related Constitutional Provisions about Reservation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Article 16(4)</strong> empowers the state to make any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the state, is not adequately represented in the services under the state.</li>
<li>By way of the <strong>77<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act,</strong> a new clause <strong>(4A)</strong> was added to Article 16, empowering the state to make provisions for reservation in matters of promotion to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/creamy-layer-for-sc-s-st-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe</strong></a> employees if the state feels they are not adequately represented in services.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points from the Ruling</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Article 16 (4) and 16 (4A) of the Constitution are in the nature of enabling provisions,</strong> vesting a discretion on the state government to consider providing reservation, if the circumstances so warrant. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state government cannot be directed to provide reservation for appointment in public posts. Similarly, the state is not bound to make reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in matters of promotions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Articles 16 (4) and 16 (4-A)</strong> of the Constitution did not confer individuals with a fundamental right to claim reservations in promotion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Articles empower the State to make reservations in matters of appointment and promotion in favour of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes only &ldquo;if in the opinion of the State they are not adequately represented in the services of the State&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Thus, the State government has discretion &ldquo;to consider providing reservations, if the circumstances so warrant&rdquo;.</li>
<li>However, if a State wishes to exercise its discretion and make reservation in promotions, it has to first collect quantifiable data showing inadequacy of representation of a class or community in public services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Subject to Judicial Review</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>If the decision of the state government to provide SC/ST reservation in promotion to a particular public post is challenged, it would have to place the data and prove before the court that reservation was necessary and does not affect the efficiency of administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/states-not-bound-to-give-reservation-in-jobs-promotions-supreme-court-6259549/" 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/reservations-in-promotion-is-not-a-fundamental-right-sc'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Agartala - Akhaura Rail Link',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321992_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321992_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<p>Recently, the central government has announced that <strong>rail line to connect the northeastern region with Bangladesh</strong> will be ready by the end of 2021.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rail line between <strong>Agartala in Tripura and Akhaura in Bangladesh</strong> would pave the way for the<strong> first train</strong> to run from the northeastern region to Bangladesh.</li>
<li>The railway link will connect <strong>Gangasagar in Bangladesh</strong> to <strong>Nischintapur in India</strong> and from Nischintapur to Agartala railway station.</li>
<li><strong>Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER)</strong> will bear the cost of laying <strong>5.46</strong> km track on the <strong>Indian side</strong> while the cost of laying <strong>10.6 km track</strong> on the <strong>Bangladesh side</strong> is being borne by the <strong>Ministry of External Affairs.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-bangladesh-rail-link-to-be-ready-by-2021/article30777390.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/agartala-akhaura-rail-link'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Kakinada Port',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kakinada Deep Water Port is located on the East Coast of India. It is in the East Godavari district of<strong> Andhra Pradesh,</strong> and is strategically located between major Ports of Visakhapatnam and Chennai.</li>
<li>It was commissioned by the Andhra Pradesh Government in November 1997. However, the Port was privatized in 1999.</li>
<li>On land, the port is surrounded by the districts of East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and the entire Telangana region. Primary cargoes of this region include agricultural products, minerals, coal and fertilizers.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321653_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321653_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="440" height="420" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/18-persons-rescued-after-barge-sinks-into-sea-at-kakinada-port/article30776994.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kakinada-port'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Increasing Imports of Li-ion Batteries',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Union Minister for Science &amp; Technology has given information about <strong>imports of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nobel-prize-in-chemistry-2019">lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries</a></strong> in the country during the Budget session of 2020-21.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Imports by Volume:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has <strong>quadrupled its imports of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.</strong></li>
<li>175 million such batteries were imported in 2016, 313 million in 2017, 712 million in 2018 and 450 million in 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cost of Imports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has <strong>more than tripled its import bill</strong> on the products vital for powering a range of devices from cellphones to electric vehicles from 2016-2018.</li>
<li>The cost of these imports rose from ₹2,600 crores in 2016 to ₹6,500 crores in 2019</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Origin of Imports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India imports Li-ion batteries from <strong>China, Japan and South Korea</strong> and is among the <strong>largest importers</strong> in the world.</li>
<li><strong>China dominates</strong> the Li-ion battery market. Around three-quarters of battery cell manufacturing capacity is in China, and Chinese companies have unparalleled control of required domestic and foreign battery raw materials and processing facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Manufacturing by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) manufactures Li-ion batteries but <strong>volumes are limited</strong> and they are <strong>restricted for use in space applications.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need to Increase Manufacturing by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government has announced investments worth $1.4 billion to make India one of the largest manufacturing hubs for electric vehicles by 2040.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Electric vehicles</strong></a> are expected to account for a significant share in the growth of the Li-ion battery demand in India till 2025.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Steps taken by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) of CSIR and RAASI Solar Power Pvt Ltd had signed a Memorandum of Agreement <strong>for transfer of technology for India&rsquo;s first lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery project in 2018.</strong></li>
<li>The Union Cabinet has also approved a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-on-transformative-mobility-and-battery-storage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage</strong></a> to drive clean, connected, shared sustainable and holistic mobility initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Li-ion batteries</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery.</li>
<li>Li-ion batteries use an intercalated (Intercalation is the reversible inclusion or insertion of a molecule into materials with layered structures) lithium compound as one electrode material, compared to the metallic lithium used in a non-rechargeable lithium battery. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The battery consists of electrolyte, which allows for ionic movement, and the two electrodes are the constituent components of a lithium-ion battery cell.</li>
<li>Lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They are one of the most popular types of rechargeable batteries used for military, battery electric vehicle and aerospace applications.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321371_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321371_image1.jpg" width="700" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><strong>National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage aims to promote clean, connected, shared, sustainable and holistic mobility initiatives.</li>
<li>A Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP) will be launched to localize production across the entire EV value chain which will be valid for 5 years until 2024.</li>
<li>The multi-disciplinary programme with an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee will be chaired by CEO NITI Aayog.</li>
<li>The details of the value addition that can be achieved with each phase of localization will be finalized by the Mission with a clear Make in India strategy for the electric vehicle components as well as battery.</li>
<li>The Mission will coordinate with key stakeholders in Ministries/ Departments and the states to integrate various initiatives to transform mobility in India.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/four-fold-jump-in-li-ion-battery-imports-since-2016/article30776630.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Reservation: Not a Right',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/reservation-as-right/article30785768.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Reservation as right: on Supreme Court judgment&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 11/02/2020. It talks about the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on the reservation.</p>
</div>
<p></p>
<p>Recently, the Supreme Court has ruled that reservation in the matter of promotions in public posts is not a fundamental right, and a state cannot be compelled to offer the quota if it chooses not to. The idea that reservation is not a right may be in consonance with the Constitution, however, the government is still under the obligation to perform<strong> Reservation</strong> for vulnerable sections of society.</p>
<h3>What does the Supreme Court ruling hold?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Supreme Court held that Reservation programmes allowed in the Constitution are <strong>derived from &ldquo;enabling provisions&rdquo; and are not rights as such.</strong></li>
<li>It held that no mandamus can be issued by the court directing state governments to provide reservations.</li>
<li>In other words, it argued that there is <strong>neither a basic right to reservations nor a duty by the State government to provide it.</strong></li>
<li>The Supreme Court referred to Article 16(4) and 16(4A) while delivering its judgment in the matter.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Enabling provisions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Article 16 in the Constitution of India refers to equality of opportunity in government jobs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Article 16(1) provides for equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to 'employment or appointment' to any office under the State</li>
<li>Article 16(2) provides that there cannot be any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, Article 16(4) and 16(4A) provides for the grounds of positive discrimination or Reservation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Article 16 (4) provides that the State can make&nbsp;any provision for the <strong>reservation of appointments or posts</strong> in favour of any backward class of citizens who, in the opinion of the state, are not adequately represented in the services under the State.</li>
<li>Article 16 (4A) provides that State can make any provision for reservation<strong> in matters of promotion</strong> in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes if they are not adequately represented in the services under the State.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Also, through this judgment, the court reiterated its stand in <strong>M. Nagraj case,</strong> which stated that the state is not bound to provide reservation in promotions, but if it does so, it must be in favour of sections that are backward and inadequately represented in the services based on quantifiable data.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance of the Judgement</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It had been inferred from Article 16(4) and 16(4A), that these are exceptions to the equality of opportunity in government jobs, which state can exercise in order to provide social mobility to vulnerable classes.</li>
<li>Reservation is no longer seen by the Supreme Court as an exception to the equality rule; rather, it is a facet of equality.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The terms &ldquo;proportionate equality&rdquo; and &ldquo;substantive equality&rdquo; have been used to show that the equality norm acquires completion only when the marginalized sections are given legal backing.</li>
<li>For instance, if no quotas are implemented and no study on backwardness and extent of representation is done, it may result in a perceptible imbalance in social representation in public services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Judicial Scrutiny of Reservation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The State of Madras v. Smt.Champakam Dorairajan (1951) case was the first major verdict of the Supreme Court on the issue of Reservation. The case led to the First Amendment in the constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Supreme Court pointed out that while in the case of employment under the State, Article 16(4) provides for reservations in favour of backward class of citizens, no such provision was made in Article 15.</li>
<li>Pursuant to the Supreme Court&rsquo;s order in the case, the Parliament amended Article 15 by inserting Clause (4).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In <strong>Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) case</strong> the court examined the scope and extent of Article 16(4).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The court has said that the creamy layer of OBCs should be excluded from the list of beneficiaries of reservation, there should not be reservation in promotions, and total reserved quota should not exceed 50%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Parliament responded by enacting the 77<sup>th</sup> <strong>Constitutional Amendment Act</strong> which introduced Article 16(4A).</li>
<li>The Article confers power on the state to reserve seats in favor of SC and ST communities in promotions in Public Services if the communities are not adequately represented in public employment.</li>
<li>The Supreme Court in <strong>M. Nagaraj v. Union Of India 2006 case</strong> while upholding the constitutional validity of Art 16(4A) held that any such reservation policy in order to be constitutionally valid shall satisfy the following three constitutional requirements:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The SC and ST communities should be socially and educationally backward.</li>
<li>The SC and ST communities are not adequately represented in public employment.</li>
<li>Such a reservation policy shall not affect the overall efficiency of the administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In <strong>Jarnail Singh vs Lachhmi Narain Gupta case of 2018,</strong>&nbsp;the Supreme Court held that reservation in promotions does not require the state to collect quantifiable data on the backwardness of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.</li>
<li>The Court held that creamy layer exclusion extends to SC/STs and, hence the State cannot grant reservations in the promotion to SC/ST individuals who belong to the creamy layer of their community.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What is the Reservation?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Reservation&nbsp;is a form of positive discrimination, created to promote equality among marginalised sections, so as to protect them from social and historical injustice.</li>
<li>Generally, it means giving preferential treatment to marginalised sections of society in employment and access to education.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></li>
<li>It was also originally developed to correct years of discrimination and to give a boost to disadvantaged groups.</li>
<li>In India, people have been historically discriminated on the basis of caste.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pros of Reservation<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581426271_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581426271_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="285" height="177" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It ensures diversity in advanced education, equality in the workplace and offers protection from hatred.</li>
<li>It helps in the emancipation of disadvantaged individuals and thereby promotes equality for all.</li>
<li>It breaks stereotypes regarding caste, religion, and ethnicity.</li>
<li>It increases social mobility.</li>
<li>It is needed to compensate for centuries of oppression and discrimination and provides level-playing fields.</li>
<li>It seeks to bring equity in society by addressing 'graded inequalities'.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cons of Reservation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is concerns that leads to erosion of meritocracy.</li>
<li>It can still reinforce stereotypes as it demeans the achievements of marginalized sections.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>People coming under the ambit of reservation, their success is labelled as a result of Reservation, instead of their capabilities and hard work.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are concerns that reservation can serve as a medium for reverse discrimination.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reverse discrimination is discrimination against members of a dominant or majority group, in favour of members of a minority or historically disadvantaged group.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to vote bank politics, even after discrimination issues have been diminishing, it is difficult to withdraw the reservation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p></p>
<p>The reservation policy was introduced only for a temporary timeframe until equality reigns amongst all bases of discrimination. However, the policy of reservation has been continuing for over six decades now and has been expanding.</p>
<p>Since, Reservation is necessary to provide equality, equity, and diversity in society. The Policy of reservation results in social upliftment of marginalized sections, however, there is a need for rationalizing this current policy so that a balance can be established between social mobility and merit.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f4f5d3;">
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss the importance of Reservation in striking a balance between social mobility and merit.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture - SCO Summit 2020',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9d1rU-bY78g" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government meeting is set to be held in India at the end of this year (2020). Invitations have been sent to all the member countries including Pakistan for the summit. However, there are apprehensions regarding Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister presence at the SCO summit.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In lieu of Pakistan sponsored terrorist activities in the country, India has scrapped all bilateral meetings with Pakistan and has held the neighbouring country responsible for such attacks in Kashmir.</li>
<li>India and Pakistan became full-time members of the SCO in <strong>2017.</strong> It is the first time that India is hosting an SCO summit.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Invitation to Pakistan</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2014, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif had visited India after an invitation from Indian Prime Minister in his swearing-in ceremony (which was sent to all Heads of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAARC</strong></a> countries). Since then no Pakistan Prime Minister has visited India.</li>
<li>Any bilateral meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the SCO summit would be crucial.</li>
<li>However, India has taken a <strong>constructive lead</strong> by sending the invitation to Pakistan, as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-and-the-shanghai-cooperation-organisation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SCO is important for India</strong></a> in maintaining its leading role in the Eurasia region.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, there are more concerning issues which India needs to address like connectivity via <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/chabahar-port-us-sanctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chabahar port</strong></a> in geopolitically turbulent West Asia, China&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/italy-joins-belt-road-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)</strong></a>, etc. as compared to pondering about invitation to Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>SCO as an Organization</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Geographic Extent:</strong> <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SCO</strong></a> is a significant organization that has a <strong>vast geographic expanse</strong> and is important for Central Asia, South-Asia and Asia-Pacific region.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a major <strong>Eurasian organization</strong> that represents half of the world&rsquo;s population.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Member-states:</strong> The SCO has <strong>eight</strong> members namely <strong>India,</strong> Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and <strong>four observer</strong> states - Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India joined SCO in 2017 at the insistence of Russia, and China balanced India&rsquo;s entry with the entry of Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> The organization comprises four <strong>major nuclear powers</strong> operating in the area viz. India, Russia, China, and Pakistan. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has the capacity to counterbalance <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-minimises-its-share-in-nato-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)</strong></a>, therefore, it is sometimes considered as <strong>&ldquo;alliance of the East&rdquo;,</strong> i.e, the Eastern complementary of NATO.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mandate:</strong> SCO has an <strong>evolving mandate</strong> which started off by being an economic, political, cultural and regional security organization. But with time, the security (military coordination, cyber coordination, etc.) aspect gained prominence. Its mandate includes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoting mutual trust and cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research, technology and culture amongst the member states.</li>
<li>Enhancing ties in areas like education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection and healthcare.</li>
<li>Maintaining and ensuring peace, security and stability in the region.</li>
<li>Moving towards the establishment of democratic, fair and rational international political and economic order.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance for India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Significance:</strong> India has always been seen as a benign (friendly) territory to countries that formed part of the erstwhile USSR. India since the past has invested in these countries, but due to <strong>lack of accessibility,</strong> India&rsquo;s connection to these countries was restricted. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, these countries have apprehensions regarding the growing dominating role of Russia and China. Hence, in light of these developments, India can play a key role in the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diplomatic Ties:</strong> SCO provides a<strong> platform to exchange ideas with world leaders</strong> like Russia. Hence, India looks for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indias-balancing-with-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>positive engagement with the member nations</strong></a> of this organization.</li>
<li><strong>Military:</strong> SCO&rsquo;s joint military exercises,<strong> Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure</strong> (RATS is a structural institution that focuses on terrorism- a common threat affecting nations) inter alia, are significant to India. India can rally down the neighbouring countries acting as the hub of terrorism at these platforms.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The main functions of SCO-RATS are <strong>coordination and information sharing.</strong> As a member nation, India has actively participated in its activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Connectivity:</strong> Through this forum, India can seek another route to <strong>Eurasia</strong> and <strong>Central Asia via China</strong> (through its Xinjiang province).</li>
<li><strong>Economic Factor:</strong> Through this platform,<strong> new markets</strong> could be explored by India for selling Indian goods and <strong>tapping foreign resources,</strong> thereby benefiting the Indian industries (which are already facing the brunt of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/slowdown-in-india-part-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>economic slowdown</strong></a>).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Associated Projects: Developmental cooperation-</strong> including large-scale projects like telecommunication, infrastructure connectivity, etc. between the associated nations is neutral and can be continued. However, <strong>energy concerns</strong> pose a serious challenge that demands India&rsquo;s urgent attention in the prevailing political turmoil between the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-west-asia-crisis-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA and Iran &amp; Iraq.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Regional Influence:</strong> In lieu of close relations between <strong>Russia-China</strong> (due to trade of worth over $100billion) or <strong>China-Pakistan</strong> (due to <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/obor-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Pakistan Economic Corridor</strong></a>, Belt Road Initiative), India needs to manage its association and tensions with China so as to peacefully maintain the economic, territorial and cultural relations.</li>
<li><strong>Accessibility:</strong> According to <strong>Mackinder&rsquo;s Theory of Heartland,</strong> &ldquo;the core of global influence lies in the area known as the Heartland- a region of the world situated in <strong>Eurasia</strong> (due to its sheer size, a wealth of resources, and huge population).&rdquo; <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mackinder stated that the <strong>nation in control of the Heartland</strong> had the potential to<strong> &ldquo;command the world&rdquo;,</strong> but at the same time, also highlighted the <strong>great natural barriers</strong> which surrounded the Heartland.</li>
<li>India faces a challenge in <strong>harnessing and getting access</strong> to the Eurasian heartland because of prevailing geopolitical tensions in the concerned region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geopolitical Concerns:</strong> According to <strong>Spykman&rsquo;s Rimland Theory,</strong> the <strong>coastal areas or littorals</strong> of Eurasia are vital in controlling the World and not the Heartland. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the light of this theory, the<strong> rimland nations</strong> like Pakistan and Iran, therefore, play a major role in restricting India&rsquo;s growing hegemony in the region.</li>
<li>Also, how India manages a balance between these two theories will determine India&rsquo;s leading role in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581422813_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581422813_image1.jpg" width="650" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Military:</strong> China sees itself as a hegemonic power which wants to create a<strong> China-centric global order.</strong> India needs to contain this asymmetric power balance by<strong> building friendly relations</strong> with other countries, <strong>strengthening its defence</strong> capabilities, and <strong>managing the territorial disputes</strong> with China in a peaceful way.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> India also needs to <strong>foster &amp; expand its economic engagement</strong> with China. Traditionally, the demands of Western China including Xinjiang province were once fulfilled by India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, until the 1960s, India supplied foodgrains to Tibet.</li>
<li>Therefore, <strong>by opening new avenues for accessing Chinese resources,</strong> India could balance its current trade deficit with China in a better way.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ideologically:</strong> As now the ideological war between <strong>Communist China and Democratic India</strong> is over, the only prevailing border disputes could be effectively managed by continuous bilateral dialogues. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this regard, India&rsquo;s <strong>soft power</strong> could be harnessed so as to end the mysterious perception that is prevalent in the hinterland areas of China regarding India&rsquo;s aura.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Russia&rsquo;s Angle:</strong> India needs to<strong> allay Russian fears</strong> in the lieu of growing Indo-American ties. Russia holds a significant position for India be it historically, culturally, diplomatically or militarily. Therefore, India needs to increase its engagement with Russia through bilateral and multi-fora dialogues like on the sidelines of SCO.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-sco-summit-2020'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'SC Upholds Changes to SC/ST Atrocities Law',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> has upheld the constitutional validity of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-clears-bill-to-restore-the-provisions-of-sc-st-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Amendment Act nullified the Court&rsquo;s 20<sup>th</sup> March, 2018 judgment which had diluted the stringent provisions of the original Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.</li>
<li>Petitions were filed challenging the 2018 Amendment Act on the grounds of violation of the <strong>fundamental right to equality (Article 14)</strong> and <strong>personal liberty (Article 21).</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581420950_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581420950_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="640" height="456" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Salient Features of the Amendment Act, 2018</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It added <strong>Section 18A</strong> to the original Act.</li>
<li>It delineates <strong>specific crimes</strong> against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as atrocities and <strong>describes strategies and prescribes punishments</strong> to counter these acts.</li>
<li>It identifies what acts constitute<strong> &ldquo;atrocities&rdquo;</strong> and all offences listed in the Act are <strong>cognizable.</strong> The police can arrest the offender without a warrant and start an investigation into the case without taking any orders from the court.</li>
<li>The Act calls upon all the states to convert an existing sessions court in each district into a <strong>Special Court</strong> to try cases registered under it and provides for the <strong>appointment of Public Prosecutors/Special Public Prosecutors</strong> for conducting cases in special courts.</li>
<li>It creates provisions for states to declare areas with high levels of caste violence to be<strong> &ldquo;atrocity-prone&rdquo;</strong> and to appoint qualified officers to monitor and maintain law and order.</li>
<li>It provides for the <strong>punishment for wilful neglect of duties by non-SC/ST public servants.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>implemented by the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations,</strong> which are<strong> provided due central assistance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Section 18A states that</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For the Prevention of Atrocities Act, the preliminary enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First Information Report against any person.</li>
<li>The provision of section 438 (pre-arrest bail) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) shall not apply to a case under the Act, notwithstanding any judgment or order or direction of any Court.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-upholds-constitutional-validity-of-scst-amendment-act-2018/article30780857.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/sc-upholds-changes-to-sc-st-atrocities-law'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'US Nod to Integrated Air Defence Weapon System',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The US has approved the sale of an Integrated Air Defence Weapon System <strong>(IADWS)</strong> to India at an estimated cost of $1.9 billion.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The objective of the deal is to modernise India&rsquo;s armed forces and to expand its existing air defence architecture to counter threats posed by air attacks.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IADWS will be used along with <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/indigenisation-of-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>indigenous</strong></a>, Russian and Israeli systems to erect an ambitious multi-layered missile shield over the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi against aerial threats.</li>
<li>It comes amidst the massive military modernisation by China which is also flexing its military muscles in the strategic <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/new-indo-pacific-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific region.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Integrated Air Defence Weapon System</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Integrated Air Defence Weapon System <strong>(IADWS)</strong> is called the <strong>National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS-II).</strong></li>
<li>It is an upgraded version of the NASAMS developed by the US firm Raytheon in partnership with Kongsberg Defence &amp; Aerospace of Norway.</li>
<li>The IADWS system provides integrated air missile defence and is currently deployed around Washington, DC.</li>
<li>It includes launchers, targeting and guidance systems, advanced medium-range air-to-air missile<strong> (AMRAAM)</strong> and <strong>Stinger missiles,</strong> 3D Sentinel radars, fire-distribution centres and command-and-control units.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Proposed Multi-Layered Air Defence Shield for NCT of Delhi</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>innermost layer</strong> of protection will be through the <strong>NASAM-II.</strong></li>
<li>The indigenous<strong> Akash defence missile systems,</strong> with a 25-km range, will form the <strong>layer over</strong> the NASAMS-II.</li>
<li>The <strong>next layer</strong> will be through highly automated and mobile <strong>S-400 systems.</strong></li>
<li>Then will come the <strong>Barak-8</strong> medium-range surface-to-air missile systems.</li>
<li>The <strong>outermost layer</strong> will be provided by the indigenous two-tier <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mission-shakti-asat-and-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)</strong> is an American<strong> beyond-visual-range</strong> air-to-air missile capable of <strong>all-weather</strong> day-and-night operations.</li>
<li>Manufactured by Raytheon, more than 30 countries are using the AMRAAM.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Stinger Missiles</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Stinger is a <strong>shoulder-fired Man-Portable</strong> Air Defense System (MANPADS) developed by the United States.</li>
<li>It is a fire-and-forget, lightweight (15kg) weapon with the <strong>reusable launcher.</strong></li>
<li>Stinger missile is an extremely effective weapon for <strong>shooting down aircraft.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-approves-sale-of-integrated-air-defence-weapon-system-to-india/article30787461.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-nod-to-integrated-air-defence-weapon-system'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'The SuperCam on Mars 2020 Rover',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>NASA</strong> is sending a robot called <strong>SuperCam</strong> aboard the <strong>Mars 2020 rover</strong> to study rocks and look for signs of past life on Mars.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The robot uses a camera, laser and spectrometers for studying <strong>mineralogy and chemistry from up to about 7 metres away.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>SuperCam's laser is uniquely capable of<strong> remotely clearing away surface dust,</strong> giving all of its instruments a clear view of the targets.</li>
<li>It can fire a laser to<strong> study rock targets smaller than a pencil point.</strong></li>
<li>It will look at rock textures and chemicals to find those that formed or changed in the water on Mars' long ago.</li>
<li>It will at different rock and<strong> &lsquo;soil&rsquo;</strong> types to find ones that could preserve signs of past microbial life on Mars - if any ever existed.</li>
<li>It will identify which elements in the Martian dust may be harmful to humans.</li>
<li>It will <strong>measure the air</strong> so that the scientists can learn about how atmospheric molecules, water ice, and dust absorb or reflect solar radiation. This data improves our ability to predict Martian weather.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Mars 2020 rover</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mars 2020 rover will be launched by<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mars-colonisation-through-sperm-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> NASA</strong> </a>in July-August 2020.</li>
<li>It has been designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life. The mission will collect and store a set of rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth in the future.</li>
<li>It will also test new technology to benefit future robotic and human exploration of Mars.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581409595_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581409595_image5.png" width="500" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-supercam-6261704/" 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/the-supercam-on-mars-2020-rover'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Gaganyaan',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Four Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots, chosen as candidate-astronauts for <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/to-the-point-paper3-mission-gaganyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s first manned mission Gaganyaan,</strong></a> have begun training at the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) in Moscow, Russia.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In June 2019, the Human Space Flight Centre of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> and the Russian government-owned Glavkosmos signed a contract for the training, which includes Russian support in the selection of candidates, their medical examination, and space training.</li>
<li>The candidates will study in detail the systems of the Soyuz manned spaceship, as well as be trained in short-term weightlessness mode aboard the Il-76MDK aircraft.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Soyuz is a Russian spacecraft. The Soyuz carries people and supplies to and from the space station.</li>
<li>The Il-76MDK is a military transport plane specially designed for parabolic flights of trainee astronauts and space tourists.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The candidates will also be trained to take appropriate actions during emergencies &mdash; for example should the spacecraft make an abnormal landing in (unplanned) climate and geographic zones.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Gaganyaan</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Gaganyaan is the ₹10,000-crore Indian human space flight scheduled for 2022. It is designed to have 3-7 crew members spend 3-7 days in space in a 400-km orbit.</li>
<li>The first of the two pre-Gaganyaan flights with a humanoid will be launched in 2020-end along with some of the six shortlisted microgravity experiments.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/four-indian-pilots-begin-astronaut-training-in-russia/article30786910.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/gaganyaan-6'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Chindu Yakshaganam',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Chindu Yakshaganam is an age-old art form popular in<strong> Telangana.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581408694_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581408694_image4.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The art form dates back to<strong> second century BC.</strong> It is <strong>similar</strong> to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/padmamur-s-yakshagana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Yakshaganam, a traditional theatre form particular to Karnataka.</strong></a></li>
<li>It is a <strong>theatre art form</strong> that <strong>combines</strong> dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form.</li>
<li>The word<strong> &lsquo;Chindu&rsquo; in Telugu</strong> means<strong> &lsquo;jump&rsquo;.</strong> As their presentation is interspersed with leaps and jumps, it gained the name of Chindu Yakshaganam.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Chindu is also derived from the <strong>artistes&rsquo; caste Chindu Madiga, </strong>a<strong> sub-caste of Madiga among SCs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Chindu Yakshaganam is <strong>also called Chindu Bhagavatam</strong> as most of the stories narrated are from <strong>&lsquo;Bhagavatam&rsquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bhagavatam refers to the<strong> Bhagavata Purana</strong> which can be translated as 'the history of the devotees of Vishnu'.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chindu-yakshaganam'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => '2 Billion Kilometres to Safety Campaign',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)</strong> has launched a global campaign calling on people all over the world to cover the distance travelled by refugees each year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>UNHCR traced the journeys of refugees around the world and calculated that collectively, people forced to flee travel approximately two billion kilometres every year to reach the first point of safety. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2016, <strong>Syrian refugees</strong> travelled more than 240 kilometres to reach <strong>Turkey. South Sudanese refugees</strong> travelled more than 640 kilometres to reach <strong>Kenya</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-report-on-myanmar-rohingya-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rohingya refugees in Myanmar</strong></a> travelled approximately 80 kilometres to reach <strong>Bangladesh.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The 2 Billion Kilometres to Safety campaign invites people to act in solidarity and run, walk or cycle to achieve a<strong> cumulative total of two billion kilometres.</strong></li>
<li>The campaign will also encourage people to support refugees by championing individual acts of solidarity. These acts, when taken together, acknowledge the resilience and strength of refugees.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Refugees</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Refugees are people forced to flee to another country because of war or persecution.</li>
<li>The majority of refugees stay close to home with most fleeing to neighbouring countries. Only 1% of them are ever resettled in third countries. <strong>Turkey hosts the maximum number of refugees</strong> followed by Pakistan, Uganda and Lebanon.</li>
<li>Around the world, less than a third of people forced to flee live in refugee camps.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a UN Refugee Agency and a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting the rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.</li>
<li>It was created in 1950 to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes.</li>
<li>It is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/matching-steps-with-refugees/article30784505.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/2-billion-kilometres-to-safety-campaign'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Godavari and Cauvery River Interlinking Project',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>National Water Development Agency (NWDA)</strong> has circulated a draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) on Godavari-Cauvery link project to the concerned states to elicit their views.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project envisages the <strong>diversion of 247 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of unutilised water in the Indravati sub-basin</strong> <strong>of the Godavari basin</strong> to meet the requirements between the Godavari and the Cauvery rivers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Water will be diverted from Godavari river to Nagarjuna Sagar dam(through lifting) and further south to meet the demands of Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery basins.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Godavari - Cauvery link comprises <strong>three components</strong> namely,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>the Godavari (Inchampalli/Janampet) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar),</li>
<li>the Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) &ndash; Pennar (Somasila) and</li>
<li>the Pennar (Somasila)&ndash;Cauvery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The project will provide irrigation facilities to 3.45 to 5.04 lakh hectares in Prakasam, Nellore, Krishna, Guntur, and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Water Development Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NWDA is a registered society under the <strong>Ministry of Jal Shakti.</strong></li>
<li>It was set up in the year <strong>1982</strong> to carry out detailed studies, surveys and investigations in respect of the Peninsular Component of National Perspective for Water Resources Development, which envisages inter-basin water transfer.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Godavari River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> Godavari river rises from Trimbakeshwar near Nasik in Maharashtra and flows for a length of about 1465 km before outfalling into the Bay of Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> The Godavari basin extends over states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in addition to smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Union territory of Puducherry.</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Pravara, Purna, Manjra, Penganga, Wardha, Wainganga, Pranhita (combined flow of Wainganga, Penganga, Wardha), Indravati, Maner and the Sabri.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Krishna River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> It originates near Mahabaleshwar (Satara) in Maharashtra.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It runs from four states namely, Maharashtra, Karnataka,Telangana and Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Tungabhadra, Mallaprabha, Koyna, Bhima, Ghataprabha, Yerla, Warna, Dindi, Musi and Dudhganga.</li>
<li><strong>Nagarjunasagar</strong> dam is on the river Krishna.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Pennar River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> It rises in Nandi Hills in Chikballapur District of Karnataka and runs north and east before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It is 597 kilometres long, with a drainage basin covering 55,213 km2 in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Jayamangali, Kunderu, Sagileru,Chitravathi, Papagni and Cheyyeru.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cauvery River</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Source:</strong> The river rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in southwestern Karnataka.</li>
<li><strong>Drainage Basin:</strong> It flows in a southeasterly direction through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends the Eastern Ghats in a series of great falls. Before emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, the river breaks into a large number of distributaries forming a wide delta called the &ldquo;garden of southern India.&rdquo;</li>
<li><strong>Tributaries:</strong> Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini and Harangi.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581405931_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581405931_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="523" height="618" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=199198" 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/godavari-and-cauvery-river-interlinking-project'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Solar Orbiter Mission',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>NASA has launched the <strong>Solar Orbiter</strong> to space on an <strong>Atlas 5 rocket</strong> from Florida on February 10.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The mission is a cooperative mission between <strong>NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA)</strong> which will help researchers to know <strong>how the star's energy affects Earth and humans in space.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581404727_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581404727_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="250" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Solar Orbiter Mission is a cooperative mission between <strong>NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).</strong></li>
<li>It a <strong>seven-year mission.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will observe the Sun with high spatial resolution telescopes and capture observations in the environment directly surrounding the spacecraft to know <strong>how the Sun can affect the space environment throughout the solar system.</strong></li>
<li>It also intends to give a better understanding of <strong>how stars can affect the space environment throughout the solar system.</strong></li>
<li>The spacecraft also will be the <strong>first to provide images of the Sun&rsquo;s poles.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The mapping of Sun&rsquo;s pole could allow for the first time to observe the concentrated source of solar wind that permeates our solar system.</li>
<li>The solar wind is the mixture of charged particles that are highly concentrated at the poles and beam through our solar system, affecting satellites and electronic devices on Earth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The mission will also study the <strong>magnetic environment</strong> around the Sun, which in turn will provide information about the <strong>Sun&rsquo;s 11-year solar cycle</strong> and its <strong>periodic outpouring of solar storms.</strong></li>
<li>Solar Orbiter carries <strong>ten instruments,</strong> three of which will help to survey <strong>how Sun&rsquo;s surface changes over time.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/nasa-esa-set-to-send-solar-orbiter-probe-to-map-suns-poles/article30779923.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/solar-orbiter-mission'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Genome India Project',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/genome-india-project-india-genetic-diversity-6259645/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Mapping life&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Indian Express on 10/02/2020. It talks about the significance, challenges and benefits emanating from Genome India Project.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Science and Technology</strong> has approved an ambitious gene-mapping project called the <strong>Genome India Project (GIP).</strong> The project has been described by the researchers as the &ldquo;first scratching of the surface of the vast genetic diversity of India&rdquo;.</p>
<p>It will enable new efficiencies in healthcare, medicine and life sciences. However, GIP also raises concerns pertaining to medical ethics, political misuse, etc.</p>
<h3>What is the Genome India Project?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Genome India Project, a collaboration of 20 institutions including the Indian Institute of Science and some IITs, will enable new efficiencies in medicine, agriculture and the life sciences.</li>
<li>Its aim is to ultimately build a grid of the Indian &ldquo;reference genome&rdquo;, to fully understand the type and nature of diseases and traits that comprise the diverse Indian population.</li>
<li>The mega project hopes to form a grid after collecting 10,000 samples in the first phase from across India, to arrive at a representative Indian genome.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What is a Genome?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Every organism&rsquo;s genetic code is contained in its Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA), the building blocks of life.</li>
<li>The discovery that DNA is structured as a &ldquo;double helix&rdquo; by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, started the quest for understanding how genes dictate life, its traits, and what causes diseases.</li>
<li>A genome is all the genetic matter in an organism. It is defined as &ldquo;an organism&rsquo;s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes.</li>
<li>Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism.</li>
<li>In humans, a copy of the entire genome contains more than 3 billion DNA base pairs.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What is the significance of GIP?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Genome India Project is inspired by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/genome-india-project-approved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Human Genome Project (HGP 1990-2003)</a></strong>- an international programme that led to the decoding of the entire human genome.</li>
<li><strong>HGP has a major diversity problem</strong> as most genomes (over 95%) mapped under HGP have been sourced from urban middle-class white people. Thus, HGP should not really be seen as representative of the human genome.</li>
<li>In this context, the GIP aims to vastly add to the available information on the human species and advance the cause, both because of the scale of the Indian population and the diversity here. This diversity can be depicted by:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Horizontal Diversity:</strong> The Indian subcontinent has been the site of huge migrations, where the first migrations were from Africa. Also, there have been periodic migrations by various populations from all around the world, making this a very special case of almost all races and types intermingling genetically.</li>
<li><strong>Vertical Diversity:</strong> There has been endogamy or inter-marriage practised among distinct groups, resulting in some diseases passed on strictly within some groups and some other traits inherited by just some groups.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Studying and understanding both diversities would provide the bedrock of personalised healthcare for a very large group of persons on the planet.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Intended Benefits of GIP</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Precision Healthcare:</strong> GIP will help in the development of personalised medicine, anticipating diseases and modulating treatment according to the genome of patients.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the cardiovascular disease generally leads to heart attacks in South Asians, but to strokes in most parts of Africa.</li>
<li>If such propensities to disease can be mapped to variations across genomes, it is believed that public health interventions can be targeted better, and diseases anticipated before they develop.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sustainable Agriculture:</strong> Similar benefits would come to agriculture if there is a better understanding of the genetic basis of the susceptibility of plants to pests, insects and other issues hampering productivity. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can reduce dependence on chemicals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Cooperation:</strong> Global science would also benefit from a mapping project in one of the world&rsquo;s most diverse gene pools. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project is said to be among the most significant of its kind in the world because of its scale and the diversity it would bring to genetic studies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fear of Scientific Racism:</strong> The question of heredity and racial purity has obsessed civilisations, and more scientific studies of genes and classifying them could reinforce stereotypes and allow for politics and history to acquire a racial twist.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The work on cranial volume measurements of the physician <strong>Samuel Morton</strong> (regarded in America as the father of scientific racism) justified slavery before the US Civil War.</li>
<li>In India, a nation divided by identity politics, scientific work in mapping genetic groups may further strengthen the divisions in the society based on the prevalent notion of race.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Data &amp; Storage:</strong> After collection of the sample, the anonymity of the data and questions of its possible use and misuse would need to be addressed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is yet to pass a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Data Privacy Bill</strong></a> with adequate safeguards and launching the GIP before the privacy question is settled could give rise to another set of problems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Medical Ethics:</strong> In a project that aims only to create a database of genetic information poses a risk of doctors privately performing gene modification.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Selective breeding or Eugenics has always been controversial for long, as recently a Shenzhen-based scientist, created the world&rsquo;s first gene-edited babies, has been sentenced to three years in prison.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>To gain fully from the genomics revolution, India needs to collect information about the genetics of its population and train manpower capable of interpreting it. The information that is needed has to come from a large and sustained collection of data &mdash; fully sequenced individual genomes along with medical histories for the individuals who volunteer for this effort.</p>
<p>Genome India Project provides an opportunity for India to make leap and bounds progress in the fields of biotechnology, agriculture and healthcare. Thus, it should be carried with maximum speed and maximum caution.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7f7d0;">
<p><span style="color: #003366;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Genome India Project provides an opportunity for India to make great progress in the fields of biotechnology, agriculture and healthcare. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/genome-india-project-1'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Coastal Regulation Zone',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1582721375_Coastal%20Regulation Zone (Mind Map)_Artboard 1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1582721375_Coastal Regulation Zone (Mind Map)_Artboard 1.png" width="420" height="1390" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For TTP</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-mind-map'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Coastal Regulation Zone',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>The four high-rise luxury apartment complexes in Maradu municipality in Kochi, which violated Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notifications, were demolished on January 11 and 12 following a Supreme Court order.</p>
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The coastal areas of seas, bays, creeks, rivers, and backwaters which get influenced by tides up to 500 m from the high tide line (HTL) and the land between the low tide line (LTL) and the high tide line have been declared as <strong>coastal regulation zone (CRZ)</strong> in 1991.</li>
<li>The coastal regulation zones have been declared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change under the Environment Protection Act 1986.</li>
<li>While the CRZ Rules are made by the Union environment ministry, implementation is to be ensured by state governments through their Coastal Zone Management Authorities.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>HTL and LTL</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>High Tide Line:</strong> HTL means the line on the land up to which the highest water line reaches during the spring tide.</li>
<li><strong>Low Tide Line:</strong> Similarly, it means the line on the land up to which the lowest water line reaches during the spring tide.</li>
<li><strong>Spring tides:</strong> The position of both the sun and the moon in relation to the earth has direct bearing on tide height. When the sun, the moon and the earth are in a straight line, the height of the tide will be higher. These are called spring tides and they occur twice a month, one on full moon period and another during new moon period.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Importance of Regulation of Coastal Zones</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Protection of ecologically Sensitive Areas like mangroves, coral reefs which act as a shield against tsunami and cyclone</li>
<li>Improving the lives of coastal communities like fishing communities</li>
<li>Resilient measures for mitigating impacts of Climate Change and high-intensity Cyclones</li>
<li>To balance development with conservation of the coastal environment</li>
</ul>
<h3>Timeline of CRZ regulations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India, the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Rules govern human and industrial activity close to the coastline, in order to protect the fragile ecosystems near the sea.</li>
<li>They restrict certain kinds of activities &mdash; like large constructions, setting up of new industries, storage or disposal of hazardous material, mining, reclamation and bunding &mdash; within a certain distance from the coastline.</li>
<li>Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification was first issued in 1991 by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under <strong>Environment (Protection) Act, 1986</strong> with the mandate to take measures to protect and conserve our coastal environment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Shortcomings of CRZ 1991:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Uniform regulations for the entire Indian coastline without taking into account the diversity in terms of biodiversity, demographic patterns, natural resources, etc.</li>
<li>Laid no clear procedure for obtaining CRZ clearance.</li>
<li>Post clearance monitoring and enforcement mechanism was not laid out.</li>
<li>Measures/rules to check pollution emanating from land-based activities were not included.</li>
<li>Caused hardships to traditional communities living in ecologically sensitive coastal stretches (fishermen, slum dwellers, etc.).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several amendments were made in the CRZ 1991 notification which was consolidated and issued in the<strong> CRZ 2011 notification.</strong> The CRZ 2011 notification took into account the issues of CRZ 1991.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Objectives of CRZ 2011:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To conserve and protect coastal stretches;</li>
<li>To ensure livelihood security to the fishing &amp; local communities living in the coastal areas;</li>
<li>To promote development in a sustainable manner based on scientific principles, taking into account natural hazards and sea-level rise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In December 2018, Union cabinet approved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coastal-regulation-zone-crz-notification-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CRZ 2018 notification is based on recommendation of <strong>Shailesh Nayak committee</strong> constituted by the MoEFCC in June 2014 for comprehensive evaluation of provisions under CRZ 2011 notification as demanded by various coastal States/UTs along with other stakeholders</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Classifications of Coastal Zones under CRZ Notification 2011</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>CRZ-I (ecologically sensitive</strong> areas like mangroves, coral reefs, biosphere reserves etc.). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>No new construction shall be permitted in CRZ-I except<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Projects relating to the Department of Atomic Energy;</li>
<li>Construction of trans-harbour sea link and roads without affecting the tidal flow of water, between LTL and HTL. Etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Between Low Tide Line and High Tide Line in areas which are not ecologically sensitive, the following may be permitted;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Exploration and extraction of natural gas;</li>
<li>Construction of basic amenities like schools, roads, etc. for traditional inhabitants living within the biosphere reserves;</li>
<li>Salt harvesting by solar evaporation of seawater;</li>
<li>Desalination plants;</li>
<li>Storage of non-hazardous cargo such as edible oil, fertilizers within notified ports;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CRZ-II</strong> (Areas which are developed up to the shoreline and falling within the municipal limits; includes built-up area &ndash; <strong>villages and towns</strong> are that are already well established),<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Buildings are permissible on the landward side of the hazardous line.</li>
<li>Other activities such as desalination plants are also permissible.</li>
<li>Some construction is permitted only as per guidelines specified by the notification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CRZ-III:</strong> Areas that are relatively undisturbed and do not fall under either in Category I or II and also include rural and urban areas that are not substantially developed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 0-200 metres from HTL is a No Development Zone where no construction shall be permitted.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Only certain activities relating to agriculture, forestry, projects of Department of Atomic Energy, mining of rare minerals, salt manufacture, regasification of petroleum products, non-conventional energy sources and certain public facilities may be permitted in this zone.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Between 200-500 metres of HTL, those permitted in 0-200 metres zone, construction of houses for local communities and tourism projects are permissible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CRZ-IV:</strong> The aquatic area from low tide line up to territorial limits is classified as CRZ-IV including the area of the tidal influenced water body.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is no restriction on the traditional fishing undertaken by local communities.</li>
<li>No untreated sewage or solid waste shall be let off or dumped in these areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A separate draft<strong> Island Protection Zone</strong> Notification has been issued for protection of the islands of Andaman &amp; Nicobar and Lakshadweep under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Procedure for Clearances under CRZ 2011</h3>
<p>A specific procedure has been provided in the 2011 Notification for obtaining project clearance.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rapid Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Report;</li>
<li>Disaster Management Report and Risk Management Report;</li>
<li>CRZ map indicating HTL and LTL demarcated;</li>
<li>No Objection Certificate from the concerned Pollution Control Boards;</li>
<li>The clearance accorded to the projects shall be valid for a period of five years.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) given Special Dispensations under CRZ 2011</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sunderbans, Gulf of Khambat and Gulf of Kutch, Malvan, Achra-Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, Karwar and Coondapur in Karnataka, Vembanad in Kerala, Bhaitarkanika in Orissa, Coringa in East Godavari and Krishna in Andhra Pradesh would be declared as <strong>Critical Vulnerable Coastal Areas (CVCA)</strong> and the integrated management plan would be prepared for each of these areas in consultation with the local communities.</li>
<li>Beaches such as Mandrem, Morjim, Galgiba and Agonda in Goa have been designated as turtle nesting sites and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.</li>
<li>No developmental activities shall be permitted in these areas.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Shailesh Nayak Committee Report on Coastal Regulation Zone</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Shailesh Nayak committee was constituted in June 2014, and it submitted its report in January 2015.</li>
<li>The committee recommended relaxation on the terms set up by the CRZ 2011 notification. The major objective behind the recommendations was to boost tourism, port construction and real estate.</li>
<li>The committee suggested diluting the regulatory powers of the Central Government in the coastal areas. Except for those activities which require environmental clearances all other activity should fall under the ambit of state and local planning bodies.</li>
<li>Based on the recommendations of Shailesh Nayak committee, the suggestions were given by the coastal states and union territories, and the CRZ 2018 notifications were issued.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For Mind Map</em></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/coastal-regulation-zone-1'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Guru Ravidas Jayanti',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Guru Ravidas Jayanti was celebrated on 9<sup>th</sup> February, 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ravidas Jayanti is <strong>celebrated on Magh Purnima,</strong> the full moon day in the month of Magh according to the Hindu lunar calendar.</li>
<li>Guru Ravidas was a 14<sup>th</sup> century saint and reformer of the <strong>Bhakti movement</strong> in North India.</li>
<li>It is believed that he was born in Varanasi in a cobbler&rsquo;s family.</li>
<li>He gained prominence due to his belief in one God and his unbiased religious poems.</li>
<li>He dedicated his whole life to the abolition of the caste system and openly despised the notion of a Brahminical society.</li>
<li>His devotional songs made an instant impact on the Bhakti Movement and around 41 of his poems were included in<strong> &lsquo;Guru Granth Sahib&rsquo;,</strong> the religious text of the Sikhs.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bhakti Movement</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The development of the Bhakti movement took place in Tamil Nadu between the seventh and ninth centuries.</li>
<li>It was reflected in the emotional poems of the Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) and Alvars (devotees of Vishnu). These saints looked upon religion not as a cold formal worship but as a loving bond based upon love between the worshipped and worshipper.</li>
<li>In course of time, the ideas of the South moved up to the North but it was a very slow process.</li>
<li>A more effective method for spreading the Bhakti ideology was the use of local languages. The Bhakti saints composed their verses in local languages.</li>
<li>They also translated Sanskrit works to make them understandable to a wider audience. Examples include Jnanadeva writing in Marathi, Kabir, Surdas and Tulsidas in Hindi, Shankaradeva popularising Assamese, Chaitanya and Chandidas spreading their message in Bengali, Mirabai in Hindi and Rajasthani.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1602541" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/guru-ravidas-jayanti'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Poor Compensation Rate for Trafficking Survivors',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Based on the data of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/crime-in-india-ncrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NCRB</strong></a>, a non-profit organisation released a report on compensation awarded to survivors of trafficking the country, which highlighted the poor status of compensation awarded during 2011- 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NCRB reports put the total number of cases of human trafficking at 35,983, but only 82 (0.2%) victims were awarded compensation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581323388_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581323388_image4.png" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report titled <strong>&lsquo;UNCOMPENSATE VICTIMS&rsquo;</strong> was released by Sanjog, a technical resource organisation that works to combat trafficking and gender-based violence.</li>
<li>Following the national outrage over the Nirbhaya gang-rape case (2012), the government had announced ₹1,000 crore fund to be used to combat sexual violence against persons &ndash; children or adults.</li>
<li>The amount of compensation to victims of trafficking varied from State to State, hence the <strong>Supreme Court</strong> had directed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-legal-services-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)</strong></a> to frame a standardised <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/compensation-scheme-must-cover-child-victims-sc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>victim compensation scheme.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study also reflects the number of trafficking survivors who applied for the victim compensation scheme to their respective legal services authority.</li>
<li>While 107 individuals applied under the scheme, in 102 cases between 2011 and 2019, courts directed the authorities to release compensation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reasons Behind the Low Rate of Compensation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Lack of awareness</li>
<li>A lack of information provided to survivors on victim compensation.</li>
<li>Low investment on part of legal aid</li>
<li><strong>Role of Legal Services Authorities:</strong> The study suggests grave <strong>inconsistencies</strong> on the part of legal services authorities, which have provided the data.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a lack of initiative on the part of legal services authorities.</li>
<li>Manipur&rsquo;s 2019 victim compensation scheme does<strong> not</strong> even have an entry in the schedule corresponding to human trafficking.</li>
<li>Survivors were able to apply only when they were informed and a private lawyer was involved in assisting them in filing the application for victim compensation.</li>
<li><strong>Multiple Agencies:</strong> From their rescue till rehabilitation, the survivors are in touch with multiple agencies but none of them takes any steps to help them get compensation.</li>
<li>District Legal Service Authority(DLSA) and State Legal Services Authority (SLSA)&rsquo;s response to the claims has been slow, and they hold the survivors&rsquo; claims with suspicion &ndash; often putting the burden of proof on the survivors themselves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Central Victim Compensation Fund scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Section 357-A of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)</strong> has provisions to compensate victims who suffered because of a crime. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Section 357A:</strong> Every State Government in coordination with the Central Government shall prepare a scheme for providing funds for the purpose of compensation to the victim of crime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government introduced the <strong>Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF)</strong> scheme to enable support to <strong>victims of rape, acid attacks, human trafficking</strong> and<strong> women killed or injured</strong> in the <strong>cross border firing.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Compensation for Civilian victims of cross border firing, shelling or IED explosion, terrorism and Maoist violence</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is also known as the Victim Compensation Scheme.</li>
<li>So far 24 states and 7 UTs have formulated the Victim Compensation Scheme.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Nirbhaya Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-stop-centre-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Nirbhaya Fund</strong></a> Framework provides for a <strong>non-lapsable</strong> corpus fund for the<strong> safety and security of women.</strong></li>
<li>It is administered by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) of the <strong>Ministry of Finance.</strong></li>
<li>It can be utilized for projects and initiatives related to women safety.</li>
<li>Nirbhaya fund is being used in the <strong>Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF).</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/only-82-trafficking-survivors-awarded-relief-in-last-8-years/article30778464.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poor-compensation-rate-for-trafficking-survivors'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Mt. Aconcagua',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Kaamya Karthikeyan, a twelve year old Indian student, has become the youngest girl in the world to summit <strong>Mt. Aconcagua,</strong> the <strong>highest peak in South America.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At 6962 metres, Mt. Aconcagua is the <strong>highest peak outside Asia.</strong> It lies in the <strong>Southern Andes</strong> (the world&rsquo;s longest mountain range that is located along the entire western coast of South America).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At 8,850 metres, <strong>Mount Everest</strong> is the highest mountain in Asia and the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Aconcagua is of volcanic origin, but it is not itself an active volcano.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581322659_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581322659_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="380" height="428" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1602585" 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/mt-aconcagua'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Reservations in Promotion is Not a Fundamental Right: SC',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Supreme Court has recently ruled that the <strong>states are not bound to provide <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/reservation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reservation</a> in appointments and promotions</strong> and that there is <strong>no fundamental right to reservation in promotions.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Related Constitutional Provisions about Reservation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Article 16(4)</strong> empowers the state to make any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the state, is not adequately represented in the services under the state.</li>
<li>By way of the <strong>77<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act,</strong> a new clause <strong>(4A)</strong> was added to Article 16, empowering the state to make provisions for reservation in matters of promotion to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/creamy-layer-for-sc-s-st-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe</strong></a> employees if the state feels they are not adequately represented in services.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points from the Ruling</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Article 16 (4) and 16 (4A) of the Constitution are in the nature of enabling provisions,</strong> vesting a discretion on the state government to consider providing reservation, if the circumstances so warrant. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state government cannot be directed to provide reservation for appointment in public posts. Similarly, the state is not bound to make reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in matters of promotions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Articles 16 (4) and 16 (4-A)</strong> of the Constitution did not confer individuals with a fundamental right to claim reservations in promotion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Articles empower the State to make reservations in matters of appointment and promotion in favour of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes only &ldquo;if in the opinion of the State they are not adequately represented in the services of the State&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Thus, the State government has discretion &ldquo;to consider providing reservations, if the circumstances so warrant&rdquo;.</li>
<li>However, if a State wishes to exercise its discretion and make reservation in promotions, it has to first collect quantifiable data showing inadequacy of representation of a class or community in public services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Subject to Judicial Review</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>If the decision of the state government to provide SC/ST reservation in promotion to a particular public post is challenged, it would have to place the data and prove before the court that reservation was necessary and does not affect the efficiency of administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/states-not-bound-to-give-reservation-in-jobs-promotions-supreme-court-6259549/" 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/reservations-in-promotion-is-not-a-fundamental-right-sc'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Agartala - Akhaura Rail Link',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321992_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321992_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<p>Recently, the central government has announced that <strong>rail line to connect the northeastern region with Bangladesh</strong> will be ready by the end of 2021.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rail line between <strong>Agartala in Tripura and Akhaura in Bangladesh</strong> would pave the way for the<strong> first train</strong> to run from the northeastern region to Bangladesh.</li>
<li>The railway link will connect <strong>Gangasagar in Bangladesh</strong> to <strong>Nischintapur in India</strong> and from Nischintapur to Agartala railway station.</li>
<li><strong>Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER)</strong> will bear the cost of laying <strong>5.46</strong> km track on the <strong>Indian side</strong> while the cost of laying <strong>10.6 km track</strong> on the <strong>Bangladesh side</strong> is being borne by the <strong>Ministry of External Affairs.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-bangladesh-rail-link-to-be-ready-by-2021/article30777390.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/agartala-akhaura-rail-link'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Kakinada Port',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kakinada Deep Water Port is located on the East Coast of India. It is in the East Godavari district of<strong> Andhra Pradesh,</strong> and is strategically located between major Ports of Visakhapatnam and Chennai.</li>
<li>It was commissioned by the Andhra Pradesh Government in November 1997. However, the Port was privatized in 1999.</li>
<li>On land, the port is surrounded by the districts of East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and the entire Telangana region. Primary cargoes of this region include agricultural products, minerals, coal and fertilizers.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321653_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321653_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="440" height="420" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/18-persons-rescued-after-barge-sinks-into-sea-at-kakinada-port/article30776994.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/kakinada-port'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Increasing Imports of Li-ion Batteries',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Union Minister for Science &amp; Technology has given information about <strong>imports of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nobel-prize-in-chemistry-2019">lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries</a></strong> in the country during the Budget session of 2020-21.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Imports by Volume:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has <strong>quadrupled its imports of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.</strong></li>
<li>175 million such batteries were imported in 2016, 313 million in 2017, 712 million in 2018 and 450 million in 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cost of Imports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has <strong>more than tripled its import bill</strong> on the products vital for powering a range of devices from cellphones to electric vehicles from 2016-2018.</li>
<li>The cost of these imports rose from ₹2,600 crores in 2016 to ₹6,500 crores in 2019</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Origin of Imports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India imports Li-ion batteries from <strong>China, Japan and South Korea</strong> and is among the <strong>largest importers</strong> in the world.</li>
<li><strong>China dominates</strong> the Li-ion battery market. Around three-quarters of battery cell manufacturing capacity is in China, and Chinese companies have unparalleled control of required domestic and foreign battery raw materials and processing facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Manufacturing by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) manufactures Li-ion batteries but <strong>volumes are limited</strong> and they are <strong>restricted for use in space applications.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need to Increase Manufacturing by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government has announced investments worth $1.4 billion to make India one of the largest manufacturing hubs for electric vehicles by 2040.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/electric-vehicles-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Electric vehicles</strong></a> are expected to account for a significant share in the growth of the Li-ion battery demand in India till 2025.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Steps taken by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) of CSIR and RAASI Solar Power Pvt Ltd had signed a Memorandum of Agreement <strong>for transfer of technology for India&rsquo;s first lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery project in 2018.</strong></li>
<li>The Union Cabinet has also approved a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-mission-on-transformative-mobility-and-battery-storage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage</strong></a> to drive clean, connected, shared sustainable and holistic mobility initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Li-ion batteries</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery.</li>
<li>Li-ion batteries use an intercalated (Intercalation is the reversible inclusion or insertion of a molecule into materials with layered structures) lithium compound as one electrode material, compared to the metallic lithium used in a non-rechargeable lithium battery. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The battery consists of electrolyte, which allows for ionic movement, and the two electrodes are the constituent components of a lithium-ion battery cell.</li>
<li>Lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They are one of the most popular types of rechargeable batteries used for military, battery electric vehicle and aerospace applications.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321371_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1581321371_image1.jpg" width="700" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><strong>National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage aims to promote clean, connected, shared, sustainable and holistic mobility initiatives.</li>
<li>A Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP) will be launched to localize production across the entire EV value chain which will be valid for 5 years until 2024.</li>
<li>The multi-disciplinary programme with an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee will be chaired by CEO NITI Aayog.</li>
<li>The details of the value addition that can be achieved with each phase of localization will be finalized by the Mission with a clear Make in India strategy for the electric vehicle components as well as battery.</li>
<li>The Mission will coordinate with key stakeholders in Ministries/ Departments and the states to integrate various initiatives to transform mobility in India.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/four-fold-jump-in-li-ion-battery-imports-since-2016/article30776630.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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$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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