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Environmental Sustainability in Post-Lockdown Phase

This article is based on “Rediscovering sustainable development through a Covid-19 lockdown lens” which was published in the Indian...

11 May 2020 News Editorials
India-Nepal on Kailash Mansarovar Link Road

Why in News Nepal has strongly objected to the newly inaugurated link road which connects Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) to Lipulekh pass (China border)...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
Face-off Between India and China

Why in News Recently, Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a temporary and short duration face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Naku La...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
480th Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap

Why in News Recently, the Prime Minister and Vice President of India paid tributes to Maharana Pratap on his 480th birth anniversary. Maharana...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
Toda Embroidery

Why in News In the wake of the Covid-19, Toda artisans from the Nilgiris have come forward to use their traditional skills in making face-masks and...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Why in News The Prime Minister paid tribute to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on his 154th birth anniversary. Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a great social...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
Data Related to Birth Rate and Death Rate

Why in News Recently, the Registrar General of India released data related to birth rate, death rate and infant mortality rate in its Sample...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
Automated UV Systems

Why in News Recently, the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), has developed an automated contactless UVC (short-wavelength ultraviolet light with...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
Mission Sagar

Why in News India has sent Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari, carrying food items and medical assistance teams, to countries in the southern Indian...

11 May 2020 News Analysis
Financial Inclusion

This article is based on “Financial Inclusion and Digital India: A Critical Assessment” which was published in The Economic and...

09 May 2020 News Editorials
Year End Review 2019- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways

Important Schemes and Policies National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) Program Provides for collection of user fee through FASTags based on...

09 May 2020 Paper 2
New Road to Kailash Mansarovar

Why in News Recently, the Defence Minister of India has inaugurated a new 80-km road in Uttarakhand connecting the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and...

09 May 2020 News Analysis
Financial Help by AIIB to India

Why in News Recently, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved US$ 500 million for ‘Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health...

09 May 2020 News Analysis
Relevance of the Consol Bonds amid Covid-19

Why in News The Covid-19 pandemic and consequential national lockdown in the country has laid a grave impact on the Indian economy. Considering...

09 May 2020 News Analysis
Rabindranath Tagore

Why in News The Prime Minister of India paid tributes to Rabindranath Tagore on his 159th Jayanti on 7th May, 2020. Key Points Rabindranath Tagore...

09 May 2020 News Analysis
Olive Ridley Turtles

Why in News Mass hatching of Olive Ridley turtles has begun at Odisha’s Rushikulya rookery (near Ganjam district). The coast of Odisha in...

09 May 2020 News Analysis
World Red Cross Day

Why in News Recently, the World Red Cross Day was celebrated by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS). Key Points World Red Cross day is observed...

09 May 2020 News Analysis
Surge-type Glaciers

Why in News Scientists from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun have found a seasonal advancement in 220 surging or surge-type...

08 May 2020 News Analysis
In-Depth: Epidemic Diseases Act

Coronavirus infection in India is continuously rising. The states are in a battle mode to control the spread of the virus. There has been a...

08 May 2020 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Modifications in PMRF Scheme

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Human Resources and Development has carried out various amendments in the Prime Minister’s Research...

08 May 2020 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'Environmental Sustainability in Post-Lockdown Phase',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/web-edits/rediscovering-sustainable-development-through-a-covid-19-lockdown-lens-6399986/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Rediscovering sustainable development through a Covid-19 lockdown lens&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in the Indian Express on 08/05/2020. It talks about some innovative solutions to maintain environmental sustainability in the Post-lockdown scenario.</p>
</div>
<p>The economic shutdown under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> has caused a negative impact on health and livelihood of the people, but it had a positive impact on the environment.</p>
<p>Due to major industrial activities brought to halt, it has improved the air and water quality dramatically and slashed the material consumption, water usage and waste production.</p>
<p>In this context, the lockdown has given a rare opportunity to review the pre-Covid-19 growth paradigm where the growth was based on blind exploitation of natural resources and move towards the principles of sustainable development in every human action including public policy making.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197153_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197153_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Effect of Economic Shutdown on Environment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Data from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cpcb-notifies-contaminated-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board)</strong> </a>shows that pollution level in Ganga's water has significantly reduced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) has correspondingly fallen, along with the concentration of total coliform, which is a testament to improved water quality.</li>
<li>Similar positive developments have been reported for the Yamuna.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are several reports that reflect the improved air quality.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Delhi/NCR pollution level has significantly reduced.</li>
<li>Dhauladhar range in Himachal Pradesh again being visible from Jalandhar, which is 200 km away. Citizens have also seen Mt. Kanchenjunga from Siliguri and Mt. Everest from parts of Bihar during the lockdown. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This improved quality of air, which has happened after 30 years highlights just how long severe air pollution has been persisting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The falling groundwater levels improved with the reduced industrial and commercial activity.</li>
<li>Most remarkably, the nation-wide lockdown has considerably reduced municipal solid waste (MSW) generation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This drop signifies to the shift in consumer demand and behavioral changes towards sustainable consumption.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ways to Maintain this Sustainability in Post-lockdown World</h3>
<p><strong>Nature-Based Solution (NBS):</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nature-based solutions (NBS) refers to the <strong>sustainable management and use of nature for tackling socio-environmental challenges.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The challenges include issues such as climate change, water security, water pollution, food security, human health, and disaster risk management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NBS creates harmony between people and nature, enables ecological development and represents a holistic, people-centred response to climate change.</li>
<li>Example of NBS may include: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Restoration or protection of mangroves along coastlines utilizes a nature-based solution to accomplish several things. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mangroves moderate the impact of waves and wind on coastal settlements or cities and sequester CO2.</li>
<li>They also provide safe nurseries for marine life that can be the basis for sustaining populations of fish that local populations depend on.</li>
<li>Additionally, the mangrove forests can help control coastal erosion resulting from sea level rise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Similarly, in cities <strong>green roofs or walls</strong> are nature-based solutions that can be used to moderate the impact of high temperatures, capture stormwater, abate pollution, and act as carbon sinks, while enhancing biodiversity.</li>
<li>Upsloping vegetation to reduce the risks of landslides.</li>
<li>Creating permeable lesser concrete areas to help replenish groundwater in regions facing water scarcity.</li>
<li>Large hotels and resorts can effectively pioneer solutions such as <strong>artificial wetlands</strong> for water recycling, which would also add to the local landscape&rsquo;s aesthetics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Thus, NBS underpin the<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Sustainable Development Goals</strong></a>, as they support vital ecosystem services, biodiversity, and access to fresh water, improved livelihoods, healthy diets and food security (organic agriculture) from sustainable food systems.</li>
<li>Also, NBS are an essential component of the overall global effort to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)</strong></a> defines nature-based solutions as &ldquo;actions to protect and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.</p>
</div>
<p><strong>Use of Bio-composites</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bio-composites are an exciting new solution to the ever-increasing demand for industrial raw materials.</li>
<li>These are structures that have naturally occurring minerals woven together into a matrix of natural fibres, such as cellulose and lignin.</li>
<li>Due to their strength, lower weight and recyclability, bio-composite products are being used as environmentally superior alternatives to traditional raw materials such as wood and plastic.</li>
<li>For instance, starch-based clay nanocomposites can be a possible alternative for food packaging, while certain bio-composites are used to supplement high-strength carbon fibre structures for industrial applications.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Effective Waste Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to turn Waste into wealth. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A mandatory drive for household-level waste segregation across urban India would thus be an essential first step.</li>
<li>Source-segregated solid waste that is bio-composted, vermin-composted or anaerobically digested, based on bio-recycling methods, would be a cost-effective means of generating organic manure and megawatts of bioenergy, respectively..</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the water-heavy industries of pharmaceuticals, paper, food and beverage, adopting best practices in minimising water consumption would progress them towards Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).</li>
<li>Bio-treatment of industrial effluents such as chemicals, detergents and toxic sludge are also well within our capacities, but their compliance needs to be mandated to keep the rivers clean.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Building Natural Infrastructure</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Natural infrastructure is defined as a strategically planned and managed network of natural lands, such as forests and wetlands, working landscapes, and other open spaces that conserves or enhances ecosystem values and functions and provides associated benefits to human populations.</li>
<li>This can be built by establishing interconnected networks of green spaces that conserves natural systems and provides assorted benefits to human populations.</li>
<li>An example of natural infrastructure can be seen in the concept of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khangchendzonga-to-be-included-in-the-world-network-of-biosphere-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>biosphere reserves</strong></a>, which incorporates core protected areas for nature conservation and buffer zones and transition areas where people live and work in a sustainable way.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>There are lots of other ways to develop environmental sustainability. However, for long-term sustenance, there is need to bring the behavior change (like sustainable consumption, making environment and climate change a subject of public debate) in conservation strategy.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197182_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197182_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7ffe8;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>What do you understand by Nature-based Solution? Discuss its role in ensuring environmental sustainability.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MKh45vizuFo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/contempt-for-labour-the-hindu-editorial-on-dilution-of-labour-laws/article31538103.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Contempt for labour: On dilution of labour laws&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on May 8th, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'India-Nepal on Kailash Mansarovar Link Road',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Nepal has strongly objected</strong> to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>newly inaugurated link road</strong></a> which connects <strong>Pithoragarh</strong> (Uttarakhand) to <strong>Lipulekh pass</strong> (China border) significantly reducing the time of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nepal claims the territory</strong> at the Lipulekh pass around 400 sq km area east of Kali river in the tri-junction of Nepal, Tibet and India, through which the road passes <strong>as its own.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nepal's Stand</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Nepal referred to the <strong>2014 agreement</strong> between Prime Ministers of both countries, for<strong> Foreign Secretaries to work out the &ldquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indo-nepal-territorial-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outstanding boundary issues</a>&rdquo; on Kalapani</strong> (where Lipulekh lies)<strong> and Susta</strong> (bordering Bihar).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to Nepal&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry, the <strong>unilateral decision to build a road there, </strong>is a<strong> breach of the 2014 agreement.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For evidence, Nepal has the <strong>maps</strong> during the <strong>1816 Sugauli treaty</strong> and<strong> other complementing treaties that followed,</strong> fixing that <strong>Limpiadhura, Kalapani</strong> and <strong>Lipulekh</strong> were <strong>shown east of Kali river and part of Nepal.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These arrangements were made following Nepal&rsquo;s <strong>war with the British</strong> due to which Nepal had to <strong>cede a large part of territory</strong> which currently forms the <strong>present Uttarakhand.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Nepal seeks to <strong>question China as well</strong> because <strong>China and India</strong> had signed an <strong>agreement in May 2015</strong> to <strong>develop Lipulekh</strong> as a commercial passage <strong>without consulting Nepal</strong> which majorly affected the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/china-nepal-india-triangulation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triangulation</a></strong> of the countries.</li>
<li>The government of Nepal <strong>remains committed to seek diplomatic solutions to the boundary issues</strong> on the basis of historical treaty, documents, facts and maps in keeping with the spirit of close and friendly <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-nepal-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>bilateral ties between the two countries.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589195558_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589195558_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="639" height="408" /></strong></a></p>
<p><strong>Kali River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is also known as<strong> Sharda</strong> river or <strong>Kali Ganga</strong> in Uttarakhand.</li>
<li>It <strong>joins Ghagra</strong> river in<strong> Uttar Pradesh,</strong> which is a tributary of Ganga.</li>
<li><strong>River Projects:</strong> Tanakpur hydro-electric project, Chameliya hydro-electric project, Sharda Barrage.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Lipulekh Pass</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is also known as <strong>Lipu-Lekh Pass/Qiangla or Tri-Corner</strong> is a high altitude mountain pass situated in the <strong>western Himalayas</strong> with a height of <strong>5,334 metre or 17,500 feet.</strong></li>
<li>It is an <strong>International mountain pass</strong> between<strong> India, China and Nepal.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Response</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to <strong>India&rsquo;s Ministry of External Affairs,</strong> the road going through Pithoragarh <strong>lies completely within the territory of India.</strong></li>
<li>The road <strong>follows the pre-existing route</strong> used by the pilgrims of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra which has been made pliable for the ease and convenience of pilgrims, locals and traders, under the present project.</li>
<li>India held that the<strong> boundary delineation exercise with Nepal is in process</strong> and it is committed to resolving outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Issues</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In <strong>November 2019,</strong> Nepal<strong> protested against the publication </strong>of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kalapani-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian maps that included the Kalapani area.</strong></a></li>
<li>However, <strong>India rejected Nepal&rsquo;s contention,</strong> asserting that the map accurately depicts the sovereign territory of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both nations are in the process of scheduling foreign secretary-level talks, which will be held once dates are finalised after the two governments have successfully dealt with the challenge of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar-runs-into-diplomatic-trouble/article31545943.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Face-off Between India and China',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a<strong> temporary and short duration face-off</strong> along the <strong>Line of Actual Control (LAC)</strong> at <strong>Naku La (Sikkim)</strong> and <strong>near Pangong Tso Lake (Eastern Ladakh).</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Naku La</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Naku La sector is a pass at a height of more than 5,000 metres above Mean Sea Level (MSL) in the state of Sikkim.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is located ahead of Muguthang or <strong>Cho Lhamu (source of River Teesta).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>At Muguthang, the road on the Chinese side is motorable, and on the Indian side, it is a remote area.</li>
<li>The other passes located in the state of Sikkim are <strong>Nathu La Pass and Jelep La Pass.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pangong Tso Lake</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Pangong Lake is located in the <strong>Union Territory of Ladakh.</strong></li>
<li>It is situated at a height of almost 4,350m and is the <strong>world&rsquo;s highest saltwater lake.</strong></li>
<li>Extending to almost 160km,<strong> one-third</strong> of the Pangong Lake lies in<strong> India</strong> and the other <strong>two-thirds in China.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The temporary and brief face-offs occur because the <strong>unresolved and undemarcated boundary issues.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> India-China border shares</strong> the <strong>3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both countries have differing perceptions owing to the <strong>undemarcated boundary,</strong> which lead to transgressions and face-offs as each side patrols up to the areas.</li>
<li>Any such issue is resolved through the <strong>mutually established protocols</strong> to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border. The resolving mechanism also involves the local <strong>Border Personnel Meeting (BPM).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These protocols with China have been established to resolve issues amicably at the local formation commander level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The recent clash happened three years after the <strong>Doklam stand-off between India and China (2017),</strong> which was also experienced across the border in Sikkim. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Doklam, or Donglang in Chinese, is an area spread over less than a <strong>100 sq km</strong> comprising a plateau and a valley at the <strong>trijunction</strong> between <strong>India, Bhutan and China.</strong></li>
<li>The Doklam issue was discussed in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-ties-marching-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wuhan Summit (2018)</strong></a> and two nations decided to issue<strong> "strategic guidance"</strong> to their militaries <strong>to strengthen communications</strong> so that they can build trust and understanding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; text-align: left; background-color: #0008ff; width: 49.7921%; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>McMahon Line</strong></span></td>
<td style="height: 19px; text-align: left; background-color: #0008ff; width: 50.104%; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Line of Actual Control</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 67px;">
<td style="height: 67px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 49.7921%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> 890-km</strong> McMahon Line separating <strong>British India and Tibet</strong> was drawn by Sir Henry McMahon at the <strong>China-Tibet-Britain Simla Convention (1914).</strong></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="height: 67px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 50.104%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the effective border between India and China.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 92px;">
<td style="height: 92px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 49.7921%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The line <strong>marked out</strong> previously unclaimed/undefined borders between Britain and Tibet. Also the Line put Tawang (a region of the present Arunachal Pradesh) in the British empire.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="height: 92px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 50.104%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>LAC was supposed to<strong> divide areas under Indian and Chinese</strong> control since the<strong> end of the Sino-Indian War of 1962.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 133px;">
<td style="height: 82px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 49.7921%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The line was forgotten until the British government published the documents in <strong>1937.</strong> Subsequently, <strong>China refused to accept the line.</strong></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="height: 82px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 50.104%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Unlike the LoC (between India and Pakistan), the LAC was <strong>not mutually agreed upon.</strong> This was because the war ended with a <strong>unilateral ceasefire by China.</strong></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Global Examples of Aggressive Diplomacy by China</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 Origin:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China has been engaged in <strong>aggressive diplomacy</strong> with western countries, which have sought clarity on the origins of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> that has crippled the world economy, and led to almost four million people across the globe falling ill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>South China Sea:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has also reported that China has established new administrative districts for the <strong>Spratly and Paracel archipelagos</strong> in the South China Sea.</li>
<li>China has also named 80 islands and other geographical features in the sea, claiming sovereignty over underwater features in the contested region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/face-off-between-indian-and-chinese-soldiers-in-north-sikkim-resolved-6402774/" 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/face-off-between-india-and-china'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => '480th Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister and Vice President of India paid tributes to<strong> Maharana Pratap</strong> on his <strong>480<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<h3>Maharana Pratap<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193900_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193900_image2.jpg" width="250" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Rana Pratap Singh also known as Maharana Pratap was born on May 9<sup>th</sup> 1540 in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan.</li>
<li>He was the <strong>13<sup>th</sup> King of Mewar</strong> and was the <strong>eldest son</strong> of <strong>Udai Singh II</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maharana Udai Singh II ruled the <strong>kingdom of Mewar,</strong> with his <strong>capital at Chittor.</strong></li>
<li>Udai Singh II was also a <strong>founder of the city of Udaipur</strong> (Rajasthan).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Battle of Haldighati:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Battle of Haldighati</strong> was fought in <strong>1576</strong> between <strong>Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Amber</strong> who was the<strong> general of the Mughal emperor Akbar.</strong></li>
<li>Maharana Pratap fought a brave war, but was<strong> defeated by Mughal forces.</strong></li>
<li>It is said that Maharana Pratap&rsquo;s loyal horse named <strong>Chetak,</strong> gave up his life as the Maharana was leaving the battlefield.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reconquest:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After 1579, the Mughal pressure relaxed over Mewar and Pratap recovered Western Mewar including Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur and Gogunda.</li>
<li>During this period, he also built a<strong> new capital, Chavand, near modern Dungarpur.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/naidu-modi-pay-tributes-to-maharana-pratap/article31541434.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/480th-birth-anniversary-of-maharana-pratap'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Toda Embroidery',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>In the wake of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a>,<strong> Toda artisans</strong> from the<strong> Nilgiris</strong> have come forward to use their traditional skills in making face-masks and to help people ward off the infection and also provide Todas with livelihood.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Toda Tribe is a <strong>pastoral tribe</strong> of the <strong>Nilgiri Hills</strong> of <strong>southern India.</strong></li>
<li>The Toda language is <strong>Dravidian</strong> but is the <strong>most unusual and different</strong> among the languages belonging to the Dravidian family.</li>
<li>They <strong>live in settlements</strong> of from three to seven small <strong>thatched houses.</strong></li>
<li>They <strong>traditionally trade dairy products,</strong> as well as <strong>cane and bamboo articles,</strong> with the other Nilgiri peoples.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Toda Embroidery</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the Toda language it is called<em> <strong>pohor.</strong></em></li>
<li>The traditional Toda dress is a <strong>distinctive shawl</strong> which is called <em><strong>putukuli.</strong></em><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Considered a <strong>grand garment,</strong> it is only <strong>worn for special occasions</strong> like visits to the temple, festivals and finally as a shroud.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The embroidery is <strong>done by Toda women</strong> and has <strong>distinctive red and black</strong> (and <strong>occasionally blue) thread work in geometric designs</strong> on <strong>unbleached white cotton fabric.</strong></li>
<li>It has got a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/potential-of-gis-is-waiting-to-be-tapped" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Geographical Indications (GI) Tag.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193526_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193526_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu/20200511/281818581008678" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PR</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/toda-embroidery'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Gopal Krishna Gokhale',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Prime Minister paid tribute to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on his 154<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a great social reformer and educationist who provided exemplary leadership to India's freedom movement.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589185475_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589185475_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></strong></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born on <strong>9 May 1866</strong> in Kotluk village in present-day Maharashtra (then part of the <strong>Bombay Presidency</strong>) in a Brahmin family.</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Gokhale worked towards social empowerment, expansion of education , struggle for freedom in India for three decades and rejected the use of reactionary or revolutionary ways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role in Colonial Legislatures:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 1899 and 1902, he was a member of the Bombay Legislative Council followed by work at the Imperial Legislative Council from 1902 till his death (1915).</li>
<li>At the Imperial legislature, Gokhale played a key role in framing the <strong>Morley-Minto reforms of 1909.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role in INC:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was associated with the<strong> Moderate Group</strong> of Indian National Congress (joined in 1889).</li>
<li>He became president of INC in 1905 in Banaras session.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This was the time when bitter differences had arisen between his group of &lsquo;Moderates&rsquo; and the &lsquo;Extremists&rsquo; led by Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak among others. The two factions split at the Surat session of 1907.</li>
<li>Despite the ideological difference, in 1907, he intensely campaigned for the release of <strong>Lala Lajpat Rai,</strong> who was imprisoned that year by the <strong>British at Mandalay in present-day Myanmar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Societies and Other Works:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He established the<strong> Servants of India Society</strong> in 1905 for the expansion of Indian education.</li>
<li>He was also associated with the <strong>Sarvajanik sabha journal</strong> started by Govind Ranade.</li>
<li>In 1908, Gokhale founded the<strong> Ranade Institute of Economics.</strong></li>
<li>He started english weekly newspaper, <strong>The Hitavada</strong> (The people's paper).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mentor to Gandhi:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As a liberal nationalist, he is regarded by Mahatma Gandhi as his political guru.</li>
<li>Gandhi wrote a book in Gujarati dedicated to the leader titled<strong> &lsquo;Dharmatma Gokhale&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622402" 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/gopal-krishna-gokhale'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Data Related to Birth Rate and Death Rate',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Registrar General of India</strong> released data related to birth rate, death rate and infant mortality rate in its <strong>Sample Registration System (SRS)</strong> bulletin for 2018.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rates are calculated<strong> per one thousand of the population.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s birth rate has declined drastically over the last four decades from 36.9 in 1971 to 20.0 in 2018.</li>
<li>The rural-urban differential has also narrowed. However, the birth rate has continued to be higher in rural areas compared to urban areas.</li>
<li><strong>Bihar</strong> (26.2) continues to remain at the top of list in birth rate while <strong>Andaman and Nicobar</strong> (11.2) is at the bottom.</li>
<li>Birth rate is a <strong>crude measure of fertility of a population</strong> and a <strong>crucial determinant of population growth. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The death rate of India has witnessed a significant decline over the last four decades from 14.9 in 1971 to 6.2 in 2018.</li>
<li>In the last decade, death rate at an all-India level has declined from 7.3 to 6.2.</li>
<li>The decline has been steeper in rural areas.</li>
<li><strong>Chhattisgarh has the highest death rate</strong> at 8 and <strong>Delhi,</strong> an almost entirely urban state, <strong>has a lowest death rate</strong> of 3.3.</li>
<li>Mortality is one of the <strong>basic components of population change.</strong> The data related to it is essential for demographic studies and public health administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Infant mortality rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>IMR has decreased to 32 about one-fourth as compared to 1971 (129).</li>
<li>The IMR at an all-India level has declined from 50 to 32 in the last decade.</li>
<li><strong>Madhya Pradesh has the highest</strong> IMR of 48 and <strong>Nagaland has the lowest</strong> IMR of 4.</li>
<li><strong>Infant mortality is</strong> the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sample Registration System</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The SRS is a <strong>demographic survey</strong> for providing reliable annual estimates of infant mortality rate, birth rate, death rate and other fertility and mortality indicators at the national and sub-national levels.</li>
<li>It was initiated on a pilot basis by the <strong>Registrar General of India</strong> in a few states in 1964-65, it became fully operational during 1969-70.</li>
<li>The<strong> field investigation</strong> consists of continuous enumeration of births and deaths in selected sample units by resident part time enumerators, generally anganwadi workers &amp; teachers, and an independent survey every six months by SRS supervisors. The data obtained by these two independent functionaries are matched.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Registrar General of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Registrar General of India was founded in 1961 by the Government of India under the <strong>Ministry of Home Affairs.</strong></li>
<li>It arranges, conducts and analyses the results of the demographic surveys of India including <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-census-challenges-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Census of India</strong></a> and Linguistic Survey of India.</li>
<li>The position of Registrar is usually held by a civil servant holding the rank of Joint Secretary.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/national-infant-mortality-rate-at-32-madhya-pradesh-worst-performer-6402497/" 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/data-related-to-birth-rate-and-death-rate'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Automated UV Systems',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Research Centre Imarat</strong> (RCI), has developed an <strong>automated contactless UVC</strong> (short-wavelength ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 200-280 nanometers)<strong> sanitisation cabinet,</strong> called<strong> Defence Research UltraViolet Sanitiser</strong> (DRUVS) and an <strong>automated UVC currency sanitising device,</strong> called <strong>NOTESCLEAN.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RCI is a <strong>Hyderabad</strong> based <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)</strong></a> premier lab.</li>
<li>Earlier, DRDO had developed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uv-blaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UV Blaster</strong></a> <strong>(ultraviolet disinfection tower)</strong> for rapid and chemical free disinfection of high infection prone areas.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Defence Research Ultraviolet Sanitiser<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183760_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183760_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="150" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been designed to sanitise <strong>mobile phones, iPads, laptops, currency notes, cheque leafs, challans,</strong> passbooks, paper, envelopes, etc.</li>
<li>The DRUVS cabinet has a <strong>contactless operation</strong> which becomes crucial to contain the spread of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> and other viruses.</li>
<li>It has <strong>proximity sensor switches,</strong> clubbed with drawer opening and closing mechanism which makes its operation automatic and contactless.</li>
<li>It provides <strong>360 degree exposure of UVC to the objects</strong> placed inside the cabinet and it <strong>automatically goes into sleep</strong> mode after the sanitation process.
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183748_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183748_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="150" caption="false" /></a></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>NOTESCLEAN</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The device picks the note inserted from the input slot and<strong> makes them pass through a series of UVC lamps</strong> for complete disinfection.</li>
<li>It<strong> will save a lot of time</strong> because disinfection of each currency note by DRUVS or any other sanitising process is a time consuming process.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Defence Research and Development Organisation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It works under the <strong>administrative control</strong> of the <strong>Ministry of Defence.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> To establish a world class science and technology base for India and provide Indian Defence Services decisive edge by equipping them with internationally competitive systems and solutions.</li>
<li>It was established in<strong> 1958</strong> after <strong>combining Technical Development Establishment</strong> (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the<strong> Directorate of Technical Development &amp; Production</strong> (DTDP) with the<strong> Defence Science Organisation</strong> (DSO).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622692" 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/automated-uv-systems'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Mission Sagar',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India has sent <strong>Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari,</strong> carrying food items and medical assistance teams, to countries in the southern Indian Ocean to deal with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> as part of a <strong>"Mission Sagar"</strong> initiative.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The countries including <strong>Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles</strong> had requested India for assistance in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles</strong> along with <strong>La Réunion</strong> are part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-as-an-observer-at-ioc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Ocean Commission</strong></a>.<strong> India has recently become an observer</strong> to the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This is the <strong>first time that a single assistance mission is covering all island countries of the western Indian Ocean</strong> in one go — <strong>except Sri Lanka,</strong> for which a second set of medicines have been airlifted.</li>
<li>The assistance<strong> is in line with India’s role as the first responder in the Indian Ocean region.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her neighbouring countries and further strengthens the existing bond.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The deployment is also in consonance with the Prime Minister's vision of <strong>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).</strong></li>
<li>Under the Mission, India will <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deploy <strong>Medical Assistance Teams</strong> in Mauritius and Comoros, helping their Governments deal with Covid emergency and in case of Comoros, with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sharp-drop-in-dengue-cases-in%20-delhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>dengue fever</strong></a> also.</li>
<li>Deliver <strong>consignments of Covid related essential medicines</strong> to Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles and about 600 tonnes of food items to Maldives. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In addition, in case of Mauritius, a<strong> special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines</strong> is also being sent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The consignments also include <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-revokes-ban-on-export-of-hydroxychloroquine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hydroxychloroquine tablets.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>SAGAR</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)</strong> was launched in 2015. It is India’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).</li>
<li>Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen<strong> economic and security cooperation</strong> with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their <strong>maritime security capabilities.</strong></li>
<li>Further, India seeks to safeguard its <strong>national interests</strong> and ensure Indian Ocean region to become<strong> inclusive, collaborative and respect international law.</strong></li>
<li>The key relevance of SAGAR emerges when seen in conjunction with India’s other policies impacting the maritime domain like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy</strong></a>,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-09th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Project Sagarmala</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project Mausam</strong></a>,<strong> India as ‘net security provider’, focus on</strong> <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/blue-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Blue Economy</strong></a> etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=203932" 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/mission-sagar'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Financial Inclusion',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.epw.in/engage/article/financial-inclusion-and-digital-india-critical" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Financial Inclusion and Digital India: A Critical Assessment&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Economic and Political Weekly on 29/04/2020. It talks about impact and challenges pertaining to financial inclusion.</p>
</div>
<p>Financial inclusion may be defined as the process of ensuring access to financial services and timely and adequate credit where needed by vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low income groups at an affordable cost.</p>
<p>In a diverse country like India, financial inclusion is a critical part of the development process. Since independence, the combined efforts of successive governments, regulatory institutions, and the civil society have helped in increasing the financial-inclusion net in the country.</p>
<p>The state of financial inclusion has improved considerably over time. However, the financial inclusion<strong> hasn&rsquo;t reached the poorest of the poor</strong> and there exist many bottlenecks and challenges which need immediate attention.</p>
<p>Thus, there exists both a great need and the potential to tap into the unbanked population and bring them into the financial net.</p>
<h3>Financial Inclusion Initiatives</h3>
<p><strong>Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile (JAM) Trinity</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The combination of Aadhaar, PMJDY, and a surge in mobile communication has reshaped the way citizens access government services.</li>
<li>As per the estimates in March 2020, the total number of beneficiaries under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-6th-september-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jan Dhan scheme</strong> </a>have been more than 380 million.</li>
<li>By significantly changing the concept of individual identity, Aadhaar has not only brought about a secure and easily verifiable system but also easy to obtain as well to help in the financial inclusion process.</li>
<li>The government has also launched many flagship schemes to promote financial inclusion and provide financial security to empower the poor and unbanked in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mudra-scheme-and-employment" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana</strong></a>, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stand-Up India Scheme</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/woes-of-migrants-amid-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana</a></strong>, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Expansion of financial services in Rural and Semi-Urban Areas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) have taken initiatives to promote financial inclusion in rural areas.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include the opening of bank branches in remote areas.</li>
<li>Issuing Kisan Credit Cards (KCC)</li>
<li>Linkage of self-help groups (SHGs) with banks.</li>
<li>Increasing the number of automated teller machines (ATMs)</li>
<li>Business correspondents model of Banking, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Promotion of Digital Payments</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the strengthening of the <strong>Unified Payment Interface (UPI)</strong> by NPCI, digital payments have been made secure, compared to the past.</li>
<li>The Aadhar-enabled payment system (AEPS) enables an Aadhar enabled bank account (AEBA) to be used at any place and at any time, using micro ATMs.</li>
<li>The payment system has been made more accessible due to offline transaction-enabling platforms, like <strong>Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)</strong>, which makes it possible to use mobile banking services without internet, even on a basic mobile handset.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Financial Literacy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Reserve Bank of India has undertaken a project titled <strong>"Project Financial Literacy".</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Objective of the project is to disseminate information regarding the central bank and general banking concepts to various target groups, including, school and college going children, women, rural and urban poor, defence personnel and senior citizens.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pocket Money</strong> is Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM&rsquo;s) flagship programme aimed at increasing financial literacy among school students. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The objective is to help school students understand the value of money and the importance of saving, investing and financial planning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Financial Inclusion: Success Story</h3>
<p><strong>Increased Access to Banks</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the World Bank&rsquo;s Global Financial Inclusion Database or Global Findex report (2017), 80% Indian adults have a bank account against the 53% estimated in 2014.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Findex 2017 report also estimates that 77% Indian women have bank accounts, against 43% in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Multiplier Effect</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These initiatives have brought about major changes to increase the last-mile connectivity of financial services to its people.</li>
<li>By providing access to financial resources to underprivileged and marginalised sections of society, financial inclusion has the potential to reduce poverty, create jobs, among others.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Active Participation of Citizenry</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, private institutions did not engage with the poor as customers on a significant scale.</li>
<li>This has now changed, and there has been an active participation of the private players (payment banks like paytm, airtel money and jio money), as they have also realised that bringing the poor into the financial net is beneficial to their business models as well.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Integration of Financial Services</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The convergence of JAM trinity with the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme has largely been successful.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to this, there has been a significant improvement in terms of targeted and accurate payments.</li>
<li>It has also helped in weeding out duplication of entries, and bringing down the reliance on cash mode of payments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Non-Universal Access to Bank Accounts</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bank accounts are a gateway to all financial services. But, according to a report by the World Bank, about 190 million adults in India do not have a bank account, making India the world&rsquo;s second largest nation in terms of unbanked population after China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Digital Divide</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The most common barriers to the adoption of digital technology which may promote financial inclusion:</li>
<li>Non-availability of suitable financial products</li>
<li>Lack of skills among the stakeholders to use digital services</li>
<li>Infrastructural issues</li>
<li>Low-income consumers who are not able to afford the technology required to access digital services</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implement Deficit</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the Jan Dhan scheme has resulted in the opening of many dormant accounts which never saw actual banking transactions.</li>
<li>All such activities incur costs on the institutions, and thus, huge operative costs only proved to be detrimental to the actual objective.</li>
<li>To avoid these counterproductive outcomes, it is important that all stakeholders participate in such programmes with proper intent and not just for the sake of it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Informal and Cash-Dominated Economy</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is the heavily dominated cash economy, this poses a challenge for digital payment adoption.</li>
<li>Also, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), about 81% of the employed persons in India work in the informal sector.</li>
<li>The combination of a huge informal sector along with a high dependence on cash mode of transaction poses an impediment to digital financial inclusion</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gender Gap in Financial Inclusion</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the 2017 Global Findex database, 83% of males above 15 years of age in India held accounts at a financial institution in 2017 compared to 77% females.</li>
<li>This is attributed to socio-economic factors, including the availability of mobile handset and internet data facility being higher among men than women.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Credit Penetration</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One of the main constraints in providing credit to low-income households and informal businesses is the lack of information available with formal creditors to determine their credit worthiness. This results in a high cost of credit.</li>
<li>Due to this, in 2016, the number of loan accounts per 1,000 adults was 154 in India. This is quite low when compared to similarly placed economies like BRICS nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps to be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reviving Banking Correspondent Model</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Given the infeasibility of locating branches in every nook and corner of the country, bank correspondents are used to reach out to prospective clients. However, an inadequate compensation structure makes correspondent banking unattractive.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a need to create better monetary incentives for banking correspondents as well as to provide them better training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leveraging JAM Trinity</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Technology should be used to improve the assessment of credit-worthiness for households and informal businesses.</li>
<li>With the adoption of appropriate technology a new data-sharing framework (using Jan Dhan and Aadhaar platforms), to enable easier access to credit, with adequate safeguards for maintaining data privacy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need For Data Protection Regime</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition to greater digitization, there is also a need to strengthen cyber security and data protection regime in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leveraging Differentiated Banks</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Differentiated Banks like Payment banks and small finance banks can be leveraged to scale up payments systems in underserved areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promoting USSD for Rural Areas</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Payments through the USSD channel should be promoted (by reimbursing the charges incurred in the USSD process), as they have an advantage over the internet in that it can also cover a large proportion of non-smartphone users.</li>
<li>In India, USSD can be particularly useful in rural areas where some segments still do not have reliable access to the internet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>For the success of financial inclusion in India, there has to be a multidimensional approach through which existing digital platforms, infrastructure, human resources, and policy frameworks are strengthened and new technological innovations should be promoted.</p>
<p>If adequate measures are taken to tide over the existing problems, financial inclusion has the potential to amplify the benefits of economic growth to the poor.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589025674_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589025674_image1.jpg" caption="false" width="768" height="721" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #faffeb;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Financial inclusion is one of the most important cornerstones of an economy. Discuss its implications and challenges faced by India in the path of financial inclusion.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UF7ixCcKiHA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/toxic-disaster-the-hindu-editorial-on-visakhapatnam-gas-leak/article31529093.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Toxic disaster&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on May 8th, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube Channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/financial-inclusion-4'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Year End Review 2019- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<h3>Important Schemes and Policies</h3>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/digital-transactions-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) Program</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provides for collection of user fee through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/all-about-the-fastag" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FASTags based on RFID technology.</strong> </a></li>
<li>In order to save fuel, time and pollution and to ensure seamless movement of traffic, it has been decided to enable all lanes in Fee Plazas for electronic toll collection program through FASTags.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NETC was <strong>developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)</strong> in 2016 for electronic toll collection at toll plazas using FASTag.</li>
<li>FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly while the vehicle is in motion.</li>
<li>FASTag (RFID Tag) is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables a customer to make the toll payments directly from the account which is linked to FASTag.</li>
<li>RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tagging is a system that uses small radio frequency detection devices for identification and tracking purposes.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-road-accident-database-irad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Integrated Road Accident Database</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A State Support Programme aimed at incentivising the States to improve their road safety performance is proposed to be launched to reduce the overall fatalities by road accidents by 25% by 2024.</li>
<li>With a view to accurately recording the accident details so that timely corrective action is undertaken a Geo-Tagged accident data collection programme would be launched under the project &ldquo;Integrated Road Accident Database (IRAD)&rdquo;.</li>
<li>IT based road safety infrastructure would be erected on all the four lane and above Highways. Incidence management systems shall also be provided on all such Highways.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-motor-vehicles-bill-for-road-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the principal instrument through which road transport is regulated in the country.</strong> It has been amended by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament in August 2019.</li>
<li>The Act will bring reforms in the area of Road Safety, bring citizen facilitation, transparency, and reduce corruption with the help of information technology and removing intermediaries.</li>
<li>The Act will strengthen public transport, safeguard and protect Good Samaritan and reform the insurance and compensation regime.</li>
<li>It will allow innovation and new technologies such as driverless vehicles, to be tested in live environment and increase efficiency in research.</li>
<li>The Act will facilitate Divyang by allowing motor vehicles to be converted to adapted vehicles with post-facto approval and facilitating licence to drive adapted vehicles.</li>
<li>The provisions of compensation and post &ndash; accident treatment have been amended and measures will be taken provide cashless treatment for accident victims.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Road Safety Initiatives in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Road Safety Policy</strong> outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, establishing a road safety information database, encouraging safer road infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, enforcement of safety laws etc.</li>
<li><strong>National Road Safety Council</strong> as the apex body to take policy decisions in matters of road safety.</li>
<li>A dashboard for road accident data, through which people can access related data and other information both state-wise and the national averages, has been introduced.</li>
<li><strong>VAHAN</strong> (an ICT-based solution for vehicle registration) and<strong> SARATHI</strong> (for licencing) apps have been launched to curb malpractices in issuing licences and vehicle registration.</li>
<li><strong>Setu Bharatam Programme</strong> to make all national highways free of railway crossings by 2019.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-road-transport-highways'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'New Road to Kailash Mansarovar',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Minister of India</strong> has inaugurated a new <strong>80-km road in Uttarakhand</strong> connecting the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/disputed-territories-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Line of Actual Control</strong></a> (LAC) and opening a new route for <strong>Kailash Mansarovar yatra</strong> via<strong> Lipulekh Pass (China border)</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is scheduled to be completed by December 2022 and will significantly reduce the travel time for pilgrims.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Link Road is named as the <strong>Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Route</strong> under which the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bro-opens-rohtang-pass" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Border Roads Organisation</strong></a> (BRO) achieved road connectivity from <strong>Dharchula (Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand) to Lipulekh.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Lipulekh Pass also known as <strong>Lipu-Lekh Pass/Qiangla or Tri-Corner</strong> is a high altitude mountain pass situated in the <strong>western Himalayas</strong> with a height of 5,334 metre or 17,500 feet.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>International mountain pass</strong> between <strong>India, China and Nepal.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The road was made under directions of the<strong> China Study Group</strong> (CSG) and is funded by <strong>Indo-China Border Road</strong> (ICBR).</li>
<li>It was approved by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-committees-formed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet Committee</strong></a> <strong>on Security</strong> (CCS) in <strong>2005.</strong></li>
<li>The last 5-km of the road could not be finished due to a <strong>temporary ban</strong> placed on the <strong>last-mile connectivity</strong> in 2016 by the <strong>Director General Military Operations,</strong> which is yet to be lifted.</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the<strong> shortest and cheapest route</strong> with just <strong>one-fifth distance</strong> of road travel as compared to other old routes. The other route is via Sikkim.</li>
<li>There is<strong> no air travel involved</strong> and the <strong>majority of the travel (84%) is in India</strong> and only 16% in China compared to other routes where 80% road travel is in China.</li>
<li>Except for a 5-km trek, <strong>whole travel will be on vehicles</strong> reducing the 5-day trek to 2- days road travel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Kailash Mansarovar</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To Hindus it is the <strong>earthly embodiment</strong> of the dominant mountain of heaven, Meru, and the residence of <strong>Lord Shiva</strong> and his consort Goddess Parvati.</li>
<li>The Kailash range&rsquo;s supreme peak lies in the <strong>Chinese-occupied Tibet</strong> at the height of <strong>6,675 meters.</strong></li>
<li>The pilgrimage to <strong>Kailash</strong> and to the sacred <strong>Mansarover</strong> lake that lies 30 km to its south, is run exclusively by a government organization, the <strong>Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam</strong> (KMVN).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The organization works in collaboration with the Government of India&rsquo;s Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rajnath-singh-inaugurates-new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar/article31533372.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Financial Help by AIIB to India',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622145" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)</strong></a> has approved <strong>US$ 500 million</strong> for <strong>&lsquo;Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project&rsquo;</strong> initiated by India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project is expected to help India to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and strengthen its public health preparedness.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project intends to<strong> slow down and limit the spread</strong> of Covid-19 in India.</li>
<li>It includes an immediate support for enhancement of disease detection capacities, oxygen delivery systems and medicines among others.</li>
<li>The project also strives to strengthen India&rsquo;s<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-disease-surveillance-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP)</strong></a> and the capacity to effectively <strong>manage future disease outbreaks.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>IDSP aims to strengthen/maintain decentralized laboratory based and IT enabled disease surveillance systems for epidemic prone diseases to monitor disease trends.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also aims to develop capacity and systems <strong>to detect existing and emerging <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/zoonotic-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zoonoses</a> </strong>and upgrade viral research and diagnostic laboratories for testing and research.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As around <strong>75% of new infectious diseases</strong> begin with <strong>human-to-animal contacts.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Beneficiaries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project will cover all States and Union Territories across India and address the needs of infected people, at-risk populations, medical and emergency personnel and service providers, medical and testing facilities, and national and animal health agencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Finances:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project is being financed by the World Bank and AIIB in the amount of $1.5 billion, of which $1.0 billion will be provided by the World Bank and $500 million will be provided by AIIB.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implementation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will be implemented by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission (NHM)</strong></a>, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-centre-for-disease-control-ncdc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)</a></strong> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icmr-recommends-use-of-hydroxy-chloroquine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NHM was launched by the government of India in 2013 subsuming the National Rural Health Mission and the National Urban Health Mission.</li>
<li>NCDC functions as the nodal agency in the country for disease surveillance facilitating prevention and control of communicable diseases under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
<li>ICMR is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a <strong>multilateral development bank</strong> with a mission to improve <strong>social and economic</strong> outcomes in<strong> Asia.</strong></li>
<li>It is established by the AIIB<strong> Articles of Agreement</strong> (entered into force Dec. 25, 2015) which is a multilateral treaty. The Parties (57 founding members) to agreement comprise the Membership of the Bank.</li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered</strong> in <strong>Beijing</strong> and began its operations in January 2016.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> joined AIIB in <strong>2016</strong> as a <strong>regional member</strong> of the Bank.</li>
<li>The members of the Bank have now grown to 102 approved members worldwide.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, fourteen of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-g20-leaders-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G-20 nations</strong></a> are AIIB members including France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia and beyond, it connects people, services and markets that over time will impact the lives of billions and build a better future.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622145" 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/financial-help-by-aiib-to-india'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Relevance of the Consol Bonds amid Covid-19',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and consequential national lockdown in the country has laid a grave impact on the Indian economy.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Considering the above scenario, the <strong>large stimulus needs to be introduced</strong> by the government to pull back the economy where the required stimulus will exceed the current revenue receipts of the government.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> stimulus</strong> refers to attempts to use monetary or fiscal policy (or stabilization policy in general) to stimulate the economy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Thus, an introduction of a<strong> Consol Bond</strong> is one of the solutions for the government to fund the stimulus.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Budget (2020)</a> </strong>before the pandemic, India projected a <strong>deficit of Rs.7.96-lakh crore.</strong></li>
<li>Further, the financial deficit is expected to <strong>increase</strong> by a wide margin due to <strong>revenue shrinkage</strong> from the coming depression accompanied by a <strong>lack of disinvestment.</strong></li>
<li>Though, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-economic-relief-package" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the government and RBI have announced various economic measures</strong> </a>to deal with the economic impact of nationwide lockdown but these measures are considered to be inadequate.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition to the planned expenditure, the government needs to spend nearly Rs.5-lakh crore and Rs.6-lakh crore as stimulus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Consol Bonds</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consol bond (also known as <strong>perpetual bond</strong>) is a <strong>fixed income security with no maturity date.</strong></li>
<li>It is often considered a<strong> type of equity, rather than debt.</strong></li>
<li>The major benefit of these bonds is that they <strong>pay a steady stream of interest</strong> payments forever. However, <strong>these bonds can be redeemed at issuer's discretion.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Notable Existence of Consol Bonds in the History:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The console bonds were majorly used by the British government during <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-war-I-centenary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World War-I.</strong></a></li>
<li>The bonds were issued in <strong>1917</strong> as the British government sought to raise more money to finance the ongoing cost of World War-I.</li>
<li>In 2014, the British government, a century after the start of World War-I, paid out 10% of the total outstanding Consol bond debt.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Consol Bonds and Current Indian Economic Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Consol Bonds Instead of PM-CARES:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The introduction of the Consol bonds would have been a better solution for the government if people would have invested in consol bonds instead of making donations to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-cares-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM-CARES.</strong></a> It could have made <strong>citizens as active participants</strong> in handling the economic scenario of the country.</li>
<li>Unlike PM-CARES, the proceeds of the bonds could have been used to <strong>fulfil the various essential medical as well as economic requirements</strong> of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>One of the Available Solutions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The fall of real estate and given the lack of safe havens outside of gold, the bond would offer a dual benefit as a <strong>risk free investment for retail investors.</strong></li>
<li>An <strong>attractive coupon rate for the bond or tax rebates</strong> can also be an incentive for investors.</li>
<li>The government can consider a phased redemption of these bonds after the economy is put back on a path of high growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-war-like-state-and-a-bond-to-the-rescue/article31521062.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/relevance-of-the-consol-bonds-amid-covid-19'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Rabindranath Tagore',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Prime Minister of India paid tributes to <strong>Rabindranath Tagore on his 159<sup>th</sup> Jayanti on 7<sup>th</sup> May, 2020.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589014438_Quotation-drishti_ias_Rabindranath-Tagore.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img width="551" height="265" class="content-img" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589014438_Quotation-drishti_ias_Rabindranath-Tagore.jpg" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rabindranath Tagore</strong> was born in Calcutta on May 7, 1861. He was also <strong>referred to as &lsquo;Gurudev&rsquo;, &lsquo;Kabiguru&rsquo;, and &lsquo;Biswakabi&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Regarded as the <strong>outstanding creative artist of modern India</strong> and hailed by W.B Yeats, Rabindranath Tagore was a <strong>Bengali poet, novelist, and painter,</strong> who was highly influential in introducing Indian culture to the west.</li>
<li>Rabindranath was an exceptional<strong> literary figure</strong> and a renowned<strong> polymath</strong> who singlehandedly reshaped the region's literature and music.</li>
<li>In 1913 Rabindranath Tagore was <strong>awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature</strong> for his work on <strong>Gitanjali.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was the<strong> first non-European to receive the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nobel-prizes-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nobel Prize</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 1915 Tagore was <strong>awarded knighthood</strong> by the British King George V. In 1919, following the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jallianwala-bagh-massacre-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jallianwalla Bagh massacre</a></strong> he renounced his Knighthood.</li>
<li>Besides all his literary achievements <strong>he was also a philosopher and educationist</strong> who in 1921 <strong>established the Vishwa-Bharati University,</strong> a university that challenged conventional education.</li>
<li>Rabindranath Tagore was a good friend of <strong>Mahatma Gandhi</strong> and is <strong>said to have given him the title of Mahatma.</strong></li>
<li>Tagore had always stressed that <strong>unity in diversity</strong> is the only possible way for India&rsquo;s national integration.</li>
<li>He not only gave the<strong> national anthems for two countries, India and Bangladesh,</strong> but also <strong>inspired a Ceylonese student of his,</strong> to pen and compose the <strong>national anthem of Sri Lanka.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=202893" 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/rabindranath-tagore'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Olive Ridley Turtles',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Mass hatching of Olive Ridley turtles has begun at Odisha&rsquo;s Rushikulya rookery (near Ganjam district).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>coast of Odisha in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley,</strong> followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589008914_image.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589008914_image.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Features:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Olive ridley turtles are the<strong> smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles</strong> found in the world.</li>
<li>These turtles are <strong>carnivores</strong> and get their name from their olive colored carapace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong> They are <strong>found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Migration:</strong> They migrate thousands of kilometers between feeding and mating grounds in the course of a year.</li>
<li><strong>Arribada (Mass Nesting):</strong> They are best<strong> known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada,</strong> where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They lay their eggs over a period of five to seven days in conical nests about one and a half feet deep which they dig with their hind flippers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They are extensively<strong> poached for their meat, shell and leather, and their eggs.</strong></li>
<li>However, the most severe threat they face is the <strong>accidental killing through entanglement in trawl nets</strong> and <strong>gill nets due to uncontrolled fishing</strong> during their mating season around nesting beaches.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>IUCN Red List:</strong> Vulnerable</li>
<li><strong>CITES:</strong> Appendix I</li>
<li>Indian <strong>Wildlife (Protection) Act,</strong> 1972: Schedule I</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Step Taken for Conservation:</strong> To reduce accidental killing in India, the Odisha government has made it mandatory for <strong>trawls to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs),</strong> a net specially designed with an exit cover which allows the turtles to escape while retaining the catch.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mass-hatching-of-olive-ridley-turtles-begins-at-odishas-rushikulya-rookery/article31538323.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/olive-ridley-turtles-4'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'World Red Cross Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the World Red Cross Day was celebrated by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>World Red Cross day is observed on <strong>May 8 on the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant,</strong> who was the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Henry Dunant was also the<strong> recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The main aim of the Red Cross Society is basically to inspire, initiate and encourage all kinds of humanitarian activities under all times and circumstances.</li>
<li><strong>Programmes</strong> conducted by the Red Cross Society can be broadly <strong>categorised into four parts</strong> including the promotion of humanitarian principles and values; disaster response; disaster preparedness; and health and care.</li>
<li>The Red Cross Society is<strong> based on 7 principles</strong> namely, humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary, unity and universality.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Red Cross Society</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IRCS is a<strong> voluntary humanitarian organization</strong> to protect human life and health with the help of its network of over 1100 branches throughout India.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1920</strong> and has completed its 100 years of existence.</li>
<li>It is a<strong> part of</strong> the largest independent humanitarian organisation in the world, the <strong>International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.</strong></li>
<li>Its <strong>mission</strong> is to provide relief at the time of disasters/emergencies and also promotes healthcare facilities among vulnerable people and communities.</li>
<li>The <strong>President of India</strong> is the President and the <strong>Union Health Minister</strong> is the Chairman of the Society.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1622157" 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/world-red-cross-day'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Surge-type Glaciers',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists from the <strong>Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology</strong> (WIHG), Dehradun have found a <strong>seasonal advancement</strong> in 220 <strong>surging</strong> or <strong>surge-type glaciers</strong> in the <strong>Karakoram Range of Ladakh.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WIHG is an <strong>autonomous institute</strong> under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Surging or Surge-type glaciers are a certain type of glaciers that have <strong>shown advancement in volume and length</strong> over a period of time.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Such glaciers <strong>go against the normal trend of considerable reduction in volume and length</strong> of most glaciers in the Himalaya in recent decades.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Surging glaciers <strong>represent 40%</strong> of the<strong> total glaciated area</strong> of the <strong>Karakoram range.</strong></li>
<li>Surging glaciers <strong>do not flow at a constant speed,</strong> rather are subjected to <strong>cyclical flow instabilities.</strong></li>
<li>The oscillation of such glaciers have been broadly classified into two phases:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Active (Surge) Phase-</strong> brief (months to years) rapid flow.</li>
<li><strong>Quiescent Phase-</strong> lengthy (tens to hundreds of years) slow flow or stagnation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It was inferred that<strong> surge during winter</strong> is more controlled because there is low amount of meltwater which flows unsteadily underneath the glaciers.</li>
<li>The surging <strong>stops in summer</strong> because of the channelised flow of the melted water.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance of Studying Surging Glaciers</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Surging glaciers <strong>can lead to the destruction</strong> of villages, roads and bridges.</li>
<li>They can also <strong>advance across a river valley</strong> and <strong>form an ice-dammed lake.</strong> These lakes can form<strong> catastrophic outburst floods.</strong></li>
<li>Therefore, <strong>monitoring</strong> of glacier surges, ice-dammed lake formation and drainage is of <strong>paramount importance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Glaciers</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Masses of ice moving as sheets</strong> over the land <strong>(continental glacier</strong> or<strong> piedmont glacier</strong> if a vast sheet of ice is spread over the plains at the foot of mountains) or as <strong>linear flows down the slopes</strong> of mountains in<strong> broad trough-like valleys</strong> (mountain and valley glaciers) are called <strong>glaciers.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> movement</strong> of glaciers is <strong>slow</strong> unlike water flow ranging from a few centimetres to a few meters per day. Glaciers move basically because of the <strong>force of gravity.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Erosion</strong> by glaciers is <strong>tremendous</strong> because of<strong> friction caused by sheer weight of the ice.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The material plucked from the land by glaciers (usually large-sized angular blocks and fragments) get dragged along the floors or sides of the valleys and cause great <strong>damage through abrasion and plucking.</strong></li>
<li>Glaciers can cause <strong>significant damage to even un-weathered rocks</strong> and can reduce high mountains into low hills and plains.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As glaciers continue to move, debris gets removed, <strong>divides get lowered</strong> and <strong>eventually the slope is reduced</strong> to such an extent that <strong>glaciers stop moving,</strong> leaving only a mass of low hills and vast outwash plains along with other depositional features.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/surge-type-glaciers'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'In-Depth: Epidemic Diseases Act',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ViB7D9uKOkU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Coronavirus infection in India is continuously rising. The states are in a battle mode to control the spread of the virus. There has been a lockdown across the country and all the events postponed.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>All states and Union Territories have been directed to invoke provisions of Section 2 of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/states-to-be-asked-to-invoke-epidemic-disease-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897</strong></a>, so that Health Ministry advisories are enforceable.</li>
<li>The Epidemic Diseases Act consists of four sections and aims to provide for better prevention of the spread of Dangerous Epidemic Diseases.</li>
<li>It is routinely enforced across the country for dealing with the outbreak of diseases such as swine flu, dengue, and cholera.</li>
<li>The colonial-era Act empowers the state governments to take special measures and prescribe regulations in an epidemic.</li>
<li>It is a state act and not a central act.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epidemic-diseases-act-1897" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Epidemic Diseases Act</strong></a> aims to provide for the better prevention of the spread of dangerous epidemic diseases.</li>
<li>Under the Act, temporary provisions or regulations can be made to be observed by the public to tackle or prevent the outbreak of a disease.</li>
<li>The Act contains four sections.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Section 1:</strong> Describes the title and extent of the Act
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It extends to the whole of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 2:</strong> Powers to take special measures
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It empowers the state governments to tackle special measures and formulate regulations to contain the outbreak.</li>
<li>the State may prescribe regulations for the inspection of persons traveling by railway or otherwise, and the segregation, in hospital, temporary accommodation of persons suspected by the inspecting officers to be infected.</li>
<li><strong>Section 2A</strong> of the Act empowers the central government to take steps to prevent the spread of an epidemic.</li>
<li>Health is a State subject, but by invoking Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, advisories and directions of the Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare will be enforceable.</li>
<li>It allows the government to inspect any ship arriving or leaving any post and the power to detain any person intending to sail or arriving in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 3:</strong> Penalty for Disobedience
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The penalties for disobeying any regulation or order made under the Act are according to <strong>section 188 of the Indian Penal Code</strong> (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 4:</strong> Legal Protection to Implementing Officers:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It gives legal protection to the implementing officers acting under the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Whoever knowing that, by an order promulgated by a public serv&shy;ant lawfully empowered to promulgate such order, disobeys such direction, shall, if such disobedience causes or tends to cause obstruction, annoyance or injury, or risk of obstruction, annoyance or injury, to any person lawfully employed,
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>be punished with simple impris&shy;onment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both;</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>And if such disobedience causes or trends to cause danger to human life, health or safety, or causes or tends to cause a riot or affray, shall
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Epidemic Diseases Bill was tabled on January 28, 1897, during an outbreak of <strong>bubonic plague</strong> in Mumbai (then Bombay).</li>
<li>The existing laws were deemed insufficient to deal with various matters such as &ldquo;overcrowded houses, neglected latrines and huts, accumulations of filth, insanitary cowsheds and stables, and the disposal of house refuse.</li>
<li>The Bill called for special powers for governments of Indian provinces and local bodies, including to check passengers off trains and sea routes.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Amendment to the Act</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ordinance-to-protect-health-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet amended the Act through an ordinance</strong></a> stating that commission or abetment of acts of violence against healthcare service personnel shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of three months to five years, and with fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.</li>
<li>In case of causing grievous hurt, imprisonment shall be for a term of six months to seven years and a fine of Rs1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enforcement of the Act in the Recent Past</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is not the first time that this Act has been invoked in India.</li>
<li>In 2009, to tackle the swine flu outbreak in Pune, Section 2 powers were used to open screening centers in civic hospitals across the city, and swine flu was declared a notifiable disease.</li>
<li>In 2015 to deal with Malaria and Dengue in Chandigarh the Act was implemented and collecting officers were instructed to issue challans of Rs 500 to offenders.</li>
<li>In 2018 the District Collector of Vadodara issued a notification under the Act, declaring Khedkarmsiya village as Cholera affected after 31 persons complained of the disease.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Epidemics Worldwide</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An epidemic is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time. Throughout history, there have been a number of epidemics having a lasting impact on societies.</li>
<li>These are highly communicable diseases that spread through the population in a very short time.</li>
<li>These diseases can be viral, bacterial or other health events like obesity.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Plague of Justinian</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>t is one of the oldest recorded incidents of plague in history.</li>
<li>It afflicted the Byzantine Empire, and especially its capital, Constantinople, between 541-542 A.D.</li>
<li>It recorded the highest number of lives lost in an epidemic in human history with over 100 million people dying, nearly half of the world&rsquo;s population then.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Black Plague</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Black Death, also known as the Pestilence and the Plague, was one of the most fatal pandemics.</li>
<li>It mostly affected Europe in 1346-1350 A.D.</li>
<li>Up to 50 million people died in Eurasia and North Africa from the plague that began in Asia and was carried across the world by rats covered with infected fleas.</li>
<li>It killed 60% of Europe&rsquo;s population</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>HIV AIDS</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The longest-lasting epidemic to date is HIV AIDS which began in 1960 and is still prevalent.</li>
<li>The world became aware of this epidemic only in the 1980s.</li>
<li>Medicine for the treatment of HIV AIDS was not available until 1987.</li>
<li>The Virus is particularly aggressive in Sub-Saharan Africa with 69% of the global infections. Major reasons for the spread being poor economic conditions and little or no sex education.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Other Major Epidemics</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Spanish Flu of 1918 claimed 20 million lives.</li>
<li>Modern Plague (1894-1903) claimed 10 million lives.</li>
<li>Asian Flu (1957-1958) resulted in the death of 2 million people.</li>
<li>The 6<sup>th</sup> Cholera pandemic (1899-1923) resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million people.</li>
<li>The Russian flu (1889-1890) killed 1 million people.</li>
<li>The Hong Kong Flu (1968-1969) killed 1 million people.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps Taken</h3>
<p><strong>Indian Response</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Twenty-one Italian tourists and three Indian tour operators were sent to an ITBP quarantine facility in Delhi after being air-lifted from Wuhan, China for suspected coronavirus exposure.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The batch of 112 evacuees, who were quarantined at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police's Chhawla Quarantine Facility in New Delhi, tested negative in a coronavirus test.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Video Conference of SAARC Leaders:</strong> Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/video-conference-of-saarc-leaders-on-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>virtual leadership summit</strong></a> through the video meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The video conference led to the creation of the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund based on a voluntary contribution from all SAARC members.</li>
<li>Further, $10 million has been extended by India as a contribution to the fund.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Global Response</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO on 30<sup>th</sup> January 2020.</li>
<li>According to recommendations by the World Health Organization, the diagnosis of COVID-19 must be confirmed by the Real Time- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCRT-PCR) or gene sequencing for respiratory or blood specimens, as the key indicator for hospitalisation.</li>
<li>$15 million dollars has been released from the UN&rsquo;s Central Emergency Fund to help fund global efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, particularly vulnerable countries with weak health care systems.</li>
<li>Vaccines are being developed.</li>
</ul>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Modifications in PMRF Scheme',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Human Resources and Development has carried out various amendments in the <strong>Prime Minister&rsquo;s Research Fellowship Scheme</strong> to boost research in the country.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Prime Minister&rsquo;s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order <strong>to attract meritorious students into research,</strong> Government of India, in 2018 launched Prime Minister&rsquo;s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme, which offers <strong>direct admission to such students in the Ph.D programmes</strong> in various higher educational institutions in the country.</li>
<li>The scheme is <strong>aimed at attracting the talent pool of the country to doctoral (Ph.D.) programmes</strong> for carrying out <strong>research in cutting edge science and technology domains, with focus on national priorities.</strong></li>
<li>The institutes which can offer PMRF include <strong>all the IITs, IISERs, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and some of the top Central Universities/NITs</strong> that offer science and/or technology degrees.</li>
<li>A fellowship of Rs.70,000/- per month for the first two years, Rs.75,000/- per month for the 3<sup>rd</sup> year, and Rs.80,000/- per month in the 4<sup>th</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> year is provided under the scheme.</li>
<li>Apart from this, a<strong> research grant of Rs. 2 lakh per year</strong> is provided to each of the Fellows for a period of 5 years to cover their academic contingency expenses and for foreign/national travel expenses.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Amendments</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Now, students from <strong>any recognized university can apply for the fellowship.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier the fellowship scheme was open only for students from <strong>Central Universities, IITs, IISc, NITs, IISERs, IIEST and IIITs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The requirement of GATE score has also been reduced from 750 to 600.</li>
<li>As per new guidelines there will be<strong> two channels</strong> of entries i.e <strong>direct entry</strong> and <strong>lateral entry.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In lateral entry, the students, <strong>who are pursuing PhD in PMRF granting institutions,</strong> and have completed 12 months or 24 months as per certain requirements, can also apply to become fellow under the scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>National Institute of Technologies (NITs) which appear in top 25 institutions in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking can also become PMRF Granting institution.</li>
<li>To boost research a <strong>dedicated Division is being created</strong> in the MHRD with the name of<strong> "Research and Innovation Division".</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This division will be headed by a director who will be coordinating research work of various institutions coming under MHRD.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1621794" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Environmental Sustainability in Post-Lockdown Phase',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/web-edits/rediscovering-sustainable-development-through-a-covid-19-lockdown-lens-6399986/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Rediscovering sustainable development through a Covid-19 lockdown lens&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in the Indian Express on 08/05/2020. It talks about some innovative solutions to maintain environmental sustainability in the Post-lockdown scenario.</p>
</div>
<p>The economic shutdown under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> has caused a negative impact on health and livelihood of the people, but it had a positive impact on the environment.</p>
<p>Due to major industrial activities brought to halt, it has improved the air and water quality dramatically and slashed the material consumption, water usage and waste production.</p>
<p>In this context, the lockdown has given a rare opportunity to review the pre-Covid-19 growth paradigm where the growth was based on blind exploitation of natural resources and move towards the principles of sustainable development in every human action including public policy making.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197153_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197153_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Effect of Economic Shutdown on Environment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Data from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cpcb-notifies-contaminated-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board)</strong> </a>shows that pollution level in Ganga's water has significantly reduced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Its Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) has correspondingly fallen, along with the concentration of total coliform, which is a testament to improved water quality.</li>
<li>Similar positive developments have been reported for the Yamuna.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are several reports that reflect the improved air quality.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Delhi/NCR pollution level has significantly reduced.</li>
<li>Dhauladhar range in Himachal Pradesh again being visible from Jalandhar, which is 200 km away. Citizens have also seen Mt. Kanchenjunga from Siliguri and Mt. Everest from parts of Bihar during the lockdown. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This improved quality of air, which has happened after 30 years highlights just how long severe air pollution has been persisting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The falling groundwater levels improved with the reduced industrial and commercial activity.</li>
<li>Most remarkably, the nation-wide lockdown has considerably reduced municipal solid waste (MSW) generation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This drop signifies to the shift in consumer demand and behavioral changes towards sustainable consumption.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ways to Maintain this Sustainability in Post-lockdown World</h3>
<p><strong>Nature-Based Solution (NBS):</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nature-based solutions (NBS) refers to the <strong>sustainable management and use of nature for tackling socio-environmental challenges.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The challenges include issues such as climate change, water security, water pollution, food security, human health, and disaster risk management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NBS creates harmony between people and nature, enables ecological development and represents a holistic, people-centred response to climate change.</li>
<li>Example of NBS may include: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Restoration or protection of mangroves along coastlines utilizes a nature-based solution to accomplish several things. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mangroves moderate the impact of waves and wind on coastal settlements or cities and sequester CO2.</li>
<li>They also provide safe nurseries for marine life that can be the basis for sustaining populations of fish that local populations depend on.</li>
<li>Additionally, the mangrove forests can help control coastal erosion resulting from sea level rise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Similarly, in cities <strong>green roofs or walls</strong> are nature-based solutions that can be used to moderate the impact of high temperatures, capture stormwater, abate pollution, and act as carbon sinks, while enhancing biodiversity.</li>
<li>Upsloping vegetation to reduce the risks of landslides.</li>
<li>Creating permeable lesser concrete areas to help replenish groundwater in regions facing water scarcity.</li>
<li>Large hotels and resorts can effectively pioneer solutions such as <strong>artificial wetlands</strong> for water recycling, which would also add to the local landscape&rsquo;s aesthetics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Thus, NBS underpin the<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Sustainable Development Goals</strong></a>, as they support vital ecosystem services, biodiversity, and access to fresh water, improved livelihoods, healthy diets and food security (organic agriculture) from sustainable food systems.</li>
<li>Also, NBS are an essential component of the overall global effort to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)</strong></a> defines nature-based solutions as &ldquo;actions to protect and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.</p>
</div>
<p><strong>Use of Bio-composites</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bio-composites are an exciting new solution to the ever-increasing demand for industrial raw materials.</li>
<li>These are structures that have naturally occurring minerals woven together into a matrix of natural fibres, such as cellulose and lignin.</li>
<li>Due to their strength, lower weight and recyclability, bio-composite products are being used as environmentally superior alternatives to traditional raw materials such as wood and plastic.</li>
<li>For instance, starch-based clay nanocomposites can be a possible alternative for food packaging, while certain bio-composites are used to supplement high-strength carbon fibre structures for industrial applications.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Effective Waste Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to turn Waste into wealth. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A mandatory drive for household-level waste segregation across urban India would thus be an essential first step.</li>
<li>Source-segregated solid waste that is bio-composted, vermin-composted or anaerobically digested, based on bio-recycling methods, would be a cost-effective means of generating organic manure and megawatts of bioenergy, respectively..</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the water-heavy industries of pharmaceuticals, paper, food and beverage, adopting best practices in minimising water consumption would progress them towards Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).</li>
<li>Bio-treatment of industrial effluents such as chemicals, detergents and toxic sludge are also well within our capacities, but their compliance needs to be mandated to keep the rivers clean.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Building Natural Infrastructure</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Natural infrastructure is defined as a strategically planned and managed network of natural lands, such as forests and wetlands, working landscapes, and other open spaces that conserves or enhances ecosystem values and functions and provides associated benefits to human populations.</li>
<li>This can be built by establishing interconnected networks of green spaces that conserves natural systems and provides assorted benefits to human populations.</li>
<li>An example of natural infrastructure can be seen in the concept of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khangchendzonga-to-be-included-in-the-world-network-of-biosphere-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>biosphere reserves</strong></a>, which incorporates core protected areas for nature conservation and buffer zones and transition areas where people live and work in a sustainable way.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>There are lots of other ways to develop environmental sustainability. However, for long-term sustenance, there is need to bring the behavior change (like sustainable consumption, making environment and climate change a subject of public debate) in conservation strategy.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197182_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589197182_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7ffe8;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>What do you understand by Nature-based Solution? Discuss its role in ensuring environmental sustainability.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MKh45vizuFo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/contempt-for-labour-the-hindu-editorial-on-dilution-of-labour-laws/article31538103.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Contempt for labour: On dilution of labour laws&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on May 8th, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'India-Nepal on Kailash Mansarovar Link Road',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Nepal has strongly objected</strong> to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>newly inaugurated link road</strong></a> which connects <strong>Pithoragarh</strong> (Uttarakhand) to <strong>Lipulekh pass</strong> (China border) significantly reducing the time of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nepal claims the territory</strong> at the Lipulekh pass around 400 sq km area east of Kali river in the tri-junction of Nepal, Tibet and India, through which the road passes <strong>as its own.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nepal's Stand</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Nepal referred to the <strong>2014 agreement</strong> between Prime Ministers of both countries, for<strong> Foreign Secretaries to work out the &ldquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indo-nepal-territorial-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outstanding boundary issues</a>&rdquo; on Kalapani</strong> (where Lipulekh lies)<strong> and Susta</strong> (bordering Bihar).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to Nepal&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry, the <strong>unilateral decision to build a road there, </strong>is a<strong> breach of the 2014 agreement.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For evidence, Nepal has the <strong>maps</strong> during the <strong>1816 Sugauli treaty</strong> and<strong> other complementing treaties that followed,</strong> fixing that <strong>Limpiadhura, Kalapani</strong> and <strong>Lipulekh</strong> were <strong>shown east of Kali river and part of Nepal.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These arrangements were made following Nepal&rsquo;s <strong>war with the British</strong> due to which Nepal had to <strong>cede a large part of territory</strong> which currently forms the <strong>present Uttarakhand.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Nepal seeks to <strong>question China as well</strong> because <strong>China and India</strong> had signed an <strong>agreement in May 2015</strong> to <strong>develop Lipulekh</strong> as a commercial passage <strong>without consulting Nepal</strong> which majorly affected the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/china-nepal-india-triangulation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triangulation</a></strong> of the countries.</li>
<li>The government of Nepal <strong>remains committed to seek diplomatic solutions to the boundary issues</strong> on the basis of historical treaty, documents, facts and maps in keeping with the spirit of close and friendly <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-nepal-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>bilateral ties between the two countries.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589195558_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589195558_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="639" height="408" /></strong></a></p>
<p><strong>Kali River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is also known as<strong> Sharda</strong> river or <strong>Kali Ganga</strong> in Uttarakhand.</li>
<li>It <strong>joins Ghagra</strong> river in<strong> Uttar Pradesh,</strong> which is a tributary of Ganga.</li>
<li><strong>River Projects:</strong> Tanakpur hydro-electric project, Chameliya hydro-electric project, Sharda Barrage.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Lipulekh Pass</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is also known as <strong>Lipu-Lekh Pass/Qiangla or Tri-Corner</strong> is a high altitude mountain pass situated in the <strong>western Himalayas</strong> with a height of <strong>5,334 metre or 17,500 feet.</strong></li>
<li>It is an <strong>International mountain pass</strong> between<strong> India, China and Nepal.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Response</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to <strong>India&rsquo;s Ministry of External Affairs,</strong> the road going through Pithoragarh <strong>lies completely within the territory of India.</strong></li>
<li>The road <strong>follows the pre-existing route</strong> used by the pilgrims of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra which has been made pliable for the ease and convenience of pilgrims, locals and traders, under the present project.</li>
<li>India held that the<strong> boundary delineation exercise with Nepal is in process</strong> and it is committed to resolving outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Issues</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In <strong>November 2019,</strong> Nepal<strong> protested against the publication </strong>of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kalapani-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian maps that included the Kalapani area.</strong></a></li>
<li>However, <strong>India rejected Nepal&rsquo;s contention,</strong> asserting that the map accurately depicts the sovereign territory of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both nations are in the process of scheduling foreign secretary-level talks, which will be held once dates are finalised after the two governments have successfully dealt with the challenge of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar-runs-into-diplomatic-trouble/article31545943.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
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	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Face-off Between India and China',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a<strong> temporary and short duration face-off</strong> along the <strong>Line of Actual Control (LAC)</strong> at <strong>Naku La (Sikkim)</strong> and <strong>near Pangong Tso Lake (Eastern Ladakh).</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Naku La</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Naku La sector is a pass at a height of more than 5,000 metres above Mean Sea Level (MSL) in the state of Sikkim.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is located ahead of Muguthang or <strong>Cho Lhamu (source of River Teesta).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>At Muguthang, the road on the Chinese side is motorable, and on the Indian side, it is a remote area.</li>
<li>The other passes located in the state of Sikkim are <strong>Nathu La Pass and Jelep La Pass.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pangong Tso Lake</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Pangong Lake is located in the <strong>Union Territory of Ladakh.</strong></li>
<li>It is situated at a height of almost 4,350m and is the <strong>world&rsquo;s highest saltwater lake.</strong></li>
<li>Extending to almost 160km,<strong> one-third</strong> of the Pangong Lake lies in<strong> India</strong> and the other <strong>two-thirds in China.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The temporary and brief face-offs occur because the <strong>unresolved and undemarcated boundary issues.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> India-China border shares</strong> the <strong>3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both countries have differing perceptions owing to the <strong>undemarcated boundary,</strong> which lead to transgressions and face-offs as each side patrols up to the areas.</li>
<li>Any such issue is resolved through the <strong>mutually established protocols</strong> to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border. The resolving mechanism also involves the local <strong>Border Personnel Meeting (BPM).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These protocols with China have been established to resolve issues amicably at the local formation commander level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The recent clash happened three years after the <strong>Doklam stand-off between India and China (2017),</strong> which was also experienced across the border in Sikkim. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Doklam, or Donglang in Chinese, is an area spread over less than a <strong>100 sq km</strong> comprising a plateau and a valley at the <strong>trijunction</strong> between <strong>India, Bhutan and China.</strong></li>
<li>The Doklam issue was discussed in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-ties-marching-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wuhan Summit (2018)</strong></a> and two nations decided to issue<strong> "strategic guidance"</strong> to their militaries <strong>to strengthen communications</strong> so that they can build trust and understanding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="height: 19px; text-align: left; background-color: #0008ff; width: 49.7921%; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>McMahon Line</strong></span></td>
<td style="height: 19px; text-align: left; background-color: #0008ff; width: 50.104%; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Line of Actual Control</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 67px;">
<td style="height: 67px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 49.7921%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> 890-km</strong> McMahon Line separating <strong>British India and Tibet</strong> was drawn by Sir Henry McMahon at the <strong>China-Tibet-Britain Simla Convention (1914).</strong></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="height: 67px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 50.104%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the effective border between India and China.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 92px;">
<td style="height: 92px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 49.7921%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The line <strong>marked out</strong> previously unclaimed/undefined borders between Britain and Tibet. Also the Line put Tawang (a region of the present Arunachal Pradesh) in the British empire.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="height: 92px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 50.104%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>LAC was supposed to<strong> divide areas under Indian and Chinese</strong> control since the<strong> end of the Sino-Indian War of 1962.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 133px;">
<td style="height: 82px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 49.7921%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The line was forgotten until the British government published the documents in <strong>1937.</strong> Subsequently, <strong>China refused to accept the line.</strong></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="height: 82px; background-color: #e6fcff; width: 50.104%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Unlike the LoC (between India and Pakistan), the LAC was <strong>not mutually agreed upon.</strong> This was because the war ended with a <strong>unilateral ceasefire by China.</strong></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Global Examples of Aggressive Diplomacy by China</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Covid-19 Origin:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China has been engaged in <strong>aggressive diplomacy</strong> with western countries, which have sought clarity on the origins of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> that has crippled the world economy, and led to almost four million people across the globe falling ill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>South China Sea:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has also reported that China has established new administrative districts for the <strong>Spratly and Paracel archipelagos</strong> in the South China Sea.</li>
<li>China has also named 80 islands and other geographical features in the sea, claiming sovereignty over underwater features in the contested region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/face-off-between-indian-and-chinese-soldiers-in-north-sikkim-resolved-6402774/" 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/face-off-between-india-and-china'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => '480th Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister and Vice President of India paid tributes to<strong> Maharana Pratap</strong> on his <strong>480<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<h3>Maharana Pratap<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193900_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193900_image2.jpg" width="250" caption="false" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Rana Pratap Singh also known as Maharana Pratap was born on May 9<sup>th</sup> 1540 in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan.</li>
<li>He was the <strong>13<sup>th</sup> King of Mewar</strong> and was the <strong>eldest son</strong> of <strong>Udai Singh II</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Maharana Udai Singh II ruled the <strong>kingdom of Mewar,</strong> with his <strong>capital at Chittor.</strong></li>
<li>Udai Singh II was also a <strong>founder of the city of Udaipur</strong> (Rajasthan).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Battle of Haldighati:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Battle of Haldighati</strong> was fought in <strong>1576</strong> between <strong>Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Amber</strong> who was the<strong> general of the Mughal emperor Akbar.</strong></li>
<li>Maharana Pratap fought a brave war, but was<strong> defeated by Mughal forces.</strong></li>
<li>It is said that Maharana Pratap&rsquo;s loyal horse named <strong>Chetak,</strong> gave up his life as the Maharana was leaving the battlefield.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reconquest:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After 1579, the Mughal pressure relaxed over Mewar and Pratap recovered Western Mewar including Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur and Gogunda.</li>
<li>During this period, he also built a<strong> new capital, Chavand, near modern Dungarpur.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/naidu-modi-pay-tributes-to-maharana-pratap/article31541434.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/480th-birth-anniversary-of-maharana-pratap'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Toda Embroidery',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>In the wake of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a>,<strong> Toda artisans</strong> from the<strong> Nilgiris</strong> have come forward to use their traditional skills in making face-masks and to help people ward off the infection and also provide Todas with livelihood.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Toda Tribe is a <strong>pastoral tribe</strong> of the <strong>Nilgiri Hills</strong> of <strong>southern India.</strong></li>
<li>The Toda language is <strong>Dravidian</strong> but is the <strong>most unusual and different</strong> among the languages belonging to the Dravidian family.</li>
<li>They <strong>live in settlements</strong> of from three to seven small <strong>thatched houses.</strong></li>
<li>They <strong>traditionally trade dairy products,</strong> as well as <strong>cane and bamboo articles,</strong> with the other Nilgiri peoples.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Toda Embroidery</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the Toda language it is called<em> <strong>pohor.</strong></em></li>
<li>The traditional Toda dress is a <strong>distinctive shawl</strong> which is called <em><strong>putukuli.</strong></em><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Considered a <strong>grand garment,</strong> it is only <strong>worn for special occasions</strong> like visits to the temple, festivals and finally as a shroud.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The embroidery is <strong>done by Toda women</strong> and has <strong>distinctive red and black</strong> (and <strong>occasionally blue) thread work in geometric designs</strong> on <strong>unbleached white cotton fabric.</strong></li>
<li>It has got a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/potential-of-gis-is-waiting-to-be-tapped" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Geographical Indications (GI) Tag.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193526_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589193526_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu/20200511/281818581008678" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PR</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/toda-embroidery'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Gopal Krishna Gokhale',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Prime Minister paid tribute to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on his 154<sup>th</sup> birth anniversary.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a great social reformer and educationist who provided exemplary leadership to India's freedom movement.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589185475_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589185475_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="200" caption="false" /></strong></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born on <strong>9 May 1866</strong> in Kotluk village in present-day Maharashtra (then part of the <strong>Bombay Presidency</strong>) in a Brahmin family.</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Gokhale worked towards social empowerment, expansion of education , struggle for freedom in India for three decades and rejected the use of reactionary or revolutionary ways.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role in Colonial Legislatures:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 1899 and 1902, he was a member of the Bombay Legislative Council followed by work at the Imperial Legislative Council from 1902 till his death (1915).</li>
<li>At the Imperial legislature, Gokhale played a key role in framing the <strong>Morley-Minto reforms of 1909.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role in INC:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was associated with the<strong> Moderate Group</strong> of Indian National Congress (joined in 1889).</li>
<li>He became president of INC in 1905 in Banaras session.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This was the time when bitter differences had arisen between his group of &lsquo;Moderates&rsquo; and the &lsquo;Extremists&rsquo; led by Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak among others. The two factions split at the Surat session of 1907.</li>
<li>Despite the ideological difference, in 1907, he intensely campaigned for the release of <strong>Lala Lajpat Rai,</strong> who was imprisoned that year by the <strong>British at Mandalay in present-day Myanmar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Societies and Other Works:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He established the<strong> Servants of India Society</strong> in 1905 for the expansion of Indian education.</li>
<li>He was also associated with the <strong>Sarvajanik sabha journal</strong> started by Govind Ranade.</li>
<li>In 1908, Gokhale founded the<strong> Ranade Institute of Economics.</strong></li>
<li>He started english weekly newspaper, <strong>The Hitavada</strong> (The people's paper).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mentor to Gandhi:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As a liberal nationalist, he is regarded by Mahatma Gandhi as his political guru.</li>
<li>Gandhi wrote a book in Gujarati dedicated to the leader titled<strong> &lsquo;Dharmatma Gokhale&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622402" 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/gopal-krishna-gokhale'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Data Related to Birth Rate and Death Rate',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Registrar General of India</strong> released data related to birth rate, death rate and infant mortality rate in its <strong>Sample Registration System (SRS)</strong> bulletin for 2018.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The rates are calculated<strong> per one thousand of the population.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s birth rate has declined drastically over the last four decades from 36.9 in 1971 to 20.0 in 2018.</li>
<li>The rural-urban differential has also narrowed. However, the birth rate has continued to be higher in rural areas compared to urban areas.</li>
<li><strong>Bihar</strong> (26.2) continues to remain at the top of list in birth rate while <strong>Andaman and Nicobar</strong> (11.2) is at the bottom.</li>
<li>Birth rate is a <strong>crude measure of fertility of a population</strong> and a <strong>crucial determinant of population growth. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The death rate of India has witnessed a significant decline over the last four decades from 14.9 in 1971 to 6.2 in 2018.</li>
<li>In the last decade, death rate at an all-India level has declined from 7.3 to 6.2.</li>
<li>The decline has been steeper in rural areas.</li>
<li><strong>Chhattisgarh has the highest death rate</strong> at 8 and <strong>Delhi,</strong> an almost entirely urban state, <strong>has a lowest death rate</strong> of 3.3.</li>
<li>Mortality is one of the <strong>basic components of population change.</strong> The data related to it is essential for demographic studies and public health administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Infant mortality rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>IMR has decreased to 32 about one-fourth as compared to 1971 (129).</li>
<li>The IMR at an all-India level has declined from 50 to 32 in the last decade.</li>
<li><strong>Madhya Pradesh has the highest</strong> IMR of 48 and <strong>Nagaland has the lowest</strong> IMR of 4.</li>
<li><strong>Infant mortality is</strong> the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sample Registration System</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The SRS is a <strong>demographic survey</strong> for providing reliable annual estimates of infant mortality rate, birth rate, death rate and other fertility and mortality indicators at the national and sub-national levels.</li>
<li>It was initiated on a pilot basis by the <strong>Registrar General of India</strong> in a few states in 1964-65, it became fully operational during 1969-70.</li>
<li>The<strong> field investigation</strong> consists of continuous enumeration of births and deaths in selected sample units by resident part time enumerators, generally anganwadi workers &amp; teachers, and an independent survey every six months by SRS supervisors. The data obtained by these two independent functionaries are matched.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Registrar General of India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Registrar General of India was founded in 1961 by the Government of India under the <strong>Ministry of Home Affairs.</strong></li>
<li>It arranges, conducts and analyses the results of the demographic surveys of India including <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-census-challenges-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Census of India</strong></a> and Linguistic Survey of India.</li>
<li>The position of Registrar is usually held by a civil servant holding the rank of Joint Secretary.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/national-infant-mortality-rate-at-32-madhya-pradesh-worst-performer-6402497/" 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/data-related-to-birth-rate-and-death-rate'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Automated UV Systems',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Research Centre Imarat</strong> (RCI), has developed an <strong>automated contactless UVC</strong> (short-wavelength ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 200-280 nanometers)<strong> sanitisation cabinet,</strong> called<strong> Defence Research UltraViolet Sanitiser</strong> (DRUVS) and an <strong>automated UVC currency sanitising device,</strong> called <strong>NOTESCLEAN.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RCI is a <strong>Hyderabad</strong> based <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)</strong></a> premier lab.</li>
<li>Earlier, DRDO had developed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uv-blaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UV Blaster</strong></a> <strong>(ultraviolet disinfection tower)</strong> for rapid and chemical free disinfection of high infection prone areas.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Defence Research Ultraviolet Sanitiser<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183760_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183760_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="150" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been designed to sanitise <strong>mobile phones, iPads, laptops, currency notes, cheque leafs, challans,</strong> passbooks, paper, envelopes, etc.</li>
<li>The DRUVS cabinet has a <strong>contactless operation</strong> which becomes crucial to contain the spread of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> and other viruses.</li>
<li>It has <strong>proximity sensor switches,</strong> clubbed with drawer opening and closing mechanism which makes its operation automatic and contactless.</li>
<li>It provides <strong>360 degree exposure of UVC to the objects</strong> placed inside the cabinet and it <strong>automatically goes into sleep</strong> mode after the sanitation process.
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183748_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589183748_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="150" caption="false" /></a></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>NOTESCLEAN</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The device picks the note inserted from the input slot and<strong> makes them pass through a series of UVC lamps</strong> for complete disinfection.</li>
<li>It<strong> will save a lot of time</strong> because disinfection of each currency note by DRUVS or any other sanitising process is a time consuming process.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Defence Research and Development Organisation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It works under the <strong>administrative control</strong> of the <strong>Ministry of Defence.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> To establish a world class science and technology base for India and provide Indian Defence Services decisive edge by equipping them with internationally competitive systems and solutions.</li>
<li>It was established in<strong> 1958</strong> after <strong>combining Technical Development Establishment</strong> (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the<strong> Directorate of Technical Development &amp; Production</strong> (DTDP) with the<strong> Defence Science Organisation</strong> (DSO).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622692" 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/automated-uv-systems'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Mission Sagar',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India has sent <strong>Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari,</strong> carrying food items and medical assistance teams, to countries in the southern Indian Ocean to deal with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> as part of a <strong>"Mission Sagar"</strong> initiative.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The countries including <strong>Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles</strong> had requested India for assistance in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles</strong> along with <strong>La Réunion</strong> are part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-as-an-observer-at-ioc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Ocean Commission</strong></a>.<strong> India has recently become an observer</strong> to the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This is the <strong>first time that a single assistance mission is covering all island countries of the western Indian Ocean</strong> in one go — <strong>except Sri Lanka,</strong> for which a second set of medicines have been airlifted.</li>
<li>The assistance<strong> is in line with India’s role as the first responder in the Indian Ocean region.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her neighbouring countries and further strengthens the existing bond.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The deployment is also in consonance with the Prime Minister's vision of <strong>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).</strong></li>
<li>Under the Mission, India will <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Deploy <strong>Medical Assistance Teams</strong> in Mauritius and Comoros, helping their Governments deal with Covid emergency and in case of Comoros, with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sharp-drop-in-dengue-cases-in%20-delhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>dengue fever</strong></a> also.</li>
<li>Deliver <strong>consignments of Covid related essential medicines</strong> to Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles and about 600 tonnes of food items to Maldives. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In addition, in case of Mauritius, a<strong> special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines</strong> is also being sent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The consignments also include <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-revokes-ban-on-export-of-hydroxychloroquine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hydroxychloroquine tablets.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>SAGAR</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)</strong> was launched in 2015. It is India’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).</li>
<li>Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen<strong> economic and security cooperation</strong> with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their <strong>maritime security capabilities.</strong></li>
<li>Further, India seeks to safeguard its <strong>national interests</strong> and ensure Indian Ocean region to become<strong> inclusive, collaborative and respect international law.</strong></li>
<li>The key relevance of SAGAR emerges when seen in conjunction with India’s other policies impacting the maritime domain like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy</strong></a>,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-09th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Project Sagarmala</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project Mausam</strong></a>,<strong> India as ‘net security provider’, focus on</strong> <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/blue-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Blue Economy</strong></a> etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=203932" 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/mission-sagar'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Financial Inclusion',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.epw.in/engage/article/financial-inclusion-and-digital-india-critical" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Financial Inclusion and Digital India: A Critical Assessment&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Economic and Political Weekly on 29/04/2020. It talks about impact and challenges pertaining to financial inclusion.</p>
</div>
<p>Financial inclusion may be defined as the process of ensuring access to financial services and timely and adequate credit where needed by vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low income groups at an affordable cost.</p>
<p>In a diverse country like India, financial inclusion is a critical part of the development process. Since independence, the combined efforts of successive governments, regulatory institutions, and the civil society have helped in increasing the financial-inclusion net in the country.</p>
<p>The state of financial inclusion has improved considerably over time. However, the financial inclusion<strong> hasn&rsquo;t reached the poorest of the poor</strong> and there exist many bottlenecks and challenges which need immediate attention.</p>
<p>Thus, there exists both a great need and the potential to tap into the unbanked population and bring them into the financial net.</p>
<h3>Financial Inclusion Initiatives</h3>
<p><strong>Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile (JAM) Trinity</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The combination of Aadhaar, PMJDY, and a surge in mobile communication has reshaped the way citizens access government services.</li>
<li>As per the estimates in March 2020, the total number of beneficiaries under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-6th-september-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jan Dhan scheme</strong> </a>have been more than 380 million.</li>
<li>By significantly changing the concept of individual identity, Aadhaar has not only brought about a secure and easily verifiable system but also easy to obtain as well to help in the financial inclusion process.</li>
<li>The government has also launched many flagship schemes to promote financial inclusion and provide financial security to empower the poor and unbanked in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mudra-scheme-and-employment" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana</strong></a>, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stand-Up India Scheme</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/woes-of-migrants-amid-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana</a></strong>, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Expansion of financial services in Rural and Semi-Urban Areas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) have taken initiatives to promote financial inclusion in rural areas.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include the opening of bank branches in remote areas.</li>
<li>Issuing Kisan Credit Cards (KCC)</li>
<li>Linkage of self-help groups (SHGs) with banks.</li>
<li>Increasing the number of automated teller machines (ATMs)</li>
<li>Business correspondents model of Banking, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Promotion of Digital Payments</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the strengthening of the <strong>Unified Payment Interface (UPI)</strong> by NPCI, digital payments have been made secure, compared to the past.</li>
<li>The Aadhar-enabled payment system (AEPS) enables an Aadhar enabled bank account (AEBA) to be used at any place and at any time, using micro ATMs.</li>
<li>The payment system has been made more accessible due to offline transaction-enabling platforms, like <strong>Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)</strong>, which makes it possible to use mobile banking services without internet, even on a basic mobile handset.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Financial Literacy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Reserve Bank of India has undertaken a project titled <strong>"Project Financial Literacy".</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Objective of the project is to disseminate information regarding the central bank and general banking concepts to various target groups, including, school and college going children, women, rural and urban poor, defence personnel and senior citizens.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pocket Money</strong> is Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM&rsquo;s) flagship programme aimed at increasing financial literacy among school students. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The objective is to help school students understand the value of money and the importance of saving, investing and financial planning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Financial Inclusion: Success Story</h3>
<p><strong>Increased Access to Banks</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the World Bank&rsquo;s Global Financial Inclusion Database or Global Findex report (2017), 80% Indian adults have a bank account against the 53% estimated in 2014.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Findex 2017 report also estimates that 77% Indian women have bank accounts, against 43% in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Multiplier Effect</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These initiatives have brought about major changes to increase the last-mile connectivity of financial services to its people.</li>
<li>By providing access to financial resources to underprivileged and marginalised sections of society, financial inclusion has the potential to reduce poverty, create jobs, among others.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Active Participation of Citizenry</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, private institutions did not engage with the poor as customers on a significant scale.</li>
<li>This has now changed, and there has been an active participation of the private players (payment banks like paytm, airtel money and jio money), as they have also realised that bringing the poor into the financial net is beneficial to their business models as well.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Integration of Financial Services</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The convergence of JAM trinity with the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme has largely been successful.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to this, there has been a significant improvement in terms of targeted and accurate payments.</li>
<li>It has also helped in weeding out duplication of entries, and bringing down the reliance on cash mode of payments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Non-Universal Access to Bank Accounts</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bank accounts are a gateway to all financial services. But, according to a report by the World Bank, about 190 million adults in India do not have a bank account, making India the world&rsquo;s second largest nation in terms of unbanked population after China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Digital Divide</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The most common barriers to the adoption of digital technology which may promote financial inclusion:</li>
<li>Non-availability of suitable financial products</li>
<li>Lack of skills among the stakeholders to use digital services</li>
<li>Infrastructural issues</li>
<li>Low-income consumers who are not able to afford the technology required to access digital services</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implement Deficit</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the Jan Dhan scheme has resulted in the opening of many dormant accounts which never saw actual banking transactions.</li>
<li>All such activities incur costs on the institutions, and thus, huge operative costs only proved to be detrimental to the actual objective.</li>
<li>To avoid these counterproductive outcomes, it is important that all stakeholders participate in such programmes with proper intent and not just for the sake of it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Informal and Cash-Dominated Economy</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is the heavily dominated cash economy, this poses a challenge for digital payment adoption.</li>
<li>Also, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), about 81% of the employed persons in India work in the informal sector.</li>
<li>The combination of a huge informal sector along with a high dependence on cash mode of transaction poses an impediment to digital financial inclusion</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gender Gap in Financial Inclusion</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the 2017 Global Findex database, 83% of males above 15 years of age in India held accounts at a financial institution in 2017 compared to 77% females.</li>
<li>This is attributed to socio-economic factors, including the availability of mobile handset and internet data facility being higher among men than women.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Credit Penetration</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One of the main constraints in providing credit to low-income households and informal businesses is the lack of information available with formal creditors to determine their credit worthiness. This results in a high cost of credit.</li>
<li>Due to this, in 2016, the number of loan accounts per 1,000 adults was 154 in India. This is quite low when compared to similarly placed economies like BRICS nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps to be Taken</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reviving Banking Correspondent Model</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Given the infeasibility of locating branches in every nook and corner of the country, bank correspondents are used to reach out to prospective clients. However, an inadequate compensation structure makes correspondent banking unattractive.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a need to create better monetary incentives for banking correspondents as well as to provide them better training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leveraging JAM Trinity</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Technology should be used to improve the assessment of credit-worthiness for households and informal businesses.</li>
<li>With the adoption of appropriate technology a new data-sharing framework (using Jan Dhan and Aadhaar platforms), to enable easier access to credit, with adequate safeguards for maintaining data privacy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need For Data Protection Regime</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition to greater digitization, there is also a need to strengthen cyber security and data protection regime in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leveraging Differentiated Banks</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Differentiated Banks like Payment banks and small finance banks can be leveraged to scale up payments systems in underserved areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promoting USSD for Rural Areas</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Payments through the USSD channel should be promoted (by reimbursing the charges incurred in the USSD process), as they have an advantage over the internet in that it can also cover a large proportion of non-smartphone users.</li>
<li>In India, USSD can be particularly useful in rural areas where some segments still do not have reliable access to the internet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>For the success of financial inclusion in India, there has to be a multidimensional approach through which existing digital platforms, infrastructure, human resources, and policy frameworks are strengthened and new technological innovations should be promoted.</p>
<p>If adequate measures are taken to tide over the existing problems, financial inclusion has the potential to amplify the benefits of economic growth to the poor.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589025674_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589025674_image1.jpg" caption="false" width="768" height="721" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #faffeb;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Financial inclusion is one of the most important cornerstones of an economy. Discuss its implications and challenges faced by India in the path of financial inclusion.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UF7ixCcKiHA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/toxic-disaster-the-hindu-editorial-on-visakhapatnam-gas-leak/article31529093.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Toxic disaster&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on May 8th, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube Channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/financial-inclusion-4'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Year End Review 2019- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<h3>Important Schemes and Policies</h3>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/digital-transactions-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) Program</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provides for collection of user fee through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/all-about-the-fastag" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FASTags based on RFID technology.</strong> </a></li>
<li>In order to save fuel, time and pollution and to ensure seamless movement of traffic, it has been decided to enable all lanes in Fee Plazas for electronic toll collection program through FASTags.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NETC was <strong>developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)</strong> in 2016 for electronic toll collection at toll plazas using FASTag.</li>
<li>FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly while the vehicle is in motion.</li>
<li>FASTag (RFID Tag) is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables a customer to make the toll payments directly from the account which is linked to FASTag.</li>
<li>RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tagging is a system that uses small radio frequency detection devices for identification and tracking purposes.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-road-accident-database-irad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Integrated Road Accident Database</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A State Support Programme aimed at incentivising the States to improve their road safety performance is proposed to be launched to reduce the overall fatalities by road accidents by 25% by 2024.</li>
<li>With a view to accurately recording the accident details so that timely corrective action is undertaken a Geo-Tagged accident data collection programme would be launched under the project &ldquo;Integrated Road Accident Database (IRAD)&rdquo;.</li>
<li>IT based road safety infrastructure would be erected on all the four lane and above Highways. Incidence management systems shall also be provided on all such Highways.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-motor-vehicles-bill-for-road-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the principal instrument through which road transport is regulated in the country.</strong> It has been amended by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament in August 2019.</li>
<li>The Act will bring reforms in the area of Road Safety, bring citizen facilitation, transparency, and reduce corruption with the help of information technology and removing intermediaries.</li>
<li>The Act will strengthen public transport, safeguard and protect Good Samaritan and reform the insurance and compensation regime.</li>
<li>It will allow innovation and new technologies such as driverless vehicles, to be tested in live environment and increase efficiency in research.</li>
<li>The Act will facilitate Divyang by allowing motor vehicles to be converted to adapted vehicles with post-facto approval and facilitating licence to drive adapted vehicles.</li>
<li>The provisions of compensation and post &ndash; accident treatment have been amended and measures will be taken provide cashless treatment for accident victims.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Road Safety Initiatives in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Road Safety Policy</strong> outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, establishing a road safety information database, encouraging safer road infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, enforcement of safety laws etc.</li>
<li><strong>National Road Safety Council</strong> as the apex body to take policy decisions in matters of road safety.</li>
<li>A dashboard for road accident data, through which people can access related data and other information both state-wise and the national averages, has been introduced.</li>
<li><strong>VAHAN</strong> (an ICT-based solution for vehicle registration) and<strong> SARATHI</strong> (for licencing) apps have been launched to curb malpractices in issuing licences and vehicle registration.</li>
<li><strong>Setu Bharatam Programme</strong> to make all national highways free of railway crossings by 2019.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-road-transport-highways'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'New Road to Kailash Mansarovar',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Minister of India</strong> has inaugurated a new <strong>80-km road in Uttarakhand</strong> connecting the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/disputed-territories-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Line of Actual Control</strong></a> (LAC) and opening a new route for <strong>Kailash Mansarovar yatra</strong> via<strong> Lipulekh Pass (China border)</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is scheduled to be completed by December 2022 and will significantly reduce the travel time for pilgrims.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Link Road is named as the <strong>Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Route</strong> under which the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bro-opens-rohtang-pass" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Border Roads Organisation</strong></a> (BRO) achieved road connectivity from <strong>Dharchula (Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand) to Lipulekh.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Lipulekh Pass also known as <strong>Lipu-Lekh Pass/Qiangla or Tri-Corner</strong> is a high altitude mountain pass situated in the <strong>western Himalayas</strong> with a height of 5,334 metre or 17,500 feet.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>International mountain pass</strong> between <strong>India, China and Nepal.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The road was made under directions of the<strong> China Study Group</strong> (CSG) and is funded by <strong>Indo-China Border Road</strong> (ICBR).</li>
<li>It was approved by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-committees-formed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet Committee</strong></a> <strong>on Security</strong> (CCS) in <strong>2005.</strong></li>
<li>The last 5-km of the road could not be finished due to a <strong>temporary ban</strong> placed on the <strong>last-mile connectivity</strong> in 2016 by the <strong>Director General Military Operations,</strong> which is yet to be lifted.</li>
<li><strong>Advantages:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the<strong> shortest and cheapest route</strong> with just <strong>one-fifth distance</strong> of road travel as compared to other old routes. The other route is via Sikkim.</li>
<li>There is<strong> no air travel involved</strong> and the <strong>majority of the travel (84%) is in India</strong> and only 16% in China compared to other routes where 80% road travel is in China.</li>
<li>Except for a 5-km trek, <strong>whole travel will be on vehicles</strong> reducing the 5-day trek to 2- days road travel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Kailash Mansarovar</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To Hindus it is the <strong>earthly embodiment</strong> of the dominant mountain of heaven, Meru, and the residence of <strong>Lord Shiva</strong> and his consort Goddess Parvati.</li>
<li>The Kailash range&rsquo;s supreme peak lies in the <strong>Chinese-occupied Tibet</strong> at the height of <strong>6,675 meters.</strong></li>
<li>The pilgrimage to <strong>Kailash</strong> and to the sacred <strong>Mansarover</strong> lake that lies 30 km to its south, is run exclusively by a government organization, the <strong>Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam</strong> (KMVN).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The organization works in collaboration with the Government of India&rsquo;s Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rajnath-singh-inaugurates-new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar/article31533372.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Financial Help by AIIB to India',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622145" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)</strong></a> has approved <strong>US$ 500 million</strong> for <strong>&lsquo;Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project&rsquo;</strong> initiated by India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project is expected to help India to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and strengthen its public health preparedness.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project intends to<strong> slow down and limit the spread</strong> of Covid-19 in India.</li>
<li>It includes an immediate support for enhancement of disease detection capacities, oxygen delivery systems and medicines among others.</li>
<li>The project also strives to strengthen India&rsquo;s<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-disease-surveillance-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP)</strong></a> and the capacity to effectively <strong>manage future disease outbreaks.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>IDSP aims to strengthen/maintain decentralized laboratory based and IT enabled disease surveillance systems for epidemic prone diseases to monitor disease trends.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also aims to develop capacity and systems <strong>to detect existing and emerging <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/zoonotic-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zoonoses</a> </strong>and upgrade viral research and diagnostic laboratories for testing and research.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As around <strong>75% of new infectious diseases</strong> begin with <strong>human-to-animal contacts.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Beneficiaries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project will cover all States and Union Territories across India and address the needs of infected people, at-risk populations, medical and emergency personnel and service providers, medical and testing facilities, and national and animal health agencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Finances:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project is being financed by the World Bank and AIIB in the amount of $1.5 billion, of which $1.0 billion will be provided by the World Bank and $500 million will be provided by AIIB.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implementation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will be implemented by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-health-mission-and-janani-suraksha-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Health Mission (NHM)</strong></a>, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-centre-for-disease-control-ncdc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)</a></strong> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icmr-recommends-use-of-hydroxy-chloroquine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>NHM was launched by the government of India in 2013 subsuming the National Rural Health Mission and the National Urban Health Mission.</li>
<li>NCDC functions as the nodal agency in the country for disease surveillance facilitating prevention and control of communicable diseases under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
<li>ICMR is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a <strong>multilateral development bank</strong> with a mission to improve <strong>social and economic</strong> outcomes in<strong> Asia.</strong></li>
<li>It is established by the AIIB<strong> Articles of Agreement</strong> (entered into force Dec. 25, 2015) which is a multilateral treaty. The Parties (57 founding members) to agreement comprise the Membership of the Bank.</li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered</strong> in <strong>Beijing</strong> and began its operations in January 2016.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> joined AIIB in <strong>2016</strong> as a <strong>regional member</strong> of the Bank.</li>
<li>The members of the Bank have now grown to 102 approved members worldwide.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, fourteen of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-g20-leaders-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G-20 nations</strong></a> are AIIB members including France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia and beyond, it connects people, services and markets that over time will impact the lives of billions and build a better future.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1622145" 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/financial-help-by-aiib-to-india'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Relevance of the Consol Bonds amid Covid-19',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and consequential national lockdown in the country has laid a grave impact on the Indian economy.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Considering the above scenario, the <strong>large stimulus needs to be introduced</strong> by the government to pull back the economy where the required stimulus will exceed the current revenue receipts of the government.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> stimulus</strong> refers to attempts to use monetary or fiscal policy (or stabilization policy in general) to stimulate the economy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Thus, an introduction of a<strong> Consol Bond</strong> is one of the solutions for the government to fund the stimulus.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Budget (2020)</a> </strong>before the pandemic, India projected a <strong>deficit of Rs.7.96-lakh crore.</strong></li>
<li>Further, the financial deficit is expected to <strong>increase</strong> by a wide margin due to <strong>revenue shrinkage</strong> from the coming depression accompanied by a <strong>lack of disinvestment.</strong></li>
<li>Though, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-economic-relief-package" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the government and RBI have announced various economic measures</strong> </a>to deal with the economic impact of nationwide lockdown but these measures are considered to be inadequate.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In addition to the planned expenditure, the government needs to spend nearly Rs.5-lakh crore and Rs.6-lakh crore as stimulus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Consol Bonds</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consol bond (also known as <strong>perpetual bond</strong>) is a <strong>fixed income security with no maturity date.</strong></li>
<li>It is often considered a<strong> type of equity, rather than debt.</strong></li>
<li>The major benefit of these bonds is that they <strong>pay a steady stream of interest</strong> payments forever. However, <strong>these bonds can be redeemed at issuer's discretion.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Notable Existence of Consol Bonds in the History:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The console bonds were majorly used by the British government during <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-war-I-centenary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World War-I.</strong></a></li>
<li>The bonds were issued in <strong>1917</strong> as the British government sought to raise more money to finance the ongoing cost of World War-I.</li>
<li>In 2014, the British government, a century after the start of World War-I, paid out 10% of the total outstanding Consol bond debt.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Consol Bonds and Current Indian Economic Scenario</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Consol Bonds Instead of PM-CARES:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The introduction of the Consol bonds would have been a better solution for the government if people would have invested in consol bonds instead of making donations to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-cares-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM-CARES.</strong></a> It could have made <strong>citizens as active participants</strong> in handling the economic scenario of the country.</li>
<li>Unlike PM-CARES, the proceeds of the bonds could have been used to <strong>fulfil the various essential medical as well as economic requirements</strong> of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>One of the Available Solutions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The fall of real estate and given the lack of safe havens outside of gold, the bond would offer a dual benefit as a <strong>risk free investment for retail investors.</strong></li>
<li>An <strong>attractive coupon rate for the bond or tax rebates</strong> can also be an incentive for investors.</li>
<li>The government can consider a phased redemption of these bonds after the economy is put back on a path of high growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-war-like-state-and-a-bond-to-the-rescue/article31521062.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/relevance-of-the-consol-bonds-amid-covid-19'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Rabindranath Tagore',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Prime Minister of India paid tributes to <strong>Rabindranath Tagore on his 159<sup>th</sup> Jayanti on 7<sup>th</sup> May, 2020.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589014438_Quotation-drishti_ias_Rabindranath-Tagore.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img width="551" height="265" class="content-img" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589014438_Quotation-drishti_ias_Rabindranath-Tagore.jpg" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rabindranath Tagore</strong> was born in Calcutta on May 7, 1861. He was also <strong>referred to as &lsquo;Gurudev&rsquo;, &lsquo;Kabiguru&rsquo;, and &lsquo;Biswakabi&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>Regarded as the <strong>outstanding creative artist of modern India</strong> and hailed by W.B Yeats, Rabindranath Tagore was a <strong>Bengali poet, novelist, and painter,</strong> who was highly influential in introducing Indian culture to the west.</li>
<li>Rabindranath was an exceptional<strong> literary figure</strong> and a renowned<strong> polymath</strong> who singlehandedly reshaped the region's literature and music.</li>
<li>In 1913 Rabindranath Tagore was <strong>awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature</strong> for his work on <strong>Gitanjali.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was the<strong> first non-European to receive the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nobel-prizes-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nobel Prize</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 1915 Tagore was <strong>awarded knighthood</strong> by the British King George V. In 1919, following the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jallianwala-bagh-massacre-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jallianwalla Bagh massacre</a></strong> he renounced his Knighthood.</li>
<li>Besides all his literary achievements <strong>he was also a philosopher and educationist</strong> who in 1921 <strong>established the Vishwa-Bharati University,</strong> a university that challenged conventional education.</li>
<li>Rabindranath Tagore was a good friend of <strong>Mahatma Gandhi</strong> and is <strong>said to have given him the title of Mahatma.</strong></li>
<li>Tagore had always stressed that <strong>unity in diversity</strong> is the only possible way for India&rsquo;s national integration.</li>
<li>He not only gave the<strong> national anthems for two countries, India and Bangladesh,</strong> but also <strong>inspired a Ceylonese student of his,</strong> to pen and compose the <strong>national anthem of Sri Lanka.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=202893" 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/rabindranath-tagore'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Olive Ridley Turtles',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Mass hatching of Olive Ridley turtles has begun at Odisha&rsquo;s Rushikulya rookery (near Ganjam district).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>coast of Odisha in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley,</strong> followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589008914_image.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1589008914_image.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Features:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Olive ridley turtles are the<strong> smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles</strong> found in the world.</li>
<li>These turtles are <strong>carnivores</strong> and get their name from their olive colored carapace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Habitat:</strong> They are <strong>found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Migration:</strong> They migrate thousands of kilometers between feeding and mating grounds in the course of a year.</li>
<li><strong>Arribada (Mass Nesting):</strong> They are best<strong> known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada,</strong> where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They lay their eggs over a period of five to seven days in conical nests about one and a half feet deep which they dig with their hind flippers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threats:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They are extensively<strong> poached for their meat, shell and leather, and their eggs.</strong></li>
<li>However, the most severe threat they face is the <strong>accidental killing through entanglement in trawl nets</strong> and <strong>gill nets due to uncontrolled fishing</strong> during their mating season around nesting beaches.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Protection Status:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>IUCN Red List:</strong> Vulnerable</li>
<li><strong>CITES:</strong> Appendix I</li>
<li>Indian <strong>Wildlife (Protection) Act,</strong> 1972: Schedule I</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Step Taken for Conservation:</strong> To reduce accidental killing in India, the Odisha government has made it mandatory for <strong>trawls to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs),</strong> a net specially designed with an exit cover which allows the turtles to escape while retaining the catch.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mass-hatching-of-olive-ridley-turtles-begins-at-odishas-rushikulya-rookery/article31538323.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/olive-ridley-turtles-4'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'World Red Cross Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the World Red Cross Day was celebrated by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>World Red Cross day is observed on <strong>May 8 on the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant,</strong> who was the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Henry Dunant was also the<strong> recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The main aim of the Red Cross Society is basically to inspire, initiate and encourage all kinds of humanitarian activities under all times and circumstances.</li>
<li><strong>Programmes</strong> conducted by the Red Cross Society can be broadly <strong>categorised into four parts</strong> including the promotion of humanitarian principles and values; disaster response; disaster preparedness; and health and care.</li>
<li>The Red Cross Society is<strong> based on 7 principles</strong> namely, humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary, unity and universality.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Red Cross Society</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IRCS is a<strong> voluntary humanitarian organization</strong> to protect human life and health with the help of its network of over 1100 branches throughout India.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1920</strong> and has completed its 100 years of existence.</li>
<li>It is a<strong> part of</strong> the largest independent humanitarian organisation in the world, the <strong>International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.</strong></li>
<li>Its <strong>mission</strong> is to provide relief at the time of disasters/emergencies and also promotes healthcare facilities among vulnerable people and communities.</li>
<li>The <strong>President of India</strong> is the President and the <strong>Union Health Minister</strong> is the Chairman of the Society.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1622157" 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/world-red-cross-day'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Surge-type Glaciers',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Scientists from the <strong>Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology</strong> (WIHG), Dehradun have found a <strong>seasonal advancement</strong> in 220 <strong>surging</strong> or <strong>surge-type glaciers</strong> in the <strong>Karakoram Range of Ladakh.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WIHG is an <strong>autonomous institute</strong> under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Surging or Surge-type glaciers are a certain type of glaciers that have <strong>shown advancement in volume and length</strong> over a period of time.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Such glaciers <strong>go against the normal trend of considerable reduction in volume and length</strong> of most glaciers in the Himalaya in recent decades.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Surging glaciers <strong>represent 40%</strong> of the<strong> total glaciated area</strong> of the <strong>Karakoram range.</strong></li>
<li>Surging glaciers <strong>do not flow at a constant speed,</strong> rather are subjected to <strong>cyclical flow instabilities.</strong></li>
<li>The oscillation of such glaciers have been broadly classified into two phases:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Active (Surge) Phase-</strong> brief (months to years) rapid flow.</li>
<li><strong>Quiescent Phase-</strong> lengthy (tens to hundreds of years) slow flow or stagnation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It was inferred that<strong> surge during winter</strong> is more controlled because there is low amount of meltwater which flows unsteadily underneath the glaciers.</li>
<li>The surging <strong>stops in summer</strong> because of the channelised flow of the melted water.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance of Studying Surging Glaciers</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Surging glaciers <strong>can lead to the destruction</strong> of villages, roads and bridges.</li>
<li>They can also <strong>advance across a river valley</strong> and <strong>form an ice-dammed lake.</strong> These lakes can form<strong> catastrophic outburst floods.</strong></li>
<li>Therefore, <strong>monitoring</strong> of glacier surges, ice-dammed lake formation and drainage is of <strong>paramount importance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Glaciers</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Masses of ice moving as sheets</strong> over the land <strong>(continental glacier</strong> or<strong> piedmont glacier</strong> if a vast sheet of ice is spread over the plains at the foot of mountains) or as <strong>linear flows down the slopes</strong> of mountains in<strong> broad trough-like valleys</strong> (mountain and valley glaciers) are called <strong>glaciers.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> movement</strong> of glaciers is <strong>slow</strong> unlike water flow ranging from a few centimetres to a few meters per day. Glaciers move basically because of the <strong>force of gravity.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Erosion</strong> by glaciers is <strong>tremendous</strong> because of<strong> friction caused by sheer weight of the ice.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The material plucked from the land by glaciers (usually large-sized angular blocks and fragments) get dragged along the floors or sides of the valleys and cause great <strong>damage through abrasion and plucking.</strong></li>
<li>Glaciers can cause <strong>significant damage to even un-weathered rocks</strong> and can reduce high mountains into low hills and plains.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As glaciers continue to move, debris gets removed, <strong>divides get lowered</strong> and <strong>eventually the slope is reduced</strong> to such an extent that <strong>glaciers stop moving,</strong> leaving only a mass of low hills and vast outwash plains along with other depositional features.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/surge-type-glaciers'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'In-Depth: Epidemic Diseases Act',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ViB7D9uKOkU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Coronavirus infection in India is continuously rising. The states are in a battle mode to control the spread of the virus. There has been a lockdown across the country and all the events postponed.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>All states and Union Territories have been directed to invoke provisions of Section 2 of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/states-to-be-asked-to-invoke-epidemic-disease-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897</strong></a>, so that Health Ministry advisories are enforceable.</li>
<li>The Epidemic Diseases Act consists of four sections and aims to provide for better prevention of the spread of Dangerous Epidemic Diseases.</li>
<li>It is routinely enforced across the country for dealing with the outbreak of diseases such as swine flu, dengue, and cholera.</li>
<li>The colonial-era Act empowers the state governments to take special measures and prescribe regulations in an epidemic.</li>
<li>It is a state act and not a central act.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epidemic-diseases-act-1897" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Epidemic Diseases Act</strong></a> aims to provide for the better prevention of the spread of dangerous epidemic diseases.</li>
<li>Under the Act, temporary provisions or regulations can be made to be observed by the public to tackle or prevent the outbreak of a disease.</li>
<li>The Act contains four sections.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Section 1:</strong> Describes the title and extent of the Act
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It extends to the whole of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 2:</strong> Powers to take special measures
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It empowers the state governments to tackle special measures and formulate regulations to contain the outbreak.</li>
<li>the State may prescribe regulations for the inspection of persons traveling by railway or otherwise, and the segregation, in hospital, temporary accommodation of persons suspected by the inspecting officers to be infected.</li>
<li><strong>Section 2A</strong> of the Act empowers the central government to take steps to prevent the spread of an epidemic.</li>
<li>Health is a State subject, but by invoking Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, advisories and directions of the Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare will be enforceable.</li>
<li>It allows the government to inspect any ship arriving or leaving any post and the power to detain any person intending to sail or arriving in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 3:</strong> Penalty for Disobedience
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The penalties for disobeying any regulation or order made under the Act are according to <strong>section 188 of the Indian Penal Code</strong> (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 4:</strong> Legal Protection to Implementing Officers:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It gives legal protection to the implementing officers acting under the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Whoever knowing that, by an order promulgated by a public serv&shy;ant lawfully empowered to promulgate such order, disobeys such direction, shall, if such disobedience causes or tends to cause obstruction, annoyance or injury, or risk of obstruction, annoyance or injury, to any person lawfully employed,
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>be punished with simple impris&shy;onment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both;</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>And if such disobedience causes or trends to cause danger to human life, health or safety, or causes or tends to cause a riot or affray, shall
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Epidemic Diseases Bill was tabled on January 28, 1897, during an outbreak of <strong>bubonic plague</strong> in Mumbai (then Bombay).</li>
<li>The existing laws were deemed insufficient to deal with various matters such as &ldquo;overcrowded houses, neglected latrines and huts, accumulations of filth, insanitary cowsheds and stables, and the disposal of house refuse.</li>
<li>The Bill called for special powers for governments of Indian provinces and local bodies, including to check passengers off trains and sea routes.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Amendment to the Act</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ordinance-to-protect-health-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet amended the Act through an ordinance</strong></a> stating that commission or abetment of acts of violence against healthcare service personnel shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of three months to five years, and with fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.</li>
<li>In case of causing grievous hurt, imprisonment shall be for a term of six months to seven years and a fine of Rs1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enforcement of the Act in the Recent Past</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is not the first time that this Act has been invoked in India.</li>
<li>In 2009, to tackle the swine flu outbreak in Pune, Section 2 powers were used to open screening centers in civic hospitals across the city, and swine flu was declared a notifiable disease.</li>
<li>In 2015 to deal with Malaria and Dengue in Chandigarh the Act was implemented and collecting officers were instructed to issue challans of Rs 500 to offenders.</li>
<li>In 2018 the District Collector of Vadodara issued a notification under the Act, declaring Khedkarmsiya village as Cholera affected after 31 persons complained of the disease.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Epidemics Worldwide</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An epidemic is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time. Throughout history, there have been a number of epidemics having a lasting impact on societies.</li>
<li>These are highly communicable diseases that spread through the population in a very short time.</li>
<li>These diseases can be viral, bacterial or other health events like obesity.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Plague of Justinian</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>t is one of the oldest recorded incidents of plague in history.</li>
<li>It afflicted the Byzantine Empire, and especially its capital, Constantinople, between 541-542 A.D.</li>
<li>It recorded the highest number of lives lost in an epidemic in human history with over 100 million people dying, nearly half of the world&rsquo;s population then.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Black Plague</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Black Death, also known as the Pestilence and the Plague, was one of the most fatal pandemics.</li>
<li>It mostly affected Europe in 1346-1350 A.D.</li>
<li>Up to 50 million people died in Eurasia and North Africa from the plague that began in Asia and was carried across the world by rats covered with infected fleas.</li>
<li>It killed 60% of Europe&rsquo;s population</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>HIV AIDS</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The longest-lasting epidemic to date is HIV AIDS which began in 1960 and is still prevalent.</li>
<li>The world became aware of this epidemic only in the 1980s.</li>
<li>Medicine for the treatment of HIV AIDS was not available until 1987.</li>
<li>The Virus is particularly aggressive in Sub-Saharan Africa with 69% of the global infections. Major reasons for the spread being poor economic conditions and little or no sex education.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Other Major Epidemics</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Spanish Flu of 1918 claimed 20 million lives.</li>
<li>Modern Plague (1894-1903) claimed 10 million lives.</li>
<li>Asian Flu (1957-1958) resulted in the death of 2 million people.</li>
<li>The 6<sup>th</sup> Cholera pandemic (1899-1923) resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million people.</li>
<li>The Russian flu (1889-1890) killed 1 million people.</li>
<li>The Hong Kong Flu (1968-1969) killed 1 million people.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps Taken</h3>
<p><strong>Indian Response</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Twenty-one Italian tourists and three Indian tour operators were sent to an ITBP quarantine facility in Delhi after being air-lifted from Wuhan, China for suspected coronavirus exposure.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The batch of 112 evacuees, who were quarantined at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police's Chhawla Quarantine Facility in New Delhi, tested negative in a coronavirus test.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Video Conference of SAARC Leaders:</strong> Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/video-conference-of-saarc-leaders-on-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>virtual leadership summit</strong></a> through the video meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The video conference led to the creation of the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund based on a voluntary contribution from all SAARC members.</li>
<li>Further, $10 million has been extended by India as a contribution to the fund.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Global Response</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The COVID-19 outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO on 30<sup>th</sup> January 2020.</li>
<li>According to recommendations by the World Health Organization, the diagnosis of COVID-19 must be confirmed by the Real Time- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCRT-PCR) or gene sequencing for respiratory or blood specimens, as the key indicator for hospitalisation.</li>
<li>$15 million dollars has been released from the UN&rsquo;s Central Emergency Fund to help fund global efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, particularly vulnerable countries with weak health care systems.</li>
<li>Vaccines are being developed.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-epidemic-diseases-act'
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Modifications in PMRF Scheme',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Human Resources and Development has carried out various amendments in the <strong>Prime Minister&rsquo;s Research Fellowship Scheme</strong> to boost research in the country.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Prime Minister&rsquo;s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order <strong>to attract meritorious students into research,</strong> Government of India, in 2018 launched Prime Minister&rsquo;s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme, which offers <strong>direct admission to such students in the Ph.D programmes</strong> in various higher educational institutions in the country.</li>
<li>The scheme is <strong>aimed at attracting the talent pool of the country to doctoral (Ph.D.) programmes</strong> for carrying out <strong>research in cutting edge science and technology domains, with focus on national priorities.</strong></li>
<li>The institutes which can offer PMRF include <strong>all the IITs, IISERs, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and some of the top Central Universities/NITs</strong> that offer science and/or technology degrees.</li>
<li>A fellowship of Rs.70,000/- per month for the first two years, Rs.75,000/- per month for the 3<sup>rd</sup> year, and Rs.80,000/- per month in the 4<sup>th</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> year is provided under the scheme.</li>
<li>Apart from this, a<strong> research grant of Rs. 2 lakh per year</strong> is provided to each of the Fellows for a period of 5 years to cover their academic contingency expenses and for foreign/national travel expenses.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Amendments</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Now, students from <strong>any recognized university can apply for the fellowship.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier the fellowship scheme was open only for students from <strong>Central Universities, IITs, IISc, NITs, IISERs, IIEST and IIITs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The requirement of GATE score has also been reduced from 750 to 600.</li>
<li>As per new guidelines there will be<strong> two channels</strong> of entries i.e <strong>direct entry</strong> and <strong>lateral entry.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In lateral entry, the students, <strong>who are pursuing PhD in PMRF granting institutions,</strong> and have completed 12 months or 24 months as per certain requirements, can also apply to become fellow under the scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>National Institute of Technologies (NITs) which appear in top 25 institutions in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking can also become PMRF Granting institution.</li>
<li>To boost research a <strong>dedicated Division is being created</strong> in the MHRD with the name of<strong> "Research and Innovation Division".</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This division will be headed by a director who will be coordinating research work of various institutions coming under MHRD.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1621794" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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