Search

Search list matched with tags “class”

COVID-19 Loans by Indian Bank

Why in News Recently, Indian Bank which is a public sector lender, has announced special emergency loans for various categories of customers such as...

26 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Recapitalisation of RRBs

Why in News Recently, the Centre has approved a ₹1,340-crore recapitalisation plan for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). The move is crucial to...

26 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Mamallapuram

Location: Mamallapuram, also called Mahabalipuram or Seven Pagodas, is a town that lies along the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, south of...

26 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Regulatory Bodies

This article is based on “To mitigate the crisis, rethink role of regulators” which was published in Hindustan Times on 24/03/2020. It...

25 Mar 2020 News Editorials
Traditional New Year Festivals

Why in News The President of India has greeted the people on the eve of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu...

25 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Indigenously Developed Testing Kits for COVID-19

Why in News Recently, the test kits for COVID-19 developed by the Pune-based MyLab Discovery Solutions and Germany’s Altona Diagnostics have...

25 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Invest India Business Immunity Platform

Why in News Recently, Invest India, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the ‘Invest India Business Immunity...

25 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Burden on Companies Eased

Why in News The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has made a series of announcements to ease the burden of companies during the COVID-19...

25 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Tokyo Olympics 2020 Postponed

Why in News The International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee have decided to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games to the...

25 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Cess Fund for Welfare of Construction Workers

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Labour & Employment has Issued an advisory to all States/UTs to use the Cess Fund for Welfare of...

25 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Sovereignty: Unconstrained Right?

This article is based on “Not an unfettered right” which was published in The Hindu on 23/03/2020. It talks about the UN High...

24 Mar 2020 News Editorials
World Tuberculosis Day

Why in News World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed on 24th March every year to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and...

24 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Aircraft Amendment Bill, 2020

Why in News Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which seeks to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934. The Act regulates...

24 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Digitised Scripts of Yakshagana

Why in News Recently, the voluntary community effort by the trust named Yakshavahini has made more than 900 Yakshagana scripts digitised and...

24 Mar 2020 News Analysis
ICMR Recommends Use of Hydroxy-Chloroquine

Why in News The National Task force for COVID-19, constituted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has suggested the use of...

24 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Dr Ram Manohar Lohia

Why in News The Prime Minister paid tribute to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia on his birth anniversary. Key Points Ram Manohar Lohia, (born March 23,...

24 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) Initiative

iDEX is an initiative taken by the government to contribute towards modernization of the Defence Industry. It was launched by the Government in...

24 Mar 2020 News Analysis
Quantum Technology

This article is based on “Picking up the quantum technology baton” which was published in The Hindu on 23/03/2020. It talks about...

23 Mar 2020 News Editorials
Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Women and Child Development

Important Schemes and Policies Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh Launched in Nov. 2019. Repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones in...

23 Mar 2020 Paper 2
Extradition Treaty between India and Belgium

Why in News Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the signing and ratifying of the Extradition Treaty between the Republic of India and the...

23 Mar 2020 News Analysis

Warning (2): count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable [ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 100]

Code Context


<?php if(count($updates)>0){?>
  <div class="updates">

$viewFile = '/var/www/drishtiias.com/public_html/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp'
$dataForView = [
	'progress' => [],
	'bookmarks' => [],
	'notes' => [],
	'mynote' => [],
	'topdata' => [
		(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {}
	],
	'searchdata' => [],
	'searchlist' => [
		(int) 0 => [
			'title' => 'COVID-19 Loans by Indian Bank',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Indian Bank</strong> which is a <strong>public sector lender,</strong> has announced special emergency loans for various categories of customers such as individuals, corporates, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises</strong></a> (MSMEs) and <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/self-help-groups-shgs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>self-help groups</strong></a> (SHGs), retail borrowers and pensioners in the wake of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID-19.</a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is expected that these credit lines will meet the immediate liquidity requirements of businesses and other sections of the society.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ind-Covid Emergency Credit Line:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide <strong>additional funding of up to 10% of the working capital limits</strong> (fund-based and non fund-based) with a maximum limit of ₹100 crore.</li>
<li><strong>Large corporates and medium enterprises</strong> that are in the standard category would be eligible for this loan.</li>
<li>The <strong>loans</strong> would only carry a fixed interest rate of one-year MCLR <strong>(marginal cost of funds based lending rate).</strong> All other charges are waived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ind-MSE Covid Emergency Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide an <strong>additional funding of 10% of fund-based working capital limits</strong> subject to a maximum of ₹50 lakh to all MSMEs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>SHG-Covid-Sahaya Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under this, each member can avail a<strong> soft loan of ₹5,000 and ₹1 lakh per SHG.</strong></li>
<li>The loan is<strong> for 36 months</strong> with a six months moratorium.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ind-Covid Emergency Salary Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will be given <strong>to salaried employees</strong> up to an<strong> amount equivalent to 20 times the latest monthly gross salary</strong> subject to a maximum of ₹2 lakh.</li>
<li>This is to meet urgent medical and other expenditure.</li>
<li>The loan will be given at a<strong> concessional rate of interest</strong> and all charges are waived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ind-Covid Emergency Pension Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>provided up to 15 times of monthly pension</strong> subject to a maximum of ₹2 lakh, with a <strong>60 month repayment tenor.</strong></li>
<li>Interest is charged at concessional rates interest and all other charges are waived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Bank</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an Indian <strong>state-owned public sector lender.</strong></li>
<li>It was established on <strong>15<sup>th</sup> August 1907</strong> as part of the <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-82" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Swadeshi movement.</strong></a></li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered in Chennai.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the minimum interest rate, below which a bank is not permitted to lend, though RBI can give authorization for the same in exceptional cases. It depends on factors such as fixed deposit rates, source of funds and savings rate.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Swadeshi Movement</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It started in <strong>1905</strong> was <strong>one of the most successful movements</strong> of the Pre-Gandhian era.</li>
<li><strong>Causes:</strong> Punjab land alienation Act of 1900, Passing of Indian university commission Act 1904, Partition of Bengal in 1905, economic exploitation, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Methods and instruments:</strong> It initially adopted <strong>passive resistance</strong> but the movement gained momentum and a more <strong>active form of resistance.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong> It led to significant decline in the foreign imports during 1905-1908, building of self-reliance and gave the strength to masses to disobey the British. However, it set <strong>undertones for communal disharmony and extreme nationalism.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/indian-bank-to-give-covid-19-loans/article31166931.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/covid-19-loans-by-indian-bank'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Recapitalisation of RRBs',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Centre has approved a ₹1,340-crore recapitalisation plan for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The move is crucial to ensure liquidity in rural areas during the lockdown due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> crisis.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regional Rural Banks</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RRBs are financial institutions which ensure adequate <strong>credit for agriculture and other rural sectors.</strong></li>
<li>Regional Rural Banks were set up on the basis of the recommendations of the <strong>Narasimham Working Group (1975),</strong> and after the legislation of the <strong>Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.</strong></li>
<li>The first Regional Rural Bank &ldquo;Prathama Grameen Bank&rdquo; was set up on 2<sup>nd</sup> October, 1975.</li>
<li><strong>Stakeholders:</strong> The <strong>equity</strong> of a regional rural bank is held by the <strong>Central Government,</strong> concerned <strong>State Government</strong> and the <strong>Sponsor Bank</strong> in the proportion of <strong>50:15:35.</strong></li>
<li>The RRBs combine the <strong>characteristics of a cooperative</strong> in terms of the familiarity of the rural problems <strong>and a commercial bank</strong> in terms of its professionalism and ability to mobilise financial resources.</li>
<li>Each RRB operates within the local limits as notified by the Government.</li>
<li>The <strong>main objectives</strong> of RRBs are<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide credit and other facilities to<strong> the small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans and small entrepreneurs in rural areas.</strong></li>
<li>To check the outflow of rural deposits to urban areas and <strong>reduce regional imbalances</strong> and <strong>increase rural employment generation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The RRBs are required to provide 75% of their total credit as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-raises-cap-on-home-loan-under-psl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>priority sector lending.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This recapitalisation (a strategy of enhancing the financial base of an entity to overcome a rough financial situation) would improve their <strong>capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio (CRAR)</strong> and strengthen these institutions for providing credit in rural areas.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The step will help those RRBs which are unable to maintain a minimum CRAR of 9%, as per the regulatory norms prescribed by the RBI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The release of the Rs. 670 crore as the central share funds will be contingent upon the release of the proportionate share by the sponsor banks.</li>
<li>The recapitalisation process of RRBs <strong>was approved by the cabinet in 2011 based</strong> on the recommendations of a committee set up under the <strong>Chairmanship of K C Chakrabarty.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-bank-for-agriculture-and-rural-development-nabard" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)</strong></a> identifies those RRBs, which require recapitalisation assistance to maintain the mandatory CRAR of 9% based on the CRAR position of RRBs, as on 31<sup>st</sup> March of every year.</li>
<li>The scheme for recapitalization of RRBs was extended up to 2019-20 in a phased manner post 2011.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Capital-to-risk Weighted Assets Ratio</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>CRAR or <strong>Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR)</strong> is the ratio of a bank&rsquo;s capital in relation to its <strong>risk weighted assets and current liabilities.</strong></li>
<li>It is decided by central banks and bank regulators to prevent commercial banks from taking excess leverage and becoming insolvent in the process.</li>
<li>The <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basel-iii-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basel III norms</a></strong> stipulated a capital to risk weighted assets of 8%.</li>
<li>However, as per <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>RBI</strong> </a>norms, Indian scheduled commercial banks are required to maintain a <strong>CRAR of 9%.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/union-cabinet-approves-recapitalisation-of-rrbs/article31166838.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/recapitalisation-of-rrbs'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Mamallapuram',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong> Mamallapuram, also called <strong>Mahabalipuram</strong> or <strong>Seven Pagodas,</strong> is a town that lies along the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, <strong>south of Chennai (Tamil Nadu).</strong></li>
<li><strong>History</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an important town of the <strong>erstwhile Pallava dynasty</strong> that <strong>ruled in parts of South India</strong> from 275 CE to 897 CE.</li>
<li>It was <strong>founded by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman</strong> I in the 7<sup>th</sup> century AD.</li>
<li>The name Mamallapuram derives from <strong>Mamallan, or &ldquo;great warrior&rdquo;,</strong> a title by which the Pallava King <strong>Narasimhavarman I</strong> was known.</li>
<li>The <strong>name Mamallapuram got distorted during the British era </strong>to<strong> Mahabalipuram</strong> and thus it is also known as Mahabalipuram.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Architecture</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mamallapuram contains many surviving 7<sup>th</sup>- and 8<sup>th</sup>-century Pallava temples and monuments, chief of which are the<strong> sculptured rock relief</strong> popularly known as <strong>&ldquo;Arjuna&rsquo;s Penance,&rdquo; or &ldquo;Descent of the Ganges,&rdquo;</strong> a series of sculptured <strong>cave temples,</strong> and the<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shore-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Shore Temple.</a></strong></li>
<li>The town&rsquo;s <strong>Five Rathas,</strong> or monolithic temples, are the remnants of seven temples, for which the town was known as Seven Pagodas. The entire assemblage collectively was designated a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong></a><strong> in 1984.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ancient Chinese, Persian, and Roman coins found at Mamallapuram point that it was a <strong>seaport.</strong></li>
<li>Mamallapuram and the Pallava dynasty are also historically relevant, for the earliest recorded security pact between China and India (in the early 8<sup>th</sup> century) that involved a Pallava king (Rajasimhan, or <strong>Narasimha Varma II),</strong> from whom the Chinese sought help to counter Tibet.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-2nd-informal-summit-mamallapuram-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>second informal summit between India and China</strong></a> was held here in October 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585207231_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585207231_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mamallapuram-2'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Regulatory Bodies',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/to-mitigate-the-crisis-rethink-role-of-regulators/story-yJTh3Exh5dn46DkGZH5NiN.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;To mitigate the crisis, rethink role of regulators&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in Hindustan Times on 24/03/2020. It talks about how a crucial role is played by financial and economic regulators during a crisis situation for its mitigation.</p>
</div>
<p>The economic impacts of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic coronavirus disease (Covid-19)</strong> </a>may last longer than its health effects. The global economy was stabilising before the spread of Covid-19, but now it has started showing its impacts on global economies.</p>
<p><strong>The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)</strong> estimates that the pandemic will lead to a <strong>1.5% slowdown in global growth. The World Trade Organization (WTO)</strong> also expects a &ldquo;substantial&rdquo; impact on the global economy. The <strong>economic impact on India</strong> will be more profound because most jobs are informal, State capacity for disaster response is low, and health care is far from universal.</p>
<p>In this context, the significance of regulatory bodies becomes more apparent for early recovery and mitigation of crisis emanating from Covid-19.</p>
<h3>Role of Regulatory Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India liberalised industries in the 1990s and handed over sectoral governance to regulatory bodies. These bodies played a constructive role in ensuring the free and fair market.</li>
<li>Post 1990, Privatisation saw the advent of the 'Indian Regulator' that became the 'nurturer' and 'parent' of its sector. The regulators <strong>incentivised private investment</strong> by giving them functional autonomy and shielding them from interference.</li>
<li>Also, regulatory bodies have shown that empowered regulator can bring fruitful results:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Steps taken by <strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong> in tackling the liquidity crisis and management of increasing Non- Performing Assets (NPAs).</li>
<li><strong>SEBI</strong> has also been instrumental in taking quick and effective steps in light of the global meltdown and the Satyam fiasco.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, improper regulation or failure of regulatory bodies in smoothening the interaction between markets and the State may lead to a new crisis. For example,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/crisis-in-the-telecom-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AGR issue:</strong></a> In October 2019, the Supreme Court demanded that telecom companies pay statutory dues worth ₹1.47 lakh crore to the central government.</li>
<li>These dues didn&rsquo;t pile up overnight but stem from a 15-year-old dispute over sharing of revenues between telcos and the government. A well-regulated industry would not be subject to such a large fiscal shock.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regulatory Bodies</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are independent governmental bodies established by the government in order to set standards in a specific field of activity, or operations and then to enforce those standards. Regulatory agencies may or may not function outside direct executive supervision.</li>
<li>The main functions of the regulatory body are typically identified as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Regulations and guides</li>
<li>Review and assessment</li>
<li>Licensing</li>
<li>Inspection</li>
<li>Corrective actions</li>
<li>Enforcement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Some examples of regulatory bodies in India are: Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDCSO), Competition Commission of India (CCI)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Issues with Regulatory Bodies in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Populist pressure:</strong> In India political populism often overtakes the economic agenda. This casts a shadow on regulation. There are constant interferences in the functioning of regulatory bodies by the ruling political parties.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Eg, Interventions of government in the RBI functioning</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Selection of non- experts:</strong> The selection of non-experts to lead the regulatory bodies may bring lack of efficiency in the functioning of such bodies. Recently, this issue was raised when the former Finance secretary was appointed as RBI chairman.</li>
<li><strong>Inefficient review mechanism:</strong> The review mechanism of the functioning of the regulatory bodies under the aegis of parliamentary committees is not very robust.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations made by Regulatory Authorities are rarely implemented.</strong></li>
<li>Presence of many regulatory bodies causes overlapping of powers. For example: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Environment- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and National GreenTribunal (NGT).</li>
<li>Controversy between SEBI and IRDAI over Unit Linked Insurance Policy.</li>
<li>Education sector- All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and University Grants Commission (UGC).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Some Suggestion for Regulatory Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Regulatory organisations should undertake a <strong>self-evaluation</strong> of themselves once in a few (say three) years, and put out the conclusions in the public domain for informed discussion and debate.</li>
<li>Genuine<strong> functional autonomy</strong> would also have to be reinforced with <strong>financial autonomy</strong> by putting in place a system where regulatory organisations are not dependent on government departments for financial support.</li>
<li>Functional autonomy without corresponding accountability is a sure recipe for chaos. Thus, there is a need to make sure such bodies imbibe the ethos of <strong>transparency and accountability</strong> in the functioning of the bodies.</li>
<li>The<strong> appointment</strong> of persons to head regulatory organisations should be attempted in a far more <strong>transparent manner.</strong></li>
<li>Many countries have adopted techniques like <strong>&ldquo;Regulatory Impact Assessments&rdquo;.</strong> India can also mandate such techniques through legislation and thereby preserve economic value.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA)</strong></p>
<p>Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) is a systemic approach to critically assessing the positive and negative effects of proposed and existing regulations and non-regulatory alternatives. As employed in OECD countries it encompasses a range of methods. It is an important element of an evidence-based approach to policymaking.</p>
</div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Many studies suggest that Covid-19 has caused a huge economic loss and will continue to do so in the immediate future. Today, among many experts there is a consensus that we may be headed for not just a slowdown, but perhaps even a recession.</p>
<p>Thus there is a <strong>need for empowered regulatory bodies</strong> which can steer regulations to make sectors of the economy robust and smoothly mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic Covid -19.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f2eedf;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Empowered Regulatory Bodies are significant in the mitigation of an economic crisis. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regulatory-bodies-1'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Traditional New Year Festivals',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The President of India has greeted the people on the eve of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These festivals of the <strong>spring season</strong> mark the beginning of the <strong>traditional new year</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Chaitra Shukla Pratipada</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It marks the beginning of the <strong>new year of the Vikram Samvat</strong> also known as the <strong>Vedic [Hindu] calendar.</strong></li>
<li>Vikram Samvat is based on the day when the emperor Vikramaditya defeated Sakas, invaded Ujjain and called for a new era.</li>
<li>Under his supervision, astronomers formed a new calendar based on the <strong>luni-solar system</strong> that is still followed in the northern regions of India.</li>
<li>It is the first day during the waxing phase (in which the visible side of moon is getting bigger every night) of the moon in the <strong>Chaitra (first month</strong> of Hindu calendar).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gudi Padwa and Ugadi</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These festivals are celebrated by the people in the <strong>Deccan region</strong> including <strong>Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.</strong></li>
<li>The common practice in the celebrations of both the festivals is the <strong>festive food</strong> that is prepared with a <strong>mix of sweet and bitter.</strong></li>
<li>A famous concoction served is jaggery (sweet) and neem (bitter), called <strong>bevu-bella</strong> in the South, signifying that life brings both happiness and sorrows.</li>
<li><strong>Gudi</strong> is a doll prepared in <strong>Maharashtrian</strong> homes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A bamboo stick is adorned with green or red brocade to make the gudi. This gudi is placed prominently in the house or outside a window/ door for all to see.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For <strong>Ugadi,</strong> doors in homes are adorned with <strong>mango leaf decorations</strong> called <strong>toranalu or Torana in Kannada.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Cheti Chand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Sindhis</strong> celebrate the new year as Cheti Chand. <strong>Chaitra</strong> month is called <strong>'Chet'</strong> in Sindhi.</li>
<li>The day commemorates the birth anniversary of <strong>Uderolal/Jhulelal,</strong> the <strong>patron saint of Sindhis.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Navreh</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>lunar new year</strong> that is celebrated in<strong> Kashmir.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>Sanskrit</strong> word <em>&lsquo;Nav-Varsha&rsquo;</em> from where the word &lsquo;Navreh&rsquo; has been derived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It falls on the first day of the Chaitra Navratri.</li>
<li>On this day, Kashmiri pandits look at a bowl of rice which is considered as a symbol of riches and fertility.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Sajibu Cheiraoba</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>ritual festival of Meiteis</strong> which is observed on the first day of <strong>Manipur lunar month Shajibu,</strong> which falls in March/April every year.</li>
<li>On the day of the festival, people arrange a <strong>joint family feast</strong> in which traditional cuisines are offered to local deities at the entrance gates of the houses.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Meities</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Meiteis are <strong>one of the most eminent ethnic groups of Manipur,</strong> hailing from the Manipur Valley.</li>
<li>They speak<strong> Tibeto-Burman language</strong> and most of the people belonging to the group, <strong>follow Hindu customs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607954" 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/traditional-new-year-festivals'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Indigenously Developed Testing Kits for COVID-19',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>test kits for COVID-19</strong> developed by the Pune-based <strong>MyLab Discovery Solutions and Germany&rsquo;s Altona Diagnostics</strong> have been approved by 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></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two companies have also received <strong>approval to mass manufacture the kits</strong> after they received commercial <strong>approval from the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-editorials/18-05-2019/print" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).</a></strong></li>
<li>Currently, the diagnostic kits to test people for COVID-19 are <strong>imported from the USA.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Approval Conditions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, the kits approved by the <strong>United States Food and Drugs Administration</strong> or certified by the <strong>European Union</strong> were allowed to offer commercial tests for detecting SARS CoV-2.</li>
<li>However, ICMR stated that it is no longer a requirement and even those <strong>approved by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) would be eligible for testing.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Feature of the Developed Testing Kit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Quick Detection:</strong> The developed kit <strong>detects the infection within two and half hours</strong> compared to over seven hours taken by current protocol.</li>
<li><strong>Accuracy:</strong> The <strong>ability to detect the early stage of detection and highest accuracy</strong> has been observed with the indigenously developed testing kit for COVID-19.</li>
<li><strong>Affordable:</strong> For the government labs, these testing kits would cost nearly <strong>Rs 1,200 per test kit, which is about one-fourth of the current testing kit</strong> used by India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indigenously Developed:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The indigenously developed testing kits for COVID-19 by MyLabs have been manufactured <strong>as per <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Health Organisation (WHO)</a> /Centre for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.</strong></li>
<li><strong>MyLabs discovery Solutions is the first indigenous manufacturer</strong> to be approved for deploying its <strong>kits for COVID-19 testing.</strong></li>
<li>The approval from National Institute of Virology (NIV) to MyLabs is expected to provide major support to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; programme</strong></a> in the future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.</li>
<li>It was founded in <strong>1911</strong> with the name of Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) and <strong>renamed as ICMR in 1949.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>funded</strong> by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, <strong>Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Institute of Virology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Institute of Virology is one of the major Institutes of the <strong>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).</strong></li>
<li>It was established at <strong>Pune, Maharashtra in 1952 as Virus Research Centre (VRC)</strong> under the auspices of the<strong> ICMR </strong>and the <strong>Rockefeller Foundation (RF), USA.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The CDSCO is the Central Drug Authority for discharging functions assigned to the Central Government under the <strong>Drugs and Cosmetics Act,1940.</strong></li>
<li>Major Functions:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Regulatory control</strong> over the import of drugs, approval of new drugs and clinical trials.</li>
<li>Approval of<strong> certain licences</strong> as Central Licence Approving Authority</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/punes-mylab-gets-approval-for-covid-19-diagnostic-kit/article31151858.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/indigenously-developed-testing-kits-for-covid-19'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Invest India Business Immunity Platform',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Invest India,</strong> under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the <strong>&lsquo;Invest India Business Immunity Platform&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Business Immunity Platform (BIP) is designed as a comprehensive resource <strong>to help businesses and investors</strong> get real-time updates on India&rsquo;s active response to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> (Coronavirus).</li>
<li>BIP is an active platform for business <strong>issue redressal, operating 24/7,</strong> with a team of dedicated sector experts and responding to queries at the earliest.</li>
<li>Important features of BIP are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It keeps a regular track on developments with respect to the coronavirus.</li>
<li>Provides latest information on various central and state government initiatives, and answers and resolves queries through emails and on WhatsApp.</li>
<li>Includes frequently asked questions on important aspects like locations of COVID-19 testing and other location-specific information.</li>
<li>Maps and highlights the response mechanism put in place by leading Indian companies such as sanitation of staff vehicles, disabling biometric attendance systems,usage of video-conferencing and tele-conferencing, developing online solutions and other unique initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This platform also provides the ability to join the dots to find matching suppliers with required supplies and for innovators, startups and MSMEs to showcase their solutions</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Invest India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Invest India is <strong>India's national Investment Promotion &amp; Facilitation Agency.</strong></li>
<li>It was set up in 2009 as a <strong>non-profit venture</strong> under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, <strong>Ministry of Commerce and Industry.</strong></li>
<li>It focuses on<strong> sector-specific investor targeting and development</strong> of new partnerships to enable sustainable investments in India.</li>
<li>It partners with substantial investment promotion agencies and multilateral organizations and also actively works with several Indian states to build capacity as well as bring in global best practices in investment targeting, promotion and facilitation areas.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607905" 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/invest-india-business-immunity-platform'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Burden on Companies Eased',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has made a series of announcements to ease the burden of companies during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-s-preparedness" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> outbreak.</p>
<h3>Announcements</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Increase in the threshold for initiation of corporate insolvency from <strong>Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would <strong>prevent small businesses</strong> from being <strong>dragged into insolvency</strong> (inability to pay debts when they are due).</li>
<li>This would also ease the compliance burden on companies during the coronavirus outbreak.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A<strong> suspension on mandatory filings</strong> with the <strong>Corporate Affairs Ministry&rsquo;s MCA-21 portal,</strong> also additional fees for late filing has been removed.</li>
<li>A <strong>60 day relaxation</strong> in the rule requiring that <strong>board meetings</strong> be held once every 120 days for the next two quarters.</li>
<li>The companies would also be exempt from the requirement under the <strong>Companies Act</strong> that <strong>at least one director</strong> be in residency in the country for at least 182 days in the year.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 is a step towards settling the legal position with respect to <strong>financial failures and insolvency.</strong></li>
<li>It provides easy exit with a painless mechanism in cases of insolvency of individuals as well as companies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Applicability of the Code</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The provisions of the Code shall apply for<strong> insolvency, liquidation, voluntary liquidation or bankruptcy of the following entities :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 or under any previous law.</li>
<li>Any other company governed by any special act for the time being in force, except in so far as the said provision is inconsistent with the provisions of such Special Act.</li>
<li>Any Limited Liability Partnership under the LLP Act 2008.</li>
<li>Any other body being incorporated under any other law for the time being in force, as specified by the Central Government in this regard.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, this code shall apply only if the <strong>minimum amount of the default is Rs. 1 lakh.</strong></li>
<li>However, by placing the notification in the Official Gazette, the Central Government may specify the minimum amount of default of higher value which <strong>shall not be more than Rs. 1 crore.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Exceptions:</strong> There is an exception to the applicability of the Code that it shall not apply to corporate persons who are regulated financial service providers such as Banks, Financial Institutions and Insurance companies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>MCA21</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>MCA21 is an e-Governance initiative of the <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA),</strong> Government of India.</li>
<li>It enables an <strong>easy and secure access of the MCA services</strong> to the corporate entities, professionals and citizens of India.</li>
<li>The application is designed to fully<strong> automate all processes</strong> related to the proactive enforcement and compliance of the legal requirements under <strong>the Companies Act, 1956, New Companies Act, 2013 and Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008.</strong></li>
<li>This will help the business community to <strong>meet their statutory obligations.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/govt-raises-insolvency-threshold-to-rs-1-crore-to-help-small-companies-6330193/" 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/burden-on-companies-eased'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Tokyo Olympics 2020 Postponed',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee have decided to <strong>postpone</strong> the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games <strong>to the summer 2021</strong> due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus pandemic.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>However, the Olympics Games <strong>will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.</strong></li>
<li>The decision came after some of the major sporting nations like <strong>Australia and Canada</strong> withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics 2020.</li>
<li>The nations withdrew in the backdrop of <strong>limited international travel, difficulty in training and exposed risk of contracting or spreading the disease.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>COVID-19</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Health Organisation (WHO) has named the new coronavirus disease as <strong>&lsquo;COVID-19&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>The new name is taken from the words<strong> "corona", "virus" and "disease", with 2019</strong> representing the year when it emerged (the outbreak was reported to the WHO on 31<sup>st</sup> December, 2019).</li>
<li>The word coronavirus refers to the <strong>group of viruses it belongs to,</strong> rather than the latest strain. The latest strain has been designated &lsquo;Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)&rsquo; by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.</li>
<li>The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also declared COVID-19 as a pandemic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the WHO, a pandemic is declared when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world beyond expectations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historic Postponement :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The organisers have postponed the event for the<strong> first time in its 124-year modern history.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 at Athens (Greece).<strong><br /></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is also considered as the <strong>first postponement</strong> of an Olympics in <strong>peacetime.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, the games were not held during World War II considering the turmoil across the world.</li>
<li>In 1940, Japan was to be the first Asian country to host the Olympics.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>But its military aggression in Asia forced the annulment of the Olympics scheduled in Japan.</li>
<li>The 1940 Olympics is known as the <strong>&ldquo;Missing Olympics&rdquo;</strong> after the Games were switched to Helsinki (Finland) before finally being scrapped because of World War II.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Cost:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tokyo was<strong> spending $12.6 billion</strong> to host the Games and a postponement could <strong>cost it $6 billion</strong> as the short-term period loss.</li>
<li>It will also be a<strong> bitter blow to sponsors and major broadcasters</strong> who rely on this four-yearly event for critical advertising revenue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Origin:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Olympic Games <strong>originated </strong>in <strong>ancient Greece</strong> and were an intrinsic part of a <strong>religious festival.</strong> They were held in honour of Zeus (the greek god of the sky) at Olympia in Greece.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Modern Olympics Games:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Olympic Games were <strong>revived</strong> in the late <strong>19<sup>th</sup> century.</strong></li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 at Athens (Greece).</span></p>
</li>
<li>The<strong> architect of the modern Olympics Games </strong>was<strong> Pierre, baron de Coubertin.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Olympic Committee (IOC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was created on <strong>23 June 1894</strong> and is the<strong> supreme authority</strong> of the Olympic Movement.</li>
<li>It is a <strong>not-for-profit independent</strong> international organisation that is committed to building a better world through sport.</li>
<li>It ensures the regular celebration of the Olympic Games, supports all affiliated member organisations and strongly encourages, by appropriate means, the promotion of the Olympic values.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pattern of Olympics Games:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Olympics have been held <strong>every four years since 1948.</strong></li>
<li>The honour of holding the Olympic Games is <strong>entrusted to a city, not to a country.</strong> The choice of the city lies solely with the IOC. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Thus , the application to hold the Games is made by the chief authority of the city, with the support of the national government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/olympics-postponed-to-be-held-latest-by-2021-summer-says-japanese-pm/article31154196.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/tokyo-olympics-2020-postponed'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Cess Fund for Welfare of Construction Workers',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Labour &amp; Employment has Issued an advisory to all States/UTs to use the Cess Fund for Welfare of Construction Workers.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The advisory comes under Section 60 of the <strong>Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act, 1996.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Act regulates the employment and conditions of service of building and other construction workers.</li>
<li>It provides for their safety, health and welfare measures and for other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>All State Governments/UTs have been advised to transfer funds from the Cess Fund to the account of construction workers through <strong>Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.</strong></li>
<li>The amount to be granted to construction workers may be decided by the respective state governments and Union territories.</li>
<li>The financial assistance at this point in time would help to mitigate the financial crisis of construction workers to some extent and boost their morale to deal with COVID-19.</li>
<li><strong>About the Cess Fund</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The BOCW Cess Act, 1996, provides for the levy and collection of cess at 1-2 % of the cost of construction, as the Central government may notify.</li>
<li>The cess has been levied at the rate of 1% of the cost of construction, as notified by the Central government in its official gazette.</li>
<li>The cess is <strong>collected by the State governments and UTs.</strong></li>
<li>It is utilised for the welfare of building and other construction workers by the respective State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cess</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cess is a <strong>form of tax</strong> levied over and above the base tax liability of a taxpayer.</li>
<li>Cess is resorted to only when there is a need to meet the <strong>particular expenditure for public welfare.</strong></li>
<li>Cess is not a permanent source of revenue for the government, and it is <strong>discontinued</strong> when the purpose of levying it is fulfilled.</li>
<li>It can be levied on <strong>both indirect and direct taxes.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Examples :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Swachh Bharat Cess:</strong> Introduced in 2015, a 0.5% Swachh Bharat cess was imposed to fund a national campaign for clearing the roads, streets and the infrastructure of India.</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructure Cess:</strong> Announced in Union Budget 2016, this cess was charged on the production of vehicles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607911" 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/cess-fund-for-welfare-of-construction-workers'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Sovereignty: Unconstrained Right?',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/not-an-unfettered-right/article31136495.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Not an unfettered right&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 23/03/2020. It talks about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights filing an application in Supreme Court of India seeking to intervene as <strong>amicus curiae</strong> in a petition challenging the constitutionality of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR), Michelle Bachelet, filed an application seeking to intervene as <strong>amicus curiae</strong> in a petition <strong>(&lsquo;Deb Mukharji &amp; Ors vs Union of India &amp; Ors&rsquo;)</strong> challenging the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/opposition-to-citizenship-amendment-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>constitutionality of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong></a> (CAA) in the Supreme Court of India.</p>
<p>The government of India in a strong reaction stated that the CAA is an internal matter, concerning the sovereign right of Parliament to make laws, and no foreign body had any locus standi (the right or capacity to bring an action or to appear in a court) on issues pertaining to India&rsquo;s sovereignty.</p>
<p>In this context, this case provides an opportunity for India to have clarity on questions pertaining to sovereignty in relation to international law which may intervene in domestic proceedings.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Amicus Curiae</strong></p>
<p>An amicus curiae <strong>(literally, "friend of the court")</strong> is someone who is not a party to a case and may or may not have been solicited by a party and who assists a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case.</p>
<p><strong>UNCHR</strong></p>
<p>The post of the UNCHR was established in pursuant to the UN General Assembly Resolution 48/141 (1993), with the mandate to:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Promote and protect the effective enjoyment of human rights.</li>
<li>Take an active role in preventing the continuation of human rights violations.</li>
<li>Engage in dialogue with governments in the implementation of human rights obligations.</li>
<li>Support domestic courts, with their constitutional or judicial function, in ensuring the implementation of international legal obligations.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What is the concept of Sovereignty?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Sovereignty</strong> is the full right and power of a governing body over itself, without any interference from outside sources or bodies.</li>
<li>The <strong>Preamble to the Indian Constitution</strong> lays out the position, wherein the people of India have resolved to constitute the Indian Republic into a sovereign country.</li>
<li>However, in practical terms, no country can exercise sovereignty by being isolated with other countries, it has to engage and collaborate with other nations under a defined set of international law.</li>
<li>According to the<strong> International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty,</strong> &ldquo;national political authorities are responsible to the citizens internally and to the international community through the UN&rdquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, it is appropriate to say that an authority&rsquo;s right to sovereignty is not unfettered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, <strong>Article 51 (c)</strong> of the Constitution directs the state to &ldquo;foster respect for international law&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Case of Locus Standi of UNCHR</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is a voluntary application rather than at the invitation of the Supreme Court.</li>
<li>India is a state party and signatory to various international conventions including the<strong> International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights</strong> and the <strong>International Covenant on Economic, Social and Culture Rights</strong> which contain important non-discrimination clauses, including on the ground of religion.</li>
<li>Further, as part of its mandate, the UNCHR routinely intervenes before regional and domestic courts across the world.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Accordingly, the UNCHR has previously filed amicus briefs before regional courts such as the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court on Human Rights as well as domestic courts such as the US Supreme Court and final appellate courts in Asia and Latin America.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, while interpreting fundamental rights under the Constitution, the Supreme Court (SC) has taken into account and given due weightage to India&rsquo;s international legal obligations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the KS Puttaswamy case, SC&rsquo;s conception of the<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/privacy-judgement-and-the-aftermath" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> &ldquo;right to privacy&rdquo;</a></strong> was informed by India&rsquo;s international law obligations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>India should reconsider its stance of not allowing UNCHR as amicus curiae in CAA case. If the intervention is allowed, the Indian government will also have the opportunity to address the implications of the CAA under international law. This will also send a strong signal to the international community that India is a nation that respects the rule of international law.</p>
<p>Moreover, the case provides an opportunity for the Supreme Court to lay down the law on whether such applications interfere with national sovereignty.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #d9faed;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>A sovereign nation can operate independently without interference from foreign powers. Critically analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sovereignty-unconstrained-right'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'World Tuberculosis Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Tuberculosis (TB) Day</strong> is observed on <strong>24<sup>th</sup> March</strong> every year to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The date 24<sup>th</sup> March is chosen to commemorate the anniversary of <strong>Dr. Robert Koch&rsquo;s discovery of the cause of Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium Tuberculosis) in 1882.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>TB remains the <strong>world&rsquo;s deadliest infectious killer.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Each day, over 4000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this <strong>preventable and curable disease.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Theme for 2020: &lsquo;It&rsquo;s time&rsquo;.</strong> It puts the accent on the <strong>urgency to act on the commitments</strong> made by global leaders to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>scale up access to prevention and treatment.</li>
<li>build accountability.</li>
<li>ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research.</li>
<li>promote an end to stigma and discrimination.</li>
<li>promote an equitable, rights-based and people-centered TB response.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Efforts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> World Health Organization</strong> </a>(WHO) has launched a <strong>joint initiative &ldquo;Find. Treat. All. #EndTB&rdquo;</strong> with the <strong>Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It aims to accelerate the TB response and ensure access to care, in line with WHO&rsquo;s overall drive towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/universal-health-coverage-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Universal Health Coverage.</strong> </a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>WHO also releases the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-tuberculosis-report-2019-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Tuberculosis Report.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Efforts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Government of India has committed to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lancet-building-a-tuberculosis-free-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>eliminate the prevalence of TB by 2025</strong></a>, with commensurate resources to rapidly reduce TB incidence prevalence and mortality in India.</li>
<li>The<strong> Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</strong> is implementing the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-with-the-world-bank-to-eliminate-tb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Strategic Plan</strong></a> (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination <strong>(2017-2025).</strong></li>
<li>The President of India had appealed to all the stakeholders to come together to reinforce the efforts in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tb-harega-desh-jeetega-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> "TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign"</strong></a> to make it a true people&rsquo;s movement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>TB is caused by <strong>bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)</strong> that most often affect the lungs.</li>
<li><strong>Transmission:</strong> TB is spread from<strong> person to person through the air.</strong> When people with TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.</li>
<li><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.</li>
<li><strong>Treatment:</strong> TB is a treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a <strong>standard 6 month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs</strong> that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.</li>
<li>Anti-TB medicines have been used for decades and strains that are resistant to 1 or more of the medicines have been documented in every country surveyed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)</strong> is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs. MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.</li>
<li><strong>Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB)</strong> is a more serious form of MDR-TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs, often leaving patients without any further treatment options.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607802" 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-tuberculosis-day'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Aircraft Amendment Bill, 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the<strong> Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020</strong> which seeks to amend the<strong> Aircraft Act, 1934.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Act regulates</strong> the manufacture, possession, use, operation, sale, import and export of civil aircrafts and licensing of aerodromes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Features</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill will provide<strong> statutory status to regulatory institutions</strong> like the <strong>Directorate General of Civil Aviation</strong> (DGCA), the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/counter-drone-strategy-for-countrys-airports-is-ready" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bureau of Civil Aviation Security</strong></a> (BCAS) and the<strong> Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau</strong> (AAIB).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>DGCA</strong> will carry out oversight and regulatory functions with respect to matters under the Bill.</li>
<li><strong>BCAS</strong> carries out regulatory oversight functions related to civil aviation security.</li>
<li><strong>AAIB</strong> carries out investigations related to aircraft accidents and incidents.</li>
<li>The statutory status to these regulatory institutions would <strong>improve India&rsquo;s aviation safety ranking</strong> as suggested by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Civil Aviation Organization</strong></a> (ICAO).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill proposes to<strong> increase the fine amount for violations of rules</strong> from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for aviation industry players.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the Bill, the central government may cancel the licences, certificates or approvals granted to a person under the Act if the person contravenes any provision of the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Act exempted aircrafts</strong> belonging to the <strong>naval, military, or air forces</strong> of the Union.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill <strong>expands this exemption</strong> to include aircrafts belonging to any <strong>other armed forces other than these three.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The civil aviation sector had been <strong>deregulated</strong> with little role for the government to set air fare.</li>
<li>There has been a<strong> drop in demand</strong> and airline companies are under stress due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> outbreak.</li>
<li>Air India is having huge losses (₹26 crore daily) due to its <strong>disinvestment</strong> and it is likely to get worse in the wake of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic.</strong></a></li>
<li>The aviation sector faces the<strong> shortage of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-tallest-atc-tower" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air-Traffic Controllers</a></strong> (ATCs).</li>
<li>The cases of <strong>&ldquo;near miss&rdquo;</strong> in the skies have <strong>increased.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A near miss is when two aircraft come so close that their safety is compromised. The safe distance between two planes flying in opposite directions is 40 seconds depending on their speed. Similarly, the vertical distance of 1,000 feet is considered safe.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Airfares need to remain <strong>affordable</strong> and airlines also need to remain <strong>viable.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>strength of ATCs needs to be increased</strong> to avoid any possibility of mid-air collisions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has 3,500 ATCs and 250 more will be hired next year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bill-to-grant-statutory-status-to-dgca-passed-in-lok-sabha/article31096153.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/aircraft-amendment-bill-2020'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Digitised Scripts of Yakshagana',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>voluntary community effort</strong> by the trust named <strong>Yakshavahini</strong> has made more than 900 <strong>Yakshagana scripts digitised and available online for free.</strong></p>
<h3>Yakshagana<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585038191_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585038191_image2.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="252" height="200" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form of <strong>Karnataka.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>temple art form</strong> that depicts <strong>mythological stories and Puranas.</strong></li>
<li>It is performed with massive headgears, elaborate facial make-up and vibrant costumes and ornaments.</li>
<li>Usually recited in <strong>Kannada,</strong> it is also performed in <strong>Malayalam</strong> as well as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tulu-language" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tulu (the dialect of south Karnataka).</strong></a></li>
<li>It is performed with percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or elathalam (small cymbals).</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Government&rsquo;s Initiative: National Mission for Manuscripts</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) was launched by the <strong>Ministry of Culture</strong> in<strong> 2003.</strong></li>
<li>The Mission has the mandate of identifying, documenting, conserving and making accessible the manuscript heritage of India.</li>
<li>The ultimate objective of the Mission is <strong>to establish a Digital Manuscripts Repository</strong> at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in which researchers and scholars can view and consult the manuscripts.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>IGNCA is an autonomous institution under the Union Ministry of Culture. It was established in 1987 as a centre for research, academic pursuit and dissemination in the field of the arts.</li>
<li>Its motto is &lsquo;conserving the past for the future&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) is also developing an app to make around 3 lakh manuscripts accessible.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/over-900-yakshagana-scripts-go-digital/article31149254.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/digitised-scripts-of-yakshagana'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'ICMR Recommends Use of Hydroxy-Chloroquine',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The National Task force for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-s-preparedness" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a>, constituted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has suggested the <strong>use of hydroxy-chloroquine</strong> to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) for restricted populations.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hydroxy-chloroquine is an <strong>oral drug</strong> used in the treatment of <strong>autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Autoimmune diseases are in which the body's immune system attacks healthy cells.</li>
<li>Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting many joints, including those in the hands and feet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine against COVID-19:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The drug shows antiviral activity <strong>in vitro</strong> against coronaviruses, and specifically, SARS-CoV-2 [the virus that causes COVID-19].</li>
<li>Further, the study suggests that prophylaxis (treatment given to prevent disease) with hydroxy-chloroquine at approved doses could prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and may help to improve viral shedding.</li>
<li>Clinical trials are under way in China to know whether the drug can be used for treatment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>ICMR Recommended Use of Hydroxy-chloroquine:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The restricted population for usage of hydroxy-chloroquine include, namely, <strong>&lsquo;Asymptomatic (showing no symptoms) Healthcare Workers&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;Asymptomatic household contacts&rsquo;</strong> of laboratory-confirmed cases.</li>
<li>The above mentioned population have been advised to use the hydroxy-chloroquine to <strong>contain further spread of the pandemic.</strong></li>
<li>However, the drug is <strong>not recommended</strong> as a preventive healthcare in children under <strong>15 years of age.</strong></li>
<li>ICMR also advised that placing healthcare workers under hydroxy-chloroquine treatment<strong> should not instill a sense of false security</strong> and they <strong>need to follow all prescribed public health measures</strong> such as frequent washing of hands, respiratory etiquettes, keeping a distance of minimum one metre and use of personal protective equipment, etc.</li>
<li>It has been also advised that the drug<strong> should only be given on the prescription</strong> of a registered medical practitioner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Combination of Hydroxy-chloroquine with Other Drugs</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine and Chloroquine:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A study suggests that<strong> both hydroxy-chloroquine and chloroquine</strong> have in vitro activity against SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and other coronaviruses, with hydroxy-chloroquine having higher potency against SARS-CoV-2.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine with Azithromycin:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The combination is hydroxy-chloroquine with azithromycin, a commonly used antibiotic.</li>
<li>The combination is expected to be efficient for virus elimination.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In vitro studies</strong> are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context (such as in a test tube).</li>
<li>In contrast to in vitro experiments,<strong> in vivo studies</strong> are those conducted in living organisms, including humans, and whole plants.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.</li>
<li>Its mandate is to conduct, coordinate and implement medical research for the benefit of the Society; translating medical innovations into products/processes and introducing them into the public health system.</li>
<li>It is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, <strong>Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/coronavirus/coronavirus-vaccine-hydroxychloroquinine-6328377/" 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/icmr-recommends-use-of-hydroxy-chloroquine'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Dr Ram Manohar Lohia',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Prime Minister paid tribute to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia on his birth anniversary.</p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585034506_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585034506_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="246" height="205" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ram Manohar Lohia, (born March 23, 1910) was a prominent figure in <strong>socialist politics</strong> and in the movement towards <strong>Indian independence.</strong></li>
<li>In 1934, Lohia became actively involved in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saansad-adarsh-gram-yojana-sagy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Congress Socialist Party (CSP)</strong></a>, a left-wing group within the Indian National Congress; he served on the CSP executive committee and edited its weekly journal.</li>
<li>He<strong> opposed the Indian participation on the side of Great Britain in World War II</strong> and was arrested for anti-British remarks in 1939 and 1940.</li>
<li>Lohia along with other CSP leaders mobilized support for <strong>the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/77th-anniversary-of-quit-india-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quit India movement</a></strong> (a campaign initiated by Mohandas K. Gandhi to urge the withdrawal of British authorities from India) in 1942. He was jailed again in 1944&ndash;46 for such resistance activities.</li>
<li>Lohia and other CSP members<strong> left the Congress in 1948.</strong></li>
<li>He became a member of the<strong> Praja Socialist Party</strong> upon its formation in 1952 and served as general secretary for a brief period, but conflicts within the party led to his resignation in 1955.</li>
<li>Later that year Lohia established a new Socialist Party, for which he became chairman as well as the editor of its journal, <strong>Mankind.</strong></li>
<li>He advocated for various <strong>socio-political reforms</strong> in his capacity as party leader, including the abolition of the caste system, the adoption of Hindi as India&rsquo;s national language, and stronger protection of civil liberties.</li>
<li>Some of <strong>his works</strong> include: &lsquo;Marx, Gandhi and Socialism&rsquo;, &lsquo;Guilty Men of India&rsquo;s Partition&rsquo;, etc.</li>
<li>In 1963, Lohia was elected to the Lok Sabha.</li>
<li>He passed away in 1967.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=200598" 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/dr-ram-manohar-lohia'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) Initiative',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>iDEX is an initiative taken by the government to contribute towards <strong>modernization of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/indigenisation-of-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defence Industry.</a></strong></li>
<li>It was launched by the Government in April 2018.</li>
<li>iDEX aims to promote<strong> innovation</strong> and <strong>technology development</strong> in <strong>Defence and Aerospace</strong> by engaging Industries (which includes <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MSMEs</strong></a>, start-ups, individual innovators, R&amp;D institutes &amp; academia). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>iDEX will provide the engaging industries with funding and other support to carry out Research &amp; Development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>iDEX will be funded and managed by <strong>Defence Innovation Organization (DIO),</strong> and will function as the <strong>executive arm of DIO.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Initiatives to Modernize Defence Industry</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Strategic Partnership (SP) Model-</strong> It identifies a few Indian private companies who would initially tie up with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to seek technology transfers to set up domestic manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains.</li>
<li><strong>Artificial Intelligence in Defence</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>N Chadrasekharan Task Force</strong> was set up in 2018 to study implications of AI in national security.</li>
<li><strong>Defence Artificial Intelligence Project Agency (DAIPA)</strong> was created in March, 2019. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>DAIPA aims for greater thrust on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Defence, formulation of an AI roadmap for each Defence PSU and Ordnance Factory Board to develop AI-enable products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DIO is a<strong> &lsquo;not for profit&rsquo;</strong> company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013. Its two <strong>founding members are Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) &amp; Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) -</strong> Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). <strong>HAL and BEL are <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sectors-of-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">navratna companies.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607716" 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/innovations-for-defence-excellence-idex-initiative'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Quantum Technology',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><strong>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/picking-up-the-quantum-technology-baton/article31136893.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Picking up the quantum technology baton&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Hindu on 23/03/2020. It talks about opportunities and challenges associated with<strong> Quantum technology.</strong></p>
</div>
<p>Union Budget 2020-21 proposed to spend ₹8,000 crore ($ 1.2 billion) on the newly launched <strong>National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications (NMQTA).</strong> The mission seeks to develop quantum computing linked technologies amidst the second quantum revolution and make India the world&rsquo;s third biggest nation in the sector after the US and China.</p>
<p>Quantum Technologies not just have ultra fast computing capabilities, but it also has strategic and economic advantages.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584965873_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584965873_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>What is Quantum Computing?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Quantum Technology is based on the principles of Quantum mechanics, that was developed in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century to describe nature in the small &mdash; at the scale of atoms and elementary particles.</li>
<li>The first phase of this revolutionary technology has provided the foundations of our understanding of the physical world, including the interaction of light and matter, and led to ubiquitous inventions such as lasers and semiconductor transistors.</li>
<li>However, despite a century of research, the quantum world still remains mysterious and far removed from our experiences based on everyday life.</li>
<li>Thereby, a second revolution is currently underway with the goal of putting properties of quantum mechanics in the realms of computing.</li>
<li>Conventional computers process information in<strong> &lsquo;bits&rsquo; or 1s and 0s,</strong> following classical physics under which our computers <strong>can process a &lsquo;1&rsquo; or a &lsquo;0&rsquo; at a time.</strong></li>
<li>Quantum computers compute in<strong> &lsquo;qubits&rsquo; (or quantum bits).</strong> They exploit the properties of quantum mechanics, the science that governs how matter behaves on the atomic scale.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this scheme of things, processors <strong>can be a 1 and a 0 simultaneously,</strong> a state called <strong>quantum superposition.</strong></li>
<li>Because of quantum superposition, a quantum computer &mdash; if it works to plan &mdash; can <strong>mimic several classical computers working in parallel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the actual realization of this path breaking technology remains one of the great challenges faced in the fields of Quantum Computing. Though, the announcement by Google, in October 2019, where they claimed to have demonstrated the so-called <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quantum-supremacy-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;</strong></a>, is one of the first steps towards realization of this goal.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Applications of Quantum Technology</h3>
<p>Besides computing, exploring the quantum world promises other dramatic applications. For example:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Secure Communication:</strong> China recently demonstrated secure quantum communication links between terrestrial stations and satellites.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This area is significant to satellites, military and cyber security among others as it promises unimaginably fast computing and safe, unhackable satellite communication to its users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Research:</strong> It can help in solving some of the fundamental questions in physics related to gravity, black hole etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Similarly, the quantum initiative could give a big boost to the Genome India project, a collaborative effort of 20 institutions to enable new efficiencies in life sciences, agriculture and medicine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disaster Management:</strong> Tsunamis, drought, earthquakes and floods may become more predictable with quantum applications.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The collection of data regarding climate change can be streamlined in a better way through quantum technology. This in turn will have a profound impact on agriculture, food technology chains and the limiting of farmland wastage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pharmaceutical:</strong> India&rsquo;s interest in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is huge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Quantum computing could reduce the time frame of the discovery of new molecules and related processes to a few days from the present 10-year slog that scientists put in.</li>
<li>For instance, tracking protein behaviour or even modelling new proteins with the help of quantum computers could be made easier and faster.</li>
<li>Tackling chronic diseases like cancer, Alzheimer&rsquo;s and heart ailments is a big possibility of the technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Augmenting Industrial revolution 4.0:</strong> Quantum computing is an integral part of Industrial revolution 4.0.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Success in it will help in Strategic initiatives aimed at leveraging other Industrial revolution 4.0 technologies like the Internet-of-Things, machine learning, robotics, and artificial intelligence across sectors will further help in laying the foundation of the Knowledge economy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The challenge lies in harnessing the properties of quantum superposition in a highly controlled manner. The qubits tend to be very fragile and lose their &ldquo;quantumness&rdquo; if not controlled properly. Also, a careful choice of materials, design and engineering is required to get them to work.</li>
<li>On the theoretical front lies the challenge of creating the algorithms and applications for quantum computers.</li>
<li>These projects will also place new demands on classical control hardware as well as software platforms.</li>
<li>Further, Information technology-based security infrastructure would never be the same once quantum systems become a reality, given the ultra fast speed of computing power.</li>
<li>Warfare and conflict strategists will have new challenges to face.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In such scenarios India's current plans may have to be reworked to develop integrated war-theatre strategies factoring in quantum technologies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India's Effort</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Globally, research in this area is about two decades old, but in India, serious experimental work has been under way for only about five years.</li>
<li>In 2018, the government initiated serious discussions in quantum technologies and kick started research projects across 51 organisations under <strong>QUEST &ndash; Quantum Enabled Science and Technology.</strong> However, no significant progress is made in this field until NMQTA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>With NMQTA announcement, the government seeks to provide investment on a massive scale and on a par with similar programmes announced recently by the United States and Europe. However, there is an urgent need to address challenges associated with Quantum technology.Pursuing these challenges will require:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An unprecedented collaboration between physicists (both experimentalists and theorists), computer scientists, material scientists and engineers.</li>
<li>Government needs to partner institutions and the scientific community to work out details of the mission and roll it out quickly.</li>
<li>Private funding, both via industry and philanthropy, can play an outsized role even with much smaller amounts.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, unrestricted funds that can be used to attract and retain high quality manpower and to build international networks &mdash; all at short notice &mdash; can and will make an enormous difference to the success of this enterprise.</li>
<li>This is one of the most effective ways (as China and Singapore discovered) to catch up scientifically with the international community, while quickly creating a vibrant intellectual environment to help attract top researchers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #feffe3;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>India needs to harvest quantum technology for strategic and economic development. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quantum-technology'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Women and Child Development',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<h3>Important Schemes and Policies</h3>
<p><strong>Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched in Nov. 2019.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bharatiya-poshan-krishi-kosh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones in India</strong> </a>for better nutritional outcomes.</li>
<li>Document and evaluate promising regional dietary practices.</li>
<li>Develop a food atlas on regional agro-food systems.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963295_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963295_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="489" height="566" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Poshan Abhiyaan</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched in March 2018, the goal of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poshan-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Poshan Abhiyaan</strong></a> is to achieve improvement in the nutritional status of Children (0-6 years) and Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time-bound manner in next three years period beginning 2017-18 with fixed targets.</li>
<li><strong>Prevent and reduce stunting in children</strong> (0- 6 years)- By 6% @ 2% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Prevent and reduce under-nutrition</strong> (underweight prevalence) in children (0-6 years) By 6% @ 2% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce the prevalence of anaemia among young children (6-59 months)</strong> By 9% @ 3% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce the prevalence of anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls</strong> in the age group of 15-49 years. By 9% @ 3% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce low birth weight</strong> By 6% @ 2% per annum.</li>
<li>There is no provision under the POSHAN Abhiyaan to provide nutritious food. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Providing Supplementary Nutrition is a part of Anganwadi Services scheme.</li>
<li>Poshan Abhiyaan ensures convergence of various nutrition-related schemes/interventions of various ministries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>September 2019 was celebrated as POSHAN Maah.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For pregnant women and lactating mothers. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-matru-vandana-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The scheme crossed the mark of 1 crore beneficiaries.</strong></a></li>
<li>Is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme under which cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly to meet enhanced nutritional needs and partially compensate for wage loss.</li>
<li>A cash benefit of Rs. 5,000 in three instalments on fulfilling the respective conditionality- early registration of pregnancy, ante-natal check-up and registration of the birth of the child and completion of first cycle of vaccination for the first living child of the family.</li>
<li>Eligible beneficiaries also receive cash incentive under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>One Stop Centre Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-stop-centre-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>centrally sponsored scheme</strong></a> which provides for a range of services including police facilitation, medical aid, psycho-social counselling, legal counselling and temporary shelter to women affected by violence in an integrated manner under one roof.</li>
<li>It is a subscheme of an umbrella scheme for National Mission for Empowerment of Women.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Nirbhaya Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A dedicated non-lapsable corpus fund for implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women in the country.</li>
<li>Under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-stop-centre-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nirbhaya Fund</strong></a>, the proposed projects should have features like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>direct impact on the safety and security concerns of women,</li>
<li>optimum use of existing infrastructure, innovative use of technology,</li>
<li>no duplication of existing government schemes/ programmes,</li>
<li>provision for real-time intervention as far as possible,</li>
<li>strict privacy and confidentiality of women&rsquo;s identity and information,</li>
<li>defined monitoring mechanism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sexual Harassment electronic&ndash;Box (SHe-Box)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An <strong>online complaint management system for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace by women,</strong> including government and private employees. Once a complaint is submitted to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-constitutes-panel-on-sexual-harassment" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SHe-Box portal</strong></a>, it directly reaches the concerned authority having jurisdiction to take action in the matter.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Important Legislation</h3>
<p><strong>Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Bill, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill amends the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.</li>
<li>The Act seeks to protect children from offences such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Salient Features of the POCSO Amendment Bill, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is for the first time in the history of anti-sexual crimes against children law that the <strong>death penalty has been introduced.</strong></li>
<li>The Bill provides for not less than 20 years of rigorous imprisonment extending up to the rest of the natural life of the convict or death and fine in the cases of aggravated sex assault.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aggravated sex assault:</strong> Sexual crimes by people who are in positions of trust and authority. It could be the manager of a child shelter home, school principal, doctor or the hospital staff and even a family member.</li>
<li>The original version of the POCSO Act only made this category of crime liable with not less than 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill provides that if there has been a <strong>penetrative sexual assault</strong> with any child less than 16 years of age, that will be punishable with not less than 20 years of rigorous imprisonment extendable to the remainder of natural life.</li>
<li>The other significant feature is the introduction of the <strong>definition of child pornography for the first time (</strong>Section 14 and 15). The reason behind this is that perpetrators use the loopholes in the Information Technology (IT) Act and other acts to getaway. The IT Act does not cover sexually explicit photographs of children, it only covers the digital content.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Definition of Child Pornography:</strong> Any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a child which includes a photograph, video, digital or computer-generated image indistinguishable from an actual child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Storage of Pornographic Material:</strong> The Act penalised storage of pornographic material for commercial purposes with a punishment of up to three years, or a fine, or both. However, the Bill increases it to 3-5 years. In addition, the Bill adds two other offences for storage of pornographic material involving children:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Failing to destroy, or delete, or report pornographic material involving a child, and</li>
<li>Transmitting, displaying, distributing such material except for the purpose of reporting it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963786_image32.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963786_image32.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="800" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Steps Taken by Government For Speedy Dispensation of Justice</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To prescribe even more stringent penal provisions including <strong>the death penalty for rape of a girl below the age of 12 years.</strong> The Act also inter-alia mandates completion of investigation and trials within 2 months each.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-launches-registry-of-sexual-offenders" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Database on Sexual Offenders</strong></a> launched to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement agencies.</li>
<li>Online analytic tool for police<strong> &ldquo;Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences&rdquo;</strong> launched to monitor and track time-bound investigation on sexual assault cases in accordance with the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018.</li>
<li><strong>State-of-the-Art DNA Analysis Unit</strong> set up in Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh to strengthen DNA analysis units in Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories.</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme-</strong> an online cybercrime reporting portal launched to enable public to report complaints pertaining to child pornography/ child sexual abuse material, rape/gang rape imageries or sexually explicit content.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-women-and-child-development'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Extradition Treaty between India and Belgium',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584958269_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584958269_image8.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<p>Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the signing and ratifying of the Extradition Treaty between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of Belgium.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will <strong>replace the pre-Independence Extradition Treaty</strong> between Great Britain and Belgium of 1901 that was made applicable to India through the exchange of Letters in 1958.</li>
<li>The Treaty provides a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders, and other criminals from and to Belgium.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Extradition</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the formal process of one state surrendering an individual to another state for prosecution or punishment for crimes committed in the requesting country's jurisdiction.</li>
<li>This is generally enabled through a bilateral or multilateral treaty.</li>
<li>The legal basis for extradition with countries with whom India does not have an Extradition treaty is provided by <strong>Section 3 (4) of the Indian Extradition Act, 1962.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Salient Features of the Treaty</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Obligation to Extradite:</strong> Each Party agrees to extradite to the other any person found in its territory, who is accused or convicted of an <strong>extraditable offence</strong> in the territory of the other Party.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, extradition of nationals is <strong>discretionary.</strong> The nationality will be determined <strong>at the time the offence was committed.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Extraditable Offences</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An extraditable offence means an <strong>offence punishable under the laws of both the Parties with imprisonment for a period of one year or more severe punishment.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Offences relating to taxation, or revenue or is one of a fiscal character</strong> also fall within the scope of this Treaty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mandatory Grounds for Refusal Under the Treaty:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The offence involved is a <strong>political offence.</strong></li>
<li>The offence is a<strong> military offence.</strong></li>
<li>The request for prosecution has been made on <strong>account of his race, sex, religion, nationality or political opinion.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607482" 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/extradition-treaty-between-india-and-belgium'
		]
	],
	'updates' => object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

		'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
		'sql' => 'SELECT articles.article_id AS `articles__article_id`, articles.category_id AS `articles__category_id`, articles.title AS `articles__title`, articles.description AS `articles__description`, articles.shortdescription AS `articles__shortdescription`, articles.featuredimage AS `articles__featuredimage`, articles.tag_id AS `articles__tag_id`, articles.secondary_tag AS `articles__secondary_tag`, articles.type AS `articles__type`, articles.publishon AS `articles__publishon`, articles.posturl AS `articles__posturl`, articles.metatitle AS `articles__metatitle`, articles.metadescription AS `articles__metadescription`, articles.metakeyword AS `articles__metakeyword`, articles.status AS `articles__status`, articles.sort_order AS `articles__sort_order`, articles.addedby AS `articles__addedby`, articles.updatedby AS `articles__updatedby`, articles.added AS `articles__added`, articles.modified AS `articles__modified`, articles.whatsnewid AS `articles__whatsnewid`, articles.display_printpdf AS `articles__display_printpdf`, articles.display_comments AS `articles__display_comments`, articles.pdf_name AS `articles__pdf_name`, articles.display_archive AS `articles__display_archive`, articles.star_rating AS `articles__star_rating`, articles.display_in_states AS `articles__display_in_states` FROM articles articles WHERE status = :c0 ORDER BY publishon desc LIMIT 10',
		'params' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'defaultTypes' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'decorators' => (int) 0,
		'executed' => false,
		'hydrate' => true,
		'buffered' => true,
		'formatters' => (int) 0,
		'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
		'contain' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'matching' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'extraOptions' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}
	
	},
	'page' => (int) 157,
	'search' => 'class',
	'totalPages' => (float) 336,
	'title' => 'Search'
]
$progress = []
$bookmarks = []
$notes = []
$mynote = []
$topdata = [
	(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/careers',
		'title' => 'We are hiring Full Time Content Developers, to know more, please click here.',
		'type' => (int) 1,
		'date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'news'
	
	}
]
$searchdata = []
$searchlist = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'COVID-19 Loans by Indian Bank',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Indian Bank</strong> which is a <strong>public sector lender,</strong> has announced special emergency loans for various categories of customers such as individuals, corporates, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises</strong></a> (MSMEs) and <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/self-help-groups-shgs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>self-help groups</strong></a> (SHGs), retail borrowers and pensioners in the wake of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID-19.</a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is expected that these credit lines will meet the immediate liquidity requirements of businesses and other sections of the society.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ind-Covid Emergency Credit Line:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide <strong>additional funding of up to 10% of the working capital limits</strong> (fund-based and non fund-based) with a maximum limit of ₹100 crore.</li>
<li><strong>Large corporates and medium enterprises</strong> that are in the standard category would be eligible for this loan.</li>
<li>The <strong>loans</strong> would only carry a fixed interest rate of one-year MCLR <strong>(marginal cost of funds based lending rate).</strong> All other charges are waived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ind-MSE Covid Emergency Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide an <strong>additional funding of 10% of fund-based working capital limits</strong> subject to a maximum of ₹50 lakh to all MSMEs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>SHG-Covid-Sahaya Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under this, each member can avail a<strong> soft loan of ₹5,000 and ₹1 lakh per SHG.</strong></li>
<li>The loan is<strong> for 36 months</strong> with a six months moratorium.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ind-Covid Emergency Salary Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will be given <strong>to salaried employees</strong> up to an<strong> amount equivalent to 20 times the latest monthly gross salary</strong> subject to a maximum of ₹2 lakh.</li>
<li>This is to meet urgent medical and other expenditure.</li>
<li>The loan will be given at a<strong> concessional rate of interest</strong> and all charges are waived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ind-Covid Emergency Pension Loan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>provided up to 15 times of monthly pension</strong> subject to a maximum of ₹2 lakh, with a <strong>60 month repayment tenor.</strong></li>
<li>Interest is charged at concessional rates interest and all other charges are waived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Bank</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an Indian <strong>state-owned public sector lender.</strong></li>
<li>It was established on <strong>15<sup>th</sup> August 1907</strong> as part of the <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-82" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Swadeshi movement.</strong></a></li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered in Chennai.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the minimum interest rate, below which a bank is not permitted to lend, though RBI can give authorization for the same in exceptional cases. It depends on factors such as fixed deposit rates, source of funds and savings rate.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Swadeshi Movement</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It started in <strong>1905</strong> was <strong>one of the most successful movements</strong> of the Pre-Gandhian era.</li>
<li><strong>Causes:</strong> Punjab land alienation Act of 1900, Passing of Indian university commission Act 1904, Partition of Bengal in 1905, economic exploitation, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Methods and instruments:</strong> It initially adopted <strong>passive resistance</strong> but the movement gained momentum and a more <strong>active form of resistance.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong> It led to significant decline in the foreign imports during 1905-1908, building of self-reliance and gave the strength to masses to disobey the British. However, it set <strong>undertones for communal disharmony and extreme nationalism.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/indian-bank-to-give-covid-19-loans/article31166931.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/covid-19-loans-by-indian-bank'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Recapitalisation of RRBs',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Centre has approved a ₹1,340-crore recapitalisation plan for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The move is crucial to ensure liquidity in rural areas during the lockdown due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> crisis.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regional Rural Banks</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>RRBs are financial institutions which ensure adequate <strong>credit for agriculture and other rural sectors.</strong></li>
<li>Regional Rural Banks were set up on the basis of the recommendations of the <strong>Narasimham Working Group (1975),</strong> and after the legislation of the <strong>Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.</strong></li>
<li>The first Regional Rural Bank &ldquo;Prathama Grameen Bank&rdquo; was set up on 2<sup>nd</sup> October, 1975.</li>
<li><strong>Stakeholders:</strong> The <strong>equity</strong> of a regional rural bank is held by the <strong>Central Government,</strong> concerned <strong>State Government</strong> and the <strong>Sponsor Bank</strong> in the proportion of <strong>50:15:35.</strong></li>
<li>The RRBs combine the <strong>characteristics of a cooperative</strong> in terms of the familiarity of the rural problems <strong>and a commercial bank</strong> in terms of its professionalism and ability to mobilise financial resources.</li>
<li>Each RRB operates within the local limits as notified by the Government.</li>
<li>The <strong>main objectives</strong> of RRBs are<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To provide credit and other facilities to<strong> the small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans and small entrepreneurs in rural areas.</strong></li>
<li>To check the outflow of rural deposits to urban areas and <strong>reduce regional imbalances</strong> and <strong>increase rural employment generation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The RRBs are required to provide 75% of their total credit as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-raises-cap-on-home-loan-under-psl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>priority sector lending.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This recapitalisation (a strategy of enhancing the financial base of an entity to overcome a rough financial situation) would improve their <strong>capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio (CRAR)</strong> and strengthen these institutions for providing credit in rural areas.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The step will help those RRBs which are unable to maintain a minimum CRAR of 9%, as per the regulatory norms prescribed by the RBI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The release of the Rs. 670 crore as the central share funds will be contingent upon the release of the proportionate share by the sponsor banks.</li>
<li>The recapitalisation process of RRBs <strong>was approved by the cabinet in 2011 based</strong> on the recommendations of a committee set up under the <strong>Chairmanship of K C Chakrabarty.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-bank-for-agriculture-and-rural-development-nabard" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)</strong></a> identifies those RRBs, which require recapitalisation assistance to maintain the mandatory CRAR of 9% based on the CRAR position of RRBs, as on 31<sup>st</sup> March of every year.</li>
<li>The scheme for recapitalization of RRBs was extended up to 2019-20 in a phased manner post 2011.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Capital-to-risk Weighted Assets Ratio</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>CRAR or <strong>Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR)</strong> is the ratio of a bank&rsquo;s capital in relation to its <strong>risk weighted assets and current liabilities.</strong></li>
<li>It is decided by central banks and bank regulators to prevent commercial banks from taking excess leverage and becoming insolvent in the process.</li>
<li>The <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basel-iii-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basel III norms</a></strong> stipulated a capital to risk weighted assets of 8%.</li>
<li>However, as per <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>RBI</strong> </a>norms, Indian scheduled commercial banks are required to maintain a <strong>CRAR of 9%.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/union-cabinet-approves-recapitalisation-of-rrbs/article31166838.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/recapitalisation-of-rrbs'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Mamallapuram',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong> Mamallapuram, also called <strong>Mahabalipuram</strong> or <strong>Seven Pagodas,</strong> is a town that lies along the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, <strong>south of Chennai (Tamil Nadu).</strong></li>
<li><strong>History</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an important town of the <strong>erstwhile Pallava dynasty</strong> that <strong>ruled in parts of South India</strong> from 275 CE to 897 CE.</li>
<li>It was <strong>founded by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman</strong> I in the 7<sup>th</sup> century AD.</li>
<li>The name Mamallapuram derives from <strong>Mamallan, or &ldquo;great warrior&rdquo;,</strong> a title by which the Pallava King <strong>Narasimhavarman I</strong> was known.</li>
<li>The <strong>name Mamallapuram got distorted during the British era </strong>to<strong> Mahabalipuram</strong> and thus it is also known as Mahabalipuram.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Architecture</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Mamallapuram contains many surviving 7<sup>th</sup>- and 8<sup>th</sup>-century Pallava temples and monuments, chief of which are the<strong> sculptured rock relief</strong> popularly known as <strong>&ldquo;Arjuna&rsquo;s Penance,&rdquo; or &ldquo;Descent of the Ganges,&rdquo;</strong> a series of sculptured <strong>cave temples,</strong> and the<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shore-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Shore Temple.</a></strong></li>
<li>The town&rsquo;s <strong>Five Rathas,</strong> or monolithic temples, are the remnants of seven temples, for which the town was known as Seven Pagodas. The entire assemblage collectively was designated a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong></a><strong> in 1984.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ancient Chinese, Persian, and Roman coins found at Mamallapuram point that it was a <strong>seaport.</strong></li>
<li>Mamallapuram and the Pallava dynasty are also historically relevant, for the earliest recorded security pact between China and India (in the early 8<sup>th</sup> century) that involved a Pallava king (Rajasimhan, or <strong>Narasimha Varma II),</strong> from whom the Chinese sought help to counter Tibet.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-2nd-informal-summit-mamallapuram-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>second informal summit between India and China</strong></a> was held here in October 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585207231_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585207231_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mamallapuram-2'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Regulatory Bodies',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/to-mitigate-the-crisis-rethink-role-of-regulators/story-yJTh3Exh5dn46DkGZH5NiN.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;To mitigate the crisis, rethink role of regulators&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in Hindustan Times on 24/03/2020. It talks about how a crucial role is played by financial and economic regulators during a crisis situation for its mitigation.</p>
</div>
<p>The economic impacts of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic coronavirus disease (Covid-19)</strong> </a>may last longer than its health effects. The global economy was stabilising before the spread of Covid-19, but now it has started showing its impacts on global economies.</p>
<p><strong>The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)</strong> estimates that the pandemic will lead to a <strong>1.5% slowdown in global growth. The World Trade Organization (WTO)</strong> also expects a &ldquo;substantial&rdquo; impact on the global economy. The <strong>economic impact on India</strong> will be more profound because most jobs are informal, State capacity for disaster response is low, and health care is far from universal.</p>
<p>In this context, the significance of regulatory bodies becomes more apparent for early recovery and mitigation of crisis emanating from Covid-19.</p>
<h3>Role of Regulatory Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India liberalised industries in the 1990s and handed over sectoral governance to regulatory bodies. These bodies played a constructive role in ensuring the free and fair market.</li>
<li>Post 1990, Privatisation saw the advent of the 'Indian Regulator' that became the 'nurturer' and 'parent' of its sector. The regulators <strong>incentivised private investment</strong> by giving them functional autonomy and shielding them from interference.</li>
<li>Also, regulatory bodies have shown that empowered regulator can bring fruitful results:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Steps taken by <strong>Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong> in tackling the liquidity crisis and management of increasing Non- Performing Assets (NPAs).</li>
<li><strong>SEBI</strong> has also been instrumental in taking quick and effective steps in light of the global meltdown and the Satyam fiasco.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, improper regulation or failure of regulatory bodies in smoothening the interaction between markets and the State may lead to a new crisis. For example,<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/crisis-in-the-telecom-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AGR issue:</strong></a> In October 2019, the Supreme Court demanded that telecom companies pay statutory dues worth ₹1.47 lakh crore to the central government.</li>
<li>These dues didn&rsquo;t pile up overnight but stem from a 15-year-old dispute over sharing of revenues between telcos and the government. A well-regulated industry would not be subject to such a large fiscal shock.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regulatory Bodies</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are independent governmental bodies established by the government in order to set standards in a specific field of activity, or operations and then to enforce those standards. Regulatory agencies may or may not function outside direct executive supervision.</li>
<li>The main functions of the regulatory body are typically identified as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Regulations and guides</li>
<li>Review and assessment</li>
<li>Licensing</li>
<li>Inspection</li>
<li>Corrective actions</li>
<li>Enforcement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Some examples of regulatory bodies in India are: Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDCSO), Competition Commission of India (CCI)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Issues with Regulatory Bodies in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Populist pressure:</strong> In India political populism often overtakes the economic agenda. This casts a shadow on regulation. There are constant interferences in the functioning of regulatory bodies by the ruling political parties.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Eg, Interventions of government in the RBI functioning</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Selection of non- experts:</strong> The selection of non-experts to lead the regulatory bodies may bring lack of efficiency in the functioning of such bodies. Recently, this issue was raised when the former Finance secretary was appointed as RBI chairman.</li>
<li><strong>Inefficient review mechanism:</strong> The review mechanism of the functioning of the regulatory bodies under the aegis of parliamentary committees is not very robust.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations made by Regulatory Authorities are rarely implemented.</strong></li>
<li>Presence of many regulatory bodies causes overlapping of powers. For example: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Environment- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and National GreenTribunal (NGT).</li>
<li>Controversy between SEBI and IRDAI over Unit Linked Insurance Policy.</li>
<li>Education sector- All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and University Grants Commission (UGC).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Some Suggestion for Regulatory Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Regulatory organisations should undertake a <strong>self-evaluation</strong> of themselves once in a few (say three) years, and put out the conclusions in the public domain for informed discussion and debate.</li>
<li>Genuine<strong> functional autonomy</strong> would also have to be reinforced with <strong>financial autonomy</strong> by putting in place a system where regulatory organisations are not dependent on government departments for financial support.</li>
<li>Functional autonomy without corresponding accountability is a sure recipe for chaos. Thus, there is a need to make sure such bodies imbibe the ethos of <strong>transparency and accountability</strong> in the functioning of the bodies.</li>
<li>The<strong> appointment</strong> of persons to head regulatory organisations should be attempted in a far more <strong>transparent manner.</strong></li>
<li>Many countries have adopted techniques like <strong>&ldquo;Regulatory Impact Assessments&rdquo;.</strong> India can also mandate such techniques through legislation and thereby preserve economic value.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA)</strong></p>
<p>Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) is a systemic approach to critically assessing the positive and negative effects of proposed and existing regulations and non-regulatory alternatives. As employed in OECD countries it encompasses a range of methods. It is an important element of an evidence-based approach to policymaking.</p>
</div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Many studies suggest that Covid-19 has caused a huge economic loss and will continue to do so in the immediate future. Today, among many experts there is a consensus that we may be headed for not just a slowdown, but perhaps even a recession.</p>
<p>Thus there is a <strong>need for empowered regulatory bodies</strong> which can steer regulations to make sectors of the economy robust and smoothly mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic Covid -19.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f2eedf;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Empowered Regulatory Bodies are significant in the mitigation of an economic crisis. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regulatory-bodies-1'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Traditional New Year Festivals',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The President of India has greeted the people on the eve of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Ugadi, Gudi Padava, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These festivals of the <strong>spring season</strong> mark the beginning of the <strong>traditional new year</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Chaitra Shukla Pratipada</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It marks the beginning of the <strong>new year of the Vikram Samvat</strong> also known as the <strong>Vedic [Hindu] calendar.</strong></li>
<li>Vikram Samvat is based on the day when the emperor Vikramaditya defeated Sakas, invaded Ujjain and called for a new era.</li>
<li>Under his supervision, astronomers formed a new calendar based on the <strong>luni-solar system</strong> that is still followed in the northern regions of India.</li>
<li>It is the first day during the waxing phase (in which the visible side of moon is getting bigger every night) of the moon in the <strong>Chaitra (first month</strong> of Hindu calendar).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gudi Padwa and Ugadi</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These festivals are celebrated by the people in the <strong>Deccan region</strong> including <strong>Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.</strong></li>
<li>The common practice in the celebrations of both the festivals is the <strong>festive food</strong> that is prepared with a <strong>mix of sweet and bitter.</strong></li>
<li>A famous concoction served is jaggery (sweet) and neem (bitter), called <strong>bevu-bella</strong> in the South, signifying that life brings both happiness and sorrows.</li>
<li><strong>Gudi</strong> is a doll prepared in <strong>Maharashtrian</strong> homes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A bamboo stick is adorned with green or red brocade to make the gudi. This gudi is placed prominently in the house or outside a window/ door for all to see.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For <strong>Ugadi,</strong> doors in homes are adorned with <strong>mango leaf decorations</strong> called <strong>toranalu or Torana in Kannada.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Cheti Chand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Sindhis</strong> celebrate the new year as Cheti Chand. <strong>Chaitra</strong> month is called <strong>'Chet'</strong> in Sindhi.</li>
<li>The day commemorates the birth anniversary of <strong>Uderolal/Jhulelal,</strong> the <strong>patron saint of Sindhis.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Navreh</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>lunar new year</strong> that is celebrated in<strong> Kashmir.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>Sanskrit</strong> word <em>&lsquo;Nav-Varsha&rsquo;</em> from where the word &lsquo;Navreh&rsquo; has been derived.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It falls on the first day of the Chaitra Navratri.</li>
<li>On this day, Kashmiri pandits look at a bowl of rice which is considered as a symbol of riches and fertility.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Sajibu Cheiraoba</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>ritual festival of Meiteis</strong> which is observed on the first day of <strong>Manipur lunar month Shajibu,</strong> which falls in March/April every year.</li>
<li>On the day of the festival, people arrange a <strong>joint family feast</strong> in which traditional cuisines are offered to local deities at the entrance gates of the houses.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Meities</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Meiteis are <strong>one of the most eminent ethnic groups of Manipur,</strong> hailing from the Manipur Valley.</li>
<li>They speak<strong> Tibeto-Burman language</strong> and most of the people belonging to the group, <strong>follow Hindu customs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607954" 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/traditional-new-year-festivals'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Indigenously Developed Testing Kits for COVID-19',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>test kits for COVID-19</strong> developed by the Pune-based <strong>MyLab Discovery Solutions and Germany&rsquo;s Altona Diagnostics</strong> have been approved by 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></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two companies have also received <strong>approval to mass manufacture the kits</strong> after they received commercial <strong>approval from the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-editorials/18-05-2019/print" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).</a></strong></li>
<li>Currently, the diagnostic kits to test people for COVID-19 are <strong>imported from the USA.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Approval Conditions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, the kits approved by the <strong>United States Food and Drugs Administration</strong> or certified by the <strong>European Union</strong> were allowed to offer commercial tests for detecting SARS CoV-2.</li>
<li>However, ICMR stated that it is no longer a requirement and even those <strong>approved by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) would be eligible for testing.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Feature of the Developed Testing Kit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Quick Detection:</strong> The developed kit <strong>detects the infection within two and half hours</strong> compared to over seven hours taken by current protocol.</li>
<li><strong>Accuracy:</strong> The <strong>ability to detect the early stage of detection and highest accuracy</strong> has been observed with the indigenously developed testing kit for COVID-19.</li>
<li><strong>Affordable:</strong> For the government labs, these testing kits would cost nearly <strong>Rs 1,200 per test kit, which is about one-fourth of the current testing kit</strong> used by India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indigenously Developed:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The indigenously developed testing kits for COVID-19 by MyLabs have been manufactured <strong>as per <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Health Organisation (WHO)</a> /Centre for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.</strong></li>
<li><strong>MyLabs discovery Solutions is the first indigenous manufacturer</strong> to be approved for deploying its <strong>kits for COVID-19 testing.</strong></li>
<li>The approval from National Institute of Virology (NIV) to MyLabs is expected to provide major support to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; programme</strong></a> in the future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.</li>
<li>It was founded in <strong>1911</strong> with the name of Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) and <strong>renamed as ICMR in 1949.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>funded</strong> by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, <strong>Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Institute of Virology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Institute of Virology is one of the major Institutes of the <strong>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).</strong></li>
<li>It was established at <strong>Pune, Maharashtra in 1952 as Virus Research Centre (VRC)</strong> under the auspices of the<strong> ICMR </strong>and the <strong>Rockefeller Foundation (RF), USA.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The CDSCO is the Central Drug Authority for discharging functions assigned to the Central Government under the <strong>Drugs and Cosmetics Act,1940.</strong></li>
<li>Major Functions:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Regulatory control</strong> over the import of drugs, approval of new drugs and clinical trials.</li>
<li>Approval of<strong> certain licences</strong> as Central Licence Approving Authority</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/punes-mylab-gets-approval-for-covid-19-diagnostic-kit/article31151858.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/indigenously-developed-testing-kits-for-covid-19'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Invest India Business Immunity Platform',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Invest India,</strong> under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the <strong>&lsquo;Invest India Business Immunity Platform&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Business Immunity Platform (BIP) is designed as a comprehensive resource <strong>to help businesses and investors</strong> get real-time updates on India&rsquo;s active response to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> (Coronavirus).</li>
<li>BIP is an active platform for business <strong>issue redressal, operating 24/7,</strong> with a team of dedicated sector experts and responding to queries at the earliest.</li>
<li>Important features of BIP are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It keeps a regular track on developments with respect to the coronavirus.</li>
<li>Provides latest information on various central and state government initiatives, and answers and resolves queries through emails and on WhatsApp.</li>
<li>Includes frequently asked questions on important aspects like locations of COVID-19 testing and other location-specific information.</li>
<li>Maps and highlights the response mechanism put in place by leading Indian companies such as sanitation of staff vehicles, disabling biometric attendance systems,usage of video-conferencing and tele-conferencing, developing online solutions and other unique initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This platform also provides the ability to join the dots to find matching suppliers with required supplies and for innovators, startups and MSMEs to showcase their solutions</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Invest India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Invest India is <strong>India's national Investment Promotion &amp; Facilitation Agency.</strong></li>
<li>It was set up in 2009 as a <strong>non-profit venture</strong> under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, <strong>Ministry of Commerce and Industry.</strong></li>
<li>It focuses on<strong> sector-specific investor targeting and development</strong> of new partnerships to enable sustainable investments in India.</li>
<li>It partners with substantial investment promotion agencies and multilateral organizations and also actively works with several Indian states to build capacity as well as bring in global best practices in investment targeting, promotion and facilitation areas.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607905" 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/invest-india-business-immunity-platform'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Burden on Companies Eased',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has made a series of announcements to ease the burden of companies during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-s-preparedness" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> outbreak.</p>
<h3>Announcements</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Increase in the threshold for initiation of corporate insolvency from <strong>Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would <strong>prevent small businesses</strong> from being <strong>dragged into insolvency</strong> (inability to pay debts when they are due).</li>
<li>This would also ease the compliance burden on companies during the coronavirus outbreak.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A<strong> suspension on mandatory filings</strong> with the <strong>Corporate Affairs Ministry&rsquo;s MCA-21 portal,</strong> also additional fees for late filing has been removed.</li>
<li>A <strong>60 day relaxation</strong> in the rule requiring that <strong>board meetings</strong> be held once every 120 days for the next two quarters.</li>
<li>The companies would also be exempt from the requirement under the <strong>Companies Act</strong> that <strong>at least one director</strong> be in residency in the country for at least 182 days in the year.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 is a step towards settling the legal position with respect to <strong>financial failures and insolvency.</strong></li>
<li>It provides easy exit with a painless mechanism in cases of insolvency of individuals as well as companies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Applicability of the Code</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The provisions of the Code shall apply for<strong> insolvency, liquidation, voluntary liquidation or bankruptcy of the following entities :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 or under any previous law.</li>
<li>Any other company governed by any special act for the time being in force, except in so far as the said provision is inconsistent with the provisions of such Special Act.</li>
<li>Any Limited Liability Partnership under the LLP Act 2008.</li>
<li>Any other body being incorporated under any other law for the time being in force, as specified by the Central Government in this regard.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, this code shall apply only if the <strong>minimum amount of the default is Rs. 1 lakh.</strong></li>
<li>However, by placing the notification in the Official Gazette, the Central Government may specify the minimum amount of default of higher value which <strong>shall not be more than Rs. 1 crore.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Exceptions:</strong> There is an exception to the applicability of the Code that it shall not apply to corporate persons who are regulated financial service providers such as Banks, Financial Institutions and Insurance companies.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>MCA21</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>MCA21 is an e-Governance initiative of the <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA),</strong> Government of India.</li>
<li>It enables an <strong>easy and secure access of the MCA services</strong> to the corporate entities, professionals and citizens of India.</li>
<li>The application is designed to fully<strong> automate all processes</strong> related to the proactive enforcement and compliance of the legal requirements under <strong>the Companies Act, 1956, New Companies Act, 2013 and Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008.</strong></li>
<li>This will help the business community to <strong>meet their statutory obligations.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/govt-raises-insolvency-threshold-to-rs-1-crore-to-help-small-companies-6330193/" 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/burden-on-companies-eased'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Tokyo Olympics 2020 Postponed',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee have decided to <strong>postpone</strong> the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games <strong>to the summer 2021</strong> due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus pandemic.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>However, the Olympics Games <strong>will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.</strong></li>
<li>The decision came after some of the major sporting nations like <strong>Australia and Canada</strong> withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics 2020.</li>
<li>The nations withdrew in the backdrop of <strong>limited international travel, difficulty in training and exposed risk of contracting or spreading the disease.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>COVID-19</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Health Organisation (WHO) has named the new coronavirus disease as <strong>&lsquo;COVID-19&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>The new name is taken from the words<strong> "corona", "virus" and "disease", with 2019</strong> representing the year when it emerged (the outbreak was reported to the WHO on 31<sup>st</sup> December, 2019).</li>
<li>The word coronavirus refers to the <strong>group of viruses it belongs to,</strong> rather than the latest strain. The latest strain has been designated &lsquo;Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)&rsquo; by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.</li>
<li>The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also declared COVID-19 as a pandemic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the WHO, a pandemic is declared when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world beyond expectations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historic Postponement :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The organisers have postponed the event for the<strong> first time in its 124-year modern history.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 at Athens (Greece).<strong><br /></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is also considered as the <strong>first postponement</strong> of an Olympics in <strong>peacetime.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier, the games were not held during World War II considering the turmoil across the world.</li>
<li>In 1940, Japan was to be the first Asian country to host the Olympics.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>But its military aggression in Asia forced the annulment of the Olympics scheduled in Japan.</li>
<li>The 1940 Olympics is known as the <strong>&ldquo;Missing Olympics&rdquo;</strong> after the Games were switched to Helsinki (Finland) before finally being scrapped because of World War II.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Cost:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tokyo was<strong> spending $12.6 billion</strong> to host the Games and a postponement could <strong>cost it $6 billion</strong> as the short-term period loss.</li>
<li>It will also be a<strong> bitter blow to sponsors and major broadcasters</strong> who rely on this four-yearly event for critical advertising revenue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Origin:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Olympic Games <strong>originated </strong>in <strong>ancient Greece</strong> and were an intrinsic part of a <strong>religious festival.</strong> They were held in honour of Zeus (the greek god of the sky) at Olympia in Greece.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Modern Olympics Games:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Olympic Games were <strong>revived</strong> in the late <strong>19<sup>th</sup> century.</strong></li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 at Athens (Greece).</span></p>
</li>
<li>The<strong> architect of the modern Olympics Games </strong>was<strong> Pierre, baron de Coubertin.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Olympic Committee (IOC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was created on <strong>23 June 1894</strong> and is the<strong> supreme authority</strong> of the Olympic Movement.</li>
<li>It is a <strong>not-for-profit independent</strong> international organisation that is committed to building a better world through sport.</li>
<li>It ensures the regular celebration of the Olympic Games, supports all affiliated member organisations and strongly encourages, by appropriate means, the promotion of the Olympic values.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pattern of Olympics Games:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Olympics have been held <strong>every four years since 1948.</strong></li>
<li>The honour of holding the Olympic Games is <strong>entrusted to a city, not to a country.</strong> The choice of the city lies solely with the IOC. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Thus , the application to hold the Games is made by the chief authority of the city, with the support of the national government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/olympics-postponed-to-be-held-latest-by-2021-summer-says-japanese-pm/article31154196.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/tokyo-olympics-2020-postponed'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Cess Fund for Welfare of Construction Workers',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Labour &amp; Employment has Issued an advisory to all States/UTs to use the Cess Fund for Welfare of Construction Workers.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The advisory comes under Section 60 of the <strong>Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act, 1996.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Act regulates the employment and conditions of service of building and other construction workers.</li>
<li>It provides for their safety, health and welfare measures and for other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>All State Governments/UTs have been advised to transfer funds from the Cess Fund to the account of construction workers through <strong>Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.</strong></li>
<li>The amount to be granted to construction workers may be decided by the respective state governments and Union territories.</li>
<li>The financial assistance at this point in time would help to mitigate the financial crisis of construction workers to some extent and boost their morale to deal with COVID-19.</li>
<li><strong>About the Cess Fund</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The BOCW Cess Act, 1996, provides for the levy and collection of cess at 1-2 % of the cost of construction, as the Central government may notify.</li>
<li>The cess has been levied at the rate of 1% of the cost of construction, as notified by the Central government in its official gazette.</li>
<li>The cess is <strong>collected by the State governments and UTs.</strong></li>
<li>It is utilised for the welfare of building and other construction workers by the respective State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cess</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cess is a <strong>form of tax</strong> levied over and above the base tax liability of a taxpayer.</li>
<li>Cess is resorted to only when there is a need to meet the <strong>particular expenditure for public welfare.</strong></li>
<li>Cess is not a permanent source of revenue for the government, and it is <strong>discontinued</strong> when the purpose of levying it is fulfilled.</li>
<li>It can be levied on <strong>both indirect and direct taxes.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Examples :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Swachh Bharat Cess:</strong> Introduced in 2015, a 0.5% Swachh Bharat cess was imposed to fund a national campaign for clearing the roads, streets and the infrastructure of India.</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructure Cess:</strong> Announced in Union Budget 2016, this cess was charged on the production of vehicles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607911" 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/cess-fund-for-welfare-of-construction-workers'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Sovereignty: Unconstrained Right?',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/not-an-unfettered-right/article31136495.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Not an unfettered right&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 23/03/2020. It talks about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights filing an application in Supreme Court of India seeking to intervene as <strong>amicus curiae</strong> in a petition challenging the constitutionality of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR), Michelle Bachelet, filed an application seeking to intervene as <strong>amicus curiae</strong> in a petition <strong>(&lsquo;Deb Mukharji &amp; Ors vs Union of India &amp; Ors&rsquo;)</strong> challenging the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/opposition-to-citizenship-amendment-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>constitutionality of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019</strong></a> (CAA) in the Supreme Court of India.</p>
<p>The government of India in a strong reaction stated that the CAA is an internal matter, concerning the sovereign right of Parliament to make laws, and no foreign body had any locus standi (the right or capacity to bring an action or to appear in a court) on issues pertaining to India&rsquo;s sovereignty.</p>
<p>In this context, this case provides an opportunity for India to have clarity on questions pertaining to sovereignty in relation to international law which may intervene in domestic proceedings.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Amicus Curiae</strong></p>
<p>An amicus curiae <strong>(literally, "friend of the court")</strong> is someone who is not a party to a case and may or may not have been solicited by a party and who assists a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case.</p>
<p><strong>UNCHR</strong></p>
<p>The post of the UNCHR was established in pursuant to the UN General Assembly Resolution 48/141 (1993), with the mandate to:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Promote and protect the effective enjoyment of human rights.</li>
<li>Take an active role in preventing the continuation of human rights violations.</li>
<li>Engage in dialogue with governments in the implementation of human rights obligations.</li>
<li>Support domestic courts, with their constitutional or judicial function, in ensuring the implementation of international legal obligations.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>What is the concept of Sovereignty?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Sovereignty</strong> is the full right and power of a governing body over itself, without any interference from outside sources or bodies.</li>
<li>The <strong>Preamble to the Indian Constitution</strong> lays out the position, wherein the people of India have resolved to constitute the Indian Republic into a sovereign country.</li>
<li>However, in practical terms, no country can exercise sovereignty by being isolated with other countries, it has to engage and collaborate with other nations under a defined set of international law.</li>
<li>According to the<strong> International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty,</strong> &ldquo;national political authorities are responsible to the citizens internally and to the international community through the UN&rdquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, it is appropriate to say that an authority&rsquo;s right to sovereignty is not unfettered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, <strong>Article 51 (c)</strong> of the Constitution directs the state to &ldquo;foster respect for international law&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Case of Locus Standi of UNCHR</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is a voluntary application rather than at the invitation of the Supreme Court.</li>
<li>India is a state party and signatory to various international conventions including the<strong> International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights</strong> and the <strong>International Covenant on Economic, Social and Culture Rights</strong> which contain important non-discrimination clauses, including on the ground of religion.</li>
<li>Further, as part of its mandate, the UNCHR routinely intervenes before regional and domestic courts across the world.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Accordingly, the UNCHR has previously filed amicus briefs before regional courts such as the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court on Human Rights as well as domestic courts such as the US Supreme Court and final appellate courts in Asia and Latin America.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, while interpreting fundamental rights under the Constitution, the Supreme Court (SC) has taken into account and given due weightage to India&rsquo;s international legal obligations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the KS Puttaswamy case, SC&rsquo;s conception of the<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/privacy-judgement-and-the-aftermath" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> &ldquo;right to privacy&rdquo;</a></strong> was informed by India&rsquo;s international law obligations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>India should reconsider its stance of not allowing UNCHR as amicus curiae in CAA case. If the intervention is allowed, the Indian government will also have the opportunity to address the implications of the CAA under international law. This will also send a strong signal to the international community that India is a nation that respects the rule of international law.</p>
<p>Moreover, the case provides an opportunity for the Supreme Court to lay down the law on whether such applications interfere with national sovereignty.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #d9faed;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>A sovereign nation can operate independently without interference from foreign powers. Critically analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sovereignty-unconstrained-right'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'World Tuberculosis Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Tuberculosis (TB) Day</strong> is observed on <strong>24<sup>th</sup> March</strong> every year to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The date 24<sup>th</sup> March is chosen to commemorate the anniversary of <strong>Dr. Robert Koch&rsquo;s discovery of the cause of Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium Tuberculosis) in 1882.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>TB remains the <strong>world&rsquo;s deadliest infectious killer.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Each day, over 4000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this <strong>preventable and curable disease.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Theme for 2020: &lsquo;It&rsquo;s time&rsquo;.</strong> It puts the accent on the <strong>urgency to act on the commitments</strong> made by global leaders to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>scale up access to prevention and treatment.</li>
<li>build accountability.</li>
<li>ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research.</li>
<li>promote an end to stigma and discrimination.</li>
<li>promote an equitable, rights-based and people-centered TB response.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Efforts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> World Health Organization</strong> </a>(WHO) has launched a <strong>joint initiative &ldquo;Find. Treat. All. #EndTB&rdquo;</strong> with the <strong>Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It aims to accelerate the TB response and ensure access to care, in line with WHO&rsquo;s overall drive towards <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/universal-health-coverage-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Universal Health Coverage.</strong> </a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>WHO also releases the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-tuberculosis-report-2019-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Tuberculosis Report.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Efforts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Government of India has committed to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lancet-building-a-tuberculosis-free-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>eliminate the prevalence of TB by 2025</strong></a>, with commensurate resources to rapidly reduce TB incidence prevalence and mortality in India.</li>
<li>The<strong> Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</strong> is implementing the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-with-the-world-bank-to-eliminate-tb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Strategic Plan</strong></a> (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination <strong>(2017-2025).</strong></li>
<li>The President of India had appealed to all the stakeholders to come together to reinforce the efforts in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tb-harega-desh-jeetega-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> "TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign"</strong></a> to make it a true people&rsquo;s movement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tuberculosis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>TB is caused by <strong>bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)</strong> that most often affect the lungs.</li>
<li><strong>Transmission:</strong> TB is spread from<strong> person to person through the air.</strong> When people with TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.</li>
<li><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.</li>
<li><strong>Treatment:</strong> TB is a treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a <strong>standard 6 month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs</strong> that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.</li>
<li>Anti-TB medicines have been used for decades and strains that are resistant to 1 or more of the medicines have been documented in every country surveyed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)</strong> is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful, first-line anti-TB drugs. MDR-TB is treatable and curable by using second-line drugs.</li>
<li><strong>Extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB)</strong> is a more serious form of MDR-TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to the most effective second-line anti-TB drugs, often leaving patients without any further treatment options.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607802" 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-tuberculosis-day'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Aircraft Amendment Bill, 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the<strong> Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020</strong> which seeks to amend the<strong> Aircraft Act, 1934.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Act regulates</strong> the manufacture, possession, use, operation, sale, import and export of civil aircrafts and licensing of aerodromes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Features</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill will provide<strong> statutory status to regulatory institutions</strong> like the <strong>Directorate General of Civil Aviation</strong> (DGCA), the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/counter-drone-strategy-for-countrys-airports-is-ready" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bureau of Civil Aviation Security</strong></a> (BCAS) and the<strong> Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau</strong> (AAIB).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>DGCA</strong> will carry out oversight and regulatory functions with respect to matters under the Bill.</li>
<li><strong>BCAS</strong> carries out regulatory oversight functions related to civil aviation security.</li>
<li><strong>AAIB</strong> carries out investigations related to aircraft accidents and incidents.</li>
<li>The statutory status to these regulatory institutions would <strong>improve India&rsquo;s aviation safety ranking</strong> as suggested by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Civil Aviation Organization</strong></a> (ICAO).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill proposes to<strong> increase the fine amount for violations of rules</strong> from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for aviation industry players.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the Bill, the central government may cancel the licences, certificates or approvals granted to a person under the Act if the person contravenes any provision of the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Act exempted aircrafts</strong> belonging to the <strong>naval, military, or air forces</strong> of the Union.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill <strong>expands this exemption</strong> to include aircrafts belonging to any <strong>other armed forces other than these three.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The civil aviation sector had been <strong>deregulated</strong> with little role for the government to set air fare.</li>
<li>There has been a<strong> drop in demand</strong> and airline companies are under stress due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a> outbreak.</li>
<li>Air India is having huge losses (₹26 crore daily) due to its <strong>disinvestment</strong> and it is likely to get worse in the wake of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic.</strong></a></li>
<li>The aviation sector faces the<strong> shortage of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-tallest-atc-tower" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air-Traffic Controllers</a></strong> (ATCs).</li>
<li>The cases of <strong>&ldquo;near miss&rdquo;</strong> in the skies have <strong>increased.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A near miss is when two aircraft come so close that their safety is compromised. The safe distance between two planes flying in opposite directions is 40 seconds depending on their speed. Similarly, the vertical distance of 1,000 feet is considered safe.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Airfares need to remain <strong>affordable</strong> and airlines also need to remain <strong>viable.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>strength of ATCs needs to be increased</strong> to avoid any possibility of mid-air collisions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has 3,500 ATCs and 250 more will be hired next year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bill-to-grant-statutory-status-to-dgca-passed-in-lok-sabha/article31096153.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/aircraft-amendment-bill-2020'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Digitised Scripts of Yakshagana',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>voluntary community effort</strong> by the trust named <strong>Yakshavahini</strong> has made more than 900 <strong>Yakshagana scripts digitised and available online for free.</strong></p>
<h3>Yakshagana<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585038191_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585038191_image2.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="252" height="200" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Yakshagana is a traditional theatre form of <strong>Karnataka.</strong></li>
<li>It is a <strong>temple art form</strong> that depicts <strong>mythological stories and Puranas.</strong></li>
<li>It is performed with massive headgears, elaborate facial make-up and vibrant costumes and ornaments.</li>
<li>Usually recited in <strong>Kannada,</strong> it is also performed in <strong>Malayalam</strong> as well as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tulu-language" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tulu (the dialect of south Karnataka).</strong></a></li>
<li>It is performed with percussion instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or elathalam (small cymbals).</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Government&rsquo;s Initiative: National Mission for Manuscripts</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) was launched by the <strong>Ministry of Culture</strong> in<strong> 2003.</strong></li>
<li>The Mission has the mandate of identifying, documenting, conserving and making accessible the manuscript heritage of India.</li>
<li>The ultimate objective of the Mission is <strong>to establish a Digital Manuscripts Repository</strong> at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in which researchers and scholars can view and consult the manuscripts.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>IGNCA is an autonomous institution under the Union Ministry of Culture. It was established in 1987 as a centre for research, academic pursuit and dissemination in the field of the arts.</li>
<li>Its motto is &lsquo;conserving the past for the future&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) is also developing an app to make around 3 lakh manuscripts accessible.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/over-900-yakshagana-scripts-go-digital/article31149254.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/digitised-scripts-of-yakshagana'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'ICMR Recommends Use of Hydroxy-Chloroquine',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The National Task force for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-s-preparedness" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a>, constituted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has suggested the <strong>use of hydroxy-chloroquine</strong> to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) for restricted populations.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hydroxy-chloroquine is an <strong>oral drug</strong> used in the treatment of <strong>autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Autoimmune diseases are in which the body's immune system attacks healthy cells.</li>
<li>Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting many joints, including those in the hands and feet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine against COVID-19:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The drug shows antiviral activity <strong>in vitro</strong> against coronaviruses, and specifically, SARS-CoV-2 [the virus that causes COVID-19].</li>
<li>Further, the study suggests that prophylaxis (treatment given to prevent disease) with hydroxy-chloroquine at approved doses could prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and may help to improve viral shedding.</li>
<li>Clinical trials are under way in China to know whether the drug can be used for treatment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>ICMR Recommended Use of Hydroxy-chloroquine:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The restricted population for usage of hydroxy-chloroquine include, namely, <strong>&lsquo;Asymptomatic (showing no symptoms) Healthcare Workers&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;Asymptomatic household contacts&rsquo;</strong> of laboratory-confirmed cases.</li>
<li>The above mentioned population have been advised to use the hydroxy-chloroquine to <strong>contain further spread of the pandemic.</strong></li>
<li>However, the drug is <strong>not recommended</strong> as a preventive healthcare in children under <strong>15 years of age.</strong></li>
<li>ICMR also advised that placing healthcare workers under hydroxy-chloroquine treatment<strong> should not instill a sense of false security</strong> and they <strong>need to follow all prescribed public health measures</strong> such as frequent washing of hands, respiratory etiquettes, keeping a distance of minimum one metre and use of personal protective equipment, etc.</li>
<li>It has been also advised that the drug<strong> should only be given on the prescription</strong> of a registered medical practitioner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Combination of Hydroxy-chloroquine with Other Drugs</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine and Chloroquine:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A study suggests that<strong> both hydroxy-chloroquine and chloroquine</strong> have in vitro activity against SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and other coronaviruses, with hydroxy-chloroquine having higher potency against SARS-CoV-2.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hydroxy-chloroquine with Azithromycin:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The combination is hydroxy-chloroquine with azithromycin, a commonly used antibiotic.</li>
<li>The combination is expected to be efficient for virus elimination.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In vitro studies</strong> are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context (such as in a test tube).</li>
<li>In contrast to in vitro experiments,<strong> in vivo studies</strong> are those conducted in living organisms, including humans, and whole plants.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.</li>
<li>Its mandate is to conduct, coordinate and implement medical research for the benefit of the Society; translating medical innovations into products/processes and introducing them into the public health system.</li>
<li>It is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, <strong>Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/coronavirus/coronavirus-vaccine-hydroxychloroquinine-6328377/" 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/icmr-recommends-use-of-hydroxy-chloroquine'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Dr Ram Manohar Lohia',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Prime Minister paid tribute to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia on his birth anniversary.</p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585034506_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1585034506_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="246" height="205" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ram Manohar Lohia, (born March 23, 1910) was a prominent figure in <strong>socialist politics</strong> and in the movement towards <strong>Indian independence.</strong></li>
<li>In 1934, Lohia became actively involved in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saansad-adarsh-gram-yojana-sagy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Congress Socialist Party (CSP)</strong></a>, a left-wing group within the Indian National Congress; he served on the CSP executive committee and edited its weekly journal.</li>
<li>He<strong> opposed the Indian participation on the side of Great Britain in World War II</strong> and was arrested for anti-British remarks in 1939 and 1940.</li>
<li>Lohia along with other CSP leaders mobilized support for <strong>the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/77th-anniversary-of-quit-india-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quit India movement</a></strong> (a campaign initiated by Mohandas K. Gandhi to urge the withdrawal of British authorities from India) in 1942. He was jailed again in 1944&ndash;46 for such resistance activities.</li>
<li>Lohia and other CSP members<strong> left the Congress in 1948.</strong></li>
<li>He became a member of the<strong> Praja Socialist Party</strong> upon its formation in 1952 and served as general secretary for a brief period, but conflicts within the party led to his resignation in 1955.</li>
<li>Later that year Lohia established a new Socialist Party, for which he became chairman as well as the editor of its journal, <strong>Mankind.</strong></li>
<li>He advocated for various <strong>socio-political reforms</strong> in his capacity as party leader, including the abolition of the caste system, the adoption of Hindi as India&rsquo;s national language, and stronger protection of civil liberties.</li>
<li>Some of <strong>his works</strong> include: &lsquo;Marx, Gandhi and Socialism&rsquo;, &lsquo;Guilty Men of India&rsquo;s Partition&rsquo;, etc.</li>
<li>In 1963, Lohia was elected to the Lok Sabha.</li>
<li>He passed away in 1967.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=200598" 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/dr-ram-manohar-lohia'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) Initiative',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>iDEX is an initiative taken by the government to contribute towards <strong>modernization of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/indigenisation-of-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defence Industry.</a></strong></li>
<li>It was launched by the Government in April 2018.</li>
<li>iDEX aims to promote<strong> innovation</strong> and <strong>technology development</strong> in <strong>Defence and Aerospace</strong> by engaging Industries (which includes <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises-msme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MSMEs</strong></a>, start-ups, individual innovators, R&amp;D institutes &amp; academia). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>iDEX will provide the engaging industries with funding and other support to carry out Research &amp; Development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>iDEX will be funded and managed by <strong>Defence Innovation Organization (DIO),</strong> and will function as the <strong>executive arm of DIO.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Initiatives to Modernize Defence Industry</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Strategic Partnership (SP) Model-</strong> It identifies a few Indian private companies who would initially tie up with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to seek technology transfers to set up domestic manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains.</li>
<li><strong>Artificial Intelligence in Defence</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>N Chadrasekharan Task Force</strong> was set up in 2018 to study implications of AI in national security.</li>
<li><strong>Defence Artificial Intelligence Project Agency (DAIPA)</strong> was created in March, 2019. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>DAIPA aims for greater thrust on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Defence, formulation of an AI roadmap for each Defence PSU and Ordnance Factory Board to develop AI-enable products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DIO is a<strong> &lsquo;not for profit&rsquo;</strong> company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013. Its two <strong>founding members are Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) &amp; Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) -</strong> Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). <strong>HAL and BEL are <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sectors-of-indian-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">navratna companies.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607716" 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/innovations-for-defence-excellence-idex-initiative'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Quantum Technology',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><strong>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/picking-up-the-quantum-technology-baton/article31136893.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Picking up the quantum technology baton&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Hindu on 23/03/2020. It talks about opportunities and challenges associated with<strong> Quantum technology.</strong></p>
</div>
<p>Union Budget 2020-21 proposed to spend ₹8,000 crore ($ 1.2 billion) on the newly launched <strong>National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications (NMQTA).</strong> The mission seeks to develop quantum computing linked technologies amidst the second quantum revolution and make India the world&rsquo;s third biggest nation in the sector after the US and China.</p>
<p>Quantum Technologies not just have ultra fast computing capabilities, but it also has strategic and economic advantages.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584965873_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584965873_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>What is Quantum Computing?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Quantum Technology is based on the principles of Quantum mechanics, that was developed in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century to describe nature in the small &mdash; at the scale of atoms and elementary particles.</li>
<li>The first phase of this revolutionary technology has provided the foundations of our understanding of the physical world, including the interaction of light and matter, and led to ubiquitous inventions such as lasers and semiconductor transistors.</li>
<li>However, despite a century of research, the quantum world still remains mysterious and far removed from our experiences based on everyday life.</li>
<li>Thereby, a second revolution is currently underway with the goal of putting properties of quantum mechanics in the realms of computing.</li>
<li>Conventional computers process information in<strong> &lsquo;bits&rsquo; or 1s and 0s,</strong> following classical physics under which our computers <strong>can process a &lsquo;1&rsquo; or a &lsquo;0&rsquo; at a time.</strong></li>
<li>Quantum computers compute in<strong> &lsquo;qubits&rsquo; (or quantum bits).</strong> They exploit the properties of quantum mechanics, the science that governs how matter behaves on the atomic scale.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this scheme of things, processors <strong>can be a 1 and a 0 simultaneously,</strong> a state called <strong>quantum superposition.</strong></li>
<li>Because of quantum superposition, a quantum computer &mdash; if it works to plan &mdash; can <strong>mimic several classical computers working in parallel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>However, the actual realization of this path breaking technology remains one of the great challenges faced in the fields of Quantum Computing. Though, the announcement by Google, in October 2019, where they claimed to have demonstrated the so-called <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quantum-supremacy-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;</strong></a>, is one of the first steps towards realization of this goal.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Applications of Quantum Technology</h3>
<p>Besides computing, exploring the quantum world promises other dramatic applications. For example:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Secure Communication:</strong> China recently demonstrated secure quantum communication links between terrestrial stations and satellites.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This area is significant to satellites, military and cyber security among others as it promises unimaginably fast computing and safe, unhackable satellite communication to its users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Research:</strong> It can help in solving some of the fundamental questions in physics related to gravity, black hole etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Similarly, the quantum initiative could give a big boost to the Genome India project, a collaborative effort of 20 institutions to enable new efficiencies in life sciences, agriculture and medicine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disaster Management:</strong> Tsunamis, drought, earthquakes and floods may become more predictable with quantum applications.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The collection of data regarding climate change can be streamlined in a better way through quantum technology. This in turn will have a profound impact on agriculture, food technology chains and the limiting of farmland wastage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pharmaceutical:</strong> India&rsquo;s interest in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is huge.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Quantum computing could reduce the time frame of the discovery of new molecules and related processes to a few days from the present 10-year slog that scientists put in.</li>
<li>For instance, tracking protein behaviour or even modelling new proteins with the help of quantum computers could be made easier and faster.</li>
<li>Tackling chronic diseases like cancer, Alzheimer&rsquo;s and heart ailments is a big possibility of the technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Augmenting Industrial revolution 4.0:</strong> Quantum computing is an integral part of Industrial revolution 4.0.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Success in it will help in Strategic initiatives aimed at leveraging other Industrial revolution 4.0 technologies like the Internet-of-Things, machine learning, robotics, and artificial intelligence across sectors will further help in laying the foundation of the Knowledge economy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The challenge lies in harnessing the properties of quantum superposition in a highly controlled manner. The qubits tend to be very fragile and lose their &ldquo;quantumness&rdquo; if not controlled properly. Also, a careful choice of materials, design and engineering is required to get them to work.</li>
<li>On the theoretical front lies the challenge of creating the algorithms and applications for quantum computers.</li>
<li>These projects will also place new demands on classical control hardware as well as software platforms.</li>
<li>Further, Information technology-based security infrastructure would never be the same once quantum systems become a reality, given the ultra fast speed of computing power.</li>
<li>Warfare and conflict strategists will have new challenges to face.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In such scenarios India's current plans may have to be reworked to develop integrated war-theatre strategies factoring in quantum technologies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India's Effort</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Globally, research in this area is about two decades old, but in India, serious experimental work has been under way for only about five years.</li>
<li>In 2018, the government initiated serious discussions in quantum technologies and kick started research projects across 51 organisations under <strong>QUEST &ndash; Quantum Enabled Science and Technology.</strong> However, no significant progress is made in this field until NMQTA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>With NMQTA announcement, the government seeks to provide investment on a massive scale and on a par with similar programmes announced recently by the United States and Europe. However, there is an urgent need to address challenges associated with Quantum technology.Pursuing these challenges will require:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An unprecedented collaboration between physicists (both experimentalists and theorists), computer scientists, material scientists and engineers.</li>
<li>Government needs to partner institutions and the scientific community to work out details of the mission and roll it out quickly.</li>
<li>Private funding, both via industry and philanthropy, can play an outsized role even with much smaller amounts.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, unrestricted funds that can be used to attract and retain high quality manpower and to build international networks &mdash; all at short notice &mdash; can and will make an enormous difference to the success of this enterprise.</li>
<li>This is one of the most effective ways (as China and Singapore discovered) to catch up scientifically with the international community, while quickly creating a vibrant intellectual environment to help attract top researchers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #feffe3;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>India needs to harvest quantum technology for strategic and economic development. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quantum-technology'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Women and Child Development',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<h3>Important Schemes and Policies</h3>
<p><strong>Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched in Nov. 2019.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bharatiya-poshan-krishi-kosh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones in India</strong> </a>for better nutritional outcomes.</li>
<li>Document and evaluate promising regional dietary practices.</li>
<li>Develop a food atlas on regional agro-food systems.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963295_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963295_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="489" height="566" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Poshan Abhiyaan</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Launched in March 2018, the goal of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poshan-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Poshan Abhiyaan</strong></a> is to achieve improvement in the nutritional status of Children (0-6 years) and Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time-bound manner in next three years period beginning 2017-18 with fixed targets.</li>
<li><strong>Prevent and reduce stunting in children</strong> (0- 6 years)- By 6% @ 2% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Prevent and reduce under-nutrition</strong> (underweight prevalence) in children (0-6 years) By 6% @ 2% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce the prevalence of anaemia among young children (6-59 months)</strong> By 9% @ 3% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce the prevalence of anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls</strong> in the age group of 15-49 years. By 9% @ 3% per annum.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce low birth weight</strong> By 6% @ 2% per annum.</li>
<li>There is no provision under the POSHAN Abhiyaan to provide nutritious food. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Providing Supplementary Nutrition is a part of Anganwadi Services scheme.</li>
<li>Poshan Abhiyaan ensures convergence of various nutrition-related schemes/interventions of various ministries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>September 2019 was celebrated as POSHAN Maah.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For pregnant women and lactating mothers. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-matru-vandana-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The scheme crossed the mark of 1 crore beneficiaries.</strong></a></li>
<li>Is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme under which cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly to meet enhanced nutritional needs and partially compensate for wage loss.</li>
<li>A cash benefit of Rs. 5,000 in three instalments on fulfilling the respective conditionality- early registration of pregnancy, ante-natal check-up and registration of the birth of the child and completion of first cycle of vaccination for the first living child of the family.</li>
<li>Eligible beneficiaries also receive cash incentive under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>One Stop Centre Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-stop-centre-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>centrally sponsored scheme</strong></a> which provides for a range of services including police facilitation, medical aid, psycho-social counselling, legal counselling and temporary shelter to women affected by violence in an integrated manner under one roof.</li>
<li>It is a subscheme of an umbrella scheme for National Mission for Empowerment of Women.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Nirbhaya Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A dedicated non-lapsable corpus fund for implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women in the country.</li>
<li>Under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-stop-centre-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nirbhaya Fund</strong></a>, the proposed projects should have features like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>direct impact on the safety and security concerns of women,</li>
<li>optimum use of existing infrastructure, innovative use of technology,</li>
<li>no duplication of existing government schemes/ programmes,</li>
<li>provision for real-time intervention as far as possible,</li>
<li>strict privacy and confidentiality of women&rsquo;s identity and information,</li>
<li>defined monitoring mechanism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sexual Harassment electronic&ndash;Box (SHe-Box)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An <strong>online complaint management system for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace by women,</strong> including government and private employees. Once a complaint is submitted to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-constitutes-panel-on-sexual-harassment" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SHe-Box portal</strong></a>, it directly reaches the concerned authority having jurisdiction to take action in the matter.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Important Legislation</h3>
<p><strong>Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Bill, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill amends the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.</li>
<li>The Act seeks to protect children from offences such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Salient Features of the POCSO Amendment Bill, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is for the first time in the history of anti-sexual crimes against children law that the <strong>death penalty has been introduced.</strong></li>
<li>The Bill provides for not less than 20 years of rigorous imprisonment extending up to the rest of the natural life of the convict or death and fine in the cases of aggravated sex assault.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aggravated sex assault:</strong> Sexual crimes by people who are in positions of trust and authority. It could be the manager of a child shelter home, school principal, doctor or the hospital staff and even a family member.</li>
<li>The original version of the POCSO Act only made this category of crime liable with not less than 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill provides that if there has been a <strong>penetrative sexual assault</strong> with any child less than 16 years of age, that will be punishable with not less than 20 years of rigorous imprisonment extendable to the remainder of natural life.</li>
<li>The other significant feature is the introduction of the <strong>definition of child pornography for the first time (</strong>Section 14 and 15). The reason behind this is that perpetrators use the loopholes in the Information Technology (IT) Act and other acts to getaway. The IT Act does not cover sexually explicit photographs of children, it only covers the digital content.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Definition of Child Pornography:</strong> Any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a child which includes a photograph, video, digital or computer-generated image indistinguishable from an actual child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Storage of Pornographic Material:</strong> The Act penalised storage of pornographic material for commercial purposes with a punishment of up to three years, or a fine, or both. However, the Bill increases it to 3-5 years. In addition, the Bill adds two other offences for storage of pornographic material involving children:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Failing to destroy, or delete, or report pornographic material involving a child, and</li>
<li>Transmitting, displaying, distributing such material except for the purpose of reporting it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963786_image32.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584963786_image32.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="800" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Steps Taken by Government For Speedy Dispensation of Justice</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To prescribe even more stringent penal provisions including <strong>the death penalty for rape of a girl below the age of 12 years.</strong> The Act also inter-alia mandates completion of investigation and trials within 2 months each.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/government-launches-registry-of-sexual-offenders" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Database on Sexual Offenders</strong></a> launched to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement agencies.</li>
<li>Online analytic tool for police<strong> &ldquo;Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences&rdquo;</strong> launched to monitor and track time-bound investigation on sexual assault cases in accordance with the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018.</li>
<li><strong>State-of-the-Art DNA Analysis Unit</strong> set up in Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh to strengthen DNA analysis units in Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories.</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme-</strong> an online cybercrime reporting portal launched to enable public to report complaints pertaining to child pornography/ child sexual abuse material, rape/gang rape imageries or sexually explicit content.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-women-and-child-development'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Extradition Treaty between India and Belgium',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584958269_image8.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1584958269_image8.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<p>Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the signing and ratifying of the Extradition Treaty between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of Belgium.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will <strong>replace the pre-Independence Extradition Treaty</strong> between Great Britain and Belgium of 1901 that was made applicable to India through the exchange of Letters in 1958.</li>
<li>The Treaty provides a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders, and other criminals from and to Belgium.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Extradition</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the formal process of one state surrendering an individual to another state for prosecution or punishment for crimes committed in the requesting country's jurisdiction.</li>
<li>This is generally enabled through a bilateral or multilateral treaty.</li>
<li>The legal basis for extradition with countries with whom India does not have an Extradition treaty is provided by <strong>Section 3 (4) of the Indian Extradition Act, 1962.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Salient Features of the Treaty</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Obligation to Extradite:</strong> Each Party agrees to extradite to the other any person found in its territory, who is accused or convicted of an <strong>extraditable offence</strong> in the territory of the other Party.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, extradition of nationals is <strong>discretionary.</strong> The nationality will be determined <strong>at the time the offence was committed.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Extraditable Offences</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An extraditable offence means an <strong>offence punishable under the laws of both the Parties with imprisonment for a period of one year or more severe punishment.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Offences relating to taxation, or revenue or is one of a fiscal character</strong> also fall within the scope of this Treaty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mandatory Grounds for Refusal Under the Treaty:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The offence involved is a <strong>political offence.</strong></li>
<li>The offence is a<strong> military offence.</strong></li>
<li>The request for prosecution has been made on <strong>account of his race, sex, religion, nationality or political opinion.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1607482" 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/extradition-treaty-between-india-and-belgium'
	]
]
$updates = object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

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

}
$page = (int) 157
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 336
$title = 'Search'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

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

Achievers Corner

Prelims

Mains & Interview

Current Affairs

Drishti Specials

Free Downloads

Test Series

Videos

Search

Search list matched with tags “class”