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Global Climate Risk Index 2020

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

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
World Soil Day

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

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
World Malaria Report, 2019

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

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Navy Day

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

05 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Revamping the Agricultural Sector

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

04 Dec 2019 News Editorials
Typhoon Kammuri

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

04 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Anaemia in Indian Children

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

04 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Why in News Recently, the Parliament has passed the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The SPG Bill will amend the SPG Act of...

04 Dec 2019 News Analysis
GST Compensation

Why in News The GST Council has informed all the States that the central government might not be able to compensate them for losses arising out of...

04 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Swedish Technology to Reduce Stubble Burning

Why in News The pollution from stubble burning in winter is a major factor for the sharp decline in air quality in Delhi. To overcome this issue,...

04 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Seed Bill

This article is based on “The Seed Bill must be tweaked for better results” which was published in The Hindu Business Line on...

03 Dec 2019 News Editorials
The Big Picture- India, China Diplomatic Ties

In 2020, India and China will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations with 70 celebratory activities...

03 Dec 2019 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Tanbo Art

Why in News A progressive farmer in Kerala is using Tanbo Art (a 3D art form) to depict the celebrated Guruvayur temple elephant that died in...

03 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Data Bank of Independent Directors

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs launched the Independent Directors Databank in accordance with the provisions of the...

03 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Exercise Hand-in-Hand

The 8th India-China joint training exercise 'HAND-IN-HAND 2019' with the theme of ‘Counter Terrorism’ under United Nations mandate is...

03 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Power of Siberia

Recently China and Russia have inaugurated cross border gas pipeline named “Power of Siberia”. It is the first cross-border gas...

03 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Navy Gets its First Woman Pilot

Why in News Recently, Sub Lieutenant Shivangi Swaroop became the first pilot in the Indian navy after qualifying as a Dornier pilot. Earlier,...

03 Dec 2019 News Analysis
COP25 Climate Summit

Why in News The 25th edition of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or COP25 has...

03 Dec 2019 News Analysis
India- Sri Lanka

Why in News The newly elected Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited India from 28th-30th November 2019. The Sri Lankan President played...

03 Dec 2019 News Analysis
Organ Donation

This article is based on “Getting organ donation to tick again” which was published in The Hindu on 30/11/2019. It talks about the...

02 Dec 2019 News Editorials

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			'title' => 'Global Climate Risk Index 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The international environmental think tank &lsquo;Germanwatch&rsquo; has recently released the Global Climate Risk Index 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The index analyses the extent to which countries and regions have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" width="163" height="366" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Worst affected in 2018:</strong> Japan, Philippines and Germany</li>
<li><strong>Worst affected between 1999-2018 (long-term index):</strong> Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti</li>
<li><strong>Deaths and financial loss between 1999-2018:</strong> Altogether, about 5 lakh people died as a direct result of more than 12 000 extreme weather events globally. Losses amounted to around US$ 3.54 trillion (in purchasing power parities).</li>
<li><strong>Poor countries had to face much higher impacts:</strong> Of the ten most affected countries and territories in the period 1999-2018, seven were developing countries in the low income or lower-middle income country group, two were classified as upper-middle income countries (Thailand and Dominica) and one was an advanced economy generating high income (Puerto Rico).</li>
<li><strong>Link between climate change and the frequency &amp; severity of extreme heat:</strong> Heatwaves were one major cause of damage in 2018. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Of the ten most affected countries in 2018, Germany, Japan and India were suffering from extended periods of heat.</li>
<li>Across Europe, extreme heat spells are now up to 100 times more likely than a century ago.</li>
<li>Impact of heatwaves on African countries may be under-represented due to a lack of data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India, which suffered water shortages, crop failures and worst flooding, holds the <strong>5<sup>th</sup> position.</strong> It has fallen from its 14<sup>th</sup> rank of countries hit most by climate change-induced weather phenomena in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has also recorded the <strong>highest number of fatalities due to climate change</strong> and the <strong>second-highest monetary losses from its impact in 2018.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suggestions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 2019 Climate Summit in Madrid needs to address the lack of additional climate finance to help the poorest people and countries to address loss and damage. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These countries are <strong>more vulnerable to the damaging effects</strong> of a hazard but <strong>have lower coping capacity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The climate summit needs to result in: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>a decision on how the need for support for vulnerable countries concerning future loss and damage is to be determined on an ongoing basis</li>
<li>the necessary steps to generate and make available financial resources to meet these needs</li>
<li>strengthening the implementation of measures for adapting to climate change</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Germanwatch</strong></p>
<p>Germanwatch, based in Bonn and Berlin (Germany), is an independent development and environmental organisation which works for sustainable global development.</p>
</div>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'World Soil Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Soil Day (WSD)</strong> is held annually on <strong>5 December</strong> to highlight the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> for WSD 2019 is<strong> &lsquo;Stop Soil Erosion, Save Our Future&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="216" height="210" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was recommended by the <strong>International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)</strong> in <strong>2002.</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)</strong></a> has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness-raising platform under the leadership of the<strong> Kingdom of Thailand</strong> within the framework of the<strong> Global Soil Partnership.</strong></li>
<li><strong>5 December 2014</strong> was designated as the <strong>first official World Soil Day</strong> by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a> <strong>(UNGA).</strong></li>
<li>The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official <strong>birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand,</strong> who <strong>officially sanctioned</strong> the event.</li>
<li>FAO gives <strong>two awards</strong> in line with this day-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award-</strong> an annual award that honours individuals, communities, organizations and countries that organized remarkable and engaging World Soil Day activities or campaigns in the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>The Glinka World Soil Prize-</strong> an annual award for dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving one of our world&rsquo;s most pressing environmental issue: <strong>soil degradation.</strong> It honours individuals and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed, or are still contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.fao.org/world-soil-day/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: FAO</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'World Malaria Report, 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation (WHO)</strong></a> has released the <strong>World Malaria Report, 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report provides a comprehensive update on global and regional malaria data and trends including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, elimination and surveillance.</li>
<li>According to the report, <strong>228 million cases</strong> of malaria are observed <strong>worldwide, down from</strong> 251 million cases in <strong>2010.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Highest Burden:</strong> India along with 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa carried almost <strong>85% of the global malaria burden.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though <strong>India</strong> has observed the <strong>largest absolute reductions</strong> among the countries that share 85% of the malaria burden.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> It has declined globally between 2010 and 2018, from 71 to 57 cases per 1000 population.</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> The <strong>number of deaths due to malaria</strong> has <strong>decreased</strong> globally. (405,000 deaths in 2018 from 416,000 deaths in 2017).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> India reported <strong>2.6 million fewer cases</strong> in 2018 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>compared to 2017.</strong></a> Thus the overall incidence of malaria in the country has reduced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However,<strong> 7 states</strong> (Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh) account for about <strong>90% of the burden</strong> of malaria cases in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> Overall number of deaths due to malaria in India have reduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" width="509" height="194" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Steps taken at the global level</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</li>
<li>WHO has also released a new country-driven approach&ndash;<strong>&ldquo;High burden to high impact&rdquo;</strong> to enhance response to malaria in countries where malaria cases increased in 2018 as compared to 2017</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps taken by the Indian government</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (NSPME) (2017-22)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.</li>
<li>It is based on the <strong>National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016</strong> which is in line with <strong>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established <strong>&lsquo;Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)</strong> which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Malaria</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Malaria is caused by <strong>Plasmodium parasites.</strong></li>
<li>The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called <strong>"malaria vectors",</strong></li>
<li><strong>World Malaria Day</strong> is observed on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> April.</strong></li>
<li>It can be noted that WHO officially endorses disease-specific global awareness days for only four diseases viz. HIV-AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Hepatitis.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/malaria-drop-is-sharpest-in-india-90-of-cases-are-in-7-states-6151060/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Navy Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Indian Navy Day is celebrated on <strong>December 4</strong> every year to commemorate <strong>Operation Trident.</strong> The Navy also organises a <strong>Beating Retreat ceremony at Gateway of India in Mumbai</strong> on the eve of the Navy Day.</p>
<h3>Operation Trident</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a counter-attack by Indian Navy<strong> on the Karachi harbour</strong> during the<strong> Indo-Pakistan war in 1971.</strong></li>
<li>India used <strong>anti-ship missiles</strong> for the first time during this operation and destroyed the Pakistani destroyer ship <strong>PNS Khaibar.</strong></li>
<li>The Indian Navy's <strong>three warships - INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and INS Veer -</strong> played an important role in the attack.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Navy<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="150" height="223" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>headed</strong> by the <strong>President of India</strong> as its <strong>Supreme Commander.</strong></li>
<li>Indian Navy&rsquo;s <strong>Motto</strong> is - <strong>Sam no Varunah</strong> (शं नो वरूण&zwnj;:) that means that the God of water, Varuna, should be auspicious unto us.</li>
<li>Some of the <strong>earliest operations</strong> of the Indian Navy include its contribution in&nbsp;<strong>liberating Goa from Portugal in 1961.</strong></li>
<li>The Navy has developed as an admirable force with the making of the <strong>nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/deterrence-or-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INS Arihant</a></strong> and several other ships.</li>
<li>Indian Navy currently has <strong>one aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya</strong> which was a <strong>former Russian ship</strong> that was commissioned into service in 2013.</li>
<li>It <strong>operates three classes of submarines: Chakra</strong> (it has the <strong>nuclear-powered INS Chakra), Sindhughosh, and Shishumar.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Marine Commandos or MARCOS</strong> is the special force unit of the Indian Navy, trained to conduct amphibious warfare, counter-terrorism, special reconnaissance, hostage rescue and asymmetric warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They were the first to respond to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ten-years-after-the-mumbai-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>26/11 Mumbai</strong> </a>terror attacks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/navy-day-heres-a-quick-look-at-the-indian-navy-today/article21260246.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navy-day'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Revamping the Agricultural Sector',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the &ldquo;New Approach to Agriculture Sector&rdquo; which was published in Livemint on 02/12/2019. It highlights the problems faced by the Indian agricultural sector and the solutions to tackle it.</p>
</div>
<p>India faces several challenges related to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agricultural-distress-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>agriculture and food security</strong> </a>that include fragmentation of landholdings, degradation of resource quality, climate change induced adverse impact, large scale migration of agriculturists to non-farming sectors, etc. The current status of agriculture, therefore, needs critical evaluation in order to provide suitable remedial measures.</p>
<h3>Historical Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food security</strong></a> has been a national priority since Independence to fulfill the food demands of a rapidly growing population.</li>
<li><strong>Green Revolution</strong> that started in the mid-1960s through adoption of fertilizer-responsive high yielding varieties (HYVs), farm mechanization and use of agrochemicals including fertilizers transformed India from being a <strong>food importer to food exporter country</strong> within five decades.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last 50 years, food grain production (in the form of oilseeds, horticulture crops, etc.) in the country has increased by almost 3 times which has outpaced the growth of the population that went up by 2.6 times during this period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues in the Agriculture Sector</h3>
<p>While Green Revolution technologies intensified agricultural production, the misuse of inputs and deviant farm practices have led to an <strong>emergence of second-generation problems.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Multi-nutrient Deficiencies</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Practising the high yielding intensive agriculture has put an extreme pressure on soil health reflected by the <strong>continuous depletion of soil fertility.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to selective subsidy scheme in the form of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-approves-nutrient-based-subsidy-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme</strong></a> only for phosphatic and potassic (P&amp;K) fertilizers, there has been an overuse of these fertilizers. This has lead to the problem of <strong>nutrient mining</strong> (agricultural practices resulting in a negative nutrient balance) <strong>in Indian soil,</strong> impacting soil health over time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In addition to primary nutrients (NPK), deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients (boron, copper, iron, manganese, etc) have increased in Indian soils.</li>
<li>Inadequate, imbalanced and inefficient use of mineral fertilizers with lack of use of organic sources of plant nutrients has given rise to multi-nutrient deficiencies.</li>
<li><strong>Fertilizer/nutrient use efficiency</strong> (economic production obtained per unit of fertilizer/nutrient applied) is also relatively low in India such as, with nitrogen (30-40%), phosphorus (15-20%) and potash (60-70%). This not only affects the <strong>crop yields but also affects the environment</strong> due to the escape of unused nutrients.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>crop response to fertilizers</strong> has been declining continuously. The average crop response to fertilizer application (kg grain produced per kg of NPK applied) decreased from 12.1:1 (during the 1960s) to 5:1 (in the 2010s). With the decrease in crop response to fertilizers, the<strong> profitability of the farmers has gone down</strong> year after year.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Inefficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the agriculture sector, water management related challenges include low water use efficiency, water-energy nexus, growing water-intensive crops in water-deficient areas, poor quality waters characterized by the excessive toxic elements and salts, and poor rainwater management.</li>
<li><strong>Water salinization and waterlogging</strong> in canal command areas (like Punjab, Haryana, Western UP) and rapidly<strong> falling water tables</strong> in the tube well-irrigated areas have aggravated the problem.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>practise of flood irrigation</strong> (one of the most inefficient methods of irrigation) has led to the transformation of agro-climatic cropping patterns in India. For instance, easier availability of water through pumping of groundwater because of the <strong>availability of free electricity to farmers</strong>&nbsp;has made the farmers of north-western India shift to rice cultivation during <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>kharif season</strong></a> by replacing traditional maize and coarse cereals production.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Decreasing Farmers Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The declining farmers&rsquo; income is largely on account of <strong>low average crop productivity and poor price realization.</strong></li>
<li>Government announces <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/minimum-support-price" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price</strong></a> (MSP) for crops. However, farmers are forced to sell their produce at much lower prices due to the exploitation by the middlemen, called Aadhtees.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the absence of effective market interventions, infrastructure, backward and forward linkages, farmers are <strong>unable to recover the cost of production.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Remedial Measures</h3>
<p><strong>Sustenance of Soil Health</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Organic carbon content</strong> in Indian soils is relatively poor. Effective steps are needed to augment the organic nutrient sources that include agricultural composting (natural process of decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms under controlled conditions), returning crop residues to the soil, etc.</li>
<li>For <strong>soil health enhancement,</strong>&nbsp;the government can <strong>link composting to<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/who-applauds-swachh-bharats-rural-component" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Swachh Bharat Mission</a></strong> and provide it free of cost to the farmers.</li>
<li>The target of reducing the use of chemical fertilizers up to 25% can be achieved by <strong>doubling the nutrient use efficiency.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Correction in Fertilizer Policy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a number of initiatives such as shift from urea to 100% neem coated urea, reducing the weight of urea bag from 50 kg to 45 kg and providing soil health cards to all farmers have been taken <strong>to reduce urea consumption </strong>and <strong>promote more efficient use of nitrogen.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it has not helped much because under the prevailing fertilizer pricing policy there is a huge gap in urea vis-&agrave;-vis P&amp;K prices that continues to distort the NPK use ratio.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is time to revisit the present fertilizer pricing and subsidy scheme. Fertilizer policy should ensure balanced pricing of N, P, K, and micronutrients.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A simple solution in this regard is to bring urea under NBS scheme and transfer the subsidy directly into the farmers&rsquo; accounts rather than routing through the fertilizer industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Efficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Education of the society at large on the necessity of <strong>&lsquo;judicious use of water&rsquo;, &lsquo;har khet ko pani&rsquo; and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-krishi-sinchayee-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> &lsquo;more crop per drop'</a></strong> is a welcome step towards efficient usage of water.</li>
<li>Focus should be on agriculture sector with management technologies which have the potential of making water savings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Savings on water and nutrients under <strong>drip-fertigation</strong> (method of fertilizer application in which fertilizer is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system) range from 20% to 60% and 20-30%, respectively. The adoption and development of cropping/farming systems should be guided by the potential water availability.</li>
<li>Regulatory mechanisms should be put in place for sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Farmers&rsquo; Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The inter-ministerial committee constituted to examine issues relating to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/doubling-farmers-income-a-promise-to-be-fulfilled-by-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>doubling of farmers&rsquo; income by 2022,</strong></a> has identified seven sources of income growth namely,
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Improvement in crop productivity,</li>
<li>Improvement in livestock productivity,</li>
<li>Resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of production,</li>
<li>Increase in the cropping intensity,</li>
<li>Diversification towards high-value crops,</li>
<li>Improvement in real prices received by farmers, and</li>
<li>Shift from farm to non-farm occupations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the livelihood security of the country&rsquo;s millions of farmers (especially small and marginal ones), it is essential to shift to the approach of <strong>Integrated Farming System (IFS).</strong> The IFS model integrates the latest production technologies of farming and livestock/ aquaculture development and management.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Market Reforms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Market reforms are needed to ensure that remunerative prices to the farmers are given for their produce. A step towards bringing reforms in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/unaddressed-issues-in-agri-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agricultural Produce Market Committees</strong></a> (APMC) was taken by the government in July 2015 through the creation of <strong>National Agricultural Market (NAM).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since the APMCs are a state subject, operation of NAM faces innumerable difficulties. Unless NAM becomes successful, farmers shall keep facing exploitation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Central and State Governments need to work in tandem to provide support and required financial assistance to the farmers, so as to improve the availability and use of organic sources of plant nutrients.</li>
<li>Fertilizer policies need immediate course correction to promote the use of nutrients from inorganic, organic and biological sources. Industry freed from controls and task of reaching subsidy to the farmers by implementing DBT in true sense will encourage innovation in products and services.</li>
</ul>
<p>Indian agriculture is passing through a phase where the sustainability of soil health and crop yields have come into question. The dependence on fertilizers will continue to increase in the foreseeable future to meet the increasing nutrient demands for higher food production.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcffcc;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Briefly discuss the issues faced by the Indian agricultural sector and suggest corrective measures that can be undertaken to overcome them.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revamping-the-agricultural-sector'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Typhoon Kammuri',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a typhoon struck the Philippines, bringing heavy rains and suspending air travel. The government issued the warnings of floods, storm surges and landslides.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is known locally as<strong> Tisoy</strong> and is the 20<sup>th</sup> typhoon to hit the country this year.</li>
<li><strong>Tropical Cyclone</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-western-disturbance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone</strong></a> is the formation of a very <strong>low-pressure system</strong> with <strong>very high-speed winds</strong> revolving around it. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.</li>
<li>Cyclones are called <strong>'Hurricanes' in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, 'Typhoons' in South-East Asia and China</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;Tropical Cyclones&rsquo; in the South-West Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" width="443" height="424" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/one-killed-as-typhoon-hits-philippines-hundreds-of-flights-halted-6148229/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/typhoon-kammuri'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Anaemia in Indian Children',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A paper published in &lsquo;Scientific Reports&rsquo; pointed out that <strong>about 58.5% of children below five years of age in India are anaemic.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over one lakh children were analyzed using the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey (2015-16) data.</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong>Socio-demographic factors</strong> such as the wealth of the family, maternal education, maternal age, type of residence are the main reasons behind the incidence of childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>Recently, a &lsquo;Lancet Global Health report&rsquo; also revealed that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-among-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>23% of Indian men suffer from anaemia.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Anaemia</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong> defines anaemia as a condition in which the <strong>number of red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Iron deficiency</strong> is the <strong>most common cause</strong> of anaemia, although other conditions, such as folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin A deficiencies, chronic inflammation, parasitic infections, and inherited disorders can all cause anaemia.</li>
<li>In its severe form, it is associated with fatigue, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness. <strong>Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" width="527" height="444" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Maternal Education</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Maternal education increases the chances of mothers being aware of different health issues and thus taking the correct and appropriate steps towards preventing such issues.</li>
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the mother's education and the incidence of childhood anaemia. In other words, as the mother&rsquo;s education level increases, the tendency of the child to be anaemic decreases significantly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wealth of the Family</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>52.9% of children in rich households were marked anaemic.</li>
<li>The number was 63.2% in the poorest households.</li>
<li>This suggests that a large number of children in poor households are anaemic, though the situation in rich households is also not that well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maternal Age</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the age of mothers and the incidence of anaemia in children. The children of younger mothers are more anaemic.</li>
<li>This reveals the powerlessness of mothers in the age group 15-19 years in ensuring that the children get the right food.</li>
<li>This also reveals the power dimension in the allocation and use of resources in the household.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Programmes Related to Anaemia</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> the government of India launched <strong>Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB)</strong> as part of the <strong>Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI) Program</strong> for <strong>accelerating</strong> the <strong>annual rate of decline</strong> of anaemia from <strong>one to three percentage points.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The target groups for AMB are <strong>Children</strong> (6-59 months, 5-9 years), <strong>Adolescent Girls &amp; Boys</strong> (10-19 years), <strong>Women of Reproductive Age</strong> (15-49 years), <strong>Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also launched the <strong>Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS)</strong> Programme to meet the challenge of high prevalence and incidence of anaemia amongst <strong>adolescent girls and boys.</strong></li>
<li>Other programmes introduced include Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), National Nutritional Anemia Control Program (NNACP), etc to combat anemia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A broader health strategy is required to effectively address the issue of anaemia. Also, there is a need to bridge the gap between policy and practice.</li>
<li>The mother&rsquo;s health needs to be addressed as anaemia in mothers and premature delivery can also lead to childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>In addition to the maternal influence on childhood anaemia, paternal and overall household influences need to be considered for a more comprehensive policy framework for intervention at the household level.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/study-of-one-lakh-individuals-finds-why-indias-children-are-anaemic/article30062583.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-indian-children'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 ',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Parliament has <strong>passed</strong> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-protection-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Special Protection Group</strong> </a><strong>(Amendment) Bill, 2019.</strong> The SPG Bill will amend the <strong>SPG Act of 1988.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proposed amendments in the <strong>Special Protection Group (SPG) Bill</strong> aims to <strong>reduce the financial burden of VIP security on the state exchequer.</strong></li>
<li>The reduction of SPG coverage will also help to<strong> eliminate the notion of a status symbol</strong> attached to it.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Special Protection Group</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The SPG was raised in <strong>1985</strong> to provide security cover to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.</li>
<li>The SPG comprises of the personnel from the CRPF, Border Security Force and other Central and State forces.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Amendments</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reduced SPG Coverage:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The protection to be offered <strong>only to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family</strong> members that will reside with him at <strong>his official residence.</strong></li>
<li>Currently, the security cover is provided to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Time period:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The security will be provided <strong>only for a period of five years to the former Prime Ministers</strong> and their immediate family <strong>after they leave the office.</strong></li>
<li>However, the immediate family members need to be residing with the former Prime Minister at the allotted residence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Withdrawal:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When the proximate security is withdrawn from a former Prime Minister such proximate security will also stand withdrawn from members of his immediate family.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/spg-act-amendment-bill-gets-parliament-nod/article30152583.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/special-protection-group-amendment-bill-2019'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'GST Compensation',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>GST Council</strong> has informed all the States that the central government might not be able to compensate them for losses arising out of the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GST Council is a <strong>Constitutional body</strong> chaired by the Union Finance Minister and comprises the Minister of State for Finance/ Revenue and finance ministers of all States.</li>
<li>It <strong>makes recommendations</strong> on all important issues related to the Goods and Services Tax.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GST became applicable from 1<sup>st</sup> July 2017 after the enactment of the 101<sup>st</sup> Constitution Amendment Act, 2016. With GST, a large number of central and state indirect taxes merged into a single tax.</li>
<li>The <strong>Centre promised compensation to the States</strong> for any shortfall in tax revenue due to GST implementation for a period of five years. This promise convinced a large number of reluctant States to sign on to the new indirect tax regime.</li>
<li>As per the GST Act, states are guaranteed compensation for any revenue shortfall below 14% growth (base year 2015-16) for the first five years ending 2022. GST compensation is <strong>paid out of Compensation Cess every two months</strong> by the Centre to states.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Compensation Cess is a cess that will be collected on the supply of select goods and or services or both till 1st July 2022.</li>
<li>All the taxpayers, except those who export specific notified goods and those who have opted for GST composition scheme, are liable to collect and remit the GST compensation cess to the central government.</li>
<li>Subsequently, the central government distributes it to the states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Centre has already delayed compensating states for the shortfall in GST revenues for August-September 2019, payment for which was due in October, 2019. At least five states/UTs &ndash; Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi, Rajasthan and Punjab issued a joint statement on 20<sup>th</sup> November 2019 raising concerns about the same.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Revenue Status:</strong> The government budgeted for ₹6,63,343 crore in GST collections for the current financial year 2019-20, out of which it has collected only about 50% in the first eight months. It targeted ₹1,09,343 crore of compensation cess collections, of which it has so far collected ₹64,528 crores.</li>
<li><strong>Compensation Status</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Centre collected Rs 64,528 crore in compensation cess during April-November, 2019 and paid out Rs 45,744 crore for April-July period.</li>
<li>It has been reported that the payments were held back to the states for August - September in anticipation of the shortfall in collections and the resultant impact on the government&rsquo;s fiscal deficit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The GST Council has also asked states to give their inputs and proposals regarding review of items under the exemption, GST and compensation cess rates on various items among others by 6<sup>th</sup> December 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Given that cess is imposed only on luxury and sin goods under GST, any measure to generate more cess collections would either include imposing a higher cess on those items or tinkering at the highest tax slab of 28% under the GST regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A shortfall in Centre&rsquo;s tax receipts hurts states more since the absolute amount they receive as per the devolution formula takes a hit.</li>
<li>At a time when growth is faltering, the delays in paying compensation to states as guaranteed by the GST Act will make it more difficult for them to meet their own finances.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to boost the economic growth of the country.</li>
<li>The Government needs to think about the ways through which it can increase GST collections.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gst-revenues-not-enough-for-states-compensation-centre/article30152551.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/gst-compensation'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Swedish Technology to Reduce Stubble Burning',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The pollution from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/stubble-burning-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>stubble burning</strong></a> in winter is a major factor for the sharp <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/health-emergency-in-new-delhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>decline in air quality in Delhi</strong></a>. To overcome this issue, India is testing <strong>Swedish technology &mdash; torrefaction</strong> that can convert rice stubble into <strong>&lsquo;bio-coal&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government has funded a<strong> pilot project</strong> at the<strong> National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute in Mohali (Punjab)</strong> with a Swedish company to evaluate the feasibility of the technology.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Torrefaction Technology - Stubble to Bio-coal</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575444745_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575444745_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="606" height="200" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Torrefaction is a <strong>thermal process</strong> to <strong>convert biomass into a coal-like material,</strong> which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass.</li>
<li>The process involves <strong>heating up</strong> straw, grass, sawmill residue and wood biomass to<strong> 250 degrees celsius - 350 degrees celsius</strong>.</li>
<li>This changes the elements of the biomass into<strong> &lsquo;coal-like&rsquo; pellets.</strong> These pellets can be used for combustion along with coal for industrial applications like steel and cement production.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project has a capacity of converting <strong>150-200 kilograms of paddy straw to bio-coal every hour</strong> and <strong>reduce CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by 95%.</strong></li>
<li>Torrefied biomass is <strong>more brittle,</strong> making grinding easier and <strong>less energy-intensive.</strong></li>
<li>Compared to fresh biomass, <strong>storage</strong> of the torrefied material can be substantially simplified since <strong>biological degradation</strong> and water uptake is<strong> minimized.</strong></li>
<li>The torrefied pellets are ideal for <strong>coal replacement</strong> because it has <strong>lower shipping and transport costs, lower sulfur and ash content (compared with coal),</strong> etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Disadvantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The volume of torrefied biomass is<strong> reduced only slightly, ~ 10-20%</strong> lower than the dried feedstock during the process.</li>
<li>Despite higher calorific values, <strong>energy density</strong> is <strong>not improved significantly.</strong></li>
<li>Torrefaction <strong>does not reduce corrosion</strong> of machinery especially boiler tubes.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bio-coal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bio-coal, also commonly referred to as<strong> synthetic</strong> <strong>coal,</strong> is created through the torrefaction of biomass.</li>
<li>The bio-coal has<strong> similar characteristics to traditional fossil-based coal,</strong> and thus viable option<strong> to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/india-tests-swedish-technology-to-reduce-stubble-burning/article30153719.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/swedish-technology-to-reduce-stubble-burning'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Seed Bill',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/the-seed-bill-needs-to-be-tweaked-to-serve-the-interests-of-all-stakeholders-better/article30095614.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Seed Bill must be tweaked for better results&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu Business Line on 02/12/2019. It highlights the provisions of the draft Seed Bill-2019 and issues associated with it.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers&rsquo; Welfare</strong> has finalized the <strong>draft Seed Bill 2019</strong> and is expected to table it in the ongoing winter session of Parliament. The Bill aims to <em><strong>regulate the quality of seeds sold and facilitate the production and supply of these seeds to farmers.</strong></em> It aims to <strong>foster competition</strong> by amending the<strong> Seed Act, 1966</strong> and <strong>Seed Rules, 1968.</strong> There are certain proposals in the Bill such as registration of seed varieties, powers granted to the government to fix prices inter-alia which suffer from certain drawbacks. In this regard, the <strong>seed industry</strong> has made certain observations and recommendations to the government.</p>
<h3>Highlights of the Seed Bill- 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an important legislation to ensure the supply of modern, high quality, cutting edge seed technologies to the farmers which will help them in <strong>enhancing their productivity and profitability.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Formation of Seed Committee</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill authorizes the Central government to reconstitute a <strong>Central Seed Committee</strong> (based in <strong>New Delhi</strong>) that will be responsible for the effective implementation of its provisions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Registration of Seed Varieties</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Draft Bill Provision:</strong> All varieties of seeds <strong>for sale</strong> have to be <strong>registered</strong> and are required to meet certain <strong>prescribed minimum standards.</strong> For instance, for transgenic varieties of seeds, registration is to be obtained under the <strong>Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.</strong> This can bring <strong>greater accountability</strong> to seed companies.</li>
<li><strong>Industry Recommendation:</strong> Make the registration process <strong>time-bound.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Exemptions</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Exempt farmers from obtaining registration for<strong> varieties developed by them.</strong> However, if the farmer sells such seeds for a monetary consideration, then that sale needs to be registered. This is to protect the interests of other farmers who buy seeds from such a farmer.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Also, farmers are allowed to sow, exchange or sell their farm seeds and planting material without having to conform to the prescribed minimum limits of germination, physical purity and genetic purity (as required by registered seeds). However, farmers cannot sell any seed under a brand name.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> Exemption of <strong>export-oriented varieties</strong> from registration has been made. This will encourage <strong>custom production of seeds</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Research-based Companies</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> In the proposed Bill, there is a differentiation between the seed producer, seed processor and seed dealer for the purpose of <strong>licensing.</strong> However, there is <strong>no recognition of National Level Integrated Seed Companies</strong> with R&amp;D capabilities.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> There must be a system of accreditation of national level research-based companies with integrated facilities for research, product testing, data analytics, seed production, seed quality control, seed processing, farmer extension and marketing. <strong>These companies need to be given a national licence</strong> that can be renewed at regular intervals based on fresh inspections and track record.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Truthfully labelled seeds</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Currently, a large percentage of seed is sold under a<strong> self-certification programme</strong> called Truthfully Labelled (TL) seeds. The certification process has been kept <strong>voluntary.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> TL seeds category must continue, as the mandatory registration of seed varieties eliminates the risk of misuse of TL provision. The TL certification has helped the industry to grow and facilitated the supply of high-quality seeds to the farmer in the last 30 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nurseries</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Licences/ registration of<strong> fruit nurseries.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> Apply this provision to all nurseries and not just fruit nurseries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Price Control</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Empowers<strong> the government to fix prices of selected varieties</strong> in case of &lsquo;emergent&rsquo; situations such as seed shortage, abnormal increase in price, monopolistic pricing, profiteering, etc. which are open to subjective interpretation.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> The industry opposes any kind of price control, as it can stifle innovation and result in a scale back of research investments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Review of complaints</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-consumer-protection-bill-2018-amendment-1986-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Consumer Protection Act, 1986</strong></a> to be used to deal with complaints related to the non-performance of seed.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> Seed performance is dependent on several <strong>agro-climatic and biological factors</strong> and is <strong>not always</strong> related to the<strong> quality of the seed.</strong> Hence, this aspect must be kept in mind while reviewing a complaint.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Penal Provisions</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Differentiates the agronomic performance of the seed, its physical quality and the supply of spurious seed, and consequently penalizes the offences and prescribes punishment.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> All offences are not criminal. <strong>Minor offences</strong> (unintended offences) <strong>and major offences</strong> (made intentionally) should be differentiated. The minor offences in the Bill must be made as compoundable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Legislative Frameworks for Seeds in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Historically, the seed industry in India has been governed by several legislative &amp; policy frameworks such as Seed Act (1966), Seed Rules (1968), Seed (Control) Order (1983), New Policy on Seed Development (1988), Plants, Fruits &amp; Seeds (Regulation of Import into India) Order (1989), <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmershttps://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Right Act (2001)</strong></a>, and the <strong>Essential Commodities Act, 1955</strong> including Seeds (1955), National Seed Policy (2002), and Seed Bill (2004).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All of these legislations were passed to take care of <strong>seeds right from the production level to marking, labeling, and marketing levels</strong> so as to <strong>maintain</strong> the quality standards as prescribed by the Central Seed Committee (formed under the Seed Act, 1966).</li>
<li>These laws make <strong>quality seeds and planting material available</strong> to a common farmer and provide him a mechanism to approach concerned authority for justice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Seed Bill (2004) was proposed to replace the Seed Act (1966), however, owing to several shortcomings it was not passed. The 2019 draft version tries to overcome the drawbacks of the 2004 Bill.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Agriculture production is purely based on the basic input,i.e., <strong>seed.</strong> Until and unless the purity, quality and seed standards are maintained, production programme cannot be successful. Hence, to maintain these quality standards, legislations in this regard are equally important.</li>
<li>It is also necessary <strong>to disseminate the information</strong> regarding seed legislations to the farmers in order to make them <strong>aware of their rights.</strong></li>
<li>Companies with national licence and accreditation must be allowed to <strong>conduct trials for seed varieties and generate data</strong> (which is to be made acceptable for product registration purposes). This will help in speedy reach of new research products to the market for the timely benefit of the farmer.</li>
</ul>
<p>Overall, the seed law must have the <strong>twin objective</strong> of <strong>regulating the supply of seeds</strong> for the benefit of the farmers and, at the same time, <strong>enable the development</strong> of the seed industry.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 83px;">
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffbd4; height: 83px;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>Discuss the challenges faced by the seed industry in India and suggest steps that can be taken to overcome them.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/seed-bill'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture- India, China Diplomatic Ties',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nXakvlu1MjU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>In 2020, India and China will commemorate the <strong>70<sup>th</sup> anniversary</strong> of the establishment of their diplomatic relations with 70 celebratory activities (like cultural, religious and trade promotion events). These events were finalized during the <strong>second India-China informal summit</strong> held at <strong>Mamallapuram</strong> on October 11-12, 2019. In 1950, India became the <strong>first non-socialist bloc country</strong> to establish diplomatic relations with the People&rsquo;s Republic of China.</p>
<p>Besides hosting parliamentary exchanges, the two countries will conduct activities to trace <strong>civilizational links.</strong> And to foster business and trade relations, China will hold an <strong>India-China Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum</strong> and organize the <strong>second India-China Drug Regulation Forum in India.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India-China Drug Regulation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> first forum</strong> was held in <strong>Shanghai, China on 21<sup>st</sup> June 2019.</strong></li>
<li>The major focus of this forum was to <strong>enhance cooperation in the pharmaceuticals sector</strong> with a focus on exports of Indian medicines to China.</li>
<li>China under its <strong>Healthy China 2030 policy</strong> is committed to provide quality drugs at affordable prices to its citizens. And, India <strong>has emerged as the pharmacy of the world</strong> (exported around $17.3 billion-worth drugs in 2017-18) by providing high-quality generic drugs at a very affordable price.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this backdrop, China is keen to strengthen ties with India in the field of pharmaceuticals sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Present Sino-Indian Ties</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two emerging and enduring powers representing two modes of civilization signify a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-china-relations-an-analysis%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>complex and dynamic relationship</strong></a> in world politics.</li>
<li>In the recent past, relations between India and China have broadened which can be exemplified by <strong>enhanced people-to-people cultural exchanges, improved commerce &amp; economic ties</strong> inter-alia.</li>
<li>At the official level, <strong>high-level exchanges</strong> have become regular in the form of recently organized <strong>two informal summits-</strong> <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indias-china-pak-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wuhan Summit (2018)</strong></a> <strong>&amp;</strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-2nd-informal-summit-mamallapuram-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Chennai Connect (2019)</strong></a>, and frequent meetings on the bilateral/ multilateral fora.</li>
<li>The<strong> soft diplomacy</strong> practiced in the form of<strong> increased tourism</strong> (granting of multiple-entry visa for 5 years by India to Chinese travellers), frequent visits by <strong>armed forces &amp; naval activities, 10 pillar agreement</strong> (2018), finalizing of <strong>70 events</strong> in the second informal summit, etc. have given a <strong>cushioning effect-</strong> marking the progress in the relations.</li>
<li>This highlights the enhanced engagement between the two nations. However, issues on certain major parameters still persist.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>10 Pillar Agreement</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>10 pillars of cooperation to enhance <strong>cultural and people-to-people exchanges</strong> were finalized between India and China in <strong>December 2018.</strong></li>
<li>These pillars are <em><strong>cultural exchange, cooperation in films and television, museum management, sports, youth exchanges, tourism, state and city-level exchanges, traditional medicine, yoga, and education (e.g. Chinese language teaching in India).</strong></em></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Underlying Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a <strong>widening gulf</strong> between the two nations on certain<strong> core issues</strong> like:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ongoing <strong>border/territorial disputes</strong> (e.g. <strong>Pangong Tso</strong> Lake issue 2019, <strong>Doklam</strong> stand-off 2017,<strong> Asaphila</strong> issue of Arunachal Pradesh)</li>
<li>Chinese activism on <strong>Kashmir</strong> after abrogation of certain provisions of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-article-370" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 370</strong></a></li>
<li>Cross-border <strong>terrorism</strong></li>
<li>China&rsquo;s stand on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s entry to Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-unsc-and-permanent-seat-for-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong></a>, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns with India:</strong> China perceives itself as a leading power ruling the <strong>unipolar</strong> <strong>world</strong> by 2050. It is therefore not comfortable with the <strong>rise of India</strong> in the region as the potential competitive power.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China follows a <strong>maximalist expectations approach</strong> towards India in which it demands much from the Indian side as can be seen from &lsquo;Hindi-Chini bhai bhai&rsquo; phase in the 1950s to the stable periphery demand, or demand to join <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/belt-and-road-initiative-perspectives-from-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)</strong></a>. However, China does not reciprocate the same by addressing India&rsquo;s concerns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Stance regarding Pakistan:</strong> For decades, China has used Pakistan as a wedge against India in order to confine India to the South Asia region and prevent India&rsquo;s rise as a global competitor. This can be substantiated by China&rsquo;s support to Pakistan on cross-border terrorism, resisting to designate certain terrorists globally, etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges faced on the Global Platforms</h3>
<p>On the global stage, India and China are working together on different platforms where they display both convergence and divergence on the global issues.</p>
<p><strong>Convergence</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> In the recently held <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basic-environment-ministers-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) minister&rsquo;s meet</strong></a>, the ministers from these nations advocated the concept of <strong>equal but differentiated responsibility</strong> that acknowledges different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> In the <strong>recent</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/11th-brics-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS summit (Brasilia Declaration)</strong></a>, in the backdrop of trade war between China and the U.S. and rising protectionism, there was a call for supporting multilateralism, and appreciating the central role of the U.N. in international affairs.</li>
<li><strong>Multilateral Forum:</strong> Both countries believe in upholding of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> charter and its non-interference policy, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a>, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organization (WTO)</strong></a>- where both fight for G7 countries, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/east-asia-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>East Asian Summit.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Divergence</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the recent <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/3rd-rcep-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>3<sup>rd</sup> Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)</strong></a>, China tried to trick on India in order to get access to the Indian markets.</li>
<li>China also has concerns about India&rsquo;s role (being a member of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-and-g-4-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quad</strong></a>) in the <strong>Indian Ocean region.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Other Domestic Challenges</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chinese economy is suffering due to the ongoing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/global-trade-war-the-apology-of-protectionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-China trade war.</strong></a></li>
<li>Also, the domestic issues like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hongkong-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hongkong protests,</strong></a> issue of atrocities against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/persecution-of-uighurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Uighur muslims</strong></a> in Xinjiang province is affecting China.</li>
<li>China is worried with concerns related to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/viability-of-bri-and-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)</strong></a> due to rising insurgency in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Strategic: </strong>There is a need for defining, demarcating and delineating the borders so as to remove fear from the minds of people residing in the vicinity and strengthen the ties.</li>
<li>On the<strong> economic</strong> front, China has a trade surplus of around <strong>$750 billion</strong> (in the last 10 years) with India, which it needs to bring down. Service sector can play a major role in reducing the trade deficit.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China must<strong> create a level playing field</strong> by allowing Indian services such as in pharmaceuticals and software packages in its market. Also, in the RCEP, equitable distribution and differences between the two nations needs to be bridged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both countries can effectively <strong>use their soft power</strong> (in the form of <strong>tourism</strong>) to further integrate their economies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Tourism:</strong> More Indian nationals visit to China as compared to the Chinese tourists coming to India. This<strong> cultural cross connect must be increased</strong> so as to build up the co-constituencies and enhance businesses that can consequently lead to resolving of conflicts at the national level.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/tourism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Promotion of tourism</strong></a> through education, spiritual visits especially on the Buddhist circuit, etc. must be promoted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The problems between India and China are difficult to be resolved in the short run but by <strong>managing the relationship</strong> by minimising the existing strategic gap, narrowing the divergences and maintaining the status quo, it can be improved over time. For this purpose, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-ties-marching-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>increased engagement with China</strong> </a>at every level from government to people, academia, business, etc. has to be targeted.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-diplomatic-ties'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Tanbo Art',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A progressive farmer in Kerala is using <strong>Tanbo Art (a 3D art form)</strong> to depict the celebrated Guruvayur temple elephant that died in 1976.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368703_Image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368703_Image5.jpg" width="479" height="269" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The farmer used several indigenous varieties of rice like <strong>Krishna Kamod, Gandhakasala and Jeerakasala</strong> to give shape to the image.</li>
<li>Tanbo Art is a <strong>rice paddy art</strong> developed by the farmers of Inakadate village in <strong>Japan about three decades ago</strong> to beautify their paddy fields.</li>
<li>They drew huge replicas of famous paintings, including Mona Lisa, by growing rice crops with fronds of different colours.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/guruvayur-kesavan-comes-alive-on-a-field-in-kerala/article30142043.ece" 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/tanbo-art'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Data Bank of Independent Directors',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs</strong> launched the <strong>Independent Directors Databank</strong> in accordance with the provisions of the <strong>Companies Act, 2013</strong> and the rules made thereunder.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ministry was working on ways to <strong>strengthen the framework for independent directors,</strong> who have an important role in ensuring good corporate governance practices at companies.</li>
<li>It seeks to make the process stringent because in many cases political appointees with standard financial background were also getting rehabilitated in several companies as independent directors.</li>
<li>Recent<strong> Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&amp;FS) crisis</strong> highlighted the reckless grading by credit rating agencies who liberally granted and downgraded the companies as per their wish and got away with it.</li>
<li>Apart from the launch of <strong>Independent Directors Bank,</strong> the government has also decided to <strong>conduct examinations for appointments</strong> of independent directors in which a<strong> score of 60% marks</strong> will be mandatory criteria for qualification.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The change is in line with the amended <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/committee-to-review-the-offences-under-the-companies-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Companies Act.</strong></a> The government will also maintain a database of professionals qualifying in the test that can be used by companies looking to expand their board or making fresh appointments under the current regulations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Independent directors <strong>must not assume a passive role,</strong> merely reacting to ideas foreseen by the controlling shareholder or their appointees. They should be willing to question the status quo in the interest of shareholders not play a risk-free mute spectator limiting to attending just number of board meetings.</li>
<li><strong>Strict accountability and eligibility</strong> will curb promoters placing their own ineligible candidates and family members on the listed company boards.</li>
<li>The concept of the institution of Independent Director is of utmost importance for <strong>Corporate Governance</strong> who should act act as the trustees of stakeholders.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Data Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been developed and maintained by the <strong>Indian Institute for Corporate Affairs (IICA)</strong> under Ministry of Corporate Affairs.</li>
<li>It is a <strong>first of its kind initiative</strong> which provides for a wide array of <strong>e-learning courses</strong> on various topics including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/final-report-on-penal-provisions-of-company-act-2013" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Companies Act</strong></a>, <strong>Securities laws, basic accountancy, board practices, board ethics and board effectiveness.</strong></li>
<li>It provides an <strong>easy to access navigation platform</strong> for the registration of existing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-registration-for-independent-directors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Independent Directors</strong> </a>as well as individuals aspiring to become independent directors.</li>
<li><strong>Companies can register</strong> themselves with the databank to search, select and connect with individuals aspiring to be Independent Directors.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Independent Director</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An <strong>Independent Director (also sometimes known as an outside director)</strong> is a director on a board of directors representing minority shareholders and <strong>who does not have a pecuniary relationship</strong> with the company or related persons, except for sitting fees.</li>
<li>Their role is to take a stand unambiguously and independently to have a check and balance on the exuberance of majority shareholders that may expose the company to unwarranted risks.</li>
<li>The Companies Act, 2013 has mandated all listed public companies to have <strong>at least one-third</strong> of the total Directors to be independent.</li>
<li>Their role requires them to be clinical while businesses expect them to be practical, that&rsquo;s the tight rope they walk on.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594558" 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/data-bank-of-independent-directors'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Exercise Hand-in-Hand',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 8<sup>th</sup> <strong>India-China <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-december-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint training exercise</a> 'HAND-IN-HAND 2019'</strong> with the theme of &lsquo;Counter Terrorism&rsquo; under United Nations mandate is scheduled to be conduct at Umroi, <strong>Meghalaya</strong> from 7<sup>th</sup> to 20<sup>th</sup> December 2019.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368069_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368069_image3.png" width="342" height="240" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter terrorist operations in semi urban terrain.</li>
<li>In<strong> 2018,</strong> the exercise was held in <strong>Chengdu, China.</strong></li>
<li>The exercise <strong>didn&rsquo;t take place in 2017</strong> due to the 72-days long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/india-s-world-pm-modi-s-visit-to-bhutan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Doklam.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594600" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-hand-in-hand'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Power of Siberia',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently <strong>China and Russia</strong> have inaugurated cross border gas pipeline named <strong>&ldquo;Power of Siberia&rdquo;.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575361775_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575361775_image2.jpg" width="235" height="235" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>first</strong> cross-border gas pipeline between Russia and China.</li>
<li>Under this pipeline project, <strong>Russia</strong> will <strong>deliver 1 trillion cubic meters of natural gas to China</strong> over the <strong>next 30 years.</strong></li>
<li>The pipeline will pass through the deltas of the <strong>Yangtze and Amur rivers</strong> of<strong> China.</strong></li>
<li>The new pipeline is an emblem of closer <strong>energy</strong> <strong>integration</strong> in <strong>Eurasia,</strong> with Russia and China as the key partners.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/putin-xi-launch-landmark-russian-gas-pipeline-to-china/article30137425.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/power-of-siberia'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Navy Gets its First Woman Pilot',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently,<strong> Sub Lieutenant Shivangi Swaroop</strong> became the <strong>first pilot in the Indian navy</strong> after qualifying as a Dornier pilot.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, Bhawana Kanth, Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh became the first women fighter pilots in the <strong>Indian Air Force.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Dornier aircraft</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>multi-role Short Range Maritime Reconnaissance (SRMR) aircraft,</strong> with<strong> twin-engine</strong> manufactured by <strong>Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd. (HAL), Kanpur.</strong></li>
<li>The aircraft can be <strong>used for electronic warfare missions, maritime surveillance, search and rescue and to provide targeting data</strong> to weapon platform.</li>
<li>It is an important contribution towards indigenous development and self-reliance through <strong>&lsquo;Make in India&rsquo;,</strong> with state-of-the-art sensors and equipment including a glass cockpit, advanced surveillance radar, optical sensors and networking features.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594603" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'COP25 Climate Summit',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>25<sup>th</sup></strong> edition of the <strong>Conference of the Parties</strong> to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)</strong></a> or COP25 has begun from December 2 in <strong>Madrid (Spain).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Originally,</strong> the Summit was scheduled to be held at <strong>Chile (South America)</strong> but violent mass movement across the country made Chile reluctant from hosting the event.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The location of this conference is <strong>rotated every year</strong> in <strong>different regions</strong> of the world. This year it was the <strong>turn of South America</strong> to host the event.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Agenda for COP25</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>prime objective</strong> of the conference is to<strong> complete the rule-book to the 2015 Paris Agreement</strong> that will become <strong>effective</strong> in <strong>2020</strong> to <strong>replace</strong> the <strong>1997 Kyoto Protocol</strong> (comes to an end in 2020).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The issues like the creation of new <strong>carbon markets,</strong> emission reduction targets, country&rsquo;s individual targets, etc. <strong>remained unresolved</strong> during <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cop24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COP24 at Katowice (Poland) 2019</a>.</strong> Thus the rulebook under the Paris Agreement could not be finalized.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Kyoto Protocol</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Kyoto Protocol is an <strong>international agreement</strong> linked to the UNFCCC, which commits its parties by setting <strong>internationally binding</strong> emission reduction targets.</li>
<li>The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in <strong>Kyoto, Japan</strong>&nbsp;in <strong>1997</strong> and entered into force in<strong> 2005.</strong></li>
<li>It recognized that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity.</li>
<li>The <strong>detailed rules</strong> for the implementation of the Protocol were <strong>adopted at COP-7 in Marrakesh, in 2001&nbsp;</strong>and are referred to as the <strong>Marrakesh Accords.</strong></li>
<li>Kyoto Protocol <strong>Phase-1 (2005-12)</strong> gave the target of cutting down emissions by 5%.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Phase- 2 (2013-20)</strong> gave the target of reducing emissions by at least 18% by the industrialized countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The summit will also discuss the functioning of international emissions trading systems, compensation for poor countries to deal with rising sea levels and other consequences of climate change.</li>
<li>It will consider the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/emission-gap-report-by-unep" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Annual Emissions Gap Report,</strong></a> produced by the <strong>UN Environment Programme</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-environment-outlook" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>(UNEP)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>a series of reports</strong></a> from the<strong> Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both the reports summarise that the goal of keeping average temperatures within 1.5&deg;C from pre-industrial times is <strong>&ldquo;on the brink of becoming impossible.'' </strong>As the <strong>overall emissions</strong> are <strong>still increasing</strong> worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The processes and methods of reporting information about climate change would be fixed during the summit. Specifically, the <strong>developing countries</strong> will try to ensure that there are greater <strong>appreciation and recognition</strong> of the <strong>issue of loss and damage</strong> due to climate change.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a demand to institute a mechanism to compensate countries that suffer major losses due to climate change-induced events like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-kyarr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cyclones</strong></a> or floods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It puts into efforts for committing to a <strong>long-term action plan to fight climate change</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far only 71 countries, most of them small emitters, have committed themselves to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Agenda</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is <strong>unlikely</strong> to announce any<strong> enhanced targets</strong> during the summit.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s current efforts are already much more compared to even rich and developed countries. Thus, India will reiterate its stand for &rdquo;<strong>Common but Differentiated Responsibilities&rdquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Developed countries are major contributors to climate change and they are doing proportionately less, especially when it comes to providing finance and technology to the less developed world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Carbon Market</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A carbon market allows countries, or industries, to earn carbon credits for emission reductions they make in excess of what is required of them.</li>
<li>These credits can be traded to the highest bidder in exchange for money.</li>
<li>The buyers of carbon credits can show the emission reductions as their own and use them to meet their own emission reduction targets.</li>
<li>A carbon market already existed under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol but several countries walked out of the Kyoto Protocol and thus the demand for carbon credits had waned.</li>
<li>As a result, developing countries like India, China and Brazil had accumulated huge amounts of carbon credits. These credits are now in danger of getting redundant.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/un-chief-warns-of-point-of-no-return-on-climate-change/article30135171.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'India- Sri Lanka',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The newly elected <strong>Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa</strong> visited India from 28<sup>th</sup>-30<sup>th</sup> November 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Sri Lankan President played a major role in ending the country&rsquo;s <strong>civil war (1983-2009).</strong></li>
<li>The President&rsquo;s two brothers, Mahinda Rajapaksha and Chamal Rajapaksha, hold the position of the Prime Minister and Agricultural Minister respectively in Sri Lanka.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Civil War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sri Lanka has been <strong>mired in ethnic conflict</strong> since the country, formerly known as Ceylon, became independent from British rule in 1948.</li>
<li>After independence, the Sinhalese majority immediately began to pass laws that discriminated against Tamils (Hindu in religion), particularly the Indian Tamils brought to the island by the British.</li>
<li>In 1972, the Sinhalese dominated government changed the country&rsquo;s name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka and made Buddhism the nation&rsquo;s primary religion.</li>
<li>As ethnic tension grew, in <strong>1976,</strong> the<strong> LTTE or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam</strong> was formed under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran, and it began to campaign for a Tamil homeland in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, where most of the island&rsquo;s Tamils reside.</li>
<li>The conflict between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE lasted nearly three decades,<strong> ending in 2009</strong>&nbsp;when the LTTE forces were finally defeated.</li>
<li>The war was one of the longest-running civil wars in Asia.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Discussed:</strong> Strengthening of trade ties, boosting maritime security, addressing concerns of the fishermen, fulfilling aspirations of Tamil community in Sri Lanka and to fight against terrorism.</li>
<li><strong>Line of Credit</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India extended a<strong> $400 million</strong> line of credit to Sri Lanka to help strengthen its infrastructure and economy.</li>
<li>An additional <strong>$50 million</strong> to help Sri Lanka combat terrorism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Sri Lankan President extended an <strong>invitation to the Prime Minister of India to visit Sri Lanka</strong> at a mutually convenient time.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India - Sri Lanka Relations<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575358264_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575358264_image1.png" width="297" height="210" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India is Sri Lanka's closest neighbour.</strong> The <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-sri-lanka-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>relationship</strong> </a>between the two countries is more than 2,500 years old and both sides have built upon a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic intercourse.</li>
<li>During the course of the civil war, India supported the right of the Government of Sri Lanka to act against terrorist forces.</li>
<li>The<strong> Indian Housing Project&nbsp;is Government of India&rsquo;s flagship project of developmental assistance to Sri Lanka. </strong>Its&nbsp;initial commitment is to build 50,000 houses for those affected by the civil war as well as for the estate workers in the plantation areas.</li>
<li>Given the proximity of the territorial waters of both countries, especially in the Palk Straits and the Gulf of Mannar, incidents of straying of fishermen are common. Both countries have agreed on <strong>certain practical arrangements to deal with the issue of bona fide fishermen</strong> of either side crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line.</li>
<li>India and Sri Lanka conduct joint <strong>Military ( 'Mitra Shakti')</strong> and <strong>Naval exercise (SLINEX)</strong>.</li>
<li>Recently, the <strong>Chennai (India) -Jaffna (Sri Lanka) flight service has resumed</strong> after a gap of 41 years.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The flight operations were suspended during the decades-old civil war in Sri Lanka.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=195186" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Organ Donation',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/getting-organ-donation-to-tick-again/article30118791.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Getting organ donation to tick again&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 30/11/2019. It talks about the various issues related to organ donation in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Government of India celebrated the <strong>10<sup>th</sup> Indian Organ Donation Day</strong> on 30<sup>th</sup> November. It was organised by the <strong>National Organ &amp; Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was observed with the primary objective of promoting organ donation and transplantation so that the number of people suffering from organ failure can get a new lease of life.</li>
<li>As per <strong>Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, India</strong> performs the <strong>second largest</strong> number of transplants in the world, after the USA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues Related to Organ Donation</h3>
<p>India has a dismal <strong>0.65 per million population (PMP) organ donation rate</strong> and around<strong> 5 lakh</strong> people die every year in India due to unavailability of organs.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure:</strong> There is a huge scarcity of Organ Transplant and Retrieval Centres in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are just 301 hospitals equipped to handle the transplant process and only 250 of them have been registered with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-28th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).</strong></a></li>
<li>Currently, for organ transplant, there exists only 1 fully equipped hospital for around 43 lakh people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trust Deficit: Altruistic donation</strong> has been the major source of organ transplant in the country. However, a false negative perception has been growing against private hospitals of their nexus related to organ transplant.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A classic example of this negative publicity is seen in the steep drop in organ donation in Kerala &mdash; from 76 deceased donors in 2015 to 8 in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inequality and Accessibility:</strong> A majority of donors are from the <strong>lower middle class and below,</strong> while the majority of organ recipients are from the small number of persons who can afford transplant surgery and costly lifetime medication thereafter. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An organ comes free, as donated to the society, but the transplantation cost associated with it is around 5 to 25 lakh. This cost reduces the accessibility to organ transplant to the weaker section of the society.</li>
<li>The cost factor is the key reason why more than three quarters of donated hearts and lungs do not get taken.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Superstitions and Misconceptions:</strong> It is a common misconception that organ donation <strong>disfigures</strong> the deceased donor&rsquo;s body, which prevents people from enrolling into the donation.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Altruistic Donation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Altruism is acting out of concern for another&rsquo;s well-being. People behave altruistically when they see others in desperate circumstances and feel empathy and a desire to help.</li>
<li>Altruism is the ethical basis for the donation of bodily material and continues to play a central role in ethical thinking in organ donation.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575291225_pasted%20image 0.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575291225_pasted image 0.png" width="458" height="381" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Affordability:</strong> For increasing accessibility of donated organs to weaker sections, the public hospitals need to increase the infrastructural capacity to carry out transplantation and provide affordable proper treatment to the poor.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Cross-subsidisation:</strong> It is suggested that cross-subsidization will increase accessibility to the weaker section. For every 3 or 4 transplants, the private hospitals should carry out free of cost transplantation to the section of the population that donates a majority of organs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Targeting Low Priority Services:</strong> India spends around <strong>1.2% of GDP on health</strong> which is quite low, therefore focussing more on <strong>organ-failure prevention</strong> would generate better health outcomes.</li>
<li><strong>Regulation: The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994,</strong> need to be amended to substitute the rigid bureaucratic procedure of hospitals by self-declaration and mandatory verification involving civil society. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Secondly,</strong> the Act also needs to address the issue of interference of the central government in organ distribution and should ensure full autonomy to States in matters related to organ transplant.</li>
<li>Transparency in organ transplant can be increased by making the organ distribution procedure online and making online availability of full details.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994</strong></p>
<p>Transplantation of Human Organs Act was passed in 1994. It provides various regulations for the removal of human organs and its storage.</p>
<p>It also regulates the transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for the prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.</p>
<p><strong>Main Provisions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The act recognises brain death identified as a form of the death process and defines criteria for brain death.</li>
<li>It provides regulatory and advisory bodies for monitoring transplantation activity.</li>
<li>It also provides for maintenance of a registry of donors and recipients of human organs and tissues.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Awareness:</strong> Removing the misconceptions and myths about organ donation can play a significant role in addressing organ deficiency in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the BBC report, there would be no requirement of the living donor if 5% of deceased patients from road accident opt for organ donations in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #7700ff; background-color: #ddedeb;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Briefly mention various issues related to organ transplantation in India.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Global Climate Risk Index 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The international environmental think tank &lsquo;Germanwatch&rsquo; has recently released the Global Climate Risk Index 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The index analyses the extent to which countries and regions have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Findings<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575534282_image3.png" width="163" height="366" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Worst affected in 2018:</strong> Japan, Philippines and Germany</li>
<li><strong>Worst affected between 1999-2018 (long-term index):</strong> Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti</li>
<li><strong>Deaths and financial loss between 1999-2018:</strong> Altogether, about 5 lakh people died as a direct result of more than 12 000 extreme weather events globally. Losses amounted to around US$ 3.54 trillion (in purchasing power parities).</li>
<li><strong>Poor countries had to face much higher impacts:</strong> Of the ten most affected countries and territories in the period 1999-2018, seven were developing countries in the low income or lower-middle income country group, two were classified as upper-middle income countries (Thailand and Dominica) and one was an advanced economy generating high income (Puerto Rico).</li>
<li><strong>Link between climate change and the frequency &amp; severity of extreme heat:</strong> Heatwaves were one major cause of damage in 2018. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Of the ten most affected countries in 2018, Germany, Japan and India were suffering from extended periods of heat.</li>
<li>Across Europe, extreme heat spells are now up to 100 times more likely than a century ago.</li>
<li>Impact of heatwaves on African countries may be under-represented due to a lack of data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India, which suffered water shortages, crop failures and worst flooding, holds the <strong>5<sup>th</sup> position.</strong> It has fallen from its 14<sup>th</sup> rank of countries hit most by climate change-induced weather phenomena in 2017.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has also recorded the <strong>highest number of fatalities due to climate change</strong> and the <strong>second-highest monetary losses from its impact in 2018.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suggestions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 2019 Climate Summit in Madrid needs to address the lack of additional climate finance to help the poorest people and countries to address loss and damage. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These countries are <strong>more vulnerable to the damaging effects</strong> of a hazard but <strong>have lower coping capacity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The climate summit needs to result in: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>a decision on how the need for support for vulnerable countries concerning future loss and damage is to be determined on an ongoing basis</li>
<li>the necessary steps to generate and make available financial resources to meet these needs</li>
<li>strengthening the implementation of measures for adapting to climate change</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Germanwatch</strong></p>
<p>Germanwatch, based in Bonn and Berlin (Germany), is an independent development and environmental organisation which works for sustainable global development.</p>
</div>',
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		'title' => 'World Soil Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>World Soil Day (WSD)</strong> is held annually on <strong>5 December</strong> to highlight the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> for WSD 2019 is<strong> &lsquo;Stop Soil Erosion, Save Our Future&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533952_image4.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="216" height="210" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was recommended by the <strong>International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)</strong> in <strong>2002.</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)</strong></a> has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness-raising platform under the leadership of the<strong> Kingdom of Thailand</strong> within the framework of the<strong> Global Soil Partnership.</strong></li>
<li><strong>5 December 2014</strong> was designated as the <strong>first official World Soil Day</strong> by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a> <strong>(UNGA).</strong></li>
<li>The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official <strong>birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand,</strong> who <strong>officially sanctioned</strong> the event.</li>
<li>FAO gives <strong>two awards</strong> in line with this day-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award-</strong> an annual award that honours individuals, communities, organizations and countries that organized remarkable and engaging World Soil Day activities or campaigns in the previous year.</li>
<li><strong>The Glinka World Soil Prize-</strong> an annual award for dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving one of our world&rsquo;s most pressing environmental issue: <strong>soil degradation.</strong> It honours individuals and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed, or are still contributing to the promotion of sustainable soil management and the protection of soil resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.fao.org/world-soil-day/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: FAO</strong></a></p>',
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	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'World Malaria Report, 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation (WHO)</strong></a> has released the <strong>World Malaria Report, 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report provides a comprehensive update on global and regional malaria data and trends including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, elimination and surveillance.</li>
<li>According to the report, <strong>228 million cases</strong> of malaria are observed <strong>worldwide, down from</strong> 251 million cases in <strong>2010.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Highest Burden:</strong> India along with 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa carried almost <strong>85% of the global malaria burden.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though <strong>India</strong> has observed the <strong>largest absolute reductions</strong> among the countries that share 85% of the malaria burden.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> It has declined globally between 2010 and 2018, from 71 to 57 cases per 1000 population.</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> The <strong>number of deaths due to malaria</strong> has <strong>decreased</strong> globally. (405,000 deaths in 2018 from 416,000 deaths in 2017).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Analysis:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Incidence rate:</strong> India reported <strong>2.6 million fewer cases</strong> in 2018 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>compared to 2017.</strong></a> Thus the overall incidence of malaria in the country has reduced.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However,<strong> 7 states</strong> (Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh) account for about <strong>90% of the burden</strong> of malaria cases in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deaths:</strong> Overall number of deaths due to malaria in India have reduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575533289_image2.jpg" width="509" height="194" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Steps taken at the global level</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</li>
<li>WHO has also released a new country-driven approach&ndash;<strong>&ldquo;High burden to high impact&rdquo;</strong> to enhance response to malaria in countries where malaria cases increased in 2018 as compared to 2017</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps taken by the Indian government</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (NSPME) (2017-22)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years.</li>
<li>It is based on the <strong>National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016</strong> which is in line with <strong>WHO&rsquo;s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established <strong>&lsquo;Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)</strong> which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Malaria</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Malaria is caused by <strong>Plasmodium parasites.</strong></li>
<li>The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called <strong>"malaria vectors",</strong></li>
<li><strong>World Malaria Day</strong> is observed on <strong>25<sup>th</sup> April.</strong></li>
<li>It can be noted that WHO officially endorses disease-specific global awareness days for only four diseases viz. HIV-AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Hepatitis.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/malaria-drop-is-sharpest-in-india-90-of-cases-are-in-7-states-6151060/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2019'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Navy Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Indian Navy Day is celebrated on <strong>December 4</strong> every year to commemorate <strong>Operation Trident.</strong> The Navy also organises a <strong>Beating Retreat ceremony at Gateway of India in Mumbai</strong> on the eve of the Navy Day.</p>
<h3>Operation Trident</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was a counter-attack by Indian Navy<strong> on the Karachi harbour</strong> during the<strong> Indo-Pakistan war in 1971.</strong></li>
<li>India used <strong>anti-ship missiles</strong> for the first time during this operation and destroyed the Pakistani destroyer ship <strong>PNS Khaibar.</strong></li>
<li>The Indian Navy's <strong>three warships - INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and INS Veer -</strong> played an important role in the attack.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Navy<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575530918_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="150" height="223" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>headed</strong> by the <strong>President of India</strong> as its <strong>Supreme Commander.</strong></li>
<li>Indian Navy&rsquo;s <strong>Motto</strong> is - <strong>Sam no Varunah</strong> (शं नो वरूण&zwnj;:) that means that the God of water, Varuna, should be auspicious unto us.</li>
<li>Some of the <strong>earliest operations</strong> of the Indian Navy include its contribution in&nbsp;<strong>liberating Goa from Portugal in 1961.</strong></li>
<li>The Navy has developed as an admirable force with the making of the <strong>nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/deterrence-or-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INS Arihant</a></strong> and several other ships.</li>
<li>Indian Navy currently has <strong>one aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya</strong> which was a <strong>former Russian ship</strong> that was commissioned into service in 2013.</li>
<li>It <strong>operates three classes of submarines: Chakra</strong> (it has the <strong>nuclear-powered INS Chakra), Sindhughosh, and Shishumar.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Marine Commandos or MARCOS</strong> is the special force unit of the Indian Navy, trained to conduct amphibious warfare, counter-terrorism, special reconnaissance, hostage rescue and asymmetric warfare.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They were the first to respond to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ten-years-after-the-mumbai-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>26/11 Mumbai</strong> </a>terror attacks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/navy-day-heres-a-quick-look-at-the-indian-navy-today/article21260246.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navy-day'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Revamping the Agricultural Sector',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on the &ldquo;New Approach to Agriculture Sector&rdquo; which was published in Livemint on 02/12/2019. It highlights the problems faced by the Indian agricultural sector and the solutions to tackle it.</p>
</div>
<p>India faces several challenges related to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agricultural-distress-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>agriculture and food security</strong> </a>that include fragmentation of landholdings, degradation of resource quality, climate change induced adverse impact, large scale migration of agriculturists to non-farming sectors, etc. The current status of agriculture, therefore, needs critical evaluation in order to provide suitable remedial measures.</p>
<h3>Historical Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-security-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food security</strong></a> has been a national priority since Independence to fulfill the food demands of a rapidly growing population.</li>
<li><strong>Green Revolution</strong> that started in the mid-1960s through adoption of fertilizer-responsive high yielding varieties (HYVs), farm mechanization and use of agrochemicals including fertilizers transformed India from being a <strong>food importer to food exporter country</strong> within five decades.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last 50 years, food grain production (in the form of oilseeds, horticulture crops, etc.) in the country has increased by almost 3 times which has outpaced the growth of the population that went up by 2.6 times during this period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues in the Agriculture Sector</h3>
<p>While Green Revolution technologies intensified agricultural production, the misuse of inputs and deviant farm practices have led to an <strong>emergence of second-generation problems.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Multi-nutrient Deficiencies</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Practising the high yielding intensive agriculture has put an extreme pressure on soil health reflected by the <strong>continuous depletion of soil fertility.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Due to selective subsidy scheme in the form of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-approves-nutrient-based-subsidy-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme</strong></a> only for phosphatic and potassic (P&amp;K) fertilizers, there has been an overuse of these fertilizers. This has lead to the problem of <strong>nutrient mining</strong> (agricultural practices resulting in a negative nutrient balance) <strong>in Indian soil,</strong> impacting soil health over time.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In addition to primary nutrients (NPK), deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients (boron, copper, iron, manganese, etc) have increased in Indian soils.</li>
<li>Inadequate, imbalanced and inefficient use of mineral fertilizers with lack of use of organic sources of plant nutrients has given rise to multi-nutrient deficiencies.</li>
<li><strong>Fertilizer/nutrient use efficiency</strong> (economic production obtained per unit of fertilizer/nutrient applied) is also relatively low in India such as, with nitrogen (30-40%), phosphorus (15-20%) and potash (60-70%). This not only affects the <strong>crop yields but also affects the environment</strong> due to the escape of unused nutrients.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>crop response to fertilizers</strong> has been declining continuously. The average crop response to fertilizer application (kg grain produced per kg of NPK applied) decreased from 12.1:1 (during the 1960s) to 5:1 (in the 2010s). With the decrease in crop response to fertilizers, the<strong> profitability of the farmers has gone down</strong> year after year.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Inefficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the agriculture sector, water management related challenges include low water use efficiency, water-energy nexus, growing water-intensive crops in water-deficient areas, poor quality waters characterized by the excessive toxic elements and salts, and poor rainwater management.</li>
<li><strong>Water salinization and waterlogging</strong> in canal command areas (like Punjab, Haryana, Western UP) and rapidly<strong> falling water tables</strong> in the tube well-irrigated areas have aggravated the problem.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>practise of flood irrigation</strong> (one of the most inefficient methods of irrigation) has led to the transformation of agro-climatic cropping patterns in India. For instance, easier availability of water through pumping of groundwater because of the <strong>availability of free electricity to farmers</strong>&nbsp;has made the farmers of north-western India shift to rice cultivation during <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cropping-patterns-and-major-crops-of-india-part-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>kharif season</strong></a> by replacing traditional maize and coarse cereals production.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Decreasing Farmers Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The declining farmers&rsquo; income is largely on account of <strong>low average crop productivity and poor price realization.</strong></li>
<li>Government announces <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/minimum-support-price" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price</strong></a> (MSP) for crops. However, farmers are forced to sell their produce at much lower prices due to the exploitation by the middlemen, called Aadhtees.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the absence of effective market interventions, infrastructure, backward and forward linkages, farmers are <strong>unable to recover the cost of production.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Remedial Measures</h3>
<p><strong>Sustenance of Soil Health</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Organic carbon content</strong> in Indian soils is relatively poor. Effective steps are needed to augment the organic nutrient sources that include agricultural composting (natural process of decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms under controlled conditions), returning crop residues to the soil, etc.</li>
<li>For <strong>soil health enhancement,</strong>&nbsp;the government can <strong>link composting to<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/who-applauds-swachh-bharats-rural-component" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Swachh Bharat Mission</a></strong> and provide it free of cost to the farmers.</li>
<li>The target of reducing the use of chemical fertilizers up to 25% can be achieved by <strong>doubling the nutrient use efficiency.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Correction in Fertilizer Policy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, a number of initiatives such as shift from urea to 100% neem coated urea, reducing the weight of urea bag from 50 kg to 45 kg and providing soil health cards to all farmers have been taken <strong>to reduce urea consumption </strong>and <strong>promote more efficient use of nitrogen.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it has not helped much because under the prevailing fertilizer pricing policy there is a huge gap in urea vis-&agrave;-vis P&amp;K prices that continues to distort the NPK use ratio.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is time to revisit the present fertilizer pricing and subsidy scheme. Fertilizer policy should ensure balanced pricing of N, P, K, and micronutrients.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A simple solution in this regard is to bring urea under NBS scheme and transfer the subsidy directly into the farmers&rsquo; accounts rather than routing through the fertilizer industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Efficient Water Management</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Education of the society at large on the necessity of <strong>&lsquo;judicious use of water&rsquo;, &lsquo;har khet ko pani&rsquo; and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pradhan-mantri-krishi-sinchayee-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> &lsquo;more crop per drop'</a></strong> is a welcome step towards efficient usage of water.</li>
<li>Focus should be on agriculture sector with management technologies which have the potential of making water savings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Savings on water and nutrients under <strong>drip-fertigation</strong> (method of fertilizer application in which fertilizer is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system) range from 20% to 60% and 20-30%, respectively. The adoption and development of cropping/farming systems should be guided by the potential water availability.</li>
<li>Regulatory mechanisms should be put in place for sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Enhancing Farmers&rsquo; Income</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The inter-ministerial committee constituted to examine issues relating to <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/doubling-farmers-income-a-promise-to-be-fulfilled-by-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>doubling of farmers&rsquo; income by 2022,</strong></a> has identified seven sources of income growth namely,
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Improvement in crop productivity,</li>
<li>Improvement in livestock productivity,</li>
<li>Resource use efficiency or savings in the cost of production,</li>
<li>Increase in the cropping intensity,</li>
<li>Diversification towards high-value crops,</li>
<li>Improvement in real prices received by farmers, and</li>
<li>Shift from farm to non-farm occupations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the livelihood security of the country&rsquo;s millions of farmers (especially small and marginal ones), it is essential to shift to the approach of <strong>Integrated Farming System (IFS).</strong> The IFS model integrates the latest production technologies of farming and livestock/ aquaculture development and management.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Market Reforms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Market reforms are needed to ensure that remunerative prices to the farmers are given for their produce. A step towards bringing reforms in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/unaddressed-issues-in-agri-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agricultural Produce Market Committees</strong></a> (APMC) was taken by the government in July 2015 through the creation of <strong>National Agricultural Market (NAM).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since the APMCs are a state subject, operation of NAM faces innumerable difficulties. Unless NAM becomes successful, farmers shall keep facing exploitation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Central and State Governments need to work in tandem to provide support and required financial assistance to the farmers, so as to improve the availability and use of organic sources of plant nutrients.</li>
<li>Fertilizer policies need immediate course correction to promote the use of nutrients from inorganic, organic and biological sources. Industry freed from controls and task of reaching subsidy to the farmers by implementing DBT in true sense will encourage innovation in products and services.</li>
</ul>
<p>Indian agriculture is passing through a phase where the sustainability of soil health and crop yields have come into question. The dependence on fertilizers will continue to increase in the foreseeable future to meet the increasing nutrient demands for higher food production.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcffcc;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Briefly discuss the issues faced by the Indian agricultural sector and suggest corrective measures that can be undertaken to overcome them.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revamping-the-agricultural-sector'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Typhoon Kammuri',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a typhoon struck the Philippines, bringing heavy rains and suspending air travel. The government issued the warnings of floods, storm surges and landslides.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is known locally as<strong> Tisoy</strong> and is the 20<sup>th</sup> typhoon to hit the country this year.</li>
<li><strong>Tropical Cyclone</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-western-disturbance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone</strong></a> is the formation of a very <strong>low-pressure system</strong> with <strong>very high-speed winds</strong> revolving around it. Factors like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity contribute to the development of cyclones.</li>
<li>Cyclones are called <strong>'Hurricanes' in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, 'Typhoons' in South-East Asia and China</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;Tropical Cyclones&rsquo; in the South-West Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575454819_image3.jpg" width="443" height="424" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/one-killed-as-typhoon-hits-philippines-hundreds-of-flights-halted-6148229/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/typhoon-kammuri'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Anaemia in Indian Children',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A paper published in &lsquo;Scientific Reports&rsquo; pointed out that <strong>about 58.5% of children below five years of age in India are anaemic.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over one lakh children were analyzed using the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Family Health Survey (2015-16) data.</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong>Socio-demographic factors</strong> such as the wealth of the family, maternal education, maternal age, type of residence are the main reasons behind the incidence of childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>Recently, a &lsquo;Lancet Global Health report&rsquo; also revealed that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-among-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>23% of Indian men suffer from anaemia.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Anaemia</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong> defines anaemia as a condition in which the <strong>number of red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Iron deficiency</strong> is the <strong>most common cause</strong> of anaemia, although other conditions, such as folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin A deficiencies, chronic inflammation, parasitic infections, and inherited disorders can all cause anaemia.</li>
<li>In its severe form, it is associated with fatigue, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness. <strong>Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575452346_image2.jpg" width="527" height="444" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Maternal Education</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Maternal education increases the chances of mothers being aware of different health issues and thus taking the correct and appropriate steps towards preventing such issues.</li>
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the mother's education and the incidence of childhood anaemia. In other words, as the mother&rsquo;s education level increases, the tendency of the child to be anaemic decreases significantly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Wealth of the Family</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>52.9% of children in rich households were marked anaemic.</li>
<li>The number was 63.2% in the poorest households.</li>
<li>This suggests that a large number of children in poor households are anaemic, though the situation in rich households is also not that well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maternal Age</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There exists an inverse relationship between the age of mothers and the incidence of anaemia in children. The children of younger mothers are more anaemic.</li>
<li>This reveals the powerlessness of mothers in the age group 15-19 years in ensuring that the children get the right food.</li>
<li>This also reveals the power dimension in the allocation and use of resources in the household.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indian Programmes Related to Anaemia</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> the government of India launched <strong>Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB)</strong> as part of the <strong>Intensified National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI) Program</strong> for <strong>accelerating</strong> the <strong>annual rate of decline</strong> of anaemia from <strong>one to three percentage points.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The target groups for AMB are <strong>Children</strong> (6-59 months, 5-9 years), <strong>Adolescent Girls &amp; Boys</strong> (10-19 years), <strong>Women of Reproductive Age</strong> (15-49 years), <strong>Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also launched the <strong>Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS)</strong> Programme to meet the challenge of high prevalence and incidence of anaemia amongst <strong>adolescent girls and boys.</strong></li>
<li>Other programmes introduced include Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), National Nutritional Anemia Control Program (NNACP), etc to combat anemia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A broader health strategy is required to effectively address the issue of anaemia. Also, there is a need to bridge the gap between policy and practice.</li>
<li>The mother&rsquo;s health needs to be addressed as anaemia in mothers and premature delivery can also lead to childhood anaemia.</li>
<li>In addition to the maternal influence on childhood anaemia, paternal and overall household influences need to be considered for a more comprehensive policy framework for intervention at the household level.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/study-of-one-lakh-individuals-finds-why-indias-children-are-anaemic/article30062583.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-indian-children'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 ',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Parliament has <strong>passed</strong> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-protection-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Special Protection Group</strong> </a><strong>(Amendment) Bill, 2019.</strong> The SPG Bill will amend the <strong>SPG Act of 1988.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proposed amendments in the <strong>Special Protection Group (SPG) Bill</strong> aims to <strong>reduce the financial burden of VIP security on the state exchequer.</strong></li>
<li>The reduction of SPG coverage will also help to<strong> eliminate the notion of a status symbol</strong> attached to it.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Special Protection Group</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The SPG was raised in <strong>1985</strong> to provide security cover to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.</li>
<li>The SPG comprises of the personnel from the CRPF, Border Security Force and other Central and State forces.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Amendments</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reduced SPG Coverage:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The protection to be offered <strong>only to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family</strong> members that will reside with him at <strong>his official residence.</strong></li>
<li>Currently, the security cover is provided to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Time period:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The security will be provided <strong>only for a period of five years to the former Prime Ministers</strong> and their immediate family <strong>after they leave the office.</strong></li>
<li>However, the immediate family members need to be residing with the former Prime Minister at the allotted residence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Withdrawal:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When the proximate security is withdrawn from a former Prime Minister such proximate security will also stand withdrawn from members of his immediate family.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/spg-act-amendment-bill-gets-parliament-nod/article30152583.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/special-protection-group-amendment-bill-2019'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'GST Compensation',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>GST Council</strong> has informed all the States that the central government might not be able to compensate them for losses arising out of the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GST Council is a <strong>Constitutional body</strong> chaired by the Union Finance Minister and comprises the Minister of State for Finance/ Revenue and finance ministers of all States.</li>
<li>It <strong>makes recommendations</strong> on all important issues related to the Goods and Services Tax.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Background</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The GST became applicable from 1<sup>st</sup> July 2017 after the enactment of the 101<sup>st</sup> Constitution Amendment Act, 2016. With GST, a large number of central and state indirect taxes merged into a single tax.</li>
<li>The <strong>Centre promised compensation to the States</strong> for any shortfall in tax revenue due to GST implementation for a period of five years. This promise convinced a large number of reluctant States to sign on to the new indirect tax regime.</li>
<li>As per the GST Act, states are guaranteed compensation for any revenue shortfall below 14% growth (base year 2015-16) for the first five years ending 2022. GST compensation is <strong>paid out of Compensation Cess every two months</strong> by the Centre to states.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Compensation Cess is a cess that will be collected on the supply of select goods and or services or both till 1st July 2022.</li>
<li>All the taxpayers, except those who export specific notified goods and those who have opted for GST composition scheme, are liable to collect and remit the GST compensation cess to the central government.</li>
<li>Subsequently, the central government distributes it to the states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Centre has already delayed compensating states for the shortfall in GST revenues for August-September 2019, payment for which was due in October, 2019. At least five states/UTs &ndash; Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi, Rajasthan and Punjab issued a joint statement on 20<sup>th</sup> November 2019 raising concerns about the same.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Revenue Status:</strong> The government budgeted for ₹6,63,343 crore in GST collections for the current financial year 2019-20, out of which it has collected only about 50% in the first eight months. It targeted ₹1,09,343 crore of compensation cess collections, of which it has so far collected ₹64,528 crores.</li>
<li><strong>Compensation Status</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Centre collected Rs 64,528 crore in compensation cess during April-November, 2019 and paid out Rs 45,744 crore for April-July period.</li>
<li>It has been reported that the payments were held back to the states for August - September in anticipation of the shortfall in collections and the resultant impact on the government&rsquo;s fiscal deficit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The GST Council has also asked states to give their inputs and proposals regarding review of items under the exemption, GST and compensation cess rates on various items among others by 6<sup>th</sup> December 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Given that cess is imposed only on luxury and sin goods under GST, any measure to generate more cess collections would either include imposing a higher cess on those items or tinkering at the highest tax slab of 28% under the GST regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A shortfall in Centre&rsquo;s tax receipts hurts states more since the absolute amount they receive as per the devolution formula takes a hit.</li>
<li>At a time when growth is faltering, the delays in paying compensation to states as guaranteed by the GST Act will make it more difficult for them to meet their own finances.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to boost the economic growth of the country.</li>
<li>The Government needs to think about the ways through which it can increase GST collections.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gst-revenues-not-enough-for-states-compensation-centre/article30152551.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/gst-compensation'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Swedish Technology to Reduce Stubble Burning',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The pollution from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/stubble-burning-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>stubble burning</strong></a> in winter is a major factor for the sharp <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/health-emergency-in-new-delhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>decline in air quality in Delhi</strong></a>. To overcome this issue, India is testing <strong>Swedish technology &mdash; torrefaction</strong> that can convert rice stubble into <strong>&lsquo;bio-coal&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government has funded a<strong> pilot project</strong> at the<strong> National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute in Mohali (Punjab)</strong> with a Swedish company to evaluate the feasibility of the technology.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Torrefaction Technology - Stubble to Bio-coal</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575444745_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575444745_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="606" height="200" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Torrefaction is a <strong>thermal process</strong> to <strong>convert biomass into a coal-like material,</strong> which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass.</li>
<li>The process involves <strong>heating up</strong> straw, grass, sawmill residue and wood biomass to<strong> 250 degrees celsius - 350 degrees celsius</strong>.</li>
<li>This changes the elements of the biomass into<strong> &lsquo;coal-like&rsquo; pellets.</strong> These pellets can be used for combustion along with coal for industrial applications like steel and cement production.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project has a capacity of converting <strong>150-200 kilograms of paddy straw to bio-coal every hour</strong> and <strong>reduce CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by 95%.</strong></li>
<li>Torrefied biomass is <strong>more brittle,</strong> making grinding easier and <strong>less energy-intensive.</strong></li>
<li>Compared to fresh biomass, <strong>storage</strong> of the torrefied material can be substantially simplified since <strong>biological degradation</strong> and water uptake is<strong> minimized.</strong></li>
<li>The torrefied pellets are ideal for <strong>coal replacement</strong> because it has <strong>lower shipping and transport costs, lower sulfur and ash content (compared with coal),</strong> etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Disadvantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The volume of torrefied biomass is<strong> reduced only slightly, ~ 10-20%</strong> lower than the dried feedstock during the process.</li>
<li>Despite higher calorific values, <strong>energy density</strong> is <strong>not improved significantly.</strong></li>
<li>Torrefaction <strong>does not reduce corrosion</strong> of machinery especially boiler tubes.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bio-coal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Bio-coal, also commonly referred to as<strong> synthetic</strong> <strong>coal,</strong> is created through the torrefaction of biomass.</li>
<li>The bio-coal has<strong> similar characteristics to traditional fossil-based coal,</strong> and thus viable option<strong> to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/india-tests-swedish-technology-to-reduce-stubble-burning/article30153719.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/swedish-technology-to-reduce-stubble-burning'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Seed Bill',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/the-seed-bill-needs-to-be-tweaked-to-serve-the-interests-of-all-stakeholders-better/article30095614.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The Seed Bill must be tweaked for better results&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu Business Line on 02/12/2019. It highlights the provisions of the draft Seed Bill-2019 and issues associated with it.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers&rsquo; Welfare</strong> has finalized the <strong>draft Seed Bill 2019</strong> and is expected to table it in the ongoing winter session of Parliament. The Bill aims to <em><strong>regulate the quality of seeds sold and facilitate the production and supply of these seeds to farmers.</strong></em> It aims to <strong>foster competition</strong> by amending the<strong> Seed Act, 1966</strong> and <strong>Seed Rules, 1968.</strong> There are certain proposals in the Bill such as registration of seed varieties, powers granted to the government to fix prices inter-alia which suffer from certain drawbacks. In this regard, the <strong>seed industry</strong> has made certain observations and recommendations to the government.</p>
<h3>Highlights of the Seed Bill- 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an important legislation to ensure the supply of modern, high quality, cutting edge seed technologies to the farmers which will help them in <strong>enhancing their productivity and profitability.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Formation of Seed Committee</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bill authorizes the Central government to reconstitute a <strong>Central Seed Committee</strong> (based in <strong>New Delhi</strong>) that will be responsible for the effective implementation of its provisions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Registration of Seed Varieties</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Draft Bill Provision:</strong> All varieties of seeds <strong>for sale</strong> have to be <strong>registered</strong> and are required to meet certain <strong>prescribed minimum standards.</strong> For instance, for transgenic varieties of seeds, registration is to be obtained under the <strong>Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.</strong> This can bring <strong>greater accountability</strong> to seed companies.</li>
<li><strong>Industry Recommendation:</strong> Make the registration process <strong>time-bound.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Exemptions</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Exempt farmers from obtaining registration for<strong> varieties developed by them.</strong> However, if the farmer sells such seeds for a monetary consideration, then that sale needs to be registered. This is to protect the interests of other farmers who buy seeds from such a farmer.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Also, farmers are allowed to sow, exchange or sell their farm seeds and planting material without having to conform to the prescribed minimum limits of germination, physical purity and genetic purity (as required by registered seeds). However, farmers cannot sell any seed under a brand name.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> Exemption of <strong>export-oriented varieties</strong> from registration has been made. This will encourage <strong>custom production of seeds</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Research-based Companies</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> In the proposed Bill, there is a differentiation between the seed producer, seed processor and seed dealer for the purpose of <strong>licensing.</strong> However, there is <strong>no recognition of National Level Integrated Seed Companies</strong> with R&amp;D capabilities.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> There must be a system of accreditation of national level research-based companies with integrated facilities for research, product testing, data analytics, seed production, seed quality control, seed processing, farmer extension and marketing. <strong>These companies need to be given a national licence</strong> that can be renewed at regular intervals based on fresh inspections and track record.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Truthfully labelled seeds</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Currently, a large percentage of seed is sold under a<strong> self-certification programme</strong> called Truthfully Labelled (TL) seeds. The certification process has been kept <strong>voluntary.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> TL seeds category must continue, as the mandatory registration of seed varieties eliminates the risk of misuse of TL provision. The TL certification has helped the industry to grow and facilitated the supply of high-quality seeds to the farmer in the last 30 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nurseries</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Licences/ registration of<strong> fruit nurseries.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> Apply this provision to all nurseries and not just fruit nurseries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Price Control</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Empowers<strong> the government to fix prices of selected varieties</strong> in case of &lsquo;emergent&rsquo; situations such as seed shortage, abnormal increase in price, monopolistic pricing, profiteering, etc. which are open to subjective interpretation.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> The industry opposes any kind of price control, as it can stifle innovation and result in a scale back of research investments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Review of complaints</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-consumer-protection-bill-2018-amendment-1986-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Consumer Protection Act, 1986</strong></a> to be used to deal with complaints related to the non-performance of seed.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> Seed performance is dependent on several <strong>agro-climatic and biological factors</strong> and is <strong>not always</strong> related to the<strong> quality of the seed.</strong> Hence, this aspect must be kept in mind while reviewing a complaint.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Penal Provisions</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bill:</strong> Differentiates the agronomic performance of the seed, its physical quality and the supply of spurious seed, and consequently penalizes the offences and prescribes punishment.</li>
<li><strong>Recommendation:</strong> All offences are not criminal. <strong>Minor offences</strong> (unintended offences) <strong>and major offences</strong> (made intentionally) should be differentiated. The minor offences in the Bill must be made as compoundable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Legislative Frameworks for Seeds in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Historically, the seed industry in India has been governed by several legislative &amp; policy frameworks such as Seed Act (1966), Seed Rules (1968), Seed (Control) Order (1983), New Policy on Seed Development (1988), Plants, Fruits &amp; Seeds (Regulation of Import into India) Order (1989), <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmershttps://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers&rsquo; Right Act (2001)</strong></a>, and the <strong>Essential Commodities Act, 1955</strong> including Seeds (1955), National Seed Policy (2002), and Seed Bill (2004).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All of these legislations were passed to take care of <strong>seeds right from the production level to marking, labeling, and marketing levels</strong> so as to <strong>maintain</strong> the quality standards as prescribed by the Central Seed Committee (formed under the Seed Act, 1966).</li>
<li>These laws make <strong>quality seeds and planting material available</strong> to a common farmer and provide him a mechanism to approach concerned authority for justice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Seed Bill (2004) was proposed to replace the Seed Act (1966), however, owing to several shortcomings it was not passed. The 2019 draft version tries to overcome the drawbacks of the 2004 Bill.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Agriculture production is purely based on the basic input,i.e., <strong>seed.</strong> Until and unless the purity, quality and seed standards are maintained, production programme cannot be successful. Hence, to maintain these quality standards, legislations in this regard are equally important.</li>
<li>It is also necessary <strong>to disseminate the information</strong> regarding seed legislations to the farmers in order to make them <strong>aware of their rights.</strong></li>
<li>Companies with national licence and accreditation must be allowed to <strong>conduct trials for seed varieties and generate data</strong> (which is to be made acceptable for product registration purposes). This will help in speedy reach of new research products to the market for the timely benefit of the farmer.</li>
</ul>
<p>Overall, the seed law must have the <strong>twin objective</strong> of <strong>regulating the supply of seeds</strong> for the benefit of the farmers and, at the same time, <strong>enable the development</strong> of the seed industry.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 83px;">
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffbd4; height: 83px;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>Discuss the challenges faced by the seed industry in India and suggest steps that can be taken to overcome them.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/seed-bill'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture- India, China Diplomatic Ties',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nXakvlu1MjU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>In 2020, India and China will commemorate the <strong>70<sup>th</sup> anniversary</strong> of the establishment of their diplomatic relations with 70 celebratory activities (like cultural, religious and trade promotion events). These events were finalized during the <strong>second India-China informal summit</strong> held at <strong>Mamallapuram</strong> on October 11-12, 2019. In 1950, India became the <strong>first non-socialist bloc country</strong> to establish diplomatic relations with the People&rsquo;s Republic of China.</p>
<p>Besides hosting parliamentary exchanges, the two countries will conduct activities to trace <strong>civilizational links.</strong> And to foster business and trade relations, China will hold an <strong>India-China Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum</strong> and organize the <strong>second India-China Drug Regulation Forum in India.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India-China Drug Regulation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> first forum</strong> was held in <strong>Shanghai, China on 21<sup>st</sup> June 2019.</strong></li>
<li>The major focus of this forum was to <strong>enhance cooperation in the pharmaceuticals sector</strong> with a focus on exports of Indian medicines to China.</li>
<li>China under its <strong>Healthy China 2030 policy</strong> is committed to provide quality drugs at affordable prices to its citizens. And, India <strong>has emerged as the pharmacy of the world</strong> (exported around $17.3 billion-worth drugs in 2017-18) by providing high-quality generic drugs at a very affordable price.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this backdrop, China is keen to strengthen ties with India in the field of pharmaceuticals sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Present Sino-Indian Ties</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two emerging and enduring powers representing two modes of civilization signify a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-china-relations-an-analysis%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>complex and dynamic relationship</strong></a> in world politics.</li>
<li>In the recent past, relations between India and China have broadened which can be exemplified by <strong>enhanced people-to-people cultural exchanges, improved commerce &amp; economic ties</strong> inter-alia.</li>
<li>At the official level, <strong>high-level exchanges</strong> have become regular in the form of recently organized <strong>two informal summits-</strong> <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indias-china-pak-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wuhan Summit (2018)</strong></a> <strong>&amp;</strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-2nd-informal-summit-mamallapuram-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Chennai Connect (2019)</strong></a>, and frequent meetings on the bilateral/ multilateral fora.</li>
<li>The<strong> soft diplomacy</strong> practiced in the form of<strong> increased tourism</strong> (granting of multiple-entry visa for 5 years by India to Chinese travellers), frequent visits by <strong>armed forces &amp; naval activities, 10 pillar agreement</strong> (2018), finalizing of <strong>70 events</strong> in the second informal summit, etc. have given a <strong>cushioning effect-</strong> marking the progress in the relations.</li>
<li>This highlights the enhanced engagement between the two nations. However, issues on certain major parameters still persist.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>10 Pillar Agreement</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>10 pillars of cooperation to enhance <strong>cultural and people-to-people exchanges</strong> were finalized between India and China in <strong>December 2018.</strong></li>
<li>These pillars are <em><strong>cultural exchange, cooperation in films and television, museum management, sports, youth exchanges, tourism, state and city-level exchanges, traditional medicine, yoga, and education (e.g. Chinese language teaching in India).</strong></em></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Underlying Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a <strong>widening gulf</strong> between the two nations on certain<strong> core issues</strong> like:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ongoing <strong>border/territorial disputes</strong> (e.g. <strong>Pangong Tso</strong> Lake issue 2019, <strong>Doklam</strong> stand-off 2017,<strong> Asaphila</strong> issue of Arunachal Pradesh)</li>
<li>Chinese activism on <strong>Kashmir</strong> after abrogation of certain provisions of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-article-370" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 370</strong></a></li>
<li>Cross-border <strong>terrorism</strong></li>
<li>China&rsquo;s stand on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s entry to Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-unsc-and-permanent-seat-for-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong></a>, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns with India:</strong> China perceives itself as a leading power ruling the <strong>unipolar</strong> <strong>world</strong> by 2050. It is therefore not comfortable with the <strong>rise of India</strong> in the region as the potential competitive power.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China follows a <strong>maximalist expectations approach</strong> towards India in which it demands much from the Indian side as can be seen from &lsquo;Hindi-Chini bhai bhai&rsquo; phase in the 1950s to the stable periphery demand, or demand to join <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/belt-and-road-initiative-perspectives-from-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)</strong></a>. However, China does not reciprocate the same by addressing India&rsquo;s concerns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Stance regarding Pakistan:</strong> For decades, China has used Pakistan as a wedge against India in order to confine India to the South Asia region and prevent India&rsquo;s rise as a global competitor. This can be substantiated by China&rsquo;s support to Pakistan on cross-border terrorism, resisting to designate certain terrorists globally, etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges faced on the Global Platforms</h3>
<p>On the global stage, India and China are working together on different platforms where they display both convergence and divergence on the global issues.</p>
<p><strong>Convergence</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong> In the recently held <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/basic-environment-ministers-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) minister&rsquo;s meet</strong></a>, the ministers from these nations advocated the concept of <strong>equal but differentiated responsibility</strong> that acknowledges different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> In the <strong>recent</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/11th-brics-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS summit (Brasilia Declaration)</strong></a>, in the backdrop of trade war between China and the U.S. and rising protectionism, there was a call for supporting multilateralism, and appreciating the central role of the U.N. in international affairs.</li>
<li><strong>Multilateral Forum:</strong> Both countries believe in upholding of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> charter and its non-interference policy, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a>, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organization (WTO)</strong></a>- where both fight for G7 countries, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/east-asia-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>East Asian Summit.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Divergence</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the recent <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/3rd-rcep-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>3<sup>rd</sup> Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)</strong></a>, China tried to trick on India in order to get access to the Indian markets.</li>
<li>China also has concerns about India&rsquo;s role (being a member of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-and-g-4-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quad</strong></a>) in the <strong>Indian Ocean region.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Other Domestic Challenges</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Chinese economy is suffering due to the ongoing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/global-trade-war-the-apology-of-protectionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-China trade war.</strong></a></li>
<li>Also, the domestic issues like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hongkong-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hongkong protests,</strong></a> issue of atrocities against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/persecution-of-uighurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Uighur muslims</strong></a> in Xinjiang province is affecting China.</li>
<li>China is worried with concerns related to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/viability-of-bri-and-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)</strong></a> due to rising insurgency in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Strategic: </strong>There is a need for defining, demarcating and delineating the borders so as to remove fear from the minds of people residing in the vicinity and strengthen the ties.</li>
<li>On the<strong> economic</strong> front, China has a trade surplus of around <strong>$750 billion</strong> (in the last 10 years) with India, which it needs to bring down. Service sector can play a major role in reducing the trade deficit.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China must<strong> create a level playing field</strong> by allowing Indian services such as in pharmaceuticals and software packages in its market. Also, in the RCEP, equitable distribution and differences between the two nations needs to be bridged.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both countries can effectively <strong>use their soft power</strong> (in the form of <strong>tourism</strong>) to further integrate their economies.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Tourism:</strong> More Indian nationals visit to China as compared to the Chinese tourists coming to India. This<strong> cultural cross connect must be increased</strong> so as to build up the co-constituencies and enhance businesses that can consequently lead to resolving of conflicts at the national level.</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/tourism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Promotion of tourism</strong></a> through education, spiritual visits especially on the Buddhist circuit, etc. must be promoted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The problems between India and China are difficult to be resolved in the short run but by <strong>managing the relationship</strong> by minimising the existing strategic gap, narrowing the divergences and maintaining the status quo, it can be improved over time. For this purpose, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-ties-marching-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>increased engagement with China</strong> </a>at every level from government to people, academia, business, etc. has to be targeted.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-china-diplomatic-ties'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Tanbo Art',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A progressive farmer in Kerala is using <strong>Tanbo Art (a 3D art form)</strong> to depict the celebrated Guruvayur temple elephant that died in 1976.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368703_Image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368703_Image5.jpg" width="479" height="269" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The farmer used several indigenous varieties of rice like <strong>Krishna Kamod, Gandhakasala and Jeerakasala</strong> to give shape to the image.</li>
<li>Tanbo Art is a <strong>rice paddy art</strong> developed by the farmers of Inakadate village in <strong>Japan about three decades ago</strong> to beautify their paddy fields.</li>
<li>They drew huge replicas of famous paintings, including Mona Lisa, by growing rice crops with fronds of different colours.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/guruvayur-kesavan-comes-alive-on-a-field-in-kerala/article30142043.ece" 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/tanbo-art'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Data Bank of Independent Directors',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Corporate Affairs</strong> launched the <strong>Independent Directors Databank</strong> in accordance with the provisions of the <strong>Companies Act, 2013</strong> and the rules made thereunder.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ministry was working on ways to <strong>strengthen the framework for independent directors,</strong> who have an important role in ensuring good corporate governance practices at companies.</li>
<li>It seeks to make the process stringent because in many cases political appointees with standard financial background were also getting rehabilitated in several companies as independent directors.</li>
<li>Recent<strong> Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&amp;FS) crisis</strong> highlighted the reckless grading by credit rating agencies who liberally granted and downgraded the companies as per their wish and got away with it.</li>
<li>Apart from the launch of <strong>Independent Directors Bank,</strong> the government has also decided to <strong>conduct examinations for appointments</strong> of independent directors in which a<strong> score of 60% marks</strong> will be mandatory criteria for qualification.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The change is in line with the amended <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/committee-to-review-the-offences-under-the-companies-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Companies Act.</strong></a> The government will also maintain a database of professionals qualifying in the test that can be used by companies looking to expand their board or making fresh appointments under the current regulations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Independent directors <strong>must not assume a passive role,</strong> merely reacting to ideas foreseen by the controlling shareholder or their appointees. They should be willing to question the status quo in the interest of shareholders not play a risk-free mute spectator limiting to attending just number of board meetings.</li>
<li><strong>Strict accountability and eligibility</strong> will curb promoters placing their own ineligible candidates and family members on the listed company boards.</li>
<li>The concept of the institution of Independent Director is of utmost importance for <strong>Corporate Governance</strong> who should act act as the trustees of stakeholders.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Data Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been developed and maintained by the <strong>Indian Institute for Corporate Affairs (IICA)</strong> under Ministry of Corporate Affairs.</li>
<li>It is a <strong>first of its kind initiative</strong> which provides for a wide array of <strong>e-learning courses</strong> on various topics including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/final-report-on-penal-provisions-of-company-act-2013" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Companies Act</strong></a>, <strong>Securities laws, basic accountancy, board practices, board ethics and board effectiveness.</strong></li>
<li>It provides an <strong>easy to access navigation platform</strong> for the registration of existing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-registration-for-independent-directors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Independent Directors</strong> </a>as well as individuals aspiring to become independent directors.</li>
<li><strong>Companies can register</strong> themselves with the databank to search, select and connect with individuals aspiring to be Independent Directors.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Independent Director</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>An <strong>Independent Director (also sometimes known as an outside director)</strong> is a director on a board of directors representing minority shareholders and <strong>who does not have a pecuniary relationship</strong> with the company or related persons, except for sitting fees.</li>
<li>Their role is to take a stand unambiguously and independently to have a check and balance on the exuberance of majority shareholders that may expose the company to unwarranted risks.</li>
<li>The Companies Act, 2013 has mandated all listed public companies to have <strong>at least one-third</strong> of the total Directors to be independent.</li>
<li>Their role requires them to be clinical while businesses expect them to be practical, that&rsquo;s the tight rope they walk on.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594558" 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/data-bank-of-independent-directors'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Exercise Hand-in-Hand',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 8<sup>th</sup> <strong>India-China <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-december-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint training exercise</a> 'HAND-IN-HAND 2019'</strong> with the theme of &lsquo;Counter Terrorism&rsquo; under United Nations mandate is scheduled to be conduct at Umroi, <strong>Meghalaya</strong> from 7<sup>th</sup> to 20<sup>th</sup> December 2019.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368069_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575368069_image3.png" width="342" height="240" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter terrorist operations in semi urban terrain.</li>
<li>In<strong> 2018,</strong> the exercise was held in <strong>Chengdu, China.</strong></li>
<li>The exercise <strong>didn&rsquo;t take place in 2017</strong> due to the 72-days long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/india-s-world-pm-modi-s-visit-to-bhutan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Doklam.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594600" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-hand-in-hand'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Power of Siberia',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently <strong>China and Russia</strong> have inaugurated cross border gas pipeline named <strong>&ldquo;Power of Siberia&rdquo;.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575361775_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575361775_image2.jpg" width="235" height="235" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>first</strong> cross-border gas pipeline between Russia and China.</li>
<li>Under this pipeline project, <strong>Russia</strong> will <strong>deliver 1 trillion cubic meters of natural gas to China</strong> over the <strong>next 30 years.</strong></li>
<li>The pipeline will pass through the deltas of the <strong>Yangtze and Amur rivers</strong> of<strong> China.</strong></li>
<li>The new pipeline is an emblem of closer <strong>energy</strong> <strong>integration</strong> in <strong>Eurasia,</strong> with Russia and China as the key partners.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/putin-xi-launch-landmark-russian-gas-pipeline-to-china/article30137425.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/power-of-siberia'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Navy Gets its First Woman Pilot',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently,<strong> Sub Lieutenant Shivangi Swaroop</strong> became the <strong>first pilot in the Indian navy</strong> after qualifying as a Dornier pilot.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, Bhawana Kanth, Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh became the first women fighter pilots in the <strong>Indian Air Force.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Dornier aircraft</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>multi-role Short Range Maritime Reconnaissance (SRMR) aircraft,</strong> with<strong> twin-engine</strong> manufactured by <strong>Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd. (HAL), Kanpur.</strong></li>
<li>The aircraft can be <strong>used for electronic warfare missions, maritime surveillance, search and rescue and to provide targeting data</strong> to weapon platform.</li>
<li>It is an important contribution towards indigenous development and self-reliance through <strong>&lsquo;Make in India&rsquo;,</strong> with state-of-the-art sensors and equipment including a glass cockpit, advanced surveillance radar, optical sensors and networking features.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1594603" 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/navy-gets-its-first-woman-pilot'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'COP25 Climate Summit',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>25<sup>th</sup></strong> edition of the <strong>Conference of the Parties</strong> to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)</strong></a> or COP25 has begun from December 2 in <strong>Madrid (Spain).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Originally,</strong> the Summit was scheduled to be held at <strong>Chile (South America)</strong> but violent mass movement across the country made Chile reluctant from hosting the event.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The location of this conference is <strong>rotated every year</strong> in <strong>different regions</strong> of the world. This year it was the <strong>turn of South America</strong> to host the event.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Agenda for COP25</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>prime objective</strong> of the conference is to<strong> complete the rule-book to the 2015 Paris Agreement</strong> that will become <strong>effective</strong> in <strong>2020</strong> to <strong>replace</strong> the <strong>1997 Kyoto Protocol</strong> (comes to an end in 2020).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The issues like the creation of new <strong>carbon markets,</strong> emission reduction targets, country&rsquo;s individual targets, etc. <strong>remained unresolved</strong> during <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cop24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COP24 at Katowice (Poland) 2019</a>.</strong> Thus the rulebook under the Paris Agreement could not be finalized.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Kyoto Protocol</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Kyoto Protocol is an <strong>international agreement</strong> linked to the UNFCCC, which commits its parties by setting <strong>internationally binding</strong> emission reduction targets.</li>
<li>The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in <strong>Kyoto, Japan</strong>&nbsp;in <strong>1997</strong> and entered into force in<strong> 2005.</strong></li>
<li>It recognized that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity.</li>
<li>The <strong>detailed rules</strong> for the implementation of the Protocol were <strong>adopted at COP-7 in Marrakesh, in 2001&nbsp;</strong>and are referred to as the <strong>Marrakesh Accords.</strong></li>
<li>Kyoto Protocol <strong>Phase-1 (2005-12)</strong> gave the target of cutting down emissions by 5%.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Phase- 2 (2013-20)</strong> gave the target of reducing emissions by at least 18% by the industrialized countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The summit will also discuss the functioning of international emissions trading systems, compensation for poor countries to deal with rising sea levels and other consequences of climate change.</li>
<li>It will consider the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/emission-gap-report-by-unep" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Annual Emissions Gap Report,</strong></a> produced by the <strong>UN Environment Programme</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-environment-outlook" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>(UNEP)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>a series of reports</strong></a> from the<strong> Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both the reports summarise that the goal of keeping average temperatures within 1.5&deg;C from pre-industrial times is <strong>&ldquo;on the brink of becoming impossible.'' </strong>As the <strong>overall emissions</strong> are <strong>still increasing</strong> worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The processes and methods of reporting information about climate change would be fixed during the summit. Specifically, the <strong>developing countries</strong> will try to ensure that there are greater <strong>appreciation and recognition</strong> of the <strong>issue of loss and damage</strong> due to climate change.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a demand to institute a mechanism to compensate countries that suffer major losses due to climate change-induced events like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-kyarr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cyclones</strong></a> or floods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It puts into efforts for committing to a <strong>long-term action plan to fight climate change</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far only 71 countries, most of them small emitters, have committed themselves to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Agenda</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is <strong>unlikely</strong> to announce any<strong> enhanced targets</strong> during the summit.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s current efforts are already much more compared to even rich and developed countries. Thus, India will reiterate its stand for &rdquo;<strong>Common but Differentiated Responsibilities&rdquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Developed countries are major contributors to climate change and they are doing proportionately less, especially when it comes to providing finance and technology to the less developed world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Carbon Market</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A carbon market allows countries, or industries, to earn carbon credits for emission reductions they make in excess of what is required of them.</li>
<li>These credits can be traded to the highest bidder in exchange for money.</li>
<li>The buyers of carbon credits can show the emission reductions as their own and use them to meet their own emission reduction targets.</li>
<li>A carbon market already existed under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol but several countries walked out of the Kyoto Protocol and thus the demand for carbon credits had waned.</li>
<li>As a result, developing countries like India, China and Brazil had accumulated huge amounts of carbon credits. These credits are now in danger of getting redundant.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/un-chief-warns-of-point-of-no-return-on-climate-change/article30135171.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cop25-climate-summit'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'India- Sri Lanka',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The newly elected <strong>Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa</strong> visited India from 28<sup>th</sup>-30<sup>th</sup> November 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Sri Lankan President played a major role in ending the country&rsquo;s <strong>civil war (1983-2009).</strong></li>
<li>The President&rsquo;s two brothers, Mahinda Rajapaksha and Chamal Rajapaksha, hold the position of the Prime Minister and Agricultural Minister respectively in Sri Lanka.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Civil War</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Sri Lanka has been <strong>mired in ethnic conflict</strong> since the country, formerly known as Ceylon, became independent from British rule in 1948.</li>
<li>After independence, the Sinhalese majority immediately began to pass laws that discriminated against Tamils (Hindu in religion), particularly the Indian Tamils brought to the island by the British.</li>
<li>In 1972, the Sinhalese dominated government changed the country&rsquo;s name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka and made Buddhism the nation&rsquo;s primary religion.</li>
<li>As ethnic tension grew, in <strong>1976,</strong> the<strong> LTTE or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam</strong> was formed under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran, and it began to campaign for a Tamil homeland in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, where most of the island&rsquo;s Tamils reside.</li>
<li>The conflict between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE lasted nearly three decades,<strong> ending in 2009</strong>&nbsp;when the LTTE forces were finally defeated.</li>
<li>The war was one of the longest-running civil wars in Asia.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Discussed:</strong> Strengthening of trade ties, boosting maritime security, addressing concerns of the fishermen, fulfilling aspirations of Tamil community in Sri Lanka and to fight against terrorism.</li>
<li><strong>Line of Credit</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India extended a<strong> $400 million</strong> line of credit to Sri Lanka to help strengthen its infrastructure and economy.</li>
<li>An additional <strong>$50 million</strong> to help Sri Lanka combat terrorism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Sri Lankan President extended an <strong>invitation to the Prime Minister of India to visit Sri Lanka</strong> at a mutually convenient time.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India - Sri Lanka Relations<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575358264_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575358264_image1.png" width="297" height="210" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India is Sri Lanka's closest neighbour.</strong> The <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-sri-lanka-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>relationship</strong> </a>between the two countries is more than 2,500 years old and both sides have built upon a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic intercourse.</li>
<li>During the course of the civil war, India supported the right of the Government of Sri Lanka to act against terrorist forces.</li>
<li>The<strong> Indian Housing Project&nbsp;is Government of India&rsquo;s flagship project of developmental assistance to Sri Lanka. </strong>Its&nbsp;initial commitment is to build 50,000 houses for those affected by the civil war as well as for the estate workers in the plantation areas.</li>
<li>Given the proximity of the territorial waters of both countries, especially in the Palk Straits and the Gulf of Mannar, incidents of straying of fishermen are common. Both countries have agreed on <strong>certain practical arrangements to deal with the issue of bona fide fishermen</strong> of either side crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line.</li>
<li>India and Sri Lanka conduct joint <strong>Military ( 'Mitra Shakti')</strong> and <strong>Naval exercise (SLINEX)</strong>.</li>
<li>Recently, the <strong>Chennai (India) -Jaffna (Sri Lanka) flight service has resumed</strong> after a gap of 41 years.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The flight operations were suspended during the decades-old civil war in Sri Lanka.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=195186" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Organ Donation',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/getting-organ-donation-to-tick-again/article30118791.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Getting organ donation to tick again&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 30/11/2019. It talks about the various issues related to organ donation in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Government of India celebrated the <strong>10<sup>th</sup> Indian Organ Donation Day</strong> on 30<sup>th</sup> November. It was organised by the <strong>National Organ &amp; Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was observed with the primary objective of promoting organ donation and transplantation so that the number of people suffering from organ failure can get a new lease of life.</li>
<li>As per <strong>Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, India</strong> performs the <strong>second largest</strong> number of transplants in the world, after the USA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues Related to Organ Donation</h3>
<p>India has a dismal <strong>0.65 per million population (PMP) organ donation rate</strong> and around<strong> 5 lakh</strong> people die every year in India due to unavailability of organs.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure:</strong> There is a huge scarcity of Organ Transplant and Retrieval Centres in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are just 301 hospitals equipped to handle the transplant process and only 250 of them have been registered with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-28th-november-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).</strong></a></li>
<li>Currently, for organ transplant, there exists only 1 fully equipped hospital for around 43 lakh people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trust Deficit: Altruistic donation</strong> has been the major source of organ transplant in the country. However, a false negative perception has been growing against private hospitals of their nexus related to organ transplant.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A classic example of this negative publicity is seen in the steep drop in organ donation in Kerala &mdash; from 76 deceased donors in 2015 to 8 in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inequality and Accessibility:</strong> A majority of donors are from the <strong>lower middle class and below,</strong> while the majority of organ recipients are from the small number of persons who can afford transplant surgery and costly lifetime medication thereafter. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An organ comes free, as donated to the society, but the transplantation cost associated with it is around 5 to 25 lakh. This cost reduces the accessibility to organ transplant to the weaker section of the society.</li>
<li>The cost factor is the key reason why more than three quarters of donated hearts and lungs do not get taken.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Superstitions and Misconceptions:</strong> It is a common misconception that organ donation <strong>disfigures</strong> the deceased donor&rsquo;s body, which prevents people from enrolling into the donation.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Altruistic Donation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Altruism is acting out of concern for another&rsquo;s well-being. People behave altruistically when they see others in desperate circumstances and feel empathy and a desire to help.</li>
<li>Altruism is the ethical basis for the donation of bodily material and continues to play a central role in ethical thinking in organ donation.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575291225_pasted%20image 0.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1575291225_pasted image 0.png" width="458" height="381" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Affordability:</strong> For increasing accessibility of donated organs to weaker sections, the public hospitals need to increase the infrastructural capacity to carry out transplantation and provide affordable proper treatment to the poor.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Cross-subsidisation:</strong> It is suggested that cross-subsidization will increase accessibility to the weaker section. For every 3 or 4 transplants, the private hospitals should carry out free of cost transplantation to the section of the population that donates a majority of organs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Targeting Low Priority Services:</strong> India spends around <strong>1.2% of GDP on health</strong> which is quite low, therefore focussing more on <strong>organ-failure prevention</strong> would generate better health outcomes.</li>
<li><strong>Regulation: The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994,</strong> need to be amended to substitute the rigid bureaucratic procedure of hospitals by self-declaration and mandatory verification involving civil society. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Secondly,</strong> the Act also needs to address the issue of interference of the central government in organ distribution and should ensure full autonomy to States in matters related to organ transplant.</li>
<li>Transparency in organ transplant can be increased by making the organ distribution procedure online and making online availability of full details.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994</strong></p>
<p>Transplantation of Human Organs Act was passed in 1994. It provides various regulations for the removal of human organs and its storage.</p>
<p>It also regulates the transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for the prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.</p>
<p><strong>Main Provisions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The act recognises brain death identified as a form of the death process and defines criteria for brain death.</li>
<li>It provides regulatory and advisory bodies for monitoring transplantation activity.</li>
<li>It also provides for maintenance of a registry of donors and recipients of human organs and tissues.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Awareness:</strong> Removing the misconceptions and myths about organ donation can play a significant role in addressing organ deficiency in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the BBC report, there would be no requirement of the living donor if 5% of deceased patients from road accident opt for organ donations in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #7700ff; background-color: #ddedeb;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Briefly mention various issues related to organ transplantation in India.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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