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NAGA Conundrum

This article is based on “Naga talks: long road, issues” which was published in The Indian Express on 28/10/2019. It talks about the...

29 Oct 2019 News Editorials
Plastic Waste

Introduction Unlike other forms of wastes like paper, food peels, leaves etc, which are biodegradable (capable of being decomposed by bacteria or...

29 Oct 2019 Paper 3
Extending RTE Act up to Class 12

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Mountain Streams Emits Carbon Dioxide

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Bihar to Sell Kashmiri Apples

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Postal Ballot Facilities for Absentee Voters

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29 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Indo-French Joint Exercise Shakti-2019

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29 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Quantum Supremacy

This article is based on “What is quantum supremacy?” which was published in The Indian Express on 26/10/2019. It talks about quantum...

26 Oct 2019 News Editorials
Australia’s Uluru Rock

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26 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Sakhalin Oil Field

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26 Oct 2019 News Analysis
18th Non-Aligned Summit

Recently, the Vice President of India attended the 18th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The theme for the...

26 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Excavation Sites of Sangam Age

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has approved the Tamil Nadu’s request to continue excavations at four locations including...

26 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Medical Devices In India- Issues and Challenges

This article is based on “Medical devices are not drugs” which was published in The Indian Express on 25/10/2019. It talks about the...

25 Oct 2019 News Editorials
The Big Picture: Syria Crisis - US Backs out

Recently, the US announced to withdraw from Syria (in order to fulfil the US president’s electoral promise). However, this will lead to...

25 Oct 2019 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Ease of Doing Business- 2020

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25 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Thotlakonda Buddhist Monastery

Mahastupa of the Buddhist heritage site of Thotlakonda, which was reconstructed in 2016 by the State Archaeology department, collapsed...

25 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Minimum Support Price

The Government has hiked the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Rabi crops for the marketing season 2020-21, after decision was taken at a meeting of...

25 Oct 2019 News Analysis
Odisha’s Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture

The Government of India, Government of Odisha and the World Bank on 24th October 2019 signed a $165 million loan agreement for the Odisha’s...

25 Oct 2019 News Analysis
World Polio Day

World Polio Day was established by Rotary International on 24th October to celebrate the birth of Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine against...

25 Oct 2019 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'NAGA Conundrum',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/naga-talks-long-road-issues-6090652/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Naga talks: long road, issues&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Indian Express on 28/10/2019. It talks about the long history of the Naga issue and various initiatives taken to resolve it.</p>
</div>
<p>The Centre&rsquo;s interlocutor R N Ravi stressed on the need to resolve key issues with the <strong>Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN-IM</strong> as the Centre approaches toward wrapping <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/details-of-2015-naga-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Naga peace talk</a> till October 31st deadline.</p>
<h3>What is Naga Issue?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The key demand of Naga groups has been a <strong>Greater Nagalim</strong> (sovereign statehood) i.e redrawing of boundaries to bring all Naga-inhabited areas in the Northeast under one administrative umbrella.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It includes various parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam and Myanmar as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The demand also includes the separate <strong>Naga Yezabo</strong> (Constitution) and <strong>Naga national flag</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572353608_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572353608_image1.png" width="587" height="325" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>About Nagas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Nagas are not a single tribe, but an ethnic community that comprises several tribes who live in the state of Nagaland and its neighbourhood.</li>
<li>Nagas belong to <strong>Indo-Mongoloid Family</strong>.</li>
<li>Nagas claimed sovereignty on the basis of prior sovereign existence and differences, which is today expressed in terms of &ldquo;uniqueness&rdquo;.</li>
<li>There are nineteen major Naga tribes, namely, Aos, Angamis, Changs, Chakesang, Kabuis, Kacharis, Khain-Mangas, Konyaks, Kukis, Lothas (Lothas), Maos, Mikirs, Phoms, Rengmas, Sangtams, Semas, Tankhuls, Yamchumgar and Zeeliang.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>History of Nagas</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The origin of Nagas cannot be traced, but the assertion of Naga nationalism began during British rule, has continued after Independence, and even after Nagaland became a state. Along the way, the unresolved issues gave rise to decades of insurgency that claimed thousands of lives, including that of civilians.</li>
<li>The British had annexed Assam in 1826, in which they subsequently created the Naga Hills district. The earliest sign of Naga resistance dates back to 1918, with the formation of the <strong>Naga Club</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1929, the <strong>Naga Club</strong> famously told the <strong>Simon Commission</strong> &ldquo;to leave us alone to determine for ourselves as in ancient times&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 1946, <strong>A Z Phizo</strong> formed the <strong>Naga National Council (NNC)</strong>, which declared <strong>Naga independence on August 14, 1947</strong>, and then, in 1951, claimed to have conducted a referendum in which an overwhelming majority supported an <strong>independent Naga state</strong>.</li>
<li>In the 1950s, the NNC took up arms and resorted to violence over Naga&rsquo;s sovereignty.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the year 1975, the NNC split into NSCN, which further split into NSCN (I-M) and NSCN (Khaplang) in 1988.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Peace Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Shillong Accord (1975):</strong> A peace accord was signed in Shillong in which the NNC leadership agreed to give up arms.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, several leaders refused to accept the agreement, which led to the split of NNC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ceasefire Agreement (1997):</strong> The NSCN-IM signed a ceasefire agreement with the government to stop attacks on Indian armed forces. In return, the government would stop all counter-insurgency offensive operations.</li>
<li><strong>Framework Agreement (2015):</strong> In this agreement, the Government of India recognised the unique history, culture and position of the Nagas and their sentiments and aspirations.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NSCN also appreciated the Indian political system and governance. However, the details of the agreement are yet to be released by the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the State government decided to prepare the <strong>Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland</strong> but later due to pressure from various fractions, the decision was put on hold.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Stands of other States</h3>
<p>The governments and civil society organisations in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur have made it clear that they would not compromise on their territorial integrity.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, Arunachal Pradesh has echoed Manipur in its demand for keeping it out of any territorial changes that might be incorporated in the settlement of the Naga political problem.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What can be done to resolve the issue?</h3>
<p>The history of Indo-Naga conflict shows that various past agreements have broken down due to different interpretations of the provisions by the parties at their convenience. Therefore various recommendations described below can help to achieve long-lasting peace in the region.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Providing autonomous Naga territorial councils for Arunachal and Manipur.</li>
<li>Common cultural body for Nagas across states.</li>
<li>Specific institutions for state&rsquo;s development, integration and rehabilitation of non-state Naga militia.</li>
<li>Removal of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/afspa-in-nagaland-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Armed Forces Special Powers Act</a>.</li>
<li>A special status on the lines of Article 371-A will be explored for Naga areas outside Nagaland.</li>
<li>A constitutional body to look into issues related to Nagas in their whole territorial spread.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Nagas are culturally heterogeneous groups of different communities/tribes having a different set of problems from mainstream population. In order to achieve the long-lasting solution, their cultural, historical and territorial extent must be taken into consideration. Therefore any arrangement to be worked out should lead to social and political harmony, economic prosperity and protection of the life and property of all tribes and citizens of the states.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #cef5f0; border-color: #038f7c;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Briefly explain the Naga crisis, along with initiatives taken to resolve the issues.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Plastic Waste',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Unlike other forms of wastes like paper, food peels, leaves etc, which are biodegradable (capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms) in nature, plastic waste because of its <strong>non-biodegradable nature</strong> persists into the environment, for hundreds (or even thousands) of years.</li>
<li>Plastic pollution is caused by the <strong>accumulation of plastic waste</strong> in the environment. It can be categorized in <strong>primary plastics</strong>, such as cigarette butts and bottle caps, or <strong>secondary plastics</strong>, resulting from the degradation of the primary ones.</li>
<li>A recent study conducted by <strong>Un-Plastic Collective</strong> has revealed that India generates <strong>9.46 million tonnes</strong> of plastic waste annually, of which <strong>40% remains uncollected</strong> and <strong>43%</strong> is used for packaging, most of which are of <strong>single-use plastic</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Un-Plastic Collective</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Un-Plastic Collective (UPC)</strong> is a voluntary initiative launched by the <strong>UN-Environment Program-India, Confederation</strong> <strong>of Indian Industry</strong> and <strong>WWF-India</strong>.</li>
<li>The Collective seeks to <strong>minimise externalities</strong> of plastics on the <strong>ecological </strong>and<strong> social health</strong> of our planet.</li>
<li>As a part of <strong>UPC initiative</strong> companies set time-bound, public targets to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Eliminate unnecessary use of plastic.</li>
<li>Reuse and circulate plastics through the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-productivity-and-sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>circular economy</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Replace plastic with sustainable alternative or recycled plastics.</li>
<li>Turn commitments to meaningful and measurable action.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Types of Plastic Waste</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Microplastics</strong> are small plastic pieces of <strong>less than five millimeters</strong> in size. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Microplastic includes <strong>microbeads</strong> (solid plastic particles of <strong>less than one millimeter</strong> in their largest dimension) that are used in <strong>cosmetics and personal care products, industrial scrubbers</strong> which are used for aggressive blast cleaning, <strong>microfibers</strong> used in textiles and <strong>virgin resin pellets</strong> used in plastic manufacturing processes.</li>
<li>Apart from cosmetics and personal care products most of the microplastics result from the <strong>breakdown of larger pieces of plastic</strong> that were not recycled and break up due to exposure to the sun or physical wear.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-eliminating-single-use-plastic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Single-use plastic</strong></a> is a disposable material that can be used only once before it is either thrown away or recycled, like <strong>plastic bags, water bottles, soda bottles, straws, plastic plates, cups, most food packaging and coffee stirrers</strong> are sources of single use plastic.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has announced its commitment to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ban-on-single-use-plastics" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>eliminate single-use plastic by 2022</strong></a> at Confederation of Indian Industry&rsquo;s <strong>Sustainability Summit</strong> in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Extent of Plastic Waste</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Plastic Waste as a Global Phenomenon:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over <strong>8.3 billion tonnes </strong>of plastic has been produced since 1950, and about <strong>60%</strong> of that has ended up in <strong>landfills</strong> or in the natural environment.</li>
<li>Only <strong>9%</strong> of all plastic waste ever produced has been <strong>recycled</strong> and about <strong>12%</strong> has been <strong>incinerated</strong>, while the remaining <strong>79%</strong> has accumulated in <strong>landfills, dumps or the natural environment</strong>.</li>
<li>Plastic waste, whether in a river, an ocean, or on land can persist in the environment for <strong>centuries</strong>, hence <strong>by 2050</strong>, the amount of plastic in seas and oceans across the world will weigh more than the fish.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plastic Waste in India:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344167_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344167_image5.png" style="float: right;" width="303" height="377" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <strong>Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)</strong>, India generates close to 26,000 tonnes of plastic a day and over 10,000 tonnes a day of plastic waste remains uncollected.</li>
<li>According to a <strong>Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)</strong> study the plastic processing industry is estimated to grow to 22 million tonnes (MT) a year by 2020 from 13.4 MT in 2015 and nearly half of this is single-use plastic.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>per capita plastic consumption</strong> of less than 11 kg, is nearly a tenth of the United States of America (109 kg).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Plastic Waste</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic Losses:</strong> Plastic waste along shoreline has a negative impact on tourism revenue (creates an aesthetic issue).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are under the plastic threat and facing the aesthetic issue because of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/plastic-invading-nicobar-islands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>international dumping of plastic waste</strong></a> at the island.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications for Animals:</strong> Plastic wastes have profoundly affected animals in aquatic, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/people-s-ingestion-of-plastic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Plastic ingestion</strong></a> upsets or fills up the digestive systems of the animals thus contributing to their death due to intestinal blockage or starvation.</li>
<li>Marine animals can also be <strong>trapped in plastic waste</strong> where they are exposed to predators or starve to death.</li>
<li>The plastics may also contain <strong>toxic chemicals</strong> which can harm the animal&rsquo;s vital organs or biological functions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications for Human Health:</strong> The chemicals leached from the plastics contain compounds, like polybrominated diphenyl ether (anti-androgen), bisphenol A (mimics the natural female hormone estrogen) and phthalates (also known as anti-androgens), impact human health leading to various hormonal and genetic disorders.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These chemicals can interfere with the functioning of the <strong>endocrine system</strong> and <strong>thyroid hormones</strong> and can be very destructive to women of reproductive age and young children.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Land Pollution:</strong> Plastics leach hazardous chemicals on land, resulting in the destruction and decline in quality of the earth&rsquo;s land surfaces in term of use, landscape and ability to support life forms.</li>
<li><strong>Air Pollution:</strong> Plastic burning releases poisonous chemicals into the atmosphere impacting general well-being and causing <strong>respiratory disorders in living beings</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Groundwater Pollution:</strong> Whenever plastics are dumped in landfills, the hazardous chemicals present in them seep underground when it rains. The <strong>leaching chemicals</strong> and toxic elements <strong>infiltrate</strong> into the aquifers and water table, indirectly affecting groundwater quality.</li>
<li><strong>Water Pollution:</strong> Many lakes and oceans have reported alarming cases of plastic debris floating on water surfaces, affecting a great number of aquatic creatures. It leads to dreadful consequences to marine creatures that swallow the toxic chemicals. In 2014, United Nation report estimated the annual impact of plastic pollution on oceans at US$ 13 billion.</li>
<li><strong>Interference with the Food Chain:</strong> Studies determine that the chemicals affect the <strong>biological and reproduction process</strong> resulting in reduced numbers of offspring thus disrupting the food chain. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When the smaller animals (planktons, mollusks, worms, fishes, insects, and amphibians) are intoxicated by <strong>ingesting plastic</strong>, they are passed on to the larger animals disrupting the interrelated connections within the food chain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Poor Drainage:</strong> Drainage system clogged with plastic bags, films, and other plastic items, causes flooding.</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Habitats:</strong> Seafloor plastic waste sheets could act like a blanket, inhibiting gas exchange and leading to <strong>anoxia or hypoxia</strong> (low oxygen levels) in the aquatic system, which in turn can adversely affect the marine life.</li>
<li><strong>Invasive Species:</strong> Plastic waste can also be a mode of transport for species, potentially increasing the range of certain marine organisms or introducing species into an environment where they were previously absent. This, in turn, can cause subsequent <strong>changes in the ecosystem of the region</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mismanaged Plastic Waste</strong> <strong>(plastic dumped openly):</strong> In the form of microplastics/microbeads when plastic enters the environment via inland waterways, wastewater outflows, and transport by wind or tides cannot all be filtered out once it enters the ocean.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As plastics travel with ocean currents, an island of trash called the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Great Pacific Garbage Patch</strong></a> has been created.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Spurious Biodegradable Plastic:</strong> In the absence of robust testing and certification to verify claims made by producers, spurious biodegradable and compostable plastics are entering the marketplace.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344204_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344204_image2.png" style="float: right;" width="385" height="239" /></a></li>
<li><strong>Online or E-Commerce Companies:</strong> Apart from the plastic we consume through traditional retail, the popularity of online retail and food delivery apps, though restricted to big cities, is contributing to the rise in plastic waste.</li>
<li><strong>Microplastics:</strong> After entering into the aquatic environment, microplastics can travel vast distances floating in seawater, or sediment to the seabed. A recent study has revealed that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/microplastics-in-snow" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>microplastics in the atmosphere</strong></a> are trapped by the clouds and the falling snow.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Microplastic particles are commonly white or opaque in color, which are commonly mistaken by many <strong>surface-feeding fishes as food</strong> (plankton) and can even move up the <strong>food chain</strong> to human consumers (from eating contaminated fish/seafood/shellfish).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Marine Litter:</strong> Plastic pollution in freshwater and marine environments have been identified as a global problem and it is estimated that plastic pollution accounts for 60-80% of <strong>marine plastic waste</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Terrestrial Plastic:</strong> 80% of plastic pollution originates from land-based sources with the remainder from ocean-based sources (fishing nets, fishing ropes).</li>
<li><strong>Improper Implementation and Monitoring:</strong> In spite of the notification of the <strong>Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016</strong>&nbsp;and amendments made in <strong>2018</strong>, local bodies (even the biggest municipal corporations) have failed to implement and monitor segregation of waste.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solution: Plastic Waste Management<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344278_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344278_image3.png" style="float: right;" width="485" height="250" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reduce:</strong> First step in reducing plastic waste is to minimize single use plastics by supporting a tax on plastic bags, restraint on manufacturing of plastics, and using alternatives of plastic or biodegradable plastic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/terracotta-grinder" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project REPLAN</strong></a> (stands for REducing PLastic in Nature) launched by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-may-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)</strong></a> aims to reduce consumption of plastic bags by providing a more sustainable alternative.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reuse:</strong> Reusing plastics can reduce the demand for new plastics, hence it can act as the natural restrain on plastic manufacturing.</li>
<li><strong>Recycle:</strong> Plastic recycling is the process of recovering waste or scrap plastic and reprocessing it into useful products. It offers several benefits like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic benefits due to value addition</li>
<li>Generates employment</li>
<li>Reduces depletion of fossil fuel reserves.</li>
<li>Reduces landfill problems</li>
<li>Recycling of plastics requires less energy</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344311_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344311_image4.png" width="729" height="785" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recovery:</strong> It is the process of converting non-recyclable plastics into a range of useful forms of energy and chemicals for industry. Since plastics contain mainly carbon and hydrogen, with similar energy content to conventional fuels such as diesel, they can be used as a potential source of fuel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government and Global Interventions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-environment-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Environment Day, 2018</strong></a> the world leaders vowed to <strong>&ldquo;Beat Plastic Pollution&rdquo;</strong> &amp; eliminate its use completely.</li>
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Group of 20 (G20)</strong></a> environment ministers, agreed to adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-biodiversity-warning-bells" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>marine plastic waste</strong></a> on a global scale.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344339_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344339_image1.png" width="271" height="595" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-world-environment-day-identify-the-dangers-of-the-plastic-era" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016</strong></a> state that every local body has to be responsible for setting up infrastructure for <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-better-way-of-waste-management" target="_blank" rel="noopener">segregation</a>, collection, processing, and disposal</strong> of plastic waste.</li>
<li><strong>Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018</strong> introduced the concept of <strong>Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>A new national framework</strong> on plastic waste management is in the works, which will introduce <strong>third-party audits</strong> as part of the monitoring mechanism.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>EPR is a policy approach under which producers are given a significant financial and physical responsibility (with respect to segregation and collection of waste at the source) for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.</li>
<li>Assigning such responsibility could in principle provide incentives to prevent wastes at the source, promote product design for the environment and support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Raising awareness amongst the public</strong> of the harm caused by plastic pollution through education and outreach programs to <strong>modify behavior</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A movement against plastic waste would have to prioritise the reduction of single-use plastic such as multi-layer packaging, bread bags, food wrap, and protective packaging.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promote Alternatives,</strong> before the ban or levy comes into force, the availability of alternatives need to be assessed, hence the government may:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provide <strong>economic incentives</strong> to encourage the uptake of eco-friendly and fit-for-purpose alternatives that do not cause more harm.</li>
<li>Support can include <strong>tax rebates, research and development funds, technology incubation, public-private partnerships</strong>&nbsp;and support to projects that recycle single-use items and turn waste into a resource that can be used again.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce or abolish taxes</strong> on the import of materials used to make alternatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provide<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ban-on-single-use-plastics" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> incentives to the alternative industry</a></strong> by introducing tax rebates or other conditions to support its transition from plastic industry.</li>
<li><strong>Expanding the use of biodegradable plastics</strong> or even edible plastics made from various materials such as bagasse (the residue after extracting juice from sugarcane), corn starch, and grain flour.</li>
<li><strong>Use of microbeads</strong> in personal care products and cosmetics must be prohibited.</li>
<li><strong>The Swachh Bharat Mission</strong> should emerge as a platform for plastic waste management.</li>
<li><strong>Target the most problematic single-use plastics</strong> by conducting a baseline assessment to identify the most problematic single-use plastics, as well as the current causes, extent and impacts of their mismanagement.</li>
<li><strong>Consider the best actions to tackle</strong> the problem of plastic waste management (e.g. through regulatory, economic, awareness, voluntary actions) given the country&rsquo;s socio-economic standing.</li>
<li><strong>Assess the potential social, economic and environmental impacts</strong> (positive and negative) of the preferred short-listed plastic waste management measures/actions, by considering how will the poor be affected, or what impact will the preferred course of action have on different sectors and industries.</li>
<li><strong>Identify and engage key stakeholder groups</strong> like retailers, consumers, industry representatives, local government, manufacturers, civil society, environmental groups, and tourism associations in order to ensure broad buy-in.</li>
<li><strong>Explaining the decision and any punitive measures</strong> that will follow, as a result of non compliance of plastic management rule.</li>
<li><strong>Use revenues</strong> collected from taxes or levies on single-use plastics to maximize the public good, thereby supporting environmental projects or boosting local recycling with the funds and creating jobs in the plastic recycling sector with seed funding.</li>
<li><strong>Enforce</strong> the plastic waste management measure effectively, by making sure that there is clear allocation of roles and responsibilities.</li>
<li><strong>Monitor and adjust</strong> the plastic waste management measure if necessary and update the public on progress.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/plastic-waste-1'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Extending RTE Act up to Class 12',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has tweaked the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-national-education-policy-unveiled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft National Education Policy (NEP)</a> to dilute the provision on extending the Right to Education (RTE) Act up to Class 12 and also include three years of early childhood education.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The existing NEP was framed in 1986 and revised in 1992.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/draft-education-policy-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft NEP</a> was submitted by a group of experts, led by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, to the MHRD in June, and uploaded online for public feedback.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The final NEP has tweaked the suggestion in the draft policy on starting a National Tutors Programme (NTP) and Remedial Instructional Aides Programme (RIAP). Both were meant to strengthen basic reading and mathematics skills.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aser-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2018 ASER Report</a> showed that more than half of Class VIII students cannot correctly solve a numerical division problem and more than a quarter of them cannot read a primary-level text.</p>
</div>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; border-color: #027a70; background-color: #06b8a9;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Issues</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; border-color: #027a70; background-color: #06b8a9;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Draft NEP</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; border-color: #027a70; background-color: #06b8a9;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Final NEP</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;"><strong>NTP and RIAP</strong></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under NTP, the best performers in each school would have been roped in for up to five hours a week as tutors during school hours for fellow students who need help.</li>
<li>RIAP was a 10-year project to draw instructors, especially women, from local communities to help students who have fallen behind and bring them back into the fold.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The final NEP has endorsed only one-on-one peer tutoring.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;"><strong>Institutional System for Higher Education</strong></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The draft had proposed a <strong>new three-tier institutional system for higher education</strong>.</li>
<li>Under this, by 2030, all institutions will either become research universities or teaching universities or colleges running undergraduate programmes.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the final NEP, the categorisation of institutions under a hierarchical structure has been given up.</li>
<li>In its place, classification based on the main purpose of the institution (research or teaching) has been retained.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 111px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70; height: 111px;"><strong>Deadlines for Affiliation</strong></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70; height: 111px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The draft suggested that, by 2032, all colleges affiliated currently must develop into autonomous degree granting colleges or merge completely with the university that they are affiliated to, or develop into a university themselves.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70; height: 111px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The final document has removed the strict deadline prescribed by the Kasturirangan Committee.</li>
<li>It only speaks of gradually phasing out the system of "affiliated colleges".</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
<h3>6 Point Roadmap for Implementation</h3>
<p>The MHRD has also laid down a six-point roadmap for its implementation and decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation status in 2030.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>intent and the spirit of the policy</strong> must serve as the most important consideration</li>
<li><strong>Implementation in a phased manner:</strong> It is important to implement the policy initiatives in a phased manner, as each policy point has several steps, each of which requires the previous step to be implemented successfully.</li>
<li><strong>Prioritisation</strong> will be important in ensuring optimal sequencing of policy points -and that the most critical and urgent actions are taken up first - thereby enabling a strong base</li>
<li><strong>Full-fledged implementation:</strong> As the policy is interconnected and holistic, only a full-fledged implementation and not a "piece meal" one, will ensure that the desired objectives are achieved.</li>
<li><strong>Timely infusion of requisite resources -</strong> human, infrastructural, and financial - at the central and state levels will be key for the satisfactory execution of the policy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since education is a concurrent subject, it will need careful planning, joint monitoring, and collaborative implementation between the Centre and states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Careful analysis and review</strong> of the linkages between multiple parallel implementation steps will be necessary in order to ensure effective dovetailing of all initiatives.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/education/education-policy-dilutes-assurance-on-rte-cover-up-to-class-12-6090605/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/extending-rte-act-up-to-class-12'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Mountain Streams Emits Carbon Dioxide',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently the Scientists have reported the findings of the first large-scale study of the <strong>carbon dioxide emissions from mountain streams,</strong> and their role in global carbon fluxes.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Although, mountains cover 25% of the Earth&rsquo;s surface, but the streams make up just 5% of the global surface area of the <strong>fluvial networks</strong>.</li>
<li>This research shows how important it is to include mountain streams in assessments of the <strong>global carbon cycle</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far, scientists had focused mainly on streams and rivers in low-altitude tropical and boreal regions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The scientists collected environmental data from the streams draining the world&rsquo;s main mountain ranges. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They specifically focused on their <strong>hydrologic and geomorphologic properties</strong> as well as the <strong>soil organic carbon content </strong>within the catchments.</li>
<li>They used these data to develop a model to estimate the natural CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from more than 1.8 million mountain streams worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Findings of the Study</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Researchers found that these streams have a higher average CO<sub>2</sub> emission rate per square meter than streams at lower altitudes, due to the <strong>additional turbulence</strong> caused as water flows down the mountain slopes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They likely account for 10% to 30% of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from these networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The gas exchange velocities across the air-water interface in mountain streams occurs <strong>100 times faster</strong> than previously thought.</li>
<li>The findings seem to indicate that the CO<sub>2</sub> comes from <strong>geological sources</strong>, given that <strong>carbonate rock</strong> dominates geology in numerous regions around the world. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These rocks were formed from "skeletal" components of marine microorganisms that lived millions of years ago when Earth was largely covered by oceans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is known for a number of years that freshwater ecosystems emit roughly the same amount of CO<sub>2</sub> that the oceans absorb, but the studies were never done on the role of the mountain streams for the global CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes.</li>
<li>The latest findings will open up new research avenues, that will help to better understand where all that CO<sub>2</sub> comes from and how a more accurate assessments of the global carbon cycle can be made.</li>
<li>The findings mark an important step forward but numerous uncertainties still persist.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will require long-term monitoring of carbon fluxes in mountain streams to understand how climate change affects their biogeochemistry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Carbon Cycle</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It refers to the exchanges of carbon within and between <strong>four major reservoirs: the atmosphere, the oceans, land, and fossil fuels</strong>.</li>
<li>Carbon may be transferred from one reservoir to another in seconds (e.g., the fixation of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> into sugar through photosynthesis) or over millennia (e.g., the accumulation of fossil carbon (coal, oil, gas) through deposition of organic matter.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572337118_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572337118_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="494" height="494" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/telling-numbers-role-of-mountain-streams-in-carbon-cycle-newly-assessed-6091216/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mountain-streams-emits-carbon-dioxide'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Bihar to Sell Kashmiri Apples',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Bihar government has taken an initiative to help traders and farmers by selling Kashmiri apples through <strong>Biscomaun</strong> (Bihar State Cooperative Marketing Union Limited) and NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited) at lower prices than the market.</p>
<h3>Cooperatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-labour-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Labour Organisation</a> (ILO)</strong>, a <strong>cooperative</strong> is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.</li>
<li>Cooperative Societies is a <strong>State Subject</strong> (Entry 32 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, i.e. State List).</li>
</ul>
<h3>History</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The cooperative movement in India owes its origin to agriculture and allied sectors.</li>
<li>Initially, they were meant to meet the credit needs of people in rural and urban areas but after Independence cooperatives expanded to all walks of economic life.</li>
<li>The <strong>97<sup>th</sup> Constitutional Amendment Act of 2011</strong> gave a constitutional status and protection to cooperative societies. In this context, it made the following three changes in the Constitution:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>It made the right to form cooperative societies a fundamental right (Article 19).</strong></li>
<li><strong>It included a new Directive Principle of State Policy on promotion of cooperative societies (Article 43-B).</strong></li>
<li><strong>It added a new Part IX-B in the Constitution which is entitled as &ldquo;The Cooperative Societies&rdquo; (Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Cooperative sector has a big role to play in <strong>doubling agriculture exports</strong> (from present US $ 30 billion to US$ 60 billion) by <strong>2022</strong> as envisaged in the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agriculture-export-policy-2018-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Agriculture Export Policy 2018</a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>94% of the Indian farmers are members of at least one cooperative institution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The spatial spread of the credit-cooperatives have contributed in their own way in moving towards financial inclusion.</li>
<li>The sector provides agricultural credits and funds where state and private sectors have not been able to do very much.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NAFED is registered under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act.</li>
<li>It was setup in <strong>1958</strong> with the objective to promote Cooperative marketing of Agricultural Produce to benefit the farmers.</li>
<li>Agricultural farmers are the members of the General Body of NAFED, who participate in the decision making process of NAFED.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bihar-sells-kashmir-apples-through-co-op-to-help-traders/article29816137.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: The Hindu</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bihar-to-sell-kashmiri-apples'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Nelloptodes Gretae',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Scientists at the Natural History Museum in London have officially named a tiny species of beetle <em>Nelloptodes gretae</em>. It has been named after the 16-year-old Swedish environmental campaigner <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/right-livelihood-award" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greta Thunberg</a></strong>.<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572335482_image1.jpg" width="264" height="147" style="float: right;" /></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>N. gretae was <strong>first found in Kenya in the 1960s</strong> which was later donated to the Natural History Museum in London in 1978.</li>
<li>Biological names comprise two words, one for the genus and the second for the species.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While the species name gretae derives from Greta, the genus Nelloptodes too is new.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The arthropod, which has no eyes or wings, is <strong>less than 1mm long and belongs to the Ptiliidae family</strong>, which is made up of some of the world&rsquo;s smallest beetles.</li>
<li>Biodiversity loss has led to the <strong>faster extinction of the undiscovered species</strong>. The naming signifies Greta&rsquo;s contribution in raising awareness of environmental issues.</li>
<li>A parasite named after Bob Marley <em>(Gnathia marleyi)</em>, a genus of fish called after Richard Dawkins (Dawkinsia), a spider called <em>Spintharus leonardodicaprioi</em> after Leonardo DiCaprio are some other species named after famous personalities.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/this-word-means-nelloptodes-gretae-6090666/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nelloptodes-gretae'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Postal Ballot Facilities for Absentee Voters',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Election Commission of India</a></strong> has recently made efforts to ensure that the electors who are unable to come to polling booth/ absentee voters are facilitated in every way to ensure their wider participation in the electoral process.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Such absentee voters include:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Persons with Disabilities (PwD),</strong></li>
<li><strong>Senior citizens,</strong></li>
<li>Persons employed in <strong>essential services</strong> e.g., railways, state transport and aviation etc.,</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are two aspects of this issue viz., the creation of requisite infrastructure and suitable legal framework to facilitate the process.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps Taken to Ensure Wider Participation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On the legal front, the Commission made a recommendation to the Union Government (Ministry of Law and Justice) on 2<sup>nd</sup> September, 2019 following which the Government <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/postal-ballot-cover-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amended the Representation of the People&rsquo;s Act, 1951 (RP Act), and the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961</a>.</li>
<li>Salient features of these amendments are as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A concept of <strong>&lsquo;absentee voter&rsquo;</strong> has been introduced and defined for the elections;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;Absentee voter&rsquo;</strong> means a person belonging to such class of persons as may be notified, under clause (c) of section 60 of the RP Act, 1951 and who is <strong>employed in essential services</strong> as mentioned in the said notification, and includes an elector belonging to the class of <strong>senior citizens</strong> or <strong>persons with disabilities</strong>;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;person with disability&rsquo;</strong> means a person flagged as person with disability in the database for the electoral roll;</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;senior citizen&rsquo;</strong> means an elector belonging to the class of absentee voters and is <strong>above 80 years of age</strong>;</li>
<li>These two categories of voters &ndash; <strong>&lsquo;senior citizen&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;PwD electors&rsquo;</strong> can vote <strong>either as absentee voter or as a regular voter on the poll day</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Commission is also taking a number of steps including personal contact under its <strong>SVEEP</strong> <strong>initiatives</strong> to make the electors aware of this new facility so that such electors can exercise their voting right in the manner they intend to do.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><em><strong>Systematic Voters&rsquo; Education and Electoral Participation</strong> </em>program (SVEEP), is the flagship program of the Election Commission of India for voter education, spreading voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Representation of the People Act, 1951</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This act provides for the <strong>actual conduct of elections in India</strong>. It deals with the following matters :
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Details like Qualification and Disqualification of members of both the Houses of Parliament and the State Legislatures,</li>
<li>Administrative machinery for conducting elections,</li>
<li>Registration of Political parties,</li>
<li>Conduct of Elections,</li>
<li>Election Disputes,</li>
<li>Corrupt practices &amp; Electoral offences, &amp;</li>
<li>By-elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://eci.gov.in/files/file/11133-postal-ballot-facilities-for-absentee-voters-of-essential-services-senior-citizens-of-more-than-80-years-and-marked-pwd-electors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/postal-ballot-facilities-for-absentee-voters'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Indo-French Joint Exercise Shakti-2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>'Exercise SHAKTI'</strong> is a biennial exercise which is conducted alternately in India and France.The 2019 edition will be conducted from 31 October 2019 to 13 November 2019 in Rajasthan, India.<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572334735_image2.png" width="249" height="176" style="float: right;" /></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The exercise will focus on counter terrorism operations in backdrop of semi-desert terrain. The training will focus primarily on high degree of physical fitness, sharing of drill at tactical level and learning of best practices from each other.</li>
<li>The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two Armies.</li>
<li>Defence Exercises between India and France:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Varuna &ndash; Naval exercise</strong></li>
<li><strong>Garuda &ndash; Air exercise</strong></li>
<li><strong>Shakti &ndash; Army exercise</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gagan Shakti</strong> is conducted by the <strong>Indian Air Force</strong> to showcase its air dominance over the entire extended area of the <strong>Indian Ocean Region</strong>. It includes all terrain operations &ndash; desert, high altitude, maritime scenarios and special operations &ndash; in real time with specific focus on key areas like aerial combat, air to surface combat, paratrooper assault and medical evacuation.</li>
<li><strong>Garuda Shakti</strong> is the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-maitree" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint military exercise</a> between <strong>India and Indonesia</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Mitra Shakti</strong> is the joint military exercise between <strong>India and Sri Lanka</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1589383" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-shakti-2019'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Quantum Supremacy',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-quantum-supremacy-claimed-by-google-6086628/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;What is quantum supremacy?&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 26/10/2019. It talks about quantum supremacy and its applications.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, <strong>Google&rsquo;s quantum computer,</strong> named <strong>Sycamore,</strong> claimed <strong>&ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;,</strong> as it reportedly did the task in 200 seconds that would have apparently taken a supercomputer 10,000 years to complete.</p>
<h3>What is &ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The phrase<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quantum-supremacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;</strong> </a>was coined in <strong>2012</strong> by <strong>John Preskill.</strong></li>
<li>Quantum supremacy refers to a <strong>quantum computer solving a problem that cannot be expected of a classical computer in a normal lifetime.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Quantum Computing vs Traditional Computing</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Traditional computers work on the <strong>basis of the laws of classical physics,</strong> specifically by <strong>utilizing the flow of electricity.</strong> A quantum computer, on the other hand, seeks to <strong>exploit the laws that govern the behavior of atoms and subatomic particles.</strong></li>
<li>Conventional computers process information in<strong> &lsquo;bits&rsquo; or 1s and 0s,</strong> following classical physics under which our computers <strong>can process a &lsquo;1&rsquo; or a &lsquo;0&rsquo; at a time.</strong></li>
<li>Quantum computers compute in<strong> &lsquo;qubits&rsquo; (or quantum bits).</strong> They exploit the properties of quantum mechanics, the science that governs how matter behaves on the atomic scale.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this scheme of things, processors <strong>can be a 1 and a 0 simultaneously,</strong> a state called<strong> quantum superposition.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Because of quantum superposition, a quantum computer &mdash; if it works to plan &mdash; can <strong>mimic several classical computers working in parallel.</strong></li>
<li><strong>World's most powerful supercomputers</strong> today can <strong>juggle 148,000 trillion operations in a second and requires about 9000 IBM CPUs connected in a particular combination</strong> to achieve this feat.</li>
<li><strong>At that tiny scale,</strong> many <strong>laws of classical physics cease to apply,</strong> and the <strong>unique laws of quantum physics come into play.</strong></li>
<li>Unlike classical physics, in which an object can exist in one place at one time, quantum physics looks at the probabilities of an object being at different points. Existence in multiple states is called <strong>superposition,</strong> and the relationships among these states is called <strong>entanglement.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>higher the number of qubits,</strong> the <strong>higher the amount of information stored</strong> in them. Compared to the information stored in the same number of bits, the information in qubits rises exponentially. That is what makes a quantum computer so powerful.</li>
<li><strong>Building reliable quantum hardware is challenging</strong> because of the<strong> difficulty of controlling quantum systems</strong> accurately.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How will it help us?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>speed and capability of classical supercomputers are limited by energy requirements.</strong> Along with these they also <strong>need more physical space.</strong></li>
<li>It can have a major impact through quantum chemistry, which could be important in <strong>agriculture and human health.</strong></li>
<li>It could help with the development of new pharmaceuticals, new energy sources, new ways to collect solar power, and new materials.</li>
<li><strong>Looking for really useful information</strong> by processing huge amounts of data <strong>quickly is a real-world problem</strong> and one that can be <strong>tackled faster by quantum computers.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, if we have a database of a million social media profiles and had to look for a particular individual, a classical computer would have to scan each one of those profiles which would amount to a million steps.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In <strong>1996, Lov K. Grover from Bell Labs</strong> discovered that a quantum computer would be able to do the same task with one thousand steps instead of a million. That <strong>translates into reduced processors and reduced energy.</strong></li>
<li>A quantum computer can attack complex problems that are beyond the scope of a classical computer. The <strong>basic advantage is speed</strong> as it is able to simulate several classical computers working in parallel.</li>
<li>Quantum computers would also be useful for tasks which <strong>handle huge amounts of data. Data mining and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">artificial intelligence</a> would be major beneficiaries,</strong> along with sciences which deal in volumes of data, from astronomy to linguistics.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government's Initiative</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018, the Department of Science &amp; Technology</strong> unveiled a programme called <strong>Quantum-Enabled Science &amp; Technology (QuEST)</strong> and <strong>committed to investing ₹80 crore over the next three years</strong> to accelerate research.</li>
<li>The ostensible <strong>plan is to have a quantum computer built in India within the next decade.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated with Quantum Computing</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dark side of quantum computing is the <strong>disruptive effect that it can have on cryptographic encryption,</strong> which <strong>secures communications and computers.</strong></li>
<li>It might pose a <strong>challenge for the government also</strong> because if this technology goes into wrong hands, all the government&rsquo;s official and confidential data will be at a <strong>risk of being hacked and misused.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Long after the birth of social media and artificial intelligence, there are now <strong>demands to regulate them.</strong> It would be<strong> prudent to develop a regulatory framework for quantum computing before it becomes widely available.</strong></li>
<li>It will be better to <strong>regulate it or define the limits of its legitimate use, nationally and internationally</strong> before the problem gets out of hand like nuclear technology.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0505; background-color: #fafced;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />What do you understand by Quantum Supremacy? What can be the possible applications of quantum computing?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quantum-supremacy-1'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Australia’s Uluru Rock',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Australia&rsquo;s giant <strong>Red Monolith- Uluru</strong> (Also known as <strong>Ayers Rock</strong>) has been permanently closed for trekking by the Australian government.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572079091_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572079091_image2.jpg" width="367" height="206" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The spiritual <strong>significance for Anangu (An aboriginal tribe of Australia)</strong> is responsible for the ban.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Uluru</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the huge <strong>red rock monolith</strong> located in the <strong>Central Australian desert.</strong></li>
<li>Ayers Rock (now Uluru) was <strong>first</strong> declared a <strong>national park in 1950</strong> and <strong>renamed</strong> as <strong>Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park</strong> in <strong>1993.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is included in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO World Heritage List</strong></a> for both its <strong>natural and cultural values.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Uluru is made up of <strong>sandstone</strong> and is about half a billion years old.</li>
<li>It stands <strong>348 metres high</strong> and has a circumference of<strong> 9.4 km.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/tourists-flock-to-australia-s-uluru-for-last-ever-climb/story-8VooYQcXBDkA3ZOmQrNAQN.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:HT</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-s-uluru-rock'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Sakhalin Oil Field',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas has visited <strong>Sakhalin oil field in Russia.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Exxon Mobil (US), Rosneft (Russia), Japanese SODECO and ONGC Videsh are the partners in this field which will continue to produce oil and gas till 2055.</li>
<li>During the recent <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vladivostok Summit</strong></a>, there was agreement on a roadmap of <strong>cooperation</strong> over the next five years <strong>in the hydrocarbon sector.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It included strengthening Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) exports to India; encouraging Russian companies to participate in gas projects in India; exploring the possibility of Indian companies collaborating in LNG projects, including in Arctic LNG infrastructure projects; cooperation at the university level, among others.</li>
<li>Sourcing of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-largest-importer-of-coking-coal-by-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> coking coal</strong> </a>from the Russian Far East is now a major priority.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078615_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078615_image3.jpg" width="434" height="336" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1589047" 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/sakhalin-oil-field'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => '18th Non-Aligned Summit',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Vice President of India attended the <strong>18<sup>th</sup> Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit</strong> which was held in <strong>Baku, Azerbaijan.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The theme for the 18<sup>th</sup> NAM Summit is<strong> &ldquo;Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of the contemporary world.''<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078273_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078273_image1.jpg" width="288" height="203" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The theme relates to the forthcoming <strong>65<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Bandung Principles (2020) </strong>and the<strong> 60<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement (2021).</strong></li>
<li>Bandung principles promote world peace and cooperation which were formulated at the <strong>Asian-African Conference in 1955.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/non-aligned-movement-nam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NAM Summit</strong></a> majorly focussed on contemporary issues such as Terrorism, threats to peace and security, UN reform, climate change, sustainable development, economic governance, and south-south cooperation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is a founder member of NAM. It participated actively in NAM meetings till 1970s but India&rsquo;s inclination towards erstwhile USSR created confusion in smaller members.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It led to the weakening of NAM and small nations drifted towards either the US or USSR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further India&rsquo;s New Economic Policy and inclination towards the US raised questions over India&rsquo;s seriousness over non-alignment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The disintegration of the USSR led to the unipolar world order dominated by the US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, NAM continued losing relevance for India in a unipolar world, especially after the founding members failed to support India during the crisis.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, during the 1962 War with China, Ghana and Indonesia adopted explicitly pro-China positions.</li>
<li>During the 1965 and 1971 wars, Indonesia and Egypt took an anti-India stance and supported Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the Prime Minister of India <strong>skipped </strong>the<strong> second NAM summit in a row</strong> (17<sup>th</sup> and 18<sup>th</sup> NAM Summit).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It had been the customary practice ever since the inception of NAM that India had always participated in the summit meetings through its prime minister, with the single <strong>exception of the 6<sup>th</sup> NAM Summit</strong> when Chaudhury Charan Singh was the caretaker PM and hence missed it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, India has started to actively <strong>engage with new and old global powers.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India joining the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/27-09-2019/print" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,</strong></a> a coalition seen by many as a counter force to China&rsquo;s rise in the Indo-Pacific and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai cooperation organization</strong></a> led by China shown India&rsquo;s balancing approach in the new world order.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.nic.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1588812" 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/18th-non-aligned-summit'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Excavation Sites of Sangam Age',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rangdum-monastery" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)</strong></a> has approved the Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s request to continue excavations at four locations including Keeladi.</li>
<li>This development is expected to bridge the 1000 years gap in history between the Sangam Age and the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/indus-valley-civilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indus Valley civilization.</strong></a></li>
<li>The excavation will be undertaken at the following sites:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/keeladi-findings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keeladi-</a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Located in Sivaganga district on the banks of river Vaigai.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>urban settlement</strong> of Sangam Age.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kodumanal-</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Village located in Erode district, TN.</li>
<li>Flourishing ancient trade city known as <strong>Kodumanam</strong> (as inscribed in <strong>Pathitrupathu</strong> of Sangam Literature).</li>
<li>It is located on the northern banks of Noyyal River (a tributary of the Cauvery).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sivagalai-</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Village in the Tuticorin district, TN.</li>
<li>It was once known as <strong>&lsquo;Small Ceylon&rsquo;</strong> by Britishers.</li>
<li>Evidence of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/megalithic-sword-unearthed-in-kozhikode" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>megalithic</strong></a> archaeological remains were found here in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Adichanallur-</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Located in Thoothukudi district, TN.</li>
<li>In 2004,<strong> iron-age</strong> (1500 BC to 500 BC) burial sites were unearthed by ASI from here.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ASI is the <strong>premier organization</strong> for the archaeological research, scientific analysis, excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and preservation of protected monuments.</li>
<li>It is an attached office under the <strong>Department of Culture, Ministry of Culture.</strong></li>
<li>ASI was founded in <strong>1861</strong> by <strong>Alexander Cunningham-</strong> the first Director-General of ASI.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sangam Age</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The word<strong> &lsquo;Sangam&rsquo;</strong> is the Tamil form of the Sanskrit word <strong>&lsquo;Sangha&rsquo;</strong> which means a group of persons or an association.</li>
<li>The Sangam literature was largely consolidated from the third Sangam and throws information on conditions of life of people around the beginning of the Christian era.</li>
<li>The Age of the Sangam is the age to which the Sangam literature belonged.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/asi-clears-further-excavations-at-four-sites-in-tamil-nadu-6088468/" 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/excavation-sites-of-sangam-age'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Medical Devices In India- Issues and Challenges',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/medical-devices-are-not-drugs-6086785/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Medical devices are not drugs&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 25/10/2019. It talks about the proposed regulatory framework for medical devices.</p>
</div>
<p><strong>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</strong> is going to set up a <strong>regulatory framework</strong> for <strong>medical devices</strong> and aims to implement this new framework <strong>without moving a new law in Parliament</strong> to regulate the medical device industry.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is creating an entire <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-notification-for-medical-implants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>regulatory framework</strong></a> out of <strong>notifications and rules,</strong> using <strong>powers delegated to it under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>first step</strong> towards this framework was made in 2017 when the ministry notified the <strong>Medical Device Rules, 2017.</strong> At that time, only a few medical devices were notified as &ldquo;drugs&rdquo; but now all are intended to put in the category.</li>
<li>This means that <strong>all medical devices</strong> would be <strong>placed within the framework of the Medical Device Rules, 2017.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>medical industry has been very irresponsible</strong> towards patients in India which became evident by <strong>the hip-implant scandal.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>pre-independence legislation</strong> that was enacted almost 80 years ago.</li>
<li>It is an act of Parliament which <strong>regulates the import, manufacturing and distribution</strong> of drugs in India.</li>
<li>Its objective is to ensure that the drugs and cosmetics sold in India are <strong>safe, effective and fulfills the safety standards and parameters.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Medical Device Rules, 2017</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It came into effect from <strong>January, 2018</strong> and is <strong>applicable to medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic medical devices.</strong></li>
<li>It made <strong>licensing application process online.</strong></li>
<li>It made <strong>medical devices novel to Indian market subject to special regulations.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Johnson and Johnson&rsquo;s Faulty Hip Implants Case</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> Johnson and Johnson&rsquo;s hip implant called <strong>Pinnacle</strong> was found to be <strong>leaking the cobalt-chromium ions into the body, leading to serious health complications,</strong> including <strong>metal poisoning of the blood, debilitating pain, and damage to the body organs.</strong></li>
<li>Further, Johnson and Johnson have <strong>paid compensations to US patients</strong> who had received the defective implants. However, <strong>In India, the company has challenged government orders to compensate</strong> 4,700 patients who had undergone hip replacement surgeries.</li>
<li>Therefore, the Johnson and Johnson<strong> continue to exploit the regulatory deficit in India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It will <strong>lead to a toothless regulatory framework for devices,</strong> similar to what exists for drugs today.</li>
<li>The<strong> ministry cannot create new offences or penalties through its rule-making authority.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only laws enacted by Parliament create new offences and penalties. As a result, the Medical Device Rules 2017 contains no penal provisions.</li>
<li>The <strong>Drugs and Cosmetics Act does contain a penal provision for the manufacture of sub-standard drugs</strong> but it cannot be used to penalise manufacturers of sub-standard medical devices because legally binding standards recognised in the <strong>Second Schedule to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act covers only pharmacopeias for drugs</strong> which means no standards for medical devices and no prosecution of a manufacturer of sub-standard medical devices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>If the current proposal is adopted, the<strong> situation will be similar to that of substandard drugs.</strong> Companies that make defective products will order devices from foreign markets and will continue to sell them in India, and comply with the law. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>sale of substandard drugs can be prosecuted</strong> under the current law but most manufacturers who make poor quality drugs stay free due to <strong>poor surveillance and lack of political will and unity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In the recent hip-implant scandal, <strong>one of the main challenges</strong> faced by the government in securing justice for faulty hip-implants <strong>was to secure a list of patients who had received the implant through surgery.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The manufacturer sold devices to doctors and hospitals instead of patients directly so it did not have a list of patients who had these devices implanted. Doctors and hospitals lack incentives to share the patient list and even if they want to, legal liability for surgically implanting faulty devices in the patient&rsquo;s body, would stop them in doing so.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>More importantly <strong>medical devices,</strong> because of their nature, <strong>are far more difficult to standardise</strong> when compared to drugs.</li>
<li>There are<strong> no tools available</strong> to Indian regulators under the proposed framework to hold makers of sub-standard medical device manufacturers to account for their actions. At most, the <strong>ministry can prohibit the manufacture and sale of certain medical devices under Section 26A or cancel a license to prevent</strong> future harm.</li>
<li><strong>Penalties or prosecution to punish for the harm already inflicted on patients due to negligence or intentional wrongdoing are not figured</strong> yet and it remains an important challenge.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>One of the solutions to solve this information deficit is to <strong>create a confidential patient register</strong> that should be maintained by the government to record all details of implants.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This register <strong>could be used to notify patients</strong> in the case of malfunctioning devices. But the proposed regulatory framework does not offer any such provision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government <strong>must rethink this toothless framework and instead enact a new law through Parliament.</strong> While medical devices have tremendous potential to revolutionise healthcare, the hip-implant scandals in India and abroad have shown us the dark side of this industry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a difference between medical devices and drugs so it would be a grave mistake to apply the same regulatory framework for both of them. A <strong>targeted and different approach is needed to regulate</strong> these complex devices.</li>
<li><strong>New and innovatives ideas are needed</strong> to regulate this industry in the Indian context especially when the government bodies and the judiciary lack the capacity to handle such difficult and multilayered issues.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fdffeb;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Examine the challenges and issues with respect to the medical device industry of India.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/medical-devices-in-india-issues-and-challenges'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture: Syria Crisis - US Backs out',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ev7wA24_LK8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Recently, the US announced to withdraw from Syria (in order to fulfil the US president&rsquo;s electoral promise). However, this will lead to <strong>abandoning of Kurdish fighters in Syria,</strong> who were an <strong>American ally in the war against ISIS.</strong> This may lead to a decline in America's credibility amongst its allies.</p>
<p>With the US planning to leave Syria, <strong>Turkey has threatened to attack a part in Syria</strong> (northern Syria touching borders of Turkey) which was under the <strong>de-facto control of Kurds.</strong> The US has threatened to punish Turkey economically if it goes 'too far' against Kurds. However, what is 'too far' has not been clarified by the US.</p>
<p><strong>Thus, US withdrawal from Syria may have deep implications for the region.</strong></p>
<h3>Who are Kurds?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Kurds are the<strong> world&rsquo;s largest stateless ethnic group.</strong> There are an estimated 25 million to 35 million of them.</li>
<li>They live in the highlands of southern and eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, northwestern Iran, and parts of south Armenia, and are a minority in each of these countries.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572006152_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572006152_image3.jpg" width="557" height="361" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kurdish nationalists claim a history going back 2,500 years, but they became identifiable as a distinct community only in the 7<sup>th</sup> century, when most tribes in the area adopted Islam.</li>
<li>The <strong>Treaty of S&egrave;vres (1920),</strong> which <strong>partitioned the old Ottoman dominions,</strong> marked out a much smaller territory as Kurdistan. However, Turkey negotiated with the Allied powers and, in 1923, the <strong>Treaty of Lausanne,</strong> that overtook Treaty of S&egrave;vres and <strong>ended the idea of a self-governing Kurdistan.</strong></li>
<li>Over the decades, the Kurds made repeated attempts at establishing a Kurdistan with defined national borders (within the territory of Turkey), and in this process, <strong>Turkey retaliated with massive repression of Kurds.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Turkey-Kurds-US Triangle</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1978, the Marxist revolutionary Abdullah &Ouml;calan formed the Kurdistan Workers&rsquo; Party (Partiya Karker&ecirc;n Kurdistan&ecirc; or PKK in Kurdish) with the aim of setting up an independent Kurdistan.</li>
<li>PKK guerrillas fought the Turkish army from 1984 to 2013, when the PKK declared a ceasefire.</li>
<li>After the Islamic State (ISIS) swept across Syria and Iraq, the only fighters who were able to resist the onslaught were the <strong>Syrian Kurdish militias.</strong></li>
<li>In 2014, <strong>the Kurds joined the US in the war against ISIS,</strong> and become a helpful regional ally of the US.</li>
<li>Once the Kurds, backed by the Americans, had forced ISIS out of northern Syria, they took over the <strong>re-captured land along the Syria-Turkey border,</strong> home mainly to ethnic Kurds, Arabs, and some other groups.</li>
<li>Turkey sees it as a <strong>serious threat to its territorial integrity, Therefore</strong> Turkey plans to launch an assault on <strong>Kurdish-held territory in Syria.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Why Turkey is invading Syria now?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>By invading northern Syria, Turkey seeks to<strong> create a peace zone,</strong> where it can deport <strong>Syrian refugees that fled the country during the Civil war in Syria.</strong></li>
<li>However, experts believe in the name of the creation of a peace zone, Turkey wants to<strong> land grab the strategic area.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geopolitical Importance of northern Syria.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It holds 30% of Syrian oil &amp; gas.</li>
<li>This area harbours a fertile agricultural land.</li>
<li>Also, the region is drained by water from river Euphrates.</li>
<li>Apart from this, the area is under control of Kurds, which Turkey recognizes as a threat to its territorial integrity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Implications of the US's withdrawal from Syria</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rise of Russia</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Syrian crisis was used by Russia to <strong>re-establish its credibility and legitimacy as a superpower</strong> in the region.</li>
<li>This withdrawal of the US and Turkey's attack on Syria will lead to further <strong>deterioration of relations between the US and Turkey and revision of ties between Turkey and Russia.</strong></li>
<li>With the US out of the picture, countries in the Middle East are looking towards Russia for bringing peace and stability in the region.</li>
<li>Also, <strong>Russia, Iran and Syria axis will strengthen</strong> from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Change in US's Policy in the region</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US pursued the policy of <strong>regime change in Syria</strong> (through Arab Spring or post Arab spring Civil War).</li>
<li>However, the US is <strong>changing its policy within the region-</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The US only <strong>seeks partial troops withdrawal</strong> (not full withdrawal, similar to Afghanistan), as it wanted to <strong>establish military bases in the countries.</strong></li>
<li>Thus, it is in the interest of the <strong>US to fragment Syria into small parts,</strong> that's why the US has abandoned Kurds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Resurgence of ISIS</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many of the <strong>ISIS terrorists were captured by Kurds</strong> after they defeated ISIS.</li>
<li>However, Turkey's attack on Kurds may lead to freeing up of ISIS prisoners, that are held captive by the Kurds.</li>
<li>Turkish annexation will be met with Kurdish Resistance which will <strong>further destabilize the region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>In the middle of all this chaos, <strong>India can act as a credible mediator,</strong> as India is a unique country having stable relations with all the countries engaged in middle east conflict.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Drishti input:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Arab Spring and the Syrian Crisis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arab Spring</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Arab Spring was a series of pro-democracy uprisings that enveloped several largely Muslim countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Bahrain.</li>
<li>The Arab Spring began in December 2010 when Tunisian street vendor <strong>Mohammed Bouazizi</strong> set himself on fire to protest the arbitrary seizing of his vegetable stands by police over failure to obtain a permit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Syrian Crisis</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2011, successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt gave hope to Syrian pro-democracy activists.</li>
<li>The Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, responded to the protests by killing hundreds of demonstrators and imprisoning many more.</li>
<li>In July 2011, defectors from the military announced the formation of the Free Syrian Army(FSA), a rebel group aiming to overthrow the government, and Syria began to slide into civil war.</li>
<li>Foreign backing and open intervention have played a large role in Syria's civil war. Russia entered the conflict in 2015 and has been the Syrian government's main ally since then.</li>
<li>In September 2015, Russia launched a bombing campaign against what is referred to as "terrorist groups" in Syria, which included ISIS as well as FSA backed by the USA.</li>
<li>Due to this Syrian civil war has turned into a regional proxy war.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Syria + Iran + Russia vs Saudi Arabia + Israel + US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-syria-crisis-us-backs-out'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Ease of Doing Business- 2020',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> recently released its <strong>Ease of Doing Business Report, 2020.&nbsp;</strong>The indicator measures the performance of countries across 10 different dimensions in the 12-month period ending May 1, 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the report, <strong>New Zealand </strong>retained its&nbsp;<strong>1<sup>st</sup>&nbsp;position </strong>whereas<strong> Somalia </strong>was ranked at<strong> 190<sup>th</sup></strong>&nbsp;spot.</li>
<li>India was placed at&nbsp;<strong>63<sup>rd</sup></strong> position this time (2019) out of 190 countries marking an <strong>improvement of 14 places</strong> from its 77<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;position in 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>score improved</strong> from <strong>67.23 in the previous year to 71.0 this year.</strong></li>
<li>India for the third consecutive year was present in the list of 10 economies where the business climate has improved the most.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The essential features of India's performance this year are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s ranking improved basically on <strong>four parameters:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Starting a Business-</strong> India made starting a business easier by fully integrating multiple application forms into a general incorporation form,</li>
<li><strong>Dealing with Construction Permits-</strong> For example, building a warehouse cost around 4% of the warehouse value as compared to 5.7% in the previous year,</li>
<li><strong>Trading across Borders</strong>- with a <strong>single electronic platform-</strong> improved electronic submission methods for documents and upgrades to port infrastructure, <strong>import and export</strong> process became easier, and</li>
<li><strong>Resolving Insolvency-</strong> Recovery rate under resolving insolvency has improved significantly from 26.5% to 71.6%. Also, the time taken for resolving insolvency has also come down significantly from 4.3 years to 1.6 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India continues to maintain its <strong>first position</strong> among <strong>South Asian countries.</strong> It was 6<sup>th</sup> (in 2014).</li>
<li>The World Bank will now include <strong>Kolkata and Bengaluru</strong>, besides Delhi and Mumbai, for preparing ease of doing business report, in order to provide a holistic picture of the business environment of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ease of Doing Business Report</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report was introduced in <strong>2003</strong> to provide an assessment of objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle.</li>
<li>The report measures the performance of countries across 10 different parameters namely-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Starting a Business,</li>
<li>Dealing with Construction permits,</li>
<li>Electricity availability,</li>
<li>Property registration,</li>
<li>Credit availability,</li>
<li>Protecting minority Investors,</li>
<li>Paying Taxes,</li>
<li>Trading across borders,</li>
<li>Contracts enforcement, and</li>
<li>Resolving Insolvency.</li>
<li><strong>This time two more&nbsp;parameters were considered namely, employing workers and contracting with the government but these are not included in the score and rankings.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It ranks countries on the basis of <strong>Distance to Frontier (DTF)</strong> score that highlights the gap of an economy with respect to the global best practice. For example, a score of 75 means an economy was 25 percentage points away from the frontier constructed from the best performances across all economies and across time.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/india-climbs-14-notches-in-ease-of-doing-business-ranking/article29789723.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/ease-of-doing-business-2020'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Thotlakonda Buddhist Monastery',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>Mahastupa of the Buddhist heritage site of Thotlakonda, which was</strong> reconstructed in 2016 by the State Archaeology department, collapsed recently.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1571992974_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1571992974_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="209" height="129" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>2000 years old</strong> monastic complex with remnants of <strong>stupas, chaitya grihas and viharas</strong> atop <strong>Thotlakonda Hill, Andhra Pradesh.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Buddhist monks arriving from places like China, Burma and many other countries used to stay at this site for months before finishing their learning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Stupas:</strong> These are Buddhist commemorative monument usually housing sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other saintly persons.</p>
<p><strong>Chaityas:</strong> A Chaitya was a rectangular prayer hall within a stupa placed in the centre, the purpose was <strong>prayer.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Viharas:</strong> Viharas were the residences of the monks.</p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/mahastupa-caves-in-three-years-after-reconstruction/articleshow/71728936.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TOI</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/thotlakonda-buddhist-monastery'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Minimum Support Price',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Government has hiked the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/msp-agrarian-crisis-and-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price (MSP)</strong></a> for <strong>Rabi crops</strong> for the marketing season 2020-21, after decision was taken at a meeting of the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA),</strong> headed by the Prime Minister.</p>
<p>The increase in MSP for Rabi Crops is in line with the principle of fixing the MSPs at a level of <strong>at least 1.5 times</strong> of the all India weighted average cost of production [CoP], which was announced in the Union Budget 2018-19.</p>
<h3>Minimum Support Price</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The MSP is the rate at which the <strong>government buys grains from farmers. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Reason behind the idea of MSP is to counter</strong> price volatility of <strong>agricultural commodities</strong> due to the factors like variation in their supply, lack of market integration and information asymmetry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Fixation of MSP</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The MSP is fixed <strong>on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).</strong></li>
<li><strong>Factors taken into consideration</strong> for fixing MSP include:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Demand and supply;</li>
<li>Cost of production (A2 + FL method)</li>
<li>Price trends in the market, both domestic and international;</li>
<li>Inter-crop price parity;</li>
<li>Terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture;</li>
<li>A minimum of 50% as the margin over cost of production; and</li>
<li>Likely implications of MSP on consumers of that product.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Commission also makes visits to states</strong> for on-the-spot assessment of the various constraints that farmers face in marketing their produce, or even raising the productivity levels of their crops.</li>
<li>Based on all these inputs, the Commission then finalizes its recommendations/reports, which are then submitted to the government.</li>
<li>The government, in turn, circulates the CACP reports to state governments and concerned Central Ministries for their comments.</li>
<li>After receiving the feed-back from them, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) of the Union government takes a final decision</strong> on the level of MSPs and other recommendations made by the CACP.</li>
<li><strong>Procurement: </strong>The<strong> Food Corporation of India (FCI),</strong> the nodal central agency of the Government of India, along with other State Agencies undertakes procurement of crops.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>The CACP is an <strong>attached office</strong> of the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,</strong> formed in 1965. It is a <strong>statutory body</strong> that submits separate reports recommending prices for Kharif and Rabi seasons.</p>
<p><strong>National Commission on Farmers: Swaminathan Committee</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On 18<sup>th</sup> November, 2004, the Union government formed the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) with MS Swaminathan as its chairman.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The main aim of the committee was to come up with a sustainable farming system, make farm commodities cost-competitive and more profitable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It, in 2006, recommended that MSPs must be at least 50% more than the cost of production.</li>
<li>It talked about the cost of farming at three levels:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>A2:</strong> All the types of cash expenditure to generate the crop like seeds, manure, chemicals, labour costs, fuel costs and irrigation costs.</li>
<li><strong>A2+FL:</strong> It includes A2 plus an imputed value of unpaid family labour.</li>
<li><strong>C2:</strong> Under C2, the estimated land rent and the cost of interest on the money taken for farming are added to A2 and FL.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Rabi Crops</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rabi crops are <strong>sown in winter from October to December</strong> and harvested in summer from April to June.</li>
<li>Some of the <strong>important rabi crops</strong> are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.</li>
<li>Though, these crops are grown in large parts of India, states from the north and northwestern parts such as <strong>Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh</strong> are important for the production of wheat and other rabi crops.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/govt-hikes-msp-for-wheat-by-85-pulses-by-325-per-quintal/article29777612.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/minimum-support-price'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Odisha’s Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Government of India, Government of Odisha and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> on 24<sup>th</sup> October 2019 signed a <strong>$165 million loan agreement</strong> for the Odisha&rsquo;s Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture.</p>
<h3>About Project</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project aims to <strong>support small landholding farmers</strong> in order to strengthen the resilience of their production systems against adverse climatic conditions by improving access to <strong>climate resilient seed varieties and production technologies.</strong></li>
<li>For <strong>increasing the income</strong> of the farmers, the project strives to <strong>diversify</strong> towards more climate-resilient crops and<strong> improve access</strong> to better water management and irrigation services. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project will also provide <strong>marketing support</strong> to farmers who are able to generate a marketable surplus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The project will be implemented in <strong>rural areas</strong> that are <strong>vulnerable to droughts</strong> and are largely <strong>dependent on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/policy-bias-against-rainfed-agricultural-area" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rainfed agriculture.</a></strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is expected to benefit about 125,000 smallholder farmer households from 15 districts of Odisha.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The project also aspires to support the <strong>rehabilitation of 532 water tanks</strong> thereby: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoting the <strong>productivity improvements</strong> at the farm level,</li>
<li>Supporting farmers to reduce the current emphasis on food grains (especially paddy- a water guzzler crop) and <strong>increase the share of high-value and more nutritious products</strong> like fruits and vegetables, and</li>
<li>Practising <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-blue-revolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aquaculture</a></strong> in rehabilitated tanks so as to help farmers access affordable and quality fingerlings, and disseminate improved aquaculture practices and post-harvest management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This project is under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)</strong></a> of the government so as to achieve the <strong>sustainable agriculture-related targets</strong> of the SDGs by 2030.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are <strong>8 national missions</strong> that form the core of the NAPCC representing the multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need for Project</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since 2009, the frequency of droughts in Odisha has increased from 1 in 5 years to 1 in 2 years.</li>
<li>About 70% of the total cultivated area is prone to droughts as compared to 40% in the 1970s.</li>
<li>In Odisha, agriculture is also a major source of <strong>Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions</strong> and is responsible for about 25% of the GHG emissions in the state.</li>
<li>Such erratic and extreme weather are responsible for declining yields and falling incomes of the farmers.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Greenhouse Gases (GHG)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the gases that absorb and emit radiant energy within the thermal infrared range.</li>
<li><strong>Primary GHGs</strong> are- water vapour, carbon dioxide, <strong>methane,</strong> nitrous oxide, and ozone.</li>
<li>GHGs create Greenhouse Effect which is the process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project is intended to be a game-changer for the State by creating a more resilient agricultural sector, enhancing food security, increasing farmers&rsquo; incomes and reducing the GHG footprint of the sector.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=193999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></strong></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'World Polio Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>World Polio Day was established by <strong>Rotary International</strong> on <strong>24<sup>th</sup> October</strong> to celebrate the <strong>birth of Jonas Salk,</strong> who developed a <strong>vaccine against poliomyelitis.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The establishment of the <strong>Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988 reduced</strong> polio worldwide by <strong>99%.</strong></li>
<li>World Polio Day (2019) marked a milestone in polio eradication as the <strong>independent Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication (GCC)</strong> has declared<strong> Wild Polio Virus type 3 </strong>to be <strong>globally eradicated.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It follows the eradication of smallpox and wild poliovirus type 2.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Wild Polio Virus type 3</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are three individual and immunologically distinct wild poliovirus strains: Wild Polio Virus type 1 (WPV1), Wild Polio Virus type 2 (WPV2) and Wild Polio Virus type 3 (WPV3).</li>
<li><strong>Symptomatically,</strong> all three strains are<strong> identical,</strong> in that they cause irreversible paralysis or even death.</li>
<li>But there are <strong>genetic and virological differences,</strong> which make these three strains three <strong>separate viruses</strong> that must each be eradicated individually.</li>
<li>WPV2 and WPV3 have been eradicated globally but <strong>WPV1 remains</strong> in circulation in just two countries namely, <strong>Afghanistan and Pakistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Polio</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal <strong>viral infectious</strong> disease.</li>
<li>There is <strong>no cure,</strong> but <strong>can be prevented</strong> through immunization.</li>
<li>The strategy to eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops.</li>
<li>There are two types of vaccines to prevent infection.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine):</strong> It is given orally as a birth dose for institutional deliveries, then primary three doses at 6, 10 &amp; 14 weeks and one booster dose at 16-24 months of age.</li>
<li><strong>Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV):</strong> It is introduced as an additional dose along with the 3rd dose of DPT under the universal immunization programme (UIP).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> received <strong>polio-free certification</strong> by 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> in 2014.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Eradication of a disease</strong> refers to the complete and permanent worldwide reduction to zero new cases of an infectious disease through deliberate efforts. If a disease has been eradicated, <strong>no further control measures are required.</strong> For eg- <strong>smallpox has been eradicated.</strong></li>
<li>However, <strong>elimination of a disease</strong> refers to <strong>reduction to zero</strong> (or a very low defined target rate) of new cases of an infectious disease in a <strong>defined geographical area.</strong> Elimination requires <strong>continued measures to prevent re-establishment</strong> of disease transmission. <strong>Yaws and Leprosy</strong> have been eliminated from India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/2-out-of-3-wild-poliovirus-strains-have-been-eradicated-says-who/article29789747.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'NAGA Conundrum',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/naga-talks-long-road-issues-6090652/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Naga talks: long road, issues&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Indian Express on 28/10/2019. It talks about the long history of the Naga issue and various initiatives taken to resolve it.</p>
</div>
<p>The Centre&rsquo;s interlocutor R N Ravi stressed on the need to resolve key issues with the <strong>Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN-IM</strong> as the Centre approaches toward wrapping <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/details-of-2015-naga-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Naga peace talk</a> till October 31st deadline.</p>
<h3>What is Naga Issue?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The key demand of Naga groups has been a <strong>Greater Nagalim</strong> (sovereign statehood) i.e redrawing of boundaries to bring all Naga-inhabited areas in the Northeast under one administrative umbrella.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It includes various parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam and Myanmar as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The demand also includes the separate <strong>Naga Yezabo</strong> (Constitution) and <strong>Naga national flag</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572353608_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572353608_image1.png" width="587" height="325" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>About Nagas</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Nagas are not a single tribe, but an ethnic community that comprises several tribes who live in the state of Nagaland and its neighbourhood.</li>
<li>Nagas belong to <strong>Indo-Mongoloid Family</strong>.</li>
<li>Nagas claimed sovereignty on the basis of prior sovereign existence and differences, which is today expressed in terms of &ldquo;uniqueness&rdquo;.</li>
<li>There are nineteen major Naga tribes, namely, Aos, Angamis, Changs, Chakesang, Kabuis, Kacharis, Khain-Mangas, Konyaks, Kukis, Lothas (Lothas), Maos, Mikirs, Phoms, Rengmas, Sangtams, Semas, Tankhuls, Yamchumgar and Zeeliang.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>History of Nagas</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The origin of Nagas cannot be traced, but the assertion of Naga nationalism began during British rule, has continued after Independence, and even after Nagaland became a state. Along the way, the unresolved issues gave rise to decades of insurgency that claimed thousands of lives, including that of civilians.</li>
<li>The British had annexed Assam in 1826, in which they subsequently created the Naga Hills district. The earliest sign of Naga resistance dates back to 1918, with the formation of the <strong>Naga Club</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1929, the <strong>Naga Club</strong> famously told the <strong>Simon Commission</strong> &ldquo;to leave us alone to determine for ourselves as in ancient times&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 1946, <strong>A Z Phizo</strong> formed the <strong>Naga National Council (NNC)</strong>, which declared <strong>Naga independence on August 14, 1947</strong>, and then, in 1951, claimed to have conducted a referendum in which an overwhelming majority supported an <strong>independent Naga state</strong>.</li>
<li>In the 1950s, the NNC took up arms and resorted to violence over Naga&rsquo;s sovereignty.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the year 1975, the NNC split into NSCN, which further split into NSCN (I-M) and NSCN (Khaplang) in 1988.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Peace Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Shillong Accord (1975):</strong> A peace accord was signed in Shillong in which the NNC leadership agreed to give up arms.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, several leaders refused to accept the agreement, which led to the split of NNC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ceasefire Agreement (1997):</strong> The NSCN-IM signed a ceasefire agreement with the government to stop attacks on Indian armed forces. In return, the government would stop all counter-insurgency offensive operations.</li>
<li><strong>Framework Agreement (2015):</strong> In this agreement, the Government of India recognised the unique history, culture and position of the Nagas and their sentiments and aspirations.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NSCN also appreciated the Indian political system and governance. However, the details of the agreement are yet to be released by the government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the State government decided to prepare the <strong>Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland</strong> but later due to pressure from various fractions, the decision was put on hold.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Stands of other States</h3>
<p>The governments and civil society organisations in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur have made it clear that they would not compromise on their territorial integrity.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, Arunachal Pradesh has echoed Manipur in its demand for keeping it out of any territorial changes that might be incorporated in the settlement of the Naga political problem.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What can be done to resolve the issue?</h3>
<p>The history of Indo-Naga conflict shows that various past agreements have broken down due to different interpretations of the provisions by the parties at their convenience. Therefore various recommendations described below can help to achieve long-lasting peace in the region.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Providing autonomous Naga territorial councils for Arunachal and Manipur.</li>
<li>Common cultural body for Nagas across states.</li>
<li>Specific institutions for state&rsquo;s development, integration and rehabilitation of non-state Naga militia.</li>
<li>Removal of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/afspa-in-nagaland-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Armed Forces Special Powers Act</a>.</li>
<li>A special status on the lines of Article 371-A will be explored for Naga areas outside Nagaland.</li>
<li>A constitutional body to look into issues related to Nagas in their whole territorial spread.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Nagas are culturally heterogeneous groups of different communities/tribes having a different set of problems from mainstream population. In order to achieve the long-lasting solution, their cultural, historical and territorial extent must be taken into consideration. Therefore any arrangement to be worked out should lead to social and political harmony, economic prosperity and protection of the life and property of all tribes and citizens of the states.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #cef5f0; border-color: #038f7c;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:</strong></em><br /><br />Briefly explain the Naga crisis, along with initiatives taken to resolve the issues.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Plastic Waste',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<h3>Introduction</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Unlike other forms of wastes like paper, food peels, leaves etc, which are biodegradable (capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms) in nature, plastic waste because of its <strong>non-biodegradable nature</strong> persists into the environment, for hundreds (or even thousands) of years.</li>
<li>Plastic pollution is caused by the <strong>accumulation of plastic waste</strong> in the environment. It can be categorized in <strong>primary plastics</strong>, such as cigarette butts and bottle caps, or <strong>secondary plastics</strong>, resulting from the degradation of the primary ones.</li>
<li>A recent study conducted by <strong>Un-Plastic Collective</strong> has revealed that India generates <strong>9.46 million tonnes</strong> of plastic waste annually, of which <strong>40% remains uncollected</strong> and <strong>43%</strong> is used for packaging, most of which are of <strong>single-use plastic</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Un-Plastic Collective</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Un-Plastic Collective (UPC)</strong> is a voluntary initiative launched by the <strong>UN-Environment Program-India, Confederation</strong> <strong>of Indian Industry</strong> and <strong>WWF-India</strong>.</li>
<li>The Collective seeks to <strong>minimise externalities</strong> of plastics on the <strong>ecological </strong>and<strong> social health</strong> of our planet.</li>
<li>As a part of <strong>UPC initiative</strong> companies set time-bound, public targets to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Eliminate unnecessary use of plastic.</li>
<li>Reuse and circulate plastics through the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-productivity-and-sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>circular economy</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Replace plastic with sustainable alternative or recycled plastics.</li>
<li>Turn commitments to meaningful and measurable action.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Types of Plastic Waste</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Microplastics</strong> are small plastic pieces of <strong>less than five millimeters</strong> in size. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Microplastic includes <strong>microbeads</strong> (solid plastic particles of <strong>less than one millimeter</strong> in their largest dimension) that are used in <strong>cosmetics and personal care products, industrial scrubbers</strong> which are used for aggressive blast cleaning, <strong>microfibers</strong> used in textiles and <strong>virgin resin pellets</strong> used in plastic manufacturing processes.</li>
<li>Apart from cosmetics and personal care products most of the microplastics result from the <strong>breakdown of larger pieces of plastic</strong> that were not recycled and break up due to exposure to the sun or physical wear.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-eliminating-single-use-plastic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Single-use plastic</strong></a> is a disposable material that can be used only once before it is either thrown away or recycled, like <strong>plastic bags, water bottles, soda bottles, straws, plastic plates, cups, most food packaging and coffee stirrers</strong> are sources of single use plastic.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has announced its commitment to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ban-on-single-use-plastics" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>eliminate single-use plastic by 2022</strong></a> at Confederation of Indian Industry&rsquo;s <strong>Sustainability Summit</strong> in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Extent of Plastic Waste</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Plastic Waste as a Global Phenomenon:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over <strong>8.3 billion tonnes </strong>of plastic has been produced since 1950, and about <strong>60%</strong> of that has ended up in <strong>landfills</strong> or in the natural environment.</li>
<li>Only <strong>9%</strong> of all plastic waste ever produced has been <strong>recycled</strong> and about <strong>12%</strong> has been <strong>incinerated</strong>, while the remaining <strong>79%</strong> has accumulated in <strong>landfills, dumps or the natural environment</strong>.</li>
<li>Plastic waste, whether in a river, an ocean, or on land can persist in the environment for <strong>centuries</strong>, hence <strong>by 2050</strong>, the amount of plastic in seas and oceans across the world will weigh more than the fish.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Plastic Waste in India:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344167_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344167_image5.png" style="float: right;" width="303" height="377" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <strong>Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)</strong>, India generates close to 26,000 tonnes of plastic a day and over 10,000 tonnes a day of plastic waste remains uncollected.</li>
<li>According to a <strong>Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)</strong> study the plastic processing industry is estimated to grow to 22 million tonnes (MT) a year by 2020 from 13.4 MT in 2015 and nearly half of this is single-use plastic.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>per capita plastic consumption</strong> of less than 11 kg, is nearly a tenth of the United States of America (109 kg).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact of Plastic Waste</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic Losses:</strong> Plastic waste along shoreline has a negative impact on tourism revenue (creates an aesthetic issue).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are under the plastic threat and facing the aesthetic issue because of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/plastic-invading-nicobar-islands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>international dumping of plastic waste</strong></a> at the island.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications for Animals:</strong> Plastic wastes have profoundly affected animals in aquatic, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/people-s-ingestion-of-plastic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Plastic ingestion</strong></a> upsets or fills up the digestive systems of the animals thus contributing to their death due to intestinal blockage or starvation.</li>
<li>Marine animals can also be <strong>trapped in plastic waste</strong> where they are exposed to predators or starve to death.</li>
<li>The plastics may also contain <strong>toxic chemicals</strong> which can harm the animal&rsquo;s vital organs or biological functions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications for Human Health:</strong> The chemicals leached from the plastics contain compounds, like polybrominated diphenyl ether (anti-androgen), bisphenol A (mimics the natural female hormone estrogen) and phthalates (also known as anti-androgens), impact human health leading to various hormonal and genetic disorders.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These chemicals can interfere with the functioning of the <strong>endocrine system</strong> and <strong>thyroid hormones</strong> and can be very destructive to women of reproductive age and young children.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Land Pollution:</strong> Plastics leach hazardous chemicals on land, resulting in the destruction and decline in quality of the earth&rsquo;s land surfaces in term of use, landscape and ability to support life forms.</li>
<li><strong>Air Pollution:</strong> Plastic burning releases poisonous chemicals into the atmosphere impacting general well-being and causing <strong>respiratory disorders in living beings</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Groundwater Pollution:</strong> Whenever plastics are dumped in landfills, the hazardous chemicals present in them seep underground when it rains. The <strong>leaching chemicals</strong> and toxic elements <strong>infiltrate</strong> into the aquifers and water table, indirectly affecting groundwater quality.</li>
<li><strong>Water Pollution:</strong> Many lakes and oceans have reported alarming cases of plastic debris floating on water surfaces, affecting a great number of aquatic creatures. It leads to dreadful consequences to marine creatures that swallow the toxic chemicals. In 2014, United Nation report estimated the annual impact of plastic pollution on oceans at US$ 13 billion.</li>
<li><strong>Interference with the Food Chain:</strong> Studies determine that the chemicals affect the <strong>biological and reproduction process</strong> resulting in reduced numbers of offspring thus disrupting the food chain. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When the smaller animals (planktons, mollusks, worms, fishes, insects, and amphibians) are intoxicated by <strong>ingesting plastic</strong>, they are passed on to the larger animals disrupting the interrelated connections within the food chain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Poor Drainage:</strong> Drainage system clogged with plastic bags, films, and other plastic items, causes flooding.</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Habitats:</strong> Seafloor plastic waste sheets could act like a blanket, inhibiting gas exchange and leading to <strong>anoxia or hypoxia</strong> (low oxygen levels) in the aquatic system, which in turn can adversely affect the marine life.</li>
<li><strong>Invasive Species:</strong> Plastic waste can also be a mode of transport for species, potentially increasing the range of certain marine organisms or introducing species into an environment where they were previously absent. This, in turn, can cause subsequent <strong>changes in the ecosystem of the region</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mismanaged Plastic Waste</strong> <strong>(plastic dumped openly):</strong> In the form of microplastics/microbeads when plastic enters the environment via inland waterways, wastewater outflows, and transport by wind or tides cannot all be filtered out once it enters the ocean.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As plastics travel with ocean currents, an island of trash called the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Great Pacific Garbage Patch</strong></a> has been created.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Spurious Biodegradable Plastic:</strong> In the absence of robust testing and certification to verify claims made by producers, spurious biodegradable and compostable plastics are entering the marketplace.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344204_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344204_image2.png" style="float: right;" width="385" height="239" /></a></li>
<li><strong>Online or E-Commerce Companies:</strong> Apart from the plastic we consume through traditional retail, the popularity of online retail and food delivery apps, though restricted to big cities, is contributing to the rise in plastic waste.</li>
<li><strong>Microplastics:</strong> After entering into the aquatic environment, microplastics can travel vast distances floating in seawater, or sediment to the seabed. A recent study has revealed that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/microplastics-in-snow" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>microplastics in the atmosphere</strong></a> are trapped by the clouds and the falling snow.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Microplastic particles are commonly white or opaque in color, which are commonly mistaken by many <strong>surface-feeding fishes as food</strong> (plankton) and can even move up the <strong>food chain</strong> to human consumers (from eating contaminated fish/seafood/shellfish).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Marine Litter:</strong> Plastic pollution in freshwater and marine environments have been identified as a global problem and it is estimated that plastic pollution accounts for 60-80% of <strong>marine plastic waste</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Terrestrial Plastic:</strong> 80% of plastic pollution originates from land-based sources with the remainder from ocean-based sources (fishing nets, fishing ropes).</li>
<li><strong>Improper Implementation and Monitoring:</strong> In spite of the notification of the <strong>Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016</strong>&nbsp;and amendments made in <strong>2018</strong>, local bodies (even the biggest municipal corporations) have failed to implement and monitor segregation of waste.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solution: Plastic Waste Management<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344278_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344278_image3.png" style="float: right;" width="485" height="250" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reduce:</strong> First step in reducing plastic waste is to minimize single use plastics by supporting a tax on plastic bags, restraint on manufacturing of plastics, and using alternatives of plastic or biodegradable plastic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/terracotta-grinder" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project REPLAN</strong></a> (stands for REducing PLastic in Nature) launched by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-may-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)</strong></a> aims to reduce consumption of plastic bags by providing a more sustainable alternative.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reuse:</strong> Reusing plastics can reduce the demand for new plastics, hence it can act as the natural restrain on plastic manufacturing.</li>
<li><strong>Recycle:</strong> Plastic recycling is the process of recovering waste or scrap plastic and reprocessing it into useful products. It offers several benefits like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic benefits due to value addition</li>
<li>Generates employment</li>
<li>Reduces depletion of fossil fuel reserves.</li>
<li>Reduces landfill problems</li>
<li>Recycling of plastics requires less energy</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344311_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344311_image4.png" width="729" height="785" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recovery:</strong> It is the process of converting non-recyclable plastics into a range of useful forms of energy and chemicals for industry. Since plastics contain mainly carbon and hydrogen, with similar energy content to conventional fuels such as diesel, they can be used as a potential source of fuel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government and Global Interventions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-environment-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Environment Day, 2018</strong></a> the world leaders vowed to <strong>&ldquo;Beat Plastic Pollution&rdquo;</strong> &amp; eliminate its use completely.</li>
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Group of 20 (G20)</strong></a> environment ministers, agreed to adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-biodiversity-warning-bells" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>marine plastic waste</strong></a> on a global scale.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344339_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572344339_image1.png" width="271" height="595" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-world-environment-day-identify-the-dangers-of-the-plastic-era" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016</strong></a> state that every local body has to be responsible for setting up infrastructure for <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/a-better-way-of-waste-management" target="_blank" rel="noopener">segregation</a>, collection, processing, and disposal</strong> of plastic waste.</li>
<li><strong>Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018</strong> introduced the concept of <strong>Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>A new national framework</strong> on plastic waste management is in the works, which will introduce <strong>third-party audits</strong> as part of the monitoring mechanism.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>EPR is a policy approach under which producers are given a significant financial and physical responsibility (with respect to segregation and collection of waste at the source) for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.</li>
<li>Assigning such responsibility could in principle provide incentives to prevent wastes at the source, promote product design for the environment and support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Raising awareness amongst the public</strong> of the harm caused by plastic pollution through education and outreach programs to <strong>modify behavior</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A movement against plastic waste would have to prioritise the reduction of single-use plastic such as multi-layer packaging, bread bags, food wrap, and protective packaging.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promote Alternatives,</strong> before the ban or levy comes into force, the availability of alternatives need to be assessed, hence the government may:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provide <strong>economic incentives</strong> to encourage the uptake of eco-friendly and fit-for-purpose alternatives that do not cause more harm.</li>
<li>Support can include <strong>tax rebates, research and development funds, technology incubation, public-private partnerships</strong>&nbsp;and support to projects that recycle single-use items and turn waste into a resource that can be used again.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce or abolish taxes</strong> on the import of materials used to make alternatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provide<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ban-on-single-use-plastics" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> incentives to the alternative industry</a></strong> by introducing tax rebates or other conditions to support its transition from plastic industry.</li>
<li><strong>Expanding the use of biodegradable plastics</strong> or even edible plastics made from various materials such as bagasse (the residue after extracting juice from sugarcane), corn starch, and grain flour.</li>
<li><strong>Use of microbeads</strong> in personal care products and cosmetics must be prohibited.</li>
<li><strong>The Swachh Bharat Mission</strong> should emerge as a platform for plastic waste management.</li>
<li><strong>Target the most problematic single-use plastics</strong> by conducting a baseline assessment to identify the most problematic single-use plastics, as well as the current causes, extent and impacts of their mismanagement.</li>
<li><strong>Consider the best actions to tackle</strong> the problem of plastic waste management (e.g. through regulatory, economic, awareness, voluntary actions) given the country&rsquo;s socio-economic standing.</li>
<li><strong>Assess the potential social, economic and environmental impacts</strong> (positive and negative) of the preferred short-listed plastic waste management measures/actions, by considering how will the poor be affected, or what impact will the preferred course of action have on different sectors and industries.</li>
<li><strong>Identify and engage key stakeholder groups</strong> like retailers, consumers, industry representatives, local government, manufacturers, civil society, environmental groups, and tourism associations in order to ensure broad buy-in.</li>
<li><strong>Explaining the decision and any punitive measures</strong> that will follow, as a result of non compliance of plastic management rule.</li>
<li><strong>Use revenues</strong> collected from taxes or levies on single-use plastics to maximize the public good, thereby supporting environmental projects or boosting local recycling with the funds and creating jobs in the plastic recycling sector with seed funding.</li>
<li><strong>Enforce</strong> the plastic waste management measure effectively, by making sure that there is clear allocation of roles and responsibilities.</li>
<li><strong>Monitor and adjust</strong> the plastic waste management measure if necessary and update the public on progress.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/plastic-waste-1'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Extending RTE Act up to Class 12',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has tweaked the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-national-education-policy-unveiled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft National Education Policy (NEP)</a> to dilute the provision on extending the Right to Education (RTE) Act up to Class 12 and also include three years of early childhood education.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The existing NEP was framed in 1986 and revised in 1992.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/draft-education-policy-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft NEP</a> was submitted by a group of experts, led by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, to the MHRD in June, and uploaded online for public feedback.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The final NEP has tweaked the suggestion in the draft policy on starting a National Tutors Programme (NTP) and Remedial Instructional Aides Programme (RIAP). Both were meant to strengthen basic reading and mathematics skills.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aser-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2018 ASER Report</a> showed that more than half of Class VIII students cannot correctly solve a numerical division problem and more than a quarter of them cannot read a primary-level text.</p>
</div>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; border-color: #027a70; background-color: #06b8a9;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Issues</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; border-color: #027a70; background-color: #06b8a9;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Draft NEP</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; border-color: #027a70; background-color: #06b8a9;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Final NEP</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;"><strong>NTP and RIAP</strong></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under NTP, the best performers in each school would have been roped in for up to five hours a week as tutors during school hours for fellow students who need help.</li>
<li>RIAP was a 10-year project to draw instructors, especially women, from local communities to help students who have fallen behind and bring them back into the fold.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The final NEP has endorsed only one-on-one peer tutoring.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;"><strong>Institutional System for Higher Education</strong></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The draft had proposed a <strong>new three-tier institutional system for higher education</strong>.</li>
<li>Under this, by 2030, all institutions will either become research universities or teaching universities or colleges running undergraduate programmes.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the final NEP, the categorisation of institutions under a hierarchical structure has been given up.</li>
<li>In its place, classification based on the main purpose of the institution (research or teaching) has been retained.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 111px;">
<td style="width: 12.3309%; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70; height: 111px;"><strong>Deadlines for Affiliation</strong></td>
<td style="width: 41.8456%; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70; height: 111px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The draft suggested that, by 2032, all colleges affiliated currently must develop into autonomous degree granting colleges or merge completely with the university that they are affiliated to, or develop into a university themselves.</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 45.8234%; vertical-align: top; background-color: #d9faf7; border-color: #027a70; height: 111px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The final document has removed the strict deadline prescribed by the Kasturirangan Committee.</li>
<li>It only speaks of gradually phasing out the system of "affiliated colleges".</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;"></ul>
<h3>6 Point Roadmap for Implementation</h3>
<p>The MHRD has also laid down a six-point roadmap for its implementation and decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation status in 2030.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>intent and the spirit of the policy</strong> must serve as the most important consideration</li>
<li><strong>Implementation in a phased manner:</strong> It is important to implement the policy initiatives in a phased manner, as each policy point has several steps, each of which requires the previous step to be implemented successfully.</li>
<li><strong>Prioritisation</strong> will be important in ensuring optimal sequencing of policy points -and that the most critical and urgent actions are taken up first - thereby enabling a strong base</li>
<li><strong>Full-fledged implementation:</strong> As the policy is interconnected and holistic, only a full-fledged implementation and not a "piece meal" one, will ensure that the desired objectives are achieved.</li>
<li><strong>Timely infusion of requisite resources -</strong> human, infrastructural, and financial - at the central and state levels will be key for the satisfactory execution of the policy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since education is a concurrent subject, it will need careful planning, joint monitoring, and collaborative implementation between the Centre and states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Careful analysis and review</strong> of the linkages between multiple parallel implementation steps will be necessary in order to ensure effective dovetailing of all initiatives.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/education/education-policy-dilutes-assurance-on-rte-cover-up-to-class-12-6090605/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/extending-rte-act-up-to-class-12'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Mountain Streams Emits Carbon Dioxide',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently the Scientists have reported the findings of the first large-scale study of the <strong>carbon dioxide emissions from mountain streams,</strong> and their role in global carbon fluxes.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Although, mountains cover 25% of the Earth&rsquo;s surface, but the streams make up just 5% of the global surface area of the <strong>fluvial networks</strong>.</li>
<li>This research shows how important it is to include mountain streams in assessments of the <strong>global carbon cycle</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>So far, scientists had focused mainly on streams and rivers in low-altitude tropical and boreal regions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The scientists collected environmental data from the streams draining the world&rsquo;s main mountain ranges. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They specifically focused on their <strong>hydrologic and geomorphologic properties</strong> as well as the <strong>soil organic carbon content </strong>within the catchments.</li>
<li>They used these data to develop a model to estimate the natural CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from more than 1.8 million mountain streams worldwide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Findings of the Study</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Researchers found that these streams have a higher average CO<sub>2</sub> emission rate per square meter than streams at lower altitudes, due to the <strong>additional turbulence</strong> caused as water flows down the mountain slopes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They likely account for 10% to 30% of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from these networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The gas exchange velocities across the air-water interface in mountain streams occurs <strong>100 times faster</strong> than previously thought.</li>
<li>The findings seem to indicate that the CO<sub>2</sub> comes from <strong>geological sources</strong>, given that <strong>carbonate rock</strong> dominates geology in numerous regions around the world. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These rocks were formed from "skeletal" components of marine microorganisms that lived millions of years ago when Earth was largely covered by oceans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is known for a number of years that freshwater ecosystems emit roughly the same amount of CO<sub>2</sub> that the oceans absorb, but the studies were never done on the role of the mountain streams for the global CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes.</li>
<li>The latest findings will open up new research avenues, that will help to better understand where all that CO<sub>2</sub> comes from and how a more accurate assessments of the global carbon cycle can be made.</li>
<li>The findings mark an important step forward but numerous uncertainties still persist.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will require long-term monitoring of carbon fluxes in mountain streams to understand how climate change affects their biogeochemistry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Carbon Cycle</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It refers to the exchanges of carbon within and between <strong>four major reservoirs: the atmosphere, the oceans, land, and fossil fuels</strong>.</li>
<li>Carbon may be transferred from one reservoir to another in seconds (e.g., the fixation of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> into sugar through photosynthesis) or over millennia (e.g., the accumulation of fossil carbon (coal, oil, gas) through deposition of organic matter.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572337118_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572337118_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="494" height="494" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/telling-numbers-role-of-mountain-streams-in-carbon-cycle-newly-assessed-6091216/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mountain-streams-emits-carbon-dioxide'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Bihar to Sell Kashmiri Apples',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Bihar government has taken an initiative to help traders and farmers by selling Kashmiri apples through <strong>Biscomaun</strong> (Bihar State Cooperative Marketing Union Limited) and NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited) at lower prices than the market.</p>
<h3>Cooperatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-labour-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Labour Organisation</a> (ILO)</strong>, a <strong>cooperative</strong> is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.</li>
<li>Cooperative Societies is a <strong>State Subject</strong> (Entry 32 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, i.e. State List).</li>
</ul>
<h3>History</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The cooperative movement in India owes its origin to agriculture and allied sectors.</li>
<li>Initially, they were meant to meet the credit needs of people in rural and urban areas but after Independence cooperatives expanded to all walks of economic life.</li>
<li>The <strong>97<sup>th</sup> Constitutional Amendment Act of 2011</strong> gave a constitutional status and protection to cooperative societies. In this context, it made the following three changes in the Constitution:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>It made the right to form cooperative societies a fundamental right (Article 19).</strong></li>
<li><strong>It included a new Directive Principle of State Policy on promotion of cooperative societies (Article 43-B).</strong></li>
<li><strong>It added a new Part IX-B in the Constitution which is entitled as &ldquo;The Cooperative Societies&rdquo; (Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Cooperative sector has a big role to play in <strong>doubling agriculture exports</strong> (from present US $ 30 billion to US$ 60 billion) by <strong>2022</strong> as envisaged in the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/agriculture-export-policy-2018-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Agriculture Export Policy 2018</a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>94% of the Indian farmers are members of at least one cooperative institution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The spatial spread of the credit-cooperatives have contributed in their own way in moving towards financial inclusion.</li>
<li>The sector provides agricultural credits and funds where state and private sectors have not been able to do very much.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NAFED is registered under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act.</li>
<li>It was setup in <strong>1958</strong> with the objective to promote Cooperative marketing of Agricultural Produce to benefit the farmers.</li>
<li>Agricultural farmers are the members of the General Body of NAFED, who participate in the decision making process of NAFED.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bihar-sells-kashmir-apples-through-co-op-to-help-traders/article29816137.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: The Hindu</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bihar-to-sell-kashmiri-apples'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Nelloptodes Gretae',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Scientists at the Natural History Museum in London have officially named a tiny species of beetle <em>Nelloptodes gretae</em>. It has been named after the 16-year-old Swedish environmental campaigner <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/right-livelihood-award" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greta Thunberg</a></strong>.<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572335482_image1.jpg" width="264" height="147" style="float: right;" /></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>N. gretae was <strong>first found in Kenya in the 1960s</strong> which was later donated to the Natural History Museum in London in 1978.</li>
<li>Biological names comprise two words, one for the genus and the second for the species.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While the species name gretae derives from Greta, the genus Nelloptodes too is new.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The arthropod, which has no eyes or wings, is <strong>less than 1mm long and belongs to the Ptiliidae family</strong>, which is made up of some of the world&rsquo;s smallest beetles.</li>
<li>Biodiversity loss has led to the <strong>faster extinction of the undiscovered species</strong>. The naming signifies Greta&rsquo;s contribution in raising awareness of environmental issues.</li>
<li>A parasite named after Bob Marley <em>(Gnathia marleyi)</em>, a genus of fish called after Richard Dawkins (Dawkinsia), a spider called <em>Spintharus leonardodicaprioi</em> after Leonardo DiCaprio are some other species named after famous personalities.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/this-word-means-nelloptodes-gretae-6090666/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nelloptodes-gretae'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Postal Ballot Facilities for Absentee Voters',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Election Commission of India</a></strong> has recently made efforts to ensure that the electors who are unable to come to polling booth/ absentee voters are facilitated in every way to ensure their wider participation in the electoral process.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Such absentee voters include:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Persons with Disabilities (PwD),</strong></li>
<li><strong>Senior citizens,</strong></li>
<li>Persons employed in <strong>essential services</strong> e.g., railways, state transport and aviation etc.,</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are two aspects of this issue viz., the creation of requisite infrastructure and suitable legal framework to facilitate the process.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Steps Taken to Ensure Wider Participation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On the legal front, the Commission made a recommendation to the Union Government (Ministry of Law and Justice) on 2<sup>nd</sup> September, 2019 following which the Government <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/postal-ballot-cover-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amended the Representation of the People&rsquo;s Act, 1951 (RP Act), and the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961</a>.</li>
<li>Salient features of these amendments are as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A concept of <strong>&lsquo;absentee voter&rsquo;</strong> has been introduced and defined for the elections;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;Absentee voter&rsquo;</strong> means a person belonging to such class of persons as may be notified, under clause (c) of section 60 of the RP Act, 1951 and who is <strong>employed in essential services</strong> as mentioned in the said notification, and includes an elector belonging to the class of <strong>senior citizens</strong> or <strong>persons with disabilities</strong>;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;person with disability&rsquo;</strong> means a person flagged as person with disability in the database for the electoral roll;</li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;senior citizen&rsquo;</strong> means an elector belonging to the class of absentee voters and is <strong>above 80 years of age</strong>;</li>
<li>These two categories of voters &ndash; <strong>&lsquo;senior citizen&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;PwD electors&rsquo;</strong> can vote <strong>either as absentee voter or as a regular voter on the poll day</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Commission is also taking a number of steps including personal contact under its <strong>SVEEP</strong> <strong>initiatives</strong> to make the electors aware of this new facility so that such electors can exercise their voting right in the manner they intend to do.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><em><strong>Systematic Voters&rsquo; Education and Electoral Participation</strong> </em>program (SVEEP), is the flagship program of the Election Commission of India for voter education, spreading voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Representation of the People Act, 1951</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This act provides for the <strong>actual conduct of elections in India</strong>. It deals with the following matters :
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Details like Qualification and Disqualification of members of both the Houses of Parliament and the State Legislatures,</li>
<li>Administrative machinery for conducting elections,</li>
<li>Registration of Political parties,</li>
<li>Conduct of Elections,</li>
<li>Election Disputes,</li>
<li>Corrupt practices &amp; Electoral offences, &amp;</li>
<li>By-elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://eci.gov.in/files/file/11133-postal-ballot-facilities-for-absentee-voters-of-essential-services-senior-citizens-of-more-than-80-years-and-marked-pwd-electors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/postal-ballot-facilities-for-absentee-voters'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Indo-French Joint Exercise Shakti-2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>'Exercise SHAKTI'</strong> is a biennial exercise which is conducted alternately in India and France.The 2019 edition will be conducted from 31 October 2019 to 13 November 2019 in Rajasthan, India.<img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572334735_image2.png" width="249" height="176" style="float: right;" /></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The exercise will focus on counter terrorism operations in backdrop of semi-desert terrain. The training will focus primarily on high degree of physical fitness, sharing of drill at tactical level and learning of best practices from each other.</li>
<li>The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two Armies.</li>
<li>Defence Exercises between India and France:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Varuna &ndash; Naval exercise</strong></li>
<li><strong>Garuda &ndash; Air exercise</strong></li>
<li><strong>Shakti &ndash; Army exercise</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Gagan Shakti</strong> is conducted by the <strong>Indian Air Force</strong> to showcase its air dominance over the entire extended area of the <strong>Indian Ocean Region</strong>. It includes all terrain operations &ndash; desert, high altitude, maritime scenarios and special operations &ndash; in real time with specific focus on key areas like aerial combat, air to surface combat, paratrooper assault and medical evacuation.</li>
<li><strong>Garuda Shakti</strong> is the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-maitree" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint military exercise</a> between <strong>India and Indonesia</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Mitra Shakti</strong> is the joint military exercise between <strong>India and Sri Lanka</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1589383" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-shakti-2019'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Quantum Supremacy',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-quantum-supremacy-claimed-by-google-6086628/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;What is quantum supremacy?&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 26/10/2019. It talks about quantum supremacy and its applications.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, <strong>Google&rsquo;s quantum computer,</strong> named <strong>Sycamore,</strong> claimed <strong>&ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;,</strong> as it reportedly did the task in 200 seconds that would have apparently taken a supercomputer 10,000 years to complete.</p>
<h3>What is &ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The phrase<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quantum-supremacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;quantum supremacy&rdquo;</strong> </a>was coined in <strong>2012</strong> by <strong>John Preskill.</strong></li>
<li>Quantum supremacy refers to a <strong>quantum computer solving a problem that cannot be expected of a classical computer in a normal lifetime.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Quantum Computing vs Traditional Computing</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Traditional computers work on the <strong>basis of the laws of classical physics,</strong> specifically by <strong>utilizing the flow of electricity.</strong> A quantum computer, on the other hand, seeks to <strong>exploit the laws that govern the behavior of atoms and subatomic particles.</strong></li>
<li>Conventional computers process information in<strong> &lsquo;bits&rsquo; or 1s and 0s,</strong> following classical physics under which our computers <strong>can process a &lsquo;1&rsquo; or a &lsquo;0&rsquo; at a time.</strong></li>
<li>Quantum computers compute in<strong> &lsquo;qubits&rsquo; (or quantum bits).</strong> They exploit the properties of quantum mechanics, the science that governs how matter behaves on the atomic scale.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this scheme of things, processors <strong>can be a 1 and a 0 simultaneously,</strong> a state called<strong> quantum superposition.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Because of quantum superposition, a quantum computer &mdash; if it works to plan &mdash; can <strong>mimic several classical computers working in parallel.</strong></li>
<li><strong>World's most powerful supercomputers</strong> today can <strong>juggle 148,000 trillion operations in a second and requires about 9000 IBM CPUs connected in a particular combination</strong> to achieve this feat.</li>
<li><strong>At that tiny scale,</strong> many <strong>laws of classical physics cease to apply,</strong> and the <strong>unique laws of quantum physics come into play.</strong></li>
<li>Unlike classical physics, in which an object can exist in one place at one time, quantum physics looks at the probabilities of an object being at different points. Existence in multiple states is called <strong>superposition,</strong> and the relationships among these states is called <strong>entanglement.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>higher the number of qubits,</strong> the <strong>higher the amount of information stored</strong> in them. Compared to the information stored in the same number of bits, the information in qubits rises exponentially. That is what makes a quantum computer so powerful.</li>
<li><strong>Building reliable quantum hardware is challenging</strong> because of the<strong> difficulty of controlling quantum systems</strong> accurately.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How will it help us?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>speed and capability of classical supercomputers are limited by energy requirements.</strong> Along with these they also <strong>need more physical space.</strong></li>
<li>It can have a major impact through quantum chemistry, which could be important in <strong>agriculture and human health.</strong></li>
<li>It could help with the development of new pharmaceuticals, new energy sources, new ways to collect solar power, and new materials.</li>
<li><strong>Looking for really useful information</strong> by processing huge amounts of data <strong>quickly is a real-world problem</strong> and one that can be <strong>tackled faster by quantum computers.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, if we have a database of a million social media profiles and had to look for a particular individual, a classical computer would have to scan each one of those profiles which would amount to a million steps.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In <strong>1996, Lov K. Grover from Bell Labs</strong> discovered that a quantum computer would be able to do the same task with one thousand steps instead of a million. That <strong>translates into reduced processors and reduced energy.</strong></li>
<li>A quantum computer can attack complex problems that are beyond the scope of a classical computer. The <strong>basic advantage is speed</strong> as it is able to simulate several classical computers working in parallel.</li>
<li>Quantum computers would also be useful for tasks which <strong>handle huge amounts of data. Data mining and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">artificial intelligence</a> would be major beneficiaries,</strong> along with sciences which deal in volumes of data, from astronomy to linguistics.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government's Initiative</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018, the Department of Science &amp; Technology</strong> unveiled a programme called <strong>Quantum-Enabled Science &amp; Technology (QuEST)</strong> and <strong>committed to investing ₹80 crore over the next three years</strong> to accelerate research.</li>
<li>The ostensible <strong>plan is to have a quantum computer built in India within the next decade.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated with Quantum Computing</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dark side of quantum computing is the <strong>disruptive effect that it can have on cryptographic encryption,</strong> which <strong>secures communications and computers.</strong></li>
<li>It might pose a <strong>challenge for the government also</strong> because if this technology goes into wrong hands, all the government&rsquo;s official and confidential data will be at a <strong>risk of being hacked and misused.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Long after the birth of social media and artificial intelligence, there are now <strong>demands to regulate them.</strong> It would be<strong> prudent to develop a regulatory framework for quantum computing before it becomes widely available.</strong></li>
<li>It will be better to <strong>regulate it or define the limits of its legitimate use, nationally and internationally</strong> before the problem gets out of hand like nuclear technology.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0505; background-color: #fafced;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />What do you understand by Quantum Supremacy? What can be the possible applications of quantum computing?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quantum-supremacy-1'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Australia’s Uluru Rock',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Australia&rsquo;s giant <strong>Red Monolith- Uluru</strong> (Also known as <strong>Ayers Rock</strong>) has been permanently closed for trekking by the Australian government.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572079091_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572079091_image2.jpg" width="367" height="206" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The spiritual <strong>significance for Anangu (An aboriginal tribe of Australia)</strong> is responsible for the ban.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Uluru</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the huge <strong>red rock monolith</strong> located in the <strong>Central Australian desert.</strong></li>
<li>Ayers Rock (now Uluru) was <strong>first</strong> declared a <strong>national park in 1950</strong> and <strong>renamed</strong> as <strong>Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park</strong> in <strong>1993.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is included in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO World Heritage List</strong></a> for both its <strong>natural and cultural values.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Uluru is made up of <strong>sandstone</strong> and is about half a billion years old.</li>
<li>It stands <strong>348 metres high</strong> and has a circumference of<strong> 9.4 km.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/tourists-flock-to-australia-s-uluru-for-last-ever-climb/story-8VooYQcXBDkA3ZOmQrNAQN.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:HT</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-s-uluru-rock'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Sakhalin Oil Field',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas has visited <strong>Sakhalin oil field in Russia.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Exxon Mobil (US), Rosneft (Russia), Japanese SODECO and ONGC Videsh are the partners in this field which will continue to produce oil and gas till 2055.</li>
<li>During the recent <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vladivostok Summit</strong></a>, there was agreement on a roadmap of <strong>cooperation</strong> over the next five years <strong>in the hydrocarbon sector.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It included strengthening Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) exports to India; encouraging Russian companies to participate in gas projects in India; exploring the possibility of Indian companies collaborating in LNG projects, including in Arctic LNG infrastructure projects; cooperation at the university level, among others.</li>
<li>Sourcing of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-largest-importer-of-coking-coal-by-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> coking coal</strong> </a>from the Russian Far East is now a major priority.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078615_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078615_image3.jpg" width="434" height="336" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1589047" 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/sakhalin-oil-field'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => '18th Non-Aligned Summit',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Vice President of India attended the <strong>18<sup>th</sup> Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit</strong> which was held in <strong>Baku, Azerbaijan.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The theme for the 18<sup>th</sup> NAM Summit is<strong> &ldquo;Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of the contemporary world.''<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078273_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572078273_image1.jpg" width="288" height="203" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The theme relates to the forthcoming <strong>65<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Bandung Principles (2020) </strong>and the<strong> 60<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement (2021).</strong></li>
<li>Bandung principles promote world peace and cooperation which were formulated at the <strong>Asian-African Conference in 1955.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/non-aligned-movement-nam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NAM Summit</strong></a> majorly focussed on contemporary issues such as Terrorism, threats to peace and security, UN reform, climate change, sustainable development, economic governance, and south-south cooperation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is a founder member of NAM. It participated actively in NAM meetings till 1970s but India&rsquo;s inclination towards erstwhile USSR created confusion in smaller members.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It led to the weakening of NAM and small nations drifted towards either the US or USSR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further India&rsquo;s New Economic Policy and inclination towards the US raised questions over India&rsquo;s seriousness over non-alignment.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The disintegration of the USSR led to the unipolar world order dominated by the US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, NAM continued losing relevance for India in a unipolar world, especially after the founding members failed to support India during the crisis.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, during the 1962 War with China, Ghana and Indonesia adopted explicitly pro-China positions.</li>
<li>During the 1965 and 1971 wars, Indonesia and Egypt took an anti-India stance and supported Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the Prime Minister of India <strong>skipped </strong>the<strong> second NAM summit in a row</strong> (17<sup>th</sup> and 18<sup>th</sup> NAM Summit).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It had been the customary practice ever since the inception of NAM that India had always participated in the summit meetings through its prime minister, with the single <strong>exception of the 6<sup>th</sup> NAM Summit</strong> when Chaudhury Charan Singh was the caretaker PM and hence missed it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, India has started to actively <strong>engage with new and old global powers.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India joining the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/27-09-2019/print" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quadrilateral Security Dialogue,</strong></a> a coalition seen by many as a counter force to China&rsquo;s rise in the Indo-Pacific and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai cooperation organization</strong></a> led by China shown India&rsquo;s balancing approach in the new world order.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.nic.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1588812" 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/18th-non-aligned-summit'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Excavation Sites of Sangam Age',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rangdum-monastery" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)</strong></a> has approved the Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s request to continue excavations at four locations including Keeladi.</li>
<li>This development is expected to bridge the 1000 years gap in history between the Sangam Age and the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/indus-valley-civilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indus Valley civilization.</strong></a></li>
<li>The excavation will be undertaken at the following sites:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/keeladi-findings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keeladi-</a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Located in Sivaganga district on the banks of river Vaigai.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>urban settlement</strong> of Sangam Age.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kodumanal-</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Village located in Erode district, TN.</li>
<li>Flourishing ancient trade city known as <strong>Kodumanam</strong> (as inscribed in <strong>Pathitrupathu</strong> of Sangam Literature).</li>
<li>It is located on the northern banks of Noyyal River (a tributary of the Cauvery).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sivagalai-</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Village in the Tuticorin district, TN.</li>
<li>It was once known as <strong>&lsquo;Small Ceylon&rsquo;</strong> by Britishers.</li>
<li>Evidence of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/megalithic-sword-unearthed-in-kozhikode" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>megalithic</strong></a> archaeological remains were found here in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Adichanallur-</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Located in Thoothukudi district, TN.</li>
<li>In 2004,<strong> iron-age</strong> (1500 BC to 500 BC) burial sites were unearthed by ASI from here.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ASI is the <strong>premier organization</strong> for the archaeological research, scientific analysis, excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and preservation of protected monuments.</li>
<li>It is an attached office under the <strong>Department of Culture, Ministry of Culture.</strong></li>
<li>ASI was founded in <strong>1861</strong> by <strong>Alexander Cunningham-</strong> the first Director-General of ASI.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Sangam Age</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The word<strong> &lsquo;Sangam&rsquo;</strong> is the Tamil form of the Sanskrit word <strong>&lsquo;Sangha&rsquo;</strong> which means a group of persons or an association.</li>
<li>The Sangam literature was largely consolidated from the third Sangam and throws information on conditions of life of people around the beginning of the Christian era.</li>
<li>The Age of the Sangam is the age to which the Sangam literature belonged.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/asi-clears-further-excavations-at-four-sites-in-tamil-nadu-6088468/" 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/excavation-sites-of-sangam-age'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Medical Devices In India- Issues and Challenges',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/medical-devices-are-not-drugs-6086785/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Medical devices are not drugs&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 25/10/2019. It talks about the proposed regulatory framework for medical devices.</p>
</div>
<p><strong>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</strong> is going to set up a <strong>regulatory framework</strong> for <strong>medical devices</strong> and aims to implement this new framework <strong>without moving a new law in Parliament</strong> to regulate the medical device industry.</p>
<h3>Highlights</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is creating an entire <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-notification-for-medical-implants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>regulatory framework</strong></a> out of <strong>notifications and rules,</strong> using <strong>powers delegated to it under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>first step</strong> towards this framework was made in 2017 when the ministry notified the <strong>Medical Device Rules, 2017.</strong> At that time, only a few medical devices were notified as &ldquo;drugs&rdquo; but now all are intended to put in the category.</li>
<li>This means that <strong>all medical devices</strong> would be <strong>placed within the framework of the Medical Device Rules, 2017.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>medical industry has been very irresponsible</strong> towards patients in India which became evident by <strong>the hip-implant scandal.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>pre-independence legislation</strong> that was enacted almost 80 years ago.</li>
<li>It is an act of Parliament which <strong>regulates the import, manufacturing and distribution</strong> of drugs in India.</li>
<li>Its objective is to ensure that the drugs and cosmetics sold in India are <strong>safe, effective and fulfills the safety standards and parameters.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Medical Device Rules, 2017</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It came into effect from <strong>January, 2018</strong> and is <strong>applicable to medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic medical devices.</strong></li>
<li>It made <strong>licensing application process online.</strong></li>
<li>It made <strong>medical devices novel to Indian market subject to special regulations.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Johnson and Johnson&rsquo;s Faulty Hip Implants Case</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In <strong>2018,</strong> Johnson and Johnson&rsquo;s hip implant called <strong>Pinnacle</strong> was found to be <strong>leaking the cobalt-chromium ions into the body, leading to serious health complications,</strong> including <strong>metal poisoning of the blood, debilitating pain, and damage to the body organs.</strong></li>
<li>Further, Johnson and Johnson have <strong>paid compensations to US patients</strong> who had received the defective implants. However, <strong>In India, the company has challenged government orders to compensate</strong> 4,700 patients who had undergone hip replacement surgeries.</li>
<li>Therefore, the Johnson and Johnson<strong> continue to exploit the regulatory deficit in India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It will <strong>lead to a toothless regulatory framework for devices,</strong> similar to what exists for drugs today.</li>
<li>The<strong> ministry cannot create new offences or penalties through its rule-making authority.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only laws enacted by Parliament create new offences and penalties. As a result, the Medical Device Rules 2017 contains no penal provisions.</li>
<li>The <strong>Drugs and Cosmetics Act does contain a penal provision for the manufacture of sub-standard drugs</strong> but it cannot be used to penalise manufacturers of sub-standard medical devices because legally binding standards recognised in the <strong>Second Schedule to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act covers only pharmacopeias for drugs</strong> which means no standards for medical devices and no prosecution of a manufacturer of sub-standard medical devices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>If the current proposal is adopted, the<strong> situation will be similar to that of substandard drugs.</strong> Companies that make defective products will order devices from foreign markets and will continue to sell them in India, and comply with the law. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>sale of substandard drugs can be prosecuted</strong> under the current law but most manufacturers who make poor quality drugs stay free due to <strong>poor surveillance and lack of political will and unity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In the recent hip-implant scandal, <strong>one of the main challenges</strong> faced by the government in securing justice for faulty hip-implants <strong>was to secure a list of patients who had received the implant through surgery.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The manufacturer sold devices to doctors and hospitals instead of patients directly so it did not have a list of patients who had these devices implanted. Doctors and hospitals lack incentives to share the patient list and even if they want to, legal liability for surgically implanting faulty devices in the patient&rsquo;s body, would stop them in doing so.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>More importantly <strong>medical devices,</strong> because of their nature, <strong>are far more difficult to standardise</strong> when compared to drugs.</li>
<li>There are<strong> no tools available</strong> to Indian regulators under the proposed framework to hold makers of sub-standard medical device manufacturers to account for their actions. At most, the <strong>ministry can prohibit the manufacture and sale of certain medical devices under Section 26A or cancel a license to prevent</strong> future harm.</li>
<li><strong>Penalties or prosecution to punish for the harm already inflicted on patients due to negligence or intentional wrongdoing are not figured</strong> yet and it remains an important challenge.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Solution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>One of the solutions to solve this information deficit is to <strong>create a confidential patient register</strong> that should be maintained by the government to record all details of implants.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This register <strong>could be used to notify patients</strong> in the case of malfunctioning devices. But the proposed regulatory framework does not offer any such provision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government <strong>must rethink this toothless framework and instead enact a new law through Parliament.</strong> While medical devices have tremendous potential to revolutionise healthcare, the hip-implant scandals in India and abroad have shown us the dark side of this industry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a difference between medical devices and drugs so it would be a grave mistake to apply the same regulatory framework for both of them. A <strong>targeted and different approach is needed to regulate</strong> these complex devices.</li>
<li><strong>New and innovatives ideas are needed</strong> to regulate this industry in the Indian context especially when the government bodies and the judiciary lack the capacity to handle such difficult and multilayered issues.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fdffeb;"><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span><br /><br />Examine the challenges and issues with respect to the medical device industry of India.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/medical-devices-in-india-issues-and-challenges'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Syria Crisis - US Backs out',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ev7wA24_LK8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Recently, the US announced to withdraw from Syria (in order to fulfil the US president&rsquo;s electoral promise). However, this will lead to <strong>abandoning of Kurdish fighters in Syria,</strong> who were an <strong>American ally in the war against ISIS.</strong> This may lead to a decline in America's credibility amongst its allies.</p>
<p>With the US planning to leave Syria, <strong>Turkey has threatened to attack a part in Syria</strong> (northern Syria touching borders of Turkey) which was under the <strong>de-facto control of Kurds.</strong> The US has threatened to punish Turkey economically if it goes 'too far' against Kurds. However, what is 'too far' has not been clarified by the US.</p>
<p><strong>Thus, US withdrawal from Syria may have deep implications for the region.</strong></p>
<h3>Who are Kurds?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Kurds are the<strong> world&rsquo;s largest stateless ethnic group.</strong> There are an estimated 25 million to 35 million of them.</li>
<li>They live in the highlands of southern and eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, northwestern Iran, and parts of south Armenia, and are a minority in each of these countries.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572006152_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1572006152_image3.jpg" width="557" height="361" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Kurdish nationalists claim a history going back 2,500 years, but they became identifiable as a distinct community only in the 7<sup>th</sup> century, when most tribes in the area adopted Islam.</li>
<li>The <strong>Treaty of S&egrave;vres (1920),</strong> which <strong>partitioned the old Ottoman dominions,</strong> marked out a much smaller territory as Kurdistan. However, Turkey negotiated with the Allied powers and, in 1923, the <strong>Treaty of Lausanne,</strong> that overtook Treaty of S&egrave;vres and <strong>ended the idea of a self-governing Kurdistan.</strong></li>
<li>Over the decades, the Kurds made repeated attempts at establishing a Kurdistan with defined national borders (within the territory of Turkey), and in this process, <strong>Turkey retaliated with massive repression of Kurds.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Turkey-Kurds-US Triangle</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1978, the Marxist revolutionary Abdullah &Ouml;calan formed the Kurdistan Workers&rsquo; Party (Partiya Karker&ecirc;n Kurdistan&ecirc; or PKK in Kurdish) with the aim of setting up an independent Kurdistan.</li>
<li>PKK guerrillas fought the Turkish army from 1984 to 2013, when the PKK declared a ceasefire.</li>
<li>After the Islamic State (ISIS) swept across Syria and Iraq, the only fighters who were able to resist the onslaught were the <strong>Syrian Kurdish militias.</strong></li>
<li>In 2014, <strong>the Kurds joined the US in the war against ISIS,</strong> and become a helpful regional ally of the US.</li>
<li>Once the Kurds, backed by the Americans, had forced ISIS out of northern Syria, they took over the <strong>re-captured land along the Syria-Turkey border,</strong> home mainly to ethnic Kurds, Arabs, and some other groups.</li>
<li>Turkey sees it as a <strong>serious threat to its territorial integrity, Therefore</strong> Turkey plans to launch an assault on <strong>Kurdish-held territory in Syria.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Why Turkey is invading Syria now?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>By invading northern Syria, Turkey seeks to<strong> create a peace zone,</strong> where it can deport <strong>Syrian refugees that fled the country during the Civil war in Syria.</strong></li>
<li>However, experts believe in the name of the creation of a peace zone, Turkey wants to<strong> land grab the strategic area.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geopolitical Importance of northern Syria.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It holds 30% of Syrian oil &amp; gas.</li>
<li>This area harbours a fertile agricultural land.</li>
<li>Also, the region is drained by water from river Euphrates.</li>
<li>Apart from this, the area is under control of Kurds, which Turkey recognizes as a threat to its territorial integrity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Implications of the US's withdrawal from Syria</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rise of Russia</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Syrian crisis was used by Russia to <strong>re-establish its credibility and legitimacy as a superpower</strong> in the region.</li>
<li>This withdrawal of the US and Turkey's attack on Syria will lead to further <strong>deterioration of relations between the US and Turkey and revision of ties between Turkey and Russia.</strong></li>
<li>With the US out of the picture, countries in the Middle East are looking towards Russia for bringing peace and stability in the region.</li>
<li>Also, <strong>Russia, Iran and Syria axis will strengthen</strong> from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Change in US's Policy in the region</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US pursued the policy of <strong>regime change in Syria</strong> (through Arab Spring or post Arab spring Civil War).</li>
<li>However, the US is <strong>changing its policy within the region-</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The US only <strong>seeks partial troops withdrawal</strong> (not full withdrawal, similar to Afghanistan), as it wanted to <strong>establish military bases in the countries.</strong></li>
<li>Thus, it is in the interest of the <strong>US to fragment Syria into small parts,</strong> that's why the US has abandoned Kurds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Resurgence of ISIS</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many of the <strong>ISIS terrorists were captured by Kurds</strong> after they defeated ISIS.</li>
<li>However, Turkey's attack on Kurds may lead to freeing up of ISIS prisoners, that are held captive by the Kurds.</li>
<li>Turkish annexation will be met with Kurdish Resistance which will <strong>further destabilize the region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>In the middle of all this chaos, <strong>India can act as a credible mediator,</strong> as India is a unique country having stable relations with all the countries engaged in middle east conflict.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Drishti input:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Arab Spring and the Syrian Crisis</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Arab Spring</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Arab Spring was a series of pro-democracy uprisings that enveloped several largely Muslim countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Bahrain.</li>
<li>The Arab Spring began in December 2010 when Tunisian street vendor <strong>Mohammed Bouazizi</strong> set himself on fire to protest the arbitrary seizing of his vegetable stands by police over failure to obtain a permit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Syrian Crisis</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2011, successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt gave hope to Syrian pro-democracy activists.</li>
<li>The Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, responded to the protests by killing hundreds of demonstrators and imprisoning many more.</li>
<li>In July 2011, defectors from the military announced the formation of the Free Syrian Army(FSA), a rebel group aiming to overthrow the government, and Syria began to slide into civil war.</li>
<li>Foreign backing and open intervention have played a large role in Syria's civil war. Russia entered the conflict in 2015 and has been the Syrian government's main ally since then.</li>
<li>In September 2015, Russia launched a bombing campaign against what is referred to as "terrorist groups" in Syria, which included ISIS as well as FSA backed by the USA.</li>
<li>Due to this Syrian civil war has turned into a regional proxy war.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Syria + Iran + Russia vs Saudi Arabia + Israel + US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-syria-crisis-us-backs-out'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Ease of Doing Business- 2020',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> recently released its <strong>Ease of Doing Business Report, 2020.&nbsp;</strong>The indicator measures the performance of countries across 10 different dimensions in the 12-month period ending May 1, 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the report, <strong>New Zealand </strong>retained its&nbsp;<strong>1<sup>st</sup>&nbsp;position </strong>whereas<strong> Somalia </strong>was ranked at<strong> 190<sup>th</sup></strong>&nbsp;spot.</li>
<li>India was placed at&nbsp;<strong>63<sup>rd</sup></strong> position this time (2019) out of 190 countries marking an <strong>improvement of 14 places</strong> from its 77<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;position in 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>score improved</strong> from <strong>67.23 in the previous year to 71.0 this year.</strong></li>
<li>India for the third consecutive year was present in the list of 10 economies where the business climate has improved the most.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The essential features of India's performance this year are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s ranking improved basically on <strong>four parameters:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Starting a Business-</strong> India made starting a business easier by fully integrating multiple application forms into a general incorporation form,</li>
<li><strong>Dealing with Construction Permits-</strong> For example, building a warehouse cost around 4% of the warehouse value as compared to 5.7% in the previous year,</li>
<li><strong>Trading across Borders</strong>- with a <strong>single electronic platform-</strong> improved electronic submission methods for documents and upgrades to port infrastructure, <strong>import and export</strong> process became easier, and</li>
<li><strong>Resolving Insolvency-</strong> Recovery rate under resolving insolvency has improved significantly from 26.5% to 71.6%. Also, the time taken for resolving insolvency has also come down significantly from 4.3 years to 1.6 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India continues to maintain its <strong>first position</strong> among <strong>South Asian countries.</strong> It was 6<sup>th</sup> (in 2014).</li>
<li>The World Bank will now include <strong>Kolkata and Bengaluru</strong>, besides Delhi and Mumbai, for preparing ease of doing business report, in order to provide a holistic picture of the business environment of the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ease of Doing Business Report</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report was introduced in <strong>2003</strong> to provide an assessment of objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle.</li>
<li>The report measures the performance of countries across 10 different parameters namely-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Starting a Business,</li>
<li>Dealing with Construction permits,</li>
<li>Electricity availability,</li>
<li>Property registration,</li>
<li>Credit availability,</li>
<li>Protecting minority Investors,</li>
<li>Paying Taxes,</li>
<li>Trading across borders,</li>
<li>Contracts enforcement, and</li>
<li>Resolving Insolvency.</li>
<li><strong>This time two more&nbsp;parameters were considered namely, employing workers and contracting with the government but these are not included in the score and rankings.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It ranks countries on the basis of <strong>Distance to Frontier (DTF)</strong> score that highlights the gap of an economy with respect to the global best practice. For example, a score of 75 means an economy was 25 percentage points away from the frontier constructed from the best performances across all economies and across time.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/india-climbs-14-notches-in-ease-of-doing-business-ranking/article29789723.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/ease-of-doing-business-2020'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Thotlakonda Buddhist Monastery',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>Mahastupa of the Buddhist heritage site of Thotlakonda, which was</strong> reconstructed in 2016 by the State Archaeology department, collapsed recently.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1571992974_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1571992974_image2.jpg" style="float: right;" width="209" height="129" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is <strong>2000 years old</strong> monastic complex with remnants of <strong>stupas, chaitya grihas and viharas</strong> atop <strong>Thotlakonda Hill, Andhra Pradesh.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Buddhist monks arriving from places like China, Burma and many other countries used to stay at this site for months before finishing their learning.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Stupas:</strong> These are Buddhist commemorative monument usually housing sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other saintly persons.</p>
<p><strong>Chaityas:</strong> A Chaitya was a rectangular prayer hall within a stupa placed in the centre, the purpose was <strong>prayer.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Viharas:</strong> Viharas were the residences of the monks.</p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/mahastupa-caves-in-three-years-after-reconstruction/articleshow/71728936.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TOI</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/thotlakonda-buddhist-monastery'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Minimum Support Price',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Government has hiked the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/msp-agrarian-crisis-and-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Minimum Support Price (MSP)</strong></a> for <strong>Rabi crops</strong> for the marketing season 2020-21, after decision was taken at a meeting of the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA),</strong> headed by the Prime Minister.</p>
<p>The increase in MSP for Rabi Crops is in line with the principle of fixing the MSPs at a level of <strong>at least 1.5 times</strong> of the all India weighted average cost of production [CoP], which was announced in the Union Budget 2018-19.</p>
<h3>Minimum Support Price</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The MSP is the rate at which the <strong>government buys grains from farmers. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Reason behind the idea of MSP is to counter</strong> price volatility of <strong>agricultural commodities</strong> due to the factors like variation in their supply, lack of market integration and information asymmetry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Fixation of MSP</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The MSP is fixed <strong>on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).</strong></li>
<li><strong>Factors taken into consideration</strong> for fixing MSP include:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Demand and supply;</li>
<li>Cost of production (A2 + FL method)</li>
<li>Price trends in the market, both domestic and international;</li>
<li>Inter-crop price parity;</li>
<li>Terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture;</li>
<li>A minimum of 50% as the margin over cost of production; and</li>
<li>Likely implications of MSP on consumers of that product.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Commission also makes visits to states</strong> for on-the-spot assessment of the various constraints that farmers face in marketing their produce, or even raising the productivity levels of their crops.</li>
<li>Based on all these inputs, the Commission then finalizes its recommendations/reports, which are then submitted to the government.</li>
<li>The government, in turn, circulates the CACP reports to state governments and concerned Central Ministries for their comments.</li>
<li>After receiving the feed-back from them, the <strong>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) of the Union government takes a final decision</strong> on the level of MSPs and other recommendations made by the CACP.</li>
<li><strong>Procurement: </strong>The<strong> Food Corporation of India (FCI),</strong> the nodal central agency of the Government of India, along with other State Agencies undertakes procurement of crops.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>The CACP is an <strong>attached office</strong> of the <strong>Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,</strong> formed in 1965. It is a <strong>statutory body</strong> that submits separate reports recommending prices for Kharif and Rabi seasons.</p>
<p><strong>National Commission on Farmers: Swaminathan Committee</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On 18<sup>th</sup> November, 2004, the Union government formed the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) with MS Swaminathan as its chairman.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The main aim of the committee was to come up with a sustainable farming system, make farm commodities cost-competitive and more profitable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It, in 2006, recommended that MSPs must be at least 50% more than the cost of production.</li>
<li>It talked about the cost of farming at three levels:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>A2:</strong> All the types of cash expenditure to generate the crop like seeds, manure, chemicals, labour costs, fuel costs and irrigation costs.</li>
<li><strong>A2+FL:</strong> It includes A2 plus an imputed value of unpaid family labour.</li>
<li><strong>C2:</strong> Under C2, the estimated land rent and the cost of interest on the money taken for farming are added to A2 and FL.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Rabi Crops</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rabi crops are <strong>sown in winter from October to December</strong> and harvested in summer from April to June.</li>
<li>Some of the <strong>important rabi crops</strong> are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.</li>
<li>Though, these crops are grown in large parts of India, states from the north and northwestern parts such as <strong>Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh</strong> are important for the production of wheat and other rabi crops.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/govt-hikes-msp-for-wheat-by-85-pulses-by-325-per-quintal/article29777612.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/minimum-support-price'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Odisha’s Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Government of India, Government of Odisha and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> on 24<sup>th</sup> October 2019 signed a <strong>$165 million loan agreement</strong> for the Odisha&rsquo;s Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture.</p>
<h3>About Project</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project aims to <strong>support small landholding farmers</strong> in order to strengthen the resilience of their production systems against adverse climatic conditions by improving access to <strong>climate resilient seed varieties and production technologies.</strong></li>
<li>For <strong>increasing the income</strong> of the farmers, the project strives to <strong>diversify</strong> towards more climate-resilient crops and<strong> improve access</strong> to better water management and irrigation services. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The project will also provide <strong>marketing support</strong> to farmers who are able to generate a marketable surplus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The project will be implemented in <strong>rural areas</strong> that are <strong>vulnerable to droughts</strong> and are largely <strong>dependent on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/policy-bias-against-rainfed-agricultural-area" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rainfed agriculture.</a></strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is expected to benefit about 125,000 smallholder farmer households from 15 districts of Odisha.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The project also aspires to support the <strong>rehabilitation of 532 water tanks</strong> thereby: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Promoting the <strong>productivity improvements</strong> at the farm level,</li>
<li>Supporting farmers to reduce the current emphasis on food grains (especially paddy- a water guzzler crop) and <strong>increase the share of high-value and more nutritious products</strong> like fruits and vegetables, and</li>
<li>Practising <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-blue-revolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aquaculture</a></strong> in rehabilitated tanks so as to help farmers access affordable and quality fingerlings, and disseminate improved aquaculture practices and post-harvest management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This project is under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)</strong></a> of the government so as to achieve the <strong>sustainable agriculture-related targets</strong> of the SDGs by 2030.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are <strong>8 national missions</strong> that form the core of the NAPCC representing the multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need for Project</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Since 2009, the frequency of droughts in Odisha has increased from 1 in 5 years to 1 in 2 years.</li>
<li>About 70% of the total cultivated area is prone to droughts as compared to 40% in the 1970s.</li>
<li>In Odisha, agriculture is also a major source of <strong>Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions</strong> and is responsible for about 25% of the GHG emissions in the state.</li>
<li>Such erratic and extreme weather are responsible for declining yields and falling incomes of the farmers.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Greenhouse Gases (GHG)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the gases that absorb and emit radiant energy within the thermal infrared range.</li>
<li><strong>Primary GHGs</strong> are- water vapour, carbon dioxide, <strong>methane,</strong> nitrous oxide, and ozone.</li>
<li>GHGs create Greenhouse Effect which is the process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The project is intended to be a game-changer for the State by creating a more resilient agricultural sector, enhancing food security, increasing farmers&rsquo; incomes and reducing the GHG footprint of the sector.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=193999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: PIB</a></strong></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/odisha-s-integrated-irrigation-project-for-climate-resilient-agriculture'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'World Polio Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>World Polio Day was established by <strong>Rotary International</strong> on <strong>24<sup>th</sup> October</strong> to celebrate the <strong>birth of Jonas Salk,</strong> who developed a <strong>vaccine against poliomyelitis.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The establishment of the <strong>Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988 reduced</strong> polio worldwide by <strong>99%.</strong></li>
<li>World Polio Day (2019) marked a milestone in polio eradication as the <strong>independent Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication (GCC)</strong> has declared<strong> Wild Polio Virus type 3 </strong>to be <strong>globally eradicated.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It follows the eradication of smallpox and wild poliovirus type 2.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Wild Polio Virus type 3</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are three individual and immunologically distinct wild poliovirus strains: Wild Polio Virus type 1 (WPV1), Wild Polio Virus type 2 (WPV2) and Wild Polio Virus type 3 (WPV3).</li>
<li><strong>Symptomatically,</strong> all three strains are<strong> identical,</strong> in that they cause irreversible paralysis or even death.</li>
<li>But there are <strong>genetic and virological differences,</strong> which make these three strains three <strong>separate viruses</strong> that must each be eradicated individually.</li>
<li>WPV2 and WPV3 have been eradicated globally but <strong>WPV1 remains</strong> in circulation in just two countries namely, <strong>Afghanistan and Pakistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Polio</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal <strong>viral infectious</strong> disease.</li>
<li>There is <strong>no cure,</strong> but <strong>can be prevented</strong> through immunization.</li>
<li>The strategy to eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops.</li>
<li>There are two types of vaccines to prevent infection.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine):</strong> It is given orally as a birth dose for institutional deliveries, then primary three doses at 6, 10 &amp; 14 weeks and one booster dose at 16-24 months of age.</li>
<li><strong>Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV):</strong> It is introduced as an additional dose along with the 3rd dose of DPT under the universal immunization programme (UIP).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> received <strong>polio-free certification</strong> by 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> in 2014.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Eradication of a disease</strong> refers to the complete and permanent worldwide reduction to zero new cases of an infectious disease through deliberate efforts. If a disease has been eradicated, <strong>no further control measures are required.</strong> For eg- <strong>smallpox has been eradicated.</strong></li>
<li>However, <strong>elimination of a disease</strong> refers to <strong>reduction to zero</strong> (or a very low defined target rate) of new cases of an infectious disease in a <strong>defined geographical area.</strong> Elimination requires <strong>continued measures to prevent re-establishment</strong> of disease transmission. <strong>Yaws and Leprosy</strong> have been eliminated from India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/2-out-of-3-wild-poliovirus-strains-have-been-eradicated-says-who/article29789747.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/world-polio-day'
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