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United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements

The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements (UNISA) by India. United...

01 Aug 2019 News Analysis
The Lacuna in Urban Planning

This article is based on “Cities At Crossroads: A better blueprint for the city” that appeared in The Indian Express on 31st July 2019....

31 Jul 2019 News Editorials
The Code on Wages Bill

Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the Code on Wages Bill, 2019. The Code on Wages Bill was earlier introduced in Lok Sabha in 2017 and was...

31 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Renewable Energy

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31 Jul 2019 GS Paper III
Incidence of Cancer in Children

A recent study conducted by Lancet pointed out that 82% of cancer cases among children comes from poorer countries. According to the report,...

31 Jul 2019 News Analysis
TOI 270 System

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered a new planetary system...

31 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Consumer Protection Bill, 2019

Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019, which seeks to strengthen the consumer rights and provides a mechanism for...

31 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Trade War

Why in News According to the World Bank's Global Economic Prospect, the global economy has slowed to its lowest pace in three years because...

31 Jul 2019 Paper 3
Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019

This article is based on “Change without reform” that appeared in The Indian Express on 30 July 2019. It critically analyses the...

30 Jul 2019 News Editorials
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex statutory body for disaster management in India. The NDMA was formally constituted...

30 Jul 2019 National Institutions
Tiger Census Report

The Prime Minister of India has released the results of the fourth cycle of All India Tiger Estimation - 2018 on the occasion of Global Tiger...

30 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Anti Dumping Duty on Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA)

The Finance Ministry of India has imposed definitive anti-dumping duty on all imports of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) from South Korea and...

30 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Sandbox for Fintech

Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has allowed the use of regulatory sandbox (RS) to promote new,...

30 Jul 2019 News Analysis
LCU L-56 Commissioned into Indian Navy

Indian Navy has recently commissioned the ship LCU L-56, which is the 100th warship built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers...

30 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Earth Overshoot Day

The Earth Overshoot Day fell on 29th July, 2019. The day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources (fish and forests, for...

30 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Rebooting Labour Reforms

This article is based on “Rebooting Labour Reforms” that appeared in The Hindu Business Line on 21st July 2019, it explains the issues...

29 Jul 2019 News Editorials
White Tea

The Golokpur tea estate in Unakoti district of Tripura set a record for selling maximum quantity of white tea. White tea (minimally processed) is...

29 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Integrated Battle Groups

In order to modernise and reform the Army, Indian Army is planning to raise Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) along the borders with Pakistan that...

29 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Eruption on Mount Etna

Recently, Mount Etna in Sicily (Italy) has erupted. It spewed a plume of ash and lava as two fractures opened at the base of its crater (a...

29 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Making India Thyroid Aware

The Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (the professional organization representing practitioners of obstetrics and...

29 Jul 2019 News Analysis

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		(int) 0 => [
			'title' => 'United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of the <strong>United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements</strong> (UNISA) by India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements</strong> is scheduled to be signed at <strong>Singapore</strong> on 7<sup>th</sup> August, 2019, or at the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Until the adoption of the convention, the often-cited challenge to the use of <strong>mediation</strong> was the lack of an <strong>efficient</strong> and <strong>harmonized</strong> framework for <strong>cross-border enforcement</strong> of settlement agreements resulting from mediation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In response to this need, the convention has been developed and adopted by the General Assembly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The United Nations General Assembly</strong> adopted the <strong>United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation</strong> ("the Convention") on 20<sup>th</sup> December 2018.</li>
<li>The General Assembly authorized that the convention will open for signature on 7<sup>th</sup> August 2019 in Singapore and will be known as the <strong>"Singapore Convention on Mediation"</strong> (the Convention).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Signing of the convention will boost the confidence of the investors and shall provide a positive signal to <strong>foreign investors</strong> about India's commitment to adhere to international practice on <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/alternative-dispute-resolution-adr-mechanisms-paper-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Initiatives to Promote ADR Mechanisms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) Bill, 2019, seeks to establish a <strong>New Delhi International Arbitration Centre</strong> (NDIAC) as a <strong>statutory body.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, the Committee chaired by Justice B.N. Srikrishna<strong> ("Srikrishna Report")</strong> to review the <strong>institutionalization of arbitration in India</strong> had recommended the establishment of NDIAC.</li>
<li>NDIAC will conduct arbitration, mediation and conciliation proceedings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Commercial Courts Act, 2015,</strong> has been further amended and legislative exercise to further replace the <strong>Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996</strong> with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/niti-aayog-organises-workshop-on-arbitration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018</strong></a> is currently underway.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bill-for-quick-resolution-of-commercial-disputes-passed-in-lok-sabha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill,</strong></a> 2018 has been passed by Lok Sabha to resolve commercial disputes worth Rs 3 lakh or more.</li>
<li>Several measures have been taken by the Ministry of Law and Justice to introduce <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-need-for-an-online-dispute-resolution-mechanism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Online Dispute Resolution</strong></a> mechanism.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>UNISA</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Convention has been designed to become an essential instrument in the facilitation of <strong>international trade</strong> and in the promotion of <strong>mediation</strong> as an alternative and effective method of resolving <strong>trade disputes.</strong></li>
<li>It also contributes to strengthening access to <strong>justice,</strong> and to the <strong>rule of law.</strong></li>
<li>The Convention defines two additional grounds upon which a court may, on its own motion, refuse to grant relief. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Those grounds relate to the fact that a dispute would not be capable of settlement by mediation or would be contrary to public policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Convention ensures that a settlement reached by parties becomes <strong>binding </strong>and<strong> enforceable</strong> in accordance with a simplified and streamlined procedure.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1580971" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'The Lacuna in Urban Planning',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><strong>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/urban-planning-infrastructure-metropolitan-city-gdp-development-5864860/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Cities At Crossroads: A better blueprint for the city&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Indian Express on 31<sup>st</sup> July 2019. It talks about issues in urban planning that leads to the miserable state of Indian cities.</strong></p>
</div>
<p>Metropolitan regions are the engines of growth and gateways to the national and global economies. As in 2016, the 300 largest metropolitan regions in the world contributed nearly 50% of the global GDP. According to this new United Nations estimates Delhi is projected to become the most populous city in the world around 2028 and India is expected to add the largest number of urban dwellers by 2050.</p>
<p>Over 34% of India&rsquo;s current population lives in urban areas, risen by 3% since 2011. By some estimates, India&rsquo;s urban population could increase to 814 million by 2050. And yet, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-transforming-indian-cities" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian cities</strong></a> are driven by poverty and poor infrastructure, the primary reason for this is <strong>lack of metropolitan planning,</strong> which is not synchronized with development strategy.</p>
<h3>Why are the issues in India's Urban planning?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>One primary problem is the <strong>ambiguity in the definition of urban.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term <strong>&ldquo;metropolitan area&rdquo;</strong> is defined unambiguously in the Constitution as an area <strong>having a population of over one million,</strong> consisting of two or more municipalities or panchayats or other contiguous areas that may span over multiple districts.</li>
<li>The Central government considers a settlement as urban if it has an urban local government, a minimum population of 5,000; over 75% of its (male) population working in non-agricultural activities; and a population density of at least 400 per sq. km</li>
<li><strong>However, urban development comes under State governments,</strong> with the Governor notifying an area as urban.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This notification leads to the creation of an urban local government or municipality, classifying the area as a &ldquo;statutory town&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Also, the Constitution provides considerable discretion to state governments in determining the administrative boundaries of metropolitan areas.</li>
<li>However, many States consider such &ldquo;census towns&rdquo; as rural and establish governance through a rural local government or panchayat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>With such ambiguity in the definition of the urban area, <strong>it leads to a lack of synergy in urban policymaking.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In India the urban planning and spatial planning (integrated land use and transport) are not integrated,</strong> this leads to the significant deterioration in the quality of public services and ease of living.</li>
<li>Metropolitan regions are being <strong>created by default and not by design.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Current urban centres are established without paying attention to the need to create a unified market, especially the labour market, which would forge strong economic linkages between the core city and the periphery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are 53 urban agglomerations in India with a population of one million and above, but these agglomerations spread across various states.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With different rules and regulations regarding land, transport across the states, this severely affects infrastructure development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>74<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act, 1992,</strong> mandated the setting up of Metropolitan Planning Committees (MPC) in all metropolitan areas
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These Draft Development Plans must be coordinated with spatial planning, sharing of resources, development of infrastructure and environmental conservation.</li>
<li>However, MPCs remained a non-starter as states showed little interest in their establishment.</li>
<li>There are <strong>no examples of any MPC carrying through a Draft Development Plan</strong> via state government approval, financing and implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a range of institutions such as municipalities, and other parastatals such as state water and sewerage Boards, due to these <strong>overlapping functional jurisdictions,</strong> they find little coordination amongst them.</li>
</ul>
<p>Since there is no regional/metropolitan planning in India and metropolitan governance structures are fragmented, public transport and environmental conservation are in a poor state.</p>
<p><strong>It is reflected on &ldquo;Smart City&rsquo; front, where over 90 &lsquo;Smart Cities&rsquo; have identified 2,864 projects, but only 148 projects are completed and over 70% of the projects still remain at various stages of preparation.</strong></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National urban policy framework 2018</strong> seeks to rebuild Indian cities around clusters of human capital, instead of considering them simply as an agglomeration of land use.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a welcome transition.</li>
<li>It also focuses on land policy reforms, granting urban local bodies the freedom to raise financing and enforce local land usage norms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transportation planning</strong> plays a major role in ensuring sustainable and balanced regional development through inter-city and rural-urban connectivity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Regional Rapid Transit System</strong> planned for Delhi-NCR under the National Capital Regional Transport Corporation (NRCT) that can immensely improve connectivity between Delhi and far-flung areas such as Meerut, Alwar and Panipat, can spur economic growth in the region.</li>
<li>This transit-oriented development can lead not only to <strong>decongesting growth centres</strong> but also <strong>strengthening labour markets</strong> and <strong>building rural-urban linkages.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-living-index" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Ease of Living Index&rdquo;</strong></a> launched in September 2018 has been a transformative initiative of the urban ministry to help cities assess their liveability.</li>
<li>India spends about $17 per capita annually on urban infrastructure projects, against a global benchmark of $100 and China&rsquo;s $116.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For providing financial autonomy to the cities the <strong>potential of property tax</strong> must be utilized.</li>
<li>Further <strong>Municipal bonds</strong> backed by sovereign guarantee must be floated by the large cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of Rs 60,000-crore <strong>National Urban Housing Fund</strong> to finance the government&rsquo;s Housing for All programme, which aims to build 12 million affordable housing units in urban areas by 2022. This is a step in the right direction.</li>
<li>The policy should be drafted that aims at tackling the rehabilitation and resettlement of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/India%E2%80%99s-failure-to-address-its-urban-slum-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>people living in slums.</strong></a></li>
<li>The National Green Tribunal direction for carrying out the capacity assessment of ecologically sensitive and geologically fragile areas must be expedited.</li>
<li>Finally, there is a need to <strong>frame a systemic policy to deal with urban migration.</strong></li>
<li>India has been among the fastest-growing economies in the world for more than two decades. This has brought about the structural transformation of the economy such that the share of agriculture in GDP has declined to 14% and that of services has increased to 58%. <strong>But this structural transformation must involve spatial transformation.</strong><br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ff0000;">
<td style="width: 531px; border-style: dotted; background-color: #f7f3da;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br /><br />Indian urban centres are driven by poverty and poor infrastructure, the primary reason for this is lack of metropolitan planning, which is not synchronized with development strategy. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-lacuna-in-urban-planning'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'The Code on Wages Bill',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the <strong>Lok Sabha</strong> has passed the <strong>Code on Wages Bill, 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Code on Wages Bill was earlier introduced in Lok Sabha in 2017 and was referred to the <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee</strong> which submitted its report in December 2018. However, owing to the dissolution of 16th Lok Sabha, the Bill lapsed.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional Provisions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Article 43 of the Constitution of India</strong> states that the state shall endeavor to secure by suitable legislation or economic organization or in any other way to all <strong>workers a living wage, conditions of work ensuring a decent standard of life</strong> and full enjoyment of pleasure and social and cultural opportunities.</li>
<li>Under the Constitution of India, <strong>Labour is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule</strong> where both the Central &amp; State Governments are competent to enact legislation.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Need</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To<strong> streamline the definition of wages</strong> as present labour laws consist of 12 different definition of wages which is the major cause of litigation and inefficiency in the implementation of labour laws.</li>
<li>The definition has been simplified and is expected to<strong> reduce litigation and will entail at a lesser cost of compliance</strong> for an employer.</li>
<li>An establishment will also be benefited as the number of registers, returns, forms, etc., not only can be electronically filed and maintained, but it is envisaged that through rules, <strong>not more than one template will be prescribed.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Highlights of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The bill aims to <strong>transform the old and obsolete labour laws</strong> into more accountable and transparent ones and seeks to pave the way for the introduction of minimum wages and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/rebooting-labour-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>labour reforms in the country.</strong></a></li>
<li>It regulates the wages and bonus payments in all employments where any industry, trade, business, or manufacturing is being carried out.</li>
<li>The bill <strong>subsumes</strong> the following<strong> four labour laws:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Payment of Wages Act, 1936</li>
<li>The Minimum Wages Act, 1948</li>
<li>The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965</li>
<li>The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It universalizes the provisions of minimum wages and timely payment of wages to all employees irrespective of the sector and wage ceiling and seeks to <strong>ensure "Right to Sustenance" for every worker</strong> and intends to increase the legislative protection of minimum wage.</li>
<li>It has been ensured in the bill that employees getting <strong>monthly salary</strong> shall get the salary <strong>by 7<sup>th</sup> of next month,</strong> those working on a <strong>weekly basis shall get the salary on the last day</strong> of the week and <strong>daily wagers should get it on the same day.</strong></li>
<li>The provisions of the bill will apply to all the employees.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At present, the provisions of both the Minimum Wages Act and Payment of Wages Act apply on workers <strong>below a particular wage ceiling</strong> <strong>working in Scheduled Employments</strong> only.</li>
<li>Many unorganized sector workers like agricultural workers, painters, persons working in restaurants and dhabas, chowkidars, etc. who were out of the ambit of minimum wages will get legislative protection of minimum wages after the bill becomes an Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Central Government is empowered to <strong>fix the floor wages</strong> by taking into account the living standards of workers. It may set different floor wages for<strong> different geographical areas.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The minimum wages decided by the central or state governments must be higher than the floor wage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Wages</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the bill, <strong>wages</strong> include salary, allowance, or any other component expressed in monetary terms. This does not include bonus payable to employees or any traveling allowance, among others.</li>
<li><strong>MInimum Wage:</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/100th-anniversary-of-ilo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Labour Organisation</strong></a> defines it as &ldquo;the minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract&rdquo;. Or, the minimum wage includes the<strong> bare needs of life like food, shelter, and clothing.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Living Wage:</strong> It is the wage needed to provide the <strong>minimum income necessary</strong> to pay for basic needs based on the cost of living in a specific community. In addition to bare needs, a &lsquo;living wage&rsquo; <strong>includes education, health, insurance, etc. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Fair Wage:</strong> A &lsquo;fair wage&rsquo; is a<strong> mean</strong> between &lsquo;living wage&rsquo; and &lsquo;minimum wage&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It simplifies the methodology to fix minimum wage by <strong>doing away with the &ldquo;type of employment&rdquo; as one criterion.</strong> The minimum wage fixation would<strong> primarily be based on geography and skills.</strong></li>
<li>In order to <strong>ensure transparency and accountability,</strong> the bill seeks to reform the inspection regime by <strong>introducing web based random computerised inspection scheme,</strong> <strong>jurisdiction-free inspections</strong>, calling of information electronically, the composition of fines, etc.</li>
<li>To streamline the claims of workers, the limitation period for filing claims for minimum wages, bonus, equal remuneration has been raised to 3 years.</li>
<li>It prohibits gender discrimination in matters related to wages and recruitment of employees for the same work or work of similar nature.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It seeks to<strong> reduce compliance costs</strong> for employers.</li>
<li>It is expected to <strong>reduce litigation</strong> as it streamlines the definition of wages.</li>
<li>It will <strong>substantially reduce the number of minimum wages</strong> in the country from the existing more than 2000 rates of minimum wages.</li>
<li>This would ensure that <strong>every worker gets a minimum wage</strong> which will also be accompanied by an increase in the purchasing power of the worker thereby giving a fillip to growth in the economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1580782" 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/the-code-on-wages-bill'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Renewable Energy',
			'catname' => 'GS Paper III',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="/pdf/renewable-energy.pdf" target="_blank" class="downloadbtn" rel="noopener">Download PDF</a><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 700px; border: none; left: 0; top: 0;" src="//docs.google.com/viewer?url=https://www.drishtiias.com/pdf/renewable-energy.pdf&amp;embedded=true&amp;hl=en&amp;embedded=true&amp;hl=en" title="Embedded Document"></iframe></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/infographics/info-paper3/renewable-energy'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Incidence of Cancer in Children',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A recent study conducted by <strong>Lancet</strong> pointed out that <strong>82% of cancer cases</strong> among <strong>children</strong> comes from <strong>poorer countries.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the report, children with cancer in <strong>low-and middle-income</strong> countries are <strong>four times</strong> more likely to die of the disease than children in high-income countries.</li>
<li>The study quantifies the burden of paediatric cancer in terms of number of healthy years lost for a country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, in 2017, around 11.5 million disability adjusted life years (DALY)s are lost due to childhood cancer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The incidence or rate of cancer among India&rsquo;s children is much lower than in the West.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rate of cancer among children in India is <strong>80-90 children</strong> per <strong>1,00,000</strong> while the corresponding figure in the west is around 160.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In India, many hospitals like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, Delhi), Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai) and Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI-Chandigarh) have cancer survival rates almost equivalent to Western countries.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/421image1%20(1).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/421image1 (1).jpg" width="463" height="312" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was launched by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation</strong></a> in 2018.</li>
<li>It aims to reach at least a 60% survival rate for children with cancer by 2030, thereby saving an additional one million lives. This target represents a doubling of the global cure rate for children with cancer.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cancer-4-times-more-likely-to-kill-kids-in-poor-nations-than-rich-ones/articleshow/70441475.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: The Times of India</a></strong></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/incidence-of-cancer-in-children'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'TOI 270 System',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mars-colonisation-through-sperm-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration&rsquo;s (NASA)</strong></a> Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/l-98-59b-tiniest-planet-discovered-by-tess" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>(TESS)</strong></a> has discovered a new <strong>planetary system</strong> called <strong>TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 270.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>TOI 270 is about <strong>73 light years</strong> away from Earth, and is located in the constellation Pictor (Pictor is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere).</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/669image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/669image2.jpg" width="697" height="392" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>TOI 270 system</strong> comprises of the <strong>dwarf star</strong> (TOI 270), which is 40% smaller than the Sun in size and mass and three new <strong>exoplanets planets</strong> (planets outside the solar system): <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>TOI 270 b:</strong> It is the <strong>innermost planet,</strong> and is likely a <strong>rocky planet</strong> about <strong>25%</strong> larger than Earth.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It orbits the TOI 270 (dwarf star) every <strong>3.4 days</strong> at a distance of about 13 times closer than that of Mercury orbiting the Sun.</li>
<li>TOI 270 b has a mass of around<strong> 1.9 times</strong> greater than Earth&rsquo;s mass.</li>
<li>Due to its proximity to the star, planet b is an oven-hot planet and is <strong>not habitable.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>TOI 270 c:</strong> It is<strong> 2.4</strong> times larger than Earth, orbits the star every<strong> 5.7 days</strong> and weigh around <strong>7 times</strong> Earth&rsquo;s mass.</li>
<li><strong>TOI 270 d:</strong> It is <strong>2.1</strong> times larger than Earth, orbits the star every 11.4 days and weigh around 5 times Earth&rsquo;s mass.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>TOI 270 c and TOI 270 d both may be similar to <strong>Neptune</strong> in our solar system, with compositions dominated by <strong>gases</strong> rather than rock.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They might best be described as <strong>mini-Neptunes,</strong> a type of planet not seen in our own solar system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>All of the planets in the TOI 270 system are expected to be<strong> tidally locked</strong> to the star, which means the planet's period of rotation on its axis is same as its period of revolution around the star and keep the same side facing the star at all times, just as the Moon does in its orbit around Earth.</li>
<li>TOI 270 system will provide better understand about the <strong>formation</strong> and <strong>evolution</strong> of planetary systems.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/470image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/470image3.png" width="678" height="134" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The TOI 270 system is so compact that the orbits of Jupiter and its moons in our own solar system offer the closest reasonable comparison.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/toi-270-new-planetary-system-about-73-light-years-away-from-earth-nasa-5864907/" 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/toi-270-system'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Consumer Protection Bill, 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019, which seeks to <strong>strengthen the consumer rights</strong> and provides a <strong>mechanism for redressal of complaints</strong> regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Apart from setting up of <strong>authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes,</strong> the bill also seeks to bring in <strong>e-commerce under their jurisdiction</strong> and <strong>hold celebrities accountable</strong> for false and misleading advertisements of products that they endorse.</li>
<li>Apart from the consumer courts at the district, state and national level, the bill proposes a <strong>Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)</strong> to promote, protect and enforce consumer rights as a class and protect them from unfair trade practices.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CCPA, envisaged as a regulator, can file a class action suit if required and would take immediate action on any consumer complaint.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bill proposes<strong> strict action against the advertiser</strong> in case of misleading advertisements but <strong>not against the media</strong> through which the advertisement is being publicised. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Celebrities can be fined up to ₹10 lakh. For repeat offences, this may rise to ₹50 lakh, with a jail term of up to five years</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also provides for <strong>product liability action</strong> on account of harm caused to consumers due to defective products or deficient services.</li>
<li>The Bill will <strong>replace the earlier <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-consumer-protection-bill-2018-amendment-1986-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Protection Act, 1986.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lok-sabha-passes-consumer-protection-bill/article28760805.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: The Hindu</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/consumer-protection-bill-2019'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'Trade War',
			'catname' => 'Paper 3',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the World Bank's <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-bank-global-economic-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Economic Prospect</a>, the global economy has slowed to its lowest pace in three years because international trade and investment have been weaker than expected. International trade has been severely affected by the trade war between the US and China.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On July 6, 2018, the United States administration slapped a tariff of 25% on $50 billion worth of imports from China. China responded immediately with retaliatory tariffs on a similar scale. On April 2, China announced tariffs on US goods worth $3 billion on some 130 American products like fruits, nuts, wine and steel pipes, as well as pork and recycled aluminium.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What and Why of Trade War</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-china-trade-war-can-make-indian-products-competitive-cii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trade war</a> is a <strong>subset of Trade Protectionism</strong>.</li>
<li>It is a conflict between two or more nations regarding trade tariff imposition on each other&rsquo;s goods.</li>
<li>A trade war is usually initiated when a nation imposes tariffs or quotas on imports and foreign countries retaliate with similar forms of trade protectionism. As it escalates, a trade war reduces international trade.</li>
<li>A trade war starts when a nation attempts to protect a domestic industry and create jobs. In the short run, it may work. But in the long run, a trade war costs jobs and depresses economic growth (by suppressing demand for goods as they become expensive) for all countries involved.</li>
<li>It also triggers inflation when tariffs increase the prices of imports.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Four Methods of Trade Protectionism</h3>
<ol>
<li>One way is to enact <strong>tariffs</strong> that tax imports. That immediately raises the price of the imported goods. They become less competitive when compared to local goods. This method works best for countries with a lot of <strong>imports</strong>, such as the United States.</li>
<li>A second way of protecting trade is when the government <strong>subsidizes</strong> local industries. This makes the products cheaper even when shipped overseas. Subsidies work even better than tariffs. This method works best for countries that rely mainly on <strong>exports</strong>.</li>
<li>A third method is to <strong>impose quotas</strong> on imported goods. This method is more effective than the first two. No matter how low a foreign country sets the price through subsidies, it cannot ship more goods.</li>
<li>Fourth type of trade protectionism is subtle. It is a deliberate attempt by a country to <strong>lower its currency value</strong>. This would make its exports cheaper and more competitive. This method can result in retaliation and start a <strong>currency war</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What the "Smoot Hawley Act" Can Teach Protectionists Today</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was designed to protect U.S. farmers from cheap agricultural imports coming from Europe (which was increasing farming output) after the destruction in World War I.</li>
<li>The resultant competitive <strong>trade war</strong> restricted global trade.</li>
<li>It also raised food prices for Americans who were already suffering from the <strong>Great Depression</strong>. Other countries retaliated with their own tariffs.</li>
<li>It forced global <strong>trade down</strong> by 65 percent, worsened the <strong>Depression</strong>, and contributed to the start of <strong>World War II</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Imposing tariffs <strong>protects the economy from foreign competitors</strong>. This provides the new companies time to develop their own competitive advantages.</li>
<li>Protectionism also <strong>temporarily creates jobs</strong> for domestic workers.</li>
<li>The protection of tariffs, quotas, or subsidies allows domestic companies to <strong>hire locally</strong>.</li>
<li>However, these benefits end once other countries retaliate by erecting their own protectionist measures.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/global-trade-war-the-apology-of-protectionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disadvantages</a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the long term, trade protectionism <strong>weakens the industry</strong>. Without competition, companies within the industry have <strong>no need to innovate</strong>.</li>
<li>Eventually, the domestic product declines in quality and becomes more expensive than what foreign competitors produce.</li>
<li>Increasing protectionism can further <strong>slow down economic growth</strong> (weak consumer demand owing to inflation). It would cause more layoffs, not fewer.</li>
<li>If the country closes its borders, other countries will do the same. This could cause <strong>layoffs among the workers who owe their jobs to exports</strong>.</li>
<li>Trade war in the long term would <strong>hamper global economy due to reduced trade volumes</strong> among nations. The IMF noted that the US-China trade tension was one factor that contributed to a &ldquo;significantly weakened global expansion&rdquo; in 2018, as it cut its global growth forecast for 2019.</li>
<li>The trade tensions could result in an <strong>increasingly fragmented global trading framework</strong>, weakening the rules-based system that has underpinned global growth, particularly in Asia, over the past several decades.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Complicated Nature of Traded Goods</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are many complexities in the goods that are traded between the two or more countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, A &ldquo;Chinese&rdquo; product comprises elements from other countries.</li>
<li>The logo on the iPhone notes, &ldquo;Designed in California, assembled in China&rdquo;. The iPhone costs Apple $220. It is assembled in China for $6.50, but the rest of the cost is for its sophisticated components made in Germany, South Korea, Japan and the US. In other words, any &ldquo;trade war&rdquo; between the US and China will have consequences for many other smaller countries &mdash; there will be <strong>collateral damage</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to The Economist, 30% of the value of goods that China exports to the US is added elsewhere &mdash; Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and so on. If the situation worsens, &ldquo;countries entwined in Chinese supply chains will suffer&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism of the US Action</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On January 22, 2018, US imposed tariffs and quotas on imported Chinese solar panels and washing machines. China is a world leader in solar equipment manufacturing. <strong>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Trade Organization</a> ruled that the United States acted unfairly in levying the tariff.</strong></li>
<li>The head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Trump's trade war could cost 2.6 million U.S. jobs.</li>
<li>Eight countries have filed formal complaints with the World Trade Organization. Many of these countries, like Canada, India, and the European Union, are allies. The countries have argued that the US cannot justify the tariffs on the basis of national security.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/trade-war-india-us-and-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Opportunity for India</a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has an increasingly widening trade gap with China. Ongoing trade war may be an opportunity for India to reduce it significantly. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>can export the surplus agricultural products</strong> such as soybean to China after decrease in the export from USA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India can become China&rsquo;s software industry partner,</strong> as it looks to replace the US hegemony of technology companies. India needs some strong pegs to pitch to China, and India&rsquo;s software industry is capable of graduating to a higher level.</li>
<li>Growing trade tensions between China and the US could <strong>enhance the flow of Chinese investment towards India</strong>.</li>
<li>India can <strong>explore opportunities to export the demands of goods by the US</strong> after restricted entry of Chinese goods in the US economy. Of the $300 billion in Chinese exports that are subject to US tariffs, only about 6% will be picked up by firms in the US, according to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unctad-report-on-trade-wars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a report released by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)</a>. Here, India can be benefited along with other nations.</li>
<li>India may be able to <strong>increase its exports in textile, garments and gems and jewellery</strong> to US if Chinese exports to the US slow down.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Threats</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>America has a trade deficit with every nation of the G7 grouping and that deficit has been increasing each year. With India, the US has a trade deficit of $21.3 billion, which on the contrary is a trade surplus (FOREX earning) for India, which is at risk due to the ongoing trade war.</li>
<li>US wants duty reduction from India in Harley Davidson bikes, stents, knee implants and medical devices and dairy and poultry products among others. India has already reduced duty on high powered bikes to 50% from 75%. However, further pressure for duty reduction can affect the domestic production.</li>
<li>India should remain cautious of China's intention of dumping its overproduction of steel and aluminium due to restrictions imposed by the US.</li>
<li>The rising price of oil threatens to widen India's current account deficit, impacting India's macroeconomic stability.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s already struggling currency may further decline in value due to the ongoing trade war.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Even though it is a lengthy and time consuming process, the settlement of disputes through international conventions and rules is the need of the hour.</li>
<li>WTO dispute settlement resolution mechanism should be approached instead of unilateral decisions. The benefit of the WTO process is that it prevents the damaging consequences of trade protectionism. Nations can resolve their disputes through WTO instead of raising tariffs.</li>
<li>India can derive maximum benefits of the opportunities created by the ongoing trade war between the US and China. However, it should remain careful and prepare for the challenges arising out of the trade war.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/trade-war-6'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nhrc-human-rights-amendment-bill-parliament-narendra-modi-bjp-5861745/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Change without reform&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Indian Express on 30 July 2019. It critically analyses the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, with a view to commemorate the 45<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the parliament has passed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/protection-of-human-right-amendment-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019</a>. The Bill amends the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.</p>
<p>The Act provides for a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), State Human Rights Commissions (SHRC), as well as Human Rights Courts.</p>
<p>In 1993, the UN General Assembly adopted the Paris Principles on Human Rights. This led to the constitution of the national human rights institutions in India and almost every other country.</p>
<h3>What is the need for amendment in NHRC?</h3>
<p>NHRC suffers from various structural problems leading to lack of functional autonomy like:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NHRC decisions are only recommendatory in nature, final discretion lies with the respective governments.</li>
<li>NHRC's jurisdiction is not extended to J&amp;K and limited in Northeastern states (due to AFSPA- Armed forces special powers act), both regions in India witnesses a large number of human rights atrocities.</li>
<li>The selection committee tasked with appointing the chairperson and the members to the Commission is dominated by the ruling party.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It consists of the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Deputy-Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.</li>
<li>So there remains a chance of political interference leading to lack of independency of NHRC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is long pendency of the NHRC requests for additional funds.</li>
<li><strong>Conflict of interest:</strong> NHRC doesn't have its own dedicated cadre of officers to investigate the human rights abuse.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Police officials investigating for the NHRC are sent on deputation by their forces.</li>
<li>This conflict of interest restricts the scope of their work, as they often are charged with investigating abuse of power by law enforcement personnel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the jurist-judge V R Krishna Iyer called it <strong>&ldquo;the biggest post office in India&rdquo;</strong> (forwarding complaints to the government and its replies to complainants).</li>
<li>Thereby the Supreme Court called the NHRC a <strong>&ldquo;Toothless Tiger&rdquo;</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Today, international human rights jurisprudence is a fast-growing legal discipline, especially in market dominated society. It is in this context, that the government had revised NHRC law in 2006. This reform agenda continues with the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019. <strong>However, the amendments proposed by the bill doesn&rsquo;t check the NHRC&rsquo;s reputation of being dubbed as a toothless tiger.</strong></p>
<h3>What are the issues in the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the amended law, the government&rsquo;s choice for the NHRC chair will not be limited to former chief justices of the apex court &mdash; it can now hand it over to any of the Court&rsquo;s retired judges.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>This increases the fear of nepotism or favouritism.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the initial NHRC law, NHRC's two non-judge members had to be &ldquo;persons having knowledge of or experience in matters relating to human rights&rdquo;. The number of such members has now been raised to three including a woman member.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, these <strong>positions remain under the government&rsquo;s influence</strong>. These non-judge members are often retired officers.</li>
<li>NHRC does not have any such specialist or a human rights activist.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The amendment increased the number of ex officio members to NHRC i.e chairmen of the national commission of backward classes and protection of child rights, along with the chief commissioner for persons with disabilities.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The commission will thus have more adjunct than full-timer members.</li>
<li><strong>If the NHRC representatives can be brought in from leading NGOs like Amnesty International, it would provide access to grassroots reality in promoting human rights.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the amendments were brought, taking into consideration that every five years, the NHRC has to undergo accreditation by an agency affiliated to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, if India gets an A-status, the NHRC can play a pivotal role in the decision-making processes of the UNHRC and other important international bodies.</li>
<li>This makes NHRC a mere showpiece to convince the world that the government is committed to human rights protection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The NHRC could certainly benefit from the grassroots level experience, it should incorporate representatives from NGOs.</li>
<li>The NHRC requires officers of its own to carry out independent investigations</li>
<li>There is a need to diversify the selection committee.</li>
</ul>
<p>The amendments in NHRC are more of a change rather than reform, the NHRC is yet to be assigned its rightful role in the affairs of the country and the society. So the onus is on the government to bestow the Commission which is a toothless tiger with more teeth.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #bef7ea; border-color: #00916f; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti input:</strong></em><br /><br />Critically analyse the amendments made in NHRC by the Protection of Human Rights Bill, 2019 in light of structural and functional issues related to human rights jurisprudence in India?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/protection-of-human-rights-amendment-bill-2019'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)',
			'catname' => 'National Institutions',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex <strong>statutory body</strong> for disaster management in India.</li>
<li>The NDMA was formally constituted on <strong>27<sup>th</sup> September 2006,</strong> in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with <strong>Prime Minister as its Chairperson</strong> and nine other members, and one such member to be designated as Vice-Chairperson.</li>
<li><strong>Mandate:</strong> Its primary purpose is to coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. It is also the apex body to lay down policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management to ensure timely and effective response to disasters.</li>
<li><strong>Vision:</strong> To build a safer and disaster resilient India by a holistic, proactive, technology driven and sustainable development strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Evolution of NDMA</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In recognition of the importance of Disaster Management as a national priority, the Government of India set up a <strong>High-Powered Committee (HPC) in August 1999 </strong>and a<strong> National Committee after the Gujarat earthquake (2001),</strong> for making recommendations on the preparation of Disaster Management plans and suggesting effective mitigation mechanisms.</li>
<li>The Tenth Five-Year Plan document also had, for the first time, a detailed chapter on Disaster Management. The Twelfth Finance Commission was also mandated to review the financial arrangements for Disaster Management.</li>
<li>On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of NDMA, headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Functions and Responsibilities of NDMA</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Approve the National Disaster Plan</li>
<li>Lay down policies on disaster management</li>
<li>Approve plans prepared by Ministries or Departments of the Central Government in accordance with National Plan</li>
<li>Lay down guidelines to be followed by State Authorities in drawing up State Plan</li>
<li>Lay down guidelines to be followed by different Ministries or Departments of Central Government for purpose of integrating measures for disaster prevention or mitigation of its effects in their development plans and projects</li>
<li>Coordinate enforcement and implementation of disaster management policy and plan</li>
<li>Recommend provision of funds for the purpose of mitigation</li>
<li>Provide such support to other countries affected by major disasters as determined by Central Government</li>
<li>Take such other measures for prevention of disasters or mitigation or preparedness and capacity building for dealing with threatening disaster situation or disaster as it may consider necessary</li>
<li>Lay down broad policies and guidelines for the functioning of National Institute of Disaster Management</li>
</ul>
<h3>Institutional Framework for Disaster Management in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Disaster Management Act, 2005 has provided the legal and institutional framework for disaster management in India at the national, state and district levels.</li>
<li>In the federal polity of India, the primary responsibility of Disaster management vests with the state government. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The central government lays down the plans, policies and guidelines and provides technical, financial and logistical support while the district administration carries out most of the operations in collaboration with central and state level agencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/363image1.webp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/363image1.webp" width="565" height="362" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Executive Committee (NEC)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A National Executive Committee is constituted under Section 8 of DM Act, 2005 to assist the National Authority in the performance of its functions.</li>
<li>Union Home secretary is its ex-officio chairperson.</li>
<li>NEC has been given the responsibility to act as the <strong>coordinating and monitoring body for disaster management,</strong> to prepare a National Plan, monitor the implementation of National Policy etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NIDM has the mandate of human resource development and capacity building for disaster management within the broad policies and guidelines laid down by the NDMA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Disaster response force (NDRF)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NDRF is the specialized force for disaster response which works under the overall supervision and control of NDMA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>State level Institutions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Headed by Chief Minister</strong> of the respective state, SDMA lays down the policies and plans for disaster management in the state.</li>
<li>It is responsible to coordinate the implementation of the state Plan, recommend provision of funds for mitigation and preparedness measures and review the developmental plans of the different departments of the state to ensure integration of prevention, preparedness and mitigation measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Executive Committee (SEC)- Headed by the Chief Secretary of the state,</strong> SEC has the responsibility for coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the National Policy, the National Plan and the State Plan as provided under the DM Act.</li>
</ul>
<h3>District level Institutions</h3>
<p><strong>District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Section 25 of the DM Act provides for constitution of DDMA for every district of a state.</li>
<li><strong>The District Magistrate/ District Collector/Deputy Commissioner heads the Authority</strong> as Chairperson besides an elected representative of the local authority as Co-Chairperson except in the tribal areas where the Chief Executive Member of the District Council of Autonomous District is designated as Co-Chairperson. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further in district, where Zila Parishad exists, its Chairperson shall be the Co-Chairperson of DDMA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The District Authority is responsible for planning, coordination and implementation of disaster management and to take such measures for disaster management as provided in the guidelines.</li>
<li>The District Authority also has the power to examine the construction in any area in the district to enforce the safety standards and to arrange for relief measures and respond to the disaster at the district level.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Achievements of Disaster Planning in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-fani-creates-four-new-mouths-in-chilika-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone Fani</strong></a>, was one of the worst cyclones to hit India in last two decades. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Odisha&rsquo;s preparedness, efficient early warning system, timely action, and well-planned large-scale evacuation strategies helped 1.2 million people move safely into nearly 4,000 cyclone shelters, thereby saving the lives of vulnerable population in the sensitive coastal region.</li>
<li>The United Nations office for Disaster Risk Deduction (UNISDR) and other organizations have hailed government and volunteer efforts that have ensured the levels of destruction to keep minimum.</li>
<li>Similarly, Andhra Pradesh demonstrated an equally excellent evacuation strategy for millions during<strong> cyclone Hudhud</strong> in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There has been significant <strong>reduction in mortality rate</strong> from the loss of over 10000 lives in 1999 during Super Cyclone in Odisha to a mortality of 16 in 2019 during cyclone Fani.</li>
<li>NDMA runs intensive earthquake and extreme weather events awareness campaigns and provides guidelines regarding natural and man-made disasters.</li>
<li>NDMA has released Guidelines on School Safety, Hospital Safety and Minimum Standards for Shelter, Food, Water, Sanitation and Medical Cover in Relief Camps. The Authority worked closely with the States in mitigating the impact of Heat Wave and the number of casualties came down drastically.</li>
<li>NDMA conducts mock exercises for better crisis management during a disaster situation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Shortcomings and challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Questions were raised about the role of NDMA during <strong>Uttarakhand Flooding in 2013,</strong> where it failed to timely inform people about the flash floods and landslides. The post disaster relief response had been equally poor. Experts blamed the <strong>poor planning of NDMA</strong> that lead to unfinished projects for flood and landslide mitigation.</li>
<li>A CAG report noted that there were <strong>delays in completion of projects under the flood management programmes.</strong> It noted the projects were not taken up in an integrated manner and blamed NDMA for institutional failures for<strong> poor flood management.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It held that there were huge <strong>delays in completion of river management activities</strong> and works related to border areas projects which were long-term solutions for the flood problems of Assam, north Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Devastations during <strong>Kerala Floods in 2018</strong> and <strong>Chennai Floods in 2015</strong> were eye-opening for the institutions regarding preparedness for the disaster situation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CAG report on 2015 Chennai Floods termed it to be a &ldquo;man-made disaster&rdquo; and holds Tamil Nadu government responsible for the catastrophe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The NDRF personnel lack sufficient training, equipment, facilities and residential accommodation to tackle the crisis situation properly.</li>
<li><strong>Misutilization of Funds-</strong> Government constituted <strong>National Disaster Response Fund</strong> and State Disaster Response Fund to deal with the disasters. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Audit findings reveal that some states have mis-utilized funds for expenditures that were not sanctioned for disaster management.</li>
<li>There was in a few cases significant delay in releasing funds. Additionally, some States didn&rsquo;t invest the funds thereby incurring huge interest losses. This shows financial indiscipline in states management of funds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Policy guidelines at the macro level are needed</strong> that would inform and guide the preparation and implementation of disaster management and development plans across sectors.</li>
<li><strong>Building in a culture of preparedness and mitigation</strong> is the need of the hour.</li>
<li>Operational guidelines should be framed for <strong>integrating disaster management practices into development,</strong> and specific developmental schemes for prevention and mitigation of disasters.</li>
<li><strong>Robust early warning systems coupled with effective response plans</strong> at district, state and national levels should be put in place.</li>
<li><strong>Community, NGOs, CSOs and the media should be involved</strong> at all stages of disaster management.</li>
<li><strong>Climate risk management should be addressed</strong> through adaptation and mitigation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A dynamic policy is required to develop disaster-resilient infrastructure through proper investment in research. ISRO, NRSA, IMD and other institutions have to collectively provide technological solutions to enhance capabilities to tackle disasters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India should <strong>learn from best global practices.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Countries such as Hong Kong, China, Japan and Korea have built a robust infrastructure over the years to effectively tackle typhoons and other disasters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma-'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Tiger Census Report',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Prime Minister of India has released the results of the fourth cycle of <strong>All India Tiger Estimation - 2018</strong> on the occasion of <strong>Global Tiger Day-2019</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to results of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/status-of-conservation-of-tigers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiger census</a>, the total count of tigers has risen to 2,967 from 2,226 in 2014 &mdash; an increase of 741 individuals (aged more than one year), or 33%, in four years.</li>
<li>India has achieved the target of doubling the tiger count four years ahead of the deadline of 2022.</li>
<li>This is by far the <strong>biggest increase</strong> in Tiger count in terms of both numbers and percentage (since the four-yearly census using camera traps and the capture-mark-recapture method began in 2006).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need for Tiger Conservation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tigers are at the top of the food chain and are sometimes referred to as <strong>&ldquo;umbrella species"</strong> that is their conservation also conserve many other species in the same area.</li>
<li>The Tiger estimation exercise that includes <strong>habitat assessment</strong> and <strong>prey estimation</strong> reflects the success or failure of Tiger conservation efforts.</li>
<li>More than <strong>80%</strong> of the world&rsquo;s wild tigers are in India, and it&rsquo;s crucial to keep <strong>track</strong> of their numbers.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tigers in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India accounts for majority of the 3,500-odd tigers that are scattered among Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russian Federation, Thailand and Vietnam.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s five tiger landscapes are: Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains, Central Indian Landscape and Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, North-East Hills and Brahmaputra Plains, and the Sundarbans.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Top Performers: Madhya Pradesh</strong> saw the highest number of tigers (526) followed by <strong>Karnataka</strong> (524) and <strong>Uttarakhand</strong> (442).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increase in Tiger population:</strong> Madhya Pradesh (71%) &gt; Maharashtra (64%) &gt; <strong>Karnataka</strong> (29%).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/722image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/722image4.jpg" width="425" height="564" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Worst Performers:</strong> <strong>Chhattisgarh</strong> and <strong>Mizoram</strong> saw a decline in tiger population.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chhattisgarh</strong> is the only state out of the 20 tiger-bearing states where the 2018- census counted 19 tigers, significantly fewer than the 46 of 2014.</li>
<li>Decline in Tiger numbers in Chhattisgarh can be attributed to the <strong>law and order</strong> problem as large parts of the state are hit by the Maoist insurgency.</li>
<li>Greater conservation efforts are needed in the <strong>&ldquo;critically vulnerable&rdquo;</strong> <strong>Northeast hills</strong> and <strong>Odisha</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/686image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/686image1.jpg" caption="false" width="615" height="380" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Tiger Sanctuaries:</strong> An evaluation of India&rsquo;s 50 tiger sanctuaries was also released along with the 4th National Tiger Estimation (Tiger census).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Madhya Pradesh's <strong>Pench Sanctuary</strong> and Kerala&rsquo;s <strong>Periyar sanctuary</strong> emerged as the best-managed tiger reserves in the country.</li>
<li><strong>Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve</strong> in Tamil Nadu registered the &ldquo;maximum improvement&rdquo; since 2014.</li>
<li><strong>The Dampa and Rajaji reserves,</strong> in Mizoram and Uttarakhand respectively are at the bottom of the list in terms of Tiger count.</li>
<li><strong>No tiger</strong> has been found in the <strong>Buxa</strong> (West Bengal), <strong>Palamau</strong> (Jharkhand) and <strong>Dampa</strong> (Mizoram) reserves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Global Tiger Day</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Global Tiger Day was observed for the first time in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia when all 13 tiger range countries came together for the first time with the commitment of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022.</li>
<li>It is celebrated annually on July 29th.</li>
<li>Global Tiger Recovery Plan which outlines how each country can contribute to the ambitious goal, known as TX2</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-tiger-numbers-are-increasing-in-india/" 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/tiger-census-report'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Anti Dumping Duty on Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Finance Ministry of India has imposed definitive <strong>anti-dumping duty on all imports of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) from South Korea and Thailand.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Meaning and Purpose of Anti Dumping Measures</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dumping</strong> is said to occur when the goods are exported by a country to another country at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its own home market.</li>
<li>This is an <strong>unfair trade practice</strong> which can have a distortive effect on international trade.</li>
<li>Anti-dumping is a measure to <strong>rectify the situation</strong> arising out of the dumping of goods and its trade distortive effect.</li>
<li>The purpose of anti-dumping duty is to rectify the trade distortive effect of dumping and<strong> re-establish fair trade.</strong></li>
<li>The use of anti-dumping measure as an instrument of fair competition is permitted by the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WTO.</a></strong></li>
<li>In fact, anti-dumping is an instrument for ensuring fair trade and is <strong>not a measure of protection per se for the domestic industry.</strong> It provides relief to the domestic industry against the injury caused by dumping.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PTA is the primary <strong>raw material in the manufacture of polyester chips,</strong> which in turn are used in a number of applications in textile, packaging, furnishings, consumer goods, resins and coatings.</li>
<li>The latest action comes in less than a month after the <strong>Designated Authority</strong> in the Commerce Ministry came up with its final findings on the <strong>sunset review.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sunset Review</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A Sunset review/ expiry review is an <strong>evaluation of the need for the continued existence</strong> of a program or an agency. It allows for an assessment of the effectiveness and performance of the program or agency.</li>
<li>An anti-dumping duty is <strong>valid for a period of five years</strong> from the date of imposition unless revoked earlier.</li>
<li>It <strong>can be extended for a further period of five years</strong> through a sunset or expiry review investigation conducted in accordance with <strong>Article 11.3</strong> of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Anti-dumping Agreement.</li>
<li>Such a review can be <strong>initiated suo moto or on the basis of a duly substantiated request</strong> received from or on behalf of the domestic industry.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Institutional Arrangement in India for Anti Dumping Measures</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Anti dumping and anti subsidies &amp; countervailing measures in India are administered by the <strong>Directorate General of Anti dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD)</strong> functioning in the <strong>Department of Commerce in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry</strong> and the same is headed by the "Designated Authority".</li>
<li>The <strong>Designated Authority&rsquo;s</strong> function, however, is only to conduct the <strong>anti-dumping &amp; countervailing duty investigation</strong> and <strong>make recommendation</strong> to the Government for the imposition of anti-dumping or anti-subsidy measures.</li>
<li>Such duty is finally imposed by a <strong>Notification</strong> of the Ministry of Finance. Thus, while the Department of Commerce recommends the anti-dumping duty, it is the Ministry of Finance, which levies such duty.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/anti-dumping-duty-imposed-on-pta-imports-from-south-korea-thailand/article28746030.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: BL</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anti-dumping-duty-on-purified-terephthalic-acid-pta'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Sandbox for Fintech',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has allowed the use of regulatory sandbox (RS) to promote new, innovative products and processes in the Fintech industry.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>RS is an infrastructure that helps Fintech players to live test their products or solutions, before getting the necessary regulatory approvals for a mass launch, saving start-ups time and cost.</strong></li>
<li>It allows the regulator, the innovators, the financial service providers and the customers to conduct field tests to collect evidence on the benefits and risks of new financial innovations.</li>
<li>For instance, Data analytics(a part of Fintech) is an area which insurance industry can take benefit to serve their customers as <strong>India accounts for around only 6% of insurance premium in Asia and around 2% of the global premium volume.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Using RS the viability of data analytics in the insurance sector can be found out before its application on a mass scale.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Reserve Bank of India</strong></a> is also planning to provide similar infrastructure in the banking sector.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What is Fintech?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Financial technology (Fintech) is used to describe new technology that seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Examples</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/467image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/467image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<h3>What is IRDAI?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is a regulatory body created with the aim of protecting the interests of the insurance customers.</li>
<li>It regulates and sees to the development of the insurance industry while monitoring insurance-related activities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>History of insurance in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In India, insurance finds mention in the writings of Manu (Manusmrithi), Yagnavalkya (Dharmasastra) and Kautilya (Arthasastra).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The writings talk in terms of pooling of resources that could be re-distributed in times of calamities such as fire, floods, epidemics and famine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>1818 saw the advent of the life insurance business in India with the establishment of the Oriental Life Insurance Company in Calcutta.</strong></li>
<li>The Indian Life Assurance Companies Act, 1912 was the first statutory measure to regulate life business.</li>
<li>An Ordinance was issued on January 19, 1956 nationalising the Life Insurance sector and Life Insurance Corporation came into existence.</li>
<li><strong>General Insurance :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1972 with the passing of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, general insurance business was nationalized with effect from January 1, 1973.</li>
<li>107 insurers were amalgamated and grouped into four companies, namely National Insurance Company Ltd., the New India Assurance Company Ltd., the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and United India Insurance Company Ltd.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In 1993, the Government set up a committee under the chairmanship of RN Malhotra,</strong> former Governor of RBI, to propose recommendations for <strong>reforms in the insurance sector.</strong></li>
<li>Following the recommendations of the Malhotra Committee report, in 1999, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) was constituted as an autonomous body to regulate and develop the insurance industry.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The IRDA was incorporated as a statutory body in April 2000.</strong></li>
<li>The key objectives of the IRDA include the promotion of competition so as to enhance customer satisfaction through increased consumer choice and lower premiums while ensuring the financial security of the insurance market.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/irdai-to-give-green-signal-to-sandbox-experiment-soon-5862261/" 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/sandbox-for-fintech'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'LCU L-56 Commissioned into Indian Navy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Indian Navy has recently commissioned the ship LCU L-56, which is the 100<sup>th</sup> warship built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>LCU 56 is an <strong>amphibious ship</strong> with its primary role being <strong>transportation and deployment of main battle tanks, armoured vehicles, troops and equipment</strong> from ship to shore.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>sixth of eight indigenously built Landing Craft Utility</strong> (LCU) MK IV class ships.</li>
<li>The LCU Mk-IV Class of ships are <strong>fitted with close to 90% <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/indigenisation-of-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indigenous content</a></strong>, in line with the Government of India&rsquo;s &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; initiative towards achieving self-reliance and indigenisation.</li>
<li>The induction of LCU 56 <strong>will add to maritime and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief</strong> (HADR) capability of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/andaman-and-nicobar-command-anc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Andaman Nicobar Command.</strong></a></li>
<li>The ship will be deployed for multi-role activities such as <strong>beaching operations, search and rescue missions, disaster relief operations, coastal patrol,</strong> and<strong> surveillance operations</strong> along the Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/amphibious-ship-lcu-l-56-commissioned-into-navy/article28752902.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: The Hindu</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lcu-l-56-commissioned-into-indian-navy'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Earth Overshoot Day',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Earth Overshoot Day fell on <strong>29<sup>th</sup> July, 2019.</strong> The day marks the <strong>date when humanity&rsquo;s demand for ecological resources</strong> (fish and forests, for instance) and services in a given year <strong>exceeds what the Earth can regenerate</strong> in that year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The concept of Earth Overshoot Day was first <strong>conceived by Andrew Simms</strong> of the UK think tank New Economics Foundation, which partnered with Global Footprint Network in <strong>2006</strong> to launch the <strong>first global Earth Overshoot Day campaign.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At that time, Earth Overshoot Day fell in October.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shark-awareness-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)</strong></a>, the world&rsquo;s largest conservation organization, has participated in Earth Overshoot Day since 2007.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is computed by Global Footprint Network by <strong>dividing the planet&rsquo;s biocapacity</strong> (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), <strong>by humanity&rsquo;s Ecological Footprint</strong> (humanity&rsquo;s demand for that year), <strong>and multiplying by 365,</strong> the number of days in a year:</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Earth Overshoot Day = (Planet&rsquo;s Biocapacity / Humanity&rsquo;s Ecological Footprint) x 365</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Global Footprint Network is an <strong>international non profit organization</strong> founded in the year 2003. It&rsquo;s key strategy has been to make available robust Ecological Footprint data.&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Ecological Footprint</strong> is a metric that comprehensively compares human demand on nature against nature&rsquo;s capacity to regenerate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/996image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/996image2.jpg" width="576" height="427" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/we-have-used-up-earths-resources-for-the-year/articleshow/70443588.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: ToI</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
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		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Rebooting Labour Reforms',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><strong>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/while-codifying-labour-laws-labour-interests-shouldnt-be-overlooked/article28627804.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Rebooting Labour Reforms&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Hindu Business Line on 21<sup>st</sup> July 2019, it explains the issues related to the compression of 44 labour laws into four codes or broad categories.</strong></p>
</div>
<p>Government recently tabled the bills, &ldquo;The Code on Wages, 2019&rdquo; and &ldquo;The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019&rdquo; in Parliament as part of its much pitched labour reforms to compress 44 labour laws into 4 codes- <strong>wages, social security, industrial relations, and occupational health and safety.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2018, NITI AAYOG in its &ldquo;Strategy for New [email protected]&rdquo; pitched for labour reforms by codifying multiple labour laws in the four codes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why Labour Reform?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Labour reforms essentially mean taking steps in<strong> increasing production, productivity, and employment opportunities</strong> in the economy in such a manner that the interests of the workers are not compromised.</li>
<li>Labour is in the<strong> concurrent list</strong> and more than <strong>40 central laws and more than 100 state laws</strong> govern the subject.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s labour laws are archaic</strong>, too many, often <strong>contradictory,</strong> and <strong>badly administered.</strong></li>
<li>Labour laws remain <strong>extremely complicated</strong> and there is a need to bring reform by addressing some of the issues like <strong>long-term contracts</strong> and <strong>dispute resolution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The codification of labour laws <strong>will remove multiplicity of definitions and authorities</strong> leading to ease of compliances without compromising <strong>wage security and social security</strong> of workers.</li>
<li>It simplifies access to numerous provisions of the law by all stakeholders concerned.</li>
<li>It would help in increasing <strong>women participation in labour force and address gender-biases in wages.</strong></li>
<li>It would <strong>increase job creation</strong> by<strong> streamlining labour issues</strong> and making hiring easy for industries by developing adequate means to absorb labour in the economy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>definition of worker is not clear</strong> in the Wage Code Bill.</li>
<li>The calculation of the level of minimum wage by an expert committee is at variance with ILO parameters.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A<strong> &lsquo;national minimum wage&rsquo;</strong> is a good idea, but its computation is cause for concern. Instead of a single national minimum wage, the bill proposes <strong>multiple minimum wage structure at different geographical zones.</strong></li>
<li>The economic survey 2018-19 had also mentioned that a national mandatory minimum wage is a requirement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Industrial Relations Code of 2017</strong> has evoked strong reactions, as the right to form unions and accord them powers of representation have been severely curtailed.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It provided that a minimum of 10% of workers or 100 workers employed in an establishment or industry would be needed - from seven at present - to register a trade union.</li>
<li>It further sought to <strong>increase the limit for prior permission of the government for lay-off, retrenchment and closure to 300 workers</strong>, up from 100 at present. This has been the most controversial provision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019&rdquo; is also being protested by trade unions for allegedly <strong>diluting workers&rsquo; safety provisions</strong> instead of strengthening them.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All the central trade unions have expressed their displeasure and have demanded thorough consultation and recasting of the Code. They want it to be reviewed by the department-related Standing Committee of Parliament in consultation with them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Balancing the interests of employers and workers is a challenging task. <strong>Employers want the right to fire in order to hire more,</strong> which is strictly opposed by the workers&rsquo; unions.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, employers subvert their constraints by hiring contract workers instead of regular workers whom they would have to pay more.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Informal nature of economy where large number of workers are in the unorganised sector and out of the social safety net is a major issue to be resolved.</li>
<li>Lack of enough skilled workers is a common concern raised by the employers in defence of their inability to hire more.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What needs to be done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Workforce entitlements should not be disregarded in the urgency to ease the conduct of business. The <strong>Economic Survey 2018-19</strong> cites studies to observe that a 10% rise in minimum wages leads to a 6.34% increase in employment in rural areas in the case of both men and women, with a statistically insignificant impact in urban areas &mdash; questioning the bias against raising wages.</li>
<li>The employers should also take the responsibility of <strong>skilling people at job</strong> through on-the-job training. When technologies change more rapidly, as they are now doing, and employers are changing their processes, they must <strong>provide workers opportunities to learn the new skills necessary.</strong></li>
<li>Labour Unions&rsquo; demands for <strong>decent treatment of workers, fair wages, and adequate social security</strong> should be taken into due consideration. These are demands for fair treatment of any human being who is expected by another to do some work.</li>
<li>Social security and other safeguarding of informal sector workers, contract workers and domestic workers should be looked into carefully.</li>
<li>A <strong>national policy for domestic workers</strong> needs to be brought in at the earliest to recognise their rights and promote better working conditions. Steps may be taken from both state and Central legislations to take the labour reforms forward.</li>
<li>The <strong>expansion of the social safety net</strong> in India, to cover a variety of occupations and enterprises, should be the principal thrust of &lsquo;labour market&rsquo; reforms.</li>
<li><strong>Apprenticeship</strong> should be promoted. The government should form National Apprenticeship Corp. by merging the Regional Directorate of Skill Development and the Entrepreneurship and Board of Apprenticeship Training to achieve the objective of training the 10 million apprentices and finding jobs through an exclusive job portal.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Simplifying numerous labour laws into four codes is a move welcomed by all. However, all stakeholders should be taken into consideration while drafting these codes.</li>
<li>Reforms should be made with <strong>consensus amongst workers and their unions, and employers and their associations.</strong> Trust between workers and employers should be increased.</li>
<li>The reformed laws should suit emergent conditions and provide more <strong>flexibility to employers.</strong> Above all, they should <strong>ensure fair treatment of workers, and provide a wider social safety net.</strong></li>
<li>India must strengthen the social compact and build a strong industrial base democratically, like Germany and Japan, with consensus amongst labour unions and employers.</li>
<li>An approach to labour regulation that cuts out compliance headaches, while improving the lot of the employees should be the guiding principle.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 96.0732%;" height="65">
<tbody>
<tr style="background-color: #ff0000; border-color: #ff0000;">
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; background-color: #e9f5d7;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br /><br />Discuss the core issues in India&rsquo;s labour laws in the context of recently introduced bills in parliament regarding the labour reforms.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'White Tea',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Golokpur tea estate</strong> in <strong>Unakoti</strong> district of <strong>Tripura</strong> set a record for selling maximum quantity of white tea.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>White tea (minimally processed) is harvested even before the plants leaves unfurl fully with the buds still covered by fine white hairs, hence, the name white .</li>
<li>India accounts for 14% of global tea exports and nearly 20% of the tea produced in the country is exported, according to Tea Board India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India and Tea Production</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>largest consumer</strong> of tea in the world</li>
<li>The <strong>second largest producer</strong> of tea in the world</li>
<li>The <strong>fourth largest exporter</strong> of tea in the world</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Tea Cultivation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tea cultivation and plantation is practiced in Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri Hills of South India and Tarai along the foothills of the Himalayas .</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conditions of Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate:</strong> Tea is a tropical and sub-tropical plant and grows well in <strong>hot</strong> and<strong> humid climate.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Temperature:</strong> The ideal temperature for its growth is <strong>20&deg;-30&deg;C</strong> and temperatures above 35&deg;C and below 10&deg;C are harmful for the bush.</li>
<li><strong>Rainfall:</strong> It requires <strong>150-300 cm</strong> annual rainfall which should be well distributed throughout the year.</li>
<li><strong>Soil:</strong> The most suitable soil for tea cultivation is slightly acidic soil (without calcium ) with porous sub-soil which permits a free percolation of water.</li>
<li>Tea is a <strong>shade-loving plant</strong> and develops more vigorously when planted along with shady trees.</li>
<li>There is a very close relation between climate, the yield and the quality of tea</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tea Board</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a<strong> statutory body</strong>&nbsp;under the <strong>Ministry of Commerce.</strong></li>
<li>The Board is constituted of 31 members (including Chairman) drawn from Members of Parliament, tea <strong>producers,</strong> tea <strong>traders, </strong>tea <strong>brokers, consumers, and representatives of Governments</strong> from the principal tea producing states, and trade unions .</li>
<li>The Board is reconstituted<strong> every three years.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Function</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rendering<strong> financial</strong> and <strong>technical assistance</strong> for cultivation, manufacture and marketing of tea.</li>
<li>Export promotion</li>
<li>Research and Development activities</li>
<li>Extend financial assistance in a limited way to the plantation workers and their wards through labour welfare schemes.</li>
<li>Collection and maintenance of Statistical data and publication.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Integrated Battle Groups',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to modernise and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reforms-in-army" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reform the Army,</strong></a> Indian Army is planning to raise <strong>Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs)</strong> along the borders with Pakistan that will help it carry out swift strikes in case of war.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the Parliament terrorist attack(2001), Indian Army undertook massive mobilisation of troops but it lost the element of surprise due to delay.</li>
<li>Therefore, to launch swift offensive mobilisation of troops, Indian Army formulated the <strong>proactive doctrine</strong> of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-bombs-jaish-e-muhammad-camp-in-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Cold Start&rdquo;</strong></a> in 2004, but its existence was consistently denied in the past. In 2017, it was acknowledged for the first time by General Vipin Rawat.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Integrated Battle Groups</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/387image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/387image3.jpg" width="452" height="403" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It will be formed by integrating the existing elements of infantry, tank regiments, artillery, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs), engineers and signals.</li>
<li>It will have six battalions of infantry, armoured and artillery, commanded by Major General or Brigadier.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/armys-first-integrated-battle-groups-to-be-structured-by-end-of-next-month/article28739575.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: The Hindu</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Eruption on Mount Etna',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, Mount Etna in Sicily (Italy) has erupted. It spewed a plume of ash and lava as two fractures opened at the base of its crater (a bowl-shaped depression, or hollowed-out area, produced by the impact of volcanic activity).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Eruptions of Etna follow a variety of patterns. Most occur at the summit, where there are currently (as of 2019)<strong> five distinct craters.</strong></li>
<li>Other eruptions occur on the flanks, which have more than 300 vents, ranging in size from small holes in the ground to large craters hundreds of metres across.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mount Etna</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mount Etna is the highest Mediterranean island mountain and the most active <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-30th-may-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>stratovolcano</strong></a> in the world. It is about 3,326 metres high and is the highest peak in Italy South of the Alps.</li>
<li>The eruptive history of the volcano can be traced back 500,000 years and at least 2,700 years of this activity has been documented.</li>
<li>The almost continuous eruptive activity of Mount Etna continues to influence volcanology, geophysics and other Earth science disciplines.</li>
<li>The volcano also supports important terrestrial ecosystems including endemic flora and fauna and its activity makes it a natural laboratory for the study of ecological and biological processes.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Volcano</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>A volcano</strong> is an opening on the surface of a planet or moon that allows material warmer than its surroundings to escape from its interior.</li>
<li>When this material escapes, it causes an eruption. An eruption can be explosive, sending material high into the sky. Or it can be calmer, with gentle flows of material.</li>
</ul>
<p>On Earth, the erupted material can be liquid rock ("lava" when it's on the surface, "magma" when it's underground), ash, cinders, and/or gas. There are three reasons why magma might rise and cause eruptions onto Earth&rsquo;s surface -</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Magma can rise when pieces of Earth's crust called <strong>tectonic plates slowly move away from each other.</strong> The magma rises up to fill in the space. When this happens underwater volcanoes can form.</li>
<li>Magma also rises when these <strong>tectonic plates move toward each other.</strong> When this happens, part of Earth's crust can be forced deep into its interior. The high heat and pressure cause the crust to melt and rise as magma.</li>
<li>A final way that magma rises is over <strong>hot spots.</strong> Hot spots are the hot areas inside of Earth. These areas heat up magma. The magma becomes less dense. When it is less dense it rises. Each of the reasons for rising magma are a bit different, but each can form volcanoes.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/398image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/398image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="356" height="379" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/fiery-trip-to-mount-etna/article28698103.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Making India Thyroid Aware',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (the professional organization representing practitioners of obstetrics and gynecology in India) and Abbott (multinational healthcare major) have launched <strong>&lsquo;Making India Thyroid Aware&rsquo; campaign.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Owing to low awareness,&nbsp;more and more people in India are being diagnosed with thyroid-related disorders. Therefore, this campaign aims to enhance awareness of the thyroid as a disease.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/480image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/480image2.jpg" width="330" height="199" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>Health experts caution that thyroid may be the new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-injection-for-type-2-diabetes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Diabetes.</strong></a></li>
<li>Over 10% of the local population has a thyroid problem, as compared to 8% having diabetes.</li>
<li><strong>Thyroid disease</strong> is a common problem that can cause symptoms because of over or under function of the <strong>thyroid gland.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>thyroid gland</strong> located in the front of the neck below the Adam's apple is an essential organ for producing <strong>thyroid</strong> hormones.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Common Thyroid Diseases in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hypothyroidism:</strong> Hypothyroidism, also called an underactive thyroid or low thyroid, is a disorder of the endocrine system in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>North India recorded the maximum cases of hypothyroidism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hyperthyroidism:</strong> Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) occurs when your thyroid gland <strong>produces too much of the hormone thyroxine.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hyperthyroidism can accelerate the body's metabolism, causing unintentional weight loss and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.</li>
<li>South India reported maximum cases of hyperthyroidism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Goiter and Iodine Deficiency Disorders:</strong> Goiter is an <strong>abnormal enlargement</strong> of the thyroid gland and the most common cause of goiters worldwide is a lack of iodine in the diet.</li>
<li><strong>Hashimoto's thyroiditis:</strong> Also known as <strong>chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis.</strong> It is an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/celiac-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>autoimmune disease</strong></a> in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed and over time the thyroid may enlarge, forming a painless goiter.</li>
<li><strong>Thyroid cancer:</strong> Thyroid cancer occurs in the cells of the thyroid. The cause of thyroid cancer is poorly understood, but may involve a combination of <strong>genetic </strong>and<strong> environmental factors.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/is-thyroid-the-new-diabetes-when-it-comes-to-prevalence-low-awareness/article28739258.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: BL</a></strong></p>',
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		'title' => 'United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements',
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		'desc' => '<p>The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of the <strong>United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements</strong> (UNISA) by India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements</strong> is scheduled to be signed at <strong>Singapore</strong> on 7<sup>th</sup> August, 2019, or at the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Until the adoption of the convention, the often-cited challenge to the use of <strong>mediation</strong> was the lack of an <strong>efficient</strong> and <strong>harmonized</strong> framework for <strong>cross-border enforcement</strong> of settlement agreements resulting from mediation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In response to this need, the convention has been developed and adopted by the General Assembly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The United Nations General Assembly</strong> adopted the <strong>United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation</strong> ("the Convention") on 20<sup>th</sup> December 2018.</li>
<li>The General Assembly authorized that the convention will open for signature on 7<sup>th</sup> August 2019 in Singapore and will be known as the <strong>"Singapore Convention on Mediation"</strong> (the Convention).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Signing of the convention will boost the confidence of the investors and shall provide a positive signal to <strong>foreign investors</strong> about India's commitment to adhere to international practice on <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/alternative-dispute-resolution-adr-mechanisms-paper-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Initiatives to Promote ADR Mechanisms</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) Bill, 2019, seeks to establish a <strong>New Delhi International Arbitration Centre</strong> (NDIAC) as a <strong>statutory body.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, the Committee chaired by Justice B.N. Srikrishna<strong> ("Srikrishna Report")</strong> to review the <strong>institutionalization of arbitration in India</strong> had recommended the establishment of NDIAC.</li>
<li>NDIAC will conduct arbitration, mediation and conciliation proceedings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Commercial Courts Act, 2015,</strong> has been further amended and legislative exercise to further replace the <strong>Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996</strong> with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/niti-aayog-organises-workshop-on-arbitration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018</strong></a> is currently underway.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bill-for-quick-resolution-of-commercial-disputes-passed-in-lok-sabha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill,</strong></a> 2018 has been passed by Lok Sabha to resolve commercial disputes worth Rs 3 lakh or more.</li>
<li>Several measures have been taken by the Ministry of Law and Justice to introduce <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-need-for-an-online-dispute-resolution-mechanism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Online Dispute Resolution</strong></a> mechanism.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>UNISA</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Convention has been designed to become an essential instrument in the facilitation of <strong>international trade</strong> and in the promotion of <strong>mediation</strong> as an alternative and effective method of resolving <strong>trade disputes.</strong></li>
<li>It also contributes to strengthening access to <strong>justice,</strong> and to the <strong>rule of law.</strong></li>
<li>The Convention defines two additional grounds upon which a court may, on its own motion, refuse to grant relief. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Those grounds relate to the fact that a dispute would not be capable of settlement by mediation or would be contrary to public policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Convention ensures that a settlement reached by parties becomes <strong>binding </strong>and<strong> enforceable</strong> in accordance with a simplified and streamlined procedure.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1580971" 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/united-nations-convention-on-international-settlement-agreements'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'The Lacuna in Urban Planning',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><strong>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/urban-planning-infrastructure-metropolitan-city-gdp-development-5864860/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Cities At Crossroads: A better blueprint for the city&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Indian Express on 31<sup>st</sup> July 2019. It talks about issues in urban planning that leads to the miserable state of Indian cities.</strong></p>
</div>
<p>Metropolitan regions are the engines of growth and gateways to the national and global economies. As in 2016, the 300 largest metropolitan regions in the world contributed nearly 50% of the global GDP. According to this new United Nations estimates Delhi is projected to become the most populous city in the world around 2028 and India is expected to add the largest number of urban dwellers by 2050.</p>
<p>Over 34% of India&rsquo;s current population lives in urban areas, risen by 3% since 2011. By some estimates, India&rsquo;s urban population could increase to 814 million by 2050. And yet, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-transforming-indian-cities" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian cities</strong></a> are driven by poverty and poor infrastructure, the primary reason for this is <strong>lack of metropolitan planning,</strong> which is not synchronized with development strategy.</p>
<h3>Why are the issues in India's Urban planning?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>One primary problem is the <strong>ambiguity in the definition of urban.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The term <strong>&ldquo;metropolitan area&rdquo;</strong> is defined unambiguously in the Constitution as an area <strong>having a population of over one million,</strong> consisting of two or more municipalities or panchayats or other contiguous areas that may span over multiple districts.</li>
<li>The Central government considers a settlement as urban if it has an urban local government, a minimum population of 5,000; over 75% of its (male) population working in non-agricultural activities; and a population density of at least 400 per sq. km</li>
<li><strong>However, urban development comes under State governments,</strong> with the Governor notifying an area as urban.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This notification leads to the creation of an urban local government or municipality, classifying the area as a &ldquo;statutory town&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Also, the Constitution provides considerable discretion to state governments in determining the administrative boundaries of metropolitan areas.</li>
<li>However, many States consider such &ldquo;census towns&rdquo; as rural and establish governance through a rural local government or panchayat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>With such ambiguity in the definition of the urban area, <strong>it leads to a lack of synergy in urban policymaking.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In India the urban planning and spatial planning (integrated land use and transport) are not integrated,</strong> this leads to the significant deterioration in the quality of public services and ease of living.</li>
<li>Metropolitan regions are being <strong>created by default and not by design.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Current urban centres are established without paying attention to the need to create a unified market, especially the labour market, which would forge strong economic linkages between the core city and the periphery.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are 53 urban agglomerations in India with a population of one million and above, but these agglomerations spread across various states.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With different rules and regulations regarding land, transport across the states, this severely affects infrastructure development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>74<sup>th</sup> Amendment Act, 1992,</strong> mandated the setting up of Metropolitan Planning Committees (MPC) in all metropolitan areas
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These Draft Development Plans must be coordinated with spatial planning, sharing of resources, development of infrastructure and environmental conservation.</li>
<li>However, MPCs remained a non-starter as states showed little interest in their establishment.</li>
<li>There are <strong>no examples of any MPC carrying through a Draft Development Plan</strong> via state government approval, financing and implementation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a range of institutions such as municipalities, and other parastatals such as state water and sewerage Boards, due to these <strong>overlapping functional jurisdictions,</strong> they find little coordination amongst them.</li>
</ul>
<p>Since there is no regional/metropolitan planning in India and metropolitan governance structures are fragmented, public transport and environmental conservation are in a poor state.</p>
<p><strong>It is reflected on &ldquo;Smart City&rsquo; front, where over 90 &lsquo;Smart Cities&rsquo; have identified 2,864 projects, but only 148 projects are completed and over 70% of the projects still remain at various stages of preparation.</strong></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National urban policy framework 2018</strong> seeks to rebuild Indian cities around clusters of human capital, instead of considering them simply as an agglomeration of land use.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a welcome transition.</li>
<li>It also focuses on land policy reforms, granting urban local bodies the freedom to raise financing and enforce local land usage norms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transportation planning</strong> plays a major role in ensuring sustainable and balanced regional development through inter-city and rural-urban connectivity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Regional Rapid Transit System</strong> planned for Delhi-NCR under the National Capital Regional Transport Corporation (NRCT) that can immensely improve connectivity between Delhi and far-flung areas such as Meerut, Alwar and Panipat, can spur economic growth in the region.</li>
<li>This transit-oriented development can lead not only to <strong>decongesting growth centres</strong> but also <strong>strengthening labour markets</strong> and <strong>building rural-urban linkages.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-living-index" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Ease of Living Index&rdquo;</strong></a> launched in September 2018 has been a transformative initiative of the urban ministry to help cities assess their liveability.</li>
<li>India spends about $17 per capita annually on urban infrastructure projects, against a global benchmark of $100 and China&rsquo;s $116.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For providing financial autonomy to the cities the <strong>potential of property tax</strong> must be utilized.</li>
<li>Further <strong>Municipal bonds</strong> backed by sovereign guarantee must be floated by the large cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of Rs 60,000-crore <strong>National Urban Housing Fund</strong> to finance the government&rsquo;s Housing for All programme, which aims to build 12 million affordable housing units in urban areas by 2022. This is a step in the right direction.</li>
<li>The policy should be drafted that aims at tackling the rehabilitation and resettlement of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/India%E2%80%99s-failure-to-address-its-urban-slum-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>people living in slums.</strong></a></li>
<li>The National Green Tribunal direction for carrying out the capacity assessment of ecologically sensitive and geologically fragile areas must be expedited.</li>
<li>Finally, there is a need to <strong>frame a systemic policy to deal with urban migration.</strong></li>
<li>India has been among the fastest-growing economies in the world for more than two decades. This has brought about the structural transformation of the economy such that the share of agriculture in GDP has declined to 14% and that of services has increased to 58%. <strong>But this structural transformation must involve spatial transformation.</strong><br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ff0000;">
<td style="width: 531px; border-style: dotted; background-color: #f7f3da;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br /><br />Indian urban centres are driven by poverty and poor infrastructure, the primary reason for this is lack of metropolitan planning, which is not synchronized with development strategy. Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-lacuna-in-urban-planning'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'The Code on Wages Bill',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the <strong>Lok Sabha</strong> has passed the <strong>Code on Wages Bill, 2019.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Code on Wages Bill was earlier introduced in Lok Sabha in 2017 and was referred to the <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee</strong> which submitted its report in December 2018. However, owing to the dissolution of 16th Lok Sabha, the Bill lapsed.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional Provisions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> Article 43 of the Constitution of India</strong> states that the state shall endeavor to secure by suitable legislation or economic organization or in any other way to all <strong>workers a living wage, conditions of work ensuring a decent standard of life</strong> and full enjoyment of pleasure and social and cultural opportunities.</li>
<li>Under the Constitution of India, <strong>Labour is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule</strong> where both the Central &amp; State Governments are competent to enact legislation.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Need</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To<strong> streamline the definition of wages</strong> as present labour laws consist of 12 different definition of wages which is the major cause of litigation and inefficiency in the implementation of labour laws.</li>
<li>The definition has been simplified and is expected to<strong> reduce litigation and will entail at a lesser cost of compliance</strong> for an employer.</li>
<li>An establishment will also be benefited as the number of registers, returns, forms, etc., not only can be electronically filed and maintained, but it is envisaged that through rules, <strong>not more than one template will be prescribed.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Highlights of the Bill</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The bill aims to <strong>transform the old and obsolete labour laws</strong> into more accountable and transparent ones and seeks to pave the way for the introduction of minimum wages and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/rebooting-labour-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>labour reforms in the country.</strong></a></li>
<li>It regulates the wages and bonus payments in all employments where any industry, trade, business, or manufacturing is being carried out.</li>
<li>The bill <strong>subsumes</strong> the following<strong> four labour laws:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Payment of Wages Act, 1936</li>
<li>The Minimum Wages Act, 1948</li>
<li>The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965</li>
<li>The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It universalizes the provisions of minimum wages and timely payment of wages to all employees irrespective of the sector and wage ceiling and seeks to <strong>ensure "Right to Sustenance" for every worker</strong> and intends to increase the legislative protection of minimum wage.</li>
<li>It has been ensured in the bill that employees getting <strong>monthly salary</strong> shall get the salary <strong>by 7<sup>th</sup> of next month,</strong> those working on a <strong>weekly basis shall get the salary on the last day</strong> of the week and <strong>daily wagers should get it on the same day.</strong></li>
<li>The provisions of the bill will apply to all the employees.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At present, the provisions of both the Minimum Wages Act and Payment of Wages Act apply on workers <strong>below a particular wage ceiling</strong> <strong>working in Scheduled Employments</strong> only.</li>
<li>Many unorganized sector workers like agricultural workers, painters, persons working in restaurants and dhabas, chowkidars, etc. who were out of the ambit of minimum wages will get legislative protection of minimum wages after the bill becomes an Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Central Government is empowered to <strong>fix the floor wages</strong> by taking into account the living standards of workers. It may set different floor wages for<strong> different geographical areas.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The minimum wages decided by the central or state governments must be higher than the floor wage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Wages</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the bill, <strong>wages</strong> include salary, allowance, or any other component expressed in monetary terms. This does not include bonus payable to employees or any traveling allowance, among others.</li>
<li><strong>MInimum Wage:</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/100th-anniversary-of-ilo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Labour Organisation</strong></a> defines it as &ldquo;the minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract&rdquo;. Or, the minimum wage includes the<strong> bare needs of life like food, shelter, and clothing.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Living Wage:</strong> It is the wage needed to provide the <strong>minimum income necessary</strong> to pay for basic needs based on the cost of living in a specific community. In addition to bare needs, a &lsquo;living wage&rsquo; <strong>includes education, health, insurance, etc. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Fair Wage:</strong> A &lsquo;fair wage&rsquo; is a<strong> mean</strong> between &lsquo;living wage&rsquo; and &lsquo;minimum wage&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It simplifies the methodology to fix minimum wage by <strong>doing away with the &ldquo;type of employment&rdquo; as one criterion.</strong> The minimum wage fixation would<strong> primarily be based on geography and skills.</strong></li>
<li>In order to <strong>ensure transparency and accountability,</strong> the bill seeks to reform the inspection regime by <strong>introducing web based random computerised inspection scheme,</strong> <strong>jurisdiction-free inspections</strong>, calling of information electronically, the composition of fines, etc.</li>
<li>To streamline the claims of workers, the limitation period for filing claims for minimum wages, bonus, equal remuneration has been raised to 3 years.</li>
<li>It prohibits gender discrimination in matters related to wages and recruitment of employees for the same work or work of similar nature.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It seeks to<strong> reduce compliance costs</strong> for employers.</li>
<li>It is expected to <strong>reduce litigation</strong> as it streamlines the definition of wages.</li>
<li>It will <strong>substantially reduce the number of minimum wages</strong> in the country from the existing more than 2000 rates of minimum wages.</li>
<li>This would ensure that <strong>every worker gets a minimum wage</strong> which will also be accompanied by an increase in the purchasing power of the worker thereby giving a fillip to growth in the economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1580782" 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/the-code-on-wages-bill'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Renewable Energy',
		'catname' => 'GS Paper III',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="/pdf/renewable-energy.pdf" target="_blank" class="downloadbtn" rel="noopener">Download PDF</a><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 700px; border: none; left: 0; top: 0;" src="//docs.google.com/viewer?url=https://www.drishtiias.com/pdf/renewable-energy.pdf&amp;embedded=true&amp;hl=en&amp;embedded=true&amp;hl=en" title="Embedded Document"></iframe></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/infographics/info-paper3/renewable-energy'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Incidence of Cancer in Children',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A recent study conducted by <strong>Lancet</strong> pointed out that <strong>82% of cancer cases</strong> among <strong>children</strong> comes from <strong>poorer countries.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the report, children with cancer in <strong>low-and middle-income</strong> countries are <strong>four times</strong> more likely to die of the disease than children in high-income countries.</li>
<li>The study quantifies the burden of paediatric cancer in terms of number of healthy years lost for a country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Globally, in 2017, around 11.5 million disability adjusted life years (DALY)s are lost due to childhood cancer.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The incidence or rate of cancer among India&rsquo;s children is much lower than in the West.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rate of cancer among children in India is <strong>80-90 children</strong> per <strong>1,00,000</strong> while the corresponding figure in the west is around 160.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In India, many hospitals like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, Delhi), Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai) and Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI-Chandigarh) have cancer survival rates almost equivalent to Western countries.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/421image1%20(1).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/421image1 (1).jpg" width="463" height="312" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was launched by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation</strong></a> in 2018.</li>
<li>It aims to reach at least a 60% survival rate for children with cancer by 2030, thereby saving an additional one million lives. This target represents a doubling of the global cure rate for children with cancer.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cancer-4-times-more-likely-to-kill-kids-in-poor-nations-than-rich-ones/articleshow/70441475.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: The Times of India</a></strong></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/incidence-of-cancer-in-children'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'TOI 270 System',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mars-colonisation-through-sperm-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration&rsquo;s (NASA)</strong></a> Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/l-98-59b-tiniest-planet-discovered-by-tess" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>(TESS)</strong></a> has discovered a new <strong>planetary system</strong> called <strong>TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 270.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>TOI 270 is about <strong>73 light years</strong> away from Earth, and is located in the constellation Pictor (Pictor is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere).</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/669image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/669image2.jpg" width="697" height="392" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>TOI 270 system</strong> comprises of the <strong>dwarf star</strong> (TOI 270), which is 40% smaller than the Sun in size and mass and three new <strong>exoplanets planets</strong> (planets outside the solar system): <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>TOI 270 b:</strong> It is the <strong>innermost planet,</strong> and is likely a <strong>rocky planet</strong> about <strong>25%</strong> larger than Earth.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It orbits the TOI 270 (dwarf star) every <strong>3.4 days</strong> at a distance of about 13 times closer than that of Mercury orbiting the Sun.</li>
<li>TOI 270 b has a mass of around<strong> 1.9 times</strong> greater than Earth&rsquo;s mass.</li>
<li>Due to its proximity to the star, planet b is an oven-hot planet and is <strong>not habitable.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>TOI 270 c:</strong> It is<strong> 2.4</strong> times larger than Earth, orbits the star every<strong> 5.7 days</strong> and weigh around <strong>7 times</strong> Earth&rsquo;s mass.</li>
<li><strong>TOI 270 d:</strong> It is <strong>2.1</strong> times larger than Earth, orbits the star every 11.4 days and weigh around 5 times Earth&rsquo;s mass.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>TOI 270 c and TOI 270 d both may be similar to <strong>Neptune</strong> in our solar system, with compositions dominated by <strong>gases</strong> rather than rock.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They might best be described as <strong>mini-Neptunes,</strong> a type of planet not seen in our own solar system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>All of the planets in the TOI 270 system are expected to be<strong> tidally locked</strong> to the star, which means the planet's period of rotation on its axis is same as its period of revolution around the star and keep the same side facing the star at all times, just as the Moon does in its orbit around Earth.</li>
<li>TOI 270 system will provide better understand about the <strong>formation</strong> and <strong>evolution</strong> of planetary systems.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/470image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/470image3.png" width="678" height="134" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The TOI 270 system is so compact that the orbits of Jupiter and its moons in our own solar system offer the closest reasonable comparison.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/toi-270-new-planetary-system-about-73-light-years-away-from-earth-nasa-5864907/" 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/toi-270-system'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Consumer Protection Bill, 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019, which seeks to <strong>strengthen the consumer rights</strong> and provides a <strong>mechanism for redressal of complaints</strong> regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Apart from setting up of <strong>authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes,</strong> the bill also seeks to bring in <strong>e-commerce under their jurisdiction</strong> and <strong>hold celebrities accountable</strong> for false and misleading advertisements of products that they endorse.</li>
<li>Apart from the consumer courts at the district, state and national level, the bill proposes a <strong>Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)</strong> to promote, protect and enforce consumer rights as a class and protect them from unfair trade practices.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CCPA, envisaged as a regulator, can file a class action suit if required and would take immediate action on any consumer complaint.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bill proposes<strong> strict action against the advertiser</strong> in case of misleading advertisements but <strong>not against the media</strong> through which the advertisement is being publicised. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Celebrities can be fined up to ₹10 lakh. For repeat offences, this may rise to ₹50 lakh, with a jail term of up to five years</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also provides for <strong>product liability action</strong> on account of harm caused to consumers due to defective products or deficient services.</li>
<li>The Bill will <strong>replace the earlier <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/the-consumer-protection-bill-2018-amendment-1986-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Protection Act, 1986.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lok-sabha-passes-consumer-protection-bill/article28760805.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: The Hindu</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/consumer-protection-bill-2019'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'Trade War',
		'catname' => 'Paper 3',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the World Bank's <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-bank-global-economic-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Economic Prospect</a>, the global economy has slowed to its lowest pace in three years because international trade and investment have been weaker than expected. International trade has been severely affected by the trade war between the US and China.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On July 6, 2018, the United States administration slapped a tariff of 25% on $50 billion worth of imports from China. China responded immediately with retaliatory tariffs on a similar scale. On April 2, China announced tariffs on US goods worth $3 billion on some 130 American products like fruits, nuts, wine and steel pipes, as well as pork and recycled aluminium.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What and Why of Trade War</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-china-trade-war-can-make-indian-products-competitive-cii" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trade war</a> is a <strong>subset of Trade Protectionism</strong>.</li>
<li>It is a conflict between two or more nations regarding trade tariff imposition on each other&rsquo;s goods.</li>
<li>A trade war is usually initiated when a nation imposes tariffs or quotas on imports and foreign countries retaliate with similar forms of trade protectionism. As it escalates, a trade war reduces international trade.</li>
<li>A trade war starts when a nation attempts to protect a domestic industry and create jobs. In the short run, it may work. But in the long run, a trade war costs jobs and depresses economic growth (by suppressing demand for goods as they become expensive) for all countries involved.</li>
<li>It also triggers inflation when tariffs increase the prices of imports.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Four Methods of Trade Protectionism</h3>
<ol>
<li>One way is to enact <strong>tariffs</strong> that tax imports. That immediately raises the price of the imported goods. They become less competitive when compared to local goods. This method works best for countries with a lot of <strong>imports</strong>, such as the United States.</li>
<li>A second way of protecting trade is when the government <strong>subsidizes</strong> local industries. This makes the products cheaper even when shipped overseas. Subsidies work even better than tariffs. This method works best for countries that rely mainly on <strong>exports</strong>.</li>
<li>A third method is to <strong>impose quotas</strong> on imported goods. This method is more effective than the first two. No matter how low a foreign country sets the price through subsidies, it cannot ship more goods.</li>
<li>Fourth type of trade protectionism is subtle. It is a deliberate attempt by a country to <strong>lower its currency value</strong>. This would make its exports cheaper and more competitive. This method can result in retaliation and start a <strong>currency war</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>What the "Smoot Hawley Act" Can Teach Protectionists Today</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was designed to protect U.S. farmers from cheap agricultural imports coming from Europe (which was increasing farming output) after the destruction in World War I.</li>
<li>The resultant competitive <strong>trade war</strong> restricted global trade.</li>
<li>It also raised food prices for Americans who were already suffering from the <strong>Great Depression</strong>. Other countries retaliated with their own tariffs.</li>
<li>It forced global <strong>trade down</strong> by 65 percent, worsened the <strong>Depression</strong>, and contributed to the start of <strong>World War II</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Advantages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Imposing tariffs <strong>protects the economy from foreign competitors</strong>. This provides the new companies time to develop their own competitive advantages.</li>
<li>Protectionism also <strong>temporarily creates jobs</strong> for domestic workers.</li>
<li>The protection of tariffs, quotas, or subsidies allows domestic companies to <strong>hire locally</strong>.</li>
<li>However, these benefits end once other countries retaliate by erecting their own protectionist measures.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/global-trade-war-the-apology-of-protectionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disadvantages</a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the long term, trade protectionism <strong>weakens the industry</strong>. Without competition, companies within the industry have <strong>no need to innovate</strong>.</li>
<li>Eventually, the domestic product declines in quality and becomes more expensive than what foreign competitors produce.</li>
<li>Increasing protectionism can further <strong>slow down economic growth</strong> (weak consumer demand owing to inflation). It would cause more layoffs, not fewer.</li>
<li>If the country closes its borders, other countries will do the same. This could cause <strong>layoffs among the workers who owe their jobs to exports</strong>.</li>
<li>Trade war in the long term would <strong>hamper global economy due to reduced trade volumes</strong> among nations. The IMF noted that the US-China trade tension was one factor that contributed to a &ldquo;significantly weakened global expansion&rdquo; in 2018, as it cut its global growth forecast for 2019.</li>
<li>The trade tensions could result in an <strong>increasingly fragmented global trading framework</strong>, weakening the rules-based system that has underpinned global growth, particularly in Asia, over the past several decades.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Complicated Nature of Traded Goods</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There are many complexities in the goods that are traded between the two or more countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, A &ldquo;Chinese&rdquo; product comprises elements from other countries.</li>
<li>The logo on the iPhone notes, &ldquo;Designed in California, assembled in China&rdquo;. The iPhone costs Apple $220. It is assembled in China for $6.50, but the rest of the cost is for its sophisticated components made in Germany, South Korea, Japan and the US. In other words, any &ldquo;trade war&rdquo; between the US and China will have consequences for many other smaller countries &mdash; there will be <strong>collateral damage</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to The Economist, 30% of the value of goods that China exports to the US is added elsewhere &mdash; Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and so on. If the situation worsens, &ldquo;countries entwined in Chinese supply chains will suffer&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criticism of the US Action</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On January 22, 2018, US imposed tariffs and quotas on imported Chinese solar panels and washing machines. China is a world leader in solar equipment manufacturing. <strong>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Trade Organization</a> ruled that the United States acted unfairly in levying the tariff.</strong></li>
<li>The head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Trump's trade war could cost 2.6 million U.S. jobs.</li>
<li>Eight countries have filed formal complaints with the World Trade Organization. Many of these countries, like Canada, India, and the European Union, are allies. The countries have argued that the US cannot justify the tariffs on the basis of national security.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/trade-war-india-us-and-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Opportunity for India</a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has an increasingly widening trade gap with China. Ongoing trade war may be an opportunity for India to reduce it significantly. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>can export the surplus agricultural products</strong> such as soybean to China after decrease in the export from USA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India can become China&rsquo;s software industry partner,</strong> as it looks to replace the US hegemony of technology companies. India needs some strong pegs to pitch to China, and India&rsquo;s software industry is capable of graduating to a higher level.</li>
<li>Growing trade tensions between China and the US could <strong>enhance the flow of Chinese investment towards India</strong>.</li>
<li>India can <strong>explore opportunities to export the demands of goods by the US</strong> after restricted entry of Chinese goods in the US economy. Of the $300 billion in Chinese exports that are subject to US tariffs, only about 6% will be picked up by firms in the US, according to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unctad-report-on-trade-wars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a report released by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)</a>. Here, India can be benefited along with other nations.</li>
<li>India may be able to <strong>increase its exports in textile, garments and gems and jewellery</strong> to US if Chinese exports to the US slow down.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Threats</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>America has a trade deficit with every nation of the G7 grouping and that deficit has been increasing each year. With India, the US has a trade deficit of $21.3 billion, which on the contrary is a trade surplus (FOREX earning) for India, which is at risk due to the ongoing trade war.</li>
<li>US wants duty reduction from India in Harley Davidson bikes, stents, knee implants and medical devices and dairy and poultry products among others. India has already reduced duty on high powered bikes to 50% from 75%. However, further pressure for duty reduction can affect the domestic production.</li>
<li>India should remain cautious of China's intention of dumping its overproduction of steel and aluminium due to restrictions imposed by the US.</li>
<li>The rising price of oil threatens to widen India's current account deficit, impacting India's macroeconomic stability.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s already struggling currency may further decline in value due to the ongoing trade war.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Even though it is a lengthy and time consuming process, the settlement of disputes through international conventions and rules is the need of the hour.</li>
<li>WTO dispute settlement resolution mechanism should be approached instead of unilateral decisions. The benefit of the WTO process is that it prevents the damaging consequences of trade protectionism. Nations can resolve their disputes through WTO instead of raising tariffs.</li>
<li>India can derive maximum benefits of the opportunities created by the ongoing trade war between the US and China. However, it should remain careful and prepare for the challenges arising out of the trade war.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/trade-war-6'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nhrc-human-rights-amendment-bill-parliament-narendra-modi-bjp-5861745/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Change without reform&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Indian Express on 30 July 2019. It critically analyses the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, with a view to commemorate the 45<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the parliament has passed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/protection-of-human-right-amendment-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019</a>. The Bill amends the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.</p>
<p>The Act provides for a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), State Human Rights Commissions (SHRC), as well as Human Rights Courts.</p>
<p>In 1993, the UN General Assembly adopted the Paris Principles on Human Rights. This led to the constitution of the national human rights institutions in India and almost every other country.</p>
<h3>What is the need for amendment in NHRC?</h3>
<p>NHRC suffers from various structural problems leading to lack of functional autonomy like:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NHRC decisions are only recommendatory in nature, final discretion lies with the respective governments.</li>
<li>NHRC's jurisdiction is not extended to J&amp;K and limited in Northeastern states (due to AFSPA- Armed forces special powers act), both regions in India witnesses a large number of human rights atrocities.</li>
<li>The selection committee tasked with appointing the chairperson and the members to the Commission is dominated by the ruling party.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It consists of the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Deputy-Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.</li>
<li>So there remains a chance of political interference leading to lack of independency of NHRC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is long pendency of the NHRC requests for additional funds.</li>
<li><strong>Conflict of interest:</strong> NHRC doesn't have its own dedicated cadre of officers to investigate the human rights abuse.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Police officials investigating for the NHRC are sent on deputation by their forces.</li>
<li>This conflict of interest restricts the scope of their work, as they often are charged with investigating abuse of power by law enforcement personnel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the jurist-judge V R Krishna Iyer called it <strong>&ldquo;the biggest post office in India&rdquo;</strong> (forwarding complaints to the government and its replies to complainants).</li>
<li>Thereby the Supreme Court called the NHRC a <strong>&ldquo;Toothless Tiger&rdquo;</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Today, international human rights jurisprudence is a fast-growing legal discipline, especially in market dominated society. It is in this context, that the government had revised NHRC law in 2006. This reform agenda continues with the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019. <strong>However, the amendments proposed by the bill doesn&rsquo;t check the NHRC&rsquo;s reputation of being dubbed as a toothless tiger.</strong></p>
<h3>What are the issues in the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under the amended law, the government&rsquo;s choice for the NHRC chair will not be limited to former chief justices of the apex court &mdash; it can now hand it over to any of the Court&rsquo;s retired judges.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>This increases the fear of nepotism or favouritism.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the initial NHRC law, NHRC's two non-judge members had to be &ldquo;persons having knowledge of or experience in matters relating to human rights&rdquo;. The number of such members has now been raised to three including a woman member.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, these <strong>positions remain under the government&rsquo;s influence</strong>. These non-judge members are often retired officers.</li>
<li>NHRC does not have any such specialist or a human rights activist.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The amendment increased the number of ex officio members to NHRC i.e chairmen of the national commission of backward classes and protection of child rights, along with the chief commissioner for persons with disabilities.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The commission will thus have more adjunct than full-timer members.</li>
<li><strong>If the NHRC representatives can be brought in from leading NGOs like Amnesty International, it would provide access to grassroots reality in promoting human rights.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the amendments were brought, taking into consideration that every five years, the NHRC has to undergo accreditation by an agency affiliated to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, if India gets an A-status, the NHRC can play a pivotal role in the decision-making processes of the UNHRC and other important international bodies.</li>
<li>This makes NHRC a mere showpiece to convince the world that the government is committed to human rights protection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The NHRC could certainly benefit from the grassroots level experience, it should incorporate representatives from NGOs.</li>
<li>The NHRC requires officers of its own to carry out independent investigations</li>
<li>There is a need to diversify the selection committee.</li>
</ul>
<p>The amendments in NHRC are more of a change rather than reform, the NHRC is yet to be assigned its rightful role in the affairs of the country and the society. So the onus is on the government to bestow the Commission which is a toothless tiger with more teeth.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #bef7ea; border-color: #00916f; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti input:</strong></em><br /><br />Critically analyse the amendments made in NHRC by the Protection of Human Rights Bill, 2019 in light of structural and functional issues related to human rights jurisprudence in India?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/protection-of-human-rights-amendment-bill-2019'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)',
		'catname' => 'National Institutions',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex <strong>statutory body</strong> for disaster management in India.</li>
<li>The NDMA was formally constituted on <strong>27<sup>th</sup> September 2006,</strong> in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with <strong>Prime Minister as its Chairperson</strong> and nine other members, and one such member to be designated as Vice-Chairperson.</li>
<li><strong>Mandate:</strong> Its primary purpose is to coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. It is also the apex body to lay down policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management to ensure timely and effective response to disasters.</li>
<li><strong>Vision:</strong> To build a safer and disaster resilient India by a holistic, proactive, technology driven and sustainable development strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Evolution of NDMA</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In recognition of the importance of Disaster Management as a national priority, the Government of India set up a <strong>High-Powered Committee (HPC) in August 1999 </strong>and a<strong> National Committee after the Gujarat earthquake (2001),</strong> for making recommendations on the preparation of Disaster Management plans and suggesting effective mitigation mechanisms.</li>
<li>The Tenth Five-Year Plan document also had, for the first time, a detailed chapter on Disaster Management. The Twelfth Finance Commission was also mandated to review the financial arrangements for Disaster Management.</li>
<li>On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of NDMA, headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Functions and Responsibilities of NDMA</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Approve the National Disaster Plan</li>
<li>Lay down policies on disaster management</li>
<li>Approve plans prepared by Ministries or Departments of the Central Government in accordance with National Plan</li>
<li>Lay down guidelines to be followed by State Authorities in drawing up State Plan</li>
<li>Lay down guidelines to be followed by different Ministries or Departments of Central Government for purpose of integrating measures for disaster prevention or mitigation of its effects in their development plans and projects</li>
<li>Coordinate enforcement and implementation of disaster management policy and plan</li>
<li>Recommend provision of funds for the purpose of mitigation</li>
<li>Provide such support to other countries affected by major disasters as determined by Central Government</li>
<li>Take such other measures for prevention of disasters or mitigation or preparedness and capacity building for dealing with threatening disaster situation or disaster as it may consider necessary</li>
<li>Lay down broad policies and guidelines for the functioning of National Institute of Disaster Management</li>
</ul>
<h3>Institutional Framework for Disaster Management in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Disaster Management Act, 2005 has provided the legal and institutional framework for disaster management in India at the national, state and district levels.</li>
<li>In the federal polity of India, the primary responsibility of Disaster management vests with the state government. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The central government lays down the plans, policies and guidelines and provides technical, financial and logistical support while the district administration carries out most of the operations in collaboration with central and state level agencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/363image1.webp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/363image1.webp" width="565" height="362" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Executive Committee (NEC)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A National Executive Committee is constituted under Section 8 of DM Act, 2005 to assist the National Authority in the performance of its functions.</li>
<li>Union Home secretary is its ex-officio chairperson.</li>
<li>NEC has been given the responsibility to act as the <strong>coordinating and monitoring body for disaster management,</strong> to prepare a National Plan, monitor the implementation of National Policy etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NIDM has the mandate of human resource development and capacity building for disaster management within the broad policies and guidelines laid down by the NDMA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Disaster response force (NDRF)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NDRF is the specialized force for disaster response which works under the overall supervision and control of NDMA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>State level Institutions</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Headed by Chief Minister</strong> of the respective state, SDMA lays down the policies and plans for disaster management in the state.</li>
<li>It is responsible to coordinate the implementation of the state Plan, recommend provision of funds for mitigation and preparedness measures and review the developmental plans of the different departments of the state to ensure integration of prevention, preparedness and mitigation measures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Executive Committee (SEC)- Headed by the Chief Secretary of the state,</strong> SEC has the responsibility for coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the National Policy, the National Plan and the State Plan as provided under the DM Act.</li>
</ul>
<h3>District level Institutions</h3>
<p><strong>District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Section 25 of the DM Act provides for constitution of DDMA for every district of a state.</li>
<li><strong>The District Magistrate/ District Collector/Deputy Commissioner heads the Authority</strong> as Chairperson besides an elected representative of the local authority as Co-Chairperson except in the tribal areas where the Chief Executive Member of the District Council of Autonomous District is designated as Co-Chairperson. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further in district, where Zila Parishad exists, its Chairperson shall be the Co-Chairperson of DDMA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The District Authority is responsible for planning, coordination and implementation of disaster management and to take such measures for disaster management as provided in the guidelines.</li>
<li>The District Authority also has the power to examine the construction in any area in the district to enforce the safety standards and to arrange for relief measures and respond to the disaster at the district level.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Achievements of Disaster Planning in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-fani-creates-four-new-mouths-in-chilika-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone Fani</strong></a>, was one of the worst cyclones to hit India in last two decades. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Odisha&rsquo;s preparedness, efficient early warning system, timely action, and well-planned large-scale evacuation strategies helped 1.2 million people move safely into nearly 4,000 cyclone shelters, thereby saving the lives of vulnerable population in the sensitive coastal region.</li>
<li>The United Nations office for Disaster Risk Deduction (UNISDR) and other organizations have hailed government and volunteer efforts that have ensured the levels of destruction to keep minimum.</li>
<li>Similarly, Andhra Pradesh demonstrated an equally excellent evacuation strategy for millions during<strong> cyclone Hudhud</strong> in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There has been significant <strong>reduction in mortality rate</strong> from the loss of over 10000 lives in 1999 during Super Cyclone in Odisha to a mortality of 16 in 2019 during cyclone Fani.</li>
<li>NDMA runs intensive earthquake and extreme weather events awareness campaigns and provides guidelines regarding natural and man-made disasters.</li>
<li>NDMA has released Guidelines on School Safety, Hospital Safety and Minimum Standards for Shelter, Food, Water, Sanitation and Medical Cover in Relief Camps. The Authority worked closely with the States in mitigating the impact of Heat Wave and the number of casualties came down drastically.</li>
<li>NDMA conducts mock exercises for better crisis management during a disaster situation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Shortcomings and challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Questions were raised about the role of NDMA during <strong>Uttarakhand Flooding in 2013,</strong> where it failed to timely inform people about the flash floods and landslides. The post disaster relief response had been equally poor. Experts blamed the <strong>poor planning of NDMA</strong> that lead to unfinished projects for flood and landslide mitigation.</li>
<li>A CAG report noted that there were <strong>delays in completion of projects under the flood management programmes.</strong> It noted the projects were not taken up in an integrated manner and blamed NDMA for institutional failures for<strong> poor flood management.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It held that there were huge <strong>delays in completion of river management activities</strong> and works related to border areas projects which were long-term solutions for the flood problems of Assam, north Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Devastations during <strong>Kerala Floods in 2018</strong> and <strong>Chennai Floods in 2015</strong> were eye-opening for the institutions regarding preparedness for the disaster situation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CAG report on 2015 Chennai Floods termed it to be a &ldquo;man-made disaster&rdquo; and holds Tamil Nadu government responsible for the catastrophe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The NDRF personnel lack sufficient training, equipment, facilities and residential accommodation to tackle the crisis situation properly.</li>
<li><strong>Misutilization of Funds-</strong> Government constituted <strong>National Disaster Response Fund</strong> and State Disaster Response Fund to deal with the disasters. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Audit findings reveal that some states have mis-utilized funds for expenditures that were not sanctioned for disaster management.</li>
<li>There was in a few cases significant delay in releasing funds. Additionally, some States didn&rsquo;t invest the funds thereby incurring huge interest losses. This shows financial indiscipline in states management of funds.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Policy guidelines at the macro level are needed</strong> that would inform and guide the preparation and implementation of disaster management and development plans across sectors.</li>
<li><strong>Building in a culture of preparedness and mitigation</strong> is the need of the hour.</li>
<li>Operational guidelines should be framed for <strong>integrating disaster management practices into development,</strong> and specific developmental schemes for prevention and mitigation of disasters.</li>
<li><strong>Robust early warning systems coupled with effective response plans</strong> at district, state and national levels should be put in place.</li>
<li><strong>Community, NGOs, CSOs and the media should be involved</strong> at all stages of disaster management.</li>
<li><strong>Climate risk management should be addressed</strong> through adaptation and mitigation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A dynamic policy is required to develop disaster-resilient infrastructure through proper investment in research. ISRO, NRSA, IMD and other institutions have to collectively provide technological solutions to enhance capabilities to tackle disasters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India should <strong>learn from best global practices.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Countries such as Hong Kong, China, Japan and Korea have built a robust infrastructure over the years to effectively tackle typhoons and other disasters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma-'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Tiger Census Report',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Prime Minister of India has released the results of the fourth cycle of <strong>All India Tiger Estimation - 2018</strong> on the occasion of <strong>Global Tiger Day-2019</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to results of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/status-of-conservation-of-tigers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiger census</a>, the total count of tigers has risen to 2,967 from 2,226 in 2014 &mdash; an increase of 741 individuals (aged more than one year), or 33%, in four years.</li>
<li>India has achieved the target of doubling the tiger count four years ahead of the deadline of 2022.</li>
<li>This is by far the <strong>biggest increase</strong> in Tiger count in terms of both numbers and percentage (since the four-yearly census using camera traps and the capture-mark-recapture method began in 2006).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need for Tiger Conservation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tigers are at the top of the food chain and are sometimes referred to as <strong>&ldquo;umbrella species"</strong> that is their conservation also conserve many other species in the same area.</li>
<li>The Tiger estimation exercise that includes <strong>habitat assessment</strong> and <strong>prey estimation</strong> reflects the success or failure of Tiger conservation efforts.</li>
<li>More than <strong>80%</strong> of the world&rsquo;s wild tigers are in India, and it&rsquo;s crucial to keep <strong>track</strong> of their numbers.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tigers in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India accounts for majority of the 3,500-odd tigers that are scattered among Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russian Federation, Thailand and Vietnam.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s five tiger landscapes are: Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains, Central Indian Landscape and Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, North-East Hills and Brahmaputra Plains, and the Sundarbans.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings&nbsp;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Top Performers: Madhya Pradesh</strong> saw the highest number of tigers (526) followed by <strong>Karnataka</strong> (524) and <strong>Uttarakhand</strong> (442).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increase in Tiger population:</strong> Madhya Pradesh (71%) &gt; Maharashtra (64%) &gt; <strong>Karnataka</strong> (29%).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/722image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/722image4.jpg" width="425" height="564" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Worst Performers:</strong> <strong>Chhattisgarh</strong> and <strong>Mizoram</strong> saw a decline in tiger population.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Chhattisgarh</strong> is the only state out of the 20 tiger-bearing states where the 2018- census counted 19 tigers, significantly fewer than the 46 of 2014.</li>
<li>Decline in Tiger numbers in Chhattisgarh can be attributed to the <strong>law and order</strong> problem as large parts of the state are hit by the Maoist insurgency.</li>
<li>Greater conservation efforts are needed in the <strong>&ldquo;critically vulnerable&rdquo;</strong> <strong>Northeast hills</strong> and <strong>Odisha</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/686image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/686image1.jpg" caption="false" width="615" height="380" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Tiger Sanctuaries:</strong> An evaluation of India&rsquo;s 50 tiger sanctuaries was also released along with the 4th National Tiger Estimation (Tiger census).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Madhya Pradesh's <strong>Pench Sanctuary</strong> and Kerala&rsquo;s <strong>Periyar sanctuary</strong> emerged as the best-managed tiger reserves in the country.</li>
<li><strong>Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve</strong> in Tamil Nadu registered the &ldquo;maximum improvement&rdquo; since 2014.</li>
<li><strong>The Dampa and Rajaji reserves,</strong> in Mizoram and Uttarakhand respectively are at the bottom of the list in terms of Tiger count.</li>
<li><strong>No tiger</strong> has been found in the <strong>Buxa</strong> (West Bengal), <strong>Palamau</strong> (Jharkhand) and <strong>Dampa</strong> (Mizoram) reserves.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Global Tiger Day</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Global Tiger Day was observed for the first time in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia when all 13 tiger range countries came together for the first time with the commitment of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022.</li>
<li>It is celebrated annually on July 29th.</li>
<li>Global Tiger Recovery Plan which outlines how each country can contribute to the ambitious goal, known as TX2</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-tiger-numbers-are-increasing-in-india/" 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/tiger-census-report'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Anti Dumping Duty on Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Finance Ministry of India has imposed definitive <strong>anti-dumping duty on all imports of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) from South Korea and Thailand.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Meaning and Purpose of Anti Dumping Measures</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Dumping</strong> is said to occur when the goods are exported by a country to another country at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its own home market.</li>
<li>This is an <strong>unfair trade practice</strong> which can have a distortive effect on international trade.</li>
<li>Anti-dumping is a measure to <strong>rectify the situation</strong> arising out of the dumping of goods and its trade distortive effect.</li>
<li>The purpose of anti-dumping duty is to rectify the trade distortive effect of dumping and<strong> re-establish fair trade.</strong></li>
<li>The use of anti-dumping measure as an instrument of fair competition is permitted by the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WTO.</a></strong></li>
<li>In fact, anti-dumping is an instrument for ensuring fair trade and is <strong>not a measure of protection per se for the domestic industry.</strong> It provides relief to the domestic industry against the injury caused by dumping.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>PTA is the primary <strong>raw material in the manufacture of polyester chips,</strong> which in turn are used in a number of applications in textile, packaging, furnishings, consumer goods, resins and coatings.</li>
<li>The latest action comes in less than a month after the <strong>Designated Authority</strong> in the Commerce Ministry came up with its final findings on the <strong>sunset review.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Sunset Review</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A Sunset review/ expiry review is an <strong>evaluation of the need for the continued existence</strong> of a program or an agency. It allows for an assessment of the effectiveness and performance of the program or agency.</li>
<li>An anti-dumping duty is <strong>valid for a period of five years</strong> from the date of imposition unless revoked earlier.</li>
<li>It <strong>can be extended for a further period of five years</strong> through a sunset or expiry review investigation conducted in accordance with <strong>Article 11.3</strong> of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Anti-dumping Agreement.</li>
<li>Such a review can be <strong>initiated suo moto or on the basis of a duly substantiated request</strong> received from or on behalf of the domestic industry.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Institutional Arrangement in India for Anti Dumping Measures</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Anti dumping and anti subsidies &amp; countervailing measures in India are administered by the <strong>Directorate General of Anti dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD)</strong> functioning in the <strong>Department of Commerce in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry</strong> and the same is headed by the "Designated Authority".</li>
<li>The <strong>Designated Authority&rsquo;s</strong> function, however, is only to conduct the <strong>anti-dumping &amp; countervailing duty investigation</strong> and <strong>make recommendation</strong> to the Government for the imposition of anti-dumping or anti-subsidy measures.</li>
<li>Such duty is finally imposed by a <strong>Notification</strong> of the Ministry of Finance. Thus, while the Department of Commerce recommends the anti-dumping duty, it is the Ministry of Finance, which levies such duty.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/anti-dumping-duty-imposed-on-pta-imports-from-south-korea-thailand/article28746030.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: BL</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anti-dumping-duty-on-purified-terephthalic-acid-pta'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Sandbox for Fintech',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has allowed the use of regulatory sandbox (RS) to promote new, innovative products and processes in the Fintech industry.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>RS is an infrastructure that helps Fintech players to live test their products or solutions, before getting the necessary regulatory approvals for a mass launch, saving start-ups time and cost.</strong></li>
<li>It allows the regulator, the innovators, the financial service providers and the customers to conduct field tests to collect evidence on the benefits and risks of new financial innovations.</li>
<li>For instance, Data analytics(a part of Fintech) is an area which insurance industry can take benefit to serve their customers as <strong>India accounts for around only 6% of insurance premium in Asia and around 2% of the global premium volume.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Using RS the viability of data analytics in the insurance sector can be found out before its application on a mass scale.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Reserve Bank of India</strong></a> is also planning to provide similar infrastructure in the banking sector.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What is Fintech?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Financial technology (Fintech) is used to describe new technology that seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Examples</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/467image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/467image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<h3>What is IRDAI?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is a regulatory body created with the aim of protecting the interests of the insurance customers.</li>
<li>It regulates and sees to the development of the insurance industry while monitoring insurance-related activities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>History of insurance in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In India, insurance finds mention in the writings of Manu (Manusmrithi), Yagnavalkya (Dharmasastra) and Kautilya (Arthasastra).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The writings talk in terms of pooling of resources that could be re-distributed in times of calamities such as fire, floods, epidemics and famine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>1818 saw the advent of the life insurance business in India with the establishment of the Oriental Life Insurance Company in Calcutta.</strong></li>
<li>The Indian Life Assurance Companies Act, 1912 was the first statutory measure to regulate life business.</li>
<li>An Ordinance was issued on January 19, 1956 nationalising the Life Insurance sector and Life Insurance Corporation came into existence.</li>
<li><strong>General Insurance :</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1972 with the passing of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, general insurance business was nationalized with effect from January 1, 1973.</li>
<li>107 insurers were amalgamated and grouped into four companies, namely National Insurance Company Ltd., the New India Assurance Company Ltd., the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and United India Insurance Company Ltd.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In 1993, the Government set up a committee under the chairmanship of RN Malhotra,</strong> former Governor of RBI, to propose recommendations for <strong>reforms in the insurance sector.</strong></li>
<li>Following the recommendations of the Malhotra Committee report, in 1999, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) was constituted as an autonomous body to regulate and develop the insurance industry.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The IRDA was incorporated as a statutory body in April 2000.</strong></li>
<li>The key objectives of the IRDA include the promotion of competition so as to enhance customer satisfaction through increased consumer choice and lower premiums while ensuring the financial security of the insurance market.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/irdai-to-give-green-signal-to-sandbox-experiment-soon-5862261/" 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/sandbox-for-fintech'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'LCU L-56 Commissioned into Indian Navy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Indian Navy has recently commissioned the ship LCU L-56, which is the 100<sup>th</sup> warship built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>LCU 56 is an <strong>amphibious ship</strong> with its primary role being <strong>transportation and deployment of main battle tanks, armoured vehicles, troops and equipment</strong> from ship to shore.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>sixth of eight indigenously built Landing Craft Utility</strong> (LCU) MK IV class ships.</li>
<li>The LCU Mk-IV Class of ships are <strong>fitted with close to 90% <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/indigenisation-of-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indigenous content</a></strong>, in line with the Government of India&rsquo;s &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; initiative towards achieving self-reliance and indigenisation.</li>
<li>The induction of LCU 56 <strong>will add to maritime and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief</strong> (HADR) capability of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/andaman-and-nicobar-command-anc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Andaman Nicobar Command.</strong></a></li>
<li>The ship will be deployed for multi-role activities such as <strong>beaching operations, search and rescue missions, disaster relief operations, coastal patrol,</strong> and<strong> surveillance operations</strong> along the Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/amphibious-ship-lcu-l-56-commissioned-into-navy/article28752902.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: The Hindu</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lcu-l-56-commissioned-into-indian-navy'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Earth Overshoot Day',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Earth Overshoot Day fell on <strong>29<sup>th</sup> July, 2019.</strong> The day marks the <strong>date when humanity&rsquo;s demand for ecological resources</strong> (fish and forests, for instance) and services in a given year <strong>exceeds what the Earth can regenerate</strong> in that year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The concept of Earth Overshoot Day was first <strong>conceived by Andrew Simms</strong> of the UK think tank New Economics Foundation, which partnered with Global Footprint Network in <strong>2006</strong> to launch the <strong>first global Earth Overshoot Day campaign.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At that time, Earth Overshoot Day fell in October.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/shark-awareness-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)</strong></a>, the world&rsquo;s largest conservation organization, has participated in Earth Overshoot Day since 2007.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is computed by Global Footprint Network by <strong>dividing the planet&rsquo;s biocapacity</strong> (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), <strong>by humanity&rsquo;s Ecological Footprint</strong> (humanity&rsquo;s demand for that year), <strong>and multiplying by 365,</strong> the number of days in a year:</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Earth Overshoot Day = (Planet&rsquo;s Biocapacity / Humanity&rsquo;s Ecological Footprint) x 365</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Global Footprint Network is an <strong>international non profit organization</strong> founded in the year 2003. It&rsquo;s key strategy has been to make available robust Ecological Footprint data.&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>The Ecological Footprint</strong> is a metric that comprehensively compares human demand on nature against nature&rsquo;s capacity to regenerate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/996image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/996image2.jpg" width="576" height="427" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/we-have-used-up-earths-resources-for-the-year/articleshow/70443588.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/earth-overshoot-day'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Rebooting Labour Reforms',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p><strong>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/while-codifying-labour-laws-labour-interests-shouldnt-be-overlooked/article28627804.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Rebooting Labour Reforms&rdquo;</a> that appeared in The Hindu Business Line on 21<sup>st</sup> July 2019, it explains the issues related to the compression of 44 labour laws into four codes or broad categories.</strong></p>
</div>
<p>Government recently tabled the bills, &ldquo;The Code on Wages, 2019&rdquo; and &ldquo;The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019&rdquo; in Parliament as part of its much pitched labour reforms to compress 44 labour laws into 4 codes- <strong>wages, social security, industrial relations, and occupational health and safety.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2018, NITI AAYOG in its &ldquo;Strategy for New [email protected]&rdquo; pitched for labour reforms by codifying multiple labour laws in the four codes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why Labour Reform?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Labour reforms essentially mean taking steps in<strong> increasing production, productivity, and employment opportunities</strong> in the economy in such a manner that the interests of the workers are not compromised.</li>
<li>Labour is in the<strong> concurrent list</strong> and more than <strong>40 central laws and more than 100 state laws</strong> govern the subject.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s labour laws are archaic</strong>, too many, often <strong>contradictory,</strong> and <strong>badly administered.</strong></li>
<li>Labour laws remain <strong>extremely complicated</strong> and there is a need to bring reform by addressing some of the issues like <strong>long-term contracts</strong> and <strong>dispute resolution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The codification of labour laws <strong>will remove multiplicity of definitions and authorities</strong> leading to ease of compliances without compromising <strong>wage security and social security</strong> of workers.</li>
<li>It simplifies access to numerous provisions of the law by all stakeholders concerned.</li>
<li>It would help in increasing <strong>women participation in labour force and address gender-biases in wages.</strong></li>
<li>It would <strong>increase job creation</strong> by<strong> streamlining labour issues</strong> and making hiring easy for industries by developing adequate means to absorb labour in the economy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>definition of worker is not clear</strong> in the Wage Code Bill.</li>
<li>The calculation of the level of minimum wage by an expert committee is at variance with ILO parameters.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A<strong> &lsquo;national minimum wage&rsquo;</strong> is a good idea, but its computation is cause for concern. Instead of a single national minimum wage, the bill proposes <strong>multiple minimum wage structure at different geographical zones.</strong></li>
<li>The economic survey 2018-19 had also mentioned that a national mandatory minimum wage is a requirement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Industrial Relations Code of 2017</strong> has evoked strong reactions, as the right to form unions and accord them powers of representation have been severely curtailed.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It provided that a minimum of 10% of workers or 100 workers employed in an establishment or industry would be needed - from seven at present - to register a trade union.</li>
<li>It further sought to <strong>increase the limit for prior permission of the government for lay-off, retrenchment and closure to 300 workers</strong>, up from 100 at present. This has been the most controversial provision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019&rdquo; is also being protested by trade unions for allegedly <strong>diluting workers&rsquo; safety provisions</strong> instead of strengthening them.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All the central trade unions have expressed their displeasure and have demanded thorough consultation and recasting of the Code. They want it to be reviewed by the department-related Standing Committee of Parliament in consultation with them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Balancing the interests of employers and workers is a challenging task. <strong>Employers want the right to fire in order to hire more,</strong> which is strictly opposed by the workers&rsquo; unions.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, employers subvert their constraints by hiring contract workers instead of regular workers whom they would have to pay more.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Informal nature of economy where large number of workers are in the unorganised sector and out of the social safety net is a major issue to be resolved.</li>
<li>Lack of enough skilled workers is a common concern raised by the employers in defence of their inability to hire more.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What needs to be done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Workforce entitlements should not be disregarded in the urgency to ease the conduct of business. The <strong>Economic Survey 2018-19</strong> cites studies to observe that a 10% rise in minimum wages leads to a 6.34% increase in employment in rural areas in the case of both men and women, with a statistically insignificant impact in urban areas &mdash; questioning the bias against raising wages.</li>
<li>The employers should also take the responsibility of <strong>skilling people at job</strong> through on-the-job training. When technologies change more rapidly, as they are now doing, and employers are changing their processes, they must <strong>provide workers opportunities to learn the new skills necessary.</strong></li>
<li>Labour Unions&rsquo; demands for <strong>decent treatment of workers, fair wages, and adequate social security</strong> should be taken into due consideration. These are demands for fair treatment of any human being who is expected by another to do some work.</li>
<li>Social security and other safeguarding of informal sector workers, contract workers and domestic workers should be looked into carefully.</li>
<li>A <strong>national policy for domestic workers</strong> needs to be brought in at the earliest to recognise their rights and promote better working conditions. Steps may be taken from both state and Central legislations to take the labour reforms forward.</li>
<li>The <strong>expansion of the social safety net</strong> in India, to cover a variety of occupations and enterprises, should be the principal thrust of &lsquo;labour market&rsquo; reforms.</li>
<li><strong>Apprenticeship</strong> should be promoted. The government should form National Apprenticeship Corp. by merging the Regional Directorate of Skill Development and the Entrepreneurship and Board of Apprenticeship Training to achieve the objective of training the 10 million apprentices and finding jobs through an exclusive job portal.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Simplifying numerous labour laws into four codes is a move welcomed by all. However, all stakeholders should be taken into consideration while drafting these codes.</li>
<li>Reforms should be made with <strong>consensus amongst workers and their unions, and employers and their associations.</strong> Trust between workers and employers should be increased.</li>
<li>The reformed laws should suit emergent conditions and provide more <strong>flexibility to employers.</strong> Above all, they should <strong>ensure fair treatment of workers, and provide a wider social safety net.</strong></li>
<li>India must strengthen the social compact and build a strong industrial base democratically, like Germany and Japan, with consensus amongst labour unions and employers.</li>
<li>An approach to labour regulation that cuts out compliance headaches, while improving the lot of the employees should be the guiding principle.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 96.0732%;" height="65">
<tbody>
<tr style="background-color: #ff0000; border-color: #ff0000;">
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; background-color: #e9f5d7;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br /><br />Discuss the core issues in India&rsquo;s labour laws in the context of recently introduced bills in parliament regarding the labour reforms.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/rebooting-labour-reforms'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'White Tea',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong>Golokpur tea estate</strong> in <strong>Unakoti</strong> district of <strong>Tripura</strong> set a record for selling maximum quantity of white tea.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>White tea (minimally processed) is harvested even before the plants leaves unfurl fully with the buds still covered by fine white hairs, hence, the name white .</li>
<li>India accounts for 14% of global tea exports and nearly 20% of the tea produced in the country is exported, according to Tea Board India.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India and Tea Production</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>largest consumer</strong> of tea in the world</li>
<li>The <strong>second largest producer</strong> of tea in the world</li>
<li>The <strong>fourth largest exporter</strong> of tea in the world</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Tea Cultivation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tea cultivation and plantation is practiced in Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri Hills of South India and Tarai along the foothills of the Himalayas .</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conditions of Growth</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Climate:</strong> Tea is a tropical and sub-tropical plant and grows well in <strong>hot</strong> and<strong> humid climate.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Temperature:</strong> The ideal temperature for its growth is <strong>20&deg;-30&deg;C</strong> and temperatures above 35&deg;C and below 10&deg;C are harmful for the bush.</li>
<li><strong>Rainfall:</strong> It requires <strong>150-300 cm</strong> annual rainfall which should be well distributed throughout the year.</li>
<li><strong>Soil:</strong> The most suitable soil for tea cultivation is slightly acidic soil (without calcium ) with porous sub-soil which permits a free percolation of water.</li>
<li>Tea is a <strong>shade-loving plant</strong> and develops more vigorously when planted along with shady trees.</li>
<li>There is a very close relation between climate, the yield and the quality of tea</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tea Board</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a<strong> statutory body</strong>&nbsp;under the <strong>Ministry of Commerce.</strong></li>
<li>The Board is constituted of 31 members (including Chairman) drawn from Members of Parliament, tea <strong>producers,</strong> tea <strong>traders, </strong>tea <strong>brokers, consumers, and representatives of Governments</strong> from the principal tea producing states, and trade unions .</li>
<li>The Board is reconstituted<strong> every three years.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Function</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rendering<strong> financial</strong> and <strong>technical assistance</strong> for cultivation, manufacture and marketing of tea.</li>
<li>Export promotion</li>
<li>Research and Development activities</li>
<li>Extend financial assistance in a limited way to the plantation workers and their wards through labour welfare schemes.</li>
<li>Collection and maintenance of Statistical data and publication.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Integrated Battle Groups',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to modernise and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reforms-in-army" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reform the Army,</strong></a> Indian Army is planning to raise <strong>Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs)</strong> along the borders with Pakistan that will help it carry out swift strikes in case of war.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After the Parliament terrorist attack(2001), Indian Army undertook massive mobilisation of troops but it lost the element of surprise due to delay.</li>
<li>Therefore, to launch swift offensive mobilisation of troops, Indian Army formulated the <strong>proactive doctrine</strong> of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-bombs-jaish-e-muhammad-camp-in-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Cold Start&rdquo;</strong></a> in 2004, but its existence was consistently denied in the past. In 2017, it was acknowledged for the first time by General Vipin Rawat.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Integrated Battle Groups</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/387image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/387image3.jpg" width="452" height="403" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It will be formed by integrating the existing elements of infantry, tank regiments, artillery, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs), engineers and signals.</li>
<li>It will have six battalions of infantry, armoured and artillery, commanded by Major General or Brigadier.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/armys-first-integrated-battle-groups-to-be-structured-by-end-of-next-month/article28739575.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: The Hindu</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-battle-groups'
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	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Eruption on Mount Etna',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, Mount Etna in Sicily (Italy) has erupted. It spewed a plume of ash and lava as two fractures opened at the base of its crater (a bowl-shaped depression, or hollowed-out area, produced by the impact of volcanic activity).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Eruptions of Etna follow a variety of patterns. Most occur at the summit, where there are currently (as of 2019)<strong> five distinct craters.</strong></li>
<li>Other eruptions occur on the flanks, which have more than 300 vents, ranging in size from small holes in the ground to large craters hundreds of metres across.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mount Etna</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Mount Etna is the highest Mediterranean island mountain and the most active <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-30th-may-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>stratovolcano</strong></a> in the world. It is about 3,326 metres high and is the highest peak in Italy South of the Alps.</li>
<li>The eruptive history of the volcano can be traced back 500,000 years and at least 2,700 years of this activity has been documented.</li>
<li>The almost continuous eruptive activity of Mount Etna continues to influence volcanology, geophysics and other Earth science disciplines.</li>
<li>The volcano also supports important terrestrial ecosystems including endemic flora and fauna and its activity makes it a natural laboratory for the study of ecological and biological processes.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Volcano</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>A volcano</strong> is an opening on the surface of a planet or moon that allows material warmer than its surroundings to escape from its interior.</li>
<li>When this material escapes, it causes an eruption. An eruption can be explosive, sending material high into the sky. Or it can be calmer, with gentle flows of material.</li>
</ul>
<p>On Earth, the erupted material can be liquid rock ("lava" when it's on the surface, "magma" when it's underground), ash, cinders, and/or gas. There are three reasons why magma might rise and cause eruptions onto Earth&rsquo;s surface -</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Magma can rise when pieces of Earth's crust called <strong>tectonic plates slowly move away from each other.</strong> The magma rises up to fill in the space. When this happens underwater volcanoes can form.</li>
<li>Magma also rises when these <strong>tectonic plates move toward each other.</strong> When this happens, part of Earth's crust can be forced deep into its interior. The high heat and pressure cause the crust to melt and rise as magma.</li>
<li>A final way that magma rises is over <strong>hot spots.</strong> Hot spots are the hot areas inside of Earth. These areas heat up magma. The magma becomes less dense. When it is less dense it rises. Each of the reasons for rising magma are a bit different, but each can form volcanoes.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/398image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/398image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="356" height="379" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/fiery-trip-to-mount-etna/article28698103.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Making India Thyroid Aware',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (the professional organization representing practitioners of obstetrics and gynecology in India) and Abbott (multinational healthcare major) have launched <strong>&lsquo;Making India Thyroid Aware&rsquo; campaign.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Owing to low awareness,&nbsp;more and more people in India are being diagnosed with thyroid-related disorders. Therefore, this campaign aims to enhance awareness of the thyroid as a disease.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/480image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/480image2.jpg" width="330" height="199" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>Health experts caution that thyroid may be the new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-injection-for-type-2-diabetes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Diabetes.</strong></a></li>
<li>Over 10% of the local population has a thyroid problem, as compared to 8% having diabetes.</li>
<li><strong>Thyroid disease</strong> is a common problem that can cause symptoms because of over or under function of the <strong>thyroid gland.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>thyroid gland</strong> located in the front of the neck below the Adam's apple is an essential organ for producing <strong>thyroid</strong> hormones.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Common Thyroid Diseases in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hypothyroidism:</strong> Hypothyroidism, also called an underactive thyroid or low thyroid, is a disorder of the endocrine system in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>North India recorded the maximum cases of hypothyroidism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hyperthyroidism:</strong> Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) occurs when your thyroid gland <strong>produces too much of the hormone thyroxine.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hyperthyroidism can accelerate the body's metabolism, causing unintentional weight loss and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.</li>
<li>South India reported maximum cases of hyperthyroidism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Goiter and Iodine Deficiency Disorders:</strong> Goiter is an <strong>abnormal enlargement</strong> of the thyroid gland and the most common cause of goiters worldwide is a lack of iodine in the diet.</li>
<li><strong>Hashimoto's thyroiditis:</strong> Also known as <strong>chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis.</strong> It is an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/celiac-disease" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>autoimmune disease</strong></a> in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed and over time the thyroid may enlarge, forming a painless goiter.</li>
<li><strong>Thyroid cancer:</strong> Thyroid cancer occurs in the cells of the thyroid. The cause of thyroid cancer is poorly understood, but may involve a combination of <strong>genetic </strong>and<strong> environmental factors.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/is-thyroid-the-new-diabetes-when-it-comes-to-prevalence-low-awareness/article28739258.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: BL</a></strong></p>',
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