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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
New Tool to Reduce Maternal Mortality

The use of Non-pneumatic Anti- Shock garment (NASG) controls blood loss due to postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), thus saving the lives of new...

29 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Iconic Tourist Sites

The government will develop 17 “Iconic Tourist Sites” in the country as a world class tourist destinations which in turn would serve as a...

29 Jul 2019 News Analysis
India’s Demographic Dividend

29 Jul 2019 Paper 1
India’s Demographic Dividend

Context India has 62.5% of its population in the age group of 15-59 years which is ever increasing and will be at the peak around 2036 when it will...

29 Jul 2019 Paper 1
SDG Preparedness of States

Download...

27 Jul 2019 GS Paper II
Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019

This article is based on “How to make the Surrogacy Bill more inclusive?” that appeared in The Hindu on 26th July 2019, it talks about...

27 Jul 2019 News Editorials
International Charter on ‘Space and Major Disasters’

India, by virtue of being a member of the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ has received a satellite data related to the...

27 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Seed Bankers for Conserving Native Crops

A total of 1597 farmers varieties have been registered with Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority and certificates of...

27 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Elephant Undercounting

Kerala may have undercounted almost 2,700 elephants in the latest elephant census conducted in 2017. The earlier 2017 elephant census figures...

27 Jul 2019 News Analysis
Protection and Preservation of Endangered Language

The Government of India is running a scheme known as “Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages” for conservation of threatened...

27 Jul 2019 News Analysis

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			'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) 1 => [
			'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) 2 => [
			'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) 3 => [
			'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) 4 => [
			'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) 5 => [
			'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>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/rebooting-labour-reforms'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'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>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/white-tea'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'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>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-battle-groups'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'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>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/eruption-on-mount-etna'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'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>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/making-india-thyroid-aware'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'New Tool to Reduce Maternal Mortality',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The use of <strong>Non-pneumatic Anti- Shock garment (NASG)</strong> controls blood loss due to postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), thus saving the lives of new mothers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) leads to <strong>continuous and excessive bleeding.&nbsp;</strong>The rapid loss of blood because of PPH reduces the body&rsquo;s blood pressure and can even cause death.</li>
<li>The NASG applies pressure to the lower body and abdomen, thereby forcing the blood that was getting accumulated in the pelvic area to other essential organs of the body. Thus, NASG quickly <strong>stabilizes patient</strong> and gives enough time to doctors for treatment.</li>
<li>NASG is part of a local initiative named <strong>Sahara,</strong> by the district&rsquo;s development officer (Arun Mahesh Babu) of <strong>Ahmedabad district in Gujarat.</strong> The officer has started the initiative in November 2018.</li>
<li>While there were 8 maternal deaths in the district because of PPH between January and November 2018, since the introduction of this initiative there have been <strong>no PPH deaths.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A lot of mothers were <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poshan-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>anaemic</strong> </a>in the Ahmedabad district because of <strong>poor nutrition.</strong> This weakness compounds the damage caused by <strong>excessive and sudden bleeding.</strong></li>
<li>Moreover, women <strong>delivering children in rural areas</strong> are far away from district hospitals when such complications occur. Data showed that almost 30% of maternal deaths in the state were because of PPH and these primarily took place within the first 4 to 24 hours after childbirth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Today, 40 PHCs (Primary Health Care Centres) in Ahmedabad have an NASG suit each - each suit can be used 140 times - and the government has spent Rs 14,500 per suit under the <strong>Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK).</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government of India has launched Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) on 1<sup>st</sup> June, 2011.</li>
<li>It is an initiative to provide completely free and cashless services to pregnant women including normal deliveries and caesarean operations and sick newborn (up to 30 days after birth) in Government health institutions in both rural &amp; urban areas.</li>
<li>It will motivate those who still choose to deliver at their homes to opt for institutional deliveries.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/population-explosion-and-fertility-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sample Registration System</strong></a> results of 2016-17, Gujarat&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/intensified-mission-indradhanush-best-practice-in-the-world-bmj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IMR</strong></a> (per 1,000 live births) was 30 and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/laqshya-labour-room-quality-improvement-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MMR</strong></a> (per 100,000 live births) was 91 &mdash; better than the national averages but quite high for a relatively more prosperous state.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/project-sahara-in-ahmedabad-new-tool-to-help-reduce-maternal-mortality-5859399/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></strong></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-tool-to-reduce-maternal-mortality'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Iconic Tourist Sites',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The government will develop <strong>17 &ldquo;Iconic Tourist Sites&rdquo;</strong> in the country as a world <strong>class tourist destinations</strong> which in turn would serve as a model for other tourism sites.</p>
<h3>&ldquo;Iconic Tourist Sites&rdquo; Initiative</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Tourism Ministry is the nodal ministry</strong> for the implementation of the initiative.</li>
<li>The <strong>17 sites</strong> identified by the Ministry are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/asi-plan-to-conserve-taj-mahal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Taj Mahal</strong></a> and Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh),</li>
<li>Ajanta &amp; Ellora (Maharashtra),</li>
<li>Humayun&rsquo;s Tomb, Red Fort and Qutub Minar (Delhi),</li>
<li>Colva (Goa),</li>
<li>Amer Fort (Rajasthan),</li>
<li>Somnath and <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/indus-valley-civilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dholavira</strong></a> (Gujarat),</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper1/temple-architecture" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khajuraho</strong></a> (Madhya Pradesh),</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-heritage-committee-s-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hampi</a></strong> (Karnataka),</li>
<li>Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu),</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/Important%20Facts%20for%20Prelims%20(13th%20October%202018)" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kaziranga</strong></a> (Assam),</li>
<li>Kumarakom (Kerala) and</li>
<li>The Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The initiative is aimed at <strong>enhancing India&rsquo;s <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-pakistan-scope-of-soft-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soft power.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>Vision:</strong> The Ministry shall be developing the sites in a holistic manner with a focus on issues concerning connectivity to the destination, better facilities/experience for the tourists at the site, skill development, involvement of local community, promotion &amp; branding and by <strong>bringing in private investment.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Execution:</strong> The monuments taken up for development under the initiative fall under the jurisdiction of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/monuments-of-national-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)</strong></a> and State Archaeology Departments. The Ministry will carry out interventions at these monuments in collaboration with the ASI and State Government, and all development plans will have elements of universal accessibility, cleanliness at the monuments, use of Green Technology and enhanced security for the tourists.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need of the Initiative</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>latest Economic Survey,</strong></a> the <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/tourism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tourism</a></strong> sector witnessed a <strong>sharp slowdown in the year 2018.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The growth rate of&nbsp;Foreign Tourist Arrival (FTA) declined from 14.2% in 2017-18 to 2.1% in 2018-19, year on year basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Survey also showed that the Foreign Direct Investment <strong>(FDI) in hotel and tourism declined</strong> from $1,132 million in 2017-18 to $1,076 million in 2018-19.</li>
<li><strong>Low momentum under &lsquo;Adopt a Heritage&rsquo; scheme:</strong> Many of the identified monuments were opened up for adoption in late 2017 under the Ministry of Tourism&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/adopt-a-heritage-project-for-development-of-tourist-friendly-destinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Adopt a Heritage scheme.</strong></a> It seems that the momentum of the scheme has slowed down as only 11 MoUs have been signed so far. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Red Fort was adopted by the Dalmia Group, while the Qutub Minar and the Ajanta Caves were adopted by YatraOnline.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Financial Issue:</strong> The Tourism Ministry has been allocated Rs 1,378 crore for 2019-20 for the development of tourism infrastructure. This is only marginally more than the allocations in 2017-18 (Rs 1,151 crore) and 2018-19 (Rs 1,330 crore).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to <strong>strengthen the coordination mechanism</strong> of various Ministries and stakeholders to resolve issues in the promotion of tourism in the country.</li>
<li>The <strong>State governments also need to be sensitized</strong> about tourism being a major driver of employment and poverty alleviation in the country.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/iconic-tourist-sites-initiative-ministry-of-culture-5859104/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></strong></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iconic-tourist-sites'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Demographic Dividend',
			'catname' => 'Paper 1',
			'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/268India's%20Demographic Dividend (Mind Map)-03.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/268India's Demographic Dividend (Mind Map)-03.png" width="454" height="1035" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper1/indias-demographic-dividend-mindmap'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Demographic Dividend',
			'catname' => 'Paper 1',
			'desc' => '<h3>Context</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has 62.5% of its population in the <strong>age group of 15-59 years</strong> which is ever increasing and will be at the peak around 2036 when it will reach approximately 65%.</li>
<li>These population parameters indicate an availability of demographic dividend in India, which started in 2005-06 and will last till 2055-56.</li>
<li>According to <strong>Economic Survey 2018-19,</strong> India&rsquo;s Demographic Dividend will peak around 2041, when the share of working-age,i.e. <strong>20-59 years,</strong> population is expected to hit 59%.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Demographic Dividend: Definition</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to<strong> United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),</strong> demographic dividend means,<strong> "the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population&rsquo;s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and 65 and older)".</strong></li>
<li>With fewer births each year, a country&rsquo;s working-age population grows larger relative to the young dependent population. With more people in the labor force and fewer children to support, a country has a window of opportunity for economic growth if the right social and economic investments and policies are made in health, education, governance, and the economy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Demographic Dividend in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has one of the <strong>youngest populations</strong> in an aging world. By 2020, the median age in India will be just 28, compared to 37 in China and the US, 45 in Western Europe, and 49 in Japan.</li>
<li>Since 2018, India&rsquo;s working-age population (people between 15 and 64 years of age) has grown larger than the dependant population &mdash; children aged 14 or below as well as people above 65 years of age. This <strong>bulge in the working-age population</strong> is going to last till 2055, or 37 years from its beginning.</li>
<li>This transition happens largely because of a <strong>decrease in the total fertility rate</strong> (TFR, which is the number of births per woman) after the increase in life expectancy gets stabilised.</li>
<li>A study on demographic dividend in India by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) throws up two interesting facts. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> window of demographic dividend opportunity</strong> in India is available for five decades from 2005-06 to 2055-56, longer than any other country in the world.</li>
<li>This demographic dividend <strong>window is available at different times in different states</strong> because of differential behaviour of the population parameters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages Associated with Demographic Dividend</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Better economic growth</strong> brought about by increased economic activities due to higher working age population and lower dependent population. It will be channelised in following ways:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Labour Force</strong> that enhances the productivity of the economy.</li>
<li><strong>Increased fiscal space</strong> created by the demographic dividend to divert resources from spending on children to investing in physical and human infrastructure.</li>
<li><strong>Rise in women&rsquo;s workforce</strong> that naturally accompanies a decline in fertility, and which can be a new source of growth.</li>
<li><strong>Increase in savings rate,</strong> as the working age also happens to be the prime period for saving.</li>
<li>A massive shift towards a middle-class society, that is, the<strong> rise of aspirational class.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Demographic dividend has <strong>historically contributed up to 15 % of the overall growth in advanced economies.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Japan was among the first major economies to experience rapid growth because of changing population structure.</li>
<li>The country&rsquo;s demographic-dividend phase lasted from 1964 to 2004.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation</strong> because of higher number of employment seeking population that would force higher economic activities.</li>
<li><strong>Rise in workforce:</strong> With more than 65% of working age population, India will rise as an economic superpower, supplying more than half of Asia&rsquo;s potential workforce over the coming decades.</li>
<li><strong>Effective policy making:</strong> Fine-tuning the planning and implementation of schemes and programmes by factoring in population dynamics is likely to yield greater socio-economic impact and larger benefits for people.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated with Demographic Dividend</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Asymmetric demography:</strong> The growth in the working-age ratio is likely to be concentrated in some of India&rsquo;s poorest states and the demographic dividend will be fully realized <strong>only if India is able to create gainful employment opportunities</strong> for this working-age population.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of skills:</strong> Most of the new jobs that will be created in the future will be highly skilled and lack of skill in Indian workforce is a major challenge. India may not be able to take advantage of the opportunities, due to a<strong> low human capital base and lack of skills.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Low human development parameters:</strong> India ranks 130 out of 189 countries in UNDP&rsquo;s Human Development Index, which is alarming.Therefore, <strong>health and education parameters need to be improved substantially</strong> to make the Indian workforce efficient and skilled.</li>
<li><strong>Informal nature of economy in India</strong> is another hurdle in reaping the benefits of demographic transition in India.</li>
<li><strong>Jobless growth-</strong> There is mounting concern that future growth could turn out to be jobless due to de-industrialization, de-globalization, the fourth industrial revolution and technological progress. As per the <strong>NSSO Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-18, India&rsquo;s labour force participation rate for the age-group 15-59 years is around 53%, that is, around half of the working age population is jobless.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>What needs to be done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Building human capital:</strong> Investing in people through <strong>healthcare, quality education, jobs and skills</strong> helps build human capital, which is key to supporting economic growth, ending extreme poverty, and creating a more inclusive society.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Skill development</strong> to increase employability of young population. India&rsquo;s labour force needs to be empowered with the right skills for the modern economy. Government has established the <strong>National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)</strong> with the overall target of skilling/ up skilling 500 million people in India by 2022..</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong> Enhancing educational levels by properly investing in primary, secondary and higher education. India, which has almost 41% of population below the age of 20 years, can reap the demographic dividend only if with a better education system. Also, <strong>academic-industry collaboration</strong> is necessary to synchronise modern industry demands and learning levels in academics. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Establishment of <strong>Higher Education Finance Agency (HEFA)</strong> is a welcome step in this direction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Health:</strong> Improvement in healthcare infrastructure would ensure higher number of productive days for young labourforce, thus increasing the productivity of the economy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Success of schemes like <strong>Ayushman Bharat</strong> and National Health Protection scheme<strong> (NHPS)</strong> is necessary. Also nutrition level in women and children needs special care with effective implementation of <strong>Integrated Child Development</strong> (ICDS) programme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Job Creation:</strong> The nation needs to <strong>create ten million jobs per year</strong> to absorb the addition of young people into the workforce. Promoting businesses&rsquo; interests and entrepreneurship would help in job creation to provide employment to the large labourforce. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s improved ranking in the <strong>World Bank&rsquo;s Ease of Doing Business Index</strong> is a good sign.</li>
<li>Schemes like <strong>Start-up India</strong> and <strong>Make in India ,</strong> if implemented properly, would bring the desired result in the near future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Urbanisation:</strong> The large young and working population in the years to come will migrate to urban areas within their own and other States, leading to rapid and large-scale increase in urban population. How these migrating people can have access to basic amenities, health and social services in urban areas need to be the focus of urban policy planning.&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Schemes such as <strong>Smart City Mission </strong>and<strong> AMRUT</strong> needs to be effectively and carefully implemented.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is on the right side of demographic transition that provides golden opportunity for its rapid socio-economic development, if policymakers align the developmental policies with this demographic shift.</li>
<li>To reap the demographic dividend, proper investment in human capital is needed by focussing on education, skill development and healthcare facilities.</li>
<li>This demographic transition also brings complex challenges with it. If the increased workforce is not sufficiently skilled, educated and provided gainful employment, we would be facing demographic disaster instead.</li>
<li>By learning from global approaches from countries such as Japan and Korea and designing solutions considering the domestic complexities, we would be able to reap the benefits of demographic dividend.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/india-s-demographic-dividend'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'SDG Preparedness of States',
			'catname' => 'GS Paper II',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="/pdf/sustainable-development-goals-infograph-25-7-2019.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/sustainable-development-goals-infograph-25-7-2019.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-paper2/sdg-preparedness-of-states'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on &ldquo;How to make the Surrogacy Bill more inclusive?&rdquo; that appeared in The Hindu on 26<sup>th</sup> July 2019, it talks about the issues in Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019.</p>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-new-surrogacy-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019</a></strong> was introduced in the Lok Sabha with to facilitate altruistic surrogacy in the country. The government claims that regulating surrogacy will put an end to rampant commercialisation of the practice.</p>
<p>The commercialisation of surrogacy has left a lot of women from underprivileged backgrounds, who lend their wombs, in a vulnerable condition.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Features of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It provides for <strong>constitution of surrogacy boards</strong> at the national as well as state levels to ensure effective regulation.</li>
<li>It <strong>seeks to allow ethical altruistic surrogacy</strong> to the intending infertile Indian married couple between the age of 23-50 years for female and 26-55 years for male.</li>
<li><strong>Only Indian couples</strong> who have been <strong>legally married for at least 5 years</strong> would be allowed to opt for surrogacy.</li>
<li>It makes it mandatory for the couple to <strong>obtain a certificate of essentiality</strong> and also a <strong>certificate of eligibility</strong> before going ahead with surrogacy. It also provides that intending couples should not abandon the child born out of surrogacy under any condition.</li>
<li>It also stipulates a separate eligibility criterion for the surrogate mother.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The surrogate must be a close relative of the intending couple and be a married woman having a child of her own.</li>
<li>She should between the age of 25-35 years, not have been surrogate earlier and must be certifiably mentally and physically fit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the legal status of a surrogate child, the Bill states that any child born out of a surrogacy procedure shall be the biological child of the intending couple.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new born child shall be entitled to all rights and privileges that are available to a natural child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill also <strong>seeks to regulate functioning of surrogacy clinics.</strong> All surrogacy clinics in the country need to be registered by the appropriate authority in order to undertake surrogacy or its related procedures.</li>
<li>The Bill provides for various safeguards for surrogate mothers. One of them is <strong>insurance coverage</strong> for sometime to cover not only the period of pregnancy but after that also.</li>
<li>It also specifies that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pre-conception-and-pre-natal-diagnostic-techniques-pcpndt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>no sex selection</strong></a> can be done when it comes to surrogacy.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Surrogacy in India and Need for Regulation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>According to the Black&rsquo;s Law Dictionary, surrogacy means the process of carrying and delivering a child for another person.</strong></li>
<li>Thus, a surrogate mother is a woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, either from her own egg or from the implantation in her womb of a fertilized egg from another woman.</li>
<li><strong>The world's second and India's first IVF (in vitro fertilization) baby, Kanupriya alias Durga was born in Kolkata on October 3, 1978.</strong> Since then, the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has developed rapidly.</li>
<li>Increasing infertility as a medical condition is a huge impediment in the overall well- being of couples and cannot be overlooked especially in a patriarchal society like India. Herein, surrogacy comes as a supreme saviour.</li>
<li>In India, while <strong>the parents construct the child biologically, the child constructs the parents socially.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Woman in India is respected as a wife if she is the mother of a child so that her husband's masculinity and sexual potency are proved and the lineage continues.</li>
<li>That's why surrogacy in India rather being a choice but is also a compulsion in Indian society.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Low cost:</strong> Surrogacy cost in India is around 1/3rd of that in developed countries like the USA.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This had made India a favourable destination for foreign couples who look for <strong>cost-effective treatment for infertility</strong> and a whole branch of<strong> medical tourism</strong> has flourished on the surrogate practice.</li>
<li>Citing this malpractice of &ldquo;renting the womb&rdquo;, the government of India banned the surrogacy for foreign nationals in 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to all these factors surrogacy leads to<strong> commoditization of the child.</strong> Renting of the womb <strong>breaks the bond between a mother and the child, interferes with nature</strong> and in many cases leads to exploitation of both poor women and the child Born.</li>
<li><strong>Middlemen and clinics:</strong> Surrogates have been reported to be exploited by the agents or the middlemen. There has not been any process to monitor the clinics or any law to ensure that the mothers are not defrauded by the clinics or the intending couples.</li>
<li><strong>Negligence and lack of care:</strong> The surrogates mothers are not given good food or medical treatment and postpartum care are non-existent.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What are the issues related to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lok-sabha-passes-surrogacy-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019?</a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, Surrogacy in India is legitimate because no Indian law prohibits surrogacy. <strong>However, Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 seeks to prohibit commercial surrogacy and provide only for Altruistic surrogacy.</strong></li>
<li>Altruistic surrogacy includes contracting a &lsquo;close relative&rsquo; as a surrogate by a heterosexual married couple who have been childless for five years of their marriage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the Bill lacks the definition of the &lsquo;close relative&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Altruistic surrogacy vs commercial surrogacy</strong></p>
<p>Commercial surrogacy involves an agreement, which includes monetary compensation to the surrogate mother along with medical expenses associated with the pregnancy. Altruistic surrogacy focuses on providing no monetary compensation to the surrogate mother</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill specifies that the intending couples should be <strong>married Indian couples.</strong> There is no mention of Non-Resident Indians working or studying abroad who may want to come back home to have a baby.</li>
<li><strong>Exclusionary:</strong> The Bill leaves out a lot of people who might want to have a baby through surrogacy, <strong>including unmarried couples, homosexual couples and single men and women.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Having a child is a basic human right. <strong>Declaration of Human Rights 1948</strong> says, inter alia, that &ldquo;men and women of full age without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion have the right to marry and found a family&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The Judiciary in India also has recognized the reproductive right of humans as a basic right.</li>
<li><strong>If the reproductive right is basic constitution right then the right to have a child through surrogacy should also be a basic constitutional right.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill further clarifies that any form of monetary <strong>compensation or advertising about the act of surrogacy is a punishable criminal offence.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But due to this, the livelihood of poor women who are engaged in commercial surrogacy will get compromised.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a mention of regulation on &lsquo;donor eggs&rsquo; in the Surrogacy Bill, however, there is no concrete law regulating assisted reproductive technologies.</li>
<li><strong>Due to the prevalence of clandestine ART clinic, it is hard to regulate commercial surrogacy, this accompanied by prohibited commercial surrogacy will further lead to the exploitation of women.</strong></li>
<li>BIll also prohibits<strong> &lsquo;fashion surrogacy&rsquo;</strong> as only the couple who are infertile can opt for surrogacy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For surrogacy to happen, we need embryos, and embryos are cultured in various In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) laboratories. <strong>So regulation of surrogacy must be preceded by law on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).</strong></li>
<li>Rather than penalising surrogacy, the person providing a womb for surrogacy must be secured with a contract, ensuring proper, insurance and medical checks.</li>
<li>Right to privacy of donor as well as surrogate mother should be protected.</li>
<li>Surrogacy should be made inclusive for all class of people irrespective of their sexuality</li>
</ul>
<p>The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 cements the ban on commercial surrogacy, but it fails to effectively tackle the larger social, physical, psychological, emotional and economic issues that continue to challenge the welfare and safety of both the surrogate mother and the child.</p>
<p>Just the removal of the commercial aspects in the current surrogacy arrangements does not remove the chances of exploitation. So the rights of surrogate mother and child born must comprehensively be formulated, along with that ART must be regulated thoroughly.<br /><br /></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" height="95">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f2ddda;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br /><br />Just the removal of the commercial aspects in the current surrogacy arrangements does not remove the chances of exploitation. Discuss the statement in the context of recently proposed Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/surrogacy-regulation-bill-2019'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'International Charter on ‘Space and Major Disasters’',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>India, by virtue of being a member of the <strong>International Charter &lsquo;Space and Major Disasters&rsquo;</strong> has received a <strong>satellite data</strong> related to the <strong>Assam floods</strong> from other member nations including France, Russia and China.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Whenever there is a <strong>natural</strong> or <strong>man-made disaster</strong>, the <strong>National Remote Sensing Center</strong> (NRSC) and member space agencies of other countries which are a part of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters can <strong>activate</strong> the platform.</li>
<li>National Remote Sensing Center represents the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> as a member of the charter which has been set up under the <strong>UN-SPIDER</strong> (United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response).</li>
</ul>
<h3>The International Charter &lsquo;Space and Major Disasters&rsquo;</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/550image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/550image2.jpg" width="590" height="519" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>World&rsquo;s<strong> first coordinated multi-satellite</strong> operational setup for emergency response Introduced at Space Assembly (UNISPACE III) in 1999 and is Operational since Nov 1, 2000.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Purpose</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an <strong>International Agreement</strong> among<strong> Space Agencies</strong> to support with space-based data and information for relief efforts in the emergencies caused by major disasters, on humanitarian ground at <strong>no cost.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Need</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>No single space agency can provide imaging capability to meet the <strong>spatial</strong> and <strong>temporal</strong> requirements of different types of disasters.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Different space sensors (Thermal, Microwave, Optical) are required for different disasters (Fire, Floods, EQ).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Hence the need for a<strong> global system</strong> for <strong>disaster management,</strong> supported by <strong>multi-satellite</strong> and <strong>multi-imaging</strong> capabilities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Members</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently 16 global space agencies Including <strong>India&rsquo;s ISRO</strong> are it&rsquo;s members.</li>
<li>The members cooperate on a <strong>voluntary basis.</strong></li>
<li>UN-SPIDER and UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations system) are not formal members of the mechanism, but are authorized to request the activation of the mechanism on behalf of UN agencies, in countries affected by disasters.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Disasters Types Supported</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Charter addresses both:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Natural disasters</strong> like floods, earthquakes, forest fires, landslides, tsunamis, ocean storms, volcanic eruptions.</li>
<li><strong>Man made disasters</strong> like oil spills and industrial accidents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mechanism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Direct activation:</strong> Authorized Users (civil protection agencies, governmental relief organizations, or other authorities with a mandate related to disaster management) are able to request the activation of the Charter to support emergencies in their own country.</li>
<li><strong>Activation via an Authorized User on behalf of a user from another country without AU:</strong> Authorized Users can access the charter to request support for a disaster in another country with which they cooperate for relief purposes.</li>
<li><strong>Activation via the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN</a> for UN users:</strong> The Charter has an agreement with UN OOSA (Vienna) and UNITAR/UNOSAT (Geneva) to provide support to UN agencies, may submit requests on behalf of users from the United Nations.</li>
<li><strong>Activation for Asia Pacific users via Sentinel Asia:</strong> Sentinel Asia is a regional collaboration for satellite based emergency response in Asia Pacific.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/china-russia-france-share-satellite-data-on-assam-floods/article28726001.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-charter-on-space-and-major-disasters'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Seed Bankers for Conserving Native Crops',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A total of 1597 farmers varieties have been registered with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority</a> and certificates of registration have been issued.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Seed Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has established its own seed storage facility at <strong>Chang La</strong> in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.</li>
<li>It has been built jointly by the <strong>Defence Institute of High Altitude Research</strong> (DIHAR) and the <strong>National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources</strong> (NBPGR) in 2010 under the aegis of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defence Research and Development Organisation</a> (DRDO).</li>
<li>It stores over 5,000 seed accessions (one accession consists of a set of seeds of a particular species collected from different geographical and demographic locations).</li>
<li><strong>Note: Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the world&rsquo;s largest seed storage facility situated at Norway.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a nodal organisation for management of plant genetic resources in India and functions under the control of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).</li>
<li>It is conserving seed germplasm for long-term conservation (at -20&deg;C) in its National Genebank (NGB)</li>
<li>It plans, organizes, conducts and coordinates exploration and collection of indigenous and exotic plant genetic resources.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a statutory body created under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&amp;FR Act)</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Plant Genome Saviour Reward</strong> is also given by it to the farmers engaged in the conservation of genetic resources of landraces and wild relatives of economic plants and their improvement.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Objectives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Establishment of an effective system for the protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders and to encourage the development of new varieties of plants.</li>
<li>Recognition and protection of the rights of farmers in respect to their contribution in conserving, improving and making available plant genetic resources for the development of new plant varieties.</li>
<li>Accelerate agricultural development in the country by stimulation of investment for research and development both in public and private sector.</li>
<li>Facilitate growth of seed industry to ensure the availability of quality seeds and planting material to the farmers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&amp;FR Act)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been enacted to fulfill India&rsquo;s obligation under the agreement on <strong>Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) of the World Trade Organization</strong> as also to stimulate investment in Research and Development for the development of new plant varieties which will facilitate the growth of the seed industry and ensure the availability of high quality seeds to the farmers.</li>
<li>The Protection of Plant Varieties &amp; Farmers&rsquo; Rights Act, 2001 provides for the establishment of an effective system for the protection of plant breeders&rsquo; rights.</li>
<li>According to section 39 of the Act, farmers are allowed to save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share and even sell farm produce including seed of a protected variety. But when it is sold, it cannot be packaged and branded as such.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1580435" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Elephant Undercounting',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Kerala may have undercounted almost 2,700 elephants in the latest elephant census conducted in 2017.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The earlier 2017 elephant census figures indicated that Kerala had only 3,054 elephants whereas, recent number showed Kerala as having 5,706 elephants.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/696image2.webp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/970image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/970image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="320" height="365" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Elephant census, is conducted <strong>once in 5 years</strong> under the aegis of <strong>Project elephant.</strong></li>
<li>A scientist associated with the census are of the view that discrepancy had resulted from Kerala&rsquo;s insistence in 2017 on using a technique called the &lsquo;direct count&rsquo; method.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Elephant Counting Methods Employed in Census</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The direct counting method</strong> is based on sightings of elephants.</li>
<li><strong>The indirect counting method</strong> uses the elephant elephant <strong>&lsquo;dung decay&rsquo;</strong> formula, in which the analysis of dung is used to estimate the population of the elephant.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Project Elephant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Project Elephant (PE), is a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>centrally sponsored scheme,</strong></a> and was launched in February 1992 for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/electrocution-of-elephants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>protection of elephants,</strong></a> their habitats and corridors.</li>
<li>It also seeks to address the issues of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/daily-updates-news-editorials-the-high-cost-of-man-animal-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>human-wildlife conflict</strong></a> and welfare of domesticated elephants.</li>
<li><strong>The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> provides the <strong>financial </strong>and <strong>technical support</strong> to major elephant range states in the country through Project Elephant.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kerala-may-have-undercounted-jumbos/article28726037.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Protection and Preservation of Endangered Language',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Government of India is running a scheme known as &ldquo;Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages&rdquo; for conservation of threatened languages.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the census 1961, India has around 1652 languages. But by 1971, only 808 languages were left.</li>
<li>According to the <strong>People&rsquo;s Linguistic Survey of India 2013,</strong> around 220 languages has been lost in the last 50 years and 197 has been categorised as <strong>Endangered.</strong></li>
<li>Government of India currently defines a language as one that is <strong>marked by a script</strong> and effectively neutering oral languages. Therefore, government recognizes <strong>122 languages</strong> which is far lower than the 780 counted by the <strong>People's Linguistic Survey of India</strong> (along with a further 100 suspected to exist).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This discrepancy is caused primarily because <strong>Government of India</strong> doesn't recognise any language with less than <strong>10,000 speakers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the criteria adopted by the <strong>UNESCO,</strong> a language becomes extinct when nobody speaks or remembers the language. The UNESCO has categorized languages on basis of endangerment as follows:-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulnerable</li>
<li>Definitely Endangered</li>
<li>Severely Endangered</li>
<li>Critically Endangered</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>UNESCO has recognised 42 Indian languages as Critically Endangered.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Causes For Decline</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GOI does not recognize languages with less than 10,000 speakers</li>
<li>In and out migration of communities which leads to dispersal of traditional settlement.</li>
<li>Changing employment pattern which favours majority language.</li>
<li>Changes in social and cultural values.</li>
<li>Growth of &ldquo;individualism&rdquo;, which puts self interest over that of community.</li>
<li>Encroachment of materialism in traditional communities allowing spiritual, moral and ethical values being overshadowed by consumerism.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What needs to be done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proven method to ensure the survival of language is the development of schools that teach in languages of minority (tribal languages) which enables the speakers to preserve and enrich the language.</li>
<li>A vast digital project - on the lines of Project Tiger - for preserving and growing India's endangered languages must be launched.</li>
<li>Audio-visual documentation of the important aspects of such language - like storytelling, folk literature and history.</li>
<li>Existing work from groundbreaking initiatives like Global Language Hotspots can be used to enhance such documentation efforts.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was instituted by <strong>Ministry of Human Resource Development</strong> (Government of India) in 2013.</li>
<li>The sole objective of the Scheme is to document and archive the country&rsquo;s languages that have become endangered or likely to be endangered in the near future.</li>
<li>The scheme is monitored by <strong>Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)</strong> located in Mysuru, Karnataka.</li>
<li>University Grants Commission (UGC) provides financial assistance for creation of centres for endangered languages at Central and State Universities to undertake research projects.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) was established in 1969.</li>
<li>It is under the administrative control of <strong>Ministry of Human Resource Development.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Purpose</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To coordinate the development of Indian Language.</li>
<li>To bring about the essential unity of Indian languages through scientific studies.</li>
<li>Promote interdisciplinary research.</li>
<li>Contribute to mutual enrichment of languages and contribute towards emotional integration of the people of India.</li>
<li>protects and documents minor, minority and tribal languages.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1579890" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'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>',
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	(int) 1 => [
		'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) 2 => [
		'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) 3 => [
		'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) 4 => [
		'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) 5 => [
		'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>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/rebooting-labour-reforms'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'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>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/white-tea'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'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>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-battle-groups'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'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>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/eruption-on-mount-etna'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'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>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/making-india-thyroid-aware'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'New Tool to Reduce Maternal Mortality',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The use of <strong>Non-pneumatic Anti- Shock garment (NASG)</strong> controls blood loss due to postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), thus saving the lives of new mothers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) leads to <strong>continuous and excessive bleeding.&nbsp;</strong>The rapid loss of blood because of PPH reduces the body&rsquo;s blood pressure and can even cause death.</li>
<li>The NASG applies pressure to the lower body and abdomen, thereby forcing the blood that was getting accumulated in the pelvic area to other essential organs of the body. Thus, NASG quickly <strong>stabilizes patient</strong> and gives enough time to doctors for treatment.</li>
<li>NASG is part of a local initiative named <strong>Sahara,</strong> by the district&rsquo;s development officer (Arun Mahesh Babu) of <strong>Ahmedabad district in Gujarat.</strong> The officer has started the initiative in November 2018.</li>
<li>While there were 8 maternal deaths in the district because of PPH between January and November 2018, since the introduction of this initiative there have been <strong>no PPH deaths.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A lot of mothers were <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poshan-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>anaemic</strong> </a>in the Ahmedabad district because of <strong>poor nutrition.</strong> This weakness compounds the damage caused by <strong>excessive and sudden bleeding.</strong></li>
<li>Moreover, women <strong>delivering children in rural areas</strong> are far away from district hospitals when such complications occur. Data showed that almost 30% of maternal deaths in the state were because of PPH and these primarily took place within the first 4 to 24 hours after childbirth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Today, 40 PHCs (Primary Health Care Centres) in Ahmedabad have an NASG suit each - each suit can be used 140 times - and the government has spent Rs 14,500 per suit under the <strong>Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK).</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Government of India has launched Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) on 1<sup>st</sup> June, 2011.</li>
<li>It is an initiative to provide completely free and cashless services to pregnant women including normal deliveries and caesarean operations and sick newborn (up to 30 days after birth) in Government health institutions in both rural &amp; urban areas.</li>
<li>It will motivate those who still choose to deliver at their homes to opt for institutional deliveries.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/population-explosion-and-fertility-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sample Registration System</strong></a> results of 2016-17, Gujarat&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/intensified-mission-indradhanush-best-practice-in-the-world-bmj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IMR</strong></a> (per 1,000 live births) was 30 and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/laqshya-labour-room-quality-improvement-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MMR</strong></a> (per 100,000 live births) was 91 &mdash; better than the national averages but quite high for a relatively more prosperous state.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/project-sahara-in-ahmedabad-new-tool-to-help-reduce-maternal-mortality-5859399/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></strong></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-tool-to-reduce-maternal-mortality'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Iconic Tourist Sites',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The government will develop <strong>17 &ldquo;Iconic Tourist Sites&rdquo;</strong> in the country as a world <strong>class tourist destinations</strong> which in turn would serve as a model for other tourism sites.</p>
<h3>&ldquo;Iconic Tourist Sites&rdquo; Initiative</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Tourism Ministry is the nodal ministry</strong> for the implementation of the initiative.</li>
<li>The <strong>17 sites</strong> identified by the Ministry are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/asi-plan-to-conserve-taj-mahal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Taj Mahal</strong></a> and Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh),</li>
<li>Ajanta &amp; Ellora (Maharashtra),</li>
<li>Humayun&rsquo;s Tomb, Red Fort and Qutub Minar (Delhi),</li>
<li>Colva (Goa),</li>
<li>Amer Fort (Rajasthan),</li>
<li>Somnath and <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/indus-valley-civilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dholavira</strong></a> (Gujarat),</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper1/temple-architecture" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khajuraho</strong></a> (Madhya Pradesh),</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-heritage-committee-s-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hampi</a></strong> (Karnataka),</li>
<li>Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu),</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/Important%20Facts%20for%20Prelims%20(13th%20October%202018)" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kaziranga</strong></a> (Assam),</li>
<li>Kumarakom (Kerala) and</li>
<li>The Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The initiative is aimed at <strong>enhancing India&rsquo;s <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-pakistan-scope-of-soft-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soft power.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>Vision:</strong> The Ministry shall be developing the sites in a holistic manner with a focus on issues concerning connectivity to the destination, better facilities/experience for the tourists at the site, skill development, involvement of local community, promotion &amp; branding and by <strong>bringing in private investment.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Execution:</strong> The monuments taken up for development under the initiative fall under the jurisdiction of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/monuments-of-national-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)</strong></a> and State Archaeology Departments. The Ministry will carry out interventions at these monuments in collaboration with the ASI and State Government, and all development plans will have elements of universal accessibility, cleanliness at the monuments, use of Green Technology and enhanced security for the tourists.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need of the Initiative</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As per the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/highlights-of-economic-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>latest Economic Survey,</strong></a> the <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/tourism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tourism</a></strong> sector witnessed a <strong>sharp slowdown in the year 2018.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The growth rate of&nbsp;Foreign Tourist Arrival (FTA) declined from 14.2% in 2017-18 to 2.1% in 2018-19, year on year basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Survey also showed that the Foreign Direct Investment <strong>(FDI) in hotel and tourism declined</strong> from $1,132 million in 2017-18 to $1,076 million in 2018-19.</li>
<li><strong>Low momentum under &lsquo;Adopt a Heritage&rsquo; scheme:</strong> Many of the identified monuments were opened up for adoption in late 2017 under the Ministry of Tourism&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/adopt-a-heritage-project-for-development-of-tourist-friendly-destinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Adopt a Heritage scheme.</strong></a> It seems that the momentum of the scheme has slowed down as only 11 MoUs have been signed so far. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Red Fort was adopted by the Dalmia Group, while the Qutub Minar and the Ajanta Caves were adopted by YatraOnline.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Financial Issue:</strong> The Tourism Ministry has been allocated Rs 1,378 crore for 2019-20 for the development of tourism infrastructure. This is only marginally more than the allocations in 2017-18 (Rs 1,151 crore) and 2018-19 (Rs 1,330 crore).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need to <strong>strengthen the coordination mechanism</strong> of various Ministries and stakeholders to resolve issues in the promotion of tourism in the country.</li>
<li>The <strong>State governments also need to be sensitized</strong> about tourism being a major driver of employment and poverty alleviation in the country.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/iconic-tourist-sites-initiative-ministry-of-culture-5859104/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></strong></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iconic-tourist-sites'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Demographic Dividend',
		'catname' => 'Paper 1',
		'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/268India's%20Demographic Dividend (Mind Map)-03.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/268India's Demographic Dividend (Mind Map)-03.png" width="454" height="1035" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper1/indias-demographic-dividend-mindmap'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Demographic Dividend',
		'catname' => 'Paper 1',
		'desc' => '<h3>Context</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has 62.5% of its population in the <strong>age group of 15-59 years</strong> which is ever increasing and will be at the peak around 2036 when it will reach approximately 65%.</li>
<li>These population parameters indicate an availability of demographic dividend in India, which started in 2005-06 and will last till 2055-56.</li>
<li>According to <strong>Economic Survey 2018-19,</strong> India&rsquo;s Demographic Dividend will peak around 2041, when the share of working-age,i.e. <strong>20-59 years,</strong> population is expected to hit 59%.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Demographic Dividend: Definition</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to<strong> United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),</strong> demographic dividend means,<strong> "the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population&rsquo;s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and 65 and older)".</strong></li>
<li>With fewer births each year, a country&rsquo;s working-age population grows larger relative to the young dependent population. With more people in the labor force and fewer children to support, a country has a window of opportunity for economic growth if the right social and economic investments and policies are made in health, education, governance, and the economy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Demographic Dividend in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has one of the <strong>youngest populations</strong> in an aging world. By 2020, the median age in India will be just 28, compared to 37 in China and the US, 45 in Western Europe, and 49 in Japan.</li>
<li>Since 2018, India&rsquo;s working-age population (people between 15 and 64 years of age) has grown larger than the dependant population &mdash; children aged 14 or below as well as people above 65 years of age. This <strong>bulge in the working-age population</strong> is going to last till 2055, or 37 years from its beginning.</li>
<li>This transition happens largely because of a <strong>decrease in the total fertility rate</strong> (TFR, which is the number of births per woman) after the increase in life expectancy gets stabilised.</li>
<li>A study on demographic dividend in India by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) throws up two interesting facts. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> window of demographic dividend opportunity</strong> in India is available for five decades from 2005-06 to 2055-56, longer than any other country in the world.</li>
<li>This demographic dividend <strong>window is available at different times in different states</strong> because of differential behaviour of the population parameters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Advantages Associated with Demographic Dividend</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Better economic growth</strong> brought about by increased economic activities due to higher working age population and lower dependent population. It will be channelised in following ways:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increased Labour Force</strong> that enhances the productivity of the economy.</li>
<li><strong>Increased fiscal space</strong> created by the demographic dividend to divert resources from spending on children to investing in physical and human infrastructure.</li>
<li><strong>Rise in women&rsquo;s workforce</strong> that naturally accompanies a decline in fertility, and which can be a new source of growth.</li>
<li><strong>Increase in savings rate,</strong> as the working age also happens to be the prime period for saving.</li>
<li>A massive shift towards a middle-class society, that is, the<strong> rise of aspirational class.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Demographic dividend has <strong>historically contributed up to 15 % of the overall growth in advanced economies.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Japan was among the first major economies to experience rapid growth because of changing population structure.</li>
<li>The country&rsquo;s demographic-dividend phase lasted from 1964 to 2004.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation</strong> because of higher number of employment seeking population that would force higher economic activities.</li>
<li><strong>Rise in workforce:</strong> With more than 65% of working age population, India will rise as an economic superpower, supplying more than half of Asia&rsquo;s potential workforce over the coming decades.</li>
<li><strong>Effective policy making:</strong> Fine-tuning the planning and implementation of schemes and programmes by factoring in population dynamics is likely to yield greater socio-economic impact and larger benefits for people.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated with Demographic Dividend</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Asymmetric demography:</strong> The growth in the working-age ratio is likely to be concentrated in some of India&rsquo;s poorest states and the demographic dividend will be fully realized <strong>only if India is able to create gainful employment opportunities</strong> for this working-age population.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of skills:</strong> Most of the new jobs that will be created in the future will be highly skilled and lack of skill in Indian workforce is a major challenge. India may not be able to take advantage of the opportunities, due to a<strong> low human capital base and lack of skills.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Low human development parameters:</strong> India ranks 130 out of 189 countries in UNDP&rsquo;s Human Development Index, which is alarming.Therefore, <strong>health and education parameters need to be improved substantially</strong> to make the Indian workforce efficient and skilled.</li>
<li><strong>Informal nature of economy in India</strong> is another hurdle in reaping the benefits of demographic transition in India.</li>
<li><strong>Jobless growth-</strong> There is mounting concern that future growth could turn out to be jobless due to de-industrialization, de-globalization, the fourth industrial revolution and technological progress. As per the <strong>NSSO Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-18, India&rsquo;s labour force participation rate for the age-group 15-59 years is around 53%, that is, around half of the working age population is jobless.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>What needs to be done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Building human capital:</strong> Investing in people through <strong>healthcare, quality education, jobs and skills</strong> helps build human capital, which is key to supporting economic growth, ending extreme poverty, and creating a more inclusive society.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Skill development</strong> to increase employability of young population. India&rsquo;s labour force needs to be empowered with the right skills for the modern economy. Government has established the <strong>National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)</strong> with the overall target of skilling/ up skilling 500 million people in India by 2022..</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong> Enhancing educational levels by properly investing in primary, secondary and higher education. India, which has almost 41% of population below the age of 20 years, can reap the demographic dividend only if with a better education system. Also, <strong>academic-industry collaboration</strong> is necessary to synchronise modern industry demands and learning levels in academics. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Establishment of <strong>Higher Education Finance Agency (HEFA)</strong> is a welcome step in this direction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Health:</strong> Improvement in healthcare infrastructure would ensure higher number of productive days for young labourforce, thus increasing the productivity of the economy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Success of schemes like <strong>Ayushman Bharat</strong> and National Health Protection scheme<strong> (NHPS)</strong> is necessary. Also nutrition level in women and children needs special care with effective implementation of <strong>Integrated Child Development</strong> (ICDS) programme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Job Creation:</strong> The nation needs to <strong>create ten million jobs per year</strong> to absorb the addition of young people into the workforce. Promoting businesses&rsquo; interests and entrepreneurship would help in job creation to provide employment to the large labourforce. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s improved ranking in the <strong>World Bank&rsquo;s Ease of Doing Business Index</strong> is a good sign.</li>
<li>Schemes like <strong>Start-up India</strong> and <strong>Make in India ,</strong> if implemented properly, would bring the desired result in the near future.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Urbanisation:</strong> The large young and working population in the years to come will migrate to urban areas within their own and other States, leading to rapid and large-scale increase in urban population. How these migrating people can have access to basic amenities, health and social services in urban areas need to be the focus of urban policy planning.&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Schemes such as <strong>Smart City Mission </strong>and<strong> AMRUT</strong> needs to be effectively and carefully implemented.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is on the right side of demographic transition that provides golden opportunity for its rapid socio-economic development, if policymakers align the developmental policies with this demographic shift.</li>
<li>To reap the demographic dividend, proper investment in human capital is needed by focussing on education, skill development and healthcare facilities.</li>
<li>This demographic transition also brings complex challenges with it. If the increased workforce is not sufficiently skilled, educated and provided gainful employment, we would be facing demographic disaster instead.</li>
<li>By learning from global approaches from countries such as Japan and Korea and designing solutions considering the domestic complexities, we would be able to reap the benefits of demographic dividend.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/india-s-demographic-dividend'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'SDG Preparedness of States',
		'catname' => 'GS Paper II',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="/pdf/sustainable-development-goals-infograph-25-7-2019.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/sustainable-development-goals-infograph-25-7-2019.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-paper2/sdg-preparedness-of-states'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on &ldquo;How to make the Surrogacy Bill more inclusive?&rdquo; that appeared in The Hindu on 26<sup>th</sup> July 2019, it talks about the issues in Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019.</p>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-new-surrogacy-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019</a></strong> was introduced in the Lok Sabha with to facilitate altruistic surrogacy in the country. The government claims that regulating surrogacy will put an end to rampant commercialisation of the practice.</p>
<p>The commercialisation of surrogacy has left a lot of women from underprivileged backgrounds, who lend their wombs, in a vulnerable condition.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Features of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It provides for <strong>constitution of surrogacy boards</strong> at the national as well as state levels to ensure effective regulation.</li>
<li>It <strong>seeks to allow ethical altruistic surrogacy</strong> to the intending infertile Indian married couple between the age of 23-50 years for female and 26-55 years for male.</li>
<li><strong>Only Indian couples</strong> who have been <strong>legally married for at least 5 years</strong> would be allowed to opt for surrogacy.</li>
<li>It makes it mandatory for the couple to <strong>obtain a certificate of essentiality</strong> and also a <strong>certificate of eligibility</strong> before going ahead with surrogacy. It also provides that intending couples should not abandon the child born out of surrogacy under any condition.</li>
<li>It also stipulates a separate eligibility criterion for the surrogate mother.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The surrogate must be a close relative of the intending couple and be a married woman having a child of her own.</li>
<li>She should between the age of 25-35 years, not have been surrogate earlier and must be certifiably mentally and physically fit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the legal status of a surrogate child, the Bill states that any child born out of a surrogacy procedure shall be the biological child of the intending couple.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new born child shall be entitled to all rights and privileges that are available to a natural child.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill also <strong>seeks to regulate functioning of surrogacy clinics.</strong> All surrogacy clinics in the country need to be registered by the appropriate authority in order to undertake surrogacy or its related procedures.</li>
<li>The Bill provides for various safeguards for surrogate mothers. One of them is <strong>insurance coverage</strong> for sometime to cover not only the period of pregnancy but after that also.</li>
<li>It also specifies that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pre-conception-and-pre-natal-diagnostic-techniques-pcpndt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>no sex selection</strong></a> can be done when it comes to surrogacy.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Surrogacy in India and Need for Regulation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>According to the Black&rsquo;s Law Dictionary, surrogacy means the process of carrying and delivering a child for another person.</strong></li>
<li>Thus, a surrogate mother is a woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, either from her own egg or from the implantation in her womb of a fertilized egg from another woman.</li>
<li><strong>The world's second and India's first IVF (in vitro fertilization) baby, Kanupriya alias Durga was born in Kolkata on October 3, 1978.</strong> Since then, the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has developed rapidly.</li>
<li>Increasing infertility as a medical condition is a huge impediment in the overall well- being of couples and cannot be overlooked especially in a patriarchal society like India. Herein, surrogacy comes as a supreme saviour.</li>
<li>In India, while <strong>the parents construct the child biologically, the child constructs the parents socially.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Woman in India is respected as a wife if she is the mother of a child so that her husband's masculinity and sexual potency are proved and the lineage continues.</li>
<li>That's why surrogacy in India rather being a choice but is also a compulsion in Indian society.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Low cost:</strong> Surrogacy cost in India is around 1/3rd of that in developed countries like the USA.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This had made India a favourable destination for foreign couples who look for <strong>cost-effective treatment for infertility</strong> and a whole branch of<strong> medical tourism</strong> has flourished on the surrogate practice.</li>
<li>Citing this malpractice of &ldquo;renting the womb&rdquo;, the government of India banned the surrogacy for foreign nationals in 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Due to all these factors surrogacy leads to<strong> commoditization of the child.</strong> Renting of the womb <strong>breaks the bond between a mother and the child, interferes with nature</strong> and in many cases leads to exploitation of both poor women and the child Born.</li>
<li><strong>Middlemen and clinics:</strong> Surrogates have been reported to be exploited by the agents or the middlemen. There has not been any process to monitor the clinics or any law to ensure that the mothers are not defrauded by the clinics or the intending couples.</li>
<li><strong>Negligence and lack of care:</strong> The surrogates mothers are not given good food or medical treatment and postpartum care are non-existent.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What are the issues related to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lok-sabha-passes-surrogacy-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019?</a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently, Surrogacy in India is legitimate because no Indian law prohibits surrogacy. <strong>However, Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 seeks to prohibit commercial surrogacy and provide only for Altruistic surrogacy.</strong></li>
<li>Altruistic surrogacy includes contracting a &lsquo;close relative&rsquo; as a surrogate by a heterosexual married couple who have been childless for five years of their marriage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the Bill lacks the definition of the &lsquo;close relative&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Altruistic surrogacy vs commercial surrogacy</strong></p>
<p>Commercial surrogacy involves an agreement, which includes monetary compensation to the surrogate mother along with medical expenses associated with the pregnancy. Altruistic surrogacy focuses on providing no monetary compensation to the surrogate mother</p>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill specifies that the intending couples should be <strong>married Indian couples.</strong> There is no mention of Non-Resident Indians working or studying abroad who may want to come back home to have a baby.</li>
<li><strong>Exclusionary:</strong> The Bill leaves out a lot of people who might want to have a baby through surrogacy, <strong>including unmarried couples, homosexual couples and single men and women.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Having a child is a basic human right. <strong>Declaration of Human Rights 1948</strong> says, inter alia, that &ldquo;men and women of full age without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion have the right to marry and found a family&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The Judiciary in India also has recognized the reproductive right of humans as a basic right.</li>
<li><strong>If the reproductive right is basic constitution right then the right to have a child through surrogacy should also be a basic constitutional right.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Bill further clarifies that any form of monetary <strong>compensation or advertising about the act of surrogacy is a punishable criminal offence.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But due to this, the livelihood of poor women who are engaged in commercial surrogacy will get compromised.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a mention of regulation on &lsquo;donor eggs&rsquo; in the Surrogacy Bill, however, there is no concrete law regulating assisted reproductive technologies.</li>
<li><strong>Due to the prevalence of clandestine ART clinic, it is hard to regulate commercial surrogacy, this accompanied by prohibited commercial surrogacy will further lead to the exploitation of women.</strong></li>
<li>BIll also prohibits<strong> &lsquo;fashion surrogacy&rsquo;</strong> as only the couple who are infertile can opt for surrogacy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For surrogacy to happen, we need embryos, and embryos are cultured in various In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) laboratories. <strong>So regulation of surrogacy must be preceded by law on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).</strong></li>
<li>Rather than penalising surrogacy, the person providing a womb for surrogacy must be secured with a contract, ensuring proper, insurance and medical checks.</li>
<li>Right to privacy of donor as well as surrogate mother should be protected.</li>
<li>Surrogacy should be made inclusive for all class of people irrespective of their sexuality</li>
</ul>
<p>The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 cements the ban on commercial surrogacy, but it fails to effectively tackle the larger social, physical, psychological, emotional and economic issues that continue to challenge the welfare and safety of both the surrogate mother and the child.</p>
<p>Just the removal of the commercial aspects in the current surrogacy arrangements does not remove the chances of exploitation. So the rights of surrogate mother and child born must comprehensively be formulated, along with that ART must be regulated thoroughly.<br /><br /></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" height="95">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f2ddda;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><strong>Drishti input</strong></em></span><br /><br />Just the removal of the commercial aspects in the current surrogacy arrangements does not remove the chances of exploitation. Discuss the statement in the context of recently proposed Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/surrogacy-regulation-bill-2019'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'International Charter on ‘Space and Major Disasters’',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>India, by virtue of being a member of the <strong>International Charter &lsquo;Space and Major Disasters&rsquo;</strong> has received a <strong>satellite data</strong> related to the <strong>Assam floods</strong> from other member nations including France, Russia and China.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Whenever there is a <strong>natural</strong> or <strong>man-made disaster</strong>, the <strong>National Remote Sensing Center</strong> (NRSC) and member space agencies of other countries which are a part of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters can <strong>activate</strong> the platform.</li>
<li>National Remote Sensing Center represents the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a> as a member of the charter which has been set up under the <strong>UN-SPIDER</strong> (United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response).</li>
</ul>
<h3>The International Charter &lsquo;Space and Major Disasters&rsquo;</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/550image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/550image2.jpg" width="590" height="519" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>World&rsquo;s<strong> first coordinated multi-satellite</strong> operational setup for emergency response Introduced at Space Assembly (UNISPACE III) in 1999 and is Operational since Nov 1, 2000.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Purpose</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is an <strong>International Agreement</strong> among<strong> Space Agencies</strong> to support with space-based data and information for relief efforts in the emergencies caused by major disasters, on humanitarian ground at <strong>no cost.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Need</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>No single space agency can provide imaging capability to meet the <strong>spatial</strong> and <strong>temporal</strong> requirements of different types of disasters.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Different space sensors (Thermal, Microwave, Optical) are required for different disasters (Fire, Floods, EQ).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Hence the need for a<strong> global system</strong> for <strong>disaster management,</strong> supported by <strong>multi-satellite</strong> and <strong>multi-imaging</strong> capabilities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Members</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Currently 16 global space agencies Including <strong>India&rsquo;s ISRO</strong> are it&rsquo;s members.</li>
<li>The members cooperate on a <strong>voluntary basis.</strong></li>
<li>UN-SPIDER and UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations system) are not formal members of the mechanism, but are authorized to request the activation of the mechanism on behalf of UN agencies, in countries affected by disasters.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Disasters Types Supported</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Charter addresses both:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Natural disasters</strong> like floods, earthquakes, forest fires, landslides, tsunamis, ocean storms, volcanic eruptions.</li>
<li><strong>Man made disasters</strong> like oil spills and industrial accidents.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mechanism</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Direct activation:</strong> Authorized Users (civil protection agencies, governmental relief organizations, or other authorities with a mandate related to disaster management) are able to request the activation of the Charter to support emergencies in their own country.</li>
<li><strong>Activation via an Authorized User on behalf of a user from another country without AU:</strong> Authorized Users can access the charter to request support for a disaster in another country with which they cooperate for relief purposes.</li>
<li><strong>Activation via the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN</a> for UN users:</strong> The Charter has an agreement with UN OOSA (Vienna) and UNITAR/UNOSAT (Geneva) to provide support to UN agencies, may submit requests on behalf of users from the United Nations.</li>
<li><strong>Activation for Asia Pacific users via Sentinel Asia:</strong> Sentinel Asia is a regional collaboration for satellite based emergency response in Asia Pacific.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/china-russia-france-share-satellite-data-on-assam-floods/article28726001.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-charter-on-space-and-major-disasters'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Seed Bankers for Conserving Native Crops',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A total of 1597 farmers varieties have been registered with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority</a> and certificates of registration have been issued.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Seed Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has established its own seed storage facility at <strong>Chang La</strong> in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.</li>
<li>It has been built jointly by the <strong>Defence Institute of High Altitude Research</strong> (DIHAR) and the <strong>National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources</strong> (NBPGR) in 2010 under the aegis of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defence Research and Development Organisation</a> (DRDO).</li>
<li>It stores over 5,000 seed accessions (one accession consists of a set of seeds of a particular species collected from different geographical and demographic locations).</li>
<li><strong>Note: Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the world&rsquo;s largest seed storage facility situated at Norway.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a nodal organisation for management of plant genetic resources in India and functions under the control of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).</li>
<li>It is conserving seed germplasm for long-term conservation (at -20&deg;C) in its National Genebank (NGB)</li>
<li>It plans, organizes, conducts and coordinates exploration and collection of indigenous and exotic plant genetic resources.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a statutory body created under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pepsico-sues-potato-farmers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&amp;FR Act)</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Plant Genome Saviour Reward</strong> is also given by it to the farmers engaged in the conservation of genetic resources of landraces and wild relatives of economic plants and their improvement.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Objectives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Establishment of an effective system for the protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders and to encourage the development of new varieties of plants.</li>
<li>Recognition and protection of the rights of farmers in respect to their contribution in conserving, improving and making available plant genetic resources for the development of new plant varieties.</li>
<li>Accelerate agricultural development in the country by stimulation of investment for research and development both in public and private sector.</li>
<li>Facilitate growth of seed industry to ensure the availability of quality seeds and planting material to the farmers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&amp;FR Act)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been enacted to fulfill India&rsquo;s obligation under the agreement on <strong>Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) of the World Trade Organization</strong> as also to stimulate investment in Research and Development for the development of new plant varieties which will facilitate the growth of the seed industry and ensure the availability of high quality seeds to the farmers.</li>
<li>The Protection of Plant Varieties &amp; Farmers&rsquo; Rights Act, 2001 provides for the establishment of an effective system for the protection of plant breeders&rsquo; rights.</li>
<li>According to section 39 of the Act, farmers are allowed to save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share and even sell farm produce including seed of a protected variety. But when it is sold, it cannot be packaged and branded as such.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1580435" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/seed-bankers-for-conserving-native-crops'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Elephant Undercounting',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Kerala may have undercounted almost 2,700 elephants in the latest elephant census conducted in 2017.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The earlier 2017 elephant census figures indicated that Kerala had only 3,054 elephants whereas, recent number showed Kerala as having 5,706 elephants.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/696image2.webp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/970image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/970image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="320" height="365" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Elephant census, is conducted <strong>once in 5 years</strong> under the aegis of <strong>Project elephant.</strong></li>
<li>A scientist associated with the census are of the view that discrepancy had resulted from Kerala&rsquo;s insistence in 2017 on using a technique called the &lsquo;direct count&rsquo; method.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Elephant Counting Methods Employed in Census</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The direct counting method</strong> is based on sightings of elephants.</li>
<li><strong>The indirect counting method</strong> uses the elephant elephant <strong>&lsquo;dung decay&rsquo;</strong> formula, in which the analysis of dung is used to estimate the population of the elephant.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Project Elephant</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Project Elephant (PE), is a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>centrally sponsored scheme,</strong></a> and was launched in February 1992 for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/electrocution-of-elephants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>protection of elephants,</strong></a> their habitats and corridors.</li>
<li>It also seeks to address the issues of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/daily-updates-news-editorials-the-high-cost-of-man-animal-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>human-wildlife conflict</strong></a> and welfare of domesticated elephants.</li>
<li><strong>The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> provides the <strong>financial </strong>and <strong>technical support</strong> to major elephant range states in the country through Project Elephant.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kerala-may-have-undercounted-jumbos/article28726037.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/elephant-undercounting'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Protection and Preservation of Endangered Language',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Government of India is running a scheme known as &ldquo;Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages&rdquo; for conservation of threatened languages.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the census 1961, India has around 1652 languages. But by 1971, only 808 languages were left.</li>
<li>According to the <strong>People&rsquo;s Linguistic Survey of India 2013,</strong> around 220 languages has been lost in the last 50 years and 197 has been categorised as <strong>Endangered.</strong></li>
<li>Government of India currently defines a language as one that is <strong>marked by a script</strong> and effectively neutering oral languages. Therefore, government recognizes <strong>122 languages</strong> which is far lower than the 780 counted by the <strong>People's Linguistic Survey of India</strong> (along with a further 100 suspected to exist).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This discrepancy is caused primarily because <strong>Government of India</strong> doesn't recognise any language with less than <strong>10,000 speakers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the criteria adopted by the <strong>UNESCO,</strong> a language becomes extinct when nobody speaks or remembers the language. The UNESCO has categorized languages on basis of endangerment as follows:-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulnerable</li>
<li>Definitely Endangered</li>
<li>Severely Endangered</li>
<li>Critically Endangered</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>UNESCO has recognised 42 Indian languages as Critically Endangered.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Causes For Decline</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>GOI does not recognize languages with less than 10,000 speakers</li>
<li>In and out migration of communities which leads to dispersal of traditional settlement.</li>
<li>Changing employment pattern which favours majority language.</li>
<li>Changes in social and cultural values.</li>
<li>Growth of &ldquo;individualism&rdquo;, which puts self interest over that of community.</li>
<li>Encroachment of materialism in traditional communities allowing spiritual, moral and ethical values being overshadowed by consumerism.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What needs to be done?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The proven method to ensure the survival of language is the development of schools that teach in languages of minority (tribal languages) which enables the speakers to preserve and enrich the language.</li>
<li>A vast digital project - on the lines of Project Tiger - for preserving and growing India's endangered languages must be launched.</li>
<li>Audio-visual documentation of the important aspects of such language - like storytelling, folk literature and history.</li>
<li>Existing work from groundbreaking initiatives like Global Language Hotspots can be used to enhance such documentation efforts.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was instituted by <strong>Ministry of Human Resource Development</strong> (Government of India) in 2013.</li>
<li>The sole objective of the Scheme is to document and archive the country&rsquo;s languages that have become endangered or likely to be endangered in the near future.</li>
<li>The scheme is monitored by <strong>Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)</strong> located in Mysuru, Karnataka.</li>
<li>University Grants Commission (UGC) provides financial assistance for creation of centres for endangered languages at Central and State Universities to undertake research projects.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) was established in 1969.</li>
<li>It is under the administrative control of <strong>Ministry of Human Resource Development.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Purpose</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To coordinate the development of Indian Language.</li>
<li>To bring about the essential unity of Indian languages through scientific studies.</li>
<li>Promote interdisciplinary research.</li>
<li>Contribute to mutual enrichment of languages and contribute towards emotional integration of the people of India.</li>
<li>protects and documents minor, minority and tribal languages.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1579890" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	'buffered' => true,
	'formatters' => (int) 0,
	'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
	'contain' => [],
	'matching' => [],
	'extraOptions' => [],
	'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}

}
$page = (int) 173
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 277
$title = 'Search'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

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

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