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Indigenous Fuel Cell System

On the occasion of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Foundation Day, the President of India recently introduced India’s...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
World Digital Competitiveness Ranking

India has jumped four places from 48th place in 2018 to 44th rank in 2019 in World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR). The country has...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Population Pyramid

A population pyramid is a graphical representation of the age and sex composition of a specific population. It consists of two histograms, one for...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
World Tourism Day

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has chosen India as the host country to observe World Tourism Day 2019. The theme for this...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
2I/Borisov: An Interstellar Object

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has officially declared a recently spotted comet as an interstellar object. This means that the object,...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
India- CARICOM

India’s historic and warm relations with the countries of the Caribbean witnessed a new momentum with the meeting of Prime Minister of India...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
India-New Zealand

The Prime Minister of India met Prime Minister of New Zealand on the sidelines of UNGA meetings in New York. The issues of International Terrorism...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
India-Estonia

Recently, the Prime Minister of India met President of the Republic of Estonia on sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Right Livelihood Award

The Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was recently awarded the Right Livelihood Award-2019, also known as Sweden's alternative Nobel...

27 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Israel-Palestine

Why in the news? Palestine has rejected the US-Bahrain led Peace to Prosperity economic workshop on the ground that it says nothing about ending...

26 Sep 2019 Paper 2
Biotechnology Sector in India

This article is based on “Different peas in different pods” which appeared in The Hindu on 26/09/2019. It talks about challenges...

26 Sep 2019 News Editorials
Quantum Supremacy

The phrase ‘quantum supremacy’ was coined in the year 2011 by John Preskill, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute...

26 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Darknet

The Kerala Police has set up a ‘state-of-the-art lab’ to intervene and crack down on the rising criminal activities over the Darknet,...

26 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Line of Credit to Pacific Island Nations

On the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, the Indian Prime Minister has announced a $150 million worth line of credit to the...

26 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Special Report on Climate Change: IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made public ‘The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate’...

26 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Israel-Palestine

For...

26 Sep 2019 Paper 2
ICGS Varaha

Recently, the Indian Defence Minister commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Varaha at the Chennai port. The ICGS Varaha is the fourth in...

26 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Kristalina Georgieva

The International Monetary Fund formally selected Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria as the second woman ever to lead the 189-member institution for a...

26 Sep 2019 News Analysis
Right to Internet Access and Digital Literacy

This article is based on Inequality of another kind which appeared in The Hindu on 24/09/2019. It talks about making the right to internet access...

25 Sep 2019 News Editorials
Recycle and Reuse Policy

Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change has drafted a National Resource Efficiency Policy, in order to double the...

25 Sep 2019 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'Indigenous Fuel Cell System',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>On the occasion of the <strong>Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Foundation Day,</strong> the President of India recently introduced India&rsquo;s <strong>first indigenously developed</strong> high-temperature based <strong>Fuel Cell System.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is developed under the <strong>Public-Private Partnership (PPP)</strong> model by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Indian industries.</li>
<li>It is built under India&rsquo;s flagship programme named <strong>&lsquo;New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Specifications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The developed fuel cells are based on <strong>High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM)</strong> technology.</li>
<li>It is a<strong> 5.0 kW</strong> fuel cell system that generates power in a green manner.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It takes <strong>methanol or bio-methane as the input</strong> and produces <strong>heat and water</strong> as its bi-products, which can be further used.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This helps to attain an efficiency that is greater than 70%, which is difficult to achieve by other energy sources.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM) Technology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>High-Temperature Proton-Exchange-Membrane (HTPEM) is the core of the fuel cells that run above 150 &deg;C. It works on two modes of operation with respect to the <strong>source of fuel.</strong></li>
<li>One mode is based on the <strong>conversion of natural gas into Hydrogen</strong> by means of <strong>steam reforming.</strong> This mode is used to fulfill <strong>stationary power</strong> demands.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Steam reforming</strong> or<strong> steam</strong> methane <strong>reforming</strong> is a chemical synthesis process for producing <strong>syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide)</strong> from hydrocarbons such as natural gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The second mode is based on the <strong>operation of Hydrogen with Oxygen</strong> obtained by the process of <strong>electrolysis.</strong> This is generally used in the space-related applications. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Electrolysis</strong> is a <strong>chemical decomposition process</strong> in which an electric current is passed through a liquid or a solution containing ions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>CSIR is an autonomous research and development body established by the <strong>Government of India on 26 September 1942.</strong></li>
<li>It is established under the <strong>Ministry of Science and Technology.</strong></li>
<li>It covers a wide spectrum of science and technology fields from radio and space physics, oceanography, geophysics, chemicals, drugs, genomics, biotechnology, and nanotechnology to mining, aeronautics, instrumentation, environmental engineering, and information technology.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the largest <strong>Public-Private-Partnership</strong> effort within the R&amp;D domain in the country.</li>
<li>NMITLI seeks to <strong>catalyze innovation</strong> centred <strong>scientific and technological</strong> developments as a vehicle to attain for Indian industry a global leadership position, in selected niche areas. It synergizes the best competencies of publicly funded R&amp;D institutions, academia, and private industry.</li>
<li>NMITLI has so far evolved 60 largely networked projects in diversified areas viz. Agriculture &amp; Plant Biotechnology, General Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Drugs &amp; Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Materials, Information and Communication Technology, and Energy.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Applications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This fuel system is most suitable to fulfil <strong>distributed stationary power applications</strong> demands like in small offices, commercial units, data centres, etc. <strong>where highly reliable power is essential</strong> with simultaneous requirement for air-conditioning.</li>
<li>This system will meet the <strong>requirement of efficient, clean and reliable backup power generators</strong> that are demanded by telecom towers, remote locations, and strategic applications.</li>
<li>The Fuel Cells fit well in India&rsquo;s mission of replacing <strong>Diesel</strong> based <strong>Generating</strong> (DG) <strong>sets</strong> with the green and alternate fuels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This development is therefore expected to <strong>reduce India&rsquo;s dependence on crude oil.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The technology has placed India in the league of developed nations which are in possession of such a knowledge base.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the field of clean energy, Fuel Cell distributed power generation systems are emerging as a promising <strong>alternative to grid power.</strong></li>
<li>The development of indigenous fuel cell technology carries immense national importance in terms of <strong>energy security.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586349" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indigenous-fuel-cell-system'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'World Digital Competitiveness Ranking',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>India has jumped four places</strong> from <strong>48<sup>th</sup> </strong>place in 2018 to <strong>44<sup>th</sup> rank in 2019</strong> in World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The country has <strong>improved overall in all factors</strong> -- knowledge, technology and future-readiness -- as compared to the previous year's ranking.</li>
<li>The <strong>biggest improvement is in the technology sub-factor level,</strong> holding the first position in telecommunications investment.</li>
<li><strong>Top Countries:</strong> The US was ranked as the world's most digitally competitive economy, followed by Singapore in second place.</li>
<li><strong>Largest Jump:</strong> The largest jump in the overall ranking was registered by China, moving from 30<sup>th</sup> to 22<sup>nd</sup>, and Indonesia, from 62<sup>nd</sup> to 56<sup>th</sup>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Digital Competitiveness Ranking</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ranking, produced by the <strong>International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Center,</strong> measures the <strong>capacity and readiness of 63 nations</strong> to adopt and <strong>explore digital technologies</strong> as a key driver for economic transformation in business, government and wider society.</li>
<li>To evaluate an economy, WDCR examines <strong>three factors:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Knowledge:</strong> the capacity to understand and learn the new technologies;</li>
<li><strong>Technology:</strong> the competence to develop new digital innovations;</li>
<li><strong>Future readiness:</strong> the preparedness for the coming developments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/india-rises-4-places-to-44th-rank-in-world-digital-competitiveness-rankings-119092600861_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: BS</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-digital-competitiveness-ranking'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Population Pyramid',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A population pyramid is a graphical representation of the <strong>age and sex</strong> composition of a specific population.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It consists of <strong>two histograms, one for each gender</strong> (by convention, men on the left and women on the right) where the <strong>numbers are shown horizontally</strong> and the <strong>ages vertically.</strong></li>
<li>The numbers by gender and by age <strong>depend on interactions between fertility, mortality and migrations.</strong></li>
<li>The shape of the pyramid and its variations over the years depend, above all, on the <strong>variations in fertility.</strong></li>
<li>The pyramid can also assume a columnar shape (with vertical sides rather than sloped sides), or have an irregular profile.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India vis-a-vis China</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569572196_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569572196_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="511" height="313" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s pyramid is bottom heavy</strong> i.e. the Indian population has a <strong>larger proportion of children, teenagers and young adults compared to China&rsquo;s. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Population Distribution</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The country&rsquo;s population for the age cohorts of 0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 is roughly equal,</strong> whereas the numbers for older groups become progressively smaller.</li>
<li>This means that the country&rsquo;s younger age groups have stopped growing in numbers now and are likely to shrink slightly soon.</li>
<li>This, however, does not mean that India&rsquo;s population will also start shrinking soon.</li>
<li>Except for the oldest groups, <strong>India seems to have more males than females for every cohort.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The country&rsquo;s largest cohort is in its late 40s,</strong> although it is <strong>more gender balanced</strong> than its younger cohorts, suggesting that sex-selective abortions are likely to have taken off in the last few decades.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Working Age Population</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 25-65 age group, India currently has around 650 million people and China 830 million.</li>
<li>By 2040, India is likely to reach 900 million, whereas China will have around 730 million.</li>
<li>In other words, <strong>India will go from having 180 million less working-age people than China today to about 170 million more&mdash;</strong>a net gain of a third of a billion in 20 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Just having people in the working age is not enough. <strong>How many are in the labour force and their productivity are important.</strong> The government needs to focus on the same.</li>
<li>India needs to<strong> invest</strong> more, and efficiently, in <strong>human capital and infrastructure.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>For the former,</strong> investments in <strong>health and sanitation</strong> have to be sustained and more <strong>Public Private Partnership (PPP)</strong> models are required to ensure basic education.</li>
<li><strong>For the latter,</strong> a bigger push for <strong>affordable rental housing</strong> in cities has to be considered, along with more investments in rail connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/investing-better-in-citizens-is-key-to-india-s-growth-1569518299462.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: Mint</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/population-pyramid'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'World Tourism Day ',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has chosen <strong>India as the host country</strong> to observe World Tourism Day 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> for this World Tourism Day is <strong>&lsquo;Tourism and Jobs: A better future for all&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>It is celebrated every year on <strong>September 27</strong> around the world.</li>
<li>The purpose of World Tourism Day (WTD) is <strong>to foster awareness among the international community on the importance of tourism</strong> and its social, cultural, political and economic value.</li>
<li>The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the United Nations <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</strong></a> and highlight the contribution the tourism sector can make in reaching these goals.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations World Tourism Organisation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the <strong>United Nations Specialised Agency</strong> responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1975</strong> with headquarters at <strong>Madrid, Spain.</strong></li>
<li>UNWTO <strong>encourages</strong> the implementation of the <strong>Global Code of Ethics for Tourism,</strong> to maximize tourism&rsquo;s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586310" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-tourism-day'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => '2I/Borisov: An Interstellar Object',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has officially declared a recently spotted comet as an interstellar object.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This means that the object, provisionally called Comet C/2019, is now dubbed 2I/Borisov, with the prefix marking that the comet is the<strong> second interstellar object</strong> scientists have identified to date. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/Important%20Facts%20for%20Prelims%20(12th%20November%202018)" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>first was 1I/'Oumuamua,</strong></a> which was first spotted in October 2017.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To confirm Borisov origins, scientists tracked the comet's location long enough to <strong>study its path.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Objects born<strong> in our solar system are trapped in elliptical orbits</strong> around the sun while interstellar bodies <strong>follow the hyperbolic path.</strong></li>
<li>IAU confirmed that <strong>2I/Borisov has a more hyperbolic path than any other comet</strong> scientists have studied to date.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The name Borisov honours its discoverer, astronomer Gennady Borisov from Crimea.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Astronomical Union</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was <strong>founded in 1919, headquartered in Paris, France.</strong></li>
<li>Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation.</li>
<li>It is the global authority for naming planetary features in the solar system.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The new finding suggests that such objects may be sufficiently numerous to provide a new way of investigating processes beyond our planetary systems.</li>
<li>Investigating interstellar objects can provide unique data about other star systems without actually flying to them.</li>
<li>They might provide unique insights into the evolution and composition of other star systems and exoplanets in them.</li>
<li>These objects have probably been travelling between star systems for hundreds of years. As a result, they have undoubtedly picked up material along the way or bear the marks of encounters with other objects or forces.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Their composition and surface features can tell us about the interstellar medium.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/after-2-in-2-years-an-annual-interstellar-visit-now-6032106/" 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/2i-borisov-an-interstellar-object'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'India- CARICOM',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>India&rsquo;s historic and warm relations with the countries of the Caribbean witnessed a new momentum with the meeting of <strong>Prime Minister of India with 14 leaders of the CARICOM group</strong> of countries on the <strong>sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting deliberated on the <strong>steadily intensifying and deepening relations</strong> between India and partner countries of the Caribbean,<strong> not only in the bilateral</strong> but also in the <strong>regional</strong> context.</li>
<li>India has provided immediate financial assistance of <strong>USD 1 million to recover from the destruction caused by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hurricane-dorian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Dorian</a></strong> in the region and the worst-hit island of Bahamas.</li>
<li>India also announced a USD 14 million grant for <strong>community development projects</strong> in the CARICOM and another 150 million <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/26-09-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Line of Credit</strong></a><strong> for solar, renewable energy and climate- change-related projects.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569571099_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569571099_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="624" height="328" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Caribbean Community (CARICOM)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Caribbean Community was formed in <strong>1973.</strong></li>
<li>CARICOM has <strong>15 members &ndash;</strong> Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad &amp; Tobago.</li>
<li>The Chairmanship of the Community is <strong>rotated every six months</strong> among the member countries.</li>
<li>The <strong>CARICOM Single Market and Economy</strong> are intended to benefit the people of the region by providing more and better opportunities to produce and sell goods and services and to attract investment.</li>
<li>The Government of India funded the US$ 1.166 million information technology and communication infrastructure, computer software and community studio at the CARICOM Secretariat in 2005-2006.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586334" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-caricom'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'India-New Zealand',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Prime Minister of India met Prime Minister of New Zealand on the sidelines of UNGA meetings in New York.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The issues of <strong>International Terrorism</strong> were also discussed and convergence of views between the two countries on this issue was appreciated.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570648_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570648_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="253" height="178" /></a></li>
<li>India and New Zealand have cordial and friendly relations rooted in the linkages of <strong>Commonwealth, Parliamentary Democracy and the English language.</strong></li>
<li>Bilateral relations between India and New Zealand were established in <strong>1952.</strong></li>
<li>NZ has identified India as a <strong>priority country in its &ldquo;Opening Doors to India&rdquo; policy</strong> notified in <strong>2011</strong> which was reiterated by New Zealand in 2015.</li>
<li>India shares <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/a-note-on-free-trade-agreements-and-their-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)</strong></a> with New Zealand which ensures the smooth economic relationship between two countries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both countries are part of the upcoming <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/deadlock-in-rcep-trade-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).</strong></a></li>
<li>Also, both countries hold Annual Economic Dialogue since 2009.</li>
<li>In <strong>2014 ONGC Videsh Limited</strong> was awarded oil and gas exploration permits by the New Zealand Government for undertaking <strong>offshore hydrocarbon exploration</strong> along the Taranaki coast in New Zealand‟s North Island region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian diaspora and students</strong> in New Zealand are an important <strong>bridge</strong> between the two nations.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586325" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-new-zealand'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'India-Estonia',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Prime Minister of India met President of the Republic of Estonia on sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)-74.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India recognized the Republic of Estonia in 1991 and diplomatic relations were established in the same year<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570065_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570065_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="232" height="168" caption="false" /></a>.</li>
<li>Commercial relations between the two countries are good, but considering the size of India and its rapidly developing economy, there is significant room for higher economic engagement. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Good prospects for co-operation can be found in information technology, biotechnology, and clean energy.</li>
<li>Major items of <strong>export from India to Estonia</strong> include articles of leather coffee, tea, spices, and pharmaceutical products, etc.</li>
<li>Major <strong>Estonian exports to India</strong> include Iron and steel, fertilizers, electrical machinery, paper,etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India shares <strong>strong cultural relations</strong> with Estonia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The University of Tartu began <strong>teaching Sanskrit in 1837</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586331" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-estonia'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Right Livelihood Award',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Swedish teenage climate activist <strong>Greta Thunberg</strong> was recently awarded the <strong>Right Livelihood Award-2019,</strong> also known as <strong>Sweden's alternative Nobel Prize.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>She shares her award with the <strong>three other global leaders namely:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brazilian indigenous leader Davi Kopenawa</strong> who secured the land rights of the Yanomami people.</li>
<li><strong>Chinese women's rights lawyer Guo Jianmei.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Western Sahara human rights defender Aminatou Haidar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Yanomami Tribe</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Yanomami are the largest relatively isolated tribe in <strong>South America.</strong></li>
<li>The Yanomami people live in large circular and communal houses called <strong>Yanos or Shabonos.</strong></li>
<li>They live in the <strong>rainforests and mountainous regions of Northern Brazil and Southern Venezuela.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The award was founded by the Swedish-German philanthropist and stamp collector Jakob von Uexkull after the Nobel foundation rejected his proposal to <strong>establish two new Nobel Prizes, one environmental award and the other award to promote knowledge and perspectives of people in poor countries.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because of its founding history and the associated efforts to promote sustainability, social justice, and peace, it came to be known as <strong>alternative Nobel Prize.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>She won the award for her inspiring, unending, and amplifying efforts that demanded urgent global action from the world&rsquo;s political leaders regarding climate change.</li>
<li>Her <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/war-on-nature-must-end" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FridaysForFuture campaign</strong></a> inspired millions of young people throughout the world to come onto the streets and demand suitable necessary actions from their respective governments.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the students within India also protested at several places across the nation in order to be a part of the global protests against climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/climate-activist-greta-thunberg-wins-swedens-alternative-nobel-prize/article29507056.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/right-livelihood-award'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Israel-Palestine',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in the news?</h3>
<p>Palestine has rejected the US-Bahrain led <strong>Peace to Prosperity economic workshop</strong> on the ground that it says nothing about ending Isreali occupation.</p>
<h3>Israel-Palestine Conflict</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The seeds of the conflict were laid in <strong>1917</strong> when the then British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour expressed official support of Britain for a Jewish "national home" in Palestine under the Balfour Declaration. The lack of concern for the "rights of existing non-Jewish communities" i.e. the Arabs led to prolonged violence.</li>
<li>Unable to contain Arab and Jewish violence, <strong>Britain withdrew its forces from Palestine</strong> in 1948, leaving responsibility for resolving the competing claims to the newly created United Nations. The UN presented a partition plan to create independent Jewish and Arab states in Palestine. Most Jews in Palestine accepted the partition but most Arabs did not.</li>
<li>In <strong>1948,</strong> the Jewish declaration of Israel's independence prompted surrounding Arab states to attack. At the end of the war, Israel controlled about 50 percent more territory than originally envisioned UN partition plan. Jordan controlled the West Bank and Jerusalem's holy sites, and Egypt controlled the Gaza Strip.</li>
<li><strong>1964: Founding of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)</strong></li>
<li><strong>1967:</strong> In <strong>Six-day Arab- Israeli war,</strong> Israeli forces seize the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank &amp; East Jerusalem from Jordan and Sinai Peninsula &amp; Gaza strip from Egypt.</li>
<li>The United Nations grants the PLO observer status in <strong>1975</strong> and recognizes Palestinians' right to self-determination.</li>
<li><strong>Camp David Accords (1978):</strong> "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" brokered by U.S. set the stage for peace talks between Israel and its neighbors and a resolution to the "Palestinian problem". This however remained unfulfilled.</li>
<li><strong>1981:</strong> Israel effectively annexes the Golan but this is not recognized by the United States or the international community.</li>
<li><strong>1987: Founding of Hamas,</strong> a violent offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood seeking "to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine" through violent jihad.</li>
<li><strong>1987:</strong> Tensions in the occupied territories of West Bank and Gaza reached boiling point resulting in the First <strong>Intifada</strong> (Palestinian Uprising). It grew into a small war between Palestinian militants and the Israeli army.</li>
<li><strong>1988:</strong> Jordan cedes to the PLO all the country's territorial claims in the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem.</li>
<li><strong>1993:</strong> Under the <strong>Oslo Accords</strong> Israel and the PLO agree to officially recognize each other and renounce the use of violence. The Oslo Accords also established the <strong>Palestinian</strong> <strong>Authority,</strong> which received limited autonomy in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.</li>
<li><strong>2005:</strong> Israel begins a unilateral withdrawal of Jews from settlements in Gaza. However, Israel kept tight control over all border crossings (blockade).</li>
<li><strong>2006: Hamas scores a victory in Palestinian Authority elections.</strong> The vote leaves the Palestinian house divided between Fatah movement, represented by President Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas, which will control the cabinet and parliament. Efforts at cohabitation fail almost immediately.</li>
<li><strong>2007: Palestinian Movement Splits</strong> after few months of formation of a joint Fatah-Hamas government. Hamas militants drive Fatah from Gaza. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appoints a new government in Ramallah (West Bank), which is quickly recognized by the United States and European Union. Gaza remains under Hamas control.</li>
<li><strong>2012-</strong> UN upgrades Palestinian representation to that of "non-member observer state".</li>
<li><strong>2014-</strong> Israel responds to the kidnapping and murder of three Jewish teenagers in the West Bank by arresting numerous Hamas members. Militants respond by firing rockets from Gaza. Clashes end in uneasy Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.</li>
<li><strong>2014-</strong> Fatah and Hamas form a unity government, though distrust remains between the two factions.</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">The Territorial Puzzle<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569496778_israel%20map.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569496778_israel map.jpg" width="464" height="584" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>West Bank:</strong> The West Bank is sandwiched between Israel and Jordan. One of its major cities is Ramallah, the de facto administrative capital of Palestine. Israel took control of it in the 1967 war and has over the years established settlements there.</li>
<li>
<h3><strong style="font-size: 14px;">Gaza:</strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"> The Gaza Strip located between Israel and Egypt. Israel occupied the strip after 1967, but relinquished control of Gaza City and day-to-day administration in most of the territory during the Oslo peace process. In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed Jewish settlements from the territory, though it continues to control international access to it.</span></h3>
</li>
<li><strong>Golan Heights:</strong> The Golan Heights is a strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war. Israel effectively annexed the territory in 1981. Recently, the USA has <strong>officially recognized</strong> Jerusalem and Golan Heights a part of Israel.</li>
<li><strong>Palestinian Authority-</strong> Created by the 1993 Olso Accords, it is the official governing body of the Palestinian people, led by President Mahmoud Abbas of the Fatah faction. Hobbled by corruption and by political infighting, the PA has failed to become the stable negotiating partner its creators had hoped.</li>
<li><strong>Fatah-</strong> Founded by the late Yasir Arafat in the 1950s, Fatah is the largest Palestinian political faction. Unlike Hamas, Fatah is a secular movement, has nominally recognized Israel, and has actively participated in the peace process.</li>
<li><strong>Hamas-&nbsp;</strong>Hamas is regarded as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Authority's legislative elections. It ejected Fatah from Gaza in 2007, splitting the Palestinian movement geographically, as well.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Two-State Solution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The &ldquo;two state solution&rdquo; is based on a UN resolution of 1947 which proposed two states - one would be a state where Zionist Jews constituted a majority, the other where the Palestinian Arabs would be a majority of the population. The idea was however rejected by the Arabs.</li>
<li>For decades, it has been held by the international community as the only realistic deal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Why is the solution so difficult to achieve?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Borders:</strong> There is no consensus about precisely where to draw the line &ndash; with Israel building settlements and constructing barriers in areas like the West Bank that creates a de facto border. This makes it difficult to establish that land as part of an independent Palestine, breaking it up into non-contiguous pieces.</li>
<li><strong>Jerusalem:</strong> Both sides claim Jerusalem as their capital and consider it a center of religious worship and cultural heritage making its division difficult. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In December 2017, Israel declared Jerusalem as its capital and the step found support from the USA, intensifying the situation in the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Refugees:</strong> Large numbers of Palestinians who fled their homes in what is now Israel, during the preceding wars as well as their descendants believe they deserve the right to return but Israel is against it.</li>
<li><strong>Divided Political Leadership on Both sides:</strong> The Palestinian leadership is divided - two-state solution is supported by Palestinian nationalists in West Bank but the leadership in Gaza does not even recognize Israel. Further, while successive Israeli Prime Ministers - Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Benjamin Netanyahu - have all accepted the idea of a Palestinian state, they have differed in terms of what it should actually comprise.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Stand on Israel -Palestine Conflict</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nearly <strong>83%</strong> of world countries have <strong>officially recognized Israel as a sovereign state</strong> and maintain diplomatic relations with it.</li>
<li>However, at the same time, many countries are <strong>sympathetic to Palestine.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>What do both parties want?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Palestine wants Israeli to halt all expansionary activities and retreat to pre-1967 borders. It wants to establish a sovereign Palestine state in West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital.</li>
<li>Palestine wants Palestine refugees who lost their homes in 1948 be able to come back.</li>
<li>Israel wants it to be recognised as a Jewish state. It wants the Palestine refugees to return only to Palestine, not to Israel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Stand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India was one of the few countries to oppose the UN&rsquo;s partition plan in November 1947, echoing its own experience during independence a few months earlier. In the decades that followed, the Indian political leadership actively supported the Palestinian cause and withheld full diplomatic relations with Israel.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> recognised Israel in 1950 but it is also the first non-Arab country to recognise <strong>Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)</strong> as the sole representative of the Palestinian. India is also one of the first countries to recognise the statehood of Palestine in 1988.</li>
<li>In the <strong>2014, India favored UNHRC&rsquo;s resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza.</strong> Despite supporting probe, <strong>India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC IN 2015.</strong></li>
<li>As a part of <strong>Link West Policy,</strong> India has <strong>de-hyphenated its relationship with Israel and Palestine in 2018</strong> to treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive.</li>
<li>In <strong>June 2019, India voted in favor of a decision introduced by Israel in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong> that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization</li>
<li>So far India has tried to maintain the image of its historical moral supporter for Palestinian self-determination, and at the same time to engage in the military, economic, and other strategic relations with Israel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The world at large needs to come together for a peaceful solution but the reluctance of the Israeli government and other involved parties have aggravated the issue more. Thus a balanced approach towards the Israel-Palestine issue would help to maintain favorable relations with Arab countries as well as Israel.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/israel-palestine-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For Mind Map</em></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Biotechnology Sector in India',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/different-peas-in-different-pods/article29511636.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Different peas in different pods&rdquo;</strong></a> which appeared in The Hindu on 26/09/2019. It talks about challenges pertaining to India&rsquo;s biotech sector along with the possible solutions.</p>
</div>
<p>India is among the first countries to set up a specialized agency i.e. department of biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology for the development of research and human resources in the biotechnology sector in 1986.</p>
<h3>What is Biotechnology and its Applications?</h3>
<p>Biotechnology harnesses cellular and bio-molecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Applications of Biotech<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Heal the world</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reducing rates of infectious disease.</li>
<li>Saving millions of children's lives.</li>
<li>Changing the odds of serious, life-threatening conditions affecting millions around the world.</li>
<li>Tailoring treatments to individuals to minimize health risks and side effects.</li>
<li>Creating more precise tools for disease detection.</li>
<li>Cleaning the ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fuel the world</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reducing the use of and reliance on petrochemicals.</li>
<li>Using biofuels to cut greenhouse gas emissions.</li>
<li>Decreasing water usage and waste generation.</li>
<li>Tapping into the full potential of traditional biomass waste products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Feed the world</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs.</li>
<li>Lowering volumes of agricultural chemicals required by crops-limiting the run-off of these products into the environment.</li>
<li>Developing crops with enhanced nutrition profiles that solve vitamin and nutrient deficiencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges faced by Biotech</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Biotechnology research often requires access to laboratories with high-end scientific infrastructure, the supply of expensive chemicals and reagents with minimum shipping time between the supplier and the user, and a disciplined work culture and documentation practice due to regulatory and intellectual property filing requirement.</li>
<li><strong>Poor quality of research:</strong> Biotech research paper is based &ldquo;publish or perish&rdquo; culture that incentivises numbers over quality.</li>
<li>Over the years, the focus of research has slowly <strong>shifted from fundamental to applied research.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the fruits of applied research will only come if there is an investment in basic research without asking for quick returns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Compared to the developed economies (the United States), biotechnology research in India is mainly <strong>funded by the public exchequer.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Unless the private sector starts supporting applied research and engages with academic institutions, the innovation in applied and translational biotechnology will be minimal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Low wages of scientists</strong> (compared to the developed economies) and a few institutional research base have not helped create more jobs in biotechnology.</li>
<li>Biotechnology products and solutions often require <strong>ethical and regulatory clearance,</strong> making the process long, expensive and cumbersome.</li>
<li>As the nature of the <strong>work in the biotechnology sector is specialised,</strong> most jobs are filled with experienced and skilled scientists leaving the demand for young and inexperienced ones low.</li>
<li>In terms of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology creation, the biotechnology sector requires years of experience in the domain, access to labs with sophisticated instruments, sustained and long-term funding to innovate.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning from China</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China has many more labs with the best of scientific infrastructure; each with more number of skilled human resources trained in regimental work culture and trained to practise rigorous documentation.</li>
<li>Higher science budget coupled with a flexible hiring system has made Chinese universities and research labs attract many overseas Chinese scientists.</li>
<li>Due to all these advantages, Chinese students and scientists outnumber Indians by nearly 5:1 in most American universities in the life sciences/biology-related disciplines.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>While continuing and increasing the share of funding in basic research, the government <strong>should encourage and incentivise the private sector</strong> to invest substantially in applied research.</li>
<li>In this context, initiatives like <strong>Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC),</strong> which aim is to play a transformative and catalytic role in building a US$ 100 billion Indian bio-economy, is a step in the right direction.</li>
<li>There is a need for sustained <strong>innovation and product development model</strong> in the biotechnology, like the one followed by Boston and Silicon Valley in the U.S.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Along with the availability of funding, infrastructure and skilled workforce, the presence of top-notch research institutions and universities in the vicinity of the Biotech industry, makes these regions the most attractive locations for biotech startup companies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Therefore, India needs to provide an <strong>academia-industry linkage</strong> in the biotech sector.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will require a flexible policy in the institutes to allow scientists incubate startup companies in their labs while retaining their positions.</li>
<li>Also, the government should let scientists from research institutions and universities take unpaid leave to join the industry for a fixed period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>India needs to go beyond the traditional indicators such as the numbers of institutions formed, students and scientists, trained, and the number of patents filed to judge the sector&rsquo;s performance, and its impact on the economy and society as a whole. The biotech sector needs to be <strong>augmented through artificial intelligence-based tools, applications of big data in biology and India&rsquo;s strength in Information Technology.</strong></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #201cff; background-color: #ebffff;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Drishti Mains Question<br /></span></strong></em>India needs to go beyond the traditional indicators such as the numbers of institutions formed, students and scientists, trained, and the number of patents filed to judge the biotechnology sector&rsquo;s performance, and its impact on the economy and society as a whole. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/biotechnology-sector-in-india'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Quantum Supremacy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The phrase <strong>&lsquo;quantum supremacy&rsquo;</strong> was coined in the year <strong>2011</strong> by John Preskill, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute of Technology.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Quantum supremacy refers to a problem-solving process by the <strong>quantum computer</strong> that cannot be solved by a classical computer in its normal lifetime.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The concept is related to the speed at which a quantum computer performs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Quantum computers are different from binary digital electronic computers that are based on transistors (a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The common digital computing requires the data to be <strong>encoded into binary digits (bits), each of which is always in one of two definite states (0 or 1).</strong></li>
<li>Quantum computation uses <strong>quantum bits (qubits).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Quantum Bit (Qubit)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A quantum bit (qubit) is the smallest unit of quantum information, which is the quantum analog of the regular computer bit, used in the field of quantum computing.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>They operate according to<strong> two key principles</strong> of quantum physics: <strong>superposition and entanglement.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Superposition</strong> means that each qubit can <strong>represent both a &lsquo;1&rsquo; and a &lsquo;0&rsquo; at the same time.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Entanglement</strong> means that qubits in a superposition state can be <strong>correlated with each other; that is, the state of one qubit (whether it is a 1 or a 0)</strong> can depend on the state of another qubit. It means that particles remain connected so that actions performed on one affect the other, even when separated by great distances. The phenomenon so riled Albert Einstein that he called it "spooky action at a distance."</li>
<li>Using these two principles, qubits can act as more sophisticated switches, enabling quantum computers to function in ways that allow them to solve difficult problems that are unmanageable using today&rsquo;s computers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to research, the quantum processor took 200 seconds to perform a calculation that would have been accomplished in 10,000 years by the world&rsquo;s <strong>fastest</strong> <strong>supercomputer &lsquo;Summit&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-quantum-supremacy-6029948/" 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/quantum-supremacy'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Darknet',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Kerala Police has set up a <strong>&lsquo;state-of-the-art lab&rsquo;</strong> to intervene and crack down on the rising criminal activities over the <strong>Darknet,</strong> also known as the underworld of the Internet.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Spearheading the programme is <strong>Cyberdome,</strong> the State police department&rsquo;s premier facility dedicated to prevent cybercrime and <strong>mitigate security threats to the State&rsquo;s critical information infrastructure.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Darknet</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Internet consists of three layers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The first layer is <strong>public,</strong> consisting of sites that one uses frequently such as Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and LinkedIn. This layer makes up only 4% of the entire internet.</li>
<li>The second layer, <strong>the deep web,</strong> is a network where data is stored in inaccessible databases (i.e. cannot be accessed through traditional search engines like Google). It is used to provide access to a specific group of people. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The data is generally sensitive and private (government private data, bank data, cloud data etc), so kept out of reach.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The third layer is the <strong>darknet</strong> which is also known as a part of the &lsquo;Deep Web&rsquo;. It is a network built over the <strong>internet which is encrypted.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is basically a layer of the Internet accessible <strong>only by using special software like Tor (The Onion Router),</strong> or I2P, which stands for Invisible Internet Project.</li>
<li>Anything present on the dark web will not be pulled up in internet searches, thereby offering a <strong>high degree of anonymity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns over Darknet:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In February 2016, in a study titled &lsquo;Cryptopolitik and the Darknet&rsquo;, researchers analysed content over the TOR network.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Of the 2,723 websites they could classify by content, 1,547 &ndash; 57 % &ndash; hosted <strong>illicit material ranging from drugs</strong> (423 sites), <strong>illegitimate pornography</strong> (122) and hacking (96), among others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There were also reports of log-in details of streaming sites like Netflix being sold on the dark web marketplaces for cheap rates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The network is also <strong>used by several activists</strong> especially those living under oppressive regimes to communicate without any government censorship.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The TOR network was used by activists during the Arab Spring.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Darknet and India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Information Technology Act</strong> deals with cybercrime and comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. There are only six sections in the law that deal with cybercrime.</li>
<li>With the changing times, India needs a code of criminal procedures dealing with cybercrime that would come under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which deals with policing issues.</li>
<li>Also, there is a need for police, trained in changing cyber trends who are dedicated only to cybercrime and not transferred to other police units.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/police-gear-up-to-scan-underworld-of-internet/article29506092.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/darknet'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Line of Credit to Pacific Island Nations',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>On the sidelines of the 74<sup>th</sup> session of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a>, the Indian Prime Minister has announced a<strong> $150 million</strong> worth line of credit to the group of Pacific island nations for undertaking solar, renewable energy and climate-related projects.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Indian PM also invited the leaders of the <strong>Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)</strong> to join the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).</strong></a></li>
<li>Reaffirming the commitment to provide developmental assistance for capacity building, the PM proposed to organize specialized courses under the Indian Technical &amp; Economic Cooperation Programme <strong>(ITEC) programme</strong> in priority areas identified by partner countries.</li>
<li>In the health sector, the Prime Minister offered to organize a <strong>Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp</strong> in a Pacific regional hub under <strong>&lsquo;India for Humanity&rsquo;</strong> programme.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India for Humanity</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As part of <strong>150<sup>th</sup> Birth Anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi</strong>, the <strong>'India for Humanity'</strong> initiative was launched in 2018 in honour of Gandhiji's service to humanity.</li>
<li>&ldquo;India For Humanity&rdquo; initiative was launched by the <strong>Ministry of External Affairs.</strong></li>
<li>It features a <strong>year-long series of artificial limb fitment camps</strong> in a number of countries spanning the globe.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India and PSIDS Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the evolution of the <strong>Act East Policy</strong> of India, India&rsquo;s relationship with Pacific Island nations has deepened. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This resulted in the setting up of an action-oriented multinational grouping named <strong>Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation</strong> (FIPIC) in 2014, between India and the 14 Pacific Island nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The PSIDS comprises of the <strong>14 Pacific Island countries</strong> viz. The Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569485543_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569485543_image1.jpg" width="535" height="331" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India and PSIDS have shared values and a shared future. The need today is for inclusive sustainable development policy in order to reduce inequalities and improve the quality of people&rsquo;s lives.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Line of Credit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>credit facility</strong> extended by a bank or any other financial institution to a government, business or an individual customer, that enables the <strong>customer to draw the maximum loan amount.</strong></li>
<li>The borrower can access funds from the line of credit at <strong>any time as long as they do not exceed the maximum amount (or credit limit)</strong> set in the agreement and meet any other requirements such as making timely minimum payments.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-announces-150-million-line-of-credit-for-pacific-island-nations-6029410/" 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/line-of-credit-to-pacific-island-nations'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Special Report on Climate Change: IPCC',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made public <strong>&lsquo;The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate&rsquo;</strong> which underlined the dire changes taking place in oceans, glaciers, and ice-deposits on land and sea at the United Nations Climate Summit underway in the United States.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The published report is the last in a series of <strong>three reports on specific themes</strong> that IPCC has published namely:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Global Warming of 1.5&deg; C:</strong> A special report, which was commissioned to specifically explore the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-warming-of-1-5-c-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>scientific feasibility of the 1.5&deg;C</strong> </a>goal set in the Paris Agreement, on global warming.</li>
<li><strong>Land and climate change:</strong> The report focuses on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-and-land-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>contribution of land-related activities to global warming</strong></a> i.e how the different uses of land affect the emission of greenhouse gases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The report also updates the <strong>IPCC's 5<sup>th</sup> Assessment Report</strong> &mdash; and summarises the disastrous impacts of warming based on current projections of global greenhouse gas emissions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>IPCC's 5<sup>th</sup> Assessment Report</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The IPCC prepares comprehensive Assessment Reports about the state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for reducing the rate at which climate change is taking place.</li>
<li>However, IPCC does not conduct its own research.</li>
<li>The Assessment Report released by IPCC in <strong>2014</strong> was the<strong> 5<sup>th</sup></strong> in a series of such reports.</li>
<li><strong>6<sup>th</sup> Assessment Report of IPCC</strong> is expected to be released in <strong>2022.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings of the Report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over the 21<sup>st</sup> century, the ocean is projected to <strong>transition to unprecedented conditions</strong> with increased temperatures, further <strong>ocean acidification, marine heatwaves and more frequent extreme <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/el-nino-forecast-for-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">El Ni&ntilde;o</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/warmer-winters-ahead-as-el-nino-conditions-develop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Ni&ntilde;a</a> events.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Ocean Warming:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Global ocean has warmed unabated since 1970 and has taken up more than <strong>90% of the excess heat</strong> in the climate system.</li>
<li>Since 1993, the <strong>rate of ocean warming</strong> and marine heatwaves have very likely <strong>doubled in frequency</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>intensity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Mean Sea-Level:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has <strong>increased by 16 cm</strong> between 1902 and 2015, and that the rate of increase had doubled of late.</li>
<li>Between 2006 and 2015, the global mean sea level recorded an average rise of <strong>3.6 mm per year,</strong> which was more than double of 1.4 mm per year recorded in the first 90-year-period of the 20th century.</li>
<li><strong>Sea-level rise is not globally uniform and varies regionally.</strong> Regional differences, within 30 % of global mean sea-level rise, result from land ice loss and variations in ocean warming and circulation</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Melting of Glaciers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 2006 and 2015, the <strong>Greenland ice sheet</strong> lost ice-mass at an average rate of 278 billion tonnes every year (e.g. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-monument-in-memory-of-a-glacier" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Okjokull glacier of Iceland</strong></a>), which was enough to result in a global sea-level rise of 0.8 mm per year. During the same period, <strong>the Antarctic ice sheet</strong> lost a mass of 155 billion tonnes on an average every year.</li>
<li>Snow cover outside these two poles, like the <strong>glaciers in the Himalayas,</strong>&nbsp;together lost an average of 220 billion tonnes of ice every year.</li>
<li>The melting glaciers are the <strong>dominant source of sea-level rise, exceeding the effect of thermal expansion</strong> of ocean water (due to rising temperatures).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Since the mid-20<sup>th</sup> century, the <strong>shrinking cryosphere</strong> has led to predominantly negative impacts on food security, water resources, water quality, livelihoods, health, and well-being, as well as the culture of human societies, particularly for Indigenous peoples.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the international body for assessing the science related to climate change.</li>
<li>It was set up in <strong>1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)</strong> and <strong>United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</strong> to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.</li>
<li>IPCC assessments provide a scientific basis for governments at all levels to develop climate-related policies, and they underlie negotiations at the UN Climate Conference &ndash; the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-ipcc-report-warns-of-dire-threat-to-oceans/article29511292.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Israel-Palestine',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1570605867_Israel-Palestine%20(Mind Map).png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1570605867_Israel-Palestine (Mind Map).png" width="370" height="2039" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For TTP</a></em></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper2/israel-palestine-mind-map'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'ICGS Varaha',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Indian Defence Minister commissioned the <strong>Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Varaha</strong> at the Chennai port.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ICGS Varaha is the fourth in the series of seven 98-m Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).</li>
<li>The ship has been designed and built <strong>indigenously</strong> and will operate from the port of New Mangalore on the West Coast (covering Exclusive Economic Zone) up to Kanyakumari.</li>
<li>It is fitted with the latest navigation and communication equipment which include the Integrated Bridge System, Automated Power Management System and indigenously built Integrated Platform Management System and Halo Traversing System.</li>
<li>ICGS Varaha is capable of operating the indigenously developed <strong>advanced light helicopter</strong> developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ship is well equipped with high-speed boats, medical facilities, and modern surveillance systems for conducting boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrolling.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This ship will enhance the ICG's strength in responding to the threats of maritime terrorism, smuggling, and challenges of maritime enforcement.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Coast Guard</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was established on 18<sup>th</sup> August <strong>1978</strong> by the <strong>Coast Guard Act, 1978</strong> of the Parliament of India as an independent Armed force of India.</li>
<li>It operates under the <strong>Ministry of Defence.</strong></li>
<li>Headquarter: <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
<li>It has jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India including <strong>contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.</strong></li>
<li>It is responsible for marine environment protection in maritime zones of India and is coordinating authority for response to oil spills in Indian waters.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586154" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icgs-varaha'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Kristalina Georgieva',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund</strong></a> formally selected <strong>Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria</strong> as the <strong>second woman ever</strong> to lead the 189-member institution for a five-year term starting on October 1, 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>She will replace Christine Lagarde, who is set to take over the European Central Bank later this year.</li>
<li>She is also the <strong>first person from an emerging economy</strong> to head the global lender.</li>
<li>The Managing Director is the chief of the IMF&rsquo;s operating staff and Chair of the Executive Board. The Managing Director is assisted by four Deputy Managing Directors.</li>
<li>She was also the Interim President for the World Bank Group before being appointed as the Chief of IMF.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-6th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>David Malpass, a top U.S. Treasury official was unanimously selected</strong></a> as the new President of the World Bank for a five-year term starting from April 9, 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By tradition, the IMF managing director is a European, while the United States chooses the president of the World Bank. The situation leaves little hope for ascendant emerging economies that, despite modest changes in 2015, do not have as large an IMF voting share as the United States and Europe.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Monetary Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The IMF, also known as the Fund, was conceived at a <strong>UN conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, in July 1944.</strong></li>
<li>It provides financial assistance to member countries with balance of payments problems, lends money to replenish international reserves, stabilize currencies, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)</strong> is the IMF&rsquo;s unit of account and <strong>not a currency.</strong> SDR basket of currencies includes the U.S. dollar, Euro, Japanese yen, pound sterling and the Chinese renminbi (included in 2016).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/kristalina-georgieva-named-imf-managing-director/article29512095.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/kristalina-georgieva'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Right to Internet Access and Digital Literacy',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/inequality-of-another-kind/article29492512.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Inequality of another kind</strong></a> which appeared in The Hindu on 24/09/2019. It talks about making the right to internet access and digital literacy, a fundamental right.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Kerala High Court, in Faheema Shirin v. the State of Kerala case, declared the <strong>right to Internet access as a fundamental right</strong> forming a part of the right to privacy and the right to education under Article 21 of the Constitution.</p>
<p>The court held that, in an <strong>information society,</strong> unequal access to the Internet creates and reproduces socio-economic exclusions.</p>
<h3>What are the impact and challenges of Internet Access and Digital Literacy on Socio-Economic Development?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Offering services online has cost and efficiency benefits for the government and also allows citizens to bypass lower-level government bureaucracy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It increases the <strong>accountability and transparency</strong> of the government.</li>
<li>It leads to <strong>better public service delivery.</strong></li>
<li>It increases <strong>participation of citizenry</strong> into politics. etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In a global economy, <strong>knowledge of digital processes</strong> transforms the way in which people work, collaborate, consume information, and entertain themselves.</li>
<li>It will also augment the government&rsquo;s efforts to provide better education, health and employment opportunities.</li>
<li>It also helps in socio-cultural mobilisation in Indian society.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges to Internet Accessibility</h3>
<p>Recently, due to the<strong> information revolution,</strong> many businesses and services have become digital and only some of them are available online.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>digital divide</strong> emanating from <strong>information poverty, lack of infrastructure, and lack of digital literacy</strong> leads to social and economic backwardness.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The digital divide can be seen <strong>throughout the socio-economic spectrum</strong> of India i.e. between rural and urban India, rich and poor, India&rsquo;s demographic profile (old and young, male and female).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the <strong>Deloitte report,</strong> &lsquo;Digital India: Unlocking the Trillion Dollar Opportunity&rsquo; in mid-2016, <strong>digital literacy in India was less than 10%.</strong></li>
<li>Also, in the absence of Internet access and digital literacy enabling that access, there will be the further exclusion of large parts of the population, exacerbating the already existing digital divide.</li>
<li>Even though the government has provided various e-services at grassroots through common service centres, without internet access and digital literacy, these are of no use.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why the Right to Internet Access Should be a Fundamental Right?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Curbing Inequality is the basis of social justice and development.</strong></li>
<li>Also, reducing inequality also finds mention in <strong>Articles 39 of the directive principle of state policy,</strong> in the Indian Constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has now become a settled judicial practice to read fundamental rights along with directive principles with a view to defining the scope and ambit of the former.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Right to Internet access and digital literacy is important to get rid of the digital divide and allow citizens increased access to information, services, and the creation of better livelihood opportunities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Initiatives in the Field of Internet Access</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government has acknowledged the digital revolution and is in pursuit of digital inclusion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government has launched, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the Bharat Net programme</strong></a>, which aims to have an optical fibre network in all gram panchayats.</li>
<li>Bharat Net will act as the infrastructural backbone for having Internet access all across the country.</li>
<li>However, the project has consistently missed all its deadlines while the costs involved have doubled.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>National Digital Literacy Mission</strong> has barely touched 1.67% of the population.</li>
<li>This has been acknowledged in the Sustainable Development Goals as well as by the Indian government and has led to the <strong>Digital India mission.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Digital Literacy Mission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Digital Literacy Mission</strong> (NDLM) has been initiated with the vision to empower at least one person per household with crucial digital literacy skills by 2020.</li>
<li>NDLM is an effort to complement the government&rsquo;s vision to transform one from each household as digitally literate.</li>
<li>The project aims at helping adults with low technological literacy develop the skills they need to interact in an increasingly digital world.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this framework, the state would have:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>A positive obligation</strong> to create infrastructure for a minimum standard and quality of Internet access as well as capacity-building measures which would allow all citizens to be digitally literate.</li>
<li><strong>A negative obligation</strong> to protect citizen&rsquo;s right to privacy (declared a fundamental right by the Supreme court in Puttaswamy judgement).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government should invest the resources saved by moving services online, to create Digital infrastructure.</li>
<li>The definition of digital literacy today must include the ability to access and act upon resources and information found online.</li>
<li>Internet access and digital literacy are dependent on each other, and creation of digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with the<strong> creation of digital skills.</strong></li>
<li>Apart from it, there is a need to <strong>strengthen telecom regulations,</strong> so as to ensure market competition and make the internet affordable to all.</li>
<li><strong>Zero-rated services for mobile data access,</strong> could be an intermediate step to fully open and affordable Internet access for the poorest, provided that the choice of selecting services is transparent and inclusive.</li>
</ul>
<p>While the Kerala High Court judgment acknowledges the role of the right to access the Internet in accessing other fundamental rights, it is imperative that the right to Internet access and digital literacy be recognised as a right in itself.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 523px; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcffe6;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>Unequal access to the Internet creates and reproduces socio-economic exclusions. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-to-internet-access-and-digital-literacy'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Recycle and Reuse Policy',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests &amp; Climate Change has drafted a <strong>National Resource Efficiency Policy,</strong> in order to double the recycling rate of key materials and enable the upcycling of waste.</p>
<h3>Key Highlights</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the backdrop of the concerns over depleting resources in India because of rising factory output, urbanization, and increasing population, the pressure on existing resources has significantly increased.</li>
<li>In a <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-productivity-and-sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>circular economy,</strong></a> the<strong> use and dispose model</strong> won&rsquo;t work further. The emphasis is to be laid upon reusing and regenerating resources as much and as long as possible so as to make the resources sustainable.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can be done in two ways: <strong>firstly, recycling the materials,</strong> and secondly, <strong>increasing the efficiency of usage of these resources.</strong></li>
<li>Recycling is basically dealt with by industries alone but the Resource efficiency needs to be followed across all sectors and demands focused intervention from all the stakeholders.</li>
<li>Hence, the government formulated the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-national-resource-efficiency-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Resource Efficiency Policy</strong></a> that<strong> envisions</strong> how the existing policies are currently working for the promotion of resources, and how life cycle thinking can be promoted across the different stakeholders so that they do not feel isolated.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The policy helps to develop resource-efficient strategies for different sectors and adopt them into a <strong>three-year action plan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569400933_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569400933_image2.jpg" width="639" height="501" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> linear production and consumption model</strong> is leading towards a lot of wastage in the entire value chain.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Opportunities at each and every stage of the product cycle exist which can be utilized, especially at a time when the economy is going through a rough patch.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After the National Green Tribunal imposed a ban on more than ten years old diesel vehicles in the National Capital Region, more vehicles life came to an end. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the framed policy, the government plans to set up: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Collection centres</strong> to collect such vehicles and carry out the deregistration process, and</li>
<li><strong>Shredding centres</strong> which would segregate materials for recycling.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The plan is to ensure 75% recycling rate for vehicles made before 1990, 85% recycling rate for vehicles made between 1990 and 2000, and 90% recycling rate for vehicles made after 2000.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Another concern is related to the <strong>plastic waste</strong> that contributes to <strong>8% of the total solid waste</strong> that is addressed by this policy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The draft policy aims to achieve a 100% recycling and reuse rate polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic by 2025.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The policy is like a guiding document. The need of the hour is to actively implement the framed rules on ground, by the respective ministries and departments. Also, every sector of the economy must move towards sustainable use of resources and proactively accept sustainable alternatives.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/recycle-reuse-policy-to-drive-india-s-plan-to-become-resource-efficient-1569345928517.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: Mint</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Indigenous Fuel Cell System',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>On the occasion of the <strong>Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Foundation Day,</strong> the President of India recently introduced India&rsquo;s <strong>first indigenously developed</strong> high-temperature based <strong>Fuel Cell System.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is developed under the <strong>Public-Private Partnership (PPP)</strong> model by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Indian industries.</li>
<li>It is built under India&rsquo;s flagship programme named <strong>&lsquo;New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Specifications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The developed fuel cells are based on <strong>High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM)</strong> technology.</li>
<li>It is a<strong> 5.0 kW</strong> fuel cell system that generates power in a green manner.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It takes <strong>methanol or bio-methane as the input</strong> and produces <strong>heat and water</strong> as its bi-products, which can be further used.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This helps to attain an efficiency that is greater than 70%, which is difficult to achieve by other energy sources.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM) Technology</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>High-Temperature Proton-Exchange-Membrane (HTPEM) is the core of the fuel cells that run above 150 &deg;C. It works on two modes of operation with respect to the <strong>source of fuel.</strong></li>
<li>One mode is based on the <strong>conversion of natural gas into Hydrogen</strong> by means of <strong>steam reforming.</strong> This mode is used to fulfill <strong>stationary power</strong> demands.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Steam reforming</strong> or<strong> steam</strong> methane <strong>reforming</strong> is a chemical synthesis process for producing <strong>syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide)</strong> from hydrocarbons such as natural gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The second mode is based on the <strong>operation of Hydrogen with Oxygen</strong> obtained by the process of <strong>electrolysis.</strong> This is generally used in the space-related applications. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Electrolysis</strong> is a <strong>chemical decomposition process</strong> in which an electric current is passed through a liquid or a solution containing ions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>CSIR is an autonomous research and development body established by the <strong>Government of India on 26 September 1942.</strong></li>
<li>It is established under the <strong>Ministry of Science and Technology.</strong></li>
<li>It covers a wide spectrum of science and technology fields from radio and space physics, oceanography, geophysics, chemicals, drugs, genomics, biotechnology, and nanotechnology to mining, aeronautics, instrumentation, environmental engineering, and information technology.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the largest <strong>Public-Private-Partnership</strong> effort within the R&amp;D domain in the country.</li>
<li>NMITLI seeks to <strong>catalyze innovation</strong> centred <strong>scientific and technological</strong> developments as a vehicle to attain for Indian industry a global leadership position, in selected niche areas. It synergizes the best competencies of publicly funded R&amp;D institutions, academia, and private industry.</li>
<li>NMITLI has so far evolved 60 largely networked projects in diversified areas viz. Agriculture &amp; Plant Biotechnology, General Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Drugs &amp; Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Materials, Information and Communication Technology, and Energy.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Applications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This fuel system is most suitable to fulfil <strong>distributed stationary power applications</strong> demands like in small offices, commercial units, data centres, etc. <strong>where highly reliable power is essential</strong> with simultaneous requirement for air-conditioning.</li>
<li>This system will meet the <strong>requirement of efficient, clean and reliable backup power generators</strong> that are demanded by telecom towers, remote locations, and strategic applications.</li>
<li>The Fuel Cells fit well in India&rsquo;s mission of replacing <strong>Diesel</strong> based <strong>Generating</strong> (DG) <strong>sets</strong> with the green and alternate fuels.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This development is therefore expected to <strong>reduce India&rsquo;s dependence on crude oil.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The technology has placed India in the league of developed nations which are in possession of such a knowledge base.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the field of clean energy, Fuel Cell distributed power generation systems are emerging as a promising <strong>alternative to grid power.</strong></li>
<li>The development of indigenous fuel cell technology carries immense national importance in terms of <strong>energy security.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586349" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indigenous-fuel-cell-system'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'World Digital Competitiveness Ranking',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>India has jumped four places</strong> from <strong>48<sup>th</sup> </strong>place in 2018 to <strong>44<sup>th</sup> rank in 2019</strong> in World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The country has <strong>improved overall in all factors</strong> -- knowledge, technology and future-readiness -- as compared to the previous year's ranking.</li>
<li>The <strong>biggest improvement is in the technology sub-factor level,</strong> holding the first position in telecommunications investment.</li>
<li><strong>Top Countries:</strong> The US was ranked as the world's most digitally competitive economy, followed by Singapore in second place.</li>
<li><strong>Largest Jump:</strong> The largest jump in the overall ranking was registered by China, moving from 30<sup>th</sup> to 22<sup>nd</sup>, and Indonesia, from 62<sup>nd</sup> to 56<sup>th</sup>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Digital Competitiveness Ranking</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ranking, produced by the <strong>International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Center,</strong> measures the <strong>capacity and readiness of 63 nations</strong> to adopt and <strong>explore digital technologies</strong> as a key driver for economic transformation in business, government and wider society.</li>
<li>To evaluate an economy, WDCR examines <strong>three factors:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Knowledge:</strong> the capacity to understand and learn the new technologies;</li>
<li><strong>Technology:</strong> the competence to develop new digital innovations;</li>
<li><strong>Future readiness:</strong> the preparedness for the coming developments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/india-rises-4-places-to-44th-rank-in-world-digital-competitiveness-rankings-119092600861_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: BS</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-digital-competitiveness-ranking'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Population Pyramid',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A population pyramid is a graphical representation of the <strong>age and sex</strong> composition of a specific population.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It consists of <strong>two histograms, one for each gender</strong> (by convention, men on the left and women on the right) where the <strong>numbers are shown horizontally</strong> and the <strong>ages vertically.</strong></li>
<li>The numbers by gender and by age <strong>depend on interactions between fertility, mortality and migrations.</strong></li>
<li>The shape of the pyramid and its variations over the years depend, above all, on the <strong>variations in fertility.</strong></li>
<li>The pyramid can also assume a columnar shape (with vertical sides rather than sloped sides), or have an irregular profile.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India vis-a-vis China</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569572196_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569572196_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="511" height="313" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s pyramid is bottom heavy</strong> i.e. the Indian population has a <strong>larger proportion of children, teenagers and young adults compared to China&rsquo;s. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Population Distribution</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The country&rsquo;s population for the age cohorts of 0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 is roughly equal,</strong> whereas the numbers for older groups become progressively smaller.</li>
<li>This means that the country&rsquo;s younger age groups have stopped growing in numbers now and are likely to shrink slightly soon.</li>
<li>This, however, does not mean that India&rsquo;s population will also start shrinking soon.</li>
<li>Except for the oldest groups, <strong>India seems to have more males than females for every cohort.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The country&rsquo;s largest cohort is in its late 40s,</strong> although it is <strong>more gender balanced</strong> than its younger cohorts, suggesting that sex-selective abortions are likely to have taken off in the last few decades.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Working Age Population</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 25-65 age group, India currently has around 650 million people and China 830 million.</li>
<li>By 2040, India is likely to reach 900 million, whereas China will have around 730 million.</li>
<li>In other words, <strong>India will go from having 180 million less working-age people than China today to about 170 million more&mdash;</strong>a net gain of a third of a billion in 20 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Just having people in the working age is not enough. <strong>How many are in the labour force and their productivity are important.</strong> The government needs to focus on the same.</li>
<li>India needs to<strong> invest</strong> more, and efficiently, in <strong>human capital and infrastructure.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>For the former,</strong> investments in <strong>health and sanitation</strong> have to be sustained and more <strong>Public Private Partnership (PPP)</strong> models are required to ensure basic education.</li>
<li><strong>For the latter,</strong> a bigger push for <strong>affordable rental housing</strong> in cities has to be considered, along with more investments in rail connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/investing-better-in-citizens-is-key-to-india-s-growth-1569518299462.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: Mint</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/population-pyramid'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'World Tourism Day ',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has chosen <strong>India as the host country</strong> to observe World Tourism Day 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>theme</strong> for this World Tourism Day is <strong>&lsquo;Tourism and Jobs: A better future for all&rsquo;.</strong></li>
<li>It is celebrated every year on <strong>September 27</strong> around the world.</li>
<li>The purpose of World Tourism Day (WTD) is <strong>to foster awareness among the international community on the importance of tourism</strong> and its social, cultural, political and economic value.</li>
<li>The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the United Nations <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</strong></a> and highlight the contribution the tourism sector can make in reaching these goals.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations World Tourism Organisation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the <strong>United Nations Specialised Agency</strong> responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.</li>
<li>It was <strong>established in 1975</strong> with headquarters at <strong>Madrid, Spain.</strong></li>
<li>UNWTO <strong>encourages</strong> the implementation of the <strong>Global Code of Ethics for Tourism,</strong> to maximize tourism&rsquo;s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586310" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-tourism-day'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => '2I/Borisov: An Interstellar Object',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has officially declared a recently spotted comet as an interstellar object.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This means that the object, provisionally called Comet C/2019, is now dubbed 2I/Borisov, with the prefix marking that the comet is the<strong> second interstellar object</strong> scientists have identified to date. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/Important%20Facts%20for%20Prelims%20(12th%20November%202018)" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>first was 1I/'Oumuamua,</strong></a> which was first spotted in October 2017.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To confirm Borisov origins, scientists tracked the comet's location long enough to <strong>study its path.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Objects born<strong> in our solar system are trapped in elliptical orbits</strong> around the sun while interstellar bodies <strong>follow the hyperbolic path.</strong></li>
<li>IAU confirmed that <strong>2I/Borisov has a more hyperbolic path than any other comet</strong> scientists have studied to date.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The name Borisov honours its discoverer, astronomer Gennady Borisov from Crimea.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Astronomical Union</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was <strong>founded in 1919, headquartered in Paris, France.</strong></li>
<li>Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, through international cooperation.</li>
<li>It is the global authority for naming planetary features in the solar system.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The new finding suggests that such objects may be sufficiently numerous to provide a new way of investigating processes beyond our planetary systems.</li>
<li>Investigating interstellar objects can provide unique data about other star systems without actually flying to them.</li>
<li>They might provide unique insights into the evolution and composition of other star systems and exoplanets in them.</li>
<li>These objects have probably been travelling between star systems for hundreds of years. As a result, they have undoubtedly picked up material along the way or bear the marks of encounters with other objects or forces.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Their composition and surface features can tell us about the interstellar medium.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/after-2-in-2-years-an-annual-interstellar-visit-now-6032106/" 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/2i-borisov-an-interstellar-object'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'India- CARICOM',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>India&rsquo;s historic and warm relations with the countries of the Caribbean witnessed a new momentum with the meeting of <strong>Prime Minister of India with 14 leaders of the CARICOM group</strong> of countries on the <strong>sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting deliberated on the <strong>steadily intensifying and deepening relations</strong> between India and partner countries of the Caribbean,<strong> not only in the bilateral</strong> but also in the <strong>regional</strong> context.</li>
<li>India has provided immediate financial assistance of <strong>USD 1 million to recover from the destruction caused by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hurricane-dorian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Dorian</a></strong> in the region and the worst-hit island of Bahamas.</li>
<li>India also announced a USD 14 million grant for <strong>community development projects</strong> in the CARICOM and another 150 million <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/26-09-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Line of Credit</strong></a><strong> for solar, renewable energy and climate- change-related projects.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569571099_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569571099_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="624" height="328" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Caribbean Community (CARICOM)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Caribbean Community was formed in <strong>1973.</strong></li>
<li>CARICOM has <strong>15 members &ndash;</strong> Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad &amp; Tobago.</li>
<li>The Chairmanship of the Community is <strong>rotated every six months</strong> among the member countries.</li>
<li>The <strong>CARICOM Single Market and Economy</strong> are intended to benefit the people of the region by providing more and better opportunities to produce and sell goods and services and to attract investment.</li>
<li>The Government of India funded the US$ 1.166 million information technology and communication infrastructure, computer software and community studio at the CARICOM Secretariat in 2005-2006.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586334" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-caricom'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'India-New Zealand',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Prime Minister of India met Prime Minister of New Zealand on the sidelines of UNGA meetings in New York.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The issues of <strong>International Terrorism</strong> were also discussed and convergence of views between the two countries on this issue was appreciated.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570648_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570648_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="253" height="178" /></a></li>
<li>India and New Zealand have cordial and friendly relations rooted in the linkages of <strong>Commonwealth, Parliamentary Democracy and the English language.</strong></li>
<li>Bilateral relations between India and New Zealand were established in <strong>1952.</strong></li>
<li>NZ has identified India as a <strong>priority country in its &ldquo;Opening Doors to India&rdquo; policy</strong> notified in <strong>2011</strong> which was reiterated by New Zealand in 2015.</li>
<li>India shares <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/a-note-on-free-trade-agreements-and-their-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)</strong></a> with New Zealand which ensures the smooth economic relationship between two countries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both countries are part of the upcoming <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/deadlock-in-rcep-trade-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).</strong></a></li>
<li>Also, both countries hold Annual Economic Dialogue since 2009.</li>
<li>In <strong>2014 ONGC Videsh Limited</strong> was awarded oil and gas exploration permits by the New Zealand Government for undertaking <strong>offshore hydrocarbon exploration</strong> along the Taranaki coast in New Zealand‟s North Island region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian diaspora and students</strong> in New Zealand are an important <strong>bridge</strong> between the two nations.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586325" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-new-zealand'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'India-Estonia',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Prime Minister of India met President of the Republic of Estonia on sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)-74.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India recognized the Republic of Estonia in 1991 and diplomatic relations were established in the same year<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570065_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569570065_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="232" height="168" caption="false" /></a>.</li>
<li>Commercial relations between the two countries are good, but considering the size of India and its rapidly developing economy, there is significant room for higher economic engagement. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Good prospects for co-operation can be found in information technology, biotechnology, and clean energy.</li>
<li>Major items of <strong>export from India to Estonia</strong> include articles of leather coffee, tea, spices, and pharmaceutical products, etc.</li>
<li>Major <strong>Estonian exports to India</strong> include Iron and steel, fertilizers, electrical machinery, paper,etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India shares <strong>strong cultural relations</strong> with Estonia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The University of Tartu began <strong>teaching Sanskrit in 1837</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586331" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-estonia'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Right Livelihood Award',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Swedish teenage climate activist <strong>Greta Thunberg</strong> was recently awarded the <strong>Right Livelihood Award-2019,</strong> also known as <strong>Sweden's alternative Nobel Prize.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>She shares her award with the <strong>three other global leaders namely:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brazilian indigenous leader Davi Kopenawa</strong> who secured the land rights of the Yanomami people.</li>
<li><strong>Chinese women's rights lawyer Guo Jianmei.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Western Sahara human rights defender Aminatou Haidar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Yanomami Tribe</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Yanomami are the largest relatively isolated tribe in <strong>South America.</strong></li>
<li>The Yanomami people live in large circular and communal houses called <strong>Yanos or Shabonos.</strong></li>
<li>They live in the <strong>rainforests and mountainous regions of Northern Brazil and Southern Venezuela.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The award was founded by the Swedish-German philanthropist and stamp collector Jakob von Uexkull after the Nobel foundation rejected his proposal to <strong>establish two new Nobel Prizes, one environmental award and the other award to promote knowledge and perspectives of people in poor countries.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because of its founding history and the associated efforts to promote sustainability, social justice, and peace, it came to be known as <strong>alternative Nobel Prize.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>She won the award for her inspiring, unending, and amplifying efforts that demanded urgent global action from the world&rsquo;s political leaders regarding climate change.</li>
<li>Her <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/war-on-nature-must-end" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FridaysForFuture campaign</strong></a> inspired millions of young people throughout the world to come onto the streets and demand suitable necessary actions from their respective governments.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the students within India also protested at several places across the nation in order to be a part of the global protests against climate change.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/climate-activist-greta-thunberg-wins-swedens-alternative-nobel-prize/article29507056.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/right-livelihood-award'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Israel-Palestine',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in the news?</h3>
<p>Palestine has rejected the US-Bahrain led <strong>Peace to Prosperity economic workshop</strong> on the ground that it says nothing about ending Isreali occupation.</p>
<h3>Israel-Palestine Conflict</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The seeds of the conflict were laid in <strong>1917</strong> when the then British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour expressed official support of Britain for a Jewish "national home" in Palestine under the Balfour Declaration. The lack of concern for the "rights of existing non-Jewish communities" i.e. the Arabs led to prolonged violence.</li>
<li>Unable to contain Arab and Jewish violence, <strong>Britain withdrew its forces from Palestine</strong> in 1948, leaving responsibility for resolving the competing claims to the newly created United Nations. The UN presented a partition plan to create independent Jewish and Arab states in Palestine. Most Jews in Palestine accepted the partition but most Arabs did not.</li>
<li>In <strong>1948,</strong> the Jewish declaration of Israel's independence prompted surrounding Arab states to attack. At the end of the war, Israel controlled about 50 percent more territory than originally envisioned UN partition plan. Jordan controlled the West Bank and Jerusalem's holy sites, and Egypt controlled the Gaza Strip.</li>
<li><strong>1964: Founding of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)</strong></li>
<li><strong>1967:</strong> In <strong>Six-day Arab- Israeli war,</strong> Israeli forces seize the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank &amp; East Jerusalem from Jordan and Sinai Peninsula &amp; Gaza strip from Egypt.</li>
<li>The United Nations grants the PLO observer status in <strong>1975</strong> and recognizes Palestinians' right to self-determination.</li>
<li><strong>Camp David Accords (1978):</strong> "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" brokered by U.S. set the stage for peace talks between Israel and its neighbors and a resolution to the "Palestinian problem". This however remained unfulfilled.</li>
<li><strong>1981:</strong> Israel effectively annexes the Golan but this is not recognized by the United States or the international community.</li>
<li><strong>1987: Founding of Hamas,</strong> a violent offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood seeking "to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine" through violent jihad.</li>
<li><strong>1987:</strong> Tensions in the occupied territories of West Bank and Gaza reached boiling point resulting in the First <strong>Intifada</strong> (Palestinian Uprising). It grew into a small war between Palestinian militants and the Israeli army.</li>
<li><strong>1988:</strong> Jordan cedes to the PLO all the country's territorial claims in the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem.</li>
<li><strong>1993:</strong> Under the <strong>Oslo Accords</strong> Israel and the PLO agree to officially recognize each other and renounce the use of violence. The Oslo Accords also established the <strong>Palestinian</strong> <strong>Authority,</strong> which received limited autonomy in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.</li>
<li><strong>2005:</strong> Israel begins a unilateral withdrawal of Jews from settlements in Gaza. However, Israel kept tight control over all border crossings (blockade).</li>
<li><strong>2006: Hamas scores a victory in Palestinian Authority elections.</strong> The vote leaves the Palestinian house divided between Fatah movement, represented by President Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas, which will control the cabinet and parliament. Efforts at cohabitation fail almost immediately.</li>
<li><strong>2007: Palestinian Movement Splits</strong> after few months of formation of a joint Fatah-Hamas government. Hamas militants drive Fatah from Gaza. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appoints a new government in Ramallah (West Bank), which is quickly recognized by the United States and European Union. Gaza remains under Hamas control.</li>
<li><strong>2012-</strong> UN upgrades Palestinian representation to that of "non-member observer state".</li>
<li><strong>2014-</strong> Israel responds to the kidnapping and murder of three Jewish teenagers in the West Bank by arresting numerous Hamas members. Militants respond by firing rockets from Gaza. Clashes end in uneasy Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.</li>
<li><strong>2014-</strong> Fatah and Hamas form a unity government, though distrust remains between the two factions.</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">The Territorial Puzzle<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569496778_israel%20map.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569496778_israel map.jpg" width="464" height="584" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>West Bank:</strong> The West Bank is sandwiched between Israel and Jordan. One of its major cities is Ramallah, the de facto administrative capital of Palestine. Israel took control of it in the 1967 war and has over the years established settlements there.</li>
<li>
<h3><strong style="font-size: 14px;">Gaza:</strong><span style="font-size: 14px;"> The Gaza Strip located between Israel and Egypt. Israel occupied the strip after 1967, but relinquished control of Gaza City and day-to-day administration in most of the territory during the Oslo peace process. In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed Jewish settlements from the territory, though it continues to control international access to it.</span></h3>
</li>
<li><strong>Golan Heights:</strong> The Golan Heights is a strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war. Israel effectively annexed the territory in 1981. Recently, the USA has <strong>officially recognized</strong> Jerusalem and Golan Heights a part of Israel.</li>
<li><strong>Palestinian Authority-</strong> Created by the 1993 Olso Accords, it is the official governing body of the Palestinian people, led by President Mahmoud Abbas of the Fatah faction. Hobbled by corruption and by political infighting, the PA has failed to become the stable negotiating partner its creators had hoped.</li>
<li><strong>Fatah-</strong> Founded by the late Yasir Arafat in the 1950s, Fatah is the largest Palestinian political faction. Unlike Hamas, Fatah is a secular movement, has nominally recognized Israel, and has actively participated in the peace process.</li>
<li><strong>Hamas-&nbsp;</strong>Hamas is regarded as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Authority's legislative elections. It ejected Fatah from Gaza in 2007, splitting the Palestinian movement geographically, as well.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Two-State Solution</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The &ldquo;two state solution&rdquo; is based on a UN resolution of 1947 which proposed two states - one would be a state where Zionist Jews constituted a majority, the other where the Palestinian Arabs would be a majority of the population. The idea was however rejected by the Arabs.</li>
<li>For decades, it has been held by the international community as the only realistic deal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Why is the solution so difficult to achieve?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Borders:</strong> There is no consensus about precisely where to draw the line &ndash; with Israel building settlements and constructing barriers in areas like the West Bank that creates a de facto border. This makes it difficult to establish that land as part of an independent Palestine, breaking it up into non-contiguous pieces.</li>
<li><strong>Jerusalem:</strong> Both sides claim Jerusalem as their capital and consider it a center of religious worship and cultural heritage making its division difficult. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In December 2017, Israel declared Jerusalem as its capital and the step found support from the USA, intensifying the situation in the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Refugees:</strong> Large numbers of Palestinians who fled their homes in what is now Israel, during the preceding wars as well as their descendants believe they deserve the right to return but Israel is against it.</li>
<li><strong>Divided Political Leadership on Both sides:</strong> The Palestinian leadership is divided - two-state solution is supported by Palestinian nationalists in West Bank but the leadership in Gaza does not even recognize Israel. Further, while successive Israeli Prime Ministers - Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Benjamin Netanyahu - have all accepted the idea of a Palestinian state, they have differed in terms of what it should actually comprise.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Stand on Israel -Palestine Conflict</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Nearly <strong>83%</strong> of world countries have <strong>officially recognized Israel as a sovereign state</strong> and maintain diplomatic relations with it.</li>
<li>However, at the same time, many countries are <strong>sympathetic to Palestine.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>What do both parties want?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Palestine wants Israeli to halt all expansionary activities and retreat to pre-1967 borders. It wants to establish a sovereign Palestine state in West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital.</li>
<li>Palestine wants Palestine refugees who lost their homes in 1948 be able to come back.</li>
<li>Israel wants it to be recognised as a Jewish state. It wants the Palestine refugees to return only to Palestine, not to Israel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Stand</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India was one of the few countries to oppose the UN&rsquo;s partition plan in November 1947, echoing its own experience during independence a few months earlier. In the decades that followed, the Indian political leadership actively supported the Palestinian cause and withheld full diplomatic relations with Israel.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> recognised Israel in 1950 but it is also the first non-Arab country to recognise <strong>Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)</strong> as the sole representative of the Palestinian. India is also one of the first countries to recognise the statehood of Palestine in 1988.</li>
<li>In the <strong>2014, India favored UNHRC&rsquo;s resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza.</strong> Despite supporting probe, <strong>India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC IN 2015.</strong></li>
<li>As a part of <strong>Link West Policy,</strong> India has <strong>de-hyphenated its relationship with Israel and Palestine in 2018</strong> to treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive.</li>
<li>In <strong>June 2019, India voted in favor of a decision introduced by Israel in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong> that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization</li>
<li>So far India has tried to maintain the image of its historical moral supporter for Palestinian self-determination, and at the same time to engage in the military, economic, and other strategic relations with Israel.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>The world at large needs to come together for a peaceful solution but the reluctance of the Israeli government and other involved parties have aggravated the issue more. Thus a balanced approach towards the Israel-Palestine issue would help to maintain favorable relations with Arab countries as well as Israel.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/israel-palestine-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>For Mind Map</em></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Biotechnology Sector in India',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/different-peas-in-different-pods/article29511636.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Different peas in different pods&rdquo;</strong></a> which appeared in The Hindu on 26/09/2019. It talks about challenges pertaining to India&rsquo;s biotech sector along with the possible solutions.</p>
</div>
<p>India is among the first countries to set up a specialized agency i.e. department of biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology for the development of research and human resources in the biotechnology sector in 1986.</p>
<h3>What is Biotechnology and its Applications?</h3>
<p>Biotechnology harnesses cellular and bio-molecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Applications of Biotech<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Heal the world</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reducing rates of infectious disease.</li>
<li>Saving millions of children's lives.</li>
<li>Changing the odds of serious, life-threatening conditions affecting millions around the world.</li>
<li>Tailoring treatments to individuals to minimize health risks and side effects.</li>
<li>Creating more precise tools for disease detection.</li>
<li>Cleaning the ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fuel the world</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reducing the use of and reliance on petrochemicals.</li>
<li>Using biofuels to cut greenhouse gas emissions.</li>
<li>Decreasing water usage and waste generation.</li>
<li>Tapping into the full potential of traditional biomass waste products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Feed the world</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs.</li>
<li>Lowering volumes of agricultural chemicals required by crops-limiting the run-off of these products into the environment.</li>
<li>Developing crops with enhanced nutrition profiles that solve vitamin and nutrient deficiencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges faced by Biotech</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Biotechnology research often requires access to laboratories with high-end scientific infrastructure, the supply of expensive chemicals and reagents with minimum shipping time between the supplier and the user, and a disciplined work culture and documentation practice due to regulatory and intellectual property filing requirement.</li>
<li><strong>Poor quality of research:</strong> Biotech research paper is based &ldquo;publish or perish&rdquo; culture that incentivises numbers over quality.</li>
<li>Over the years, the focus of research has slowly <strong>shifted from fundamental to applied research.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the fruits of applied research will only come if there is an investment in basic research without asking for quick returns.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Compared to the developed economies (the United States), biotechnology research in India is mainly <strong>funded by the public exchequer.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Unless the private sector starts supporting applied research and engages with academic institutions, the innovation in applied and translational biotechnology will be minimal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Low wages of scientists</strong> (compared to the developed economies) and a few institutional research base have not helped create more jobs in biotechnology.</li>
<li>Biotechnology products and solutions often require <strong>ethical and regulatory clearance,</strong> making the process long, expensive and cumbersome.</li>
<li>As the nature of the <strong>work in the biotechnology sector is specialised,</strong> most jobs are filled with experienced and skilled scientists leaving the demand for young and inexperienced ones low.</li>
<li>In terms of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology creation, the biotechnology sector requires years of experience in the domain, access to labs with sophisticated instruments, sustained and long-term funding to innovate.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning from China</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China has many more labs with the best of scientific infrastructure; each with more number of skilled human resources trained in regimental work culture and trained to practise rigorous documentation.</li>
<li>Higher science budget coupled with a flexible hiring system has made Chinese universities and research labs attract many overseas Chinese scientists.</li>
<li>Due to all these advantages, Chinese students and scientists outnumber Indians by nearly 5:1 in most American universities in the life sciences/biology-related disciplines.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>While continuing and increasing the share of funding in basic research, the government <strong>should encourage and incentivise the private sector</strong> to invest substantially in applied research.</li>
<li>In this context, initiatives like <strong>Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC),</strong> which aim is to play a transformative and catalytic role in building a US$ 100 billion Indian bio-economy, is a step in the right direction.</li>
<li>There is a need for sustained <strong>innovation and product development model</strong> in the biotechnology, like the one followed by Boston and Silicon Valley in the U.S.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Along with the availability of funding, infrastructure and skilled workforce, the presence of top-notch research institutions and universities in the vicinity of the Biotech industry, makes these regions the most attractive locations for biotech startup companies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Therefore, India needs to provide an <strong>academia-industry linkage</strong> in the biotech sector.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will require a flexible policy in the institutes to allow scientists incubate startup companies in their labs while retaining their positions.</li>
<li>Also, the government should let scientists from research institutions and universities take unpaid leave to join the industry for a fixed period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>India needs to go beyond the traditional indicators such as the numbers of institutions formed, students and scientists, trained, and the number of patents filed to judge the sector&rsquo;s performance, and its impact on the economy and society as a whole. The biotech sector needs to be <strong>augmented through artificial intelligence-based tools, applications of big data in biology and India&rsquo;s strength in Information Technology.</strong></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #201cff; background-color: #ebffff;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #000080;">Drishti Mains Question<br /></span></strong></em>India needs to go beyond the traditional indicators such as the numbers of institutions formed, students and scientists, trained, and the number of patents filed to judge the biotechnology sector&rsquo;s performance, and its impact on the economy and society as a whole. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/biotechnology-sector-in-india'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Quantum Supremacy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The phrase <strong>&lsquo;quantum supremacy&rsquo;</strong> was coined in the year <strong>2011</strong> by John Preskill, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute of Technology.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Quantum supremacy refers to a problem-solving process by the <strong>quantum computer</strong> that cannot be solved by a classical computer in its normal lifetime.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The concept is related to the speed at which a quantum computer performs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Quantum computers are different from binary digital electronic computers that are based on transistors (a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The common digital computing requires the data to be <strong>encoded into binary digits (bits), each of which is always in one of two definite states (0 or 1).</strong></li>
<li>Quantum computation uses <strong>quantum bits (qubits).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Quantum Bit (Qubit)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A quantum bit (qubit) is the smallest unit of quantum information, which is the quantum analog of the regular computer bit, used in the field of quantum computing.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>They operate according to<strong> two key principles</strong> of quantum physics: <strong>superposition and entanglement.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Superposition</strong> means that each qubit can <strong>represent both a &lsquo;1&rsquo; and a &lsquo;0&rsquo; at the same time.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Entanglement</strong> means that qubits in a superposition state can be <strong>correlated with each other; that is, the state of one qubit (whether it is a 1 or a 0)</strong> can depend on the state of another qubit. It means that particles remain connected so that actions performed on one affect the other, even when separated by great distances. The phenomenon so riled Albert Einstein that he called it "spooky action at a distance."</li>
<li>Using these two principles, qubits can act as more sophisticated switches, enabling quantum computers to function in ways that allow them to solve difficult problems that are unmanageable using today&rsquo;s computers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to research, the quantum processor took 200 seconds to perform a calculation that would have been accomplished in 10,000 years by the world&rsquo;s <strong>fastest</strong> <strong>supercomputer &lsquo;Summit&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-quantum-supremacy-6029948/" 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/quantum-supremacy'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Darknet',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Kerala Police has set up a <strong>&lsquo;state-of-the-art lab&rsquo;</strong> to intervene and crack down on the rising criminal activities over the <strong>Darknet,</strong> also known as the underworld of the Internet.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Spearheading the programme is <strong>Cyberdome,</strong> the State police department&rsquo;s premier facility dedicated to prevent cybercrime and <strong>mitigate security threats to the State&rsquo;s critical information infrastructure.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Darknet</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Internet consists of three layers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The first layer is <strong>public,</strong> consisting of sites that one uses frequently such as Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and LinkedIn. This layer makes up only 4% of the entire internet.</li>
<li>The second layer, <strong>the deep web,</strong> is a network where data is stored in inaccessible databases (i.e. cannot be accessed through traditional search engines like Google). It is used to provide access to a specific group of people. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The data is generally sensitive and private (government private data, bank data, cloud data etc), so kept out of reach.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The third layer is the <strong>darknet</strong> which is also known as a part of the &lsquo;Deep Web&rsquo;. It is a network built over the <strong>internet which is encrypted.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is basically a layer of the Internet accessible <strong>only by using special software like Tor (The Onion Router),</strong> or I2P, which stands for Invisible Internet Project.</li>
<li>Anything present on the dark web will not be pulled up in internet searches, thereby offering a <strong>high degree of anonymity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns over Darknet:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In February 2016, in a study titled &lsquo;Cryptopolitik and the Darknet&rsquo;, researchers analysed content over the TOR network.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Of the 2,723 websites they could classify by content, 1,547 &ndash; 57 % &ndash; hosted <strong>illicit material ranging from drugs</strong> (423 sites), <strong>illegitimate pornography</strong> (122) and hacking (96), among others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There were also reports of log-in details of streaming sites like Netflix being sold on the dark web marketplaces for cheap rates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The network is also <strong>used by several activists</strong> especially those living under oppressive regimes to communicate without any government censorship.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The TOR network was used by activists during the Arab Spring.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Darknet and India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Information Technology Act</strong> deals with cybercrime and comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. There are only six sections in the law that deal with cybercrime.</li>
<li>With the changing times, India needs a code of criminal procedures dealing with cybercrime that would come under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which deals with policing issues.</li>
<li>Also, there is a need for police, trained in changing cyber trends who are dedicated only to cybercrime and not transferred to other police units.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/police-gear-up-to-scan-underworld-of-internet/article29506092.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/darknet'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Line of Credit to Pacific Island Nations',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>On the sidelines of the 74<sup>th</sup> session of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN General Assembly</strong></a>, the Indian Prime Minister has announced a<strong> $150 million</strong> worth line of credit to the group of Pacific island nations for undertaking solar, renewable energy and climate-related projects.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Indian PM also invited the leaders of the <strong>Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)</strong> to join the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).</strong></a></li>
<li>Reaffirming the commitment to provide developmental assistance for capacity building, the PM proposed to organize specialized courses under the Indian Technical &amp; Economic Cooperation Programme <strong>(ITEC) programme</strong> in priority areas identified by partner countries.</li>
<li>In the health sector, the Prime Minister offered to organize a <strong>Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp</strong> in a Pacific regional hub under <strong>&lsquo;India for Humanity&rsquo;</strong> programme.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India for Humanity</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As part of <strong>150<sup>th</sup> Birth Anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi</strong>, the <strong>'India for Humanity'</strong> initiative was launched in 2018 in honour of Gandhiji's service to humanity.</li>
<li>&ldquo;India For Humanity&rdquo; initiative was launched by the <strong>Ministry of External Affairs.</strong></li>
<li>It features a <strong>year-long series of artificial limb fitment camps</strong> in a number of countries spanning the globe.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>India and PSIDS Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the evolution of the <strong>Act East Policy</strong> of India, India&rsquo;s relationship with Pacific Island nations has deepened. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This resulted in the setting up of an action-oriented multinational grouping named <strong>Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation</strong> (FIPIC) in 2014, between India and the 14 Pacific Island nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The PSIDS comprises of the <strong>14 Pacific Island countries</strong> viz. The Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569485543_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569485543_image1.jpg" width="535" height="331" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India and PSIDS have shared values and a shared future. The need today is for inclusive sustainable development policy in order to reduce inequalities and improve the quality of people&rsquo;s lives.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Line of Credit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>credit facility</strong> extended by a bank or any other financial institution to a government, business or an individual customer, that enables the <strong>customer to draw the maximum loan amount.</strong></li>
<li>The borrower can access funds from the line of credit at <strong>any time as long as they do not exceed the maximum amount (or credit limit)</strong> set in the agreement and meet any other requirements such as making timely minimum payments.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-announces-150-million-line-of-credit-for-pacific-island-nations-6029410/" 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/line-of-credit-to-pacific-island-nations'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Special Report on Climate Change: IPCC',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made public <strong>&lsquo;The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate&rsquo;</strong> which underlined the dire changes taking place in oceans, glaciers, and ice-deposits on land and sea at the United Nations Climate Summit underway in the United States.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The published report is the last in a series of <strong>three reports on specific themes</strong> that IPCC has published namely:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Global Warming of 1.5&deg; C:</strong> A special report, which was commissioned to specifically explore the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-warming-of-1-5-c-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>scientific feasibility of the 1.5&deg;C</strong> </a>goal set in the Paris Agreement, on global warming.</li>
<li><strong>Land and climate change:</strong> The report focuses on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-and-land-ipcc-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>contribution of land-related activities to global warming</strong></a> i.e how the different uses of land affect the emission of greenhouse gases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The report also updates the <strong>IPCC's 5<sup>th</sup> Assessment Report</strong> &mdash; and summarises the disastrous impacts of warming based on current projections of global greenhouse gas emissions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>IPCC's 5<sup>th</sup> Assessment Report</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The IPCC prepares comprehensive Assessment Reports about the state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for reducing the rate at which climate change is taking place.</li>
<li>However, IPCC does not conduct its own research.</li>
<li>The Assessment Report released by IPCC in <strong>2014</strong> was the<strong> 5<sup>th</sup></strong> in a series of such reports.</li>
<li><strong>6<sup>th</sup> Assessment Report of IPCC</strong> is expected to be released in <strong>2022.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Findings of the Report</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over the 21<sup>st</sup> century, the ocean is projected to <strong>transition to unprecedented conditions</strong> with increased temperatures, further <strong>ocean acidification, marine heatwaves and more frequent extreme <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/el-nino-forecast-for-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">El Ni&ntilde;o</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/warmer-winters-ahead-as-el-nino-conditions-develop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Ni&ntilde;a</a> events.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Ocean Warming:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Global ocean has warmed unabated since 1970 and has taken up more than <strong>90% of the excess heat</strong> in the climate system.</li>
<li>Since 1993, the <strong>rate of ocean warming</strong> and marine heatwaves have very likely <strong>doubled in frequency</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>intensity.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Mean Sea-Level:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has <strong>increased by 16 cm</strong> between 1902 and 2015, and that the rate of increase had doubled of late.</li>
<li>Between 2006 and 2015, the global mean sea level recorded an average rise of <strong>3.6 mm per year,</strong> which was more than double of 1.4 mm per year recorded in the first 90-year-period of the 20th century.</li>
<li><strong>Sea-level rise is not globally uniform and varies regionally.</strong> Regional differences, within 30 % of global mean sea-level rise, result from land ice loss and variations in ocean warming and circulation</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Melting of Glaciers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 2006 and 2015, the <strong>Greenland ice sheet</strong> lost ice-mass at an average rate of 278 billion tonnes every year (e.g. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-monument-in-memory-of-a-glacier" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Okjokull glacier of Iceland</strong></a>), which was enough to result in a global sea-level rise of 0.8 mm per year. During the same period, <strong>the Antarctic ice sheet</strong> lost a mass of 155 billion tonnes on an average every year.</li>
<li>Snow cover outside these two poles, like the <strong>glaciers in the Himalayas,</strong>&nbsp;together lost an average of 220 billion tonnes of ice every year.</li>
<li>The melting glaciers are the <strong>dominant source of sea-level rise, exceeding the effect of thermal expansion</strong> of ocean water (due to rising temperatures).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Since the mid-20<sup>th</sup> century, the <strong>shrinking cryosphere</strong> has led to predominantly negative impacts on food security, water resources, water quality, livelihoods, health, and well-being, as well as the culture of human societies, particularly for Indigenous peoples.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the international body for assessing the science related to climate change.</li>
<li>It was set up in <strong>1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)</strong> and <strong>United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</strong> to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.</li>
<li>IPCC assessments provide a scientific basis for governments at all levels to develop climate-related policies, and they underlie negotiations at the UN Climate Conference &ndash; the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-ipcc-report-warns-of-dire-threat-to-oceans/article29511292.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Israel-Palestine',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1570605867_Israel-Palestine%20(Mind Map).png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1570605867_Israel-Palestine (Mind Map).png" width="370" height="2039" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For TTP</a></em></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/mind-map/gs-paper2/israel-palestine-mind-map'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'ICGS Varaha',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Indian Defence Minister commissioned the <strong>Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Varaha</strong> at the Chennai port.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ICGS Varaha is the fourth in the series of seven 98-m Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).</li>
<li>The ship has been designed and built <strong>indigenously</strong> and will operate from the port of New Mangalore on the West Coast (covering Exclusive Economic Zone) up to Kanyakumari.</li>
<li>It is fitted with the latest navigation and communication equipment which include the Integrated Bridge System, Automated Power Management System and indigenously built Integrated Platform Management System and Halo Traversing System.</li>
<li>ICGS Varaha is capable of operating the indigenously developed <strong>advanced light helicopter</strong> developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ship is well equipped with high-speed boats, medical facilities, and modern surveillance systems for conducting boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrolling.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This ship will enhance the ICG's strength in responding to the threats of maritime terrorism, smuggling, and challenges of maritime enforcement.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indian Coast Guard</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was established on 18<sup>th</sup> August <strong>1978</strong> by the <strong>Coast Guard Act, 1978</strong> of the Parliament of India as an independent Armed force of India.</li>
<li>It operates under the <strong>Ministry of Defence.</strong></li>
<li>Headquarter: <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
<li>It has jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India including <strong>contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.</strong></li>
<li>It is responsible for marine environment protection in maritime zones of India and is coordinating authority for response to oil spills in Indian waters.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1586154" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icgs-varaha'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Kristalina Georgieva',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund</strong></a> formally selected <strong>Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria</strong> as the <strong>second woman ever</strong> to lead the 189-member institution for a five-year term starting on October 1, 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>She will replace Christine Lagarde, who is set to take over the European Central Bank later this year.</li>
<li>She is also the <strong>first person from an emerging economy</strong> to head the global lender.</li>
<li>The Managing Director is the chief of the IMF&rsquo;s operating staff and Chair of the Executive Board. The Managing Director is assisted by four Deputy Managing Directors.</li>
<li>She was also the Interim President for the World Bank Group before being appointed as the Chief of IMF.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-6th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>David Malpass, a top U.S. Treasury official was unanimously selected</strong></a> as the new President of the World Bank for a five-year term starting from April 9, 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>By tradition, the IMF managing director is a European, while the United States chooses the president of the World Bank. The situation leaves little hope for ascendant emerging economies that, despite modest changes in 2015, do not have as large an IMF voting share as the United States and Europe.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Monetary Fund</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The IMF, also known as the Fund, was conceived at a <strong>UN conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, in July 1944.</strong></li>
<li>It provides financial assistance to member countries with balance of payments problems, lends money to replenish international reserves, stabilize currencies, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)</strong> is the IMF&rsquo;s unit of account and <strong>not a currency.</strong> SDR basket of currencies includes the U.S. dollar, Euro, Japanese yen, pound sterling and the Chinese renminbi (included in 2016).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/kristalina-georgieva-named-imf-managing-director/article29512095.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/kristalina-georgieva'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Right to Internet Access and Digital Literacy',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/inequality-of-another-kind/article29492512.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Inequality of another kind</strong></a> which appeared in The Hindu on 24/09/2019. It talks about making the right to internet access and digital literacy, a fundamental right.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Kerala High Court, in Faheema Shirin v. the State of Kerala case, declared the <strong>right to Internet access as a fundamental right</strong> forming a part of the right to privacy and the right to education under Article 21 of the Constitution.</p>
<p>The court held that, in an <strong>information society,</strong> unequal access to the Internet creates and reproduces socio-economic exclusions.</p>
<h3>What are the impact and challenges of Internet Access and Digital Literacy on Socio-Economic Development?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Offering services online has cost and efficiency benefits for the government and also allows citizens to bypass lower-level government bureaucracy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It increases the <strong>accountability and transparency</strong> of the government.</li>
<li>It leads to <strong>better public service delivery.</strong></li>
<li>It increases <strong>participation of citizenry</strong> into politics. etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In a global economy, <strong>knowledge of digital processes</strong> transforms the way in which people work, collaborate, consume information, and entertain themselves.</li>
<li>It will also augment the government&rsquo;s efforts to provide better education, health and employment opportunities.</li>
<li>It also helps in socio-cultural mobilisation in Indian society.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges to Internet Accessibility</h3>
<p>Recently, due to the<strong> information revolution,</strong> many businesses and services have become digital and only some of them are available online.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>digital divide</strong> emanating from <strong>information poverty, lack of infrastructure, and lack of digital literacy</strong> leads to social and economic backwardness.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The digital divide can be seen <strong>throughout the socio-economic spectrum</strong> of India i.e. between rural and urban India, rich and poor, India&rsquo;s demographic profile (old and young, male and female).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the <strong>Deloitte report,</strong> &lsquo;Digital India: Unlocking the Trillion Dollar Opportunity&rsquo; in mid-2016, <strong>digital literacy in India was less than 10%.</strong></li>
<li>Also, in the absence of Internet access and digital literacy enabling that access, there will be the further exclusion of large parts of the population, exacerbating the already existing digital divide.</li>
<li>Even though the government has provided various e-services at grassroots through common service centres, without internet access and digital literacy, these are of no use.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why the Right to Internet Access Should be a Fundamental Right?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Curbing Inequality is the basis of social justice and development.</strong></li>
<li>Also, reducing inequality also finds mention in <strong>Articles 39 of the directive principle of state policy,</strong> in the Indian Constitution.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has now become a settled judicial practice to read fundamental rights along with directive principles with a view to defining the scope and ambit of the former.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Right to Internet access and digital literacy is important to get rid of the digital divide and allow citizens increased access to information, services, and the creation of better livelihood opportunities.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Initiatives in the Field of Internet Access</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government has acknowledged the digital revolution and is in pursuit of digital inclusion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government has launched, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-february-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the Bharat Net programme</strong></a>, which aims to have an optical fibre network in all gram panchayats.</li>
<li>Bharat Net will act as the infrastructural backbone for having Internet access all across the country.</li>
<li>However, the project has consistently missed all its deadlines while the costs involved have doubled.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>National Digital Literacy Mission</strong> has barely touched 1.67% of the population.</li>
<li>This has been acknowledged in the Sustainable Development Goals as well as by the Indian government and has led to the <strong>Digital India mission.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>National Digital Literacy Mission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>National Digital Literacy Mission</strong> (NDLM) has been initiated with the vision to empower at least one person per household with crucial digital literacy skills by 2020.</li>
<li>NDLM is an effort to complement the government&rsquo;s vision to transform one from each household as digitally literate.</li>
<li>The project aims at helping adults with low technological literacy develop the skills they need to interact in an increasingly digital world.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this framework, the state would have:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>A positive obligation</strong> to create infrastructure for a minimum standard and quality of Internet access as well as capacity-building measures which would allow all citizens to be digitally literate.</li>
<li><strong>A negative obligation</strong> to protect citizen&rsquo;s right to privacy (declared a fundamental right by the Supreme court in Puttaswamy judgement).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government should invest the resources saved by moving services online, to create Digital infrastructure.</li>
<li>The definition of digital literacy today must include the ability to access and act upon resources and information found online.</li>
<li>Internet access and digital literacy are dependent on each other, and creation of digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with the<strong> creation of digital skills.</strong></li>
<li>Apart from it, there is a need to <strong>strengthen telecom regulations,</strong> so as to ensure market competition and make the internet affordable to all.</li>
<li><strong>Zero-rated services for mobile data access,</strong> could be an intermediate step to fully open and affordable Internet access for the poorest, provided that the choice of selecting services is transparent and inclusive.</li>
</ul>
<p>While the Kerala High Court judgment acknowledges the role of the right to access the Internet in accessing other fundamental rights, it is imperative that the right to Internet access and digital literacy be recognised as a right in itself.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 523px; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcffe6;">
<p><em><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong></em>Unequal access to the Internet creates and reproduces socio-economic exclusions. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-to-internet-access-and-digital-literacy'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Recycle and Reuse Policy',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests &amp; Climate Change has drafted a <strong>National Resource Efficiency Policy,</strong> in order to double the recycling rate of key materials and enable the upcycling of waste.</p>
<h3>Key Highlights</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In the backdrop of the concerns over depleting resources in India because of rising factory output, urbanization, and increasing population, the pressure on existing resources has significantly increased.</li>
<li>In a <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-productivity-and-sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>circular economy,</strong></a> the<strong> use and dispose model</strong> won&rsquo;t work further. The emphasis is to be laid upon reusing and regenerating resources as much and as long as possible so as to make the resources sustainable.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can be done in two ways: <strong>firstly, recycling the materials,</strong> and secondly, <strong>increasing the efficiency of usage of these resources.</strong></li>
<li>Recycling is basically dealt with by industries alone but the Resource efficiency needs to be followed across all sectors and demands focused intervention from all the stakeholders.</li>
<li>Hence, the government formulated the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-national-resource-efficiency-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Resource Efficiency Policy</strong></a> that<strong> envisions</strong> how the existing policies are currently working for the promotion of resources, and how life cycle thinking can be promoted across the different stakeholders so that they do not feel isolated.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The policy helps to develop resource-efficient strategies for different sectors and adopt them into a <strong>three-year action plan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569400933_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1569400933_image2.jpg" width="639" height="501" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> linear production and consumption model</strong> is leading towards a lot of wastage in the entire value chain.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Opportunities at each and every stage of the product cycle exist which can be utilized, especially at a time when the economy is going through a rough patch.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After the National Green Tribunal imposed a ban on more than ten years old diesel vehicles in the National Capital Region, more vehicles life came to an end. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under the framed policy, the government plans to set up: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Collection centres</strong> to collect such vehicles and carry out the deregistration process, and</li>
<li><strong>Shredding centres</strong> which would segregate materials for recycling.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The plan is to ensure 75% recycling rate for vehicles made before 1990, 85% recycling rate for vehicles made between 1990 and 2000, and 90% recycling rate for vehicles made after 2000.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Another concern is related to the <strong>plastic waste</strong> that contributes to <strong>8% of the total solid waste</strong> that is addressed by this policy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The draft policy aims to achieve a 100% recycling and reuse rate polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic by 2025.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The policy is like a guiding document. The need of the hour is to actively implement the framed rules on ground, by the respective ministries and departments. Also, every sector of the economy must move towards sustainable use of resources and proactively accept sustainable alternatives.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/recycle-reuse-policy-to-drive-india-s-plan-to-become-resource-efficient-1569345928517.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: Mint</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/recycle-and-reuse-policy'
	]
]
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	'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
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		'metadescription' => 'string',
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		'articles.metakeyword' => 'text',
		'metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles__status' => 'integer',
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		'updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.added' => 'timestamp',
		'added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.modified' => 'timestamp',
		'modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles.whatsnewid' => 'integer',
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	'decorators' => (int) 0,
	'executed' => false,
	'hydrate' => true,
	'buffered' => true,
	'formatters' => (int) 0,
	'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
	'contain' => [],
	'matching' => [],
	'extraOptions' => [],
	'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}

}
$page = (int) 180
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 302
$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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