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India-Vietnam Relations

21 May 2019 Paper 2
Bigger Picture of USA’s Action Against Iran

This article appeared on 18th May 2019 in Indian Express, By destabilising regions that supply oil and gas, US is keeping Rising Asia off-balance,...

20 May 2019 News Editorials
RISAT-2B

Radar Imaging Satellite 2B is an Indian radar reconnaissance satellite that is part of India's RISAT programme. It is built by Indian Space Research...

20 May 2019 News Analysis
Golconda-Qutb Shahi Tombs

The National Monuments Authority (NMA) has given the go-ahead for the development of 54 row houses in the regulated zone of the 500-year-old Golconda...

20 May 2019 News Analysis
Evidence of Water Found at Ultima Thule

NASA has found evidence for a unique mixture of methanol, water, ice and organic molecules on Ultima Thule's surface NASA has published the first...

20 May 2019 News Analysis
Issues in WTO’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism is going through a crisis. The body is struggling to appoint new members to...

20 May 2019 News Analysis
Important Facts For Prelims (20th May 2019)

SIMBEX 2019 The 26th edition of the annual Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-2019, is being conducted in the South China Sea...

20 May 2019 News Analysis
India-Vietnam Relations

Why in the News? Recently India's Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu was on a four-day visit to Vietnam. India and Vietnam both agreed to further...

20 May 2019 Paper 2
Regulatory Issues in Indian Pharmaceutical Sector

This editorial is based on the article "Indian pharma at the crossroads as US cracks the whip" which appeared in "Livemint" on 17th May, 2019. The...

18 May 2019 News Editorials
Import of Refurbished Mobile Phones

India has allowed the import of refurbished mobile phones, subject to the condition that they are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards...

18 May 2019 News Analysis
Interstate Migrants Avoiding Big Cities

'Migration and its impacts on cities', a report by the World Economic Forum, shows that smaller cities are rapidly growing, but at the same time...

18 May 2019 News Analysis
Kerala: The First Indian State to Issue Masala Bond

Recently, the state-owned Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) debuted its ‘masala bond’ issue of ₹ 2,150 crore on the...

18 May 2019 News Analysis
Important Facts For Prelims (18th May 2019)

Taiwan Legalises Gay Marriages Recently, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriages. The Bill passed by the Taiwanian...

18 May 2019 News Analysis
Crime Against Minors

In the recent past, the country has witnessed some heinous crimes against minor girls. There was uproar in Kashmir after a 3-year-old was raped by...

18 May 2019 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Key Reasons for an Indian Industrial Policy

This editorial is based on the article 'Why an industrial policy is crucial' which appeared in The Hindu on 17th May, 2019. The article talks about...

17 May 2019 News Editorials
India’s Waste Dumping Proposal Stands Defeated

A proposal by India to prevent developed countries from dumping their electronic and plastic waste into developing countries, was defeated at the...

17 May 2019 News Analysis
Wild Life Protection Act: Implementation and Failure

Recently, Chennai has emerged as a hotbed of global illegal animal trade. This, along with several incidences of poaching and trafficking of...

17 May 2019 News Analysis
Teenage Pregnancy and Stunted Children

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) study suggests children born to teenage mothers in India are more likely to be stunted than...

17 May 2019 News Analysis
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’s Failure in North East

Out of ₹1,400 crore earmarked annually for the north-eastern States under the Centre’s flagship Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, only ₹8...

17 May 2019 News Analysis
Synthetic Genome

Researchers at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Britain reported that they had rewritten the DNA of the bacteria...

17 May 2019 News Analysis

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			'title' => 'India-Vietnam Relations',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
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		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Bigger Picture of USA’s Action Against Iran',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article appeared on 18<sup>th</sup> May 2019 in Indian Express, <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/iran-united-states-tensions-crisis-nuclear-deal-persian-gulf-india-economy-crude-oil-5734292/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>By destabilising regions that supply oil and gas, US is keeping Rising Asia off-balance,</em></a> which talks about how USA&rsquo;s policy in West Asia will impact geo-economics of Asia.</p>
</div>
<p>All the political dimensions like geography, politics, security and stability of West Asia over the past century have been centred on <strong>Black Gold</strong> i.e. <strong>oil and petroleum</strong>. It started with First World War (1914-1919) to Second Gulf War 2003 and in contemporary times all this West Asia influx whether it was Arab spring, Syria's civil war, sanctions on Iran etc, all the events and chaos was about USA's pursuit to maintain dominance of petrodollar.</p>
<p>But this not only impacts West Asia alone rather it impedes or checks the Rising Asia.</p>
<h3>What is USA's Foreign Policy in Regard to Context of Oil?</h3>
<p><strong>What is Petrodollar?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The petrodollar is any U.S. dollar paid to oil-exporting countries in exchange.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>1944 Bretton Woods</strong> conference established the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency as After World War II, the United States held most of the world's supply of gold.</li>
<li>U.S. dollar is pegged in gold and all other currencies were pegged in dollar.</li>
<li>In 1971, U.S. stagflation prompted the United Kingdom to redeem most of its U.S. dollars for gold.</li>
<li>Than President Nixon removed the dollar from the gold standard to protect the remaining U.S. gold reserves.</li>
<li>This gave rise to the concept of <strong>Petrodollar Recycling</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1973 by US- Saudi deal, Saudi Arabia (largest supplier of oil) agreed to use U.S. dollars for oil contracts.</li>
<li>The U.S. dollars would be recycled back to America through contracts with the U.S. companies.</li>
<li>Thus whole US foreign policy vis-a vis west Asia envisaged to maintain dominance of petrodollar.</li>
<li>That&rsquo;s why US seeks to have a say in supply of oil.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What is the Rationale of US Action vis-a-vis Iran?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over the past decade, with the US becoming self-reliant on the energy front due to structural changes in the market for energy like:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Shale gas revolution,</li>
<li>Renewable energy revolution,</li>
<li>USA starting oil production again under Trump regime</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This has reduced US dependence on imported oil. The focus of US policy has now shifted to <strong>retaining control over the sources of supply</strong>&nbsp;and not just ensuring its supply.</li>
<li>Renewed tension in the Persian Gulf is not about overpowering Iran-sponsored terrorism. It is about securing control over Iran-produced oil.</li>
<li>USA's <strong>hostility towards Venezuela</strong> is under same narrative as that of Iran.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How Other Regions Will Get Affected?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The trans-Atlantic nations, especially the US, no longer depend on Gulf oil. But <strong>Asian economies,</strong> including China, Japan, South Korea and India, depend critically on Gulf oil.</li>
<li>All these countries are facing pressure of restricting import of Iranian oil to zero under USA's CAATSA&nbsp;<strong>(Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: <em>What is CAATSA?</em></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a legislation introduced in the United States that aims to counter anti-US aggression displayed by countries like Iran, North Korea and Russia through a series of punitive measures.</li>
<li>Among the provisions of CAATSA are secondary sanctions on countries that are found to be dealing with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For instance, India&rsquo;s dependence on imported oil has risen sharply over the past decade, it is nearly 85% per cent of its domestic consumption.</li>
<li>By destabilizing regions of the world that supply oil and gas, the US is trying to check economic engine of Asia i.e. China.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Harvard scholar Edward Luttwak, in his book <strong>&ldquo;The Rise of China versus the Logic of Strategy&rdquo;</strong> says- the only way the US could deal with a rising China is through its <strong>geo-economic containment</strong>.</li>
<li>This <strong>geo-economic containment</strong> can be achieved by:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Restricting Chinese exports into (US) markets.</li>
<li>Stopping whatever technology transfers China would still need for the future.</li>
<li>Above measures US seeks to implement through <strong>Trade war</strong>.</li>
<li>Restricting raw materials to China, i.e. oil, through destabilization of West Asia is part of geo-economic containment of China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Luttwak suggested that US policy goal ought to be to slow down China&rsquo;s economic growth so as to lower the strategic weight of China in dealing with western Asia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This USA's strategy of wrapping strategic concerns in some other issue like human rights etc is nothing new, as western countries use restrictions of access to energy as a Neo-imperialist tool to restrict the rise of emerging economies under the name of climate change.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This has also been highlighted by former NITI Aayog chief Arvind Subramanian under narrative of <strong>"Carbon Imperialism"</strong> &mdash; the strategy of denying access to coal and other hydrocarbons in the name of climate change and thereby, hurting developing country growth prospects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion: What Would be Impact on India and What India Should Do?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India could suffer collateral damage due to this US policy of the geo-economic containment of China.</li>
<li>Hence, India has a stake in ensuring peace and stability in the Persian Gulf.</li>
<li>So if USA is insensitive to India&rsquo;s concerns, India will have to seriously rethink its foreign policy options since sustaining high economic growth with low inflation is a fundamental developmental priority and a key strategic objective also.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #ffddd4; border-color: #d43002; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 899px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:<br /><br /></strong></em>US's actions against Iran have significant deeper underpinnings rather than just breaking down Iranian hegemony in region, which are also against India's economic interest. In light of this, should India seriously need to rethink its foreign policy? Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'RISAT-2B',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>Radar Imaging Satellite 2B</strong> is an Indian radar reconnaissance satellite that is part of India's RISAT programme. It is built by Indian Space Research Organisation and will be launched by PSLV-C46 rocket on May 22, 2019 from the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.</p>
<h3>Features<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677980_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677980_image3.jpg" width="337" height="535" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The satellite has a mass of 615 kg and feature an X-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar).</li>
<li>It is built for a 5 year operational lifetime.</li>
<li>RISAT 2B will be launched into a 37&deg; inclined orbit at 555 km orbital height.</li>
<li>RISAT 2B, RISAT 2BR1 and RISAT 2BR2 will be launched in 2019 on Indian PSLV launch vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Regular remote-sensing or optical imaging satellites work like a light-dependent camera that cannot perceive hidden or surreptitious objects in cloudy or dark conditions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Satellites that are equipped with an active sensor, the synthetic aperture radar (SAR), can sense or &lsquo;observe&rsquo; Earth in a special way from space day and night, rain or cloud.</li>
<li>A radar imaging satellite is complex to assemble. Interpreting its images is equally complex.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will mark the resumption of a vital ring of Indian all-seeing radar imaging satellites after seven years.</li>
<li>It will add to the reconnaissance capability from about 500 km in space. A constellation of such space-based radars means a comprehensive vigil over the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Applications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India radar imaging are used for crop estimation because our main crop growing season of kharif is in May-September when it rains and gets cloudy.</li>
<li>We have used this data extensively for forestry, soil, land use, geology and during floods and cyclone.</li>
<li>Due to an all-weather seeing feature, the satellite becomes special for security forces and disaster relief agencies.</li>
</ul>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/risat-2b'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Golconda-Qutb Shahi Tombs',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The National Monuments Authority (NMA) has given the go-ahead for the development of 54 row houses in the regulated zone of the <strong>500-year-old Golconda Fort</strong> and <strong>Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex in Hyderabad (Telangana),</strong> with the caveat that colour scheme should match with that of the monuments.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Department of Heritage, Telangana, raised multiple concerns citing <strong>Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act</strong> against the issue of no-objection certificate to the builder.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a concern that the <strong>construction will block the visual continuity</strong> that has existed for centuries between the two locations.</li>
<li>The construction location is 101 metres beyond the wall near Patancheru Darwaza. The gate, in earlier times, used to be an important passage from the Inner Fort to the site of Old Golconda.</li>
<li>The construction <strong>may impact the history of 'Old Golconda'</strong>. It is believed that the site of Old Golconda might have extended to the area of potential new construction between the fort and the tombs.</li>
<li>It will <strong>impact the five small water bodies</strong> between the fort wall and the outer enclosure of tombs.</li>
<li>The construction will also <strong>impact efforts for securing the World Heritage Status for the sites (2014 nomination)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Government agencies and citizens need to work together to retain the heritage character of the two sites.</p>
<h3><strong></strong></h3>
<h3>The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The act that was passed in 2010 has the stated <strong>objective to preserve, conserve, protect and maintain all ancient monuments</strong> and archaeological sites and remains declared of national importance, and their surrounding areas up to a distance of 300 meters ( or more as may be specified in certain cases) in all directions.</li>
<li><strong>No construction or reconstruction is permitted in the prohibited area</strong> (an area up to a distance of 100 meters in all directions from the nearest protected limit of nearby protected monument or protected area declared as of national importance), but repair or renovation is considered.</li>
<li><strong>In the regulated area</strong> (an area up to a distance of 200 meters in all directions from the prohibited area of any protected monument and protected area declared as of national importance), <strong>repair/renovation/construction/reconstruction are considered</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>All applications for construction related work in the prohibited and regulated areas are to be submitted to the Competent Authorities (CA) and then to NMA for consideration.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>National Monuments Authority (NMA)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NMA <strong>under the Ministry of Culture</strong> has been setup as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act which was enacted in March,2010.</li>
<li>Several functions have been assigned to the NMA for the protection and preservation of monuments and sites through management of the prohibited and regulated areas around the centrally protected monuments.</li>
<li><strong>NMA also considers grant of permissions to applicants for construction related activity in the prohibited and regulated areas.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Golconda Fort<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678144_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678144_image4.jpg" width="232" height="174" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is located in the western part of Hyderabad city.</li>
<li>It was <strong>originally known as Mankal,</strong> and <strong>built</strong> on a hilltop <strong>in the year 1143</strong>.</li>
<li>It was originally a mud fort under the reign of Rajah of Warangal.</li>
<li>Later <strong>it was fortified between 14<sup>th</sup> and 17<sup>th</sup> centuries</strong> by the Bahmani Sultans and then by the Qutub Shahi dynasty. <strong>Golconda was the principal capital of the Qutub Shahi kings</strong>.</li>
<li>The inner fort contains ruins of palaces, mosques and a hilltop pavilion, which rises about 130 meters high and gives a bird&rsquo;s eye view of other buildings.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Qutb Shahi Tombs<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678177_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678177_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="241" height="160" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Lying <strong>two kilometers from the Golconda Fort,</strong> the Qutb Shahi Tombs are built in <strong>Persian, Hindu and Pathani styles of architecture</strong>.</li>
<li>The tombs were planned and built by numerous monarchs who ruled the state during the <strong>18<sup>th</sup> century</strong>.</li>
<li>The grandeur of the tombs is ensconced amidst the beautiful and picturesque landscape and gardens of Ibrahim Bagh, and the tombs themselves are dedicated to the seven Qutub Shahi kings who ruled Golconda for nearly 170 years.</li>
<li>One of the most impressive tombs belongs to the <strong>founder of Hyderabad, Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah</strong> which rises to a height of 42 meters.</li>
</ul>',
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		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'Evidence of Water Found at Ultima Thule',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>NASA has found evidence for a unique mixture of methanol, water, ice and organic molecules on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nasa-spaceship-reaches-ultima-thule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ultima Thule's</a> surface</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NASA has published the first profile of Ultima Thule, an ancient relic from the era of planet formation revealing details about the complex space object.</li>
<li>Researchers are investigating a range of surface features on Ultima Thule, such as bright spots and patches, hills and troughs, and craters and pits on it.</li>
<li>The largest depression is a 8-kilometer-wide, the team has nicknamed <strong>Maryland crater,</strong> likely formed from an impact.</li>
<li><strong>Colour and composition:</strong> of Ultima Thule resembles many other objects found in its area of the Kuiper Belt. Its reddish hue is believed to be caused by modification of the organic materials on its surface.</li>
</ul>
<h3>About Ultima Thule<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678074_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678074_image2.jpg" width="316" height="178" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NASA&rsquo;s New Horizons</strong> spacecraft flew past the icy object nicknamed <strong>Ultima Thule (TOO-lee)</strong> in Kuiper belt.</li>
<li>It is a contact binary, with two distinctly differently shaped lobes. It consists of a large, strangely flat lobe nicknamed "Ultima" connected to a smaller, somewhat rounder lobe dubbed "Thule" at a juncture.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The lobes likely once orbited each other until some process brought them together in what scientists have shown to be a "gentle" merger.</li>
<li>The alignment of the axes of Ultima and Thule indicates that before the merger the two lobes must have become tidally locked, meaning that the same sides always faced each other as they orbited around the same point.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The discoveries made about Ultima Thule are going to advance theories of solar system formation.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/evidence-of-water-found-at-ultima-thule'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'Issues in WTO’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>The <strong>World Trade Organization&rsquo;s (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism is going through a crisis</strong>. The body is <strong>struggling to appoint new members to its understaffed Appellate Body</strong> that hears appeals in trade.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Over 20 developing countries met in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wto-ministerial-meeting-of-developing-countries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Delhi</a> on 13-14 May 2019 to discuss the ways to prevent the WTO&rsquo;s dispute resolution system from collapsing due to the logjam in the appointments.</p>
</div>
<h3>WTO&rsquo;s Appellate Body</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Appellate Body, <strong>set up in 1995,</strong> is a <strong>standing committee of seven members</strong> that presides over appeals against judgments passed in trade-related disputes brought by WTO members.</li>
<li>Countries involved in a dispute over measures purported to break a WTO agreement or obligation can approach the Appellate Body if they feel the report of the panel set up to examine the issue needs to be reviewed on points of law.</li>
<li>However, existing evidence is not re-examined but legal interpretations are reviewed.</li>
<li>The Appellate Body can uphold, modify, or reverse the legal findings of the panel that heard the dispute. Countries on either or both sides of the dispute can appeal.</li>
<li>The Appellate Body has so far issued 152 reports. The reports, once adopted by the WTO&rsquo;s dispute settlement body, are final and binding on the parties.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677894_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677894_image5.jpg" width="553" height="311" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Issues in WTO&rsquo;s Appellate Body</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over the last few years, the <strong>membership of the body has shriveled to just three persons instead of the required seven</strong>.</li>
<li>This is because the United States, which believes the WTO is biased against it, has been blocking appointments of new members and reappointments of some members who have completed their four-year tenure.</li>
<li>Two members will complete their tenures in December 2019, leaving the body with just one member.</li>
<li>At least three people are required to preside over an appeal, and if new members are not appointed to replace the two retiring ones, the body will cease to be relevant.</li>
<li>The understaffed appeals body has been unable to stick to its 3 month deadline for appeals filed in the last few years, and the backlog of cases has prevented it from initiating proceedings in appeals that have been filed in the last year.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Disputes in WTO</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has so far been a direct participant in 54 disputes, and has been involved in 158 as a third party.</li>
<li>In February 2019, the body said it would be unable to staff an appeal in a <strong>dispute between Japan and India</strong> over certain safeguard measures that India had imposed on imports of iron and steel products.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> The dispute panel (India and Japan) had found that India had acted &ldquo;inconsistently&rdquo; with some WTO agreements, and India had notified the Dispute Settlement Body of its decision to appeal certain issues of law and legal interpretations in December 2018.</p>
</div>
<h3>Implications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the Appellate Body unable to review new applications, there is already great uncertainty over the WTO&rsquo;s dispute settlement process.</li>
<li>If the body is declared non-functional in December, countries may be compelled to implement rulings by the panel even if they feel that gross errors have been committed.</li>
<li>Countries may refuse to comply with the order of the panel on the ground that it has no avenue for appeal. It will run the risk of facing arbitration proceedings initiated by the other party in the dispute.</li>
<li>This also does not bode well for India, which is facing a rising number of dispute cases, especially on agricultural products.</li>
<li>In the backdrop of rising trade tension between the US and China, the overall weakening of the WTO framework could have the effect of undoing over two decades of efforts to avoid protectionism in global trade.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Usually, new appointments to the Appellate Body are made by a consensus of WTO members, but <strong>there is also a provision for voting where a consensus is not possible</strong>.</li>
<li>The group of 17 least developed and developing countries, including India, that have committed to working together to end the impasse at the Appellate Body can submit or support a proposal to this effect, and <strong>try to get new members on the Appellate Body by a majority vote</strong>.</li>
<li>But, this may be an <strong>option of the last resort, as all countries fear unilateral measures by the US</strong> as a consequence of directly opposing its veto.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/issues-in-wtos-dispute-resolution-mechanism'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (20th May 2019)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>SIMBEX 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>26<sup>th</sup> edition</strong> of the annual <strong>Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-2019,</strong> is being conducted in the <strong>South China Sea</strong> from 16<sup>th</sup> May to 22<sup>th</sup> May, 2019.</li>
<li>In addition to Indian Navy ships Kolkata and Shakti, a long range maritime patrol aircraft Poseidon-8I (P8I) is participating in the SIMBEX-19.</li>
<li>The bilateral exercise SIMBEX that was <strong>started in the year 1993</strong> has grown in tactical and operational complexities and progressed from a basic anti-submarine exercise to a more complex maritime exercise which includes advanced air defence operations, anti-air, surface weapon firings and tactical exercises .</li>
<li>In the year <strong>2018,</strong> the exercise took place in the Indian Ocean, <strong>off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Survey of Frugivore Birds</h3>
<p>Recently, the Nature Conservation Foundation have mapped different frugivore (fruit eater) birds and their interactions that are important for the forest ecosystem.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>study carried out in Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh</strong> and looked at 43 tree species and 48 frugivore bird species that were seen visiting them.</li>
<li>The trees were classified into <strong>small, medium</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>large-seeded</strong>.</li>
<li>The large-seeded trees mainly depended on hornbills and imperial pigeons for their dispersal.</li>
<li>The medium-size seeded trees were visited by bulbuls, barbets along with hornbills and imperial pigeons. Though the frequency of visits was similar for all four bird species, the number of fruits removed from trees was high for hornbills.</li>
<li><strong>Hornbills,</strong> one among the large-sized frugivores, were the <strong>top seed dispersers</strong> and <strong>also the most threatened</strong>. They are hunted for meat, and the tribal communities use their feathers for headdresses.</li>
<li>It was noted that, when the <strong>number of hornbills decreased in an area, the regeneration of large-seeded plants that were primarily dispersed from them was also affected</strong>.</li>
<li>Bulbuls visited small and medium-sized seed trees in large numbers, they did not handle the seed well.</li>
<li><strong>Plants depend on frugivore birds to disperse the seeds at favourable sites,</strong> which have low competition and predation pressures, to expand their geographic range.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> The Nature Conservation Foundation is a non-governmental wildlife conservation and research organisation based in Mysore.</p>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-20th-may-2019'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'India-Vietnam Relations',
			'catname' => 'Paper 2',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in the News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently India's Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu was on a four-day visit to Vietnam.</li>
<li>India and Vietnam both agreed to further strengthen cooperation in defence and security, peaceful uses of atomic energy and outer space, oil and gas and renewable energy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Evolving Strategic Realities Between India and Vietnam</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cultural and economic links between India and Vietnam date back to the 2<sup>nd</sup> century.</li>
<li>In modern times India supported Vietnam's independence from France, opposed American involvement in the Vietnam War, and supported unification of Vietnam.</li>
<li>India and North Vietnam established official diplomatic relations in 1972 and have since maintained friendly relations,</li>
<li>Both Vietnam and India were also close allies of the Soviet Union during the Cold War but both stressed on maintaining strategic autonomy.</li>
<li>In 1992, India and Vietnam established extensive economic ties, including oil exploration, agriculture and manufacturing.</li>
<li>The two states promulgated a Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation in 2003 in which they envisaged creating an <strong>"Arc of Advantage and Prosperity"</strong> in Southeast Asia</li>
<li>In 2007 both countries agreed on the establishment of the Strategic Partnership</li>
<li>Vietnam has been emerging as a pivotal state in India&rsquo;s <strong>Act East policy,</strong> which can be reflected in multiple dimension of cooperation:</li>
<li><strong>Defence cooperation</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The two countries developed strong defence ties extensively in fields like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Sale of military equipment:</strong> negotiations for four large patrol vessels and BrahMos short-range cruise missile are going on.</li>
<li><strong>Training</strong> Vietnam's armed forces in military equipment: Kilo-class submarines.&amp; Sukhoi aircraft.</li>
<li>India also announced a new line of credit US$500 million for procurement of defence equipment.</li>
<li><strong>Joint naval exercises</strong> Vietnam is also a part of <strong>MILAN,</strong> India&rsquo;s multinational naval exercise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, Vietnam and India use the same Russian and erstwhile Soviet platforms, there is a significant convergence between the two in the defence sector</li>
<li>Vietnam has even asked India to develop this naval facility. this is significant in light of the that not even the US, a close ally of Vietnam in the region, was given this privilege.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geostrategic convergence of two nations.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Vietnam have their shared apprehension of an aggressive China<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China's virtually claiming the whole <strong>South China Sea</strong> as its territory and its assertiveness in the Indian Ocean.</li>
<li>China complained about Indian cooperation for the <strong>exploration for oil</strong> in Vietnamese waters, especially in light of the disputed political status of the Spratly Islands, which India currently recognizes as part of Vietnam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, there is no secret in contemporary India's Foreign Policy of its desire to play a more assertive role in the Indo-Pacific region. In this context:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Both sides stress the importance of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A peaceful and prosperous <strong>Indo-Pacific region</strong> on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law</li>
<li>Freedom of navigation: 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea</li>
<li>Rule-based international order</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regional cooperation</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Vietnam closely cooperate in various regional forums such as ASEAN, East Asia Summit, Mekong Ganga Cooperation, besides UN and WTO.</li>
<li>Vietnam has supported India's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic and Commercial Relations</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is now among the top ten trading partners of Vietnam</li>
<li>In 2015 five key sectors were identified as thrust areas including garment and textile, pharmaceuticals, agro-commodities, leather &amp; footwear and engineering.</li>
<li>Major export commodities from India: machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles and leather accessories, Jewellery &amp; precious stones.</li>
<li>Main items of imports from Vietnam: mobile phones &amp; accessories, computers and electronics hardware, chemicals, rubber, ordinary metals, wood and wooden products etc</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Science and Technology cooperation</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Vietnam have signed the Framework Agreement on cooperation in:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Exploration and Uses of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes, IT Cooperation, Cyber Security</li>
<li>Uses of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Vietnam has been a large recipient of training programs under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation <strong>(ITEC) programs</strong></li>
<li>A proposal to set up a <strong>Centre for Satellite Tracking and Data Reception</strong> and an Imaging facility in Vietnam under <strong>ASEAN-India Cooperation</strong> mechanism is under consideration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations and People to People Exchanges</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Indian Cultural Centre</strong> opened in Vietnam in September 2016, with the objective of strengthening India&rsquo;s cultural presence in Vietnam.</li>
<li>India was one of the partner countries in the November 2016 <strong>Hanoi International Film Festival</strong></li>
<li>The third successive International Day of Yoga was held at the iconic Hoan Kiem Lake area of Vietnam</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in India-Vietnam Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vietnam's closeness with India sparks alarm in China, thus Vietnam is finding the balancing difficult vis-a-vis China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vietnam doesn't want to be seen as part of QUAD.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India's trade with Vietnam is $5 billion and that too is stagnating whereas with that of China is $65 billion in 2015.</li>
<li>India's relations with Vietnam follows the same trajectory with that of ASEAN i.e below potential.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Potential of India-Vietnam Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2016, the first time in 15 years, an Indian Prime Minister visited Vietnam signalling India is no longer hesitant to expand its presence in China&rsquo;s periphery.</li>
<li>India's foreign policy envisages India to play an anchor for peace, prosperity and stability in Asia and Africa, deepening of ties with Vietnam will only strengthen this narrative.</li>
<li>Vietnam now engages India at the level of a <strong>'comprehensive strategic partner'</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this pursuit, Vietnam has even asked India to develop a naval facility in Vietnam which was denied to US, a close ally of Vietnam.</li>
<li>This signal the criticality of India's significance for Vietnam</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strengthening ties with Vietnam will eventually lead a step towards the realization of SAGAR (Security and Growth all in the region) initiative as hailed by Indian PM.</li>
<li>India and Vietnam both can mutually benefit each other in the arena of Blue Economy and ocean security.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Vietnam and India's relations should not be looked from only from the prism of Vietnam is for India, what Pakistan is for China. There is a huge scope of cooperation in the multidimensional sector so that both mutually grow and contribute to regional peace and prosperity.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/india-vietnam-relations'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Regulatory Issues in Indian Pharmaceutical Sector',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/indian-pharma-at-the-crossroads-as-us-cracks-the-whip-1557941116328.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Indian pharma at the crossroads as US cracks the whip"</a> which appeared in "Livemint" on 17<sup>th</sup> May, 2019. The article talks about implications of poor regulation of Pharmaceutical industry.</p>
</div>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>Recently 44 states of USA initiated lawsuits against Indian Pharmaceutical companies over cartelization of generic drug prices. This calls for understanding the regulatory structure and the issues associated with it.</p>
<h3>Why we need Regulation?</h3>
<p>Regulatory scenario in this sector is extremely crucial not only due to the rapid and ongoing changes at the global level, largely with reference to <strong>good manufacturing practices (GMP)</strong>, good <strong>clinical practices (GCP) and good laboratory practices (GLP)</strong> but also due to the onus on the regulatory bodies to <strong>ensure a healthy supply of quality drugs at affordable prices</strong> to the Indian masses.</p>
<h3>Major Bodies Regulating Drugs and Pharmaceutical in India</h3>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: none;" height="96">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</strong></td>
<td style="width: 17.9793%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers</strong></td>
<td style="width: 15.9109%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Commerce</strong></td>
<td style="width: 17.4224%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Science and Technology</strong></td>
<td style="width: 13.206%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Environment</strong><strong><br /></strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 68px;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 68px;">
<p>Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 17.9793%; height: 68px;">
<p>Department of Pharmaceuticals</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 15.9109%; height: 68px;">
<p>Patent Office</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 17.4224%; height: 68px;">
<p>Department of Biotechnology (DBT)</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 13.206%; height: 270px;" rowspan="4">
<p style="text-align: center;">Environmental clearance for manufacturing</p>
<p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-style: none;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 84px;">
<p>Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) headed by Drug Controller General of India, DCGI (I) + Statutory Committees + Advisory Committees</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 17.9793%; height: 202px;" rowspan="3">
<p>National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA); Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) 2013</p>
<p></p>
</td>
<td style="width: 15.9109%; height: 202px;" rowspan="3">Controller General of Patent</td>
<td style="width: 17.4224%; height: 202px;" rowspan="3">Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Laboratories</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-style: none;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 99px;">
<p>Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) headed by Drug Controller General of India, DCGI (I) + Statutory Committees + Advisory Committees</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 19px;">State Licensing Authories</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Role of CDSCO</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Prescribes standards and measures</strong> for ensuring the safety, efficacy and quality of drugs, cosmetics, diagnostics and devices in the country.</li>
<li><strong>Regulates the market authorization</strong> of new drugs and clinical trials standards.</li>
<li><strong>Supervises drug imports</strong> and approves licences to manufacture the above-mentioned products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fixes or revises the prices</strong> of decontrolled bulk drugs and formulations at judicious intervals.</li>
<li>Periodically <strong>updates the list under price control</strong> through inclusion and exclusion of drugs in accordance with established guidelines.</li>
<li><strong>Maintains data on production, exports and imports</strong> and market share of pharmaceutical firms.</li>
<li><strong>Enforces and monitors the availability</strong> of medicines in addition to imparting inputs to Parliament in issues pertaining to drug pricing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues at the Regulatory Level</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NPPA</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NPPA chairman is officer of secretary level from <strong>Indian administrative services</strong> .There is no fixed tenure of chairman. Further there is no permanent staff at NPPA . For implementing its orders, NPPA has to depend upon state authorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CDSCO</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of access to resources</strong> (both physical infrastructure and human resources).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MDs in pharmacology and/or microbiology is given preference for appointment to the job of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI): but this can generate conflict of interest sometimes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Drug Regulatory Authority (SDRA)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Most of the regulators at SDRA are pharmacist: this creates a conflict as, most of the regulators at central level are Doctors.</li>
<li>Lack of access to resources (both physical infrastructure and human resources).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Pharma Regulation Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Autonomy</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both the CDSCO and the SDRAs are umbilically tied to their parent ministries and departments of health respectively.</li>
<li>This impedes flexibility in decision-making and autonomy in a host of areas beginning with finance, recruitment and other areas of institutional policy.</li>
<li>Regulators are effectively accountable to bureaucrats in their respective parent ministries.</li>
<li>Any decision passes through various ministerial channels, weakening the autonomy of CDSCO.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Power</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Section 33P15 which empowers the CDSCO to issue directions to SDRAs, to ensure that provisions of DCA are implemented uniformly in all states, has been rarely used and, even if it is used, the CDSCO has no power to enforce compliance by states.</li>
<li>Drug inspectors have no assurance of their safety and do not have the power of arrest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Capacity</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At the <strong>administrative level</strong>, lack of access to resources (both physical infrastructure and human resources).</li>
<li>At the <strong>financial level</strong>, both organisations completely depend upon budgetary allocation, and minimal user fee is charged from the industry.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of planning and execution</strong> of training programmes for drug inspectors/ad hoc in approach.</li>
<li><strong>Institutional channels of interaction</strong> between the CDSCO and the SDRAs are lacking.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Pharma Regulation Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fragmented nature of drug regulator:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian pharmaceutical sector is <strong>highly fragmented</strong> with multiple regulatory units, which impede regulatory effectiveness of a country.</li>
<li>For example, division of regulatory responsibilities between the centre and the states (lack of uniformity in legal interpretation and harmonisation of the enforcement function), resource deficits owing to the absence of substantial investments in public infrastructure (specifically laboratories) and personnel, and low levels of transparency owing to lack of digitisation, and processing timelines are some of the issues.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Industrial lobbying:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The 59<sup>th</sup> report of Parliamentary standing committee on Health and Family Welfare found that, due to lobbying, medical opinions sought from experts appeared to have become a farcical exercise. Opinions were given in a subjective fashion without citation of any hard scientific evidence. Also the letters of many of the experts read almost verbatim.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unethical practices in clinical trials:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Corruption, the low cost of conducting trials, poor compliance and collusion between drug companies and doctors have led to a rise in unethical drug trials in India. The Indian parliamentary committee on health and family welfare, in its report to <strong>CDSCO , noted: &lsquo;There is sufficient evidence on record to conclude that there is collusive nexus between drug manufacturers, some functionaries of CDSCO and some medical experts'.</strong>&nbsp;The committee also pointed out that the CDSCO had approved 33 drugs, out of a randomly selected sample of 42, without clinical trials on Indian patients.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Proliferation of spurious and substandard drugs in India.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per <strong>Drug and Cosmetic (D and C) Act, 1940,</strong> poor quality drug comprises of misbranded, spurious and adulterated drugs, respectively. CDSCO has categorised not of standard quality (NSQ) products in three categories A, B and C that is helpful in categorising the products during quality evaluation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.9064%; text-align: center;"><strong>Category A</strong></td>
<td style="width: 22.9325%; text-align: center;"><strong>Category B</strong></td>
<td style="width: 37.652%; text-align: center;"><strong>Category C</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.9064%;">It incorporates spurious and adulterated drug products; which conceal the real identity of the product or formulation and be similar to some well-known brand. These products may or may not contain active ingredients and generally manufactured by unlicensed antisocial people or sometimes by licensed manufacturers.</td>
<td style="width: 22.9325%;">It include grossly substandard drugs in which product fails the disintegration or dissolution test and where active ingredient assay get below 70% and 5% of permitted limit.</td>
<td style="width: 37.652%;">Category C involved products with minor defects like emulsion cracking, change in formulation colour, small variation in net content, and sedimentation in clear liquid preparation, failing of weight variation test, spot or discolouration on product, uneven coating, and presence of foreign matter and labelling errors.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><br />According to a report, International Policy Network, globally 0.70 million deaths were reported for malaria and tuberculosis because of counterfeit drugs. This data reveals the loopholes in the regulatory system.</p>
<p>Enforcement of quality in India takes place at marketplace where regulator takes the drug off the shelf and does testing .Due to health as a state subject, CDSCO can&rsquo;t control it, unlike in the developed countries where quality control intervention is done at process level.</p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provision like Cadre restructuring in State Drugs Controls, strengthening of NPPA and National Pharmaceutical Policy 2017 should be implemented at the earliest.</li>
<li>Provisions of National Health Policy, 2017, like strengthening and rationalizing the drug regulatory system, promotion of research and development in the pharmaceutical sector and building synergy and evolving a convergent approach with related sectors, should be implemented.</li>
<li>Various committee/commissions have called for making CDSCO like body withs its own independent staffing and finance. <strong>(Mashelkar Committee Report, DCA bill 2015, Professor Ranjit Roy Chaudhary Committee report)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>It is high time to radically clean the anarchy in drug regulation in India in the interests of public health. The &ldquo;Pharmacy of the World&rdquo; deserves a better regulatory body so that Scylla of exorbitant pricing and Charybdis of spurious drugs do not raise its ugly head.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #9407db; background-color: #edd0f2;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">Regulatory conflict in Indian pharmaceutical sector has to be solved, for realization of Ayushmaan Bharat. Discuss.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regulatory-issues-in-indian-pharmaceutical-sector'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Import of Refurbished Mobile Phones',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>India has allowed the import of refurbished mobile phones, subject to the condition that they are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A refurbished mobile phone refers to a handset that was returned to the manufacturer, tested for problems and restored to full-functioning in factory-standard condition.</li>
<li>The move meets the demands of mobile operators like Apple which want to tap blooming smartphone business in India.</li>
<li>As per a notification by the commerce ministry, <strong>the import of electronic goods</strong> (new as well as second hand, whether or not refurbished, repaired or reconditioned) <strong>which require compulsory registration, is prohibited unless they are registered with the BIS</strong> and comply to the labelling requirements. The import can be allowed if the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) gives a specific exemption for a particular consignment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The chief concern is that <strong>how will the BIS be able to certify refurbished phones</strong> as they lack in uniformity. For instance, new phones have a uniform standard and can be examined for certification purposes by picking up a sample. However, such uniform sampling is not possible in the case of refurbished mobile phones.</li>
<li>There is a fear that companies may use India as a place to <strong>dump hazardous electronic waste</strong>.</li>
<li>Import of refurbished mobile phones would <strong>negate the effect of &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; initiative</strong>.</li>
<li>It will act as a <strong>counter to the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/national-policy-on-electronics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Policy on Electronics, 2019</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BIS is the <strong>National Standard Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016</strong> for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.</li>
<li>It has its <strong>headquarters in New Delhi</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/import-of-refurbished-mobile-phones'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Interstate Migrants Avoiding Big Cities',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>'Migration and its impacts on cities',</strong> a report by the <strong>World Economic Forum,</strong> shows that smaller cities are rapidly growing, but at the same time struggling to cope with the infrastructure demands as civic revenue resources are on the decline.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Attractive incomes, ample employment opportunities and comparatively low living costs are driving <strong>interstate migrant populations</strong> to smaller cities that are emerging as <strong>counter-magnets</strong> to megalopolis.</li>
<li><strong>The UN Migration Agency (IOM)</strong> defines a migrant as any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The person&rsquo;s legal status;</li>
<li>Whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary;</li>
<li>What the causes of the movement are;</li>
<li>What the length of the stay is.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Economic Survey 2016-17</strong> had noted that <strong>counter-magnet region</strong> dynamics are observed in <strong>Jaipur</strong> and <strong>Chandigarh</strong> (to Delhi), <strong>Surat</strong> has started acting as a counter-magnet region to Mumbai and attracts migrants from the neighbouring districts of Maharashtra, <strong>Pune</strong> also has become a counter-magnet to Mumbai.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>That interstate migration is multiplying and migrants prefer smaller cities to settle down.</li>
<li>The high cost of living and overcrowding megapolis has drawn migrants to these small cities in search of better opportunities in all areas of life.</li>
<li>These small cities are now a preferred destination for many citizens across India for better job opportunities, education, healthcare services, real estate investment and better quality of life, among others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Rising Urban Agglomeration</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the <strong>2011 Census,</strong> the population of Class I cities (having more than 1 lakh population) is on the rise.</li>
<li>In 2001, the total number of Class I cities was 441, which constituted 62.29 per cent of the total urban population, while in 2011, the number of Class I cities increased to 468, constituting 70.24 per cent of the total urban population. Not surprisingly, the share of the workforce engaged in the agriculture sector (cultivators and labourers) came down from 58.2 per cent in 2001 to 54.6 per cent in 2011.</li>
<li>Cities, including Surat, Faridabad and Ludhiana total over 55 per cent of in-migrants while Jaipur is growing as the urban agglomeration with migration spreading to the suburbs.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Municipal bodies in smaller cities are facing a daunting challenge to accommodate the rising population because of inadequate revenue resources.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The total revenues of the municipal sector account for only 0.75 per cent of the country&rsquo;s GDP as against 6 per cent in South Africa, 5 per cent in Brazil and 4.5 per cent in Poland.</li>
<li>The inadequate understanding of city planning and inability to translate the plans into actions is hampering the growth of smaller cities. Smaller cities are unable to attract investment and entrepreneurs for infrastructure development.</li>
<li>The existing institutional framework of municipalities is unable to deal with the standard problems of urban infrastructure utilities like street, electricity and water, along with sanitation, drainage, waste management and the provision of other basic services.</li>
<li>Providing security, sufficient open spaces, public parks and playgrounds, health facilities, and air pollution are still a bigger challenge in smaller cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government is adopting various measures to provide better living conditions in small cities through various schemes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Smart Cities Mission</li>
<li>Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Project</li>
<li>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) or Housing for All by 2022 Mission</li>
<li>Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)</li>
<li>Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission</li>
<li>Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Creating rurban agglomerate to provide urban amenities in the rural areas is one such step to check rural-urban migration.</li>
<li>Government is implementing various schemes to provide basic needs and develop rural infrastructure for improving the living conditions of rural masses so that distress migration of people from rural areas to cities could be reduced.</li>
<li>In a market economy like India, the movement of people for better economic opportunities is inexorable, but schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) have succeeded in reducing such migration.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/interstate-migrants-avoiding-big-cities'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Kerala: The First Indian State to Issue Masala Bond',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, the state-owned <strong>Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)</strong> debuted its &lsquo;masala bond&rsquo; issue of ₹ 2,150 crore on the London Stock Exchange.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After this, KIIFB became the <strong>first sub-sovereign entity in India</strong> to tap the offshore rupee international bond market.</li>
<li>The secured fixed-rate bond has a five-year tenure with a 9.723 per cent coupon.</li>
<li>The bond issue builds on the Kerala government&rsquo;s focus to get multinational corporations to invest in the state, which has traditionally been known for its unfriendly business policies, bureaucratic delays and recurrent industrial strikes.</li>
<li>As per Kerala state government, the proceeds from the bond issue are slated to be used to part-finance the rebuilding of infrastructure in Kerala that was devastated by 2018 floods.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Masala Bond</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Masala Bonds are <strong>rupee-denominated bonds,</strong> i.e, the funds would be raised from overseas market in Indian rupees.</li>
<li>According to RBI<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any corporate and Indian bank is eligible to issue rupee denominated bonds overseas.</li>
<li>The money raised through such <strong>bonds cannot be used for real estate activities</strong> other than for development of integrated township or affordable housing projects.</li>
<li>It also <strong>cannot be used for investing in capital markets, purchase of land and on-lending to other entities</strong> for such activities as stated above.</li>
<li>The rupee denominated bonds can only be issued in a country and subscribed by a resident of such country that is a member of the financial action task force (FATF) and whose securities market regulator is a member of the International Organisation of Securities Commission.</li>
<li>While residents of such countries can subscribe to the bonds, it can also be subscribed by multilateral and regional financial institutions where India is a member country.</li>
<li>The minimum maturity period for masala bonds raised up to rupee equivalent of USD 50 million in a financial year should be 3 years and for bonds raised above USD 50 million equivalent in INR per financial year should be 5 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>KIIFB came into existence in 1999 under the Finance Department, Government of Kerala, to manage the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund, as per the <strong>Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Act</strong>.</li>
<li>The main intention of the Fund was to provide investment for critical and large infrastructure projects in the State of Kerala.</li>
<li>But it was in 2016, that the present government changed the role of KIIFB from handler of investment bonds to an entity to <strong>mobilize the resources for developmental projects over and beyond the budget</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kerala-the-first-indian-state-to-issue-masala-bond'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (18th May 2019)',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Taiwan Legalises Gay Marriages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriages.</li>
<li>The Bill passed by the Taiwanian Parliament recognises same-sex marriages and gives couples many of the tax, insurance and child custody benefits available to male-female married couples.</li>
<li>In India, Homosexuality was decriminalised by the Supreme Court in 2018 when the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-section-377-judgement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apex court struck down some of the provisions of Section 377</a> of the Indian Penal Code.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678733_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678733_image1.jpg" width="789" height="504" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>UK&rsquo;s Law on Carrying Kirpans</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the United Kingdom government has passed the <strong>'Offensive Weapons Bill&rsquo;</strong> with an amendment by which <strong>Sikhs in the country will be allowed to own a longer '<em>Kirpan</em> (dagger)' and use it during religious and cultural functions</strong>. The Bill received the royal assent and is now an Act.</li>
<li>The purpose of the law is to reduce violent crimes in the UK following a spike in fatal knife attacks and acid attacks by strengthening the law surrounding the possession, supply and sale of dangerous knives, corrosive substances and firearms.</li>
<li>However, the initial draft of the Bill had included clauses directly impacting Sikhs, including extending existing offences of possessing a bladed article or offensive weapon on school premises and banning the sale and possession of curved swords over 50 cm, both in public and private.</li>
<li>However, with the new amendment added as <strong>"religious reasons"</strong>, Sikhs can keep longer (3 feet) kirpans and use it during religious and cultural functions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Small <em>Kirpans</em> (around 3 inches or 7.6 cm) were not affected by the new legislation and are already protected under UK law.</li>
<li>The <em>Kirpan</em> is a ceremonial knife/dagger which symbolises the spiritual struggle over evil. It is one of the five articles of faith (5 <em>Ks</em>) of Sikhs, which the baptised Sikhs are expected to wear at all times.</li>
<li>The others <em>Ks</em> are - <em>Kesh</em> (unshorn hair), <em>Kara</em> (steel bracelet), <em>Kanga</em> (wooden comb) and <em>Kachha</em> (undershorts/underwear).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Military Nursing Service to Get Ex-Servicemen Status</h3>
<p>The Defence Ministry and the Indian Army have agreed in principle to grant ex-servicemen (ESM) status to the Military Nursing Service (MNS) cadre.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ESM status will allow retired MNS officers to get identity cards, seek re-employment in government organizations/PSUs and apply for different resettlement schemes of the armed forces.</li>
<li>The serving officers of MNS will be allowed to use star plates on their official vehicles. An officer from MNS will be entitled to have a single star on the car in case of a brigadier, and two stars if she is a major general.</li>
<li>The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) in 2010 had directed the government to treat military nurses at par with regular commissioned officers in terms of ranks and entitlements.</li>
<li>The MNS was set up as an auxiliary force in 1943 and has only women officers with permanent commission, who serve as nursing staff in all three forces.</li>
<li>It is the only all-women officers' corps in the armed forces.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Graphite Reserves in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Arunachal Pradesh State government</strong> has asked the <strong>Geological Survey of India (GSI)</strong> to explore the possibility of surveying and drilling for minerals along the India-China border, considering that China is reportedly undertaking huge mining activities in Tibet.</li>
<li><strong>According to the GSI, about 35% of India&rsquo;s total Graphite reserves are found in Arunachal Pradesh.</strong> This is the highest found in the country.</li>
<li>The GSI&rsquo;s 2013 report, showed Arunachal Pradesh sits on 43% of the country&rsquo;s graphite resources followed by Jammu &amp; Kashmir (37%), Jharkhand (6%), Tamil Nadu (5%), and Odisha (3%).</li>
<li>But in terms of resources, Tamil Nadu led with 37% followed by Jharkhand with 30% and Odisha with 29%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Graphite</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Graphite is a naturally-occurring form of <strong>crystalline carbon</strong>.</li>
<li>It is a native element mineral found in <strong>metamorphic</strong> and <strong>igneous rocks</strong>.</li>
<li>It has a <strong>layered structure that consists of rings of six carbon atoms</strong> arranged in widely spaced horizontal sheets.</li>
<li>It is dark gray to black in colour, opaque, and very soft.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>only non-metal element that is a good conductor of electricity</strong>.</li>
<li>It is known as a <strong>dry lubricant</strong> for its greasy nature.</li>
<li>It has many industrial uses, particularly for products that need very high heat.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Geological Survey of India (GSI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Geological Survey of India (GSI) was <strong>set up in 1851</strong> primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways.</li>
<li>Over the years, it has not only grown into a repository of geo-science information required in various fields in the country, but has also attained the status of a geo-scientific organisation of international repute.</li>
<li>The main functions of the GSI relate to creation and updation of national geo-scientific information and mineral resource assessment.</li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered in Kolkata,</strong> and has six regional offices located at Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata and State Unit offices in almost all States of the country.</li>
<li>Presently, GSI is an <strong>attached office to the Ministry of Mines</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK)</h3>
<p>The Rajasthan government has decided to revamp the <strong>Ujala Clinics (Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics),</strong> a part of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, in its districts.</p>
<p><strong>Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (National Adolescent Health Programme)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to ensure holistic development of adolescent population, the <strong>Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in 2014</strong>.</li>
<li>The RKSK programme <strong>defines an adolescent as a person within 10-19 years of age,</strong> in urban and rural areas, includes both girls and boys, married and unmarried, poor and affluent, whether they are in school or out of school.</li>
<li>To guide the implementation of this programme, MoHFW in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has developed a <strong>National Adolescent Health Strategy</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>six thematic areas</strong> of RKSK as well as that of the strategy are <strong>nutrition, sexual reproductive health, substance misuse, non - communicable diseases, mental health, injuries and violence</strong>.</li>
<li>Its strength is its health promotion approach. The program envisages a paradigm <strong>shift from the clinic-based services to the promotion and prevention and reaching adolescents in their own environment,</strong> such as in schools, families and communities.</li>
<li><strong>Key drivers</strong> of the program are community based interventions like, <strong>outreach by counsellors,</strong> facility based counselling, <strong>social and behavior change communication and strengthening of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC) across levels of care</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mt. Makalu</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>fifth highest</strong> mountain in the world, located in the Himalayas on the Nepalese-Tibetan (Chinese) border.</li>
<li>It is <strong>four-sided, pyramid-shaped</strong> mountain, lies around 20 Km southeast of <strong>Mount Everest,</strong> the highest mountain in the world, in the Mahalangur Himalaya.</li>
<li>The name Makalu is derived from the <strong>Sanskrit word <em>'Maha Kala'</em>,</strong> a name for the Hindu god Shiva that translates &ldquo;Big Black.&rdquo; The Chinese name for the peak is Makaru.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Makalu-Barun National Park</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Makalu lies within Nepal&rsquo;s <strong>Makalu-Barun National Park</strong> and Conservation Area, a 580-square-mile parkland that protects pristine ecosystems from tropical rainforests to alpine tundra above 13,000 feet.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The remote <strong>Barun Valley</strong> below Makalu is particularly important and managed as a Strict Nature Reserve to preserve its unique qualities and ecosystems.</li>
<li>Botanists have identified 3,128 species of flowering plants, including <strong>25 species of rhododendron</strong>.</li>
<li>Many animals also live here, with over 440 bird species and 88 mammal species, which includes a <strong>red panda, snow leopard, and the rare Asian golden cat</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-may-2019'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'Crime Against Minors',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wf0r2ogDOFY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>In the recent past, the country has witnessed some heinous crimes against minor girls. There was uproar in Kashmir after a 3-year-old was raped by her neighbor in Bandipora district. Days after this gruesome crime, just 50 kilometers away in Ganderbal district, another minor was allegedly raped. <strong>Number of crimes by the minors on the minors have increased in the country.</strong></p>
<h3>Reasons Behind Minors Committing Crime</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Parental Guidance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, there used to be a joint family system where if parents of a child are away, grandparents used to be there to guide the children. Now-a-days, <strong>nuclear families are there with both the parents going out for work,</strong> thus <strong>a child is not able to get the first schooling</strong> that s/he should get from the family.</li>
<li>It is seen that when parents do not have time for their children, they provide their children with gadgets like computers, smartphones etc., but generally <strong>parents forget to teach their children about how and what to watch on these gadgets</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Change in the status of Women:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The status of women in the society from being dependent has changed to that of being independent.</li>
<li>When a child does not get the much needed love and care from the family especially the mother, <strong>s/he feels isolated and her/his mind turns towards criminal activities</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Changing Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, most women used to be at home taking care of the children, but rising cost of living has pushed women out of the houses for earning money. The close emotional bond that a child used to share with his/er family is missing now.</li>
<li><strong>The world has shifted towards materialism,</strong> ie. people need more and more cars but not more and more social connections. This has resulted in the separation of children from their immediate neighbourhood.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Now-a-days, too many things are demanded from children i.e. to be competitive, to take care of themselves etc. All such things lead to <strong>frustration in the minds of children</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reasons Behind Crime Against Minors</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>People taking children for granted, thus taking advantage of them.</li>
<li><strong>Degradation of family values:</strong> It has been seen that some of the biggest sexual crimes take place within the family only. In various cases, it has been seen that a child gets sexually abused by his/her own father, aunt or any other close relative.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of education and lack of awareness about the present laws in the country.</strong> It is so that people are even not aware that committing a sexual act against a minor amounts to a crime.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Legal Provisions in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In 2013, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) law was enacted to protect the minors.</strong> This is one of the first laws of the land which is <strong>gender neutral</strong> i.e. protecting not only minor girls but also minor boys who could be subject to sexual crimes.</li>
<li>The Indian Penal Code has many stringent provisions in itself. After the Nirbhaya case, <strong>amendments were made in the code in 2013 on the recommendations of Justice Verma committee</strong>. The amendments have made the code further stringent.</li>
<li><strong>The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,Prohibition, and Redressal) Act (POSH Act) was enacted in 2013</strong> as a comprehensive legislation to provide a safe, secure and enabling environment, free from sexual harassment, to every woman.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Expected role from the Parents:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Family is the first unit of socialization for the child. Parents need to ensure that the child is getting the much needed love and care.</li>
<li>Besides a friendly relationship, there should be a <strong>strong relationship of authority and respect between a child and his/her parents</strong>. This sort of relationship helps in preventing the child from indulging in any sort of wrong activity.</li>
<li>Children should be persuaded to go out and play rather than allowing them to sit home and watch T.V.</li>
<li><strong>Within the family,</strong> it needs to be ensured that <strong>the girl child as well as the boy child is being treated equally</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expected Role from the state:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state has to work towards making people aware of the laws prevalent in the country.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Police needs to handle cases related to sexual crimes more sensitively.</strong></li>
<li>There need to be <strong>more fast track courts</strong> for handling cases related to the sexual crimes.</li>
<li>Information on number of sexual crimes reported in every police station, their status, rate of conviction, rate of acquittal etc. need to be there in the public domain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expected Role from the Society:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>'Gender Sensitization' programmes need to be started in the schools.</strong></li>
<li>Within a society, <strong>more and more get-togethers</strong> should be organised so that children get to know about their neighbours.</li>
<li>Children need to be engaged more and more in <strong>community activities</strong> to make them sensitive towards the society.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Socialization, education, counselling and constructive use of technology can play a prominent role in reducing crime against minors.</em></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong> The International Day of Families is observed on the 15<sup>th</sup> of May every year.</p>
</div>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/crime-against-minors'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Key Reasons for an Indian Industrial Policy',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/why-an-industrial-policy-is-crucial/article27153226.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'Why an industrial policy is crucial'</a> which appeared in The Hindu on 17<sup>th</sup> May, 2019. The article talks about what an industrial policy for India must address.</p>
</div>
<p>India's manufacturing sector has been stagnating since the beginning of the Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) reforms of 1991; <strong>For example:</strong> the contribution of manufacturing to GDP in India for 2017 was only about 16%.</p>
<p>If India wants to grow at a sustained rate of growth and reduce poverty it can't come without a robust manufacturing sector. But India's economy shows a classic case of <strong>Market Failure</strong> <em>(the transition of Indian economy directly to a service-led economy from an agrarian economy without developing its manufacturing sector)</em>.</p>
<h3>What is the significance of manufacturing sector for an economy?</h3>
<p><strong>Historically, no major country has managed to reduce poverty or sustain economic growth without a robust manufacturing sector.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Manufacturing is an engine of economic growth as it offers:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Economies of scale</strong> <em>[In microeconomics, economies of scale are the cost advantages that enterprises obtain due to their scale of operation, with cost per unit of output decreasing with increasing scale];</em></li>
<li>Technological progress;</li>
<li>Generation of forward and backward linkages;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>These factors collectively create a positive spillover effect on other sectors of the economy like employment, demand and production etc.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Neoliberal economics argues for laissez-faire or freedom of market.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But in the U.S. and Europe, after the 2008 Eurozone crisis, neoliberal principles were defied and there was very less (if none) intervention in market; <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These neoliberal countries made strategic efforts <em>(efforts which were not neoliberal)</em> to revive their industrial sectors, for eg: quantitative easing <em>(which is a monetary policy whereby a central bank buys predetermined amounts of government bonds or other financial assets in order to inject money directly into the economy)</em> done by USA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Even though India articulated the Make in India policy, which focused on increasing foreign direct investment and ease of doing business, but it is more of a financial policy than a manufacturing policy.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why India's manufacturing sector is stagnant even after the 1991 economic reforms?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A lack of human capital (this has been a major constraint upon India);</li>
<li>After 1991 reforms till 2005, reservation of products exclusively for production in the small-scale and cottage industries was 500. Even though this number is now 16 but this led to <strong>small scale informality</strong> which had gotten entrenched in Indian manufacturing. <em>[Majority of Indian manufacturers are therefore still small scale]</em><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This phenomenon created an absence of middle level companies among Indian enterprises;</li>
<li>This has also led to India being practically left out of Global Value Addition (GVA) chains;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What should be the salient feature of India's industrial policy?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Clearly India should not roll back to pre-1991 of a &lsquo;command and control&rsquo; economy, but:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state can play the role of an organizer of domestic firms;</li>
<li>The state can protect local firms from foreign industrial giants;</li>
<li>The state can follow to a certain extent, China's industrial policies, which has led to the development of huge firms like Lenovo, Haier etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Industrial policy for India must also seek not only the prevention of &lsquo;coordination failures&rsquo; but seek to avoid giving birth to competing investments in today&rsquo;s capital-scarce environment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example: the state can control predatory price wars that lead to companies like Jet Airways going bankrupt; or stop the misuse of capital investments which have led to the rise of NPA'S in the Telecom sector.</li>
<li>Doing this is important socially as well, because the poor Telecom sector performance eventually hampered investment in telecom infrastructure in rural areas thereby widening the digital divide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Industrial policy also must be such that manufacturing will create jobs;</strong> as its share in total employment fell from 12.8% to 11.5% over 2012 to 2016.</li>
<li>Increasing the export capacity and capabilities of manufactures will need to be another rationale for India&rsquo;s industrial policy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 2014 to 2018 there has been an absolute fall in dollar terms in merchandise exports which any industrial policy will have to address.</li>
<li>India can also look at the export-oriented manufacturing on which The East Asian miracle was based upon - <em>which led to employment of surplus labour released by agriculture in manufacturing, thus raising wages and reducing poverty rapidly</em>.</li>
<li><strong>For an exports led economy, economies of scale are critical:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>But the unorganized sector accounts for a massive 45% of India&rsquo;s exports - <em>which could be problematic for any new industrial policy to into account;</em></li>
<li>Therefore, India&rsquo;s industrial policy must also seek the formalization of the Indian economy <em>(especially the MSME sector)</em>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Lastly, any industrial policy for India must seek to boost the MSME sector towards efficient and sustainable economies of scale. MSME&rsquo;s growth and development is very important for turning India into a manufacturing powerhouse.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India must take lessons from the evolution of the IT sector and try to have it replicated in the manufacturing sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The success story of India&rsquo;s IT industry can be attributed to: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The government invested in creating high-speed Internet connectivity enabling integration of the Indian IT industry with the world. [Example of the state providing infrastructure]</li>
<li>The government allowed the IT industry to import duty-free both hardware and software. [Example of the state facilitating enterprises through policy-making]</li>
<li>The IT industry was also able to function under the Shops and Establishment Act and hence were not subject to the burdening labour laws. [Labour laws of India as such, needs a much needed relook]</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The IT sector benefited from low-cost, high-value human capital created by public investments earlier in technical education. [Example of success of state investments in human capital]</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Thus, one can observe that without all of these facilitative factors, the IT success story would not have occurred in India. The country now must replicate this success story in the manufacturing sector and lay down the roadmap for a future of inclusive and sustained growth.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-style: double; background-color: #fadfd2; border-color: #cc4400;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:<br /><br /></strong></em>Give an account of the state of manufacturing sector in India. What lessons can be implemented from the IT sector to boost Indian manufacturing?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'India’s Waste Dumping Proposal Stands Defeated',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>A proposal by India to prevent developed countries from dumping their electronic and plastic waste into developing countries, was defeated at the recently concluded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brs-conventions-cop-meet-in-geneva" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meeting of the Basel Convention</a> in Geneva.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 14<sup>th</sup> meeting of the Basel Convention, which lays down guidelines on the movement of hazardous waste, concluded in Geneva on the 10th May, 2019 after two weeks of negotiations involving 187 countries.</li>
<li><strong>A key outcome of the meeting was an amendment to the Convention that includes plastic waste in a legally-binding framework,</strong> which would make global trade in plastic waste more transparent and better regulated, whilst also ensuring that its management is safer for human health and the environment. However, <strong>it does not bar countries from exporting various categories of plastic waste</strong>.</li>
<li>Pollution from plastic waste, acknowledged as a major environmental problem of global concern, has reached epidemic proportions with an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic now found in the oceans, 80%-90% of which comes from land-based sources.</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Note:</strong> India&rsquo;s laws currently don&rsquo;t allow electronic and plastic waste to be imported into the country.</em></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Basel Convention</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Adopted on March 22, 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel, Switzerland, the &ldquo;Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal&rdquo;, generally known as the <strong>Basel Convention, came into force in 1992</strong>.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>international treaty</strong> that aims to <strong>reduce the movement of hazardous waste between countries</strong>.</li>
<li>It particularly focuses on <strong>preventing transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries</strong>.</li>
<li>It provides for cooperation between the parties, including exchange of information on issues relevant to the implementation of the Convention.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Basel Banking Norms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Basel guidelines refer to <strong>broad supervisory banking standards formulated by</strong> the group of central banks called the<strong> Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)</strong>.</li>
<li>The Committee's <strong>Secretariat is located at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, Switzerland</strong>.</li>
<li>BIS fosters cooperation among central banks with a common goal of financial stability and common standards of banking regulations.</li>
<li>Banks in India have to implement the Basel III norms (third in the series of Basel Accords) as per the guidelines issued by the RBI from time to time.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indias-waste-dumping-proposal-stands-defeated'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Wild Life Protection Act: Implementation and Failure',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Recently, Chennai has emerged as a hotbed of global illegal animal trade. This, along with several incidences of poaching and trafficking of wildlife, raises question on efficacy Of Wild Life Protection Act ,1972(WLPA).</p>
<h3>The issues in WLPA: Implementational Lacuna</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WLPA revolves around the <strong>Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW),</strong> appointed under Section 4 of the WLPA. CWLW, are not full-filling their statutory duties comprehensively, as provided under the Act. Some of these instances are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The power of CWLW (under sec 18-26) to carry out settlement in protected area has not started even after 46 year.</li>
<li>CWLW are empowered to take cognizance of destruction of wildlife , and regulate the inflow and outflow of water. But they are not acting on this front.</li>
<li>The Section-27 and 28 provide for regulation of entry, registration of arm licenses and inoculation of cattle to ward off diseases. There is also almost total inaction in this direction.</li>
<li>The <strong>amendment act of 2002</strong> provided for confiscation of property derived from illegal hunting and trade by a confiscation tribunal. But investigation officer, confiscation officer and confiscation tribunal has not been appointed or created.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a conflict between legislative intent of WLPA and Forest Right Act 2006, as the resource poor farmers and tribal generally come in conflict with wildlife animals as well as forest guard.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Institutional Capacity</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Forest guard are not given proper training, about problem specific to forest like species diversity, study of animal behaviour, landscape planning to cope with porosity and fragmentation, understanding of Zone of Influence, and knowledge of Animal Classification</li>
<li>Forest guard are not given weapons. In case of conflict with poachers, they retreat.</li>
<li>With increased population burden, the wildlife area, particularly the corridors are shrinking.</li>
<li>The Wildlife Departments don&rsquo;t have the space to house rescued animals till their release orders are issued by the court.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Lack of Coordination</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is lack of integration between various agencies working for the protection of wildlife<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Conviction rate is dismal 2% for crime related to wildlife.</li>
<li>Even with the increase in nefarious trade in wildlife, any control mechanism is not established at international border and transport facility.</li>
<li>Due to lack of specialization, police and customs officers are not able to recognize tiger bones, which are exported with a different label.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Police and judges are not sensitized to animal welfare or are aware of the laws and the seriousness of the crime.</li>
<li>Police authorities and wildlife officers <strong>are found wanting, especially</strong> when it comes to handling, identifying and rehabilitating the live animals seized</li>
</ul>
<h3>Legal Impairment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Section 11(2) of the wild life act that is self-defence or killing animals in good faith is exploited. When forest dweller is caught with killing animals, they claim this provision to get away with it.</li>
<li>Punishment for crime in wildlife crime disproportionately low.</li>
<li>Many exotic species are not covered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that regulates all commercial trade.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In such cases, the courier is charged under the Customs Act and the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act for not having a no objection certificate (NOC) for their "goods". The courier is then let off after paying a penalty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Assessment of WLPA</h3>
<p>WLPA 1972 is one of the most robust acts on wildlife protection. The implantation created a condition in which wildlife thrived. Some of the facts related to quantitative aspects of wildlife are</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #caf0fc; border-color: #006d8f; border-style: dashed;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 825px; height: 19px;"><strong>Befor WLPA</strong></td>
<td style="width: 431px; height: 19px;"><strong>After WLPA</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 825px; height: 19px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Number of rhinoceros only 75 in 1905.</li>
<li>Only 5 national park.</li>
<li>In 1971, 1800 tigers were present in Indian subcontinent (in 1971 Delhi High court banned tiger hunting).</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 431px; height: 19px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Now it is 3550 in India and Nepal.</li>
<li>Today it has grown to 110 (July, 2018).</li>
<li>The number of tiger was 2,226 in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Wildlife animal definition in the WLPA, 1972 should be made more broad-based and in convergence with international emergent situation.</li>
<li>The success of WLPA, or for that matter, any law depends on the constituents in any such programmes. There are many success stories in which local communities participated and saved wildlife. For example <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Gujarat:</strong> Maldharis , a nomadic tribe helped in conservation of Gir lions</li>
<li><strong>Nagaland:</strong> Naga Tribe, because of the help of this tribe, Nagaland is known as amur falcon capital of the world</li>
<li><strong>Rajasthan:</strong> Pastoral community of Thar Desert is conserving Great Indian Bustard</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Such models and participation needs to be replicated all over India.</li>
</ul>',
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		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Teenage Pregnancy and Stunted Children',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p><strong>International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)</strong> study suggests children born to teenage mothers in India are more likely to be stunted than those born to adult mothers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is home to more stunted children than anywhere else in the world and is one of the 10 countries with the largest burden of teenage pregnancy.</li>
<li>The researchers analysed data from the <strong>fourth Indian National Family Health Survey</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The research probed potential social, biological, and other factors that possibly contribute to early pregnancy and child stunting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Findings of the Study</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Compared to adult mothers, teenage mothers had poorer nutritional status, lower education, a lower likelihood of accessing prenatal health services, and poorer living conditions.</li>
<li>Prevalence of <strong>stunting and underweight</strong> were found to be 10% higher in children born to adolescent mothers than in children born to adults.</li>
<li>First-time adolescent mothers were on an average shorter and thinner than the first-time adult mothers.</li>
<li>Anaemia among them was associated with reduced child growth</li>
<li><strong>Low-haemoglobin levels</strong> stem from iron deficiency. Foetal and postnatal iron deficiency results in a range of adverse consequences for mother and infant, including low birth-weight, impaired cognitive development and poor immune function.</li>
<li><strong>Poorer access</strong> to prenatal care services, missing out, for instance, on advice to eat iron-rich food.</li>
<li><strong>Poorer sanitation and living conditions,</strong> thus exposing their babies to infections that aggravate stunting.</li>
<li><strong>Consequences of Pregnancy in adolescence</strong> sometimes has fatal consequences.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also often results in school dropout, adversely affecting young women&rsquo;s education, income, and health. It also significantly correlates with poor health outcomes for the resulting children.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Projections of the World Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It indicates that 127 million Indian children under five years will be stunted by 2025 if current trends of teenage pregnancy continue.</li>
<li>Increased risk of degenerative diseases such as diabetes, stunting greatly affects their future livelihood and a country&rsquo;s economic progress.</li>
<li>According to a World Bank estimate, stunting can reduce a country&rsquo;s gross domestic product by up to 3%</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Stunting</strong> is the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. Children are defined as <strong>stunted</strong> if their height-for-age is more than two standard deviations below the WHO Child Growth Standards median.</p>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a research centre of Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research(CGIAR), a worldwide partnership engaged in agricultural research for development.</li>
<li>It provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.</li>
<li>Established in 1975, IFPRI&rsquo;s vision is a world free of hunger and malnutrition. Its mission is to provide research-based policy solutions that sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Banning early marriage</strong> is the only solution that can banish teenage pregnancy and child stunting, the researchers say.</li>
<li><strong>Government policies and programs:</strong> designed to delay marriage can cash in on this mindset.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is possible to prevent the marriage of teenage girls in low and middle-income countries through interventions such as unconditional cash transfers, cash transfers conditional on school enrolment, and livelihood training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A strong law to prohibit early marriage is the necessity of time.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In India, the legal marriage age of a girl is still 18, it should be reviewed in light of this report.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
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		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’s Failure in North East',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Out of ₹1,400 crore earmarked annually for the north-eastern States under the Centre&rsquo;s flagship <strong>Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana,</strong> only ₹8 crore &mdash; or just over half a per cent &mdash; was actually spent last year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Four north-eastern States &mdash; Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram &mdash; are not covered under the scheme at all.</li>
<li>The lack of coverage has left thousands of maize farmers devastated by losses from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icrisat-hosts-meet-to-tackle-fall-armyworm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fall armyworm</a> pest in the Mizoram without any hope of insurance.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reasons</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>States in the Northeast face challenges such as the lack of interest by insurance companies and the lack of State budgetary resources to pay their share of the premium.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Insurance companies have been reluctant to bid for these States, as the <strong>administrative costs are high</strong>.</li>
<li>There are no proper land records and also historic yield data is not available for these States, particularly at the gram panchayat and block level.</li>
<li><strong>It is difficult to conduct CCEs (crop-cutting experiments) needed for many horticulture crops.</strong> CCEs are conducted to obtain fair, precise and accurate estimate of the yield of crops.</li>
<li>Insurance companies are also not interested because the coverage is so limited. There are <strong>low number of loanee farmers in the Northeast,</strong> except in Assam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of forecasting infrastructure</strong> has also hampered the penetration of this weather-based insurance scheme in these states.</li>
</ul>
<p>To make insurance companies serve farmers in the north eastern states, effective marketing of the farm produce is required. Also, state governments either need to go with the PMFBY scheme or have to have their own set of schemes for the sake of farmers.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana <strong>was launched on 18<sup>th</sup> February 2016</strong>.</li>
<li>The scheme is being <strong>administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare</strong>.</li>
<li>It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.</li>
<li>The Scheme covers all food &amp; oilseed crops and annual commercial/horticultural crops for which past yield data is available and for which the requisite number of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) are being conducted under the General Crop Estimation Survey (GCES).</li>
<li>The prescribed premium is <strong>2%</strong> to be paid by farmers for all <strong>Kharif crops</strong> and <strong>1.5%</strong> for all <strong>rabi crops</strong>. In the case of annual commercial and <strong>horticultural crops,</strong> the premium is <strong>5%</strong>.</li>
<li>On paper, there is no upper limit on subsidy by the government, which bears the expense even if the balance premium is 90%.</li>
<li>The scheme is compulsory for loanee farmers availing Crop Loan /KCC account for notified crops and voluntary for others.</li>
<li>The scheme is implemented by empanelled general insurance companies. The selection of the implementing agency (IA) is done by the concerned State Government through bidding.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Synthetic Genome',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<p>Researchers at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Britain reported that they had rewritten the DNA of the bacteria <strong>Escherichia coli</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Synthetic genome</strong> is four times larger and far more complex than any previously created. Scientists have created a living organism whose <strong>DNA is entirely human-made</strong>. It is perhaps a new form of life and a milestone in the field of synthetic biology.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567745771_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567745771_image2.jpg" width="252" height="168" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>The bacteria are alive, though unusually shaped and reproducing slowly. But their cells operate according to a new set of biological rules, producing familiar proteins with a reconstructed genetic code.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Each gene in a living genome is detailed in an alphabet of four bases, molecules called <strong>adenine, thymine, guanine</strong> and <strong>cytosine</strong>.</li>
<li>Genes direct cells to choose among 20 amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, the workhorses of every cell. Proteins carry out a vast number of jobs in the body, from ferrying oxygen in the blood to generating force in our muscles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>History of a Synthetic Genome</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Researchers built a synthetic genome in 2010, that was one million base pairs long. The new E. coli genome is <strong>four million base pairs</strong> long and had to be constructed with entirely new methods.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Potential Use</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Many companies today use genetically engineered microbes to make medicines like insulin or useful chemicals like detergent enzymes. If a viral outbreak hits the fermentation tanks, the results can be catastrophic. A microbe with synthetic DNA might be made immune to such attacks.</li>
<li>Recoding DNA could also allow scientists to program engineered cells so that their genes won&rsquo;t work if they escape into other species. It creates a genetic firewall.</li>
<li>Researchers are also interested in re-coding life because it opens up the opportunity to make molecules with entirely new kinds of chemistry. Beyond the 20 amino acids used by all living things, there are hundreds of other kinds.</li>
<li>A compressed genetic code will free up codons that scientists can use to encode these new building blocks, making new proteins that carry out new tasks in the body.</li>
<li>Achievement one day may lead to organisms that produce novel medicines or other valuable molecules, as living factories. These synthetic bacteria also may offer clues as to how the genetic code arose in the early history of life.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Synthesizing the DNA in a lab from four million base pairs long genome and substituting synthetic genes for those made by evolution was a daunting challenge.</li>
<li>The genome was too long and too complicated to force into a cell in one attempt. The researchers built small segments and swapped them piece by piece into E. coli genomes.</li>
<li>The bacteria grow more slowly than regular E. coli and develop longer rod-shaped cells.</li>
<li>Tacking bases together to make genomes remains enormously costly.</li>
</ul>',
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		'title' => 'India-Vietnam Relations',
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		'title' => 'Bigger Picture of USA’s Action Against Iran',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article appeared on 18<sup>th</sup> May 2019 in Indian Express, <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/iran-united-states-tensions-crisis-nuclear-deal-persian-gulf-india-economy-crude-oil-5734292/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>By destabilising regions that supply oil and gas, US is keeping Rising Asia off-balance,</em></a> which talks about how USA&rsquo;s policy in West Asia will impact geo-economics of Asia.</p>
</div>
<p>All the political dimensions like geography, politics, security and stability of West Asia over the past century have been centred on <strong>Black Gold</strong> i.e. <strong>oil and petroleum</strong>. It started with First World War (1914-1919) to Second Gulf War 2003 and in contemporary times all this West Asia influx whether it was Arab spring, Syria's civil war, sanctions on Iran etc, all the events and chaos was about USA's pursuit to maintain dominance of petrodollar.</p>
<p>But this not only impacts West Asia alone rather it impedes or checks the Rising Asia.</p>
<h3>What is USA's Foreign Policy in Regard to Context of Oil?</h3>
<p><strong>What is Petrodollar?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The petrodollar is any U.S. dollar paid to oil-exporting countries in exchange.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>1944 Bretton Woods</strong> conference established the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency as After World War II, the United States held most of the world's supply of gold.</li>
<li>U.S. dollar is pegged in gold and all other currencies were pegged in dollar.</li>
<li>In 1971, U.S. stagflation prompted the United Kingdom to redeem most of its U.S. dollars for gold.</li>
<li>Than President Nixon removed the dollar from the gold standard to protect the remaining U.S. gold reserves.</li>
<li>This gave rise to the concept of <strong>Petrodollar Recycling</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1973 by US- Saudi deal, Saudi Arabia (largest supplier of oil) agreed to use U.S. dollars for oil contracts.</li>
<li>The U.S. dollars would be recycled back to America through contracts with the U.S. companies.</li>
<li>Thus whole US foreign policy vis-a vis west Asia envisaged to maintain dominance of petrodollar.</li>
<li>That&rsquo;s why US seeks to have a say in supply of oil.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What is the Rationale of US Action vis-a-vis Iran?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over the past decade, with the US becoming self-reliant on the energy front due to structural changes in the market for energy like:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Shale gas revolution,</li>
<li>Renewable energy revolution,</li>
<li>USA starting oil production again under Trump regime</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This has reduced US dependence on imported oil. The focus of US policy has now shifted to <strong>retaining control over the sources of supply</strong>&nbsp;and not just ensuring its supply.</li>
<li>Renewed tension in the Persian Gulf is not about overpowering Iran-sponsored terrorism. It is about securing control over Iran-produced oil.</li>
<li>USA's <strong>hostility towards Venezuela</strong> is under same narrative as that of Iran.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How Other Regions Will Get Affected?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The trans-Atlantic nations, especially the US, no longer depend on Gulf oil. But <strong>Asian economies,</strong> including China, Japan, South Korea and India, depend critically on Gulf oil.</li>
<li>All these countries are facing pressure of restricting import of Iranian oil to zero under USA's CAATSA&nbsp;<strong>(Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE: <em>What is CAATSA?</em></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a legislation introduced in the United States that aims to counter anti-US aggression displayed by countries like Iran, North Korea and Russia through a series of punitive measures.</li>
<li>Among the provisions of CAATSA are secondary sanctions on countries that are found to be dealing with the Russian defence and intelligence sectors.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>For instance, India&rsquo;s dependence on imported oil has risen sharply over the past decade, it is nearly 85% per cent of its domestic consumption.</li>
<li>By destabilizing regions of the world that supply oil and gas, the US is trying to check economic engine of Asia i.e. China.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Harvard scholar Edward Luttwak, in his book <strong>&ldquo;The Rise of China versus the Logic of Strategy&rdquo;</strong> says- the only way the US could deal with a rising China is through its <strong>geo-economic containment</strong>.</li>
<li>This <strong>geo-economic containment</strong> can be achieved by:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Restricting Chinese exports into (US) markets.</li>
<li>Stopping whatever technology transfers China would still need for the future.</li>
<li>Above measures US seeks to implement through <strong>Trade war</strong>.</li>
<li>Restricting raw materials to China, i.e. oil, through destabilization of West Asia is part of geo-economic containment of China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Luttwak suggested that US policy goal ought to be to slow down China&rsquo;s economic growth so as to lower the strategic weight of China in dealing with western Asia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This USA's strategy of wrapping strategic concerns in some other issue like human rights etc is nothing new, as western countries use restrictions of access to energy as a Neo-imperialist tool to restrict the rise of emerging economies under the name of climate change.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This has also been highlighted by former NITI Aayog chief Arvind Subramanian under narrative of <strong>"Carbon Imperialism"</strong> &mdash; the strategy of denying access to coal and other hydrocarbons in the name of climate change and thereby, hurting developing country growth prospects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion: What Would be Impact on India and What India Should Do?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India could suffer collateral damage due to this US policy of the geo-economic containment of China.</li>
<li>Hence, India has a stake in ensuring peace and stability in the Persian Gulf.</li>
<li>So if USA is insensitive to India&rsquo;s concerns, India will have to seriously rethink its foreign policy options since sustaining high economic growth with low inflation is a fundamental developmental priority and a key strategic objective also.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #ffddd4; border-color: #d43002; border-style: dotted;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 899px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:<br /><br /></strong></em>US's actions against Iran have significant deeper underpinnings rather than just breaking down Iranian hegemony in region, which are also against India's economic interest. In light of this, should India seriously need to rethink its foreign policy? Comment.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'RISAT-2B',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>Radar Imaging Satellite 2B</strong> is an Indian radar reconnaissance satellite that is part of India's RISAT programme. It is built by Indian Space Research Organisation and will be launched by PSLV-C46 rocket on May 22, 2019 from the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.</p>
<h3>Features<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677980_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677980_image3.jpg" width="337" height="535" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The satellite has a mass of 615 kg and feature an X-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar).</li>
<li>It is built for a 5 year operational lifetime.</li>
<li>RISAT 2B will be launched into a 37&deg; inclined orbit at 555 km orbital height.</li>
<li>RISAT 2B, RISAT 2BR1 and RISAT 2BR2 will be launched in 2019 on Indian PSLV launch vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Regular remote-sensing or optical imaging satellites work like a light-dependent camera that cannot perceive hidden or surreptitious objects in cloudy or dark conditions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Satellites that are equipped with an active sensor, the synthetic aperture radar (SAR), can sense or &lsquo;observe&rsquo; Earth in a special way from space day and night, rain or cloud.</li>
<li>A radar imaging satellite is complex to assemble. Interpreting its images is equally complex.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will mark the resumption of a vital ring of Indian all-seeing radar imaging satellites after seven years.</li>
<li>It will add to the reconnaissance capability from about 500 km in space. A constellation of such space-based radars means a comprehensive vigil over the country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Applications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In India radar imaging are used for crop estimation because our main crop growing season of kharif is in May-September when it rains and gets cloudy.</li>
<li>We have used this data extensively for forestry, soil, land use, geology and during floods and cyclone.</li>
<li>Due to an all-weather seeing feature, the satellite becomes special for security forces and disaster relief agencies.</li>
</ul>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/risat-2b'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Golconda-Qutb Shahi Tombs',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The National Monuments Authority (NMA) has given the go-ahead for the development of 54 row houses in the regulated zone of the <strong>500-year-old Golconda Fort</strong> and <strong>Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex in Hyderabad (Telangana),</strong> with the caveat that colour scheme should match with that of the monuments.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Department of Heritage, Telangana, raised multiple concerns citing <strong>Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act</strong> against the issue of no-objection certificate to the builder.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a concern that the <strong>construction will block the visual continuity</strong> that has existed for centuries between the two locations.</li>
<li>The construction location is 101 metres beyond the wall near Patancheru Darwaza. The gate, in earlier times, used to be an important passage from the Inner Fort to the site of Old Golconda.</li>
<li>The construction <strong>may impact the history of 'Old Golconda'</strong>. It is believed that the site of Old Golconda might have extended to the area of potential new construction between the fort and the tombs.</li>
<li>It will <strong>impact the five small water bodies</strong> between the fort wall and the outer enclosure of tombs.</li>
<li>The construction will also <strong>impact efforts for securing the World Heritage Status for the sites (2014 nomination)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Government agencies and citizens need to work together to retain the heritage character of the two sites.</p>
<h3><strong></strong></h3>
<h3>The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The act that was passed in 2010 has the stated <strong>objective to preserve, conserve, protect and maintain all ancient monuments</strong> and archaeological sites and remains declared of national importance, and their surrounding areas up to a distance of 300 meters ( or more as may be specified in certain cases) in all directions.</li>
<li><strong>No construction or reconstruction is permitted in the prohibited area</strong> (an area up to a distance of 100 meters in all directions from the nearest protected limit of nearby protected monument or protected area declared as of national importance), but repair or renovation is considered.</li>
<li><strong>In the regulated area</strong> (an area up to a distance of 200 meters in all directions from the prohibited area of any protected monument and protected area declared as of national importance), <strong>repair/renovation/construction/reconstruction are considered</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>All applications for construction related work in the prohibited and regulated areas are to be submitted to the Competent Authorities (CA) and then to NMA for consideration.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>National Monuments Authority (NMA)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NMA <strong>under the Ministry of Culture</strong> has been setup as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act which was enacted in March,2010.</li>
<li>Several functions have been assigned to the NMA for the protection and preservation of monuments and sites through management of the prohibited and regulated areas around the centrally protected monuments.</li>
<li><strong>NMA also considers grant of permissions to applicants for construction related activity in the prohibited and regulated areas.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Golconda Fort<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678144_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678144_image4.jpg" width="232" height="174" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is located in the western part of Hyderabad city.</li>
<li>It was <strong>originally known as Mankal,</strong> and <strong>built</strong> on a hilltop <strong>in the year 1143</strong>.</li>
<li>It was originally a mud fort under the reign of Rajah of Warangal.</li>
<li>Later <strong>it was fortified between 14<sup>th</sup> and 17<sup>th</sup> centuries</strong> by the Bahmani Sultans and then by the Qutub Shahi dynasty. <strong>Golconda was the principal capital of the Qutub Shahi kings</strong>.</li>
<li>The inner fort contains ruins of palaces, mosques and a hilltop pavilion, which rises about 130 meters high and gives a bird&rsquo;s eye view of other buildings.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Qutb Shahi Tombs<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678177_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678177_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="241" height="160" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Lying <strong>two kilometers from the Golconda Fort,</strong> the Qutb Shahi Tombs are built in <strong>Persian, Hindu and Pathani styles of architecture</strong>.</li>
<li>The tombs were planned and built by numerous monarchs who ruled the state during the <strong>18<sup>th</sup> century</strong>.</li>
<li>The grandeur of the tombs is ensconced amidst the beautiful and picturesque landscape and gardens of Ibrahim Bagh, and the tombs themselves are dedicated to the seven Qutub Shahi kings who ruled Golconda for nearly 170 years.</li>
<li>One of the most impressive tombs belongs to the <strong>founder of Hyderabad, Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah</strong> which rises to a height of 42 meters.</li>
</ul>',
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	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'Evidence of Water Found at Ultima Thule',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>NASA has found evidence for a unique mixture of methanol, water, ice and organic molecules on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nasa-spaceship-reaches-ultima-thule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ultima Thule's</a> surface</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NASA has published the first profile of Ultima Thule, an ancient relic from the era of planet formation revealing details about the complex space object.</li>
<li>Researchers are investigating a range of surface features on Ultima Thule, such as bright spots and patches, hills and troughs, and craters and pits on it.</li>
<li>The largest depression is a 8-kilometer-wide, the team has nicknamed <strong>Maryland crater,</strong> likely formed from an impact.</li>
<li><strong>Colour and composition:</strong> of Ultima Thule resembles many other objects found in its area of the Kuiper Belt. Its reddish hue is believed to be caused by modification of the organic materials on its surface.</li>
</ul>
<h3>About Ultima Thule<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678074_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678074_image2.jpg" width="316" height="178" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NASA&rsquo;s New Horizons</strong> spacecraft flew past the icy object nicknamed <strong>Ultima Thule (TOO-lee)</strong> in Kuiper belt.</li>
<li>It is a contact binary, with two distinctly differently shaped lobes. It consists of a large, strangely flat lobe nicknamed "Ultima" connected to a smaller, somewhat rounder lobe dubbed "Thule" at a juncture.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The lobes likely once orbited each other until some process brought them together in what scientists have shown to be a "gentle" merger.</li>
<li>The alignment of the axes of Ultima and Thule indicates that before the merger the two lobes must have become tidally locked, meaning that the same sides always faced each other as they orbited around the same point.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The discoveries made about Ultima Thule are going to advance theories of solar system formation.</p>',
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	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'Issues in WTO’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>The <strong>World Trade Organization&rsquo;s (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism is going through a crisis</strong>. The body is <strong>struggling to appoint new members to its understaffed Appellate Body</strong> that hears appeals in trade.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p>Over 20 developing countries met in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wto-ministerial-meeting-of-developing-countries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Delhi</a> on 13-14 May 2019 to discuss the ways to prevent the WTO&rsquo;s dispute resolution system from collapsing due to the logjam in the appointments.</p>
</div>
<h3>WTO&rsquo;s Appellate Body</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Appellate Body, <strong>set up in 1995,</strong> is a <strong>standing committee of seven members</strong> that presides over appeals against judgments passed in trade-related disputes brought by WTO members.</li>
<li>Countries involved in a dispute over measures purported to break a WTO agreement or obligation can approach the Appellate Body if they feel the report of the panel set up to examine the issue needs to be reviewed on points of law.</li>
<li>However, existing evidence is not re-examined but legal interpretations are reviewed.</li>
<li>The Appellate Body can uphold, modify, or reverse the legal findings of the panel that heard the dispute. Countries on either or both sides of the dispute can appeal.</li>
<li>The Appellate Body has so far issued 152 reports. The reports, once adopted by the WTO&rsquo;s dispute settlement body, are final and binding on the parties.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677894_image5.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567677894_image5.jpg" width="553" height="311" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Issues in WTO&rsquo;s Appellate Body</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Over the last few years, the <strong>membership of the body has shriveled to just three persons instead of the required seven</strong>.</li>
<li>This is because the United States, which believes the WTO is biased against it, has been blocking appointments of new members and reappointments of some members who have completed their four-year tenure.</li>
<li>Two members will complete their tenures in December 2019, leaving the body with just one member.</li>
<li>At least three people are required to preside over an appeal, and if new members are not appointed to replace the two retiring ones, the body will cease to be relevant.</li>
<li>The understaffed appeals body has been unable to stick to its 3 month deadline for appeals filed in the last few years, and the backlog of cases has prevented it from initiating proceedings in appeals that have been filed in the last year.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Disputes in WTO</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has so far been a direct participant in 54 disputes, and has been involved in 158 as a third party.</li>
<li>In February 2019, the body said it would be unable to staff an appeal in a <strong>dispute between Japan and India</strong> over certain safeguard measures that India had imposed on imports of iron and steel products.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> The dispute panel (India and Japan) had found that India had acted &ldquo;inconsistently&rdquo; with some WTO agreements, and India had notified the Dispute Settlement Body of its decision to appeal certain issues of law and legal interpretations in December 2018.</p>
</div>
<h3>Implications</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With the Appellate Body unable to review new applications, there is already great uncertainty over the WTO&rsquo;s dispute settlement process.</li>
<li>If the body is declared non-functional in December, countries may be compelled to implement rulings by the panel even if they feel that gross errors have been committed.</li>
<li>Countries may refuse to comply with the order of the panel on the ground that it has no avenue for appeal. It will run the risk of facing arbitration proceedings initiated by the other party in the dispute.</li>
<li>This also does not bode well for India, which is facing a rising number of dispute cases, especially on agricultural products.</li>
<li>In the backdrop of rising trade tension between the US and China, the overall weakening of the WTO framework could have the effect of undoing over two decades of efforts to avoid protectionism in global trade.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Usually, new appointments to the Appellate Body are made by a consensus of WTO members, but <strong>there is also a provision for voting where a consensus is not possible</strong>.</li>
<li>The group of 17 least developed and developing countries, including India, that have committed to working together to end the impasse at the Appellate Body can submit or support a proposal to this effect, and <strong>try to get new members on the Appellate Body by a majority vote</strong>.</li>
<li>But, this may be an <strong>option of the last resort, as all countries fear unilateral measures by the US</strong> as a consequence of directly opposing its veto.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/issues-in-wtos-dispute-resolution-mechanism'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (20th May 2019)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>SIMBEX 2019</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>26<sup>th</sup> edition</strong> of the annual <strong>Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-2019,</strong> is being conducted in the <strong>South China Sea</strong> from 16<sup>th</sup> May to 22<sup>th</sup> May, 2019.</li>
<li>In addition to Indian Navy ships Kolkata and Shakti, a long range maritime patrol aircraft Poseidon-8I (P8I) is participating in the SIMBEX-19.</li>
<li>The bilateral exercise SIMBEX that was <strong>started in the year 1993</strong> has grown in tactical and operational complexities and progressed from a basic anti-submarine exercise to a more complex maritime exercise which includes advanced air defence operations, anti-air, surface weapon firings and tactical exercises .</li>
<li>In the year <strong>2018,</strong> the exercise took place in the Indian Ocean, <strong>off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Survey of Frugivore Birds</h3>
<p>Recently, the Nature Conservation Foundation have mapped different frugivore (fruit eater) birds and their interactions that are important for the forest ecosystem.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>study carried out in Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh</strong> and looked at 43 tree species and 48 frugivore bird species that were seen visiting them.</li>
<li>The trees were classified into <strong>small, medium</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>large-seeded</strong>.</li>
<li>The large-seeded trees mainly depended on hornbills and imperial pigeons for their dispersal.</li>
<li>The medium-size seeded trees were visited by bulbuls, barbets along with hornbills and imperial pigeons. Though the frequency of visits was similar for all four bird species, the number of fruits removed from trees was high for hornbills.</li>
<li><strong>Hornbills,</strong> one among the large-sized frugivores, were the <strong>top seed dispersers</strong> and <strong>also the most threatened</strong>. They are hunted for meat, and the tribal communities use their feathers for headdresses.</li>
<li>It was noted that, when the <strong>number of hornbills decreased in an area, the regeneration of large-seeded plants that were primarily dispersed from them was also affected</strong>.</li>
<li>Bulbuls visited small and medium-sized seed trees in large numbers, they did not handle the seed well.</li>
<li><strong>Plants depend on frugivore birds to disperse the seeds at favourable sites,</strong> which have low competition and predation pressures, to expand their geographic range.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> The Nature Conservation Foundation is a non-governmental wildlife conservation and research organisation based in Mysore.</p>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-20th-may-2019'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'India-Vietnam Relations',
		'catname' => 'Paper 2',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in the News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently India's Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu was on a four-day visit to Vietnam.</li>
<li>India and Vietnam both agreed to further strengthen cooperation in defence and security, peaceful uses of atomic energy and outer space, oil and gas and renewable energy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Evolving Strategic Realities Between India and Vietnam</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Cultural and economic links between India and Vietnam date back to the 2<sup>nd</sup> century.</li>
<li>In modern times India supported Vietnam's independence from France, opposed American involvement in the Vietnam War, and supported unification of Vietnam.</li>
<li>India and North Vietnam established official diplomatic relations in 1972 and have since maintained friendly relations,</li>
<li>Both Vietnam and India were also close allies of the Soviet Union during the Cold War but both stressed on maintaining strategic autonomy.</li>
<li>In 1992, India and Vietnam established extensive economic ties, including oil exploration, agriculture and manufacturing.</li>
<li>The two states promulgated a Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation in 2003 in which they envisaged creating an <strong>"Arc of Advantage and Prosperity"</strong> in Southeast Asia</li>
<li>In 2007 both countries agreed on the establishment of the Strategic Partnership</li>
<li>Vietnam has been emerging as a pivotal state in India&rsquo;s <strong>Act East policy,</strong> which can be reflected in multiple dimension of cooperation:</li>
<li><strong>Defence cooperation</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The two countries developed strong defence ties extensively in fields like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Sale of military equipment:</strong> negotiations for four large patrol vessels and BrahMos short-range cruise missile are going on.</li>
<li><strong>Training</strong> Vietnam's armed forces in military equipment: Kilo-class submarines.&amp; Sukhoi aircraft.</li>
<li>India also announced a new line of credit US$500 million for procurement of defence equipment.</li>
<li><strong>Joint naval exercises</strong> Vietnam is also a part of <strong>MILAN,</strong> India&rsquo;s multinational naval exercise.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, Vietnam and India use the same Russian and erstwhile Soviet platforms, there is a significant convergence between the two in the defence sector</li>
<li>Vietnam has even asked India to develop this naval facility. this is significant in light of the that not even the US, a close ally of Vietnam in the region, was given this privilege.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geostrategic convergence of two nations.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Vietnam have their shared apprehension of an aggressive China<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China's virtually claiming the whole <strong>South China Sea</strong> as its territory and its assertiveness in the Indian Ocean.</li>
<li>China complained about Indian cooperation for the <strong>exploration for oil</strong> in Vietnamese waters, especially in light of the disputed political status of the Spratly Islands, which India currently recognizes as part of Vietnam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, there is no secret in contemporary India's Foreign Policy of its desire to play a more assertive role in the Indo-Pacific region. In this context:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Both sides stress the importance of:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A peaceful and prosperous <strong>Indo-Pacific region</strong> on the basis of respect for national sovereignty and international law</li>
<li>Freedom of navigation: 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea</li>
<li>Rule-based international order</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regional cooperation</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Vietnam closely cooperate in various regional forums such as ASEAN, East Asia Summit, Mekong Ganga Cooperation, besides UN and WTO.</li>
<li>Vietnam has supported India's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic and Commercial Relations</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is now among the top ten trading partners of Vietnam</li>
<li>In 2015 five key sectors were identified as thrust areas including garment and textile, pharmaceuticals, agro-commodities, leather &amp; footwear and engineering.</li>
<li>Major export commodities from India: machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles and leather accessories, Jewellery &amp; precious stones.</li>
<li>Main items of imports from Vietnam: mobile phones &amp; accessories, computers and electronics hardware, chemicals, rubber, ordinary metals, wood and wooden products etc</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Science and Technology cooperation</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Vietnam have signed the Framework Agreement on cooperation in:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Exploration and Uses of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes, IT Cooperation, Cyber Security</li>
<li>Uses of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Vietnam has been a large recipient of training programs under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation <strong>(ITEC) programs</strong></li>
<li>A proposal to set up a <strong>Centre for Satellite Tracking and Data Reception</strong> and an Imaging facility in Vietnam under <strong>ASEAN-India Cooperation</strong> mechanism is under consideration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations and People to People Exchanges</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Indian Cultural Centre</strong> opened in Vietnam in September 2016, with the objective of strengthening India&rsquo;s cultural presence in Vietnam.</li>
<li>India was one of the partner countries in the November 2016 <strong>Hanoi International Film Festival</strong></li>
<li>The third successive International Day of Yoga was held at the iconic Hoan Kiem Lake area of Vietnam</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in India-Vietnam Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Vietnam's closeness with India sparks alarm in China, thus Vietnam is finding the balancing difficult vis-a-vis China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vietnam doesn't want to be seen as part of QUAD.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India's trade with Vietnam is $5 billion and that too is stagnating whereas with that of China is $65 billion in 2015.</li>
<li>India's relations with Vietnam follows the same trajectory with that of ASEAN i.e below potential.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Potential of India-Vietnam Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2016, the first time in 15 years, an Indian Prime Minister visited Vietnam signalling India is no longer hesitant to expand its presence in China&rsquo;s periphery.</li>
<li>India's foreign policy envisages India to play an anchor for peace, prosperity and stability in Asia and Africa, deepening of ties with Vietnam will only strengthen this narrative.</li>
<li>Vietnam now engages India at the level of a <strong>'comprehensive strategic partner'</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this pursuit, Vietnam has even asked India to develop a naval facility in Vietnam which was denied to US, a close ally of Vietnam.</li>
<li>This signal the criticality of India's significance for Vietnam</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Strengthening ties with Vietnam will eventually lead a step towards the realization of SAGAR (Security and Growth all in the region) initiative as hailed by Indian PM.</li>
<li>India and Vietnam both can mutually benefit each other in the arena of Blue Economy and ocean security.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Vietnam and India's relations should not be looked from only from the prism of Vietnam is for India, what Pakistan is for China. There is a huge scope of cooperation in the multidimensional sector so that both mutually grow and contribute to regional peace and prosperity.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/india-vietnam-relations'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Regulatory Issues in Indian Pharmaceutical Sector',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/indian-pharma-at-the-crossroads-as-us-cracks-the-whip-1557941116328.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Indian pharma at the crossroads as US cracks the whip"</a> which appeared in "Livemint" on 17<sup>th</sup> May, 2019. The article talks about implications of poor regulation of Pharmaceutical industry.</p>
</div>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>Recently 44 states of USA initiated lawsuits against Indian Pharmaceutical companies over cartelization of generic drug prices. This calls for understanding the regulatory structure and the issues associated with it.</p>
<h3>Why we need Regulation?</h3>
<p>Regulatory scenario in this sector is extremely crucial not only due to the rapid and ongoing changes at the global level, largely with reference to <strong>good manufacturing practices (GMP)</strong>, good <strong>clinical practices (GCP) and good laboratory practices (GLP)</strong> but also due to the onus on the regulatory bodies to <strong>ensure a healthy supply of quality drugs at affordable prices</strong> to the Indian masses.</p>
<h3>Major Bodies Regulating Drugs and Pharmaceutical in India</h3>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: none;" height="96">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Health and Family Welfare</strong></td>
<td style="width: 17.9793%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers</strong></td>
<td style="width: 15.9109%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Commerce</strong></td>
<td style="width: 17.4224%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Science and Technology</strong></td>
<td style="width: 13.206%; text-align: center; height: 35px;"><strong>Ministry of Environment</strong><strong><br /></strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 68px;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 68px;">
<p>Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 17.9793%; height: 68px;">
<p>Department of Pharmaceuticals</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 15.9109%; height: 68px;">
<p>Patent Office</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 17.4224%; height: 68px;">
<p>Department of Biotechnology (DBT)</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 13.206%; height: 270px;" rowspan="4">
<p style="text-align: center;">Environmental clearance for manufacturing</p>
<p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-style: none;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 84px;">
<p>Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) headed by Drug Controller General of India, DCGI (I) + Statutory Committees + Advisory Committees</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 17.9793%; height: 202px;" rowspan="3">
<p>National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA); Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) 2013</p>
<p></p>
</td>
<td style="width: 15.9109%; height: 202px;" rowspan="3">Controller General of Patent</td>
<td style="width: 17.4224%; height: 202px;" rowspan="3">Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Laboratories</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-style: none;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 99px;">
<p>Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) headed by Drug Controller General of India, DCGI (I) + Statutory Committees + Advisory Committees</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 33.4924%; height: 19px;">State Licensing Authories</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Role of CDSCO</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Prescribes standards and measures</strong> for ensuring the safety, efficacy and quality of drugs, cosmetics, diagnostics and devices in the country.</li>
<li><strong>Regulates the market authorization</strong> of new drugs and clinical trials standards.</li>
<li><strong>Supervises drug imports</strong> and approves licences to manufacture the above-mentioned products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Fixes or revises the prices</strong> of decontrolled bulk drugs and formulations at judicious intervals.</li>
<li>Periodically <strong>updates the list under price control</strong> through inclusion and exclusion of drugs in accordance with established guidelines.</li>
<li><strong>Maintains data on production, exports and imports</strong> and market share of pharmaceutical firms.</li>
<li><strong>Enforces and monitors the availability</strong> of medicines in addition to imparting inputs to Parliament in issues pertaining to drug pricing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues at the Regulatory Level</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>NPPA</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NPPA chairman is officer of secretary level from <strong>Indian administrative services</strong> .There is no fixed tenure of chairman. Further there is no permanent staff at NPPA . For implementing its orders, NPPA has to depend upon state authorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>CDSCO</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of access to resources</strong> (both physical infrastructure and human resources).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>MDs in pharmacology and/or microbiology is given preference for appointment to the job of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI): but this can generate conflict of interest sometimes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Drug Regulatory Authority (SDRA)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Most of the regulators at SDRA are pharmacist: this creates a conflict as, most of the regulators at central level are Doctors.</li>
<li>Lack of access to resources (both physical infrastructure and human resources).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Pharma Regulation Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Autonomy</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both the CDSCO and the SDRAs are umbilically tied to their parent ministries and departments of health respectively.</li>
<li>This impedes flexibility in decision-making and autonomy in a host of areas beginning with finance, recruitment and other areas of institutional policy.</li>
<li>Regulators are effectively accountable to bureaucrats in their respective parent ministries.</li>
<li>Any decision passes through various ministerial channels, weakening the autonomy of CDSCO.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Power</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Section 33P15 which empowers the CDSCO to issue directions to SDRAs, to ensure that provisions of DCA are implemented uniformly in all states, has been rarely used and, even if it is used, the CDSCO has no power to enforce compliance by states.</li>
<li>Drug inspectors have no assurance of their safety and do not have the power of arrest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Capacity</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At the <strong>administrative level</strong>, lack of access to resources (both physical infrastructure and human resources).</li>
<li>At the <strong>financial level</strong>, both organisations completely depend upon budgetary allocation, and minimal user fee is charged from the industry.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of planning and execution</strong> of training programmes for drug inspectors/ad hoc in approach.</li>
<li><strong>Institutional channels of interaction</strong> between the CDSCO and the SDRAs are lacking.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in Pharma Regulation Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fragmented nature of drug regulator:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian pharmaceutical sector is <strong>highly fragmented</strong> with multiple regulatory units, which impede regulatory effectiveness of a country.</li>
<li>For example, division of regulatory responsibilities between the centre and the states (lack of uniformity in legal interpretation and harmonisation of the enforcement function), resource deficits owing to the absence of substantial investments in public infrastructure (specifically laboratories) and personnel, and low levels of transparency owing to lack of digitisation, and processing timelines are some of the issues.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Industrial lobbying:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The 59<sup>th</sup> report of Parliamentary standing committee on Health and Family Welfare found that, due to lobbying, medical opinions sought from experts appeared to have become a farcical exercise. Opinions were given in a subjective fashion without citation of any hard scientific evidence. Also the letters of many of the experts read almost verbatim.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unethical practices in clinical trials:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Corruption, the low cost of conducting trials, poor compliance and collusion between drug companies and doctors have led to a rise in unethical drug trials in India. The Indian parliamentary committee on health and family welfare, in its report to <strong>CDSCO , noted: &lsquo;There is sufficient evidence on record to conclude that there is collusive nexus between drug manufacturers, some functionaries of CDSCO and some medical experts'.</strong>&nbsp;The committee also pointed out that the CDSCO had approved 33 drugs, out of a randomly selected sample of 42, without clinical trials on Indian patients.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Proliferation of spurious and substandard drugs in India.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As per <strong>Drug and Cosmetic (D and C) Act, 1940,</strong> poor quality drug comprises of misbranded, spurious and adulterated drugs, respectively. CDSCO has categorised not of standard quality (NSQ) products in three categories A, B and C that is helpful in categorising the products during quality evaluation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.9064%; text-align: center;"><strong>Category A</strong></td>
<td style="width: 22.9325%; text-align: center;"><strong>Category B</strong></td>
<td style="width: 37.652%; text-align: center;"><strong>Category C</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 31.9064%;">It incorporates spurious and adulterated drug products; which conceal the real identity of the product or formulation and be similar to some well-known brand. These products may or may not contain active ingredients and generally manufactured by unlicensed antisocial people or sometimes by licensed manufacturers.</td>
<td style="width: 22.9325%;">It include grossly substandard drugs in which product fails the disintegration or dissolution test and where active ingredient assay get below 70% and 5% of permitted limit.</td>
<td style="width: 37.652%;">Category C involved products with minor defects like emulsion cracking, change in formulation colour, small variation in net content, and sedimentation in clear liquid preparation, failing of weight variation test, spot or discolouration on product, uneven coating, and presence of foreign matter and labelling errors.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><br />According to a report, International Policy Network, globally 0.70 million deaths were reported for malaria and tuberculosis because of counterfeit drugs. This data reveals the loopholes in the regulatory system.</p>
<p>Enforcement of quality in India takes place at marketplace where regulator takes the drug off the shelf and does testing .Due to health as a state subject, CDSCO can&rsquo;t control it, unlike in the developed countries where quality control intervention is done at process level.</p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provision like Cadre restructuring in State Drugs Controls, strengthening of NPPA and National Pharmaceutical Policy 2017 should be implemented at the earliest.</li>
<li>Provisions of National Health Policy, 2017, like strengthening and rationalizing the drug regulatory system, promotion of research and development in the pharmaceutical sector and building synergy and evolving a convergent approach with related sectors, should be implemented.</li>
<li>Various committee/commissions have called for making CDSCO like body withs its own independent staffing and finance. <strong>(Mashelkar Committee Report, DCA bill 2015, Professor Ranjit Roy Chaudhary Committee report)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>It is high time to radically clean the anarchy in drug regulation in India in the interests of public health. The &ldquo;Pharmacy of the World&rdquo; deserves a better regulatory body so that Scylla of exorbitant pricing and Charybdis of spurious drugs do not raise its ugly head.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: #9407db; background-color: #edd0f2;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">Regulatory conflict in Indian pharmaceutical sector has to be solved, for realization of Ayushmaan Bharat. Discuss.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regulatory-issues-in-indian-pharmaceutical-sector'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Import of Refurbished Mobile Phones',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>India has allowed the import of refurbished mobile phones, subject to the condition that they are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A refurbished mobile phone refers to a handset that was returned to the manufacturer, tested for problems and restored to full-functioning in factory-standard condition.</li>
<li>The move meets the demands of mobile operators like Apple which want to tap blooming smartphone business in India.</li>
<li>As per a notification by the commerce ministry, <strong>the import of electronic goods</strong> (new as well as second hand, whether or not refurbished, repaired or reconditioned) <strong>which require compulsory registration, is prohibited unless they are registered with the BIS</strong> and comply to the labelling requirements. The import can be allowed if the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) gives a specific exemption for a particular consignment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The chief concern is that <strong>how will the BIS be able to certify refurbished phones</strong> as they lack in uniformity. For instance, new phones have a uniform standard and can be examined for certification purposes by picking up a sample. However, such uniform sampling is not possible in the case of refurbished mobile phones.</li>
<li>There is a fear that companies may use India as a place to <strong>dump hazardous electronic waste</strong>.</li>
<li>Import of refurbished mobile phones would <strong>negate the effect of &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; initiative</strong>.</li>
<li>It will act as a <strong>counter to the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/national-policy-on-electronics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Policy on Electronics, 2019</a></strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BIS is the <strong>National Standard Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016</strong> for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.</li>
<li>It has its <strong>headquarters in New Delhi</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/import-of-refurbished-mobile-phones'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Interstate Migrants Avoiding Big Cities',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>'Migration and its impacts on cities',</strong> a report by the <strong>World Economic Forum,</strong> shows that smaller cities are rapidly growing, but at the same time struggling to cope with the infrastructure demands as civic revenue resources are on the decline.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Attractive incomes, ample employment opportunities and comparatively low living costs are driving <strong>interstate migrant populations</strong> to smaller cities that are emerging as <strong>counter-magnets</strong> to megalopolis.</li>
<li><strong>The UN Migration Agency (IOM)</strong> defines a migrant as any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The person&rsquo;s legal status;</li>
<li>Whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary;</li>
<li>What the causes of the movement are;</li>
<li>What the length of the stay is.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Economic Survey 2016-17</strong> had noted that <strong>counter-magnet region</strong> dynamics are observed in <strong>Jaipur</strong> and <strong>Chandigarh</strong> (to Delhi), <strong>Surat</strong> has started acting as a counter-magnet region to Mumbai and attracts migrants from the neighbouring districts of Maharashtra, <strong>Pune</strong> also has become a counter-magnet to Mumbai.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>That interstate migration is multiplying and migrants prefer smaller cities to settle down.</li>
<li>The high cost of living and overcrowding megapolis has drawn migrants to these small cities in search of better opportunities in all areas of life.</li>
<li>These small cities are now a preferred destination for many citizens across India for better job opportunities, education, healthcare services, real estate investment and better quality of life, among others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Rising Urban Agglomeration</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to the <strong>2011 Census,</strong> the population of Class I cities (having more than 1 lakh population) is on the rise.</li>
<li>In 2001, the total number of Class I cities was 441, which constituted 62.29 per cent of the total urban population, while in 2011, the number of Class I cities increased to 468, constituting 70.24 per cent of the total urban population. Not surprisingly, the share of the workforce engaged in the agriculture sector (cultivators and labourers) came down from 58.2 per cent in 2001 to 54.6 per cent in 2011.</li>
<li>Cities, including Surat, Faridabad and Ludhiana total over 55 per cent of in-migrants while Jaipur is growing as the urban agglomeration with migration spreading to the suburbs.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Municipal bodies in smaller cities are facing a daunting challenge to accommodate the rising population because of inadequate revenue resources.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The total revenues of the municipal sector account for only 0.75 per cent of the country&rsquo;s GDP as against 6 per cent in South Africa, 5 per cent in Brazil and 4.5 per cent in Poland.</li>
<li>The inadequate understanding of city planning and inability to translate the plans into actions is hampering the growth of smaller cities. Smaller cities are unable to attract investment and entrepreneurs for infrastructure development.</li>
<li>The existing institutional framework of municipalities is unable to deal with the standard problems of urban infrastructure utilities like street, electricity and water, along with sanitation, drainage, waste management and the provision of other basic services.</li>
<li>Providing security, sufficient open spaces, public parks and playgrounds, health facilities, and air pollution are still a bigger challenge in smaller cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Government Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government is adopting various measures to provide better living conditions in small cities through various schemes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Smart Cities Mission</li>
<li>Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Project</li>
<li>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) or Housing for All by 2022 Mission</li>
<li>Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)</li>
<li>Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission</li>
<li>Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Creating rurban agglomerate to provide urban amenities in the rural areas is one such step to check rural-urban migration.</li>
<li>Government is implementing various schemes to provide basic needs and develop rural infrastructure for improving the living conditions of rural masses so that distress migration of people from rural areas to cities could be reduced.</li>
<li>In a market economy like India, the movement of people for better economic opportunities is inexorable, but schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) have succeeded in reducing such migration.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/interstate-migrants-avoiding-big-cities'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Kerala: The First Indian State to Issue Masala Bond',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, the state-owned <strong>Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)</strong> debuted its &lsquo;masala bond&rsquo; issue of ₹ 2,150 crore on the London Stock Exchange.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>After this, KIIFB became the <strong>first sub-sovereign entity in India</strong> to tap the offshore rupee international bond market.</li>
<li>The secured fixed-rate bond has a five-year tenure with a 9.723 per cent coupon.</li>
<li>The bond issue builds on the Kerala government&rsquo;s focus to get multinational corporations to invest in the state, which has traditionally been known for its unfriendly business policies, bureaucratic delays and recurrent industrial strikes.</li>
<li>As per Kerala state government, the proceeds from the bond issue are slated to be used to part-finance the rebuilding of infrastructure in Kerala that was devastated by 2018 floods.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Masala Bond</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Masala Bonds are <strong>rupee-denominated bonds,</strong> i.e, the funds would be raised from overseas market in Indian rupees.</li>
<li>According to RBI<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any corporate and Indian bank is eligible to issue rupee denominated bonds overseas.</li>
<li>The money raised through such <strong>bonds cannot be used for real estate activities</strong> other than for development of integrated township or affordable housing projects.</li>
<li>It also <strong>cannot be used for investing in capital markets, purchase of land and on-lending to other entities</strong> for such activities as stated above.</li>
<li>The rupee denominated bonds can only be issued in a country and subscribed by a resident of such country that is a member of the financial action task force (FATF) and whose securities market regulator is a member of the International Organisation of Securities Commission.</li>
<li>While residents of such countries can subscribe to the bonds, it can also be subscribed by multilateral and regional financial institutions where India is a member country.</li>
<li>The minimum maturity period for masala bonds raised up to rupee equivalent of USD 50 million in a financial year should be 3 years and for bonds raised above USD 50 million equivalent in INR per financial year should be 5 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>KIIFB came into existence in 1999 under the Finance Department, Government of Kerala, to manage the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund, as per the <strong>Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Act</strong>.</li>
<li>The main intention of the Fund was to provide investment for critical and large infrastructure projects in the State of Kerala.</li>
<li>But it was in 2016, that the present government changed the role of KIIFB from handler of investment bonds to an entity to <strong>mobilize the resources for developmental projects over and beyond the budget</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kerala-the-first-indian-state-to-issue-masala-bond'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Important Facts For Prelims (18th May 2019)',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Taiwan Legalises Gay Marriages</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriages.</li>
<li>The Bill passed by the Taiwanian Parliament recognises same-sex marriages and gives couples many of the tax, insurance and child custody benefits available to male-female married couples.</li>
<li>In India, Homosexuality was decriminalised by the Supreme Court in 2018 when the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-paper-2-section-377-judgement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apex court struck down some of the provisions of Section 377</a> of the Indian Penal Code.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678733_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567678733_image1.jpg" width="789" height="504" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>UK&rsquo;s Law on Carrying Kirpans</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the United Kingdom government has passed the <strong>'Offensive Weapons Bill&rsquo;</strong> with an amendment by which <strong>Sikhs in the country will be allowed to own a longer '<em>Kirpan</em> (dagger)' and use it during religious and cultural functions</strong>. The Bill received the royal assent and is now an Act.</li>
<li>The purpose of the law is to reduce violent crimes in the UK following a spike in fatal knife attacks and acid attacks by strengthening the law surrounding the possession, supply and sale of dangerous knives, corrosive substances and firearms.</li>
<li>However, the initial draft of the Bill had included clauses directly impacting Sikhs, including extending existing offences of possessing a bladed article or offensive weapon on school premises and banning the sale and possession of curved swords over 50 cm, both in public and private.</li>
<li>However, with the new amendment added as <strong>"religious reasons"</strong>, Sikhs can keep longer (3 feet) kirpans and use it during religious and cultural functions.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Small <em>Kirpans</em> (around 3 inches or 7.6 cm) were not affected by the new legislation and are already protected under UK law.</li>
<li>The <em>Kirpan</em> is a ceremonial knife/dagger which symbolises the spiritual struggle over evil. It is one of the five articles of faith (5 <em>Ks</em>) of Sikhs, which the baptised Sikhs are expected to wear at all times.</li>
<li>The others <em>Ks</em> are - <em>Kesh</em> (unshorn hair), <em>Kara</em> (steel bracelet), <em>Kanga</em> (wooden comb) and <em>Kachha</em> (undershorts/underwear).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Military Nursing Service to Get Ex-Servicemen Status</h3>
<p>The Defence Ministry and the Indian Army have agreed in principle to grant ex-servicemen (ESM) status to the Military Nursing Service (MNS) cadre.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The ESM status will allow retired MNS officers to get identity cards, seek re-employment in government organizations/PSUs and apply for different resettlement schemes of the armed forces.</li>
<li>The serving officers of MNS will be allowed to use star plates on their official vehicles. An officer from MNS will be entitled to have a single star on the car in case of a brigadier, and two stars if she is a major general.</li>
<li>The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) in 2010 had directed the government to treat military nurses at par with regular commissioned officers in terms of ranks and entitlements.</li>
<li>The MNS was set up as an auxiliary force in 1943 and has only women officers with permanent commission, who serve as nursing staff in all three forces.</li>
<li>It is the only all-women officers' corps in the armed forces.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Graphite Reserves in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Arunachal Pradesh State government</strong> has asked the <strong>Geological Survey of India (GSI)</strong> to explore the possibility of surveying and drilling for minerals along the India-China border, considering that China is reportedly undertaking huge mining activities in Tibet.</li>
<li><strong>According to the GSI, about 35% of India&rsquo;s total Graphite reserves are found in Arunachal Pradesh.</strong> This is the highest found in the country.</li>
<li>The GSI&rsquo;s 2013 report, showed Arunachal Pradesh sits on 43% of the country&rsquo;s graphite resources followed by Jammu &amp; Kashmir (37%), Jharkhand (6%), Tamil Nadu (5%), and Odisha (3%).</li>
<li>But in terms of resources, Tamil Nadu led with 37% followed by Jharkhand with 30% and Odisha with 29%.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Graphite</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Graphite is a naturally-occurring form of <strong>crystalline carbon</strong>.</li>
<li>It is a native element mineral found in <strong>metamorphic</strong> and <strong>igneous rocks</strong>.</li>
<li>It has a <strong>layered structure that consists of rings of six carbon atoms</strong> arranged in widely spaced horizontal sheets.</li>
<li>It is dark gray to black in colour, opaque, and very soft.</li>
<li>It is the <strong>only non-metal element that is a good conductor of electricity</strong>.</li>
<li>It is known as a <strong>dry lubricant</strong> for its greasy nature.</li>
<li>It has many industrial uses, particularly for products that need very high heat.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Geological Survey of India (GSI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Geological Survey of India (GSI) was <strong>set up in 1851</strong> primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways.</li>
<li>Over the years, it has not only grown into a repository of geo-science information required in various fields in the country, but has also attained the status of a geo-scientific organisation of international repute.</li>
<li>The main functions of the GSI relate to creation and updation of national geo-scientific information and mineral resource assessment.</li>
<li>It is <strong>headquartered in Kolkata,</strong> and has six regional offices located at Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata and State Unit offices in almost all States of the country.</li>
<li>Presently, GSI is an <strong>attached office to the Ministry of Mines</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK)</h3>
<p>The Rajasthan government has decided to revamp the <strong>Ujala Clinics (Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics),</strong> a part of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, in its districts.</p>
<p><strong>Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (National Adolescent Health Programme)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In order to ensure holistic development of adolescent population, the <strong>Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in 2014</strong>.</li>
<li>The RKSK programme <strong>defines an adolescent as a person within 10-19 years of age,</strong> in urban and rural areas, includes both girls and boys, married and unmarried, poor and affluent, whether they are in school or out of school.</li>
<li>To guide the implementation of this programme, MoHFW in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has developed a <strong>National Adolescent Health Strategy</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>six thematic areas</strong> of RKSK as well as that of the strategy are <strong>nutrition, sexual reproductive health, substance misuse, non - communicable diseases, mental health, injuries and violence</strong>.</li>
<li>Its strength is its health promotion approach. The program envisages a paradigm <strong>shift from the clinic-based services to the promotion and prevention and reaching adolescents in their own environment,</strong> such as in schools, families and communities.</li>
<li><strong>Key drivers</strong> of the program are community based interventions like, <strong>outreach by counsellors,</strong> facility based counselling, <strong>social and behavior change communication and strengthening of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC) across levels of care</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mt. Makalu</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is the <strong>fifth highest</strong> mountain in the world, located in the Himalayas on the Nepalese-Tibetan (Chinese) border.</li>
<li>It is <strong>four-sided, pyramid-shaped</strong> mountain, lies around 20 Km southeast of <strong>Mount Everest,</strong> the highest mountain in the world, in the Mahalangur Himalaya.</li>
<li>The name Makalu is derived from the <strong>Sanskrit word <em>'Maha Kala'</em>,</strong> a name for the Hindu god Shiva that translates &ldquo;Big Black.&rdquo; The Chinese name for the peak is Makaru.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Makalu-Barun National Park</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Makalu lies within Nepal&rsquo;s <strong>Makalu-Barun National Park</strong> and Conservation Area, a 580-square-mile parkland that protects pristine ecosystems from tropical rainforests to alpine tundra above 13,000 feet.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The remote <strong>Barun Valley</strong> below Makalu is particularly important and managed as a Strict Nature Reserve to preserve its unique qualities and ecosystems.</li>
<li>Botanists have identified 3,128 species of flowering plants, including <strong>25 species of rhododendron</strong>.</li>
<li>Many animals also live here, with over 440 bird species and 88 mammal species, which includes a <strong>red panda, snow leopard, and the rare Asian golden cat</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-may-2019'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'Crime Against Minors',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wf0r2ogDOFY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>In the recent past, the country has witnessed some heinous crimes against minor girls. There was uproar in Kashmir after a 3-year-old was raped by her neighbor in Bandipora district. Days after this gruesome crime, just 50 kilometers away in Ganderbal district, another minor was allegedly raped. <strong>Number of crimes by the minors on the minors have increased in the country.</strong></p>
<h3>Reasons Behind Minors Committing Crime</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Lack of Parental Guidance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, there used to be a joint family system where if parents of a child are away, grandparents used to be there to guide the children. Now-a-days, <strong>nuclear families are there with both the parents going out for work,</strong> thus <strong>a child is not able to get the first schooling</strong> that s/he should get from the family.</li>
<li>It is seen that when parents do not have time for their children, they provide their children with gadgets like computers, smartphones etc., but generally <strong>parents forget to teach their children about how and what to watch on these gadgets</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Change in the status of Women:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The status of women in the society from being dependent has changed to that of being independent.</li>
<li>When a child does not get the much needed love and care from the family especially the mother, <strong>s/he feels isolated and her/his mind turns towards criminal activities</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Changing Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Earlier, most women used to be at home taking care of the children, but rising cost of living has pushed women out of the houses for earning money. The close emotional bond that a child used to share with his/er family is missing now.</li>
<li><strong>The world has shifted towards materialism,</strong> ie. people need more and more cars but not more and more social connections. This has resulted in the separation of children from their immediate neighbourhood.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Now-a-days, too many things are demanded from children i.e. to be competitive, to take care of themselves etc. All such things lead to <strong>frustration in the minds of children</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reasons Behind Crime Against Minors</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>People taking children for granted, thus taking advantage of them.</li>
<li><strong>Degradation of family values:</strong> It has been seen that some of the biggest sexual crimes take place within the family only. In various cases, it has been seen that a child gets sexually abused by his/her own father, aunt or any other close relative.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of education and lack of awareness about the present laws in the country.</strong> It is so that people are even not aware that committing a sexual act against a minor amounts to a crime.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Legal Provisions in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In 2013, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) law was enacted to protect the minors.</strong> This is one of the first laws of the land which is <strong>gender neutral</strong> i.e. protecting not only minor girls but also minor boys who could be subject to sexual crimes.</li>
<li>The Indian Penal Code has many stringent provisions in itself. After the Nirbhaya case, <strong>amendments were made in the code in 2013 on the recommendations of Justice Verma committee</strong>. The amendments have made the code further stringent.</li>
<li><strong>The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,Prohibition, and Redressal) Act (POSH Act) was enacted in 2013</strong> as a comprehensive legislation to provide a safe, secure and enabling environment, free from sexual harassment, to every woman.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Expected role from the Parents:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Family is the first unit of socialization for the child. Parents need to ensure that the child is getting the much needed love and care.</li>
<li>Besides a friendly relationship, there should be a <strong>strong relationship of authority and respect between a child and his/her parents</strong>. This sort of relationship helps in preventing the child from indulging in any sort of wrong activity.</li>
<li>Children should be persuaded to go out and play rather than allowing them to sit home and watch T.V.</li>
<li><strong>Within the family,</strong> it needs to be ensured that <strong>the girl child as well as the boy child is being treated equally</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expected Role from the state:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state has to work towards making people aware of the laws prevalent in the country.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Police needs to handle cases related to sexual crimes more sensitively.</strong></li>
<li>There need to be <strong>more fast track courts</strong> for handling cases related to the sexual crimes.</li>
<li>Information on number of sexual crimes reported in every police station, their status, rate of conviction, rate of acquittal etc. need to be there in the public domain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expected Role from the Society:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>'Gender Sensitization' programmes need to be started in the schools.</strong></li>
<li>Within a society, <strong>more and more get-togethers</strong> should be organised so that children get to know about their neighbours.</li>
<li>Children need to be engaged more and more in <strong>community activities</strong> to make them sensitive towards the society.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Socialization, education, counselling and constructive use of technology can play a prominent role in reducing crime against minors.</em></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong> The International Day of Families is observed on the 15<sup>th</sup> of May every year.</p>
</div>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/crime-against-minors'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Key Reasons for an Indian Industrial Policy',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial is based on the article <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/why-an-industrial-policy-is-crucial/article27153226.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'Why an industrial policy is crucial'</a> which appeared in The Hindu on 17<sup>th</sup> May, 2019. The article talks about what an industrial policy for India must address.</p>
</div>
<p>India's manufacturing sector has been stagnating since the beginning of the Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) reforms of 1991; <strong>For example:</strong> the contribution of manufacturing to GDP in India for 2017 was only about 16%.</p>
<p>If India wants to grow at a sustained rate of growth and reduce poverty it can't come without a robust manufacturing sector. But India's economy shows a classic case of <strong>Market Failure</strong> <em>(the transition of Indian economy directly to a service-led economy from an agrarian economy without developing its manufacturing sector)</em>.</p>
<h3>What is the significance of manufacturing sector for an economy?</h3>
<p><strong>Historically, no major country has managed to reduce poverty or sustain economic growth without a robust manufacturing sector.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Manufacturing is an engine of economic growth as it offers:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Economies of scale</strong> <em>[In microeconomics, economies of scale are the cost advantages that enterprises obtain due to their scale of operation, with cost per unit of output decreasing with increasing scale];</em></li>
<li>Technological progress;</li>
<li>Generation of forward and backward linkages;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>These factors collectively create a positive spillover effect on other sectors of the economy like employment, demand and production etc.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Neoliberal economics argues for laissez-faire or freedom of market.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But in the U.S. and Europe, after the 2008 Eurozone crisis, neoliberal principles were defied and there was very less (if none) intervention in market; <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These neoliberal countries made strategic efforts <em>(efforts which were not neoliberal)</em> to revive their industrial sectors, for eg: quantitative easing <em>(which is a monetary policy whereby a central bank buys predetermined amounts of government bonds or other financial assets in order to inject money directly into the economy)</em> done by USA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Even though India articulated the Make in India policy, which focused on increasing foreign direct investment and ease of doing business, but it is more of a financial policy than a manufacturing policy.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why India's manufacturing sector is stagnant even after the 1991 economic reforms?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A lack of human capital (this has been a major constraint upon India);</li>
<li>After 1991 reforms till 2005, reservation of products exclusively for production in the small-scale and cottage industries was 500. Even though this number is now 16 but this led to <strong>small scale informality</strong> which had gotten entrenched in Indian manufacturing. <em>[Majority of Indian manufacturers are therefore still small scale]</em><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This phenomenon created an absence of middle level companies among Indian enterprises;</li>
<li>This has also led to India being practically left out of Global Value Addition (GVA) chains;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What should be the salient feature of India's industrial policy?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Clearly India should not roll back to pre-1991 of a &lsquo;command and control&rsquo; economy, but:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state can play the role of an organizer of domestic firms;</li>
<li>The state can protect local firms from foreign industrial giants;</li>
<li>The state can follow to a certain extent, China's industrial policies, which has led to the development of huge firms like Lenovo, Haier etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Industrial policy for India must also seek not only the prevention of &lsquo;coordination failures&rsquo; but seek to avoid giving birth to competing investments in today&rsquo;s capital-scarce environment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example: the state can control predatory price wars that lead to companies like Jet Airways going bankrupt; or stop the misuse of capital investments which have led to the rise of NPA'S in the Telecom sector.</li>
<li>Doing this is important socially as well, because the poor Telecom sector performance eventually hampered investment in telecom infrastructure in rural areas thereby widening the digital divide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Industrial policy also must be such that manufacturing will create jobs;</strong> as its share in total employment fell from 12.8% to 11.5% over 2012 to 2016.</li>
<li>Increasing the export capacity and capabilities of manufactures will need to be another rationale for India&rsquo;s industrial policy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Between 2014 to 2018 there has been an absolute fall in dollar terms in merchandise exports which any industrial policy will have to address.</li>
<li>India can also look at the export-oriented manufacturing on which The East Asian miracle was based upon - <em>which led to employment of surplus labour released by agriculture in manufacturing, thus raising wages and reducing poverty rapidly</em>.</li>
<li><strong>For an exports led economy, economies of scale are critical:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>But the unorganized sector accounts for a massive 45% of India&rsquo;s exports - <em>which could be problematic for any new industrial policy to into account;</em></li>
<li>Therefore, India&rsquo;s industrial policy must also seek the formalization of the Indian economy <em>(especially the MSME sector)</em>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Lastly, any industrial policy for India must seek to boost the MSME sector towards efficient and sustainable economies of scale. MSME&rsquo;s growth and development is very important for turning India into a manufacturing powerhouse.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India must take lessons from the evolution of the IT sector and try to have it replicated in the manufacturing sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The success story of India&rsquo;s IT industry can be attributed to: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The government invested in creating high-speed Internet connectivity enabling integration of the Indian IT industry with the world. [Example of the state providing infrastructure]</li>
<li>The government allowed the IT industry to import duty-free both hardware and software. [Example of the state facilitating enterprises through policy-making]</li>
<li>The IT industry was also able to function under the Shops and Establishment Act and hence were not subject to the burdening labour laws. [Labour laws of India as such, needs a much needed relook]</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The IT sector benefited from low-cost, high-value human capital created by public investments earlier in technical education. [Example of success of state investments in human capital]</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Thus, one can observe that without all of these facilitative factors, the IT success story would not have occurred in India. The country now must replicate this success story in the manufacturing sector and lay down the roadmap for a future of inclusive and sustained growth.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-style: double; background-color: #fadfd2; border-color: #cc4400;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 1256px;"><em><strong>Drishti Input:<br /><br /></strong></em>Give an account of the state of manufacturing sector in India. What lessons can be implemented from the IT sector to boost Indian manufacturing?</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>',
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	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'India’s Waste Dumping Proposal Stands Defeated',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>A proposal by India to prevent developed countries from dumping their electronic and plastic waste into developing countries, was defeated at the recently concluded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brs-conventions-cop-meet-in-geneva" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meeting of the Basel Convention</a> in Geneva.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 14<sup>th</sup> meeting of the Basel Convention, which lays down guidelines on the movement of hazardous waste, concluded in Geneva on the 10th May, 2019 after two weeks of negotiations involving 187 countries.</li>
<li><strong>A key outcome of the meeting was an amendment to the Convention that includes plastic waste in a legally-binding framework,</strong> which would make global trade in plastic waste more transparent and better regulated, whilst also ensuring that its management is safer for human health and the environment. However, <strong>it does not bar countries from exporting various categories of plastic waste</strong>.</li>
<li>Pollution from plastic waste, acknowledged as a major environmental problem of global concern, has reached epidemic proportions with an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic now found in the oceans, 80%-90% of which comes from land-based sources.</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Note:</strong> India&rsquo;s laws currently don&rsquo;t allow electronic and plastic waste to be imported into the country.</em></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Basel Convention</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Adopted on March 22, 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel, Switzerland, the &ldquo;Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal&rdquo;, generally known as the <strong>Basel Convention, came into force in 1992</strong>.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>international treaty</strong> that aims to <strong>reduce the movement of hazardous waste between countries</strong>.</li>
<li>It particularly focuses on <strong>preventing transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries</strong>.</li>
<li>It provides for cooperation between the parties, including exchange of information on issues relevant to the implementation of the Convention.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Basel Banking Norms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Basel guidelines refer to <strong>broad supervisory banking standards formulated by</strong> the group of central banks called the<strong> Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)</strong>.</li>
<li>The Committee's <strong>Secretariat is located at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, Switzerland</strong>.</li>
<li>BIS fosters cooperation among central banks with a common goal of financial stability and common standards of banking regulations.</li>
<li>Banks in India have to implement the Basel III norms (third in the series of Basel Accords) as per the guidelines issued by the RBI from time to time.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indias-waste-dumping-proposal-stands-defeated'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Wild Life Protection Act: Implementation and Failure',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Recently, Chennai has emerged as a hotbed of global illegal animal trade. This, along with several incidences of poaching and trafficking of wildlife, raises question on efficacy Of Wild Life Protection Act ,1972(WLPA).</p>
<h3>The issues in WLPA: Implementational Lacuna</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WLPA revolves around the <strong>Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW),</strong> appointed under Section 4 of the WLPA. CWLW, are not full-filling their statutory duties comprehensively, as provided under the Act. Some of these instances are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The power of CWLW (under sec 18-26) to carry out settlement in protected area has not started even after 46 year.</li>
<li>CWLW are empowered to take cognizance of destruction of wildlife , and regulate the inflow and outflow of water. But they are not acting on this front.</li>
<li>The Section-27 and 28 provide for regulation of entry, registration of arm licenses and inoculation of cattle to ward off diseases. There is also almost total inaction in this direction.</li>
<li>The <strong>amendment act of 2002</strong> provided for confiscation of property derived from illegal hunting and trade by a confiscation tribunal. But investigation officer, confiscation officer and confiscation tribunal has not been appointed or created.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There is a conflict between legislative intent of WLPA and Forest Right Act 2006, as the resource poor farmers and tribal generally come in conflict with wildlife animals as well as forest guard.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Institutional Capacity</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Forest guard are not given proper training, about problem specific to forest like species diversity, study of animal behaviour, landscape planning to cope with porosity and fragmentation, understanding of Zone of Influence, and knowledge of Animal Classification</li>
<li>Forest guard are not given weapons. In case of conflict with poachers, they retreat.</li>
<li>With increased population burden, the wildlife area, particularly the corridors are shrinking.</li>
<li>The Wildlife Departments don&rsquo;t have the space to house rescued animals till their release orders are issued by the court.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Lack of Coordination</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is lack of integration between various agencies working for the protection of wildlife<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Conviction rate is dismal 2% for crime related to wildlife.</li>
<li>Even with the increase in nefarious trade in wildlife, any control mechanism is not established at international border and transport facility.</li>
<li>Due to lack of specialization, police and customs officers are not able to recognize tiger bones, which are exported with a different label.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Police and judges are not sensitized to animal welfare or are aware of the laws and the seriousness of the crime.</li>
<li>Police authorities and wildlife officers <strong>are found wanting, especially</strong> when it comes to handling, identifying and rehabilitating the live animals seized</li>
</ul>
<h3>Legal Impairment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Section 11(2) of the wild life act that is self-defence or killing animals in good faith is exploited. When forest dweller is caught with killing animals, they claim this provision to get away with it.</li>
<li>Punishment for crime in wildlife crime disproportionately low.</li>
<li>Many exotic species are not covered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that regulates all commercial trade.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In such cases, the courier is charged under the Customs Act and the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act for not having a no objection certificate (NOC) for their "goods". The courier is then let off after paying a penalty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Assessment of WLPA</h3>
<p>WLPA 1972 is one of the most robust acts on wildlife protection. The implantation created a condition in which wildlife thrived. Some of the facts related to quantitative aspects of wildlife are</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #caf0fc; border-color: #006d8f; border-style: dashed;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 825px; height: 19px;"><strong>Befor WLPA</strong></td>
<td style="width: 431px; height: 19px;"><strong>After WLPA</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 825px; height: 19px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Number of rhinoceros only 75 in 1905.</li>
<li>Only 5 national park.</li>
<li>In 1971, 1800 tigers were present in Indian subcontinent (in 1971 Delhi High court banned tiger hunting).</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td style="width: 431px; height: 19px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Now it is 3550 in India and Nepal.</li>
<li>Today it has grown to 110 (July, 2018).</li>
<li>The number of tiger was 2,226 in 2014.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Wildlife animal definition in the WLPA, 1972 should be made more broad-based and in convergence with international emergent situation.</li>
<li>The success of WLPA, or for that matter, any law depends on the constituents in any such programmes. There are many success stories in which local communities participated and saved wildlife. For example <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Gujarat:</strong> Maldharis , a nomadic tribe helped in conservation of Gir lions</li>
<li><strong>Nagaland:</strong> Naga Tribe, because of the help of this tribe, Nagaland is known as amur falcon capital of the world</li>
<li><strong>Rajasthan:</strong> Pastoral community of Thar Desert is conserving Great Indian Bustard</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Such models and participation needs to be replicated all over India.</li>
</ul>',
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		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Teenage Pregnancy and Stunted Children',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p><strong>International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)</strong> study suggests children born to teenage mothers in India are more likely to be stunted than those born to adult mothers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is home to more stunted children than anywhere else in the world and is one of the 10 countries with the largest burden of teenage pregnancy.</li>
<li>The researchers analysed data from the <strong>fourth Indian National Family Health Survey</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The research probed potential social, biological, and other factors that possibly contribute to early pregnancy and child stunting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Findings of the Study</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Compared to adult mothers, teenage mothers had poorer nutritional status, lower education, a lower likelihood of accessing prenatal health services, and poorer living conditions.</li>
<li>Prevalence of <strong>stunting and underweight</strong> were found to be 10% higher in children born to adolescent mothers than in children born to adults.</li>
<li>First-time adolescent mothers were on an average shorter and thinner than the first-time adult mothers.</li>
<li>Anaemia among them was associated with reduced child growth</li>
<li><strong>Low-haemoglobin levels</strong> stem from iron deficiency. Foetal and postnatal iron deficiency results in a range of adverse consequences for mother and infant, including low birth-weight, impaired cognitive development and poor immune function.</li>
<li><strong>Poorer access</strong> to prenatal care services, missing out, for instance, on advice to eat iron-rich food.</li>
<li><strong>Poorer sanitation and living conditions,</strong> thus exposing their babies to infections that aggravate stunting.</li>
<li><strong>Consequences of Pregnancy in adolescence</strong> sometimes has fatal consequences.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also often results in school dropout, adversely affecting young women&rsquo;s education, income, and health. It also significantly correlates with poor health outcomes for the resulting children.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Projections of the World Bank</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It indicates that 127 million Indian children under five years will be stunted by 2025 if current trends of teenage pregnancy continue.</li>
<li>Increased risk of degenerative diseases such as diabetes, stunting greatly affects their future livelihood and a country&rsquo;s economic progress.</li>
<li>According to a World Bank estimate, stunting can reduce a country&rsquo;s gross domestic product by up to 3%</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Stunting</strong> is the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. Children are defined as <strong>stunted</strong> if their height-for-age is more than two standard deviations below the WHO Child Growth Standards median.</p>
</div>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a research centre of Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research(CGIAR), a worldwide partnership engaged in agricultural research for development.</li>
<li>It provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.</li>
<li>Established in 1975, IFPRI&rsquo;s vision is a world free of hunger and malnutrition. Its mission is to provide research-based policy solutions that sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Banning early marriage</strong> is the only solution that can banish teenage pregnancy and child stunting, the researchers say.</li>
<li><strong>Government policies and programs:</strong> designed to delay marriage can cash in on this mindset.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is possible to prevent the marriage of teenage girls in low and middle-income countries through interventions such as unconditional cash transfers, cash transfers conditional on school enrolment, and livelihood training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A strong law to prohibit early marriage is the necessity of time.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In India, the legal marriage age of a girl is still 18, it should be reviewed in light of this report.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
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	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’s Failure in North East',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Out of ₹1,400 crore earmarked annually for the north-eastern States under the Centre&rsquo;s flagship <strong>Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana,</strong> only ₹8 crore &mdash; or just over half a per cent &mdash; was actually spent last year.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Four north-eastern States &mdash; Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram &mdash; are not covered under the scheme at all.</li>
<li>The lack of coverage has left thousands of maize farmers devastated by losses from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icrisat-hosts-meet-to-tackle-fall-armyworm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fall armyworm</a> pest in the Mizoram without any hope of insurance.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Reasons</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>States in the Northeast face challenges such as the lack of interest by insurance companies and the lack of State budgetary resources to pay their share of the premium.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Insurance companies have been reluctant to bid for these States, as the <strong>administrative costs are high</strong>.</li>
<li>There are no proper land records and also historic yield data is not available for these States, particularly at the gram panchayat and block level.</li>
<li><strong>It is difficult to conduct CCEs (crop-cutting experiments) needed for many horticulture crops.</strong> CCEs are conducted to obtain fair, precise and accurate estimate of the yield of crops.</li>
<li>Insurance companies are also not interested because the coverage is so limited. There are <strong>low number of loanee farmers in the Northeast,</strong> except in Assam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of forecasting infrastructure</strong> has also hampered the penetration of this weather-based insurance scheme in these states.</li>
</ul>
<p>To make insurance companies serve farmers in the north eastern states, effective marketing of the farm produce is required. Also, state governments either need to go with the PMFBY scheme or have to have their own set of schemes for the sake of farmers.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana <strong>was launched on 18<sup>th</sup> February 2016</strong>.</li>
<li>The scheme is being <strong>administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare</strong>.</li>
<li>It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.</li>
<li>The Scheme covers all food &amp; oilseed crops and annual commercial/horticultural crops for which past yield data is available and for which the requisite number of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) are being conducted under the General Crop Estimation Survey (GCES).</li>
<li>The prescribed premium is <strong>2%</strong> to be paid by farmers for all <strong>Kharif crops</strong> and <strong>1.5%</strong> for all <strong>rabi crops</strong>. In the case of annual commercial and <strong>horticultural crops,</strong> the premium is <strong>5%</strong>.</li>
<li>On paper, there is no upper limit on subsidy by the government, which bears the expense even if the balance premium is 90%.</li>
<li>The scheme is compulsory for loanee farmers availing Crop Loan /KCC account for notified crops and voluntary for others.</li>
<li>The scheme is implemented by empanelled general insurance companies. The selection of the implementing agency (IA) is done by the concerned State Government through bidding.</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Synthetic Genome',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<p>Researchers at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Britain reported that they had rewritten the DNA of the bacteria <strong>Escherichia coli</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Synthetic genome</strong> is four times larger and far more complex than any previously created. Scientists have created a living organism whose <strong>DNA is entirely human-made</strong>. It is perhaps a new form of life and a milestone in the field of synthetic biology.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567745771_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1567745771_image2.jpg" width="252" height="168" style="float: right;" caption="false" /></a></li>
<li>The bacteria are alive, though unusually shaped and reproducing slowly. But their cells operate according to a new set of biological rules, producing familiar proteins with a reconstructed genetic code.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Each gene in a living genome is detailed in an alphabet of four bases, molecules called <strong>adenine, thymine, guanine</strong> and <strong>cytosine</strong>.</li>
<li>Genes direct cells to choose among 20 amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, the workhorses of every cell. Proteins carry out a vast number of jobs in the body, from ferrying oxygen in the blood to generating force in our muscles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>History of a Synthetic Genome</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Researchers built a synthetic genome in 2010, that was one million base pairs long. The new E. coli genome is <strong>four million base pairs</strong> long and had to be constructed with entirely new methods.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Potential Use</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Many companies today use genetically engineered microbes to make medicines like insulin or useful chemicals like detergent enzymes. If a viral outbreak hits the fermentation tanks, the results can be catastrophic. A microbe with synthetic DNA might be made immune to such attacks.</li>
<li>Recoding DNA could also allow scientists to program engineered cells so that their genes won&rsquo;t work if they escape into other species. It creates a genetic firewall.</li>
<li>Researchers are also interested in re-coding life because it opens up the opportunity to make molecules with entirely new kinds of chemistry. Beyond the 20 amino acids used by all living things, there are hundreds of other kinds.</li>
<li>A compressed genetic code will free up codons that scientists can use to encode these new building blocks, making new proteins that carry out new tasks in the body.</li>
<li>Achievement one day may lead to organisms that produce novel medicines or other valuable molecules, as living factories. These synthetic bacteria also may offer clues as to how the genetic code arose in the early history of life.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Synthesizing the DNA in a lab from four million base pairs long genome and substituting synthetic genes for those made by evolution was a daunting challenge.</li>
<li>The genome was too long and too complicated to force into a cell in one attempt. The researchers built small segments and swapped them piece by piece into E. coli genomes.</li>
<li>The bacteria grow more slowly than regular E. coli and develop longer rod-shaped cells.</li>
<li>Tacking bases together to make genomes remains enormously costly.</li>
</ul>',
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		'articles.publishon' => 'datetime',
		'publishon' => 'datetime',
		'articles__posturl' => 'string',
		'articles.posturl' => 'string',
		'posturl' => 'string',
		'articles__metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles.metatitle' => 'string',
		'metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles__metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles.metadescription' => 'string',
		'metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles__metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles.metakeyword' => 'text',
		'metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles__status' => 'integer',
		'articles.status' => 'integer',
		'status' => 'integer',
		'articles__sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles.sort_order' => 'integer',
		'sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles__addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.addedby' => 'integer',
		'addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.updatedby' => 'integer',
		'updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.added' => 'timestamp',
		'added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.modified' => 'timestamp',
		'modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles.whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_comments' => 'integer',
		'display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles__pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles.pdf_name' => 'string',
		'pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles__display_archive' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_archive' => 'integer',
		'display_archive' => 'integer'
	],
	'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) 194
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 275
$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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